

**AMANDA MARTIN**

TWO-HUNDRED STEPS HOME

VOLUME FOUR

Amanda Martin was born in Hertfordshire in 1976. After graduating with first class honours from Leeds University she wandered around the world trying to find her place in it. She tried various roles, in England and New Zealand, including Bar Manager, Marketing Manager, Consultant and Artist, before deciding that Writer/Mummy best summed her up. She lives in Northamptonshire with her husband, two children and labradoodle Kara and can mostly be found at http://writermummy.wordpress.com or on Twitter or Facebook.

_Two-Hundred Steps Home_ is her latest work. Amanda is writing the novel in daily instalments on her WriterMummy blog as part of her 2013 365 post-a-day challenge. This ebook is Volume 4 and contains the 30 instalments from April. Find Volumes 1-3 on Smashwords.

COPYRIGHT

Published by 3AD Publishing at Smashwords

Copyright © Amanda Martin 2013

Amanda Martin asserts the moral right to be  
identified as the author of this work

Also by Amanda Martin:

Two-Hundred Steps Home: The Complete Journey

Dragon Wraiths

Baby Blues and Wedding Shoes

This novel is entirely a work of fiction although based loosely on the YHA Hostels of England and Wales. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved.

Thank you for downloading this free ebook. Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

http://www.amanda-martin.co.uk

http://writermummy.wordpress.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title

Copyright

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Twenty

Twenty-One

Twenty-Two

Twenty-Three

Twenty-Four

Twenty-Five

Twenty-Six

Twenty-Seven

Twenty-Eight

Twenty-Nine

Thirty

About the Author
ONE

"Excuse me, is everything alright?"

Claire looked up at the concerned face trying to peer under her shield of hair. Her eyes met two sapphires sparkling amidst a sea of wrinkles.

"The school is closed today. Were you meant to meet someone?"

The words sank in through the fog in Claire's mind. _Closed?_ "The school isn't open? But I was supposed to collect my niece. Ruth – my sister – she clearly said today at 3pm. I thought I was in the wrong place. But it's definitely here. She's going to be so cross, and she's ill and I'm meant to be _helping_." The words tumbled out until Claire's voice broke and she sank her head back into her hands.

A gentle patting on her shoulder reminded Claire that the old lady was still standing in front of her.

"There, there, my dear. Don't cry. Have you telephoned your sister? I am sure there has been some misunderstanding. I believe there is a training day today and therefore the children finished for the Easter vacation yesterday."

Relief washed through Claire like a spring breeze, followed by an arctic blast of anger. _That's just like Ruth to scare the hell out of me. She must have Sky home with her: why didn't she call me?_

Claire looked up and smiled ruefully at the helpful passer-by. "I'm sorry; I don't mean to be a watering pot. It was quite a struggle to get here for 3pm through the snow – I've come from the Derby Dales – and now, to find..." She shook her head. No point unburdening herself to a complete stranger.

The lady raised a hand as if to brush away Claire's apology. "I quite understand. These things happen. Why not come with me to the café? You can settle your nerves before telephoning your sister. Everything will seem better after a cup of tea."

Pushing herself off the wall, trying to ignore the numbness in her bottom from sitting on the cold stone, Claire smiled gratefully at the woman. "Thank you, I might do that. No need to come with me, I'll be fine. I haven't had lunch, that's all. As you say, I'm sure I'll feel more the thing after some food and a hot drink."

The woman hesitated, as if unsure whether to leave Claire alone.

What must she think? I'm a grown woman, I shouldn't be sat sobbing outside a primary school. Grow up and stop being pathetic, girl.

"I'm fine, really. I appreciate you stopping to tell me about the school. I know where the café is – I've been here before – and I don't want to hold you up any longer."

"Well, if you are certain?" Claire nodded. "Alright then, my dear. You take care." The lady gave a little wave and walked away.

Claire filled her lungs with freezing air and brushed the hair back from her face. She knew she should call Ruth, to confirm that her niece was safely at home, but she was still too cross. _That's just like her, to have me race across the country on a wild-goose-chase without so much as a text message._ She stomped towards the coffee shop, remembering all the times Ruth had let her down or forgotten to tell her something important. _Just because I'm the youngest, doesn't mean it's okay to leave me out all the time._

She could almost sense her bottom lip jutting out as it had done twenty-five years ago, when such behaviour was just about acceptable.

It was only when she was tucked into a window seat nursing a cup of Earl Grey that it occurred to Claire there may be another reason for Ruth's lack of contact.

What if she's had complications and had to go back into hospital? What if she wasn't able to call me and Sky's been left with Dad?

Her empty stomach twisted in fear and the blood drained away from her face until she thought she might faint. Placing the cup down on the saucer, spilling her tea in the process, Claire pulled out her phone and selected her sister's number. She listened to the endless ringing as she waited for the phone to connect.

Come on, come on, just pick up the phone.

***

TWO

"Good afternoon, Melanie Carleton speaking."

Claire sighed in relief. "Mum, thank goodness. I was so worried. I'm at the primary school, Ruth asked me to collect Sky but she isn't here. Did she tell me the wrong time?" Now wasn't the time for accusations. Blaming someone with a brain tumour would do nothing but cast her as the evil sister.

"Claire, how nice of you to get in touch. Sky is fine, no thanks to you. I received a telephone call from the school yesterday, querying why my granddaughter had not been collected. I was not amused."

"And you didn't think to phone and make sure I was okay? I was mugged last week, you know: knocked unconscious." The hot words were out before Claire could extinguish them.

"No, Claire. Getting bopped on the head for being a silly girl and walking home alone does not compare to having doctors remove part of your brain. Although I am beginning to wonder if someone has done the same to you. How could you let Ruth down so badly?"

Tears swamped Claire's eyes at the unfairness of it all. _I didn't do anything wrong. She told me the wrong day._ Knowing self-defence was futile against her mother, Claire swallowed and let the rant run its course.

Eventually her parent fell silent. When Claire didn't respond, she spat out, "Well, what have you got to say? Cat got your tongue?"

Inhaling deeply so she wouldn't choke on the words, Claire said softly, "Sorry Mum, I must have misheard Ruth's instructions. I'm sorry you were put out and you've had Sky all day. I'll be there as soon as I can. As long as you're all okay, that's the main thing."

"You mean apart from one screaming in disappointment since 4pm last night and the other recovering from brain surgery and thinking her sister doesn't give a hoot. Yes we are all okay here, as you put it."

Claire disconnected the phone. She wasn't sure if her mother had finished but she knew there were limits to how long she could keep her own mouth shut. _It's going to be bad enough going round there now, without antagonising Mother further. Trying to tell her the truth when she thinks she knows what's what is like trying to find clothes in your size in the sale._

She drained the dregs of her tea and straightened her knife and fork. It was tempting to order another drink, preferably a large gin and tonic, but she thought better of it. _Arriving reeking of alcohol when I'm about to be put in charge of a six-year-old for two weeks is probably not a great idea._ _I can't even get a latte to go, as Stella doesn't have cup-holders._

Looking around the calm oasis of the coffee shop, Claire wondered why she had ever found it lonely travelling by herself. With no more reasons to put it off, she squared her shoulders and strode to the door.

***

THREE

"Auntie Claire!"

Claire braced for impact as a whirling dervish of blonde hair and pink net hurtled down the corridor and hugged her knees. _Déjà vu_. _I wonder if she has any other way of greeting visitors?_ This time Claire didn't feel the urge to shake off her niece. Instead she dropped to her knees and gave the narrow shoulders a tight hug.

"Hey Sky. I'm so sorry I wasn't there to collect you yesterday." She avoided making eye contact with her mother, who had appeared behind Sky in the corridor. "Crossed wires, I'm afraid." She looked down at the elfin face and saw a wobbling bottom lip. "Don't cry, Sky. I'll make it up to you."

The jutting lip vanished and blue eyes sparkled. "Will you take me shopping? Mummy says you spend an ob... omscene... amount on clothes. I don't know what that means, but it sounds fun."

Blood rushed to Claire's face but any chagrin at her niece's repeated words vanished when she caught sight of her mother's face. _Ha, forgot your granddaughter can listen did you? I wonder what other titbits I'll discover? It's going to be like working with Carl again, but it will be worth it to find out what they really think of me._

"Hush now, Sky." Madeleine pulled her granddaughter away and sent her down the corridor with a push. "Ruth's in bed. Sky's bag is packed so you can leave whenever you want to."

Looking up into those blank eyes, Claire wondered when her mother had become such a cow. Then the words sank in, and she rose slowly to her feet. "I thought I was spending the night here? The hostel is booked for tomorrow." The idea of trying to find two beds in a hostel at short notice on Easter weekend made her throat dry. She was about to remonstrate when she sensed the emotion pouring off her mother, filling the close space around them. Claire shivered. The need to grab Sky and walk back out the front door consumed her.

"Fine. We'll find a hotel."

She pushed past her mother and went in search of her niece.

Claire waited in the doorway until her eyes adjusted to the gloom, breathing quietly as she listened to see if Ruth was awake. At last her sister's form materialised out of the dark and she saw the glittering light of open eyes.

"I'm so sorry," Claire whispered, walking towards the bed. "Did I wake you?"

"No, I rarely sleep. I stay in bed because Sky tends to leave me alone a little bit more. I love her to bits, but she's a bit overpowering at the moment."

"And me not collecting her yesterday didn't help. I really am sorry, I was convinced you said Thursday."

A dry chuckle turned into a hacking cough. "I probably did. I put the cheese in the breadbin and the butter in the cutlery drawer yesterday. My brain doesn't seem to be working quite as it did."

Her words were barely audible but they twisted like a corkscrew into Claire's ribcage. She wanted to scoop her sister up in a hug and tell her how much she loved her. The words wouldn't come. Instead she brushed her hand gently across Ruth's hot forehead.

"I do stuff like that too, and I don't have your excuse. Don't worry about Sky. I'll take good care of her. Hopefully two weeks of peace will allow you to recoup your strength. You'll be back to yourself in no time." Her voice sounded fake to her: she hoped her sister was more convinced.

Ruth reached out a hand. As Claire took it she shuddered: her sister's bones poked through her wasted skin like broken sticks in a silk sack. _I'm glad it's dark._

Her sister squeezed, the action barely registering against Claire's grip. "Take care of my little girl, Claire. I know she's in good hands."

Claire nodded, unable to speak, even though she knew her sister wouldn't see her response in the dark. She lowered the hand to the bed and turned to go before her emotions overwhelmed her. As she reached the door, she heard Ruth call her name.

"Claire..."

She returned to the bed and bent close to catch the whispered words.

"...Thank you."

***

FOUR

Claire looked down the list of hotels on her iPad, conscious of eager eyes watching from the passenger seat. Scanning the Laterooms site, her eyes noted the hotel rooms near her budget _. A B &B in Peterborough, a Days Inn hotel near the services._ She looked over at the angel in pink sitting on a booster seat and kicking her feet. _Do I really want our first night to be in some grotty hotel by the motorway? That's not an adventure._

She examined the list again. _Hotel and Spa, that sounds perfect. A quick trip to the sauna might just warm me up after this charming trip to see my mother._ In the corner of her eye she could see Sky's pointed toes trying to reach the glove box. _Bugger, I don't suppose I can take a six-year-old into a Spa. What do parents do when they need to relax?_

Then a name stood out – a Country Hotel near Huntingdon. Clicking on the picture, her screen filled with an image of an ivy-encrusted building full of charm and character. _That'll do._ She selected a twin room, trying to ignore the £89 price ticket. _It does come with breakfast. I'll just not include this receipt next time I file my expenses. My treat._ A quick internet search revealed a zoo nearby. _That settles it. We can go to the zoo first thing and then drive to the hostel after lunch._

By the time they reached the country hotel thirty minutes later Claire regretted passing up the Spa. Sneaking down for a dip after her niece was asleep seemed idyllic compared with enduring more hours of endless chatter. _How does she manage to talk non-stop for so long? And with such shrill enthusiasm?_

Claire's brain rang with the high-pitched babble and her throat felt parched after answering a stream of random questions. The two-week Easter vacation stretched ahead of her like a desert road: long and relentless and without relief.

***

FIVE

Claire stared at the tiger. The massive white head faced away from her, as if ignoring her scrutiny. Then it swung round and seemed to acknowledge her gaze, before its flat eyes slid away and his attention moved on to the other side of the enclosure.

_You poor old brute. What a life, sitting on a platform being watched by things you'd rather eat. Like sitting in a cake shop while the Belgium Buns take photographs._ She shivered as the timeless eyes swung round to face her again. The tiger looked down his proud nose at Claire and stood, stretching like a domestic cat, before jumping silently off the platform to walk outside. On the far side of the enclosure Claire could see the orange tiger dozing in the sun. Between them was a giant red football. The sign said they spent hours knocking the ball to each other, but clearly not today. _I'd give something to see that. I bet you do it when the zoo is closed right? Why perform for these strangers? You'd like us all to sod off, I bet._

"Auntie Claire?" A hand tugged at her jacket, reminding Claire she wasn't at the zoo alone. _Bugger. That's going to take some getting used to. What if she'd wandered off, or been snatched, while I was communing with tigers?_ She turned and squatted down so her face was nearer Sky's. "Yes poppet?"

"Can we go through the Tiger Tunnel? Can we, please?" She pointed through some pampas grass to a man-made tunnel that looked like it had been constructed from shipping containers.

"Sure, sweetheart. Although the tigers are here, darling." She gestured to the specks of white and orange; all that could be seen of Blizzard and Lady-Belle.

"The map says there are sheep and goats through there though. And camels."

