6^TH JUNE 1932

Pearl rummaged through the pile of sheet music on her lap, picking out a few of her favourite pieces and placing them on the table in front of her. Smiling to herself, she began to hum ‘Let Me Call You Sweetheart’.

Frank emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. "You have a very sexy voice, Miss Baker!"

Pearl turned around, her cheeks burning. "For goodness’ sake, get some clothes on! What if my mother decided to make an impromptu visit?"

Frank laughed. "All the way from Boston?"

Pearl brushed her fingers across his bare chest. "She might!"

He undid his towel, allowing it to fall to the floor.

Pearl closed her eyes as he slipped his hands inside her blouse. "We shouldn’t be doing this…what if Jonathan wakes up?"

"He’s asleep in his crib," whispered Frank as he gently lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom.

Pearl and Frank groaned as loud cries began to emanate from Jonathan’s crib. Frank slid out of bed and leaned over the wailing infant, carefully picking him up.

Pearl held out her arms. "Give him to me…I think I know what he wants!"

The proud father watched in wonder as Jonathan’s cries subsided. Nuzzling his mother’s chest, he quickly found an exposed nipple and clamped his tiny mouth around it.

Frank sighed heavily and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I can’t go on living like this!"

Pearl looked up at him, startled. "What do you mean?"

"I can’t keep dividing my time between my wife and you. It’s tearing me apart and it’s not fair on you and Jonathan!"

Pearl’s eyes filled with tears. "I thought you loved me!"

Frank stroked her cheek. "I do, that’s why I’ve decided…I want to be with you all the time!"

"What?"

"When I go back home to San Francisco next week, I’m going to ask my wife for a divorce!"

"Oh, Frank!"

"Pearl, will you marry me?"

"Yes!" she gasped, almost dropping Jonathan as he finished his lunch.

Shady Pines was one of the most exclusive retirement homes in the city of Los Angeles. It had been the home of Ellie Frieson (nee Gregson) since the death of her husband Charlie, five years earlier.

The reception area was bright and airy, decorated with several large tropical plants and a small ornamental pond, which contained brightly coloured Koi carp.

While Jennifer went to the reception desk, Jonathan stared into the pond, lost in his own thoughts. He was suddenly startled back to reality by a sharp slap on his rear end.

"My word, that’s what I call a butt!"

Jonathan spun around to confront the mystery butt slapper and came face to face with a little old lady, who was wearing a floral patterned housecoat and fluffy pink slippers. Her white hair was pulled back into a bun and a pair of glasses like jam jar bottoms were perched on the end of her nose. When she smiled, her false teeth looked like a piano keyboard.

A young woman in her mid twenties, dressed in a nurse’s outfit, came running towards them. "I’m so sorry about this," she smiled apologetically, "Mrs Schwartz is a little…er…senile!"

The old lady glared at her. "Senile, my foot!" Then giving Jonathan’s bottom a firm squeeze, she added, "Take a hike sister, I was here first! He’s all mine!"

The nurse took her arm. "Come on, it’s time for your medication!"

As she was being led away, Mrs Schwartz blew Jonathan a kiss and called out, "I’m in room 104!"

Jennifer joined her husband and slipped her arm through his. "Honestly, I can’t leave you alone for five minutes," she laughed.

Jonathan knocked on the door of room 150 and waited until a soft, husky voice called, "Come in!"

Ellie Frieson was sitting in a comfortable armchair; her attention devoted to the piece of embroidery draped across her lap. She smiled broadly at her two guests, but Jennifer noticed a brief flicker of shock and panic in her stunning violet eyes when Jonathan stepped forward to introduce himself.

"Mrs Frieson, I’m Jonathan Hart and this is my wife, Jennifer."

The colour drained from Ellie’s face. "I knew it would only be a matter of time before you came looking for her!"

"So you do know my mother!"

9^TH JUNE 1932

Pearl knocked on the Manager’s door and waited for permission to enter. Through the frosted glass panel, a figure was clearly visible.

"What’s going on?" Ellie approached, a cigarette in one had and a vodka martini in the other.

"I was told to come to the Boss’s office!"

"Me to!"

Ellie hastily stubbed out her cigarette and moved to open the door, but it was opened for her.

Charlie Frieson took her hand as she entered and, from the look in his eyes, she knew that something was wrong. A knot of panic and anxiety formed in her stomach as she noticed that his hands were shaking.

