In Focus (2009)

by Jacobs, Anna

  For a moment all seemed to hang in the balance, then Mr Haddad put down his cup, held out his arms and said in a husky voice, ‘Come to me, Kaleel.’

  To everyone’s astonishment, the little boy slid off his mother’s knee and went across to the man sitting opposite, standing in front of him, staring at him as he asked, ‘You came to see us before.’

  ‘Yes.’ With an inarticulate murmur, Mr Haddad gathered his grandson in his arms, tears rolling down his cheeks.

  Nuriel exchanged thankful glances with Ghita. ‘Maybe now,’ he said softly, ‘we can begin to mend our family.’

  Beth had been watching all this, not daring to interrupt. Impossible not to be moved by the reconciliation. Impossible not to shed a tear with them.

  And, she realized suddenly, she’d learnt something important from it.

  ‘I have to leave,’ she said. ‘I don’t wish to offend you, Mr Haddad, but this is very important. Please stay as long as you like.’

  ‘Where are you going, Mum?’ Jo asked, coming to the door.

  ‘I’m going to the press conference, where else?’

  Jo gave her a hug. ‘Oh, Mum, I’m so glad. It’s the right thing to do, I know it is. Do you want me to come with you?’

  Beth hugged her back. ‘No. But I want you to be here when I get back.’

  ‘You won’t lose me again, Mum. We may quarrel—’ She smiled wryly and amended it to, ‘We will quarrel sometimes, but I won’t run away again, I promise.’

  So Beth had to give her another hug.

  When her mother had left, Jo turned to Ghita’s father. ‘I can’t do it as well as your daughter, but I think we should have some more bits and pieces to eat, show you proper hospitality. It’d be nice for us all to eat together, don’t you think? And apart from anything else, the boys will be getting hungry.’

  ‘I’ll help you,’ Nuriel said.

  Ghita stared at her brother in amazement. ‘You will?’

  ‘I have English friends. I’ve learned not to sit and expect to be waited on. You stay and tell Father about Kaleel. Have you any baby photos?’

  ‘Quite a few.’

  ‘Please let me see them,’ his father said.

  Mikey tugged at the visitor’s trouser leg. ‘I’ve got a huffilump.’

  ‘He means elephant,’ Ghita said.

  ‘I’ve got a teddy,’ Kaleel said.

  ‘Show me your toys.’

  Mikey and Kaleel trotted off to fetch them and Ghita was left with her father.

  ‘He’s a fine boy,’ he said. ‘A fine grandson.’

  ‘I’m bringing him up carefully to know what’s right and wrong. Father . . . I did no wrong that night, spoke to no one, looked at no one.’

  He nodded his head. ‘I knew that really. Your mother said so straight away. I was . . . ashamed. It’s not an easy thing for a man like me to deal with.’

  She sat with head bowed.

  ‘I shouldn’t have turned you out, Ghita. I should have helped you. Your mother weeps at night still.’

  ‘I can’t come back to live with you but I’d love to come back to visit. I could bring Jo, too, perhaps? She’s like a sister to me. She’s protected me, helped me.’

  ‘Then she’s very welcome in our house.’

  In the kitchen Nuriel was proving inept but willing. Jo got him to set out some small crackers on a plate and cut up cheese into pieces while she refilled the coffee pot.

  ‘There.’ He indicated the plate.

  As they both looked at it, a piece of cheese rolled off.

  ‘Ghita would have made it look pretty. And it looks a bit bare, don’t you think? I know . . . Mum’s got some olives.’ She opened the fridge and offered him the jar. ‘Set them out next to the cheese while I see if I can find anything else. Ghita always seems to produce several plates of things.’

  She pounced on a platter of halva in the fridge and put some on a doily on a smaller plate, then grinned at Nuriel. ‘That’s the best I can do.’

  ‘It’s symbolic to share food. Important. No one will complain.’ He frowned and bent his head for a moment. ‘Will your mother be all right? I could see she’d been crying. Shouldn’t you go after her?’

  Jo shook her head. ‘No, this is something she needs to do on her own.’ She peeped into the living area. ‘Let’s go and rescue Ghita now.’

  ‘Rescue?’