_Sheep and goats? We could have gone to a farm to see them, instead of this wind-swept, freezing zoo. Not camels, though, don't remember seeing camels at any farm nearby._ Claire stood up, ignoring the protesting creak in her knees and back. The hotel bed had done enough damage; she didn't want to think about it anymore. Bad enough waking in a different bed to the one she'd gone to sleep in. As far as she could work out, Sky must have crawled in with her in the night and she'd crawled out the other side to sleep in the child's bed.

I hope Musical Beds isn't going to be a nightly occurrence. It's hard enough dealing with all that chatter, without a head full of cotton wool and a broken and bruised body.

Claire let the girl drag her into the tunnel, which had been painted a vile sort of green with pictures to alleviate the metal expanse. They stopped at glass windows to search for Maned Wolves and more tigers but saw only scrubby grass and grey skies.

At the end of the tunnel, wooden gates opened into a small grassed area surrounded by animal enclosures: from reindeer on their right, past rheas, alpacas, sheep and goats, to camels far away to their left. They stood for a moment to get their bearings, when a flash of white and a bleating noise announced the arrival of a mob of miniature sheep, which flocked around their feet.

"Look, Claire, we can feed them. Can we, please?" Sky turned her sweetest smile on Claire and she nodded, pushing through the sheep to reach the food dispenser. As she inserted a twenty-pence piece and turned the dial, another flash of colour alerted her to new arrivals. Four short, fat, black goats came leaping across the grass and, before the food was even cupped in her hand, started jumping and head-butting her legs.

Sky shrieked, as the goats shoved her so hard she fell backwards into a muddy puddle. _Oh great,_ Claire groaned. _I hope there is somewhere here we can change. Though I don't know what I'm going to change her into. What was Mum thinking, packing dresses and tights? Did she think we were only going to do little girl things, or did she hope rich Claire would take poor little Sky shopping?_ Claire swallowed the bitter taste in her mouth before reaching over to scoop her niece out of the gloop and onto a bench. She worried that Sky would shirk from the boisterous goats butting at her hands, demanding food. Instead the girl giggled with glee, seized the tiny horns and pushed the heads away.

Standing there, mud dripping from her pink dress and leggings, with her once-pink coat flapping in the arctic wind and her hair flying behind her in a stream of gold, she looked like a superhero, saving the world from vicious horned beasties. Claire felt a strange sensation in the pit of her tummy as she stood watching her niece. Something warm and almost maternal; something she didn't remember feeling for another human being before. It felt like pride.

***

SIX

Claire glanced at the slumbering child in the passenger seat, and smiled. _I survived my first twenty four hours with my niece out in the wild, with no A4 sheet of instructions to guide me._ Honesty compelled her to add, _just about._

She thought about the lunchtime battle to get Sky to eat her sandwich, which had unexpectedly resolved itself when Claire got up and left the café. She had only been aware of a need to put distance between herself and the tantrum. Standing outside the door, watching her niece turn purple in fury, was definitely a low point in the day. The outraged looks on the faces of the other customers in the tiny and crowded room had caused Claire's face to take on a similar hue, albeit for different reasons. Their looks of condemnation prevented her re-entering the room, even when Sky stopped crying and sat – shell-shocked and alone – at the wobbly Formica table.

The quiet and contrite child who had emerged ten minutes later seemed to justify the action but Claire had been conscious of a terrible surge of guilt at her behaviour. _She's the child not me._ Sky took back her angry words of hatred and declared she loved her Auntie Claire so no lasting damage seemed to have resulted from the incident.

_Still, I hope it doesn't happen again. What if we'd been in Starbucks or a restaurant instead of some tin pot coffee shop?_ Claire thought of the decibels of noise that had leaked through the prefab walls and shuddered.

There was more to this parenting lark than first appeared. If Sky hadn't been an angel since lunch she would have been strongly tempted to take the girl to her Dad's; to spend the two week Easter holiday with reinforcements. _It just confirms my long-held view that I wasn't born to be a mother. Auntie maybe, but that's it. Michael was wrong when he said he saw maternal feelings in me. Silly deluded idiot._ Unhappy memories of that night swirled around her in the car. Claire gripped the steering wheel and frowned them away. There was still an hour's driving to the hostel she had booked them into for the night.

She turned the stereo on to Radio 3 and drove into the evening with Mozart and a peacefully sleeping girl for company.

***

SEVEN

Claire swore loudly and heard movement from the passenger seat. "Damn. Idiot."

"What is it Auntie Claire? Why are you cross? You used a naughty word. Mummy says only uneducated people use naughty words."

Claire gritted her teeth and tried not to utter any more swear words. She suspected Ruth was unlikely to talk to her ever again after this fortnight away with Sky but there was no need to add teaching Sky four-letter words to her list of misdemeanours.

"Auntie Claire is frustrated, that's all poppet. Nothing to worry about. I'm just trying to find a parking space within a twenty-minute walk of the hostel."

_I knew staying in Cambridge for the Easter weekend was a mistake. I didn't want to drive far on Good Friday and all the other hostels in this area are on the bloody coast or miles away, or both. How was I to know it was going to be five degrees outside and no one in their right mind is heading to the beach?_ She glared, as if the weather was solely to blame for her bad humour.

Trying to keep the rage in her head was a new challenge and it seemed to make driving harder, as if the hindrance of not being able to yell at the other incompetents in their protective boxes affected her judgement. She braked suddenly to avoid a gaggle of cyclists. _Damn those egotistical morons. Pay some damn road tax and then you can swoop in front of me and cut me up with the impunity of an HGV._ She swerved around a woman dawdling on an old-fashioned bike, complete with wicker baskets front and rear, pedalling as if she was on a country lane.

"Where are we Claire; is this Cambridge? I've never been to Cambridge. Mummy says it's full of tourists and shops and it costs too much to park. Nana was going to bring me but then Mummy got sick and now she has to take care of Mummy. Are we nearly there? I'm hungry and I need a wee."

The blood drained from Claire's face. _Need a wee? Now? I have no idea how long it's going to take to get parked. What is a six-year-old's bladder control like? Is it urgent? I may not love this car but I don't want pee on the seats, never mind getting the booster seat washed._ Claire forced the brakes on her runaway thoughts, realising that her mind had taken on the urgent, rolling interrogation style favoured by her niece. As if every piece of information in the universe needed to be questioned and answered _that instant_ or the world would fail.

Taking a deep breath, Claire tried for calm. "Not long now, sweetie. Cross your legs. We'll get you to a toilet as soon as we can."

Claire found herself swept back into the one-way system and cursed the Sat Nav for not keeping up. _Useless box of junk. You're quick to give me the same instruction twenty times when it's obvious I need to bear left. Now, when I could use a hand, you're two streets behind._ The swear words built in her mouth, demanding to be freed. Claire tried to remember what stupid words Ruth used when she was irritated.

"Fumbling fiddlesticks!"

Sky giggled and the carefree sound released some of the tension in the metal box jammed in by a hundred other metal boxes. Deciding to pursue the happy accident, Claire pummelled her brain for ways to distract Sky from her need to pee and her incessant questioning.

"Did I tell you we're going to meet friends of mine tomorrow, for a day out at Kings College?" _Hmm, okay I don't suppose Fiona counts herself a friend, but you can give a child too much truth._ "They have children, too. A bit younger than you. Hopefully we'll have some fun."

Sky swivelled round in the seat, tearing her eyes away from a Disney advert on the bus in the next lane. "What are their names?"

"My friend is called Josh and his wife is Fiona. Their children are..." Claire paused, searching her brain for name cards. "Um, Lily, Sophie and, bugger what's the boy called? Er Jack? No, what was the name of that dancer on _Got to Dance_? Lucas, that's it." Claire smiled, pleased at her miraculous recall.

"Auntie Claire you said another naughty word." Sky sniggered and then covered her mouth with her hand.

Claire turned her attention to the slow moving car in front and cursed her unruly mouth. _I'm going to have to get a swear-box, otherwise I'm going to have Little Miss Prim pulling me up every five minutes._ She decided the best plan was to ignore Sky's comment and continue with her conversation. "So, anyway, Lucas is the eldest – just a bit younger than you – then Sophie and then Lily is still a baby. Will you help me show them round Cambridge? They're from Australia and this is their first visit to England."

"Wow, do they have a pet kangaroo? Do they speak funny, like on _Home and Away_? Wait until Hazel finds out at school, she's going to be pea green with envy." Sky turned and stared out the window, lost in a world of one-upmanship.

Glad to have finally struck on something to stop Sky's verbal diarrhoea, Claire concentrated on squeezing the Skoda into an on-street parking space two blocks from the hostel. _I just have to remember to move it before 9am or I'm in trouble._

***

EIGHT

Claire gripped Sky's hand and watched nervously left and right. Kings College spread out behind her, stark against a blue sky. Wind whistled along King's Parade and it was cold in the shade, despite the sun peeking over the buildings in front of them.

The hand in hers tugged and, when she looked down, a pleading face said, "Can I run along the wall, Auntie Claire?"

Claire clutched her paper coffee cup in close and shook her head. "I don't want you falling and grazing a knee before they get here." She resisted the urged to check her phone for the fifth time, to see if they were late or if she was still early. _Maybe they won't come. Fiona definitely wasn't keen. Perhaps they forgot? I should have asked for his number. How did people ever meet up without mobiles?_

Sky drew patterns on the pavement with her pink shoes, scooping demi-pliés like a ballerina. Distracted momentarily, Claire watched her performance while Sky used her hand as a bar.

"Do you do ballet, Sky?"

"I did, last term. Mum said we couldn't afford it once I grew too big for my leotard."

A worm of guilt wriggled in under Claire's rib cage. Her sister was always quick to complain about being poor but she'd figured that was the usual moaning she heard in the office, when Account Execs complained they couldn't afford the coveted pair of shoes or designer handbag.

"Are leotards very expensive?"

Sky shrugged and continued practising her ballet positions in the shade of King's Parade. Something about the movements snagged at Claire's memory and she was surprised to discover she remembered the names. _First_ ___position_ _, second, third._ __ Her feet twitched, as if they wanted to join in.

"Did you enjoy ballet?"

Sky let go of Claire's hand and twirled a pirouette. "Oh yes. Hannah and Jenny used to go to the same class as me. They'll be a certificate ahead of me now." Her pixie face pulled down in a frown, making the cold in the shade a degree cooler. _How expensive can it be? The cost of an M &S sandwich and a latte for a class? When we get back I'll arrange with Ruth to pay for her_ ___ballet_ ___classes and costumes. Every little princess_ ___should dream of being_ _a ballerina if they want to._

"Hey Claire!"

Distracted by her niece's impromptu performance, Claire had ceased her relentless search of the street, and the hail startled her. With her heart hammering loudly, Claire yanked her head up and she scanned the approaching faces until she located the source of the voice. Without realising it, Claire's face broke into a wide smile. She grabbed Sky's hand, as much to resist the urge to hurry over for a hug as to ensure the girl stayed by her side.

And then they were there, facing each other. Claire smiled awkwardly at Fiona, then beamed down at the children. Last of all, she met Josh's smiling eyes and forgot to breathe.

"Glad you could make it. We've been having such fun here: This place is so old. We can't wait to see round Kings."

Claire waited a beat too long before nodding. "Us too. Oh, this is Sky, my niece. Sky, meet Josh, Fiona, Lily, Sophie and Lucas." She indicated each in turn and then looked down at Sky. The girl was peeping out from behind her legs. "Shy, Sky? That's not like you."

Josh dropped down to his haunches and twinkled at the hidden girl. "It's okay, we don't bite. Are you having fun with Auntie Claire?"

Claire felt as much as saw Sky nodding. Slowly the girl came out and shone a grin at Josh. Claire looked down at her niece's glowing face and felt a jolt in her chest.

Yes, poppet. I feel like that too.

***

NINE

The children chased each other along the wall outside Kings, giggling and hopping on and off the grass. Claire, Fiona and Josh followed behind, sharing idle observations on all they'd seen inside King's College, much as strangers might discuss the weather on a stranded bus. Lily kicked her legs and waved her hands from her position in a sling on Josh's chest. The air felt too thick to breathe and the spring sunshine failed to penetrate Claire's skin.

"So, who is hungry?" she called ahead to the children. They turned as one and hopped up and down.

"Me, me, me!"

"Come on then. I'm taking you for the tastiest Greek burger ever." She lengthened her stride until there was space between her and the hand-holding couple. Sky stretched out her arms and jumped off the low wall into Claire's embrace, snuggling deep into her hair. The gesture surprised Claire and she returned the hug with closed eyes.

"I love you, Auntie Claire. I'm having the best day. Thank you." Sky flashed a toothy smile before squirming down again to play with Lucas and Sophie. Tears pricked at Claire's eyes and she swallowed. _Well, Ruth, I was never sure before, but you definitely did something right._

They lined up to cross the road. Claire glanced back but Fiona and Josh were in earnest conversation.

"Right kids, hold hands." She looked left and right up King's Parade, making sure there were no cars. Standing, waiting for a taxi to thunder past, she caught movement out the corner of her eye.

"Look at that dog!" Lucas yelled, dashing out in front of the oncoming car. Claire reacted instinctively, thrusting Sky and Sophie behind her and reaching out to grasp the hood of Lucas's coat. She reached him and pulled, just as the black saloon whooshed past, raising a swirl of litter. With trembling limbs Claire swapped her hold on the hood for a clutch of a little sweaty hand.

Urgent arms took the child from her and he disappeared into a hug of hair and tears. "Lucas, what were you thinking? You know not to rush across the road like that." Fear made the voice stern, and Lucas dissolved into sobs.

"Sorry Mummy. There was a dog wearing a coat."

