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Back A Bumpy Year Save as PDF
Chapters (49)
  1. Cover
  2. Also by Olivia Spooner
  3. A BUMPY YEAR
  4. Copyright
  5. Contents
  6. Dedication
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. Acknowledgements
  48. About the Author
  49. An Invitation from the Publisher

The clothes I slept in stick to my body and I sit back on the bed to peel off my trousers. Walking carefully into the hallway, I extract my phone from my bag lying beside the front door and check the time. It’s 7 a.m. I have two hours until I need to meet Will and Tilly at the zoo. I also have three missed calls from Emma, one missed call from Pete and a text message from Scott.

My heart gives a thump. Without wanting to admit it, I’ve been disappointed Scott hasn’t made contact since he helped out with the baby’s room. Not that he had any reason to. It’s probably for the best anyway. With Pete back on the scene, it’s easier if Scott isn’t around to confuse matters.

His message reads:

Hi Trish. Sorry I haven’t been in touch – had to go away for a few days. How are you? I have something for the baby. Any chance I can pop round later today? Scott

Wandering onto the back porch, I stare at the garden and wonder how I should respond. Before I can decide, my phone vibrates in my hand. Reluctantly, I take the call.

“Hi, Emma. Sorry I didn’t hear you call last night. I crashed the second I got home.”

“Are you OK?” Emma asks. “Be truthful.”

I consider her question.

“Yes,” I say honestly. “I’m OK.”

Emma sighs so loudly I have to hold my phone away from my ear.

“I was worried.”

There’s a weird moment of silence before Emma speaks again.

“So, are you still going to the zoo today?” she says brightly.

“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”

I’m mildly shocked to realize I am actually looking forward to spending the day with my brother and niece. Normally after being as low as I was last night, I don’t want to see anyone for days. Even getting out of bed would have been impossible. Yet here I am, standing in the sun.

“Really, Em, you have to stop worrying about me so much.”

“Can’t help it. Comes with the friendship.”

I smile and notice a scattering of pink buds have appeared on the climbing rose I’ve been training along the back fence. How can something so small and seemingly unimportant bring such a surge of joy? I need to remember to write it down as something I’m grateful for.