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Back One Winter Morning Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. By the same author
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. Acknowledgements
  54. Read More
  55. Two Years Later
  56. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

It’s almost Christmas Eve again – how did that happen? I swear the older I get, the faster time passes. It felt like I blinked and Genie went from a newborn to a five-year-old, then a teenager, and now she’s a beautiful young woman. Not that she believes me when I tell her so – according to Genie, nobody’s bottom has ever been bigger, or chin more shaped like a canoe. I wish she could see what I see – that she is practically perfect in every way, just like Mary Poppins.

We had the silliest row earlier. In true Genie fashion, she has left all her shopping till the last minute. Honestly, she and Davey are like one of a kind – he has been known to buy my present on Christmas Day before! So, she now has to spend tomorrow shopping instead of exercising Suki, a job which has now become mine. I don’t mind, of course – I love that dear little horse – but poor Genie got herself in such a snarl about it.

She does this when she feels guilty about something – lashes out at me and Dave – but I know she’ll feel really crap about it by tomorrow, the nitwit. I must admit, I did snap back at her, something about her being so far beyond my tether that I would need a telescope to see her. She hates it when I get smart with her, and she really lost her temper after that, said all sorts of nasty things that I know she didn’t really mean. Honestly, it was very hard to keep a straight face. I had to pretend to be all stern and disappointed, when really I was caterwauling with laughter inside. I’ll tell her when I get back from the stables tomorrow, and we’ll have a good old giggle about it. And a ride will be lovely. I’m going to sneak Suki a whole packet of Polos to make up for not being Mummy.

Maybe I will pick out another gift for Genie, too – a necklace to match her ring. It’s sweet that she never takes it off, and Davey was right, it doesn’t matter a bit that it once belonged to Bonnie. I thought it would upset me, but actually, I like seeing it there on Genie’s finger – it makes me feel as if Bonnie is still here with us in some way. I think of her often, and the sacrifice she made. Perhaps I need to stop being selfish and tell Genie more about her. I should have more faith in her. Yes, I will talk to Davey about it tomorrow.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if tomorrow’s memory was that time I decided to be brave for my daughter’s sake? I owe it to her, after all, and I owe it to Bonnie, too.

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