Don and Krystal had played the headline slot at the Seaview Folk Festival that summer, thankful that they hadn’t told anyone Storm was on the Island. Thankful they could dismiss the whole thing as a rumour that had got out of hand.
Cathy hadn’t joined them on stage because she had taken Storm Tyler back to France, making sure that he booked himself into a rehab clinic this time, telling Willow that she had to go and see a friend who was unwell. Willow hadn’t seemed to mind – it was the summer and she had Luc and her dad. What else did she need?
The recording of Storm and Cathy singing “Gamble Gold” sat gathering dust in a drawer in Cathy’s workshop for the next nineteen years. She had never been able to bring herself to listen to it again.
31
Willow
Willow knew Luc’s focus was on his daughter, so it was no surprise that he didn’t notice who the stranger was until he was sure Annelise was safe. But Willow recognised him straight away, even from a distance. He was taller than she’d imagined and he moved with a languid grace that she recognised.
She wondered what he was doing here and how he’d come to bump into Annelise.
And she knew, as soon as she saw them together, that the suspicions she’d had in her mother’s living room earlier were right.
Willow ran down the beach after Luc. She caught up with him the moment he looked at Storm Tyler and realised who he was. The expression on Luc’s face was unreadable and Willow looked at the three pairs of green eyes – Storm, Luc, Annelise.
‘I met Neil at the rock pools,’ Annelise explained. ‘I wanted to be on my own for a while – I was writing a song in my head.’
Willow’s heart leapt as she heard this. Luc used to do the same thing when he was Annelise’s age.
‘Just give me a minute, Lil,’ he’d say. ‘I’m writing a song in my head.’ Willow would mock him relentlessly but deep down she had always been in awe of his innate talent. It made her heart break to think that he couldn’t write at the moment. She wondered if that talent was something hardwired into Luc’s DNA, something he’d passed down to his daughter.
Willow stepped forward, holding out her hand to Storm Tyler.
‘Hi, I’m Willow Cole, Cathy’s daughter,’ she said. ‘I’m the one who’s been looking for you.’
Storm took her hand in both of his and held her gaze for a moment too long. Willow wasn’t sure whether it made her feel uncomfortable or not.
‘Indeed you have,’ Storm repeated softly. ‘You look just like your mum.’ He paused, letting go of her hand. ‘I’m Neil by the way.’
Willow involuntarily raised an eyebrow.
‘I prefer Neil these days,’ he said with a smile.
Annelise babbled into the silence that followed about a crab that she’d found and about how Neil or Storm or whoever the hell he was had been telling her about the different sorts of crabs she should be looking for.
Willow looked at Storm again – she couldn’t think of him as Neil. She was standing in front of one of the biggest rock legends of the twentieth century and they were chatting about crabs. It felt like a dream. She almost laughed until she caught sight of Luc’s face. He was staring at Storm as though he wanted to say something but didn’t know where to start. Did Luc know? Did Storm? Willow felt as though everything was spinning out of control. Was she just making things up? Seeing things that weren’t there? She needed to stay calm for Luc.
‘I need to go,’ Luc said suddenly, turning away.
He started walking quickly down the beach, away from Willow, away from Storm, with Annelise still in his arms. Willow could hear Annelise complaining about being dragged away from her new friend. She could hear Luc scolding her for talking to strangers.
Except, if Willow’s suspicions were correct, Storm Tyler wasn’t a stranger. He was Annelise’s grandfather.
‘Luc,’ Willow called, turning to follow them.
‘Leave me alone, Willow,’ Luc shouted back. ‘Just leave us both alone.’
Willow turned back to Storm Tyler, ignoring the pain that Luc’s words had caused, and Storm looked at her, holding her gaze again in that disarming way of his. It’s no wonder he had such a cult following, Willow thought.
‘Does he know?’ Storm asked.
‘Know what?’ Willow replied, feigning ignorance.
Storm held her gaze for a moment longer, sending a shiver down her spine.
‘That I’m his father.’ He said looking away. He said the words so calmly it felt as though he assumed everyone must know. Perhaps they did. Everyone except her.