  ‘They both look as if they don’t know what to say and your father looks embarrassed.’ As they picked up the plates, she studied Nuriel. ‘How come you’re not like your father?’

  ‘I came here when I was three, grew up in England, and we lived in a small town at first where I went to the local school. That was fortunate for me. The headmaster didn’t allow bullying and welcomed children of every nationality. I was very happy there, sorry when my father brought us to London and tried to live more like the old way. It was too late for me by then. I felt English. How did you meet Ghita?’

  ‘I was living rough until I had the baby. I met Ghita in hospital and we teamed up. I got depressed after the birth and she just about saved my life. I swore then that one day I’d get a home of my own for me and Mikey, and she wanted the same for her son.’ She broke off and smiled at Nuriel. ‘Though why I’m telling you this when I’ve only just met you, I can’t think. Come on. Let’s go and relieve Mafeking.’

  She didn’t explain the last comment, just sailed into the living room and offered the plate to Mr Haddad, winking at Ghita and automatically telling Mikey and Kaleel to find towels to sit on if they wanted some food.

  Twenty-one

  Beth drove to the hotel where Jo said the press conference was going to be held. She was worried she’d miss the beginning, but hoped to get there before it ended.

  Having seen the difficulties and stresses faced by Ghita and her family as they tried to reconcile with one another, she’d suddenly realized she had no right to expect things to be any easier for her. Why should Edward have to give up his relationship with his cousin, which was obviously a close one? Why should Pete do anything to hurt the woman who’d brought him up, when they clearly loved one another deeply?

  What had happened had been hurtful after the years of wondering whether her brother was still alive – but the kidnapping wasn’t Pete and his mother’s fault. She didn’t suppose anyone would find the guilty person after all this time, but there were still many years, hopefully, in which to rebuild their relationships. She hoped Pete wouldn’t refuse to associate with her mother once this fuss had died down. She was going to try very hard to hold out an olive branch to him and see if she could become his sister again as well.

  After all, if her mother could put the situation behind her, then perhaps Beth could too. If Ghita’s father could try to reconcile with her, going against all his upbringing, then Beth could at least try. She wasn’t perfect. No one was. And it wouldn’t be easy for her to open herself to the world again. But she thought, she really did, that Edward would understand and help her.

  And that now she’d let him.

  When she arrived at the hotel, she found a man standing guard at the door of the suite where the conference was being held.

  ‘Sorry, ma’am, but my orders are that no one else is to go in.’

  ‘I’m Pete Newbury’s sister. I’ve been delayed. I have to be there. I’m late already.’

  ‘They haven’t started yet. Just a minute, ma’am.’ He pulled out a mobile and rang someone, explaining the situation. ‘They’re just asking Mr Newbury about you.’

  The man was burly, taller than her and as immovable as a rock, or she’d have pushed him aside. As it was, she could only wait impatiently. It seemed to be taking a long time to get an answer.

  One of the security men came into the area where Edward, Pete and Linda were waiting to go out and talk to the media. He went towards Edward and bent to whisper something. Pete watched anxiously, wondering what had gone wrong now. They were already fifteen minutes late and he just wanted to get this over with. He fel
t too nervous to move across the room and find out what was going on.

  Strange. He didn’t usually get nervous before a performance, and what was this but a performance? Only, it was more than a performance, it was one of the most crucial appearances he’d ever made.

  His sister had refused to join them and he didn’t blame her. He’d acted like a prize shit when he spoke to her.

  His birth mother was sitting beside him looking slightly sad, and he wanted to say something to her but couldn’t think what. She turned her head and gave him a tentative smile so he gathered up his courage in both hands. ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘What about?’

  ‘I’m sorry I treated you so badly. It’s no excuse but I was in shock – and denial. I’m not just saying I’m sorry, either. I really mean it.’

  The smile that lit her face brought a lump to his throat. He’d done so little, only said a few words, and she looked as if he’d given her the moon.

  ‘I didn’t mean to upset you,’ she said, ‘but I’d been waiting for years, hoping, praying that you were alive, and I just couldn’t wait another minute to see you.’

  ‘I don’t remember anything from before the kidnapping, I’m afraid.’

  ‘Why should you? You were barely three.’

