7July! No way, that cant be right. What a coincidence and the name Andrew. Same first name, different middle and surname. Its as if an adoption could change a patronymic, a surname even a first name. She stared at the portrait for ages, hoping to spot something familiar.
Im in the HR office of the Bristol City Council, sorting paperwork for a new hire. After finishing, I called out:
Evelyn, come in when youre ready. Your new post is waiting.
A few minutes later she slipped into my little office, already looking seasoned.
Youre the new cleaner, then?
Yes, thats right.
Im the head of housekeeping Ivy Anderson and you are?
Evelyn, she corrected herself, a hint of nervousness in her eyes. Evelyn Thomas.
Come on, Ill show you the floor, I said, leading her out. Youll be on the whole third level.
***
Evelyn was thrilled with the job. She grinned, looking around the building as if it were her own little kingdom.
Two years left until retirement, and I could even keep working after that. The pays £8,000 a month plus a few bonuses that should be enough for David and me. The kids are grown and scattered. I dont even remember the mayors name! Im embarrassed if anyone asks. Lunch is soon; theres a photo wall of every mayor on the ground floor. How could I have missed that?
***
On her way back from the canteen, she passed the display and read the mayors details: Andrew Boris, born 7July1983.
Oh, hes still quite young she thought, a flash of recognition sparking. Andrew? 1983?
She turned back, rereading the date:
7July! No way, that cant be right. What a coincidence and the name Andrew. Same first name, different middle and surname. Its as if an adoption could change a patronymic, a surname even a first name.
She kept staring at the portrait, hoping some familiar face would emerge.
***
The new job pushed all the odd thoughts to the back of her mind.
That evening she chatted with David for hours, then he headed to his bedroom to watch football while she settled in hers. Their threebedroom flat felt spacious now that the kids had moved out. David still shared the bed with her sometimes, but less and less.
Later, lying in her own room, Evelyns mind drifted back to her youth and a secret shed never told David.
Shed had a son when she was nineteen, named Andrew. No money, no steady work just a cramped student hall that wasnt meant for a baby. She survived six months before leaving him at a childrens home.
Three years later she married David. They never spoke about the beforewedding period. Soon two daughters arrived. One studied at the university in the county town, got married there and now has schoolage grandchildren. The other married and lives in London.
Evelyn never got a professional qualification. For twenty years she was the head cleaner in a factory workshop. When the plant went bust, everyone was made redundant. Then her friends daughter offered her a cleaning job at the council. She took it.
Now the mayor, Andrew Boris, was born in 83. Evelyn didnt complain about her life, but the memory of her son haunted her. Hed visited her in dreams a few times. She just wanted to be sure he was alive and doing well.
***
A few days later, Evelyn was tidying her floor when she heard the mayors voice. Andrew Boris walked past, chatting with a colleague, gave her a quick nod and kept going.
In that instant a young man named Victor flashed before her eyes the lad shed been smitten with forty years ago. Back then he was handsome and cheeky, and shed always imagined him grownup, serious, businesslike. Seeing the mayor, she realized thats exactly the image shed once wanted for Victor.
Victor had left her the moment she told him she was expecting a child, saying hed go off to earn money elsewhere. Shed waited, hoped, then understood hed simply run away.
Could that mayor really be my son? If I hadnt given him away, would he be different? My daughters have done well the older is married, lives in a big flat with a car; the youngers doing fine too. But I have no son now.
She wondered whether marrying David had changed everything for her, for him, for Andrew. Maybe Andrew wasnt her son after all. Could the world hold such strange coincidences?
It didnt matter much. Hed grown up with parents whod raised him from six months old, and they probably never told him he wasnt their biological child. His childhood, by all accounts, had been happy. Not many lads end up as mayor.
***
After lunch, her younger colleague, Emma, popped in.
Hey, Aunt Evelyn!
Hi there!
Were throwing a birthday for Lucy on Friday. Shes on the sixth floor and turning fortyfive. You in?
Of course! Evelyn smiled.
Itll be two hundred pounds each, plus a quirky little salad or something.
Sure thing, Evelyn reached for her purse and handed over the cash.
Remember, just call me Evelyn; were colleagues, after all.
Got it, Evelyn!
***
Friday night, the staff gathered on the seventh floor after work. One office was empty, so they set up a table, poured drinks, and started the usual round of toasts, each followed by a sip of red wine.
The door swung open and in walked Mayor Andrew Boris, grinning.
Happy birthday, Lucy! he handed over a small box. A little present.
Lucys eyes filled with tears.
Andrew, have a seat with us! the head of housekeeping invited.
Just for a bit, he said, sliding into the seat next to Evelyn.
She plonked a fresh salad and some sliced ham onto a clean plate, poured the wine, and the mayor raised his glass.
Evelyn watched him, her heart pounding. All the doubts melted away this was her son, she finally believed it.
Andrew stayed for about twenty minutes, said his goodbyes, and left.
What a character! said Kate, the longestserving council worker, who seemed to know everything. Even the former mayor never imagined sitting with us.
Has Andrew been here long? Evelyn asked.
About a year. Remember we elected him last year?
Evelyn had no recollection; David always handled the decisions.
You know his parents are wealthy, right? Kate continued. And theyre not his real parents.
No way! Lucy gasped.
It came out two years ago when he was gearing up for the election. He says he never knew. He didnt react at all.
Where did you hear all that, Kate?
The former mayors deputy, Olga Patel, was compiling a dossier on Andrew, hoping to keep her boss in power. The oldguard didnt get reelected.
Does he still not know who his parents are? Evelyn pressed.
Apparently not. He loves the people who raised him. Our mayors a decent bloke, by any measure.
Evelyn stared at the nowempty office door where the mayor had been sitting. A mix of joy and sorrow swirled inside her joy that her son seemed to be doing fine, sorrow that shed never get to hug him. She whispered to herself:
I wont bother you, lad. Ill always be around, in spirit.
She smiled, feeling a strange peace settle over her.
