angel. h.s ✔️

fifty four.

"It was a mistake."

Well I wasn't expecting that.

I took a sip of tea as I watched Paul through wary eyes, I had taken my hand out of Harry's coat now that I felt more confident in telling Paul what we were going to talk about.

"It sounds harsh but really it was. I love Liv with my whole heart, as much as I love you. But it was a mistake, and I wouldn't change her for the world but it wasn't planned but I couldn't be an absent Father."

I bit my tongue to stop the bitter laugh and cold words from leaving my mouth as I shook my head in disbelief of what I was hearing.

"It was a drunken mistake, I met Lisa in a pub, the Diamond Snakes were celebrating and she was a friend of a friend who'd been invited and I was stupid and drunk- on power and alcohol and one thing led to another."

"I told Janice about it immediately, it hurt her obviously but she said we could work through it. She was actually very understanding, she always has been your Mother. That's one of things I loved about her."

"Mum knows about Olivia?" I couldn't help myself. My mind was absolutely boggling trying to justify how and why Mum knew and never told me about having a sister.

"The bare minimum, yes."

I jumped slightly as the waitress reappeared with our food and I smiled politely as she placed my salad down and Paul's pie and I didn't miss the frown on his face as he looked over my lunch.

"Didn't you want anything else? You could have added chicken or something to it?" He asked and I shook my head. "Oh god, are you a vegetarian? I didn't even think to ask I'm sorry May."

"No I'm not, it's okay really." I tried to reassure him the best I could as I watched Paul's face betray his doubt. It really was okay, at least this way the lettuce was easier to work off later.

"I didn't realise Lisa was going to keep it until we bumped into each other a few weeks later, I'd practically forgotten about it you know? I'd told your Mother and that was that; we were going to move past it but then she'd decided to file for divorce and I'd signed the papers."

As Paul paused I felt my phone vibrate against my leg and my heart skipped a beat at the thought it was Harry finally answering me, only to have it sink when I realised he was probably mad, that would be why he'd taken so long to reply.

"Lisa told you it was yours?" I asked to clarify, I wanted to finish this topic before I looked at my phone.

"Kind of. It clicked when I saw her again and she told me yeah. So we had a couple of drinks and I realised she was a really wonderful person and I suppose I saw a bit of Janice in her too. One thing led to another and I asked her out on a date and yeah."

I let the new information marinate in my head as I took several forkfuls of my salad, the silence covering us was no longer awkward and I had to admit I felt a lot better about the whole situation now. Although it did bring up new problems with Mum.

"You're happy?" I broke the silence five minutes later, my eyes trained on Paul's form as he nodded with a grin. "I really like Lisa."

"You do?"

"Yeah, she's really lovely. And Olivia, she's sweet." I shrugged as I finished my salad.

"That's great May! Lisa loves you too, she's been very understanding ever since I met her you know? The whole Olivia May thing was her idea actually and it made me cry when she suggested it."

I snorted at his statement and shook my head in amusement, that sounded like Paul actually, he was a bit of soft touch back when he was my Dad too.