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Back All You Need Is Love Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. OCTOBER
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. Acknowledgments
  53. More from Jessica Redland
  54. About the Author
  55. Also by Jessica Redland
  56. About Boldwood Books

The good news is that I don’t need to book a return removals service. Yay! Mum’s calmed down, we’ve both apologised, I’m staying, and I’ve got a job in the shop plus she’s recommended me for her valuing jobs. The bad news is that Mum isn’t coping well and she now thinks there’s something wrong other than the Parkinson’s. She’s even mentioned dementia although she was joking so I kept quiet about that. Have just fired off yet another complaint email about Dr S and his inadequacies. Anyway, she’d love a 2nd opinion and if you’re able to come home next weekend and can fit in an off the record consultation, we’d both be really grateful 🙂 xx

I couldn’t do it to Nikki. I had to step away from Jemma before anything happened and we both got hurt. There was only one way to do that. I quickly typed in a response before guilt consumed me about letting Jemma and her mum down:

✉︎ To Jemma

Great news that you’ve sorted things out with your mum. Really sorry but I may not make it up north again next weekend

She must have still been awake as a reply came back moments later:

✉︎ From Jemma

That’s OK. I understand. It’s a long drive 2 weekends in a row and I know it’s probably awkward for you when she’s not officially your patient. We’ll hopefully sort something else out as she hates Dr S. We might go private. Thanks for all your help so far. You’ve been a true-life superhero x

How big a shit did I feel? She was obviously trying to make excuses for my inadequacies and feelings of guilt. I couldn’t cut her off completely. It wasn’t fair.

✉︎ To Jemma

I still want to help. I’ll definitely be home again before Christmas. I’ll let you know when I’ve got a date and I can meet your mum then

✉︎ From Jemma

Mum can’t wait that long. It’s fine. As I said, we’ll sort something else out. Thank you

I scrolled through the series of texts. Jemma’s had gone from two kisses to one to none. That said more to me about how she felt than the actual words. I’d massively let her down yet she was still being kind to me. As if I deserved that. If I’d felt like a big shit after my response to the first text, I felt like a sewer-full of the stuff reading her final reply.

‘I’m sorry, Jem,’ I muttered, switching my phone to silent. ‘I’m no good to anyone.’