Silver Linings (Andy Barber)

- 3 -

"So what's Jacob like?"

The question had caught Andy a little off guard as sat with Genevieve the very next day in the garden that still hadn't changed. Gen's mother had always been green fingered and loved her flowers, and it seemed as though her daughter had done her best to try and maintain it to its usual standard.

"He's...well, he's Jake." He smiled to himself. "He's just a great kid."

"You got a picture of him?" Gen asked while she refilled his cup with some coffee.

Andy took his phone from his pocket, scrolling to try and find one before showing her. "There he is."

She took the phone from him and looked. "Wow...he's a handsome boy. He more like you or his mom?"

"I think he takes after Laurie in his looks, but he's quiet – just gets on with his homework and stuff."

Talking about him as though he was still here was helping, but Andy was sure that Jake was around somehow. Either way he'd need to tell Gen about what really happened.

"Bit like you then." She now laughed and ended with a sigh. "So when are you starting work?"

"Next week, figured I'd jump right back into it."

"Usually the best way."

"What are you doing with yourself now?" He asked.

Gen sat back. "I'm a hairdresser, not half as exciting as being an ADA I know."

"It's still a living." Andy shrugged and sipped his coffee.

"It means I can take Cora with me at least; Natalie works at the salon with me, and I know that she and the girls there will spoil her more than they already have done. When she's a little older then day-care will be fine, but for now? I need to make money so I can keep up with the costs of this place." She shifted a little in her seat. "Thought I'd have a husband who'd actually help but hey, life loves to throws us curveballs."

Andy smiled weakly. "When did you split?"

"Last month."

"Jesus." He muttered. "And he just walked? Just like that?"

"Yep." Gen popped the 'p', "Decided that he didn't want the responsibility, and also the other girl he was seeing was a far better catch – so he left and now I'm probably going to be embroiled in a messy divorce whenever he decides to file for one. He hasn't bothered yet."

Andy frowned. "And he wants nothing to do with Cora? His own blood?" How the hell could a man even do that?

She shook her head. "No. In all honesty I really don't think he was on board with the whole parenting thing in the first place. His actions have confirmed that."

"Gen I'm sorry..."

"I'm not." She smiled. "We're better off without him, even if some days I'm on the verge of a breakdown – you've just gotta carry on..."

Andy nodded at this. "Preaching to the choir there." And then saw her brow furrow. He knew he'd have to tell her, "I lost Jacob last year, to a car accident that my wife deliberately caused..."

Gen's face fell. "Oh shit..." she said quietly and put her head in her hand. "Andy..."

"It's ok..."

"What happened?" She asked gently. When Andy had told her the previous afternoon that Jacob was his mother she hadn't thought that he'd meant in that way.

He was quiet for a moment. "Honestly...I'm trying to still piece together why Laurie did what she did. But the bottom line was that she took the car into the side of a tunnel and they were just gone. Part of me thinks it's because of all the stress we'd been under..."