But then she remembered something that Luc had said when they were in Southampton.
But Mum still won’t say anything and your dad says he doesn’t know so what can I do?
Luc didn’t know.
Willow was trying to think of something to say when she heard someone calling her name. She turned to see Krystal running towards them from the direction of the cliff path.
‘Where’s Luc?’ she called as she approached. ‘Have you found…?’ She stopped when she saw who Willow was talking to.
‘We found Annelise,’ she said. ‘Luc’s taken her home.’
She watched Krystal visibly relax for a moment before she turned to Storm.
‘Neil,’ she said. ‘What the hell are you doing here?’
‘To play the festival like Cathy and Willow asked,’ he replied, still so calm as though he was completely unaware of the bizarre nature of the entire situation.
‘You haven’t said anything to Luc have you?’ Krystal asked, her voice betraying panic.
Storm Tyler smiled his disarming smile and shook his head. ‘I didn’t say a word,’ he said. ‘I’m assuming this means he doesn’t know?’
‘No, he doesn’t know,’ Krystal said.
‘Still?’ Storm asked. ‘You still haven’t told him?’
‘For God’s sake, Neil,’ Krystal said. ‘Why did you come?’
‘I’ve already said because Cathy and Willow asked me,’ he replied simply. ‘Because they needed me to save the festival.’ He paused. ‘And to see Luc,’ he added.
Krystal looked at Willow with a wary expression and Willow shrugged.
‘I already know,’ she said. ‘Storm… I mean Neil told me. But I’d worked it out.’ She paused. ‘Luc doesn’t know,’ she went on. ‘But he might have worked it out for himself too.’
Krystal didn’t say anything for a moment.
‘You know I’m going to have to tell him don’t you?’ Willow said quietly. ‘It’s Luc. I’ve never kept anything from him. We’ve never had secrets from each other.’ But even as she said it she knew it wasn’t true. Luc hadn’t told her about Annelise or about his panic attacks. But she had never been completely honest with him either had she? She’d never replied to his letters, never given him a chance to explain. How had they let this happen? How had she been so stupid as to just let him go twelve years ago?
The expression on Krystal’s face was a mix of concern and sadness. ‘I should have told him,’ she said. ‘I should have told him years ago.’
‘Why didn’t you?’ Storm asked, but Krystal threw an ice cold look at him.
‘Has he really taken Annelise home?’ Krystal asked Willow.
‘I’m not sure. He just walked off. I don’t think he really knew what he was doing.’
‘Will you try to find him?’ Krystal asked, her expression softening.
‘I’ll try,’ Willow said. ‘I’m not sure he wants to see anybody though.’
‘He’ll want to see you,’ Krystal replied.
Willow started to walk away but Krystal called her back.
‘Willow, I know we need to tell him the truth but will you let me do it?’ She paused for a moment. ‘Please?’
Willow nodded, not trusting her voice. How could they have kept this from Luc for all these years?
‘You come with me, Neil,’ Krystal said, the hardness coming back into her voice. ‘We need to talk, and we need to find Cathy.’<
br />
*
She found them half an hour later a little bit further along the beach. Luc was sitting on the sand watching Annelise paddle on the very edge of the shore.
‘Don’t go any further than that,’ he called as Willow sat next to him.
‘She’s looking for crabs,’ Luc said wearily.
‘Is she OK?’ Willow asked.
‘She’s fine. A bit pissed with me for shouting at her. She doesn’t really see what she’s done wrong.’
‘You were exactly the same at that age,’ Willow said, nudging him gently. ‘You used to wander off to write songs in your head. Do you remember?’
He turned to look at her. For a moment it seemed as though he didn’t know what she was talking about. But then he smiled.
‘I remember,’ he said. But Willow could see the sadness in his eyes. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘For what?’
‘For shouting at you, for walking away,’ he paused. ‘For everything.’
Willow reached towards him, taking his hand in hers. He squeezed her fingers gently.
‘How are you, Luc?’ she asked. ‘Are you OK?’
