‘Please listen to me.’ Gilly knew that what she was about to tell Nell could change her life forever too.
Nell remained silent, her heart was beating in double time, waiting to hear what her mum was about to say.
‘This is Lloyd Keaton.’
‘Yes, I know who he is. What was it? A one-night stand? You couldn’t resist someone famous. Let me guess, you met at the theatre, you were a groupie.’
‘Nell, stop it now.’ Gilly took a breath.
‘We didn’t meet at the theatre, far from it.’ Lloyd added softly. ‘We met at 41 Church Lane.’
It took a second for the address to register, ‘My grandparents’ house? They knew about the affair?’ Nell’s eyes darkened.
‘There was no affair. This is Lloyd Taylor.’
Nell listened to her mum’s words, ‘But that’s your maiden name. I don’t understand.’
‘My brother,’ said Gilly simply, ‘Lloyd is my brother.’
Nell eyes widened and she let out a cry, ‘Someone really needs to be telling me what I should be thinking right now.’
‘You are brother and sister? This is so wrong.’ Nell buried her head in her hands.
‘Nell, this isn’t what you think, please listen,’ said Gilly as the emotion gripped her and the tears burst through.
Lloyd grasped her hand and squeezed it tight. ‘Here, take this,’ he offered her a tissue, ‘Let me explain.’
‘My stage name is Keaton. It was changed when I landed my first film role. It was during the filming that I met and fell in love with my beautiful wife Annie, Annie Clayton. She too was an actress.’
‘Such a wonderful person,’ Gilly said, dabbing her eyes with a tissue.
‘The day she told me the news we were expecting our first child was the happiest day of my life. I was over the moon, everyone was, but I knew it was never going to be easy as we were both working up and down the country and both on different film sets for long periods of time.’
He took a deep breath, ‘Everything was going well. We bought a little house not far from Mum and Dad and Annie gave up the stage a couple of months before the baby was due.’
‘Lloyd was working away in Stratford when Annie’s waters broke,’ Gilly chipped in. ‘We telephoned the theatre, but he was already in the middle of his performance.’
‘They passed the message on in between scenes and I knew there was a possibility I’d manage to catch the last train back if I hurried after the play.’ Lloyd wiped away a tear and paused.
‘It was too late, when Lloyd arrived …’
‘There’d been complications,’ he said. ‘And my darling Annie passed away during childbirth. I never even got chance to say goodbye.’
Lloyd took a deep breath. He looked so sad and rubbed his hands over his face, ‘When I arrived at the hospital …’ Lloyd couldn’t finish his sentence. He stood up and placed both his hands on the sink and bowed his head.
Gilly took over, ‘When Lloyd arrived at the hospital, he found me and your dad cradling you.’
‘Me?’
‘Yes. Nell, you were the baby.’
Nell felt as if she’d been hit by a high-speed train. Her head was whirling trying to take everything in. Nausea had taken over her body and the tears fell.
‘Nell, I know this is a huge shock for you.’
She looked up and met Gilly’s eyes, ‘You’re not my mother?’
Gilly bit down on her lip and shook her head. ‘I’m not your biological mother, but I will always be your mother. Me and your dad loved you like you were our own. You are our own, you were so special to us and Lloyd knew we’d love you with all our hearts.’
‘Why didn’t you want me?’ Nell’s voice faltered, her heart was breaking and she didn’t attempt to wipe away the tears.
‘The circumstances were tragic,’ Lloyd turned back to face her. He stretched over the table and took Gilly’s hand, ‘When Gilly and Benny found out they couldn’t have any children of their own they were devastated, we were all devastated. They had so much to offer. When Annie passed, and believe me it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, I gave them you, the most special gift of all. They could give you a happy, stable home; they could give you roots. They gave their lives to you, which makes them very special people. I love them dearly. With me you would have been passed from pillar to post, with childminders, never making friends because you’d never stay in one place long enough. It seemed the best solution. Annie had passed away and your mum and dad had you, a child they never thought they’d ever have.’ Lloyd wiped away his own tears.
Nell’s heart was shattered, ‘Why didn’t you open any of these?’ she pointed to the letters on the table.
‘I couldn’t. My heart was broken letting you go and I knew I had to have a clean break for Benny and Gilly’s sake. If I saw a picture of you, I’d want to come back and I couldn’t do that to them or you. You were theirs now, but my love for you never diminished,’ he managed a weak smile, ‘You have to believe me.’