Fiona stroked the boy's hair and murmured soothing words, while Claire clutched Sky's hand and waited for her pulse to cease its rapid beat. Josh stood jiggling Lily and shushing Sophie who had started to cry when her brother did: big wracking, gulping tears and wails of, "Don't be mean to my brother." Claire wondered if she had ever defended a sibling with such passion.

Eventually the tears ceased and life once more penetrated the tight group. Fiona looked up from hugging Lucas and met Claire's eyes. Her face held a new softness and Claire realised just how beautiful the woman was. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Claire nodded, unsure what to say.

They left the narrow alleyway after their burgers, marvelling at the taste and wiping sauce from their mouths. It was early afternoon, so Claire suggested a wander along the high street, maybe followed by a coffee in the bookshop, where they could also pick up some paperbacks to ease the long journey home. She could see Sky's eyes drooping. _Another hour and hopefully she'll sleep again in the car. It's going to take a couple of hours to get to the hostel._ Unwilling to admit it, Claire felt, nonetheless, a need to linger. To stretch out these last moments with Josh and his family, knowing they would be flying half way round the world in a few days.

All too soon, the books had been selected, the coffee drunk, the Pony magazine purchased for Sky, to keep her entertained should she not sleep in the car. They stood in the awkward silence of soon-to-be-parted friends, none wanting to start the farewells. The children chased each other round the square, running after pigeons and squealing. Lily slept in her sling, snuggled against her mum. Some unseen communication passed between Josh and Fiona, and the woman wandered away to keep an eye on the children.

Claire felt the timpani drum playing loudly in her ears as he approached: cleaner, more familiar, but with the same crooked smile she remembered from their first meeting at Kielder. It felt a lifetime ago, although she knew it was only a month, if that. She brushed her hair behind her ears and tried to meet his eyes.

"Hey, Claire."

As he came nearer she inhaled the familiar scent of aftershave, although without the bass note of smoke. Clearly Fiona's arrival had put a stop to that habit. Any words that might be spoken dried in her throat as he stopped in front of her and reached for her hands. She flicked a glance at Fiona, but the woman was discretely distant, marshalling a game of hide and seek amidst the empty market stalls. Josh turned to see what Claire was looking at, and misinterpreted her gaze.

"You're going to be an amazing mother one day. You'll make some man a lucky bastard. If you can't see it you haven't met the right one yet. Keep looking. If all else fails, come visit us down under. We'll hook you up with some bonza fellas."

She turned back at his words, a puzzled frown creasing her forehead. He dropped one of her hands and brushed her cheek, before pulling her into a crushing hug. She tensed, then melted into the embrace.

Memories of their time on the observatory platform shouldered their way into her mind. _He never really fancied me: It was all an act. I reminded him of Fiona, that's all._ She realised the thought no longer made her sad. _If I hadn't, would we be friends? Would I have had half the experiences I've had these last few weeks?_ She felt tears trickling down her cheeks, dripping onto his shoulder. Her nose began to run and she didn't want that to be his last memory of her. Pulling away, she forced the grief deep inside and shone him her brightest smile.

"Maybe I'll take you up on that, one day. I'm still not convinced about the mother thing, but perhaps kids aren't as awful as I once thought. You have a safe trip home and take care of your family, they are very precious." She leant forwards and pecked him quickly on the lips, before turning away. Without looking back she strode across the square towards Fiona and the children. Murmuring her goodbyes, and comforting a disappointed Sky, she took her niece's hand and left the square, staring straight ahead.

***

TEN

"I'm bored."

Claire looked over at the little girl on the sofa next to her. A crumpled magazine lay discarded on the floor and she stared at Claire, arms folded, bottom lip jutting out like a bad collagen injection. The pitch of her voice stabbed through Claire's headache like a stiletto heel. Swallowing her irritation, Claire pushed a smile in place and lowered her book.

"Sorry, sweetie, have you finished your magazine? We'll go up to bed in a while but, as we're in a shared dorm, I thought it might be nice to sit down here in the lounge for a bit."

Claire had no idea what she was going to do once the little girl was tucked up in the bottom bunk. She wasn't looking forward to another battle over why Sky wasn't allowed to sleep on top either. The idea of explaining to her sister that her niece had fallen five foot from a bunk-bed during the night was not something she could contemplate without horror.

Sky's sulk didn't show any signs of waning. Claire sighed, her cheeks aching from the forced smile. "What would you do at home before bedtime?"

"Mummy reads me stories, or I watch _The Simpsons_ with her."

_The Simpsons? At bedtime? No wonder the girl has nightmares._ Searching her brain for an alternative to enduring whatever banal stories _Pony Magazine_ had to offer, Claire caught sight of a teenage girl on the opposite side of the room, engrossed in a game on her iPhone.

"What about computer games?"

Sky's eyes lit up and then died, like a short-lived supernova. "Mummy doesn't allow computer games. We only have one computer and she uses it for her work. She says they're all silly games that will rot my brain."

And watching the Simpsons won't? I wonder about my sister sometimes. No wonder she's so tired all the time. Aren't games designed as free childcare?

"Well, why don't we see if there are any apps on the iPad that your Mummy wouldn't disapprove of? What about reading and writing ones?"

The tiny face fell. "They sound boring. Jenny has one where you paint fingernails, can we download that?" The girl scooted across the sofa and snuggled next to Claire, tucking herself under Claire's arm. Not sure whether to sigh or smile, Claire pulled her iPad onto her lap and began searching for apps.

Twenty minutes later she returned to her book, glancing over occasionally at Sky to make sure she was okay. Her niece's face was tight with concentration and all trace of boredom had gone. _It can't be that bad, surely, if it makes her happy? Ruth doesn't need to know._

Retrieving her paperback she thumbed through the pages until she found her spot. Katniss was in the trees hiding from Peeta when the shrill of a ringing phone broke the silence. _Damn. Turn that phone off, will you?_ The noise continued until Claire realised it was her phone, jangling in her pocket.

With flushed cheeks she fished it out and looked at the number. Her dinner sank to the pit of her stomach and she considered hitting cancel. _Don't be a coward._ Slowly releasing a deep sigh, Claire selected answer and put the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" With a glance at Sky, she got up and walked over to the window. Her niece didn't register her departure.

"Claire? Hi, how are you?"

The voice caused her dinner to start a tango in the bottom of her tummy. "Hi Michael. I'm fine, thanks." She heard him hesitate and hoped her frigid tones would cause him to cut the call short. _I doubt it. Michael must have a leather hide not to have got the hint already._

"I rang to see how you are? After the mugging and all. You haven't posted much on Twitter recently. Not that I'm stalking you or anything," he added quickly, as that exact thought went through her mind. "I was just worried."

"I'm looking after Sky for a couple of weeks." _Of course, Michael doesn't know about Ruth's illness._ It seemed strange, Michael not knowing something so essential to her life. She tried to decide whether he needed to know now, and concluded he didn't.

"Really?" The shock in his voice made her grimace. "I thought you hated spending time with your nieces and nephews." There was something else in his voice too. Was it hope?

"I do." _Let's put an end to that seed before it germinates._ "Ruth needed some time, that's all, and I couldn't say no." She looked over her shoulder. "Besides, she's old enough to be good company. Most of the time."

"Children are, you know. They say the funniest things, and they make you really live life. Everything is new and fresh seen through their eyes." His voice was soft; it made Claire shudder.

"Yes, well. It's about time I put this little lady to bed. We're in a shared dorm and it might take a while."

She heard him breathe out, and knew she had offended him with her curt response. _Serves him right for not knowing when to quit._

"Of course. Well, as long as you're okay." He paused.

Don't say it, don't say it. Please.

"I miss you." And he was gone.

***

ELEVEN

"Auntie Claire, why hasn't the Easter Bunny been? Couldn't he find me?"

Claire opened her eyes and blinked them into focus. Inches from her face a little pouting mouth quivered beneath eyes full of tears. _Bugger. It's Easter Sunday. Why didn't Ruth tell me Sky believes in the bloody Easter Bunny? I mean, who believes in the Easter Bunny? Isn't that an American thing? The shops aren't even going to be open today._

Trying to locate some clear thoughts in her cotton-wool brain, Claire felt an urge to pull the duvet back over her head and pretend her niece was a bad dream. The quivering turned into a wobble and Claire sensed an imminent meltdown. Conscious of the four other women asleep in the dorm, she let out a quiet groan and forced a smile.

"I'm sure he forgot you were travelling, Sky, and left your eggs with your Mummy. You can look forward to getting them when I take you home." The wobbling showed no sign of abating, and the tears were tumbling now, running rivulets down little red cheeks. _Don't cry, please. It's too early._

"I'll tell you what. We'll go to a coffee shop today and you can get a babycino and a large piece of cake."

A calculating look crept into the tear-drenched eyes and Claire felt able to breathe. "Chocolate cake?"

"Yes, if that's what you want. With cream _and_ ice cream."

The face disappeared as Sky climbed back down the ladder. Claire's duvet clung onto her like a lover, but she knew that her niece wouldn't sit quietly on her bed for long. Sure enough, a minute later a voice called out, much too loud. "Auntie Claire, can we go to the coffee shop now? Please?"

Claire groaned and wrenched herself free from the warm cocoon of sleep. Leaning over the bunk she hissed in as quiet a voice as would carry, "Soon, Sky, but shush please, other people are sleeping. Get dressed and we'll go down for breakfast."

Zoning out the muted grumbling from below, Claire sunk her head back into the pillow and closed her eyes. Moments into a beautiful dream, of lying on a warm beach towel being baked by the hot sun, Claire felt a tug at the duvet followed by arctic air ripping the warmth from her body.

"Sky, did you just pull my covers off? You selfish little brat." The words were out before she could stop them. Claire felt the blood rush to her face as she realised how awful they sounded in the still of the room. _Please god let everyone else still be asleep._ Lulled by the ensuing silence, Claire figured Sky must have not heard her harsh words. Then she caught the intake of breath that signalled a brewing storm, and she tumbled down out of the bunk-bed as fast as a Marine called to attention.

Wrapping the quivering shoulders in a smothering hug, Claire stroked her niece's hair and shushed her. "I'm sorry darling: that was unforgiveable. It's not nice to pull someone's duvet off when they're hardly awake, but it was wrong of me to call you names."

The sobs still came. Loud wracking cries echoed out through the cuddle, leaving Claire's skin prickling in mortification.

_Thank god we have a private room booked at the next hostel. The sooner we get out of here the better._ Claire comforted the child as best she could, then helped her get dressed for the day.

I'm not sure I'm going to survive two weeks of this. Ruth, my dear, I take it all back. You're a saint. I was right, too. Parenting is most definitely not for me.

***

TWELVE

"Sky, come away from the edge, sweetheart. Sky? I said come away from the edge!" Claire ran forwards to catch hold of her niece as she leaned over the railings, her feet dangling a foot above the path. She peered down at the two-story drop and retreated to the middle of the walkway, swallowing bile. _Honestly, I used to think Castles were a bit boring but I feel like I've been on the Big Dipper at Blackpool._ She felt the sweat trickle down into her bra, despite the freezing wind whistling around the half-ruined castle walls.

On her right she could feel the view stretching into the distance. If she turned she knew she would see a lake and a glimpse of the village in the distance. _If I'd been watching Sky instead of admiring the scenery my niece wouldn't have nearly thrown herself twenty foot to her death. We should have stayed in Framlingham and had tea and scones, it would have been less stressful._

She turned the little girl to face her and squatted down to allow her to look directly into her eyes. Brushing away the wisps of hair that were escaping Sky's ponytail, Claire inhaled deeply. "Sky, I know you want to explore, but you must listen to Auntie Claire. It's very dangerous, leaning over the edge like that. What would your Mummy say if you fell and hurt yourself? Or worse?" _Never mind what she'd do to me._

Sky hung her head. "Sorry, Auntie Claire. I've never been to a real castle before. I was pretending to be Rapunzel, trapped in the tower." She shook her ponytail, which skimmed just below her shoulders. "I was letting down my hair. You know."

It rang a bell in Claire's mind, but she hadn't read the story recently. A fact popped up. "Didn't the prince fall and have his eyes poked out by a bramble bush?"

Sky stared at her, open mouthed, her eyes wide. Thinking that seemed a bit harsh for a children's story, Claire shook her head to dismiss the image. "Ignore me; that must have been something else. So what happens when Rapunzel lets down her hair?" She stood and led the girl away from the yawning gap and back into the castle.

"She hits Flynn on the head with a frying pan and ties him to a chair."

What? That's definitely not the Brothers Grimm version I remember. Sounds much better though. So, Feminism reaches Disney? Probably not before time.

"Well, no hitting any boys on the head with frying pans when I'm around please." She thought about her own bump to the head. A frying pan would have been a handy thing to have had in the dark lane when she was mugged. "Well, not unless they hurt you first at any rate."

Feeling she had experienced enough of life trapped in a tower of stone, Claire waited until they were safely away from the railing before tilting her head and smiling at Sky. "Are you about ready for that chocolate cake?"

***

THIRTEEN

"Did you enjoy your cake? We need to head off now. We're staying in Sheringham tonight and it's a bit of a drive. We'll stop off at Norwich to break the journey."

Sky pulled a face. "Why do we have to move again? I hate being in the car all the time. You don't even have a CD player. It's boring."

Claire curled her hands into fists beneath the table. "Sorry, Sky. I don't know if your Mummy told you, but I'm working on an assignment at the moment. Even though it's lovely looking after you, I still need to work. But don't worry: as it's the Easter Holidays I had to juggle accommodation a bit, and we're staying at the next hostel for a few days."

The little face hidden beneath wisps of blonde hair grew darker and a tiny rose-bud lip jutted out. Claire no longer found it cute. Searching her brain for memories of what Sheringham had to offer, she came up trumps. "It's near the sea. If the weather is nice we'll be able to go to the beach."

