Non-identifying particulars of mother:
Age: Sixteen
Birth place: England
Marital Status: Single
Education: Completing Year 12 at the time of the birth
Occupation: Student
Health: No known hereditary diseases. Wears glasses.
Family: One of three children. Parents are both deceased. Father had a stroke when he was 56. Mother died of natural causes.
Physical description:
Height: Five foot nine
Hair: Red
Eyes: Blue
Build: Medium frame
Complexion: Very fair
Well, that was it, then. One more piece of evidence that she was Jacqui’s biological daughter—and that she and Tamara Thompson were half-sisters, a revelation from Skye that at first had left her reeling. When Lauren had spoken to Tamara about it, she tried to laugh it off until she’d seen her own birthday in Jacqui’s letter, along with the other details. Tamara had then shared the information that her adoptive mum, Angela, had given her.
There was something about Tamara that Lauren still hadn’t warmed to, even though Skye thought she was the best thing ever. But Lauren knew this was quite normal. Obviously, siblings didn’t always get along! Plus, Lauren and Tamara had been brought up in such different ways. Lauren wasn’t sure how Tamara felt, so she’d just been very nice and cordial to her, wondering if her feelings would ever change.
Now, all that was left to do was the DNA test. Perhaps it wasn’t strictly necessary, but Lauren and Tamara had agreed to do it as a final confirmation. A form of closure. Todd had agreed to give them a sample of Jacqui’s DNA as well.
Lauren had been making sure not to let these discoveries take over her life. She’d been enjoying time with Dean and laughing with Stu. And she’d been taking walks with Skye every afternoon. They would put their new puppy, Tinker, on the lead and take him to the park. Somehow Skye had managed to talk them into getting a small Jack Russell who had so much attitude that Lauren was sure the dog thought he was six foot tall, when in fact his tummy nearly scraped on the ground. Owning Tinker had been part of Skye’s change for the better—she seemed to come to life around animals. A yappy, bouncing, small dog was a small price to pay for making Skye happy. And it was certainly cheaper than the horse Skye craved. She was now telling everyone that she wanted to be a vet.
On their walks, Skye and Lauren talked about their days. Skye seemed much more settled in her new school, although her friends were few and far between. At least she’d made a good friend at the Walk This Way camp—a girl called Paige. She’d cut loose everyone from the Goose, although a few days ago she’d said she missed Jasmine. Maybe Lauren would try to track her down next week while she was at school and see if she wanted to catch up with Skye. First she’d have to check that this was okay with Skye. They’d made a promise never to let the lines of communication be cut again.
Lauren felt like a new person. Her sleeping had become much better since her nightmare had all but disappeared. For some reason, it had hardly bothered her since she’d learned her birth mother’s identity.
Lauren looked at Tamara and smiled. They put the small sticks in their mouths and ran them over the insides of their cheeks. Skye held the plastic bag out for Lauren, and she placed the stick in there. Tamara did the same as Todd held another bag for her. Sitting on the kitchen table, in a plastic bag, was Jacqui’s hairbrush; DNA could be sourced from the roots of loose hair. Todd had said to them, more than once, that he was so pleased he hadn’t cleaned Jacqui’s things out yet.
‘I’ll post them, if you like?’ Stu offered, as they started to package them up.
Lauren shook her head. ‘Thanks, darling, but this is something I need to do.’
Dean nodded his agreement, squeezing her shoulder supportively.
‘Do you want to come?’ Lauren asked Tamara.
‘No, that’s okay,’ Tamara said, glancing at her watch. ‘I’ve got to go and meet Angela for a drink, then get home in time to cook Craig’s dinner. He’s been gone since five this morning, so he’ll be tired.’ She kissed Todd and hugged Skye before saying goodbye to Dean, Stu, Connie and George.
Lauren’s parents each gave her a big hug before she followed Tamara out the front door. ‘Good luck, my darling girl,’ Connie said, with just the hint of a quaver in her voice.
The two younger women faced each other in the driveway.
‘You ready for this?’ Tamara asked.
‘More than. What about you?’ said Lauren.
Tamara gave a short laugh. ‘It’s so out of the blue. I wasn’t even sure I needed to find my birth mum, and now here we are!’
Chapter 35
‘It’s here!’ Lauren said, waving the envelope at the small gathering of people.
They were all sitting in the Ramseys’ lounge room, drinking champagne, eating nibbles and getting to know one another better. Tamara, her partner Craig and her adoptive mother Angela, who seemed to go everywhere with her. Lauren’s parents and Dean’s. Todd. They were a varied crowd and, mostly, they all got along. Lauren still held Tamara at arm’s length. But to Lauren’s surprise, Craig and Dean had found common ground and were talking about motorbikes. Lauren knew her husband was building up to talk to her about buying one—he’d left the pamphlets in the toilet. Still, she’d cross that bridge when it happened.
When Lauren flourished the envelope in the air, a cry of excitement went up from everyone, and Stu rushed to top up their glasses with champagne.
Dean, Todd, Connie and George came over to stand next to her. Skye hung at her shoulder, bouncing on her feet with excitement.
‘We already know what it says,’ Skye said. ‘Come on, hurry up!’
Lauren took a breath and ripped open the envelope.
There was a silence. Everyone waiting. Everyone watching.
Lauren scanned the page.