‘Lloyd never knew your name until he was sitting on your boat. He put two and two together when you mentioned my name and that I worked in the deli.’
The knots in Nell’s stomach took her breath away, ‘You never knew my name?’
He shook his head.
For a second everyone was lost in their own thoughts until Nell spoke, ‘Why now? Why come back now?’
‘I had business in the area. I thought I could keep a low profile, living on the boat until the transaction went through.’
‘Transaction?’
‘The Old Picture House.’
Nell gasped, ‘You owned the Old Picture House?’
Lloyd nodded, ‘I couldn’t believe it when you told me you wanted to buy it and renovate it in Ollie’s honour.’ Lloyd’s voice became shaky.
‘Is that why you didn’t want me to buy it?’ Nell turned towards her mum.
‘I panicked. I was scared that somehow your paths would cross. I know it was daft. You have a different surname to me and Lloyd didn’t even know your name. I just couldn’t cope with the thought of what might happen. You’ve been through so much heartache recently and I suppose I was trying to protect you as much as I could.’
Nell turned towards Lloyd, ‘It was you. You gave me that place.’
Now it was Gilly’s turn to look surprised. ‘What’s all this?’
‘I was called into the solicitor’s office to be told my funds had been returned to my bank account but I was still the owner of the Old Picture House.’
Lloyd took a breath, ‘When I discovered who you were and why you wanted to re-open that place, it was the least I could do. You are my daughter. I was proud of the reasons you wanted to save it. That place is special to me. I used to date Annie there. I bought it after it closed its doors for the last time because I couldn’t bear it being demolished to make way for houses. There were too many memories there. I retired abroad but came back because,’ He paused and glanced at Gilly. She nodded, giving him the approval to carry on.
‘Because my health isn’t the best.’
‘I don’t understand,’ Nell said.
Gilly took a breath, ‘Lloyd has cancer, Nell. He came back to stay goodbye. He hired this boat for a short time to be close to us and to sell the Old Picture House. He wanted to see us one last time.’
Nell had no words and broke down, the tears cascaded down her face as she sobbed. Gilly wrapped her arms around her daughter and hugged her tight.
‘How long have you got?’ Nell whimpered.
‘Months.’ Lloyd looked down at his hands unable to make eye contact.
The three of them sat in silence, lost in their own thoughts, until Lloyd spoke, softly.
‘I’ve a lost a lifetime every day I existed without you. You have to believe me when I say I thought about you every day. I just managed to carry on and now …’ He wiped away his tears, ‘And now I’m hoping to get to know you in the little time I have left.’
Nell met Lloyd’s gaze; his eyes were hopeful.
‘I’ve missed my brother too,’ she squeezed his hand across the table before turning to Nell.
‘As far as I’m concerned, nothing changes. You are my daughter and I love you with all my heart, your dad loved you with all his heart too.’ The tears were now cascading down Gilly’s cheek, ‘I’m so sorry you had to find out like this, but there never seemed a right time to tell you and I never knew whether I would ever see Lloyd again.’ Gilly let out a long, shuddering breath.
Nell nodded. She knew, deep down, everyone had been trying to protect her.
‘We can’t change the past but hopefully we can all spend some time together in the future,’ said Gilly, standing up and opening her arms wide to them both, Lloyd followed her lead and opened his too. Nell stumbled to her feet and fell into both of them as they all hugged each other tight.
Finally Nell pulled out of their arms and sat back down while Lloyd reached for a bottle of whiskey from the kitchen cupboard and poured three glasses, ‘I think we need one of these,’ he said, sliding a glass each towards Nell and Gilly.
‘I think we all need something for the shock,’ said Gilly softly.
Actually, I can’t,’ said Nell, sliding the glass away. ‘You two aren’t the only ones with a secret.’
All eyes were on Nell. Even though it’s early days, it seemed the right time to get it out in the open, ‘I can’t drink it … I’m pregnant.’
‘You’re pregnant?’
Gilly was bewildered, ‘How?’
‘I don’t think I need to tell you how,’ smiled Nell, ‘And I know this isn’t in the best circumstances, being on my own, and I’m hoping you two will help as much as you can.’
They both smiled fondly at Nell.
‘That goes without saying,’ beamed Gilly.
‘I will love this little one like I’ve never loved anyone before,’ declared Nell.
‘I’m in no doubt,’ Gilly smiled proudly at her daughter.
‘You are going to be a granddad Lloyd,’ Nell turned towards him. Lloyd was lost for words as the tears of joy streamed down his face.