answer to that.’
‘Thank you so much.’
I felt like flinging my arms around her neck I was so full of gratitude. I’d never found another friend like Tina since she’d moved out of the area, and I knew I never would. I shouldn’t be wishing to turn back time , but I couldn’t help myself wishing with all my heart that we still lived in those much smaller houses next door to each other. Life always seemed so much simpler, somehow, when you had a sensible friend on tap.
‘You have absolutely nothing to thank me for,’ she insisted. ‘After all, you’ve done the same for me in the past - and would do it again in a heartbeat. It’s what friends are for.’
We smiled happily at each other, and then I caught sight of the clock and shrieked, ‘Look at the time. I have to go and pick Will up from school. Do you want to come?’
‘Try and stop me,’ Tina said.
We took the car as the time was getting on. Usually though, unless it was raining, I preferred to walk, and we often took a detour on the way home through the local park so that William could enjoy the swings. Today he would be enjoying the company of his Auntie Tina and I knew how thrilled he would be to find her waiting with me.
‘And how is my adorable God-child?’ she asked. ‘I have to ask even when I know the answer is going to be completely gorgeous.’
‘Well, I would say that, wouldn’t I?’ I grinned ruefully, and then added, ‘but he truly is. I never knew a lovelier child – except, perhaps for Leanne, because she’s gorgeous, too. How is she these days?’
‘Completely gorgeous,’ Tina laughed.
‘I can’t believe she’s what – twenty-five now? Where did the years go? No sign of her settling down yet, then?’
‘No,’ she shook her head, ‘she just loves working with her Dad at the literary agency. He’s happy to give her lots of responsibility, so she has her own stable of authors now and is dealing almost exclusively with chick-lit and romantic comedy. She seems to have an eye for a potential best-seller and is doing really well according to Calum.’
I was impressed and yet I wasn’t, because Leanne has studied hard to get a first in her degree and then had started as a gofer at Calum’s literary agency. I was sure he wouldn’t have made it easy for her – and I was also sure she wouldn’t have wanted him to.
Jade and Lucy were looking out for me at the school gates, and they both waved and tried to hide their natural curiosity when they saw I had someone with me.
There was just time for a quick introduction before the bell rang and the next minute Will came hurtling across the playground towards us. His eyes grew huge with excitement when he was close enough to see who was with me.
‘Auntie Teeeeeena,’ he shrieked, leaping into her waiting arms and shrieking some more when she twirled him round until his small body was flying horizontally. ‘You haven’t been to see us for ages ,’ he said the minute she put him down, his tone accusing.
‘William,’ I admonished sharply, ‘don’t be so rude.’
‘Well, she hasn’t,’ he pouted and then redeemed himself slightly by adding, ‘and I’ve missed her.’
‘Aw,’ Tina crouched down in front of him and pulled him back into her arms, ‘I’ve missed you, too, Will – loads.’
‘Have you?’ he obviously wasn’t going to be appeased easily, and wanted a bit more in the way of confirmation.
Tina laughed and assured Will, ‘Yes, I truly have and, as it’s naughty of me to have stayed away so long, I’ve brought you a present to say sorry.’
‘A present,’ he trilled, and throwing his arms around Tina’s neck, he demanded, ‘Where is it?’
‘Oh, William,’ it was all I could do not to hold my head in my hands in despair at such a lack of manners.
‘What?’ he stared at me innocently, ‘I was only asking.’
Tina stood, holding my son in her arms. ‘He’s right, he was,’ she laughed and told the impatient child, ‘It’s in
‘Thank you so much.’
I felt like flinging my arms around her neck I was so full of gratitude. I’d never found another friend like Tina since she’d moved out of the area, and I knew I never would. I shouldn’t be wishing to turn back time , but I couldn’t help myself wishing with all my heart that we still lived in those much smaller houses next door to each other. Life always seemed so much simpler, somehow, when you had a sensible friend on tap.
‘You have absolutely nothing to thank me for,’ she insisted. ‘After all, you’ve done the same for me in the past - and would do it again in a heartbeat. It’s what friends are for.’
We smiled happily at each other, and then I caught sight of the clock and shrieked, ‘Look at the time. I have to go and pick Will up from school. Do you want to come?’
‘Try and stop me,’ Tina said.
We took the car as the time was getting on. Usually though, unless it was raining, I preferred to walk, and we often took a detour on the way home through the local park so that William could enjoy the swings. Today he would be enjoying the company of his Auntie Tina and I knew how thrilled he would be to find her waiting with me.
‘And how is my adorable God-child?’ she asked. ‘I have to ask even when I know the answer is going to be completely gorgeous.’
‘Well, I would say that, wouldn’t I?’ I grinned ruefully, and then added, ‘but he truly is. I never knew a lovelier child – except, perhaps for Leanne, because she’s gorgeous, too. How is she these days?’
‘Completely gorgeous,’ Tina laughed.
‘I can’t believe she’s what – twenty-five now? Where did the years go? No sign of her settling down yet, then?’
‘No,’ she shook her head, ‘she just loves working with her Dad at the literary agency. He’s happy to give her lots of responsibility, so she has her own stable of authors now and is dealing almost exclusively with chick-lit and romantic comedy. She seems to have an eye for a potential best-seller and is doing really well according to Calum.’
I was impressed and yet I wasn’t, because Leanne has studied hard to get a first in her degree and then had started as a gofer at Calum’s literary agency. I was sure he wouldn’t have made it easy for her – and I was also sure she wouldn’t have wanted him to.
Jade and Lucy were looking out for me at the school gates, and they both waved and tried to hide their natural curiosity when they saw I had someone with me.
There was just time for a quick introduction before the bell rang and the next minute Will came hurtling across the playground towards us. His eyes grew huge with excitement when he was close enough to see who was with me.
‘Auntie Teeeeeena,’ he shrieked, leaping into her waiting arms and shrieking some more when she twirled him round until his small body was flying horizontally. ‘You haven’t been to see us for ages ,’ he said the minute she put him down, his tone accusing.
‘William,’ I admonished sharply, ‘don’t be so rude.’
‘Well, she hasn’t,’ he pouted and then redeemed himself slightly by adding, ‘and I’ve missed her.’
‘Aw,’ Tina crouched down in front of him and pulled him back into her arms, ‘I’ve missed you, too, Will – loads.’
‘Have you?’ he obviously wasn’t going to be appeased easily, and wanted a bit more in the way of confirmation.
Tina laughed and assured Will, ‘Yes, I truly have and, as it’s naughty of me to have stayed away so long, I’ve brought you a present to say sorry.’
‘A present,’ he trilled, and throwing his arms around Tina’s neck, he demanded, ‘Where is it?’
‘Oh, William,’ it was all I could do not to hold my head in my hands in despair at such a lack of manners.
‘What?’ he stared at me innocently, ‘I was only asking.’
Tina stood, holding my son in her arms. ‘He’s right, he was,’ she laughed and told the impatient child, ‘It’s in
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