  He looked at her hands, clasped so tightly in her lap that the knuckles showed white. ‘Are you nervous – about this press conference, I mean?’

  She nodded. ‘I’m not the sort to seek the limelight. I’m afraid of saying something wrong, making things worse.’

  ‘Well, the less you say, the less likely you are to spoil anything. But it was me who nearly destroyed my career, treating you like that and treating Gerry badly, too. I need to apologize to him as well.’ He gave a little shrug. ‘I’m not saying I’ll ever turn into a saint, mind, but I will be more careful how I treat people in future.’

  ‘You enjoy being in the limelight, don’t you?’ she said wonderingly.

  ‘I love it. Well, I do normally. Not today.’

  ‘How strange! Your sister is a very private person, quite the opposite to you.’

  He suddenly noticed that Edward was beaming at the security man. His cousin stood up and beckoned, so Pete went across to him and Linda followed.

  ‘Beth’s outside. They wouldn’t let her in without an authorization. Will you fetch her?’

  Pete stared at him in shock. ‘Me?’

  ‘Yes. She’s changed her mind about appearing, it seems. The least you can do is apologize for how you treated her and try to make your peace with her first.’

  ‘You’d do it better.’

  Edward raised one eyebrow, stared at him and said nothing.

  ‘I’ll go and fetch her in, if you like,’ Linda volunteered.

  ‘No. Pete should do it.’

  The two men locked gazes then Pete sighed and gave in. ‘All right.’

  Now he was not only nervous about the show, but nervous – no, make that terrified – of meeting his sister again. But when Edward got that steely look in his eyes, there was no moving him.

  Pete swallowed hard and followed the security man out.

  He saw Beth turn round as the door opened. When he moved towards her, she looked as if she had a strong urge to flee, but she held her ground, waiting for him to come to her.

  He’d never found words so difficult. He looked round the large space which seemed to be a small ballroom. On the other side of a partition wall, he could hear crowd noises. They seemed to be getting restive. ‘I – um, think we need to talk before we meet the press. This isn’t the best of places, but at least we’ve got it to ourselves. Will you listen to me?’

  She nodded and gestured towards the partition. ‘There sound to be a lot of people in there.’ She looked even more nervous than her mother.

  ‘Yeah. The whole circus, TV, radio, newspapers, you name it.’

  ‘Oh dear.’

  ‘Never mind them. They’re strangers. It’s the family who matter.’

  She nodded.

  ‘First I want to say how sorry I am for treating you so badly. And – well, you might like to know that I’ve already apologized to your mother.’

  ‘Our mother.’

  ‘I’m sorry. I’ve not quite got my head round that yet. It keeps surprising me. She seems nice.’ He rubbed his temple where a headache had been threatening all day.

  Beth’s voice was sharp. ‘She is nice.’

  ‘I didn’t mean to suggest she wasn’t.’ He touched her arm briefly. ‘This isn’t easy, is it? If you assume there’s goodwill behind what I say, even if the words are awkward, it’ll help – because there is.’

  ‘Sorry for jumping down your throat. If it’s any consolation, I’m finding it hard too. And I’m not nearly as good with words as you are.’

  ‘Why did you change your mind about appearing today?’

  ‘I watched a family reuniting, in spite of their differences, and suddenly I wanted that too. I realized it’d be wrong to refuse to speak to you, wrong to let the media pillory you, wrong to avoid Edward because of you. I expect you weren’t yourself when you spoke to me before.’

  ‘No, I wasn’t. I’d just broken up with my wife. Not that that’s any excuse. It really threw me when you said you were my sister. I didn’t even know I was adopted.’ He closed his eyes for a moment, searching for words. ‘I’m not sure I know who I am any longer. I’m a bit old for finding myself. You’d think I’d have done that by forty-one, wouldn’t you?’

  A scrape of laughter escaped her. ‘It must run in the family. I’m completely off balance at the moment.’

  ‘You’ve been crying.’

  ‘Oh dear, does it show so clearly?’

  ‘Yeah. Pity there isn’t a make-up department here.’

  ‘I’ve probably got something in my handbag. Maybe I can improve things a bit.’ Beth fumbled in it, her hands shaking so much she dropped the whole bag.

