soft and I knew she was at least a little reassured. ‘I’ve actually been thinking of bringing it up with you.’
‘Why?’
‘I don’t know,’ she said, looking confused. ‘Something about you needing to know . . . It was all a bit strange.’ She caught my eyes and smiled. ‘I suppose I didn’t pay much attention. I was just so thrilled to have you in my arms.’
I stood up and gave her a hug. It felt a bit weird. My mother wasn’t the most affectionate person. Hugs were for birthdays and special occasions. When I let her go, I noticed her eyes had a shine to them. I went into my bedroom to make the call from my mobile. This was one conversation I didn’t want my mother to overhear.
The office Lena Molloy worked from was located in a slightly decrepit block in an old suburb just south of the city. It was not what I’d expected when I made the appointment a few days earlier and I had an awful moment where I wondered if my adoption had been legal. I pushed the thought away, definitely not wantingto go there. Jack parked the car around the corner and fed the meter, then we made our way to her office. A middle-aged woman with faded blond curls glanced up from the reception desk as we entered.
‘Can I help you?’ she asked.
‘I’m Amy Smith, I have an appointment with Lena Molloy.’
‘Take a seat, hon, she’ll be with you in a moment.’ She waved a hand towards the small waiting area and picked up the phone. I sat on one of a short row of chairs and jiggled my legs until Hilary, sitting beside me, placed her hand on my knee to still the movement.
An efficient-looking woman of about fifty popped her head around the doorway next to the reception desk.
‘Amy?’ she asked.
I nodded.
‘I’m Lena Molloy.’
I shook the hand she offered and introduced her to my friends, checking that it was okay for them to come in with me before following her into the office. I don’t know what I’d have done if she’d said no, I was too nervous to do it alone.
When we were all seated she linked her hands together on the desk and got straight to the point. ‘So, you’re looking for your birth parents.’
I tried without success to stop my legs from jiggling as the butterflies in my belly tried to fly up my throat. I swallowed them down. ‘I’d like some information about them at least. I know I’m not eighteen but . . . ’
Lena held a hand up. ‘Your case is unique, the usual rules don’t apply, so no need to worry about that.’ She waved her hand around the office. ‘And as you can see, I no longer work for the government.’ I leaned forward, the butterflies going crazy and my head full of questions.
‘Who do you work for?’ I whispered.
‘Myself mostly, I have a little export business—completely unrelated.’ This was getting weirder by the second. The only thing that gave me comfort was the fact that Mum had sent me here. ‘Now,’ Lena continued, ‘I’m afraid I don’t actually have any information for you, but I do have something to give you.’ I watched her reach down and remove an envelope from her desk drawer—pale and square and pink. She tapped the edge of it on the file in front of her. I couldn’t take my eyes from it. ‘I feel I should mention though, that you’re not the first person to come seeking information regarding your case.’
‘What?’ I whispered, lifting my eyes to hers. Cold fingers trailed up my spine, spreading goose bumps with them. I could hardly breathe. Jack slipped an arm around me and began stroking my shoulder. I let out the breath I was holding.
‘Who’s been looking?’ Jack asked, doing a good job of erasing the goose bumps on my arm with his hand.
‘Well . . . I don’t really remember.’ Her eyebrows pulled together for a moment before she went on. ‘It’s baffling, because usually I’ve an excellent memory.’
‘So how do you know someone’s been looking?’ Jack asked.
‘I made a note of it,’ Lena said, glancing
‘Why?’
‘I don’t know,’ she said, looking confused. ‘Something about you needing to know . . . It was all a bit strange.’ She caught my eyes and smiled. ‘I suppose I didn’t pay much attention. I was just so thrilled to have you in my arms.’
I stood up and gave her a hug. It felt a bit weird. My mother wasn’t the most affectionate person. Hugs were for birthdays and special occasions. When I let her go, I noticed her eyes had a shine to them. I went into my bedroom to make the call from my mobile. This was one conversation I didn’t want my mother to overhear.
The office Lena Molloy worked from was located in a slightly decrepit block in an old suburb just south of the city. It was not what I’d expected when I made the appointment a few days earlier and I had an awful moment where I wondered if my adoption had been legal. I pushed the thought away, definitely not wantingto go there. Jack parked the car around the corner and fed the meter, then we made our way to her office. A middle-aged woman with faded blond curls glanced up from the reception desk as we entered.
‘Can I help you?’ she asked.
‘I’m Amy Smith, I have an appointment with Lena Molloy.’
‘Take a seat, hon, she’ll be with you in a moment.’ She waved a hand towards the small waiting area and picked up the phone. I sat on one of a short row of chairs and jiggled my legs until Hilary, sitting beside me, placed her hand on my knee to still the movement.
An efficient-looking woman of about fifty popped her head around the doorway next to the reception desk.
‘Amy?’ she asked.
I nodded.
‘I’m Lena Molloy.’
I shook the hand she offered and introduced her to my friends, checking that it was okay for them to come in with me before following her into the office. I don’t know what I’d have done if she’d said no, I was too nervous to do it alone.
When we were all seated she linked her hands together on the desk and got straight to the point. ‘So, you’re looking for your birth parents.’
I tried without success to stop my legs from jiggling as the butterflies in my belly tried to fly up my throat. I swallowed them down. ‘I’d like some information about them at least. I know I’m not eighteen but . . . ’
Lena held a hand up. ‘Your case is unique, the usual rules don’t apply, so no need to worry about that.’ She waved her hand around the office. ‘And as you can see, I no longer work for the government.’ I leaned forward, the butterflies going crazy and my head full of questions.
‘Who do you work for?’ I whispered.
‘Myself mostly, I have a little export business—completely unrelated.’ This was getting weirder by the second. The only thing that gave me comfort was the fact that Mum had sent me here. ‘Now,’ Lena continued, ‘I’m afraid I don’t actually have any information for you, but I do have something to give you.’ I watched her reach down and remove an envelope from her desk drawer—pale and square and pink. She tapped the edge of it on the file in front of her. I couldn’t take my eyes from it. ‘I feel I should mention though, that you’re not the first person to come seeking information regarding your case.’
‘What?’ I whispered, lifting my eyes to hers. Cold fingers trailed up my spine, spreading goose bumps with them. I could hardly breathe. Jack slipped an arm around me and began stroking my shoulder. I let out the breath I was holding.
‘Who’s been looking?’ Jack asked, doing a good job of erasing the goose bumps on my arm with his hand.
‘Well . . . I don’t really remember.’ Her eyebrows pulled together for a moment before she went on. ‘It’s baffling, because usually I’ve an excellent memory.’
‘So how do you know someone’s been looking?’ Jack asked.
‘I made a note of it,’ Lena said, glancing
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