At the End of the Garden

Chapter Twenty-Two

Evelyn Quinn couldn't have children. That was what my dad started his explanation with. Perhaps to put it in my head that they'd done a good thing. Evelyn had been sick as a child, and her treatment made it impossible for her to have her own. Dad never specified what it was. When my mum got pregnant again, with Victor's child, the baby turned into the last sweet in the pack. Fay already has a baby, it's only fair Victor gets to have this one. Especially since his wife was useless to him in that department. And then they lied to Eden, they lied to both of us.
"Why was Mum even pregnant with Eden in the first place?" I demanded to know.
Surely, Victor Quinn wasn't that desperate for a child. He wasn't an affectionate father these days, can't see why he would have wanted a clingier and irritating baby. It wasn't like he needed a blood heir to pass some sort of title onto. Eden's been giving freedom to do what ever he wants, pursue whatever career he wants.
Still, I'd asked a somewhat stupid question. When Dad told me my mother and Victor Quinn had been consumed by an affair, I wasn't surprised. He didn't give any details of when it started or when it ended. But I spent most summers round Victor Quinn's house on my mothers authority, and it wasn't like the headteacher was the welcoming host type. She was his lawyer, and went round their on her own frequently because she was his lawyer. At night. Maybe she was just being a lawyer. Maybe you could understand my newly developed lack of faith.
"Eden was a lucky accident." My dad said. For a second a tiny smile crossed his lips. "It took Evelyn and I some time to come around, but Evelyn had always wanted to be a mum. So, it worked out."
For twelve years. That's how long it worked out for Evelyn.

That was the thing that hurt me the most. The fact that Evelyn Quinn was not the biological mother of Eden barely bothered me. But the fact that four adults sat around that table in the conservatory and lied to him for years. To us. Eden had spent the last four years mourning a women who he didn't have the biological relationship he thought he had to her.
They always could have twisted it. Could have said that Fay was a surrogate. It could have at least softened the blow for when we found out it was because of an affair.
I promised Dad I wouldn't tell my mum what I knew. I was surprised when he agreed to keep quiet too. He was always the first to snitch to his wife when something went wrong. He told her everything. Except this. That fact felt less romantic now than it did a few days ago. Dad also asked I didn't tell Eden, he thought that it was something the adults should tell him when the time was right. I lied and said I wouldn't, it wasn't a promise I could keep to. Almost sixteen years had passed and there had never been a moment they considered right.
That's all I could think about, all night. When I was a kid I'd stay awake Christmas eve too excited to sleep. Sort of felt stupid, now.

"Wake up. Get dressed. Come down for breakfast."
I must have fallen asleep because it was my Grandmother, on the other side of the door, waking me up. She didn't sound angry that I'd over slept, though she was never usually angry, just jaded. Though there was a tiny bit of merriment in her voice. She might have even been humming as she walked away.
I didn't feel any different from last night, the frustration and confusion and everything else hadn't tired itself out. I spotted Eden's gift on the other side of the room. Since it was officially Christmas day, I could open it.
Remembering Eden's instructions, I tore apart the neatly folded wrapping paper to reveal a box similar to the ones I'd seen the day before in the chest of drawers.
Inside, a necklace. Overly simple, maybe minimalistic. With very few things attached to a thin silver chain. In the centre was a clear crystal shaped like a flower not much larger than my thumbnail that was surrounded by two smaller crystals either side of it. It was pretty. It was more than that. I didn't know why he gave it to me but I knew who the piece of jewellery reminded me of. I struggled to tear open the card that went with it.

'Marie,

I know you won't like it. In fact, I didn't even buy it for you. So that makes it fair, you don't have to get me anything. I saw this and thought of my mother, it made me think of something she used to wear, so I bought it. I didn't really know what to do with it, I don't need it. But I thought if I gifted it to you, you could wear it next year on the anniversary and it would match the dresses you wear. Besides, I've behaved like a twat these past few months, so a Christmas present is the least I could do for you.