‘Sorry, just say that again.’ Meredith sat down hard on the kitchen chair, wincing as the wooden seat jarred her coccyx. ‘He’s what? I mean, who?’
Matthew gave a wry grin. ‘I guess that means you’ve got another uncle to keep you out of trouble.’
‘That’s one way of looking at it, Dad.’ Meredith shook her head. ‘Although, I have to say, if I was going to get another uncle, there are worse people for the job.’
‘I’ve always loved the way you can put a positive spin on things.’ Matthew walked over to his daughter and leaned in to drop a kiss on the top of her head. ‘The facts of the matter are a little complicated, but then you always knew Granddad was a… complicated… man.’
‘No kidding,’ Meredith sighed. A look of worry crossed her face as she gazed up at her father, who still had a protective arm around her shoulders. ‘Are you OK?’ She and Matthew had lived on their own for ten years after Meredith’s mother had left, before Matthew had met Anna, and she was still very finely tuned to her father’s feelings. She knew that he would be going through all kinds of emotions about this bombshell, and, as his eldest child, she needed him to know she was there for him.
‘I’m fine,’ Matthew said softly. ‘You know Granddad and I didn’t have the easiest of relationships for a long time, and, if I’m being honest, this wasn’t the biggest shock of my life.’ He drew a breath, trying to steady himself. The memories of the different ways his family had nearly been torn apart over the years were still raw. ‘I always sort of knew he’d messed Grandma around, but I had no idea how serious his relationship with Alex’s mother had been. If things had been different…’
Meredith stood up from the table and snuggled into Matthew’s embrace. ‘So, you’re sure he never knew about Alex?’
‘I don’t think he’d have kept him a secret if he did,’ Matthew said. ‘He would have wanted to do right by any child of his, I’m sure.’
‘Despite it all, Granddad had a huge heart, didn’t he?’ Meredith broke away from Matthew again. The irony was that in the end, it was his heart that had failed him. ‘The question is, where does that leave us?’
Matthew smiled. ‘Don’t worry about it all; that’s for me, Uncle Jonathan and Alex to sort out. And it could be worse; at least we know he’s a decent bloke. I think he’s proved as much while he’s been here, even if he didn’t tell us the truth right away.’
‘He does seem quite sound,’ Meredith mused. ‘So, what are you going to do?’
Matthew paused. ‘I’m not sure yet. I do feel like we need to make it up to him for not having Granddad in his life. It’s just a question of how we do that. I think Granddad would have wanted to make amends for not being there for him.’
‘I think you’re right,’ Meredith said. ‘And I’m sure whatever you and Uncle Jonno decide will be the right thing.’ She glanced at her watch.
‘Somewhere to be?’ Matthew asked.
‘Oh, I said I’d meet Joe later,’ Meredith said. ‘He’s invited me over for a movie and a pizza.’
‘You’ve been spending quite a bit of time with Joe Flanagan lately.’ Matthew looked intently at his daughter. ‘Are you two, er, an item?’
Meredith laughed. ‘Dad, you’re so twentieth century! We’re seeing each other, if that’s what you mean.’
‘Well, I hope you’re not seeing too, um, much of each other,’ Matthew replied. ‘You’ve only just come out of your relationship with Flynn, remember?’
Meredith tossed her head impatiently. ‘Is that your very roundabout way of telling me to be careful?’
‘You’ve got it,’ Matthew replied. ‘Although I know you will be, of course. I just don’t want to see you getting hurt again.’
‘Thanks, Dad,’ Meredith replied, giving Matthew a soft smile. ‘I’m OK, honestly.’ And, as she said it, she realised that she was mostly telling the truth. She was a whole lot more OK now than she had been at the start of the summer. ‘But I need to get in the shower and then get going. I’ve got a lunchtime shift at The Cider Kitchen before I meet Joe later.’ Reaching up on tiptoes to kiss Matthew’s cheek, she then wandered out of the kitchen.
‘Don’t be too late back tonight,’ Matthew said.
‘I won’t,’ Meredith called over her shoulder. Film and pizza with Joe was just what she needed after the revelations about Alex. She shook her head. Just when she thought she had a handle on her family, something new arrived out of the blue and flummoxed her. All the same, though, it was good to know she hadn’t been imagining things when she’d noticed Alex’s resemblance to Matthew; she just wondered why she hadn’t put two and two together before. ‘Granddad, you have a lot to answer for,’ she muttered as she went into her bedroom. She wondered if Jack Carter was looking down on them all and feeling relieved that, now he was gone, he didn’t have to face a barrage of questions. Joe would never believe it when she told him.