Certain details in this story, including names, places and dates, have been changed to protect the children.
HarperElement
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First published by HarperElement 2016
FIRST EDITION
© Cathy Glass 2016
A catalogue record of this book is
available from the British Library
Cover layout design © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2016
Cover photograph © plainpicture/Westend61/Valentina Barreto (posed by models)
Cathy Glass asserts the moral right to be
identified as the author of this work
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Source ISBN: 9780008153748
Ebook Edition © August 2016 ISBN: 9780008156626
Version: 2016-07-25
Contents
Chapter One: Hope for the Future?
Chapter Two: Faye and Snuggles
Chapter Eight: Don’t Want to Hurt Them
A big thank you to my family; my editors, Carolyn and Holly; my literary agent, Andrew; my UK publishers HarperCollins, and my overseas publishers who are now too numerous to list by name. Last, but definitely not least, a big thank you to my readers for your unfailing support and kind words. They are much appreciated.
To Faye.
I’m a better person for knowing you.
Chapter One
‘Are you sure you are going to be all right alone tonight?’ I asked Mum again.
‘Yes, love. Don’t you worry about me,’ she replied, putting on a brave face. ‘Phone to let me know you are home safely.’
‘I will,’ I said. But I didn’t move. My children, Adrian, Lucy and Paula, were standing beside me, their expressions sad and serious as they shared my concerns. We were standing in the front porch of Mum’s house, trying to say goodbye, but it was very difficult. We were the last to go and would be leaving her alone.
‘I could stay with you tonight, Nana,’ Paula offered as she had done before, indeed as we all had.
‘No, thank you, love,’ Mum said. ‘That’s kind of you, but I’ll have to get used to being by myself. I’ll see you all again soon. Now off you go home. It’s been a long day for us all. I’ll watch a bit of television and then after you’ve phoned I’ll have an early night.’
None of us looked convinced, but clearly Mum wasn’t going to change her mind about one of us staying, and we had to respect her decision.
‘We’ll phone as soon as we’re home,’ I said. I kissed and hugged her again and then stepped out of the porch so that Adrian, Lucy and Paula could hug and kiss her goodbye too.
It was a dark night with no moon, but the porch lamp cast a little oasis of light over our departing group. The air was cool, it was late September, but at least it had stayed dry all day, for certainly heavy rain and dark storm clouds would have added to our gloom and misery. I took the few steps to my car parked on the drive and unlocked the doors, but I didn’t get in. I stood beside the car, watching Mum until my children had finished saying their goodbyes and had come over to join me. I still call them children, although they were young adults now: Adrian, twenty-two, Lucy, twenty and Paula, eighteen.
‘Don’t forget to lock the front door,’ I called to Mum. I’d already checked the back doors.
‘I won’t, dear, don’t you worry about me.’
I gave a small nod and the children and I climbed into the car and lowered our windows ready to wave as we departed. I started the engine and then slowly reversed off the drive as Mum stood