FICTION - SHORT STORY BONUS

A strange present

SARAH stared at the handwritten letter in surprise. Why would her mom have left it? They had a good relationship and could tell each other anything.

She’d been sorting through some of her mom’s stuff when she’d come across the neatly written envelope with her name on.

Her hands shook slightly, as her feelings were still painfully raw, her mom having only passed away suddenly six weeks earlier. It had always been just the two of them.

Feeling a strange sense of foreboding, she slit the envelope open.

“My darling daughter, please forgive me for keeping this a secret but at the time I thought it best. Your father and I had a passionate, tempestuous relationship.

Short-lived, but these things sometimes are. He used to tell me I was his sun, his moon, his everything. We were young and he was an idealist whereas I’ve always been more practical. I enclose his photo and the last address I have for him. He’d always been upfront that he didn’t want children. Then I got pregnant with you and . . .”

Sarah’s eyes blurred at that point with tears, which she wiped half angrily away before reading the rest of the letter.

Afterwards, she sat back on her heels in shock. Why had her mom never told her that her dad was still alive? It made no sense.

Okay, according to the letter, her mom’s relationship with him hadn’t been the best, but to not divulge the fact?

OVER the course of the next six months, she tried in vain to track her dad down. The address her mom had written down had, unfortunately, taken her to a dead end.

She’d googled, asked old friends of her mom’s, everything she could possibly think of. And now, she wasn’t sure what else she could try.

“So, I’m kind of stuck,” she told her best friend, Anna.

“I’m sure the answer will come when you least expect it. Anyway, it’s your birthday in a few days and I’ve got you the most brilliant present.”

Sarah’s eyes twinkled. “Go on, spill!” Anna always gave the best presents.

“No, you’re going to have to wait. I’ll drop it round on the day. But you’re going to love it!”

Sarah laughed. What on earth could the gift be?

On the morning of her birthday she felt slightly bereft; it would be her first birthday without her mom.

Feels weird without you, she whispered, suddenly feeling goose bumps rise

over her arms. Rubbing them briskly, she gathered her things as she was meeting another friend for lunch.

It was at some new tavern, a little distance away, but Maria had given her

directions which Sarah had transferred to her phone so she didn’t lose them.

A faint smile touched her face as she remembered her mom’s words, “All roads lead to home”. That had been a saving grace to her many a time when she’d driven off to new locations, then tried to find her way back.

Hearing a sudden noise, she opened the front door to see a parcel left on the porch. That was weird. Why hadn’t they rung the bell?

It must be from Anna. She decided on an early shift at the hospital and didn’t want to wake her.

Tearing the paper, her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at a brand-new satnav. Her hands flew to her face – what a fantastic present! And a perfect idea for her, as her sense of direction wasn’t the best.

Excitedly Sarah charged it up, before punching in the address of where she was going to meet Maria for lunch, making a mental note to thank Anna later.

Thankfully it charged quickly, and having stuck it to her dashboard, Sarah grinned at the disembodied voice telling her to turn around, and at the end of the road please turn left.

HALF singing to the radio as she drove, listening out for the authoritative voice and dutifully following its instructions, it wasn’t long before the satnav boomed that she’d arrived at her destination.

Glancing round, Sarah’s brow furrowed. It didn’t look anything like the place Maria had described.

Grabbing her mobile to check, she frowned. Yeah. Thinking back, she was sure that she should have turned off at some point, but the satnav had told her to stay on her current route. It now looked as though she was at the wrong tavern.

Realising she was going to be late, she quickly texted Maria to let her know before getting out of the car. She needed the loo and perhaps the landlord might know a shortcut to the tavern she was supposed to be at.

“No, you should’ve turned right back at the crossroads,” the man standing behind the bar said.

Sarah’s shoulders drooped. She should’ve trusted her gut rather than her new

piece of technology obviously.

“Hang on. I’ll scribble down directions for you.”

“Thank you, that’s kind,” Sarah said gratefully, explaining what had happened. She gave a wry laugh. “You know, my mom was brilliant at finding her way around. So practical. She always used to say, ‘All roads lead to home’.”

Catching the man’s gaze, she noticed a strange look cross his face.

“Sorry,” he gave an apologetic grin. “But it’s just that you look so much like someone I used to know and she used to use that exact same expression.

“Um . . .” he paused, looking uncertain. “Look, I know this is a really odd question, but what was your mother’s name?” “Elizabeth.” Why on earth should he ask that? The man swallowed hard. “Sorry. Again, I know this is another weird question. But how old are you?”

No way! A strange prickly sensation ran up her spine. Could it be? Looking at him more closely, she had to admit he did look vaguely familiar.

The man took an old well-thumbed picture out of his pocket. “Is . . . is this your mom?” Sarah’s mouth felt dry. Dumbstruck, she nodded before opening her bag and taking out the photo that her mom had included with the letter. Gazing at first the man and then the photo, her heart jerked.

Okay. He was older, understandably, but otherwise it was the same person.

“Are you my dad?” she whispered uncertainly.

The man nodded, a look of wonder on his face. “I think so.”

Her phone suddenly beeped and she pulled it out. “Oh, it’s my friend. We were due to meet today for lunch but her car has broken down so she’s asking if we can rearrange.”

“In which case, please stay here for a bite to eat. I’d . . . I’d really like it,” his voice cracked in emotion.

Sarah nodded. So many different emotions were running through her, it was hard to tell which was which. But she knew that she had a zillion questions for him, including why he’d still held on to the photo of her mom after all these years.

OVER lunch, he explained. “She always held a special place in my heart.” His eyes shone with unshed tears. “I never forgot her and that’s why I kept her picture. One of the saddest days of my life was losing her. She said she never wanted to see me again but I never knew why.

“I’m guessing now that it was because she was pregnant with you.”

He half shook his head. “I always wondered what really happened. I discovered she’d moved, but friends wouldn’t say where and I sort of stopped looking.

“I thought if that’s the way she wanted it, then that was it. My silly pride got in the way of being with the girl I truly loved . . .” his voice trailed off.

They stared at each other for some moments, before Sarah spoke.

“I think there was miscommunication on both sides. And . . .” she fingered the letter, “maybe why she left me this. She knew I’d have questions.” She stared at him. “Perhaps we can get to know each other properly now?” She still couldn’t believe her dad was sitting in front of her and almost had to pinch herself.

“I’d like that very much indeed,” he said softly.

GETTING back to her car, having promised her dad she’d stay in touch, Sarah punched in her own address into the satnav. It was strange how it had led her directly to the very person she’d been searching for these past six months. Almost like it knew she didn’t know what else to do to track her dad down.

Arriving home, she noticed another present left on her porch. This one had a label on it saying it was from Anna.

Puzzled, Sarah opened it to find a stunning framed photograph of herself and her mom. Feeling her skin break out in goose bumps again she stared at the photo. It was almost as if her mom was winking at her, and she could hear the words as clear as a bell in her head.

“All roads lead to home. Happy birthday, sweetheart!”