No Matter What (46 page)

She stared up at him.
 
“I’m talking to
you,
Terry.
 
You
know the story,
you
tell me.”

“It’s not the same, babe; you really should talk to Reece.”

Michael walked back into the room and stood in the doorway, leaning against it, his arms folded.
 
“He’s right,
India
.”

She looked at Michael then back at Terry.
 
“Maybe.
 
But I want
you
to tell me what you know, Terry.
 
Please.
 
I’m going crazy here.”

Terry sighed as Michael came back over, taking
India
’s hand and sitting her back down.

“Ok,” Terry said, sitting down beside his sister.
 
“Ok, I’ll tell you.
 
But then promise me you’ll talk to Reece.
 
Promise me,
India
.”

She sat cross legged in the corner of the huge sofa and looked at him.
 
“I promise.”

Michael sat on the arm of the sofa next to her as Terry told the story, the story of Reece and their mother, of how she’d kept
India
’s existence a secret from Reece for years.
 
He told them how she’d blackmailed him and then turned up on his doorstep just before Christmas with one final demand.
 
He told them everything Reece had told him, and even as he was speaking he found it hard to believe it was true himself, but it was.
 
The whole crazy story was 100%
Hollywood
from start to finish.
 
And it was happening to them.

Michael’s hand found
India
’s as Terry finished and he squeezed it tight.
 
How could a mother be that cold towards her own daughter?

“She never really cared, did she?”
India
whispered, looking at her big brother.

Terry shrugged.
 
“Maybe she did, in the early days.
 
But she got greedy.”

“She used me.
 
Isn’t that what she did?
 
She used me.”

Michael squeezed her hand again as Terry kissed his sister’s forehead.
 
“We don’t need her,
India
.
 
She’s gone, and we really don’t need her.
 
We never did, did we?
 
Me and you, we always got by on our own.”

“But ... she was willing to expose all of this, to tell the media everything just to get money out of Reece?
 
She was willing to hurt so many people ...”

“I know.”

She looked up at Terry.
 
“Did you see her?”

He nodded.

“And she didn’t want to see me?”

Terry had never hated his mother more than he did right now.
 
Looking at the pain on
India
’s face, the confusion that was still there, it was killing him.
 
All he’d ever wanted to do was look after her and protect her but he couldn’t stop this from hurting her.
 
And he didn’t even have to answer the question.
 
She knew the answer already.

“You’ve got your family right here, baby,” Michael said.
 
“People who love you.
 
People who love you and care about you.”

“He’s right,” Terry smiled.
 
“That’s all that matters.
 
And Reece loves you, he loves you more than you’ll ever know and if you think this has been easy for him then you’re wrong.
 
He just wanted it to be as painless as possible for you and if he’s messed that up then he’ll be sorry.
 
He really will.”

India
didn’t know what to think, what to do.
 
After all this time she knew who her real father was.
 
She’d just never expected it to feel like this.
 
She’d never expected it to feel so confusing.
 
But then, she’d never expected her father to be Reece Brogan.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay with you?” Michael asked, standing up and letting go of her hand.
 
“Maybe I should give the studio a call, tell them I’ll be running late.”

She stood up too and let him pull her into his arms for a cuddle.
 
She felt safe in his arms.
 
She always felt safe there.

“I’ll be fine.”
 
She smiled up at him.
 
“I’ll call Reece soon.
 
I’ll talk to him.
 
And I’d rather do that on my own.”

He smiled back, kissing her quickly.
 
“Ok.
 
If you’re sure.
 
But you call me if you need to, you know where I am.
 
And Kenny’s on his way.”

“I can stay until he gets here,” Terry said.
 
“I don’t have to be at school for another couple of hours.”

Michael smiled at him.
 
“Thanks.”
 
He gave
India
one last kiss.
 
“You sure you’re gonna be alright?
 
It’s been one hell of a few hours.”

She put a hand to the side of his face and gently stroked it.
 
She loved this man so much, so very much.
 
So what was she doing with Kenny?
 
Another complication she needed to sort out.

“Stop worrying, ok?
 
I’m not ill.
 
I’ve just found my dad.”
 
Suddenly saying those words out loud made it all seem finally real.
 
“That’s all, Michael.
 
I’ve just found my dad.”

***

Reece hadn’t slept; he hadn’t even been able to close his eyes.
 
He’d sat up all night wondering just what was going on inside
India
’s head.
 
He’d wondered what she could possibly be thinking.
 
None of that had meant to happen the way it had, it wasn’t how he’d wanted her to find out but it was pointless worrying about that now. It’d happened and he needed to deal with it.
 
All he could do now was wait until she wanted to see him but it was so hard, just sitting around, when all he wanted to do was talk to her.

He poured himself a small glass of whisky.
 