He didn’t say anything at first; he just looked out towards the sea. He sat so still for so long that Willow thought he hadn’t heard her.
‘No,’ he said eventually. ‘No, I’m not OK. But at least the festival can go ahead now.’
Willow shifted closer, wrapping her arm around his waist and leaning her head on his shoulder. After a moment he shifted closer too and leant against her. She could hear his breathing, but he didn’t say anything else. She didn’t know what to do, how to make this right again.
‘I should never have listened to that tape,’ she said quietly. ‘I should never have made that crazy bargain.’
‘None of this is your fault, Willow,’ he replied. ‘You have to stop blaming yourself for everything.’ He paused and she wanted to say something, to tell him who his father was, to confess that the can of worms they’d opened on that day they listened to the tape was bigger than either of them could have imagined.
It had all started to fall into place as she walked along the beach looking for Luc and Annelise. She remembered that faraway look in her mother’s eyes when she spoke about somebody else still having a piece of Willow’s heart. It was weeks ago now, right after the she’d walked out on her wedding but how right Cathy had been. Luc did still have a piece of Willow’s heart, perhaps all of her heart in fact.
But it wasn’t just Willow Cathy had been talking about. She’d been talking about herself too and Willow wondered if her mother knew that Storm Tyler was Luc’s father. She must do surely? And how would it have felt to find out that her best friend had slept with her ex-boyfriend – if Storm had been her ex at the time? And yet Cathy had kept in touch with Storm all these years. Willow had always suspected that there was a third person responsible for the breakdown of her parents’ marriage. She’d always thought it was Krystal. But what if it was actually the man she’d been hoping would save the festival?
‘I guess I’ll be sharing a stage with Storm Tyler,’ Luc said after a while.
‘You’re still going to play?’ Willow asked.
‘I’m going to try,’ he replied, looking towards Annelise again.
Willow wanted to tell him everything. He deserved to know but she’d promised Krystal she wouldn’t. Krystal had to tell him as soon as possible.
‘I’m a terrible father,’ Luc said quietly, interrupting her thoughts.
‘No, Luc, don’t say that. You’re doing your best.’
‘It’s not good enough though is it? She should know not to run off like that.’
‘She’s a dreamer, Luc,’ Willow said. ‘Just like you. She’s always going to wander off with her head in the clouds.’
‘Then I need to be keeping a better eye on her,’ Luc said. ‘And not palming her off on Mum just like she’s an inconvenience.’
‘I’ve seen you with her, Luc – you’re a good father. Nobody’s perfect. Kids run off all the time. You do remember when we were kids right?’
‘I don’t even know what I’m meant to be doing,’ he went on as though he hadn’t heard her. ‘I never had a dad. I’ve got no idea what that’s like. I’ve got no idea who my father is.’
Really? Willow thought to herself. How could he not have seen it too? How could he have looked at Storm Tyler and not felt as though it was like looking at an older reflection?
She sat on the beach, holding on to Luc like her life depended on it and thought about the strands of DNA spiralling around each other and implanted deep within everyone, making them unique, but also somehow hardwired to repeat the mistakes of the generations that came before. She thought about her mother’s long feud with Brian and the way Willow had mirrored that by leaving the Island and insisting her life was somewhere else and involved other people. She wondered if her mother had made herself as miserable with her choices as Willow had with hers.
‘Willow,’ Luc said softly. ‘I don’t know what to do.’
She turned to look at him, her eyes dropping to his lips. He was so close she could breathe him in. She knew they couldn’t do this, that they had no future together, but she didn’t know if she could stop herself.
‘Urgh,’ shrieked a voice in her ear. ‘Are you two about to kiss? That’s so gross.’
Luc started to laugh, his eyes flicking away towards his daughter and the moment disappeared. Willow couldn’t decide if she was relieved or disappointed.
‘Come on, you,’ Luc said. ‘Put your sandals on – we’re going home.’
‘Can we get ice cream?’ Annelise asked.