The transformation was instant. Sky's head rose and her eyes sparkled. "I've never been to the seaside. Will there be sand? Like at the big sandpit in the park? Can we make sandcastles?"

Claire had no idea if the beaches at Sheringham were sandy, or the pebbly sort she associated with the British coast. She was pretty sure it would be more impressive than any park sandpit, even if it was covered in seaweed and rocks. Either way, now was not the time for honesty. The café was crowded and so far they had managed to have their coffee and cake without any screaming or tantrums.

"Yes, Sky, I'm sure it's a sandy beach. I will buy you a bucket and spade as soon as we get there. Now, what do you fancy doing in Norwich? We'll get a late lunch, as I'm sure you're all full of cake. Shall we have a look at the iPad and see if there's anything interesting to do?" _Clearly keeping you busy is the best way of ensuring a harmonious holiday._

Claire tapped some words into the iPad and looked at the results. "Castles. Gardens. Museums. Hmmm." She tabbed over to the map and back to the search engine. Even with her head bent over the table she could sense Sky's growing impatience. _I really should have been more organised. I hadn't realised Sky would need entertainment as well as accommodation. I'm sure when we were kids our parents chucked us out in the garden and left us to it. When we were home, that is. Maybe siblings are useful for something._

She glanced up at Sky and felt a wave of pity for the girl, who would probably never know the pleasure and pain of brothers and sisters. _At least I can make sure these two weeks are fun. Besides, it's all great stuff for the blog. Chucking yourself off the balcony at an English Heritage Castle is probably not what Happy Cola would want as High Adrenalin activity, but mentioning all these places should help my Google rankings._

Dropping her eyes to the screen again, Claire breathed a sigh of relief. "Right, Sky, change of plan. We'll go via Great Yarmouth and you can see the sea before bedtime. There's lots to do in Great Yarmouth. What's it to be? Sea Life or Merrivale Model Village?"

Sky leaned over and stared at the iPad screen, absorbed in choosing their afternoon activity. Claire tried not to look at the entry prices, knowing Carl wouldn't consider either one sufficiently exciting to claim on expenses. _What do parents do when they have more than one child? I could go to Ragdale Spa for the cost of taking a family of five on a day trip. No wonder Ruth is always complaining about being skint. You'd have to be mad to have kids I reckon._

***

FOURTEEN

"Auntie Claire, look!"

Claire turned her head at the unexpected sound of Sky giggling. After an hour moaning in the car that the iPad battery was flat and twenty minutes of shoe shuffling and whining in the queue, Claire had forgotten that her niece could laugh. The decision to come to Merrivale Model Village already seemed a bad one, and they'd only been inside ten minutes.

_We should have done Sea Life. I could have bought a coffee and left her to it knowing she couldn't damage anything. If I leave her in here she'll probably trample on the exhibits or start playing with them._ Seeing her niece still waving and jiggling up and down, Claire swallowed a sigh and went to investigate.

"What is it, Sky?"

"Look!" She pointed at the scene in front of them. "That little woman is..." she lowered her voice to a whisper that probably carried to the edge of the village, "showing her boobies! See?"

Claire peered at the tiny model people. _Oh god. There's a half-naked woman being arrested at a football match. Seriously? Don't these people know kids come here?_

As if confirming Claire's worst fears, Sky took a deep breath and said, too loudly, "why is she showing her boobies, Claire? What are the policemen doing? Did someone steal her clothes?"

Looking round wildly for assistance or guidance, all Claire could see were other parents trying not to smile. Avoiding eye contact, Claire wrapped her arm around Sky's shoulder. "Don't talk so loud, darling."

"Why not?" Sky's voice would have filled the O2 Arena.

"Other people are trying to enjoy their afternoon out, that's all." She hoped her niece had forgotten the interrogation about the streaker, but she was out of luck.

"Why didn't she have a top on? Was she sunbathing? Sometimes Mummy sunbathes without her top on in the garden."

"Um. I'm not sure. Why don't we go and look at the train? Or the high street?" She pulled at her niece's hand and led her away from the traitorous football match.

"Oh, look Sky, the hospital, let's go there."

The _Whys_ didn't stop: It turned out the hospital was full of realistic details, like some poor man having his leg sawn off. "Why are they cutting his leg, Claire? Is he poorly?" Then, "Why is there smoke coming from that house? Is it on fire? Why haven't the firemen put it out?" Even the castle let Claire down. "Why does the princess have a pointy hat, Claire?" Unable to remember whether it was called a wimple or a hennin, Claire once more resorted to her stock phrase, "I don't know, darling," all the while cursing the quirky nature of the model village.

_I guess you have to have a sense of humour to run a place like this._ Claire looked at the Boggitt and Scarper builder's sign and the Lord Help Us Hall and smiled. _How much time does it take to put all these people in position? If you couldn't have a laugh you'd go bonkers._ Claire read a tiny sign declaring, "Keep off Grass, Guard Ducks Patrol this Garden, Survivors will be Prosecuted," and laughed out loud. _Maybe the sick humour is to keep the adults amused. God knows it must be boring to be a parent at a place like this. Or anywhere._

She tried to tune out the Whys, but discovered if she didn't answer quickly enough, Sky's voice became louder and more shrill. As the question was usually one Claire didn't want to hear echoing amongst the milling families she had to respond swiftly and with detail. 'I don't know, sweetheart,' had apparently lost its effectiveness.

Claire felt drained and defeated, as if she'd been wrangling in a Board Meeting for two hours, rather than wandering with a six-year-old for twenty minutes. In desperation she gazed round the site, longing for something safe to distract Sky's inquisitive mind. She caught sight of a sign and her heart lifted.

"Oh look, Sky: A Penny Arcade, why don't we go there?"

"What's an arcade?"

Claire thought about the rare visits to Uncle Jim when she was Sky's age. He would take his nephew and nieces to the amusement arcades, a bag of tuppences hanging heavy in their pockets, gleaming highlights in their eyes knowing their parents would definitely not approve. They would gorge themselves on candy floss and stand at the machines for hours, feet welded to the sticky floor, the smell of cigarette smoke in their nostrils from Uncle Jim's rolling tobacco.

With her mind and heart full of happy memories, Claire shone a sparkling grin at Sky.

"You're in for a real treat."

***

FIFTEEN

"Sky? Wake up, poppet. We're here."

Claire looked over to the passenger seat, surprised to see her niece still slumped asleep against her seatbelt. Reaching over, she gently shook the little girl by the shoulder and was shocked to feel hot skin beneath her hand. Claire released her seat belt and leaned over to look at Sky's face. The perfect pixie features were pale, with two spots of colour in the cheeks like Aunt Sally. _Not that she would know who Aunt Sally was, of course._ With a shaking hand, Claire felt Sky's forehead, although she knew the girl was ill by the heat radiating from her as if she were a mug of hot coffee.

_Damn: A sick child is all I need. What do I know about caring for sick children?_ She looked across the hostel car park at the residential brick building of Sheringham YHA. _After all the beautiful places I've stayed in for one night wishing it could have been longer, I couldn't have picked an uglier hostel to spend a few days in with a poorly child. Where's the rolling green lawn, the gothic manor, the roaring open fire? I should have taken her back to the Peak District with me – I knew Norfolk was a bad idea. No wonder they don't have a picture of the hostel on the YHA site._

For the first time since she arrived at Berwick Upon Tweed a month earlier, Claire didn't want to even enter the hostel in front of her, never mind spend two or three days there. _What the hell am I going to do? I can't take a sick child in there, it looks horrible. But I'm not going to find anywhere else on Easter Sunday._

She pulled out her iPad, then remembered Sky had flattened the battery playing games in the car. Getting her phone instead, Claire checked which hostel they were booked into after this one. _Wells-next-the-sea. I wonder if they've had any cancellations and can fit us in early? Can't hurt to ask._

Claire sat with the phone in one hand, the other resting against Sky's arm, whether to provide comfort or monitor temperature she wasn't sure. The phone connected after the third ring.

"Wells YHA, Peter speaking."

"Ah, hello. My name's Claire, I'm booked in with my niece in a few days–"

"Claire, hello. You're on my list to call."

"Oh God, there isn't a problem with the room is there?" Panic fluttered in Claire's stomach. Staying in the horrible building in front of her for two or three nights would be bad enough, without having Wells cancelled as well.

"Not at all, I always call beforehand, to ensure our guests know what to expect."

"Oh." Claire wasn't sure how to respond. She hadn't heard of a YHA manager doing that before. "Well, I was actually calling to see if you had any space for us earlier than next week? Like from tonight?"

She heard the man on the phone suck air in through his teeth. _I knew it. It's Easter Sunday, of course they'll be full. I seem to remember it's a tiny hostel anyway._ There was silence on the line and Claire hoped it was because he was checking on the computer rather than doubled over, laughing at her naivety.

"Hello? Claire? I think you may be in luck. We had a couple leave early and I think they were due to stay tonight and tomorrow. I'm not sure about the following day – I believe you were due to join us on Wednesday night?"

Claire nodded then realised how stupid that was. "Uh-huh," she acknowledged. "I guess we can always come back to Sheringham for that night if you can't fit us in."

"It's a private room we have available – en-suite –" Claire exhaled in relief. "–but it is £49 a night. I hope that's okay?"

_I could get a hotel room with breakfast for that! But I guess beggars can't be choosers and at least I tick one more place off the list. More importantly I don't have to stay here._ She looked at the uninspiring building outside the window, shivering at some inexplicable vibe.

"We'll take it. My niece is poorly and I need somewhere nice for us to stay."

"Oh dear, how old is she?"

"She's only six."

"Poor mite. Bring her to us; we'll help you take care of her. Do you have Calpol?"

Claire had no idea what that was, but wasn't about to admit it.

"Er, no. I don't."

"Not to worry, I'm sure we've got some or someone staying here will have some – help little one sleep. We've also got a stack of Disney DVDs she can watch in the lounge if she's up to it. Don't worry, we'll take care of you."

As she hung up the phone Claire felt for the first time in her life that a guardian angel might be looking out for her. Glancing over at the flushed cheeks of her still-sleeping niece, she thought privately that she might just need one.

***

**SIXTEEN**

#

Claire sat watching the moody green fairy flit across the screen with a growing sense of unease. Her face was dark with doubt as she looked down at the hot bundle snuggled against her on the sofa, hoping to see the girl's eyes closed. They weren't. Sky's feverish gaze was fixed to the small television, watching as Tinkerbell threw a jealous tantrum at Peter Pan's flirtatious behaviour.

I don't remember this movie being so misogynistic. Look at those stupid mermaids vying for Peter's attention. They can swim under water for heaven's sake, what do they need to fight over a man for? I wish I knew how much a girl of six understands? This is meant to be kids' entertainment but it's no better than putting Eastenders on - all jealousy and revenge and evil bastards.

She went through the other movie choices and mentally reviewed their suitability as bedtime material. _Bambi? No, now is not the time to discuss mothers dying._ Claire shivered. _Little Mermaid: all about a girl who gives up her voice to be with the one she loves. Not a great role model. Sleeping Beauty, Snow White: Both wait to be rescued by a handsome prince. Silly girls. Aladdin? Man uses lies and trickery to win the girl. I think not._

She sighed, feeling as if some childhood dream had been wrenched away. _What did I watch? The Rescuers? That was about mice, no sappy princesses there. Watership Down? I suppose that was a bit dark and spooky. Better than these though: These movies are not helping little girls grow up to fend for themselves_ _._

She spotted one she hadn't seen before. _Tangled. Ah Rapunzel. I wonder if this is the one with the frying pan_ _._ Claire waved the box where Sky could see it and the girl perked up.

"Yes, that one, put that one on." She threw a scornful glance at the television, where Peter Pan and the Lost Boys were pretending to be Red Indians while Wendy stood grumpily by.

"This movie is stupid. That silly fairy needs to grow up and Wendy needs to smile more."

Claire looked down, shocked, at her niece's sharp invective. _Maybe I don't need to worry about her after all._

***

SEVENTEEN

Claire reached for her phone and blinked until she could focus on the time. 4.07am.

"Urgh, seriously? Surely it must be morning already?" Her voice, made rough by dryness, sounded strange in the silence. She felt around until her hand clasped the bottle of water by the bed. Once the sand-paper in her throat was soothed, she rolled over and slid a hand onto Sky's brow. It burned. The girl's hair was matted and damp with sweat and Claire resisted the urge to find her hair brush and restore the bird's nest back to its normal glossy mane. _Tangled hair is the least of my worries._

Rolling back over, she felt on the bedside table for the in-ear thermometer the woman in the room next door had lent her for the night. _I have no idea why someone brings a piece of kit like this on holiday, but I'm extremely grateful._ Taking care not to wake Sky, Claire slid the thermometer into her niece's ear and pressed the button. The green light flashed bright in the near-dark and the beep – signalling the reading was ready – echoed loudly.

Sky twisted her head away and coughed. Claire held her breath, praying she would go back to sleep. The girl shifted restlessly, kicking at the sheet wrapped around her legs. At last she was still and Claire felt able to shine her phone at the thermometer to take a reading. 38.8C. She knew from reading the NHS website that anything over 39 was cause for concern. Claire sank back against the pillows and tried to think. Her own head felt muggy. _Please don't let me get sick too._

A quick calculation informed her she could give Sky more Calpol if she wanted. But that would mean waking her up, even with the handy syringe the lovely lady with the baby had lent her. _My first stop tomorrow is to a chemist. There's obviously a reason why mothers carry such a well-stocked first aid kit with them. I wonder why Ruth didn't provide one?_ A mental image of the last time she saw her sister flashed into her head.