He glanced at Pearl, barely able to meet her curious gaze. "There’s something I have to tell you…I think you should sit down!"

Pearl sat on the edge of the Manager’s large mahogany desk.

Charlie coughed nervously. "Frank was planning to ask his wife for a divorce when he returned to San Francisco, which he did, two days ago. Yesterday, he left home with the intention of returning to LA…"

Pearl could hardly contain herself. "Is he here?"

Charlie’s voice was now choked with emotion. "While we were waiting for our train, a fight broke out on the platform between two young men. Frank tried to intervene, but one of the men pulled a knife. I saw it all happen…he died in my arms!"

Pearl shook her head. "No, it isn’t true…it can’t be true!"

Charlie’s eyes brimmed with tears. "I wish with all my heart that it wasn’t!"

Ellie, herself now in tears, enveloped Pearl in a comforting embrace. Charlie joined them, wrapping his arms around the two sobbing women.

Pearl wandered onto the platform at Union station just as a San Francisco bound train pulled in to collect another load of passengers. She was carrying a Moses basket in which her son was sleeping soundly; blissfully unaware of what was going on around him. He was well wrapped up, his stomach was full and his diaper had recently been changed. Pinned to the blanket which covered him was an envelope containing a copy of his birth certificate and a note:

Pearl gently carried the basket to a nearby bench and carefully set it down. Leaning over the still sleeping baby, she planted a kiss on his forehead before turning away and walking quickly towards the waiting train.

She closed the carriage door behind her just as the guard blew his whistle. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she pressed her face against the windowpane to look for one last time at her son. As he disappeared from view, she whispered, "Goodbye my darling!"

Ellie got up from her chair and walked over to the large cupboard beside her bed. After a few moments of frantic searching, she found what she was looking for.

"This was your mother’s," she said, handing a large leather bound photograph album to Jonathan. "I know she’d want you to have it!"

"You’ve been so kind, I don’t know how to thank you!"

Ellie kissed his cheek. "If there’s anything else you need to know, I’ll be more than happy to help you in any way I can!"

"There is just one thing…do you know where my mother is now?"

Ellie shook her head. "I haven’t seen or heard from her since the day she left you at the station!"

10^TH FEBRUARY 1942

Pearl felt depressed as soon as she entered the large red brick building which housed the Mission Street Orphanage. Her heart sank as a tall, plain woman with jet-black hair and gold grey eyes approached.

"You’re to have him back here at 6pm and under no circumstances are you to tell him anything about his parents!"

"I’ve spent the last ten years lying to my son," said Pearl bitterly, "he doesn’t know that the nice lady who visits him twice a month is his mother!"

As the two women glared icily at each other, footsteps echoed through the cavernous hallway. Moments later, a little boy appeared.

"Pearl! Pearl!" He sprinted towards her and threw himself into her arms.

She embraced him warmly. "Oh Jonathan, it’s so good to see you!"

He gazed up at her. "It’s my birthday today!"

Pearl tried to swallow the lump, which was forming in her throat. "I know!"

Jonathan’s sapphire blue eyes sparkled with excitement. "I’m ten years old!"

She ruffled his dark brown hair. "Since this is such a special day, you and I are going to celebrate in style!"

"Can we go to the Zoo?"

Pearl led her son to the door. "Darling, we’ll do whatever you want!"

Jonathan and Jennifer were sharing a double sleeping bag, which had been spread out in front of the fireplace. Between them, the photograph album was open at its first page. The glossy black and white photo was a publicity shot of Pearl, taken during a performance at the ‘La Riviera’ club. She was wearing a tight sheath dress that showed off her curves, and a delicate white gardenia was perched in her elegantly styled hair.

On the next page was a copy of the photograph from Stanley Frieson’s office. Pearl was wearing a simple polka dot patterned dress, complemented by a matching scarf, which held back her wavy hair.

Jonathan’s eyes swam with tears as he turned the pages of the album. There were lots of photos of Frank and Pearl together, usually kissing and cuddling. They had obviously been deeply in love.

One photo which caught his eye showed Frank standing behind Pearl, who was heavily pregnant. His arms were around her, with his hands resting on her swollen stomach.

Jennifer snuggled up to Jonathan. "That’ll be us soon!"

He playfully nibbled her ear. "I can’t wait!"

Jennifer laughed at a photo of Jonathan aged three months, sprawled across a fur rug and wearing nothing except a cheeky grin. "I see you haven’t changed much!"

