BooksBarbecue
Back Where The Story Starts
Chapters (65)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  3. CONTENTS
  4. PROLOGUE
  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. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS
  64. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  65. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Melissa was confused. Had he died? Was that why Grace seemed so broken? The thoughts must have shown on her face, because Grace clarified.

‘He’s away at school now. He only comes home a couple of times a term. I think Clio gets a bit lonely without him.’

‘Boarding school, like?’ asked Melissa. Who sent their kid to boarding school? Rich people and Tory politicians, as far as Melissa knew.

Grace nodded. ‘His father, well, Charles, he wanted him to go to boarding school.’

‘Ooh, I’d hate that,’ said Melissa. ‘I’d never let Ray send our Leah away. How old is he? It must break your heart every time he goes.’

Grace nodded again. ‘Yes. It does. But he’s thirteen and all his friends are there. Hector doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he likes it, but it’s hard for Clio.’

They must be loaded, thought Melissa. Boarding schools cost a fortune. No wonder Ray had been so cross that Charles hadn’t stumped up for the drugs for their dad. She was about to ask what Charles did for a job, but she stopped herself just in time. She didn’t want to get into talking about Charles because that would remind her of the promise she’d made to Ray about not letting Grace into the house, and then she’d feel bad. She was enjoying their chat and didn’t want anything to spoil it.

‘Why doesn’t Clio go to boarding school?’ she asked.

‘She’d rather stay at home,’ replied Grace simply. ‘My old school is open to day girls, so she attends there.’

‘So that’s like where Leah goes, then?’ said Melissa, feeling on slightly more familiar ground.

Grace opened her mouth to explain, but then seemed to change her mind. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Just like Leah. Is that Leah now?’ she added, pointing up at Leah’s school photo that was sitting on the mantelpiece amongst a cloud of other pictures.

Melissa nodded. The pictures told the story of Leah’s life so far. On a couple she had gappy smiles where her baby teeth had been lost. On another, only one plait was fastened up, the hair on the opposite side of her face hanging loose. Melissa wasn’t sure why she’d kept that one, other than that it made her smile. On the most recent photo Leah was staring directly into the lens as if daring the camera to take a bad shot.

‘She’s growing into a beautiful young woman,’ said Grace. ‘You must be very proud of her.’

‘I am. She’s a very special kid. Growing up way too quick, though. Is Clio the same?’

Grace rolled her eyes. ‘Oh yes. She wants high heels and make-up. I’m holding off for as long as I can, but I imagine I’ll have to give in eventually.’