Lizzie packs her things and walks out on you. *”Where are you going?”* *”What difference does it make to you? You clear out toothe flat belongs...
Picture standing at your own wedding, with nearly 200 guests watching, when your new mother-in-law takes the microphone to announce you arent worthy of her son...
A barefoot little girl asked a biker for help to feed her starving brother. The girl, no older than six, approached my motorcycle at midnight in...
**Childhood Love** “Mum, can I wear my blue shirt to nursery tomorrow?” “Blue? Why’s that?” “Because Katie Evans said it suits mematches my eyes!” “Well, if...
**Diary Entry A Lesson in Fairness** *12th July* What a fine sense of fairness you have, Margaret! I couldnt hold back any longer. So last summer,...
**A Diary Entry The Heart of Willowbrook** Oh dear, what a day that was Grey and weeping, as if the sky itself knew the sorrow brewing...
**Diary Entry A Summer with the Grandkids** “You must not know much about kids these days!” “Hello, Margaret. Saw you pottering about in the garden, thought...
**Diary Entry For Mum and Sonny** I found him around the corner of a building, darting between piles of rubbish, desperate for food. Thats when I...
**Diary Entry** *”Dont forget youve lived in my flat your whole life.” “Here we go again. Youll hold this over me forever, wont you?”* Emma and...
**Diary Entry** After my husbands funeral, my son drove me to the outskirts of town and said, Get off the bus here. We cant take care...
Where Happiness Lives So, picture this: Emma is sitting all alone in her kitchen, hands wrapped around a mug of...
A sleek black Mercedes-Benz rolled to a stop outside a plain red-brick house in a quiet corner of Manchester. The...
An Expensive Treat Claire, again? How much longer is this going to go on? I swear I work just to...
House Spirit William, was that you who tidied up the garden? Jane gently touched her son’s shoulder. He startled, pulled...
Youve managed to buy a flat with a mortgage? exclaimed Janet with delight. Thats wonderful, my darling! Absolutely marvellous! Lucy...
Today marks exactly three years since that envelope of money has been sitting in the glove compartment of my car....
An Expensive Pleasure – Clara, not again? How many more times? It feels like Im working just to pay for...
Where Happiness Begins “Mum, look what I’ve managed to do! I worked so hard! And my art teacher said he...
Family Trials You know, I dont think Ive seen Olivia this happy in years. All those long stretches of loneliness,...
I placed the final plate on the table and stepped back, surveying my handiwork. Twelve settings. Twelve wine glasses. Twelve...