Jonathan was surprised to see that Pearl had carried on filling the album, even after she’d abandoned him. There were photos right up to the point when, aged fourteen, he ran away from Mission Street Orphanage.

"Darling, are you alright?" Jennifer rested her head on his shoulder.

"How could she just leave me like that?" Jonathan closed the album and pushed it away.

She brushed his hair with her fingers. "You have your own family to think about now…we love you and we’ll never leave you!"

The following morning, Jennifer sent Jonathan off to work as usual, having arranged to meet him for lunch. Alone at last, she spent the next few hours slaving away over a hot laptop computer.

By the time she got to the top floor of the ‘Jonathan Hart Industries’ building, Jennifer badly needed to visit the bathroom. Since becoming pregnant, she was visiting the bathroom with increasing frequency. Jonathan even joked that she should take her laptop in with her.

As she left the bathroom, Jennifer bumped into her husband’s secretary.

"Hi Deanne!"

"Hello Mrs Hart!"

"Is Jonathan in his office?"

Deanne stared blankly at her. "Mr Hart hasn’t been in today!"

Jennifer felt panic rising inside her. Something was badly wrong and she knew it.

Ellie was startled by frantic knocking on her front door. Before she could respond, it flew open to reveal Jennifer, desperately worried and tearstained.

"Mrs Frieson, have you seen Jonathan today?"

"No sweetheart, I haven’t seen him since yesterday!"

Jennifer began to cry. "He didn’t turn up for work today…I’m so scared for him…I don’t know what to do!"

Ellie placed a comforting arm around her. "There’s someone I think you should meet…she might be able to help!"

Ellie led Jennifer through a maze of corridors; finally stopping in front of a door marked ‘RECREATION ROOM’. Inside, someone was playing a piano and singing along to the music with a voice like honey.

Ellie smiled. "She’s here!"

As the two women entered the room, they saw the owner of the lovely voice seated at a grand piano. Her strawberry blonde curls were swept into a sophisticated chignon into which a single gardenia had been carefully inserted.

Ellie stepped forward. "Pearl, I’ve brought someone to see you…this is Jonathan’s wife!"

Pearl smiled broadly at her daughter-in-law. "I see that Jonathan shares his father’s excellent taste in women!"

The San Francisco platform at Union station had changed little since Jonathan had been left there as a baby. Now he was sitting on a bench, watching the ebb and flow of passengers arriving at and leaving Los Angeles. He’d been there all morning, trying to take in all he’d been told over the past few days about his family background. For the first time since childhood he felt alone and confused.

Pearl caught her breath when she walked onto the platform and saw a handsome, well-dressed man sitting on one of the benches. Summoning up all her reserves of courage, she sat down next to him, fighting the urge to reach out and gently stroke his neat grey hair.

When he finally turned to look at her, she was startled by the resemblance he bore to his father. It had always been marked, even in childhood, but now it was uncanny.

"Your father would have been so proud of you!"

Jonathan glared at her. "If you’re who I think you are, I have nothing to say to you!"

Pearl fought back tears. "Giving you up was the hardest thing I’ve ever done!"

"It was pretty hard for me to!"

"All I wanted was for you to have a better life!"

"Well, thanks to you I spent 14 years frightened and alone in Mission Street Orphanage! I used to dream that one day you’d come back for me…!" Tears rolled down Jonathan’s cheeks as the terrible memories came flooding back.

Pearl embraced him. "I’m so very sorry!"

Jonathan pulled away from her. "All those times you visited me…why did you never tell me who you were?"

"They said that if I ever told you, they’d never let me see you again!"

This time it was Jonathan’s turn to embrace Pearl. "Do you remember my 10^th birthday? When we went to the Zoo and one of the elephants took a fancy to your hat?"

Pearl laughed. "He would’ve eaten it if I hadn’t taken a swipe at him with my umbrella!"

Jonathan smiled at her. "I guess it must’ve been hard for you!"

"It was hard for both of us…I’m sorry I gave up on you!"

"Neither of us gave up!"

Jennifer was waiting on the station concourse when Jonathan and Pearl emerged, arm in arm, from the platform. Tearfully, she ran to him, burying her face in the soft material of his shirt.

Jonathan gently cupped her chin in his hand. "Hey, what’s all this?"

"I was worried sick…I thought something had happened to you!"

"Oh God, I’m sorry! I should have told you where I was going, but I just wasn’t thinking straight! Can you forgive me?"

