Chapters (82)
- Cover
- Dedication
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
- Suggested topics for reading-group discussion
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- About the Author
- Books by Lisa Stone
- About the Publisher
Her mother, Mary, appeared from the kitchen, smiling warmly. ‘Hello, love, how are you? It’s great to see you out and about.’ She kissed and hugged her daughter. ‘Tea, coffee?’
‘No, thanks.’
‘Come and sit down. Is Ian looking after you?’
‘Yes, Mum, very well. Don’t worry. He returned to work today. I need to make the effort to go back too before long.’
They settled on the sofa in the living room. It was largely unchanged since Emma had left home five years ago to marry Ian. She loved returning – it was comforting and reassuring.
‘You look so much better than the last time I saw you, the day after …’ Mary began, and stopped as her eyes filled. ‘I’m sorry, love. I’m still struggling to believe it’s happened again.’
‘I know, Mum.’
‘Will there be an autopsy to try to find out what went wrong?’ Mary asked after a moment.
‘No.’
‘Isn’t it usual when something like this happens?’
‘It depends, but Ian and I don’t want one, and we’re not having a funeral either.’
‘Really? I know it’s different with a very early miscarriage, but he would have been a fully-formed baby.’
‘Not fully formed,’ Emma grimaced.
‘No, sorry, love, bad choice of words, but you know what I mean.’
Emma did know what her mother meant and it caused her pain. ‘Ian and I couldn’t cope with a funeral,’ she said. ‘So no funeral.’
‘Sometimes it can help give closure. Even a small service with just family,’ Mary persisted.
‘Mum, please stop!’ Emma cried. ‘This is difficult enough as it is. I want to forget and try to move on.’
‘I’m sorry, love. I was just trying to help. I won’t mention it again, I promise. But you know you can talk to me anytime.’
Emma nodded.
‘Now, what was it you wanted to ask me that you couldn’t over the phone?’
Emma took a breath and chose her words carefully. She was worried her mother wouldn’t understand the importance of what she was about to say and would be upset, even angry. She didn’t need any more upset in her life right now.
‘Mum, Ian’s doing some research online about our ancestors.’
‘Oh yes.’
‘He’s trying to find out if what happened to us has happened before to other family members. He’s applying for copies of death certificates. He thinks if it is something that has been passed down – you know, genetic – then it could be treated.’
‘Well, good luck to him,’ Mary replied. ‘But why are you looking so anxious?’
‘Because he doesn’t know Dad isn’t my biological father.’