_Poor Ruth, she wasn't thinking much of anything. Besides, I don't suppose they venture more than ten miles from home. From what I can gather she and Sky have never been on holiday._ Shifting up, so she could sit against the headboard, Claire thought that was probably wise: Travelling with children was nerve-wracking and Ruth was a nervous parent at the best of times.

Something stabbed deep beneath Claire's ribcage, like cramp. She analysed the pain and realised it was guilt. _They probably couldn't afford to go on holiday, from what Sky has told me. I never realised things were so tough._ Her planned trip to the Maldives seemed like an unholy extravagance. _When this is over, and Ruth is better, I'm going to take my sister and niece somewhere nice. Warm and Sunny. Five-star. Room service._ She looked at the sleeping child. _Medics. Baby sitters. A fully-stocked bar._

***

EIGHTEEN

The sound of knocking dragged Claire from deep slumber.

"Just a minute."

She rubbed sleep from her eyes and swung her feet out of bed, glad sharing with Sky had ensured she'd worn her pyjamas. As she reached the door, Claire wondered who came knocking in a hostel where she knew no one. _Maybe the baby's mother wants the thermometer back. I guess people with babies get up early._

Unlocking the door, Claire peered round and met the cheery gaze of Peter, the hostel manager.

"Good morning, I'm sorry, did I wake you?" He frowned, but it didn't diminish his smile for long: a mere cloud scudding past the sun.

"Er, I guess. What time is it?" Claire brushed her hair back from her face, dreading to think what she must look like.

"It's just gone ten o'clock. Sorry to disturb you. The lady next door is leaving today and wondered if she could have the thermometer back? There's a Pharmacy in town where you ought to be able to purchase one, should you wish."

Claire nodded and turned to retrieve the device. She handed it into Peter's waiting grasp, unable to find any words.

"How is little one this morning?" He peered instinctively past Claire into the room, then seemed to realise how intrusive that was and averted his gaze.

Swallowing in an attempt to moisten her parched throat, Claire gave a shrug. "It was a long night."

Peter nodded and Claire wondered if he had children. Maybe this night-time experience was some parenting rite of passage that all had to endure. Her head pounded as if she was the wrong side of a heavy night. _How do parents do it? At least I get to give her back after a fortnight._

"If you need something to entertain little one today, they have Easter activities at Holkham Hall. Face painting, Easter egg hunt, that kind of thing."

A tiny voice called out from the ragged pile of covers on the bed. "Will the Easter Bunny be there with my eggs?"

Claire laughed. "You seem brighter, Sky. Would you like to see the Easter Bunny?" _Please let there be a bloody bunny._

"Say Cheese, Sky: let me take a photo for your Mummy."

Sky leant against the brown rabbit in the Victorian gown and shone a wide smile. Her eyes glittered with latent fever and Claire hoped whoever was under the bunny costume didn't catch her niece's germs. _Surely there are enough cold viruses wandering round at an event like this_?

Claire looked around at the painted faces of happy children; the egg-shy game; the clusters of families eating ice cream, and felt a strange sense of belonging. Normally she'd run a hundred miles from such an event. _Especially on April Fool's Day. I guess I'm the fool today, shaking hands with a giant bunny and wandering around with a sick girl whose face is covered with painted tulips._

As Sky skipped over and hugged Claire's legs, before showing off the chocolate egg in her hand, Claire felt a smile stretch her tired face. She yawned, then laughed as Sky yawned too.

"Let's go find the coffee shop. Auntie Claire needs some caffeine."

***

NINETEEN

Sky looked up from the game she was playing on Claire's phone and tilted her head like a sparrow. "Auntie Claire, will you help me with my homework?"

Claire looked over at her niece in surprise. "Homework, at your age? I don't think I had homework until I went to secondary school. What would I have been? Eleven?"

Sky looked blankly at Claire. "We get reading and spelling and sums. Not during the holidays though."

With a flush of guilt Claire realised she was relieved not to have to teach spelling. _Without Spellcheck I wouldn't have a clue._ _Why bother sending your child to school if you have to teach them when they get home?_

"So, what homework do you have for the holiday? Your Mummy didn't say."

"I forgot to tell her. I have it here." Sky pulled her bag onto the bed and rifled through the contents, eventually retrieving a crumpled sheet of A4 paper.

Claire took it and smoothed the creases out before reading the contents.

For your Easter Homework please choose one of the following two options.

**1. Build an Easter Garden.** Research which flowers grow well in pots and tubs using the internet and non-fiction books. Read about the Easter Story, including the events leading from Palm Sunday to the Resurrection and consider the symbolism of 'growing things' at Easter time to represent new life.

**2. Write a story using your imagination.** Plan it with a story mountain so you know it has at least five parts to it (beginning, build up, problem, resolution, ending). Try to start each part of your story in a different way (action, description, speech). Maybe try to rewrite a traditional Fairy Tale. Don't forget capital letters and full stops (some of you are also using paragraphs, commas and speech marks).

Claire closed her mouth and gazed at the sheet. _What the..? She's SIX. I don't even know the Easter Story from Palm Sunday. Never mind how we're going to grow an Easter garden and carry it around in a Skoda. And what the hell's a story mountain?_ Inhaling deeply through her nose, Claire looked up at the guileless gaze of the pixie girl sitting cross-legged on the bed. Her mind felt foggy, like it did when Carl plonked an unexpected project on her desk or moved a deadline.

"Er. Okay. Which, um, which one did you fancy doing, Sky?" _Not the garden, not the garden, not the garden._

The pixie face split wide in a smile. "I thought we could write a story. You do writing for your job: I've seen you."

"I don't write fiction, sweetheart, but I'm happy to help you write your story." _It is her homework: I just have to facilitate it. I hope her imagination is better than mine. And she knows what a story mountain is. I think Google might become my friend._ She sat on the end of the bed, the homework sheet hanging from her hand.

"Can I do the fairy tale thing? I thought of a story. What if a Fairy Godmother got hiccups or kept sneezing and it made her magic go wonky? What if she tried to turn the frog into a prince and turned herself into a frog instead?"

Sky giggled and bounced up and down on the bed. "Then she wouldn't be able to do any magic because she couldn't hold her wand. Or maybe she could hold it in her mouth but then she'd sneeze again. Or hiccup. And become, um, a butterfly. Yes. No. She could become a pumpkin. No, a bird. A magpie. And she could..."

Claire listened to Sky's imagination spilling out into the monochrome hostel room, filling it with colour and life. _If I had ideas like that I would have more followers on my blog. Or I wouldn't have to be here at all: I'd have made Director without jumping through Carl's stupid hoops._

Thinking about Carl's involvement in her current situation made Claire's temples ache. _It's probably time I came to a decision about Carl and his stupid assignment._ She looked at Sky, scrabbling through her bag to retrieve a blue workbook and sparkly pink pencil case.

First things first. Carl can wait. I have to help the next Roald Dahl create a masterpiece.

***

TWENTY

Claire looked down at the painstakingly formed words, written in pencil in the lined workbook. It didn't look like much. With a glance at her niece's eager expression, Claire swallowed her apprehension and began reading.

One day a girl walked in the woods. She was looking for a handsome prince but only found a slimy croaking frog. I wish my fairy godmother would come and turn this frog into a prince. The fairy godmother arrived in a sprinkle of stars. I have come to grant your wish. She waved her wand but gave a loud sneeze and with a puff of smoke she turned herself into a frog. Oh bother said the fairy godmother as she hopped away with her wand in her mouth. She wondered how to turn herself back into a fairy. The princess couldn't help because she had run away.

The fairy godmother talked to the other frog and found out it didn't want to be a prince, it liked being a frog. The fairy frog hopped until it came across a cottage in the woods. A girl with gold hair was climbing out a window, running from the sound of roaring bears. Little girl said the fairy godmother, if you wave this wand and turn me back into a fairy I will help you escape the angry bears. The little girl picked up the wand and ran off with it into the woods. Drat said the fairy and hopped through the window. Hello Daddy Bear said the fairy frog, that little girl with gold hair has stolen my wand. Never mind that said the bear she ate our porridge and broke our chair. She is a naughty girl.

The bears and the fairy frog ran after the little girl. They found her stuck in a muddy puddle waving the wand and shouting at a slimy frog sitting on her head. Mummy Bear took the wand and turned the fairy frog back into a godmother. The fairy godmother thanked the bears and the frog and turned the little girl into a wasp. You naughty little girl, you will be a wasp until you are sorry for stealing the porridge and my wand and for breaking Baby Bear's chair. The fairy godmother waved goodbye to the bears and the frog who didn't want to be a prince and went home to bed.

Claire read the story and smiled. _She certainly has imagination. There are full stops and capital letters too. I wonder if I should add punctuation? How much are parents meant to get involved in their child's homework?_ Looking up at the expectant expression on Sky's face, Claire decided to leave the masterpiece as it was. She hated it when Carl found fault with a presentation that had taken hours to prepare: why burst the girl's bubble by suggesting she add speech marks? Maybe they could work on them later.

"Well done, Sky, this is very good."

Her niece beamed and then nodded. "Yes, I know. I'm very good at stories, Miss Henley says so."

Slightly taken aback, Claire hesitated before laughing out loud. _Oh for the confidence of youth._

***

TWENTY-ONE

"Auntie Claire, I don't feel very well."

Claire looked down at her niece and recoiled slightly at the green tinge of her skin.

"Are you going to be sick? Lean over the side for heaven's sake. But not too close! I don't want you falling in." She looked around at the other passengers and prayed Sky didn't vomit on any of them. Something of her reaction must have come through her voice, because a clammy little hand sought out hers. "Sorry, Claire. I don't mean to feel poorly. I've never been on the sea before."

Patting the frozen hand, Claire tried to remain calm. The white tips of the choppy waves weren't helping. It hadn't seemed that windy on the shore, but here in the harbour the small craft was rocked by gusting blasts that whipped the waves to froth. _Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea. I might have known Sky would get sea sick, especially as she's still recovering from her fever._ When she remembered Sky's amazement as they first arrived at the coast, Claire couldn't feel it was a bad move. Her mouth had dropped into a perfect 'o' of wonder at the grey sea spreading out before them to the horizon.

"It's so big," she had said quietly, her eyes wide and staring.

The tour guide called out, interrupting Claire's thoughts. "You can see grey seals now, if you look towards the shore. There are still some youngsters playing if you look closely. We'll get in as near as we can."

"Look, Sky," Claire said brightly, "baby seals." Sea spray soaked her skin and she knew it was frizzing her hair to an impossible mess. Snuggling deeper into her jacket, she felt Sky's hands and face to ensure she wasn't getting too cold.

Sky raised her head to look at the slick grey animals frolicking in the sea near the boat. Her complexion was still green and Claire hoped the distraction would help her keep breakfast on the inside. _I wonder if I dare get out my phone and take some pictures for the blog. If Sky is going to throw up I might not get another opportunity._ The boat pitched suddenly and she felt her own stomach lurch. _I might even be joining her._

"If you look closely you can see common seals as well as grey seals. The common seals are actually rarer than the grey seals so we're fortunate to see both today."

The Guide's words rolled over Claire like the sea as she focussed on getting a few snaps before another gust of wind sent her or her phone overboard. Feeling a tug at her sleeve, Claire could sense Sky trembling beside her. Tucking the phone back in the safety of a pocket, she pulled her niece onto her lap and hugged her close.

"Alright, sweetie. Just keep breathing through your nose and concentrate on the seals."

"Here, love, give her one of these."

Claire looked up to see a kindly face peering out through a fur-lined hood. Glancing down, she saw a pack of polo mints nestled in the woollen glove reaching out towards her.

"Thank you," she said with real gratitude. Pulling off her gloves, she retrieved a mint and handed it to Sky. She was rewarded by seeing the distress on Sky's face ebb slightly, like the outgoing tide.

Flashing a smile at the stranger, Claire hugged Sky close again. "That's it, poppet. You're being very brave. Well done."

_After a few more days with me, the poor girl isn't going to want to see her Auntie Claire again._ Somehow the thought made her sad.

***

TWENTY-TWO

"Hey Claire, how's tricks?"

"Kim! You read my mind. I've been meaning to call." Claire tucked her feet under the duvet and curled up round the phone, prepared to enjoy a good gossip with her best friend.

"I should think so, you old trout. I haven't heard from you in a month. I have to read your blog to find out more about your Aussie fella and getting mugged. What happened to ringing your mate?"

Claire flushed hot and glanced down to where Sky lay sleeping next to her on the bed, glad her niece couldn't witness her embarrassment. "I'm so sorry. I feel like I'm living in a bubble. It's easy to forget there's a real world going on away from these infernal hostels."

"So, you're not really enjoying your challenge? The blog's great. I'd love to meet your Aussie friend. He sounds yummy."

"You'd have to go a long way to do that. He's flying home with his wife and kids any day now." Claire swallowed hard and hoped Kim wouldn't detect the wobble in her voice.

"Oh dear. You fell for a married man, didn't you?" Kim's voice was a perfect blend of sympathy and censure.

"I didn't know he was married when I met him." Claire spoke without thinking, before realising her hot words amounted to an admission of guilt. Not wanting to analyse the emotions pumping through her chest, Claire sought to change the subject.

"I've got my niece with me at the minute." Sky stirred beneath the covers and Claire lowered her voice, not wanting to wake her. "I'm looking after her for the Easter holidays."

"Oh." There was silence.

"What is it Kim?" Silence was not a normal state of affairs when Kim was on the phone. Normally the challenge was squeezing a word in sideways.