‘No, Annelise, we can’t. I’m still cross with you for running off.’ As he turned away from her, Willow saw her stick her tongue out at him behind his back and she bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.
‘I have to go,’ Luc said. ‘But can we talk soon? Tomorrow maybe?’
Willow nodded, and her phone started to ring. She took it out of her pocket and looked at the screen.
‘It’s Mum,’ she said, remembering that Krystal had been going to look for Cathy. ‘I’d better take it.’ As she turned around she heard Annelise say something.
‘No I wasn’t going to kiss her,’ Luc replied. ‘Please put your sandals on.’
Willow smiled to herself as she took the call. She was very aware of Luc and Annelise behind her as she listened to what her mother was asking of her.
‘I’ll see what I can do,’ she said and ended the call, not knowing if she would be able to convince Luc or not.
‘Everything OK?’ Luc asked.
‘Your mum wants to see you,’ Willow said.
‘Now? I can’t. I have to take Annelise home.’
‘It’s important, Luc,’ Willow said, already knowing what it would be about. ‘My mum is going to come and pick Annelise up.’
‘Good,’ said Annelise. ‘Auntie Cathy will buy me an ice cream.’
Willow looked at Luc. ‘Auntie Cathy?’ she asked.
Luc shrugged, smiling. ‘She seems to have made herself at home,’ he said.
32
Luc
Krystal and Storm were sitting together on the sofa in Cathy’s living room when Luc and Willow arrived.
‘What’s this about, Mum?’ Luc asked as he looked from one to the other.
‘I’ll leave you to it,’ Willow said, turning to walk away.
‘No,’ Luc said softly, grabbing her hand. He had a feeling he needed her to be there. ‘Stay… please?’
Willow sat down opposite Krystal.
‘What’s going on?’ Luc asked again.
‘Why don’t you sit down?’ Krystal said.
‘Oh for God’s sake,’ Willow sighed. ‘Just tell him.’
‘Tell me what?’ What did they all know that he didn’t?
‘This is Neil Flannigan,’ Krystal said.
‘Otherwise known as Storm Tyler,’ Luc replied, digging his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
‘Yeah, I know.’ He turned to Storm. ‘I’m sorry about earlier, I was just worried about my daughter. It’s a real honour to meet you, I’ve—’
‘Luc,’ Krystal interrupted. ‘I need to tell you something.’
‘I already know that you know Storm Tyler,’ Luc said. ‘How you toured with him back in the Eighties and how… well… Don told us everything didn’t he, Willow?’
Willow looked over at Luc but she didn’t say anything.
‘He didn’t tell you everything, Luc,’ Krystal said. ‘He didn’t tell you that Neil is your father.’
Luc remembered the strange feeling he’d had when he first saw Storm on the beach with Annelise. The feeling of looking into a mirror. And then he felt his chest tightening again, the pain in his arms and ribcage.
‘What did you say?’ he asked quietly, running his hand through his hair, making it stand on end. He looked over at Willow. He wanted her to come over to him, to hold him, to tell him that none of this was true. He’d always wanted to be the one who looked after her – but now, for the first time, he wanted to admit that he couldn’t cope, that he needed her.
As if reading his mind Willow stood up. She looked as though she was moving in slow motion. She walked over to him and slipped her hand into his.
‘Luc,’ she said quietly. ‘Why don’t you sit down?’
He could feel the tightness around his heart, the pain in his ribs and arms. He could feel his breath shortening. He sat down, still holding Willow’s hand tightly.
‘Take some deep breaths if you can,’ Willow said. She placed her other hand on the centre of his chest. It felt warm and soothing and his breath began to steady, the pain in his chest started to fade.
‘Are you all right?’ Storm asked. ‘I know this must be a shock—’
‘He’s fine,’ Krystal interrupted.
‘I’m not fine,’ Luc said quietly. ‘None of this is fine. I thought Willow’s mum dated Storm Tyler.’ He spoke about the erstwhile rock star as though he wasn’t sitting in the room. He couldn’t quite bring himself to look over at him. ‘That’s what Don told us anyway.’
The Summer Island Festival Page 23