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perfect. She gets on with her family, her brother is her best friend, she has a close relationship with her parents, Jonnie adores her, they were
made
for each other, and now she has a large diamond on her finger.
    ‘You don’t see enough of your mum either, Katie. You might regret it one day.’ She waits for my response. ‘What’s wrong? There’s something else, isn’t there?’ she probes. ‘Is it your mother?’
    I tell Emma about my conversation with Dad. ‘It seems a bit sudden, that’s all. I can’t help wondering if he’s keeping something from me.’
    ‘Your dad wouldn’t lie,’ Emma says with conviction. ‘Look, I think all they want you to do is make more of an effort with Bells.’
    ‘Mum didn’t even ring to ask me how my show went,’ I tell her.
    ‘OK, but did she know about it? Did you ask her to be there?’ Emma’s patience is running out.
    ‘No, not really. Oh,’ I wave a hand dismissively, ‘I know. I’m nearly thirty, not sixteen. It shouldn’t get to me like this.’ I sink back into my chair and try to relax. ‘I wish I’d told Sam straight away about Bells, it would have made life a lot easier.’
    ‘Tell him your sister’s coming to stay. Describe her so he won’t be too surprised, and I bet you he’ll be fine about it.’
    ‘But …’
    ‘No buts.’
    ‘Yes, but what if …’
    ‘No buts. I know you would be saying the same thing to me if it were the other way around. And I know it’s easy, my sitting here giving you advice,’ she admits, ‘but tell Sam tonight. Don’t put it off any longer. He’s not a monster, he’s your boyfriend. I tell Jonnie everything, he would be hurt if I shut him out. Don’t we go out with people to feel supported? Isn’t that the whole point?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘You tell him,’ she says simply. ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’

CHAPTER FIVE

1982
    ‘Katie,’ Dad says sternly, ‘don’t upset your mother.’
    I can’t help it. I peer into the cot again. ‘But what’s wrong with her?’ I turn to look at Mum and Dad. ‘Why hasn’t my sister got a proper nose? And what’s that funny hole between her nose and lip?’ Mum is crying now, and Dad crouches down beside her, stroking her arm gently.
    ‘Why does she look so funny?’ I ask again. I can’t look at the baby any more. It’s scaring me.
    ‘Katie,’ Dad begins, ‘this is the way she was born. I’m afraid not all children are lucky enough to be born perfect.’
    ‘Why?’
    Dad takes off his glasses and wipes his eyes. ‘Just because. We’re going to have to help her. Your sister will have to see a doctor who will make her face better. It’s going to be all right. We’re …’
    ‘Stop!’ Mum sobs. ‘Nothing’s all right. How are we going to cope?’
    ‘We’ll manage. We’ll make sure we do,’ Dad reassures her. ‘Katie will help us, won’t you, darling?’ He looks at me as if to say, Don’t just stand there, come over and give your mother a hug.
    Was this what Aunt Agnes meant by being brave? I walk over to Mum and put my arms around her.
    *
    The doctor is here and I am listening behind the kitchen door.
    ‘There’s an excellent local team of specialists in facial–oral problems. They’re highly experienced in treating children born with a cleft of the lip and palate,’ he says. ‘One child in approximately seven hundred and fifty births has this problem. We will also consult a plastic surgeon for advice. He’ll talk us through the reconstructive surgical procedures. With a series of operations, we can repair your daughter’s lip and palate.’
    ‘When can we start?’ Dad asks.
    ‘While she’s still a baby but a bit bigger and able to cope with the surgery.’
    ‘I don’t understand why this happened. I felt fine during the pregnancy, I had plenty of rest. What did I do wrong?’ Mum pleads for an explanation.
    ‘It’s not your fault,’ Dad tells her.
    The doctor agrees. ‘There is no known cause. Is there any family