"Jeff and I were thinking of coming to see you, that's all. From the blog we gather you're in East Anglia still. Be nice to have a day or two away. The rehearsals are fun, but a girl can only be Puck for so long."

Her voice was light, but Claire could tell her friend was unhappy. "When's opening night? I hope I'll be able to come and see you perform."

"Oh, not for a few weeks. Yes, do come." There was still a chill. Part of Claire felt irritated. _It's not like Kim and I are the kind of friends who call every week._ She wondered if there was another reason for her friend's call, but a day spent with Sky had left her drained of all energy and emotion and she didn't have the strength to delve behind Kim's words.

"So, when are you and Jeff thinking of coming? We're in Wells at the moment but we'll be in Hunstanton for the weekend."

"Sunny Hunny. Lovely. Why don't we come and stay there? If we can't get into the hostel we'll book a B&B."

"Are you sure you and Jeff are up to socialising with a six-year-old?" Claire realised how ungrateful that sounded. "Not that I won't be delighted to see you both. It's just she's, well, quite full on."

Another silence drenched the line. Claire's tired brain tried to pick through the possibilities; for once her radar concerning her friend felt way off beam.

"That's fine. Jeff likes kids." Kim's voice sounded strained. Claire wondered if her friend had guessed the cause of her own break up with Michael. _That must be it. She doesn't want to talk about kids and relationships because she knows it broke mine._

"Okay then, hun. Send me an email or text once you know what your plans are. If Jeff loves kids he can entertain Sky while we have a proper natter."

"Thanks. I'd like that."

As she hung up the phone Claire couldn't shake the feeling that Kim was holding back. _I'm probably imagining it. I'm so tired nothing makes sense anymore and I'm jumping at shadows. Nothing bothers Kim; she's indestructible._ She tried to think it through but her eyes refused to stay open. Even though the iPad cheerfully informed her it was only 9pm she ignored it, glad none of her erstwhile colleagues could see her hitting the sack when they were probably only just leaving the office and heading for the bar.

I'd take twelve hours of Boardroom bullying and office shenanigans over keeping up with a six-year-old any day.

***

TWENTY-THREE

Rain hammered at the window as if it, too, wanted to come in and watch TV. Claire reached for the remote and turned up the volume; the dulcet tones of Rapunzel drowning out the drumming beat. She looked around the abandoned lounge, thankful that they were the only occupants.

Next to her, head propped up on one hand, Sky gazed at the TV as though it were entirely responsible for the rotten weather preventing their trip to the beach. She sighed and the noise cut through thrumming rain and Disney's finest. Claire smiled at the grown up sound. _I wonder if she's learned that from me or Ruth?_

"Do you want to watch something else?" Claire had suggested _Tangled_ because she thought she could work with it on in the background. Lack of attention had left her blog drifting with diminishing views and comments and she knew some serious effort was required to breathe life back into it.

The last thing I need right now is Carl on a crusade to have me do another challenge. The Doctor's Note isn't going to hold out much longer. I don't think surviving the school holidays without committing murder is the kind of thing Happy Cola or the YHA would want associated with their brands, however much it must be a reality for millions of parents.

Another sigh cut through her thoughts and she put down the iPad, searching for patience and a smile. Hitching it in place she turned to Sky and said in as lively a voice as she could muster after a night of bad dreams and no sleep, "What shall we do then? Coffee and cake? More homework? We could go exploring: There are lots of places other than the beach to visit."

"But I wanted to go to the beach!" Out came the bottom lip. Claire pushed away the irritation and searched her mind for alternatives.

"I think there's a games room here, shall we go and have a look?"

A glimmer of interest flicked across Sky's face. _I'll take it._ Claire got up and held out her hand. After a beat of hesitation, Sky took it and let herself be led from the room.

"I win, I win!" Sky hopped around gleefully as she connected four yellow discs in a row, once more cutting off her Auntie from her own straight run. Claire smiled at the elation, feeling only slightly guilty at her own cheating. _Surely it's only bad when you cheat to win? Cheating to lose – to make a child smile – that's normal, right?_

Her idle brain ran on with the idea. _I wonder if I should win now and then, just so she gets used to losing? Surely losing has to happen at some point in a child's life?_ Somewhere in her mind she remembered Ruth telling her about the trials of children's parties, where everyone had to win at pass the parcel or musical statues. _I don't remember it being like that when we were growing up? Losing, crying about it, getting over it, was all part of being a kid._ She looked over at Sky's beaming grin and compared it with what she knew the alternative would be if she beat her niece. _Maybe that particular lesson can wait._

"Well done, Sky. Two out of three?"

***

TWENTY-FOUR

"Come on, Sky, let's go get some fresh air." _Besides, ten defeats in a row at Connect 4 are more than I can stand. I'm going to have to win at some point and then there will be tears._

"But it's still raining, Auntie Claire."

"We won't melt. You can wear the waterproofs I bought you. I've been looking online – apparently there's a miniature railway that runs from here to a place called Walsingham –"

"Walsingham? The place with the Shrine?" Sky's face lit with interest. "We learned about that in school. Yes, can we go? I'd like to see the shrine and say a prayer for Mummy."

_Bloody hell, where did that come from?_ Claire couldn't have been more shocked if Sky had asked to strip naked and run through the streets. Actually, given her niece's willingness to run around the hostel room naked, even that wouldn't have shocked her as much. _Ruth isn't religious, as far as I know? Certainly Mum and Dad aren't._ She thought back to the homework Sky had shown her. _I guess hers is a Church of England school._

"Of course we can go, darling. I don't know much about it but I'm sure there will be guide books. Do you want to go on the train? We can drive there otherwise."

Sky's forehead furrowed in thought. "If we go on the train it will give you something for your blog, won't it?"

Claire felt her niece's kindness like a hammer blow. _Maybe my niece isn't a spoiled brat after all._ Guilt at her previously unfounded views of the girl flushed her cheeks red. In an attempt to hide her reaction she reached over and pulled Sky into a hug. "That's very thoughtful, sweetheart. Yes, I can write about the train ride on my blog." _Although Carl won't think it exciting enough unless you fall out the carriage and under the wheels. I don't suppose there'll be much drama at a shrine either._

"Look Auntie Claire, there's the train! I can see steam. I didn't know it was a steam train." She clapped her hands and stood on tiptoe to get a better look. All along the platform bedraggled parents stood waiting with bouncing children in a rainbow of overalls and waterproofs. _I could do a good trade in coffee right now. Or gin._

As the train slid to a standstill next to the platform, Claire stifled a groan. _Oh my god, look at it. It's tiny. We could walk to Walsingham quicker than that thing._ She shoved the thought away and took some snaps with her phone. _At least it's something visual for the blog. I wonder if Ruth would mind if I posted some pictures of Sky? Maybe I can attract a new Mummy audience?_ She cast another glance along the line of waiting parents. _They look like they could use a laugh._

The rain drizzled to a halt as they left the station and within minutes they were bathed in midday sunshine. Claire turned her face to the window and let the rays bathe her face while Sky sat opposite her, face pressed close to the glass taking in the scenery. Every time they went under a bridge – which seemed to be quite often – she whooped in a way that Claire thought only children in TV programmes did.

She found her niece's delight in the little things endearing. _When did I last get that excited? Even a pay increase raised little more than a smile and a feeling of 'about time too'. When do we lose that pleasure in the mundane?_ A strange grief for her own lost childhood swamped Claire. _Maybe that's why people have kids: so you can see the world through their eyes and enjoy it again._

Tiredness dragged at her shoulders and eyelids and the remaining days of the Easter Holidays stretched out relentless in mind. _Not sure that would be enough for me. You see the evils in the world too, I bet. Worries and fears that didn't exist before. Sod that._ Settling back into her seat, Claire closed her eyes and tried to grab some rest before Sky began asking questions.

***

TWENTY-FIVE

The sun pressed down as Claire and Sky walked into the centre of Walsingham. White and wood-striped buildings huddled round, making Claire feel like she'd been transported to Tudor Britain. _There's something about arriving by steam train – even a toy one –that makes it feel as if we've travelled back in time._ She remembered a book she'd read once, about a time travelling woman who found herself stranded amidst the bubonic plague. _Somehow this place feels closer to the time of the Black Death than Eyam._

Their reason for coming to the Shrine echoed in her mind. _I don't want to think about death, not when Sky is here to pray for her Mummy._ She turned her face to the sun and let its promise of summer days warm through the chill in her bones.

Peace descended like a blanket of mist as they meandered through the grounds of the Shrine. Trees and shrubs showed off their spring colours; bright greens mingled with the pink and white of early blossom. Their footsteps slowed as even Sky lost the need to run and skip. Bird song filled the space between the trees. A few other visitors drifted past like grazing deer, and the courtyard of buildings blocked out the sounds of the village beyond the walls.

Silence wrapped around them: not the absence of noise, but the absence of humanity's intrusion. Tight knots began to unravel in Claire's mind and a tension she had been previously unaware of flowed free like a river bursting its banks.

Sky remained quiet as she walked with Claire along the path leading to the main building. As if made obvious by its absence, Claire became aware that her world had become saturated with the little girl's chatter. _When I think how lonely I was when I first started this journey, and now I can't wait to be alone with my own thoughts._

The lack of constant questions and observations allowed Claire to hear her own inner voices. To begin with they clamoured to fill the space, as if Sky's conversation had kept them mute for too long. With strong words from Claire, the garrulous voices fell silent.

Time enough later for angst and self-doubt and plans for the future to be aired and discussed. Right now I'd like to enjoy my silence while it lasts, please.

A new voice piped up with the last word. _You do realise talking to the voices in your head like they're a pack of unruly children might not be entirely normal? Schizophrenics are usually the only ones who acknowledge the different people in their heads._ Claire shrugged away the unwelcome suggestion and turned her attention to her surroundings.

Sky walked with her head high, holding the map they had been given of the complex. For once, Claire was happy to follow on behind and let her niece take charge. _This is more her area than mine, if she's a Believer._

The girl led them unerringly to the Chapel where she wanted to light a candle for her mother. _At least there isn't a service on. I'm not sure I could sit through Mass_. The irreverent thought floated into her mind before Claire could banish it. _Come on Claire, hold on to the peace. Belief in a more meaningful existence than designer labels and Starbucks lattes wouldn't do you any harm._

Trying to be present in the moment, rather than trapped in her chattering mind, Claire looked around the chapel. It really was tranquil. Tall windows let in rainbow-hued sunshine, illuminating the details of the architecture. She felt eyes watching her and turned to see Sky standing by the rows of candles, a lit candle in her hand. Claire felt her heart lurch at the sight of Sky's face, a mixture of grown-up seriousness and childish hope.

Crossing the stone floor, Claire moved to her side and gave the girl's shoulders a squeeze. After a tiny hesitation she also picked up a candle and lit it. Trying to think about Ruth was harder than stilling the voices in her head. Ruth who had been in her life longer than the voices; who had helped her, dressed her, tormented and teased her. Ruth who – whatever else she might be – was her only sister.

_How does it work, lighting a candle for someone? I can't pray, I wouldn't know where to start._ She decided instead to fill her mind with all the positive pictures of Ruth she could find, focussing on everything that made her sister unique. With tears pricking her eyes she followed Sky's lead and placed the candle on the stand. Then she reached for her hand and gripped it tightly.

"Everything will be okay, Sky. It will."

She felt the hand squeeze hers in reply, as Sky remained staring at the flickering flames. Then, almost too quiet to hear, even in the heavy silence of the chapel, Sky's voice whispered like the breath of a candle.

"I miss my Mummy."

Claire felt the shudder through her hand as the little shoulders began to shake with sobs. Gathering her close, she led her niece to a seat. "It's okay, darling. We'll call her from the coffee shop. She'll be missing you too."

Holding Sky tight, Claire looked over her shoulder at the image above the candles. _If you're listening, Mary, we could use your grace about now. Don't let this little girl lose both her parents. You let her Daddy run off with a ballet teacher. It would be cruel to take her mother too. Have mercy._

Goosebumps raised along her arms as a breeze swept through the room, setting the sea of flames dancing.

***

TWENTY-SIX

"Can we go to the beach today, Claire? Can we, can we, can we? Please?"

Claire prised open sticky eyelids and looked at the girl jumping on the bed, her blonde hair lit from behind by the sun pouring through the window. For a moment Claire wondered if she was being visited by an angel, after her visit to the Shrine. _You can't convert me, I'm a non-believer. Go away._

The jumping persisted and Claire groaned. _It was worth a shot._ Her body felt welded to the mattress, as if a nefarious doctor had sedated in her sleep. _Oh. My. God. How can I be this tired? Even when I did those bloomin snow hikes I didn't feel like this._ Her brain present an image of Fi coming in to confess all after the Pennine Way walk. _Alright, fair enough, I felt like I was dead then. But all I did yesterday was walk from the steam train to the Shrine and back. Not exactly strenuous._

Flashes of the afternoon and evening came back as sleep retreated. Sky sobbing in fear that her mother was going to die, before falling asleep in Claire's arms so she felt she couldn't move. A rejuvenated Sky demanded games and entertainment until late in the evening. A stubborn and shouting Sky refusing to go to bed. Then a night time of screaming, as Sky's daytime fears transformed into night-time terrors.

Claire focussed her bleary eyes on the jack-in-the-box child still shaking the bed _. Kids must be bullet proof._ Sky seemed to realise the jumping wasn't working and lay down next to Claire, snuggling in under the duvet.

"Sheesh! Your feet are cold Sky."

"Sorry, Auntie Claire. Did you sleep well?"

Claire opened her eyes fully and examined Sky's face to see if there was any trace of irony or evil intent. Clear blue eyes gazed back, brimming with sincerity.

"Don't you remember having bad dreams, poppet?" Claire reached out and brushed the hair away from her face.

