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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

On the table next to hers an old couple sat in companionable silence, she reading a cookery magazine and he absent-mindedly stirring his tea, the teaspoon chinking gently against the china. As she watched them, tears sprang to Clio’s eyes, hot and stinging. Why was life so unfair? Who decided which people got to enjoy their old age and which didn’t?

She tried to picture her own parents in similar poses, frail and twisted by age but still content in each other’s company, happily taking life at a slower pace. The thought brought with it a new rush of grief and Clio bowed her head so that those around her couldn’t witness her distress. Grief was so difficult to deal with after the initial shock had passed. Once the funeral was over and done with, you were simply expected to return to normal and not subject those around you to any outward displays of pain. That was how it felt to Clio, anyway.

She fumbled in her bag for a packet of tissues and wiped the tears away, blowing her nose quietly and running a finger under her eyelashes to catch any tell-tale make-up slips. Her father was gone, taken too soon, but that was something that she’d just have to learn to live with. She couldn’t fall apart every time she saw a couple who would celebrate more anniversaries together than her parents had.

In any event, knowing what she knew now, there were no guarantees that her parents’ marriage would have survived into their dotage. At least with her father no longer with them, the facts of the matter need never be revealed and their status quo could be preserved, like a fly in amber. Clio would protect her mother from her father’s mistakes and her family could keep all their memories intact without fear of them becoming tainted by the new truth.

So, Clio thought as she watched a foamy line of white horses approach the beach, what should she do next? The woman at the house had just been in a rush this morning. Maybe if Clio went back later, she might let her in for a quick look round. Hopefully, by going inside again after all those years, she could settle the confused memories she had of the place and then leave Whitley Bay and never come back.

Clio stood up and, nodding politely at the elderly couple, headed to the door.

‘Goodbye pet,’ said the lady at the counter. ‘See you again soon.’

I doubt it, thought Clio, but she smiled and waved at her as she left.

3

3

LEAH – NOW