  He picked it up. ‘Let me. Goodness, you’re a tidy one. My ex used to carry the kitchen sink round in her daytime handbags. There. Is that it?’ He pulled out a small pouch.

  ‘Yes.’ She tried to open the foundation and couldn’t.

  ‘Here. Let me make you up. Your hands are shaking too much. You don’t have to worry, I’m used to doing this. I’ve spent time on the stage, though I wasn’t the world’s best actor.’

  With swift, smoothing movements he put the make-up on, then pulled out a lipstick. ‘Hold still.’ When he’d finished he studied her. ‘Don’t cry any more.’

  ‘Does it still show that I’ve been crying?’

  ‘Not as much. Can I borrow a tissue?’ He blew his nose hard. ‘I’m a bit wobbly too. We’re a right old pair, aren’t we? Oops!’ He blotted a tear that had escaped her control. ‘No more tears, now.’

  The door at the back of the room opened and Edward appeared, studying them anxiously then walking towards them. ‘Everything all right?’

  It was Beth who answered, speaking as honestly as she always did. ‘It’s starting to mend, I think.’

  ‘Good. Are you ready to face them now?’

  Pete looked at Beth. ‘Are we?’

  ‘Not really, but I’d like to get it over with.’

  Edward smiled at them both. ‘I’ll speak first, OK?’

  She nodded agreement.

  He gave Pete a nod of approval, then turned to Beth, put a hand on each of her shoulders and kissed her on the nose. ‘You’ll be fine.’

  When he took his hands away, she grabbed one of them and held on to it tightly as he led her to the door.

  Pete followed them, looking enviously at their clasped hands.

  In the waiting area Edward picked up the prepared statement. ‘Shall we go and meet them?’

  Pete took the statement from him and ripped it in half. ‘You won’t need this. I’m telling them the truth. There have been too many lies.’

  Edward gaped at him. ‘That’s much too risky, Pete. I drew this up really carefully. We don’t want to give t
hem anything to hit you with afterwards.’

  ‘I’ll risk that.’ He looked at his sister and mother. ‘My whole life has been a lie. I need to clear that up and start afresh.’

  ‘I don’t know anything about dealing with the media,’ Linda said, ‘but I must admit I always prefer to tell the truth.’

  ‘So do I.’ Beth gave them a faint smile. ‘And I’m the world’s worst liar anyway.’

  Edward threw up his hands. ‘Go gently, then. Remember: don’t tell them more than you have to.’

  When they got out to the front, Edward calmed the audience down and explained briefly what had happened to Pete as a child. He then handed over to his cousin, hoping desperately that he wouldn’t blow it.

  Pete turned to the expectant media. ‘We’re here to show you a united family front,’ he began, pausing for a moment to let a ripple of surprise at this frankness die down. ‘And I think I can safely say that we are starting to unite. But it hasn’t been easy. At first I was in denial and I didn’t behave well – though not nearly as badly as a certain newspaper would have you think.’

  His mother patted him on the arm and he turned to smile down at her, a gesture that would touch the heart of a nation later on.

  He turned back to the audience. ‘My marriage had just broken up when I found out I’d been kidnapped as a child, and that my mother – who still feels like my mother and whom I love dearly – wasn’t my birth mother. Can you imagine how that felt?’

  More murmuring.

  ‘Since then, I’ve started to get used to it. I’ve apologized to my birth mother and sister for trying to deny the truth,’ he gestured to the two women beside him, ‘and I hope we’ve now taken the first steps towards becoming a family. It looks as if I’m going to be in the very fortunate position of having two mothers, not to mention a sister and a niece whom I didn’t know about. I hope they feel as fortunate about having me in their family as I feel about being part of it.’

  He sat down and the audience burst into spontaneous applause.

  Edward stood up and introduced Linda.

  Her voice quavered as she started to speak and Pete reached out to hold her hand. She smiled at him gratefully and started again. ‘Sorry. I’m a bit nervous. I’m not used to this sort of thing. I just wanted to say how happy I am to have found my son again after all these years, and to know he’s been well loved and cared for by his other mother.’ She dropped back into her seat as if her legs wouldn’t hold her a minute longer.