It was only
10am
but he’d been up all night and he needed it.
 
Knocking it back in one he decided against a second.
 
He wanted a clear head, he needed to be there if
India
called him.
 
He was just thankful he didn’t have to be on set today.
 
They were moving onto location shoots and he wasn’t needed for another couple of days.
 
Just as well because he couldn’t get his head around anything else right now except making things right with
India
.
 
His
 
daughter.
 
And no matter how long that took he’d make sure she understood, he’d make sure she knew he was sorry and that if he could turn back the clock then he would.
 
He’d make sure she knew how much he loved her because that was the only thing that mattered in his life now.
 
Everything else could wait.

***

“So, Reece knows about you and Kenny then,” Terry said.
 
Michael had left and they were hanging around in the kitchen, waiting for Kenny.

“There
is
no me and Kenny.”
 
She didn’t really want to get into this now.

“Well, apparently there is.
 
You said Reece caught you both here and that’s what led to him telling you he was your dad.”

She pushed a hand through her hair and leaned back against the counter top, folding her arms.
 
“It’s not that simple though, is it?”

He switched the coffee machine on and looked at her.

“Isn’t it?
 
I watched you with Michael just then, watched the way you two are with each other, and it’s so obvious you love him.
 
There’s no question that
he
loves
you
, any fool can see that, but the way you feel about him,
India
... why do you need Kenny?”

She sighed, turning to get some mugs out of the cupboard.

“You’re going to say it’s not that simple again aren’t you?” Terry went on.

She put the mugs down and looked at him.
 
“It isn’t.
 
It really isn’t.”

He looked at her left hand, and for the first time he noticed the diamond solitaire ring on her third finger.
 
“Is there something you want to tell me?”

She followed his gaze and then looked back up at him.
 
“Michael asked me to marry him, when we were in
New York
.
 
Sorry.
 
What with everything else that’s gone on I just forgot all about telling you.”

“You obviously said yes.”
 
It wasn’t a question.
 
“So, you tell Michael you’ll marry him then call up your best friend and start an affair?”

India
was getting agitated again.
 
How had she let her life get so bloody complicated?
 
“It wasn’t like that, Terry.”

“Wasn’t it?”

“I got scared, ok?
 
Everything was going so fast and I got scared.
 
And I don’t want to do this now.”

“So, when Kenny turns up today ...?”

“He’s my best friend.
 
He’ll always be my best friend.”

“So, just leave it at that.
 
Don’t get any deeper,
India
; don’t carry on with something that could ruin everything you have.
 
Michael, the baby ...”

“Terry, please, I said I don’t want to do this now.
 
I didn’t know if I was ready for marriage and babies, I didn’t know, ok?
 
That’s why I got scared, that’s why I turned to Kenny.”

“But everything was going great with Michael, wasn’t it?
 
I thought everything was perfect?”

She looked up at him again.
 
“It was ... it is.
 
It still is.
 
What’s happened now, well, it’s put a lot of things into perspective.”

Terry pulled her into his arms for a hug.
 
“It’s certainly been one hell of a start to 1997.”

She held onto her brother, suddenly feeling closer to him than she had done in a long time.
 

He tilted her face up to look at him, kissing her nose quickly.
 
“You need to talk to me more,
India
.
 
I’m your brother, that’s what I’m here for.
 
I miss you sometimes.
 
I miss just hanging out with you.”

She smiled.
 
“Yeah.
 
Me too.”

He hugged her again.
 
“Just ... don’t do anything stupid, kiddo.
 
I know you’re close to Kenny, but Michael, well, he’s good for you.
 
Don’t put that in jeopardy.”

She pulled away and busied herself pouring the coffee.
 
“And what about Charley?”

“Charley?
 
What about her?”

She turned round.
 
“I know you’ve been looking for her.
 
Have you found her?”

He hadn’t even thought about Charley these last few hours.
 
“Yeah.
 
I have.”

“Have you spoken to her?”

He shook his head.

“Be careful, Terry.
 
Please.
 
She’s involved with some pretty messed up people from what I can make out.”

He tried to reassure her with a smile.
 
She had enough to worry about without this as well.
 
“I’m a big boy now,
India
.
 
I’ll be fine.”

They both turned round as Kenny walked in, and
India
couldn’t help but stare at him.
 
He looked incredible in jeans, biker boots and a white t-shirt, his dark hair pushed back off his still unshaven face.
 
Her beautiful best friend.
 

Terry didn’t miss the look that passed between them.
 
“Right.
 
I’d better be off.”
 
He picked up his bag, throwing it over his shoulder.
 
“Got a morning of soccer training and an afternoon of meetings.”
 
He went over to kiss
India
on the cheek.
 
“You take care and I’ll call you later.”