Sky shook her head. "Sorry, Auntie Claire. Mummy says I often don't actually wake up when I've having nightmares." Her face fell and tears gathered in the rims of her eyes. Claire was about to offer more support about Ruth's condition when Sky spoke. "Does that mean you'll be too tired to take me to the beach today?"

Claire laughed. _Kids certainly live in the now._ "We'll go to the beach today, I promise. Let's just get packed up and check out and we can ask at reception which is the best beach between here and Hunstanton. We can't check in until later anyway and it looks like a nice day."

Sky jumped up, her face shining like a star. "I'm packed already. Shall I help you? What can I do?"

Claire inhaled deeply and swallowed down the inexplicable urge to weep that swept over her.

"Wow." Sky ran along the boardwalk through the pine trees and stopped as if she'd hit glass. "Auntie Claire, look!" She turned and beckoned Claire forwards. "It goes on all the way to heaven."

Claire walked up to stand by her niece and took in the view, inhaling deeply the scent of salt and pine. _Who knew there were endless sandy beaches on the East Coast? Why did we never come here as children? Probably we went to the South of France or were packed off to relatives. Funny that I don't really remember having family holidays._

The beach stretched endlessly to either side from where they stood, with sea directly ahead and blue sky above. It looked like a picture postcard. The only moving things between sand and sky were distant dog walkers and two galloping horses. _It's not really a family beach, I hope Sky doesn't mind._

The man at reception had provided a list of sandy beaches and they'd chosen one near the hostel so there would be no chance of missing out on the sun. _Besides, when we're cold and tired I'll be able to coax Sky to Burnham Market for lunch._ Claire remembered that much at least from British beaches. Even on a fine day the wind could be chilly and energy-sapping. She'd contemplated buying a wind-break at the shop where they had purchased Sky's bucket and spade, but she'd talked herself out of it as sending the wrong message that they would stay all day on the beach.

_How am I going to occupy her here? No ice cream sellers, no rock pools and crabs and donkey rides. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea._ She felt a tug on her sleeve and turned her attention to Sky.

"Come on, Auntie Claire, I want to make a sand castle."

It felt exposed down on the beach. The wind whirled past them as if it was in training for a long distance race and had no time to stop. Claire could see coloured shapes spinning in the sky and scrunched her eyes up to focus, wishing she'd bought her sunglasses. Sky followed her gaze. "What are they?"

"Kites. Big ones, by the looks of it." She followed the lines down from the dancing shapes and saw leaping and dancing on bottom end too. "Kite surfers. Brrr, rather them than me. I bet that water's _freezing_."

Claire continued to watch the twirling of the boards and kites, as Sky ran onto the sand and began digging. Something about the freedom of the movement pulled at her. _I wonder if they do lessons? That might be a fun challenge._ Then she looked at the bent head of her niece, furiously filling her bucket. _Oh yes. I forgot. Not until after school starts again, unless they offer babysitting too. Poor Ruth, no wonder she has no life. It's like having a permanent chaperone. I wonder if they'd let a six-year-old try it? Might be a bit dangerous for a child I guess._

She filed the thought away for later, and went to sit on the sand next to Sky.

***

TWENTY-SEVEN

"Sky, it's time to go and get lunch sweetheart. Besides, I don't have sun-cream and you're so fair. I don't want you getting burnt, it'll make your mummy cross."

Sky looked up from the sandcastle moat and frowned. The castle was impressive, with at least a dozen towers, all surrounded by a deep furrow which Sky had tried to fill with water. The sea was too far away to begin with but now it seemed to be coming in fast.

Claire watched the waves lapping near to where they sat. "Besides, the tide is coming in."

The bottom lip began to stick out and Claire braced herself for the tantrum that was about to erupt. She held up a placating hand and was about to launch into a flood of words to push back the torrent of tears when a siren ripped through the silence of the beach. Claire fell back onto the sand and Sky clapped her hands to her ears.

"What the bloody hell is that?" Claire looked around but couldn't see anything to explain the noise. She swore some more, thankful that Sky's ears were covered.

"Tis the tide alarm," a voice called out from behind them. Claire turned to see a woman with several children in tow heading up towards the pine trees.

"I'm sorry?"

"Did ye nah see the signs in the car park? The tide comes in reet quick an if ya nah careful ya can get cut oof."

Claire tried to decipher what the lady was saying. Her accent was heavy and northern; Claire couldn't decide if it was Geordie or Scottish, although she knew better than to admit that to the woman. She gathered the alarm was to warn them of the incoming tide.

"Oh, okay, thank you." She nodded at the woman and turned back to Sky, who had taken her hands away from her ears. "Time to go."

When the bottom lip threatened to wobble, Claire shrugged and gestured at the other families leaving the beach. "It's not up to me. I don't want to have to swim back to the car." Sky laughed and looked as if she thought that would be fun.

Searching her mind for ways to coax her niece back to the car, Claire remembered a place near the next hostel that she'd seen on the internet. "Would you like to go and see some animals?"

"What kind of animals?" Sky wasn't budging but couldn't hide the interest on her face.

"Um, wallabies? Alpacas?" She couldn't remember what else. "Er, goats?"

Sky's face lit up. "I like goats. We feed the goats at the Farm. Okay." Standing up, she collected her bucket and spade, brushed the sand off her skirt, and headed up the beach. Claire watched her departure for a few moments, taken aback by the sudden change of speed. Sky turned as she reached the line of trees. "Aren't you coming Auntie Claire? Race you back to the car!" And with that she disappeared.

"Aw, look at the wallabies, they're so cute. Have you ever been to Australia, Auntie Claire? I want to go but Mummy says it's too far."

Claire's brain ached with answering endless questions. _I hoped coming here and feeding the animals might distract her for a bit. Wrong._ With a sigh she tried to focus on the question. It raised unwanted memories of Josh and Fiona, who were possibly on a plane back to Australia at that very moment. "No I haven't, although I'd like to go, some day."

"Where have you been? Mummy says you're always _jetting off_ on holiday."

_Thank you, Ruth, for that gem._ Claire thought about it and realised she hadn't been anywhere Sky would have heard of or care about. _I don't think beach holidays in luxury resorts are what she means._ She'd never had the travel bug before. Holidays were for relaxation and tanning opportunities. She decided it was time to change the subject.

"Look at that sheep's horns, Sky, they're all twisty." She held her breath for a moment, convinced that such a ploy would never get past Sky's knife-sharp mind. Her niece turned to observe the screw-horned sheep, then span to face Claire.

"Wow! He looks like he has helter-skelter's coming out of his head!"

Claire exhaled.

***

TWENTY-EIGHT

Claire smothered a yawn and rubbed her hand across her eyes. She stared around blankly, trying to occupy her mind while Sky knelt to feed the goats. Twenty paces away, a man stood watching her. She felt a quiver of recognition, although she couldn't imagine how anyone she knew would turn up at a rare breeds centre in Norfolk. _Probably an old colleague; they do seem to appear in the most random places._

Her eyes felt heavy and her caffeine content was well below safe levels. Crouching down next to her niece, she tried to frame words in her head that might entice her back to the car without a tantrum.

"Would you like to buy an ice cream before we go to the hostel?" She waited, lungs full of in-held breath, while her words seeped into Sky's consciousness. _Never mind marketing, I think a career in diplomacy will be a possibility when this fortnight is over._

After what felt like an hour, Sky smiled and stood up. "Can I have one with a flake, Auntie Claire?"

Exhaling loudly, Claire pulled herself to her feet and reached for Sky's hand. "Of course, darling, if they have any."

She turned to lead them to the exit, but Sky remained as if stuck in quicksand. Looking down Claire saw that her niece's gaze was fixed on a point in the distance. She followed the direction and saw the same man still staring. A shiver trickled down her skin like icy water. With the awful inevitability of a car crash, Claire could see disaster playing out before her. She tugged on the tiny hand enclosed in hers. "Come on Sky, I'll race you to the coffee shop."

The girl didn't move, although the blood drained from her face until it was as pale as her hair.

_Bollocks._ Claire didn't want her suspicions confirmed, but her eyes dragged back to the staring man without her volition. _Of all the shitty luck. What now?_

She felt Sky drop her hand and take a step forward. A breath of a voice whispered, "Daddy?" Then something seemed to break inside her, and she began to run. "Daddy!"

Watching the little girl racing across the grass, hair and dress flying out behind her, Claire felt tears building in the back of her throat. It was her turn to be frozen. She knew she should go after Sky – shield her from what might happen next – but she felt unable to move.

Sky reached the man and held up her arms, demanding an embrace. Even across the distance Claire felt the hesitation and her chest ached in pain. It seemed to free her from immobility and she ran for Sky as if the girl was teetering at a cliff edge. She reached them just as the man dropped down and gave his daughter a quick hug. He looked up at Claire's flustered arrival and some of the tension left his face.

"It's you. Couldn't tell from a distance. Thought it couldn't be Ruth. She wouldn't be this far from home."

Claire looked round, expecting to see the ballet teacher lurking nearby. It seemed unlikely that a man would come by himself to such a place. _Wherever she is, let her stay there._ Another thought lurched unwelcome in Claire's mind. _Oh god, I offered Sky ballet lessons and talked all about ballet when we were in Cambridge. Stupid, inconsiderate, idiot. No wonder Ruth doesn't want her to have ballet lessons, when her father ran off with her ballet teacher._

Shaking away the thought as something she couldn't fix now, Claire reached for Sky. Her father dropped his arms and stood up, his face showing relief.

"How come you've got the girl then?"

Claire tried to read the man's expression. "Sky is staying with me for the Easter holidays." She stopped, holding back the words _Because her mother has a brain tumour and is having chemotherapy._

An awkward silence spread between them like mist. Sky stood gazing in adoration at her father, and Claire wondered when she had last heard from or seen him. As if in answer, Sky spoke in a trembling voice. "I miss you, Daddy. Why don't you ever call?"

The man – Claire couldn't even think his name without fury – looked down at his shoes and didn't answer. Claire could see two red spots burning in his cheeks. He glanced around and behind him, as if searching for someone. His face softened, becoming younger, more gentle. Reaching down, he patted Sky gently on the head.

"I have to go, poppet. Sorry." He said nothing more, and strode away without looking back.

Claire felt an icy pain spreading through her chest as she watched him leave. _Chris. That's his name. Stupid, fucking wanker, more like._ It felt hard to breathe. Watching the departing figure reminded Claire of being dropped at school after the holidays, standing silent while her parents returned to their car. They had never looked back either.

A loud sob brought Claire back to the present. Realising she had forgotten her niece in her own reaction; Claire dropped to her knees in the mud and gathered Sky into her lap. Like a dam breaking, the little girl crumbled and dissolved into a wave of tears. These weren't the childish screams and dry sobs of a tantrum. With shaking shoulders and loud gasping gulps, Sky cried as if the world had ended.

_For her, I guess it has._ Claire turned to stare in the direction Sky's father had gone and saw him lean in to kiss a woman pushing a pram. He linked his arm through hers and bent to say something to the child deep in the buggy. Despite the busy farm bustling around them, the connection was close and private. Claire felt like an intruder.

_Oh Sky, I'm glad you didn't see that. What could make a man leave his child? I guess too many men run off and leave the woman literally holding the baby. But to start a new family, and not stay in touch with your own daughter: What kind of monster does that?_ Claire's brain searched for the worst word she could think of, so bad she couldn't even say it in her mind. _That's what he is and Sky's better off without him._

***

TWENTY-NINE

The car felt warm and comforting after the chill of Lavender Farm and the unexpected encounter. Claire looked across at Sky eating her ice cream; her face still showed red mottling from crying, but her eyes were calm. _Kids are amazing. I'd still be crying now, if that wanker was my father._ She could see her niece's eyes were heavy and thought a sleep in the car would do her good.

Claire programmed in the SatNav and reached forwards to attach it to the windscreen. Movement in the rear-view mirror caught her eye: It was Chris. She tried to ignore his gestures, but his demeanour dragged her attention. He looked as if he was signalling for her to come out the car by herself. Intrigued - and not unwilling to go and give him a piece of her mind away from listening ears - Claire sat back in the seat and dramatically slapped her forehead.

"Sorry, Sky. I just remembered I left my mobile phone in the shop. Will you be alright here in the car for a moment, if I just run in and get it?"

Sky looked across with fear in her eyes and Claire's stomach lurched. _I really shouldn't leave her alone, after the shock she's had. I can hardly take her with me and use all the words I want to use though._

"How about if I lock the doors? I'll be back before you finish your ice cream."

After a moment, Sky nodded tentatively and pushed down the button on the door next to her. Sky reached over and locked the others, making sure she had the keys in her hand before she left the car.

It felt good to stalk over to the man who had broken her sister and niece's hearts. Words of heat and wrath built like fire in her throat. She felt tempted to start shouting before she reached him, but he stood with his arms at his side and his head low. _I want to look in his eyes and see that he's hearing me. Besides, if I start screaming like a fishwife across the car park, Sky might hear._

She stopped three feet away from him, arms folded. _Let him start. I want to hear what the bastard has to say to excuse his behaviour._ Silence stretched and Claire ached to fill it with hot words. Somehow she knew the quiet was hurting Chris more, so she maintained eye contact and waited for him to speak.

"I had no choice." His words fell between them, as if he'd pushed them out with effort.

"Bollocks. Everyone has a choice."

"I..." He stopped and ran his hand through his hair. Claire noticed it was thinner than it used to be. "I wanted it to work. With Ruth. And Sky. And I loved them both, really. But Ruth –"

Suddenly Claire didn't want to hear it. She'd only ever heard Ruth's side of the story; honesty compelled her to confess that might have been skewed. Her body language must have given her away because Chris reached out a hand, before letting it drop once more to his side.