Jennifer brushed her lips against his. "Give me a massage tonight and I’ll think about it!"

Pearl carefully lifted a box down from her wardrobe and handed it to Jennifer. "I thought you might like to wear this when you renew your wedding vows!"

Jennifer opened it and gently pulled back layers of tissue paper to reveal a neatly folded length of ivory silk. She gasped when she removed it from the box and found that it was, in fact, a dress.

The older woman smiled wistfully. "I was going to wear it when I married Jonathan’s father, but, as you know, fate intervened."

Jennifer embraced her mother-in-law. "Oh Pearl, it’s beautiful! I’d be honoured to wear it!"

The crowds had gathered early outside the church to get a glimpse of the Harts as they arrived. A group of paparazzo photographers were busy setting up their equipment and jostling for the best positions.

Suddenly, a rousing cheer went up from the crowds as an open topped carriage, pulled by two magnificent white horses, came into view. Jennifer was seated next to her cousin Betsy, who was her chief bridesmaid. Sitting opposite were the other two bridesmaids – Stanley Frieson’s teenage daughters, Ashley and Scarlett.

There were cries of "Ooh, doesn’t she look beautiful!" and "Good Luck!" as Jennifer was helped down from the carriage. She was wearing Pearl’s ivory silk dress, which fitted her perfectly. The bodice was tastefully low cut, giving a tantalising view of her delicately freckled cleavage, while the long skirt skimmed the floor, making a swishing sound as she moved. She carried a bouquet of gardenias and two of the delicate blooms had been carefully inserted into her hair, which cascaded to her shoulders in 1930s style waves.

As she prepared to enter the church, one of the pressmen called out. "Can you confirm the current rumours that you’re…er…pregnant?"

Jennifer smiled sweetly and discreetly moved her bouquet so that it covered her growing bump. "I don’t listen to rumours and neither should you!"

Jonathan was fiddling nervously with his buttonhole when the signal came that Jennifer had arrived. He looked smart in a grey jacket with matching trousers and a colourful waistcoat. His cravat was held in place by a heart-shaped ruby tiepin.

A string quartet began to play as Jennifer walked down the aisle, followed by her bridesmaids.

Prompted by a nudge from Stanley Frieson, who was his best man, Jonathan turned and gazed at his wife in wonder and amazement. As she approached, he whispered, "Darling, you look breathtaking!"

Jennifer blushed. "So do you!"

Pearl was sitting on the front row, a vision in lilac, while Ellie, seated next to her, had opted for pale blue. As she watched her son and daughter-in-law renewing their vows, Pearl felt a twinge of sadness. She’d never had the chance to marry Jonathan’s father, but she felt that wherever he was, he’d be proud.

The re-opening of the ‘La Riviera’ club was a glittering affair. After months of work, financed by ‘Jonathan Hart Industries’, the beautiful old building had been restored to its former glory.

A sweeping staircase, carpeted in lush burgundy pile, led down to the shiny wooden dancefloor which was surrounded by circular tables. In the centre of each table stood a small lamp, which gave out a warm, romantic glow.

Pearl received rapturous applause as she walked onto the dancefloor and, illuminated by a single spotlight, began to sing. She spotted her son and daughter-in-law and gave them her most dazzling smile.

Jonathan, resplendent in a tuxedo, was fussing over his heavily pregnant wife. "Are you sure you’re feeling OK?"

"Darling, I’m fine…except for the fact that I feel like the ‘Goodyear’ blimp!"

He tenderly kissed her. "You are so beautiful!"

Pearl finished her song and acknowledged the audience’s applause. "Ladies and gentleman, I’d like to dedicate this next song to Jonathan and Jennifer Hart. As some of you may know, Jonathan is my son…he’s a fine man and I am very proud of who he is and what he stands for. He also has excellent taste in women…his marriage to Jennifer proves that! I want to thank them for taking me into their hearts and, of course, for making me a grandmother! Jonathan and Jennifer, this song is for you!"

As the audience cheered, Pearl began to sing ‘Let Me Call You Sweetheart’.

Jonathan led Jennifer onto the dancefloor and waltzed with her to the music, singing softly as they moved together. As he sang, Jennifer placed his hand on her bump, just in time for him to feel two strong kicks. He smiled and leaned towards her, gently stroking her stomach as he whispered the last five words of the song.

"I’m in love…with…you!"