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Back Where The Story Starts Save as PDF
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

Oh my God. I couldn’t believe it. One little message and now I had a day trip to see how the other half lived and food on top. Then, feeling suddenly suspicious of my good fortune, I wondered if I was being taken for a ride; but all my instincts were telling me that Clio was as excited about this as I was.

Great. I’ll check the times and get back to you. L.

Can’t wait xxx came the swift reply.

As I looked up the train timetables, all my nerve endings were buzzing. This was the start of something new and exciting. I just knew it.

11

11

LEAH – NOW

‘Where are we going, Mummy?’ Noah asked me for what felt like the twentieth time as the three of us marched along the pavement towards the Metro station. Poppy took over the explanation and I felt immensely grateful to her. Sometimes the endless questioning of a four-year-old could drive you to the brink of insanity.

‘We’re going to see that nice lady who came to the house before – Clio. Do you remember?’ asked Poppy, as if it was the very first time anyone had mentioned Clio that morning.

‘The lady who liked my SpongeBob book?’

‘Yes. The lady who liked your SpongeBob book,’ Poppy confirmed, and Noah nodded sagely.

‘And why are we going to her house?’ he asked again.

Poppy turned her attention from her brother to me and repeated the question. ‘Why are we going, Mum? Isn’t it a bit, like, weird?’

It was a bit weird, I thought.

‘It’s not weird at all,’ I said sharply. ‘She invited us because she likes us and I said yes because I like her. End of.’

Poppy looked at me sceptically. ‘It is weird, Mum,’ she said.

I shrugged. ‘Well, maybe just a bit, but Clio’s really nice and she’s invited us to her posh house for lunch, so let’s not look a gift horse in the mouth.’

‘Will there be horses?’ asked Noah, his eyes wide as he bounced up and down next to me.

‘No,’ I sighed. ‘It’s just an expression, Nono.’

‘And has she got kids and stuff?’ Poppy asked, her tone dubious. She had reached the age where being made to socialise with strangers was anathema to her.

‘No. No kids. Just Clio. And her mum lives there and maybe her brother. I’m not sure.’

‘But why talk about horses if there aren’t any? That’s silly.’

‘Yes. Sorry, Nono.’

‘Isn’t she a bit old to be living with her mum?’ Poppy asked, and I felt my heart ache at the idea that she was already contemplating a time when she didn’t live at home.