"Don't go. Hear me out, please. Maybe you can help Sky, a little. I saw the pain I caused her."

"Then why did you reject her? Not stay in touch? Run off with her fucking ballet teacher." It felt good to shout at this weak man standing before her. To swear with precision and relish and watch him flinch as the truth struck him like pellets of ice.

"Because I wanted to be a Dad more than anything!" The words came out in a rush. "And Ruth wouldn't let me. Sky was _her_ precious daughter. From the minute she was born it was her and Sky. There was no room for me. She wouldn't let me do anything – feed her, bathe her – I was barely allowed to touch her. Then, when she started school, Ruth became paranoid something was going to happen to her. I don't know what she thought would happen. She went almost crazy with it."

He stopped. Whether because he had run out of words, or because he realised telling Claire her sister was crazy was not perhaps the best move, wasn't clear.

"Then I met Bryony. She understood. She taught Sky, knew how clingy Ruth was. I asked her for advice, initially. Then we got talking and, well. You know the rest. We have a little girl of our own now, and she's _mine._ "

"Sky's still your daughter." Claire didn't know what else to say. She didn't want to feel sympathy for this man. She didn't want him to have a reason that made sense. She just wanted him to hurt and be sorry.

"Ruth didn't want me to stay in touch. She said it would be better just the two of them. I send Sky birthday cards and Christmas cards but I don't know if they get to her." He inhaled deeply and wiped his hand across his face as if rubbing away the pain. "She's looking well. I'm glad to see you taking her out in the world. Ruth keeps her too close. Sky doesn't need me."

Claire tried to think before speaking, to decide what to do, to interpret how she felt. Despite her best efforts, she could relate to what Chris had said. It wasn't a stretch of the imagination to see Ruth in that role. Their own parents had been so distant and uncaring, it seemed highly plausible that Ruth wouldn't want to let Sky out of her sight. She turned and looked back at the car, but couldn't see inside.

"I have to go, Sky will wonder where I am. Try again, Chris. Try harder. Ruth..." She inhaled, then made a decision. "Ruth's sick. Real sick. Sky might have need of you. Don't make her an orphan if it comes to that."

She watched as all the blood drained from Chris's face, much as it had from Sky's earlier, and felt a certain satisfaction. Digging into her purse, Claire retrieved a business card and held it out to Sky's father. He looked into her eyes as if trying to understand her actions, then took the card and held it without looking at it.

"If you need to reach me, or want to speak to Sky – at least for the next week – you have my number. We're staying in Hunstanton for the weekend."

Before he could say anything, find an excuse or backtrack, Claire turned and strode back to the car, her heartbeat hammering loudly in her ears.

***

THIRTY

Claire watched Sky lean over the glass barrier and reach down to stroke a seal. Her arms were too short and she nearly toppled over into the water. Concerned, Claire stretched out a hand, but the girl had already dropped back onto her feet. Her blonde hair streamed out as a sharp wind blew in off the sea. She had tried to convince Sky to let her tie it in a ponytail, but apparently she hadn't the knack of it.

"Mummy doesn't pull so much. You're hurting me!" had been her response. Claire had decided a couple of hair grips would have to do.

She reached over and stroked the soft, golden hair. _I wonder when hair stops being so silky-smooth. Or maybe she's just blessed with beautiful hair. Not like my unmanageable mane._

Trying not to attract Sky's attention, Claire carefully scanned the sea of faces surrounding them. She knew it must be past eleven, because the seal-feeding had started. _Please don't let me down. I don't know if I'm doing the right thing._

Salty spray carried on the wind stung her eyes, making them water. The smell reminded her of long, carefree, holidays.

Not that Hunstanton on a Friday morning bears any resemblance to the South of France or Miami or any of the beaches I've visited in the last few years. I wonder what the Maldives smells like. I bet the briny tang there doesn't have to compete with ketchup and hotdogs, cheap perfume and decapitated fish.

Claire watched as the woman in charge of feeding tossed several bloody carcasses into the water. The seals, so cumbersome on their platforms, dived gracefully and darted forward to retrieve their food. Claire's mind drifted back to the day before, and the conversation in the car park of Norfolk Lavender.

_As much as you can't judge a seal by how it is on land, you can't judge a break-up by the ranting of one person._ There had been a look in Chris's eyes that had made Claire believe his version of events. _Besides, I know Ruth. That's exactly what she would do. The only reason she has let me take Sky, and isn't ringing every five minutes, is because the chemotherapy is taking all her energy._ Even so, she received text messages from her sister several times a day, wanting to know where they were and whether her daughter was happy.

_I wonder what Ruth would do if she knew about the phone call I had this morning._ Chris had rung before breakfast, asking if he could meet up with Sky before they left the area. While her niece was occupied watching Dora Explorer on the iPad Claire had arranged for them to meet at Sea Life. It felt safe, a place where father and daughter could talk.

"Claire!"

The sound cut through the low hubbub of the crowd and a rippling revealed Chris's location as he made his way through the press of bodies. It took a moment for Claire to realise he was pushing a pram. _Oh god, he's bought that damn woman and the baby. What an idiot._

Her face was thunderous as the man approached. He stopped and looked up, his face beneath Claire's, as she stood on a platform with Sky. Eyes burning, Claire looked meaningfully at the pram and then over Chris's shoulder, as if expecting to see the woman he left her sister for lurking in the distance.

"It's alright, Bryony isn't here. I wanted to bring Eloise. I thought Sky should meet her half-sister." His voice was muted, but Sky was only an arm's reach away and she turned at the sound.

"Daddy! What are you doing here?" Her face lit like a firework then fell dark as she remembered his behaviour the day before. Chris threw Claire a glance and she flushed, before raising her chin in defiance.

"No, I didn't tell her you were coming. What if you'd decided not to show?"

Chris nodded, accepting her reason, and reached his arms up to Sky. She hadn't noticed the pram and her father swiftly pulled her into an embrace before waggling his eyebrows at Claire. He nodded down at the pram then signalled to say he was leaving the child with Claire while he took Sky off to talk.

Claire felt paralysed with shock. _What the hell?_ Her eyes tried to scream at Chris. _You can't leave me with your baby, for Christ's sake! I know nothing about babies._ She wasn't sure about him going out of sight with Sky, either, but figured if he'd left his other daughter behind he was unlikely to abduct Sky.

As he carried Sky away through the huddle of people craning to watch the seal feeding, Claire stared down at the pram and swallowed the taste of sick swimming in her mouth. _I need coffee. The café is by the door. If I wait there I'll see if he takes Sky out the building._

Reluctantly, Claire walked round to the front of the pram and looked inside. The baby was asleep, its little face smooth and perfect in slumber. _You sleep on, little Eloise, there's a good girl._

Claire gulped down the hot coffee and ignored the caffeine as it buzzed through her veins on a direct path to her brain. It was her third cup and her hands were shaking slightly, like autumn leaves rustling in the breeze. She didn't notice because she was too busy trying to stop Eloise from shrieking. The tranquil infant resting deep within the pram had lasted as long as her first latte. She had been forced to remove the infant and jiggle her on her knee while she drank the second. By the time the third arrived, Claire was ready to pass the baby to the next stranger who glared at her, and make a run for it.

"What. Do. You. Want?" She bit the words out quietly through gritted teeth, knowing full well Eloise couldn't respond even if she understood the question.

Claire searched through the bag hanging off the pram, hoping for a dummy or a bottle of milk. Something – anything – to silence the screaming child. She found a bottle but it looked like it held only water. Peace descended briefly as she offered the bottle to the child, but it was replaced moments later with an ear-splitting yell, as the offending bottle was pushed away. Another rifle through the bag produced a tub of powder, but for all Claire knew it was teething crystals or talc for the baby's bottom.

How dare Chris go off without leaving any instructions?

Abandoning the coffee under the growing ire of the other customers, Claire placed the baby in the pram and wheeled it back into the depths of the Sea Life centre. She could feel people staring as she pushed the wailing child through tunnels, past tanks of turtles and sharks, and out towards the penguins. _I'm an idiot. I should have agreed how long Chris could spend with Sky and where to meet afterwards._ His arrival with the baby had caught her by surprise.

Eloise's cries dropped to a gentle roar with the motion of the buggy. Claire muttered soothing words in her general direction as she searched the crowds for sight of her niece. Panic fluttered in the pit of her stomach and she couldn't decide what she feared most – not finding Sky again or being left with the baby.

She turned a corner and saw a giant pirate ship half sunk into the sand. A woman dressed as a pirate was standing with a group of children, handing out treasure. Claire caught sight of loose-flowing golden tresses and released her terror in a rush of air.

"Sky! Where's your father?"

"Over here," a voice responded, and Claire turned to see Chris watching the children, his face inscrutable.

"What the hell are you doing tucked round here? You've been ages. Your baby has been screaming for half an hour and I don't know how to make her stop."

Chris looked up, shielding his eyes from the sun with one hand. "Oh, I figured you'd be fine. Women love babies." He saw her expression and his face paled. "Don't they?"

"Not this woman, thank you very much. We're not all earth mothers you know. I understand more about a profit and loss ledger than I do a screaming infant."

"Oh. Better pass her here then."

Chris reached for the crying bundle of purple skin and snot and cuddled her against his shoulder, while deftly searching through the bag for the bottle of water and tub of powder. He held the bottle between his knees and unfastened it, then flicked open the tub of powder and tipped it in. Within seconds the lid was on, the bottle was shaken and a small amount applied to the back of his hand. Before Claire had time to sit down, baby Eloise was nestled in the crook of her Daddy's arm happily gulping down milk.

"Okay, I'm impressed." Claire smiled at Chris, feeling her anger drain away.

"I've had practice. Bryony couldn't feed Eloise herself," he shuffled uncomfortably, "... though she wanted to. We share the load. I could probably mix a bottle in my sleep."

"So, have you and Sky had a chance to talk? She looks happy enough."

"Yes. And thank you. It must be fate that let me bump into you yesterday. I have missed her."

"Why didn't you go and visit, when you thought the cards weren't getting through?" Claire observed his profile as his eyes never ceased watching Sky.

"I didn't want to rock the boat. I had no idea what Ruth had told her, about me and Bryony. And how to tell her about a half-sister she probably doesn't want?"

"Have you told her now?"

Chris nodded, then looked down. The bottle was nearly empty. Claire was amazed at how quickly the baby had drained a full bottle of milk. As the last dregs disappeared, Chris raised the baby to his shoulder and gave her a practised pat on the back. A loud burp escaped the child, much to the amusement of the children nearby.

Sky turned at the noise and saw her father cradling the baby. Claire watched her reaction, ready to step in if need be. She looked shocked, then a smile spread wide across her face and she raced up to where they sat against the fence.

"Is that your baby, Dad? Yours and Bryony's?"

"Yes, Sky. This is Eloise, your half-sister."

Sky reached out and stroked the baby's face, before turning to Claire, her eyes swimming with tears.

_Oh dear. She's just found out her father doesn't hate her, and now she has to give him up to a new sister._ Angry feelings squirmed in her stomach and she felt regret swarming up inside her, accusing her of causing Sky more pain by inviting Chris here. Then Sky reached forwards and planted a kiss on the baby's forehead. Eloise giggled.

"I have a sister! Claire, I thought it would always be just me and Mummy. But I have a sister!" And the tears streamed down her face. Shining, happy tears.

###

This story is continued on Amanda Martin's daily blog at http://writermummy.wordpress.com

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amanda Martin was born in Hertfordshire in 1976. After graduating with first class honours from Leeds University she wandered around the world trying to find her place in it. She tried various roles, in England and New Zealand, including Bar Manager, Marketing Manager, Consultant and Artist, before deciding that Writer/Mummy best summed her up. She lives in Northamptonshire with her husband, two children and labradoodle Kara and can mostly be found at http://writermummy.wordpress.com and on Twitter or Facebook.

Also by Amanda Martin:

BABY BLUES AND WEDDING SHOES

Amanda's latest release, the chick lit novel _Baby Blues and Wedding Shoes_ is available now.

5 out of 5 stars **"** **Wonderful, engaging story** **"**

" _Wonderful, engaging story by a talented writer. Pleasantly surprising depth in a plot which one might have initially assumed would be a predictable meet-cute, boy meets girl, happily ever after. A more thought provoking story evolved than expected in the beginning. Author has a nice way with descriptive words which makes one feel nearly in the room. Readers with an appreciation for a bit of reality and a bit of hopeful romantic wishful dreaming will not be disappointed by this lovely tale. Well done."_

DRAGON WRAITHS

_Dragon Wraiths_ , a Young Adult novel. Read the reviews:

4 out of 5 stars " **Pacey and engaging** "

" _This is a wonderful romp for the YA audience that definitely crosses over to Adult (which is me!). Amanda writes in a wonderfully emotive and poetic yet also pacey style and I was at once absorbed and engaged with the central character. I wouldn't call myself a fantasy fan by any stretch (the work Tolkien just makes me want to snooze...) yet I was completely onboard with this parallel world and I found the transition between them, and the entire storyline credible. I found a Harry Potter-esque sensibility to the author's use of intriguing devices and methods for the real and fantasy worlds combining - but this is not to say there is any pastiche going on. Thoroughly recommend the book - and am hoping there's a sequel on the cards!"_

4 out of 5 stars **"** **Thoroughly enjoyable read** **"**

" _Thoroughly enjoyable read. Loved how dragons and humans worked together. Very original and entertaining._ _  
_ _It's a fast paced novel that any age with imagination could enjoy. I'm way out of YA age and still loved it. The ending really made me smile._ _  
_ _I'd read another by this author."_