Dear Mrs Ramsey,
Thank you for supplying a sample of DNA (saliva sample) to be matched to Tamara Grace Thompson (saliva sample) and the DNA supplied by Mr Todd Atkinson on behalf of Mrs Jacquelyn Atkinson (hair sample).
It is my conclusion that Jacquelyn Emma Atkinson is both Lauren Connie Ramsey’s and Tamara Grace Thompson’s mother. There are five DNA markers we compare and they all match . . .
Lauren broke off. ‘It’s a match,’ she whispered, tears filling her eyes. She turned and looked at Todd. ‘We’ve found our missing pieces.’
A cheer broke out, and Todd swept her up in a hug. Skye jumped on top of them with a yell of delight: ‘I knew it! I knew it!’
‘I’ve gone from having no family to having all of you,’ Todd said, choked with emotion. He turned and held up his glass. ‘Here’s to a new family!’
‘A new family!’ Everyone shouted happily.
But then sadness swept over Lauren. She wished that Jacqui was here so she could hug her too. What was important, Lauren reminded herself, were the stories Todd could tell about Lauren’s birth mother and his life with her.
Tamara listened to Lauren read the letter, one hand holding Craig’s tightly, the other gripping Angela’s. Goosebumps broke out over her skin and she froze. A match. Just as they’d expected. But she was still having trouble believing it. She still didn’t know what to say to Lauren or Todd. Or to Angela. She turned and saw tears in her mother’s eyes, and that she was smiling.
Then Skye threw herself against her and hugged her tightly. ‘I knew it,’ she whispered in her ear. ‘Now you’ve got that really smart, pretty, wicked niece we talked about!’
As she hugged Skye back, Tamara suddenly felt very grateful.
Skye slipped outside and called Tinker to her. He gave a bark of delight and licked her face, before curling up and falling asleep on her lap. She stared out into the blackness. The clouds that danced along to the Fremantle Doctor—the sea breeze—were blocking the stars tonight. It didn’t matter. She knew they were there.
It felt like everything was fa
lling into place.
Moving to a new school and letting Adele go as a friend had been the best thing she’d ever done. No one knew her down in the city. The bus ride was a bit longer, but that was okay. Sometimes Stu dropped her off on his way to uni. She still teased him about being the Golden Boy, but two days ago he’d said, in all seriousness, that he’d lost the title: now she was the Golden Girl!
Then there were Tinker and horses and the farm.
And the best thing was, she had two new family members.
It didn’t matter that Todd wasn’t related by blood. He needed a family, and they were linked. She hadn’t needed another grandparent, but it turned out that it didn’t hurt to have a third grandfather.
‘Skye? Where are you?’ her mum called. ‘It’s time to cut the cake.’
‘New beginnings, Tinker,’ Skye said, picking up the pup and tucking him against her chest as she walked back into her home. ‘New beginnings.’
Author’s note
Listed below are the websites I found particularly useful when I was researching the adoption process in Australia.
www.findandconnect.gov.au/guide/nsw/NE00524
www.ozreunion.com.au/adoption_register.asp?listingtype=14 http://au.reachout.com/finding-your-birth-parents
www.dcp.wa.gov.au/FosteringandAdoption/Pages/PastAdoptionInfo.aspx
www.facebook.com/ReunionsAustralia/?fref=ts
I’d like to thank my friend Belinda, who willingly shared her adoption story, along with all the documentation and information surrounding her adoption and her search for her mother.
While researching melanoma, I consulted Carrie, a melanoma nurse, and the following websites:
www.melanoma.org.au/understanding-melanoma/stages-of-melanoma/
www.cancercouncil.com.au/835/b1000/melanoma-24melanoma-diagnosis/
Any mistakes in the book are mine.
Acknowledgements
All my love and appreciation to my gentle soul, Garry, who somehow loves me amid my chaos and craziness, of which there is plenty. Thank you for loving me, for keeping everything going while I’m under pressure with deadlines and for bringing peace when I need it most.
Rochelle and Hayden, you continue to make me proud, and bring light and happiness to our home. I love you both very much.
To my clan, who get a mention in every book: Cal and Aaron, Em and Pete, Heather, Jan and Pete, Robyn, Scottish, Tiffany. I love it when you all tell me off or point out something that is so clear to you all, but never to me. Thank you all for loving me enough to do that. And to all my family.
Kelly Waight, I’m sure this book would never have been finished without your input. Thanks for the numerous hours spent pouring over white boards, dreaming up ideas and swearing with me. That always made me feel better.
Sarah Baker, you seriously are my rock. Thanks also to editors Virginia Lloyd and Kate Goldsworthy for polishing something so very raw.
Louise Thurtell, again, thanks for every opportunity you send my way. And for your patience and support.
Appreciation and love to Gaby Naher, agent extraordinaire, for guiding my career. Without doubt, you are the greatest!
Everyone at Allen & Unwin. A book is such a team effort and I can’t thank you all enough for your carefully considered approach to all my novels. I’m with the best publishing house!
Once again, to all my readers, heartfelt thanks and appreciation. I wouldn’t be here without you all.
If you’d like to contact me, please do. I always do my best to respond! You can follow me on social media:
www.facebook.com/FleurMcDonaldAuthor/
Twitter @fleurmcdonald
Instagram fleurmcdonald
I also write a blog at http://fleurmcdonald.com/blog/
The Missing Pieces of Us Page 26