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Back When Life Gives You Lemons
Chapters (54)
  1. Cover
  2. WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS
  3. Dedication
  4. Part One
  5. Chapter One
  6. Chapter Two
  7. Chapter Three
  8. Chapter Four
  9. Chapter Five
  10. Chapter Six
  11. Chapter Seven
  12. Chapter Eight
  13. Part Two
  14. Chapter Nine
  15. Chapter Ten
  16. Chapter Eleven
  17. Chapter Twelve
  18. Chapter Thirteen
  19. Chapter Fourteen
  20. Chapter Fifteen
  21. Chapter Sixteen
  22. Chapter Seventeen
  23. Chapter Eighteen
  24. Chapter Nineteen
  25. Chapter Twenty
  26. Part Three
  27. Chapter Twenty-One
  28. Chapter Twenty-Two
  29. Chapter Twenty-Three
  30. Chapter Twenty-Four
  31. Chapter Twenty-Five
  32. Chapter Twenty-Six
  33. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  34. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  35. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  36. Part Four
  37. Chapter Thirty
  38. Chapter Thirty-One
  39. Chapter Thirty-Two
  40. Chapter Thirty-Three
  41. Chapter Thirty-Four
  42. Chapter Thirty-Five
  43. Chapter Thirty-Six
  44. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  45. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  46. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  47. Chapter Forty
  48. Chapter Forty-One
  49. Chapter Forty-Two
  50. Acknowledgements
  51. Keep Reading …
  52. About the Author
  53. By the same author:
  54. About the Publisher

Jules is apologetic when I drop off Maeve at home. ‘I’m sorry if this makes things difficult,’ she says. ‘The girls were asking me the other day if Izzy could come away with us, and I said it would be fine, of course – but that she’d have to check with you first. I should have mentioned it …’

I look at my daughter. ‘Why didn’t you say earlier, love?’

She shuffles uncomfortably. ‘I thought it might upset Dad.’

Well, it will, I reflect. But if forcing her to go away with his family will upset her, then I know whose feelings I prioritise.

‘When are you planning to go?’ I ask Jules.

‘On Friday, for about a week.’

I exhale. ‘Izzy, are you sure this is what you want to do? You’ll miss out on seeing all your cousins. Remember there are those lovely new chalets to stay in.’

She looks up at me, eyes wide. ‘I don’t want to go there, Mum. I want to go away with Maeve.’

‘Okay, okay,’ I murmur. ‘If you’re absolutely sure …’ I turn to Jules. ‘And it’s definitely okay with you and Erol?’

‘We’d love her to come,’ she says, smiling.

‘All right, then. I’ll just have to tell Dad.’ The girls cheer and hug each other, and all the way home, Izzy is full of all the fun they’ll have, chattering about the plans they’ve been making, secretly.

When I call Andy later to break the news, he is clearly put out, but manages to remain stoical. ‘I thought she seemed a bit off about it,’ he says. ‘I was worried she felt weird about, you know … coming away without you.’

‘Hmm. Well, it’s not that,’ I say dryly.

‘She’s not persuadable, is she?’

‘I don’t think so. She seems to have set her heart on this. I suspect they’ve been planning it for a while. She was actually worried about hurting your feelings, and how you’d react …’

‘Oh, God, really?’ He sighs. ‘Everyone’ll be so disappointed if she’s not there.’

‘There’ll be plenty of other times, though,’ I add.

‘Yes, I guess so. Tell her it’s fine, then.’

I already have, I muse, although I don’t say it. And we leave it at that, with not a single sharp word between us during the entire eight-minute phone conversation. A little over four months since he left, we are capable of handling a slightly tricky situation in a reasonable manner, which can only be a positive thing, a distinct move forward for both of us.

I still hate the fucker, though.

Monday, July 29