At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 39 Visitor surprise

I asked Sally who it was and she said it was a surprise and not to worry. She wouldn’t tell me anymore.

When I arrived home I didn’t recognize the car and in fact it was a Hertz hire car when I looked at it more closely. When I took off my shoes and went into the lounge in my nyloned feet I looked to see who was waiting. it was James.

‘What are you doing here?’ I mumbled.

‘I thought that you’d be pleased to see me.’

At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 37

‘Mum what did it say that caused you to faint?’

‘It was a letter from Judith saying how much she loved him but how she didn’t expect him to leave his wife and family for her because she didn’t deserve him.’

‘Why?’

‘Because she’d fallen pregnant through her carelessness and that she was going to have to learn to fend for herself since he had an important career that she didn’t wish to spoil, but also that he had a wife and 2 children who he needed to look after’

At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 35 Truth comes out

As our main course was being served mum said that we should have a talk when we got home and I said OK since such a talk was long overdue. She responded by saying that the tragedy had a big impact on our family life and our father had eventually had to give in and leave home.

.

At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 33 Revisit the Memory Book

I turned the pages slowly looking at black and white photos of mum and Aunt Judith as small children with Aunt Judith in Grans arms and Granddad holding mums hand. It was a nice family photo and then there were some professional photos taken in a studio with some photos of Aunt Judith as a small girl. She was very pretty with long dark hair.

. At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 31 Fruitless journey

I was shocked to see it was my sister Julie who had obviously just managed to catch the train since she was looking disheveled. Julie looked at the guy who had made the remark and just said ‘Chicks are hatched from eggs so who do you think you are talking to?’

He shut up and turned back to his friends and then we carried on down the carriage to find our seats. Luckily there was a spare seat across the aisle because somebody missed the train.

I said ‘What’s wrong why are you here?’

At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 29 Lunch Chat

I thought that Jessica was awful to say such an unkind thing and I was worried that she might be planning something sinister.

She had just glared at me and I felt that she meant every word. I decided that I should confront her later rather otherwise I’d worry and not sleep very well. I felt she had a love/hate attitude towards me and maybe it was that she felt insecure or that she felt that I was a threat. Whatever I was thinking about what she might mean.

At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 27 Dinner discussions

I was taken aback for a few moments and I looked across at Julie who was sitting next to Gary. Her eyes fixed with mine and I could sense her saying ‘be careful’.
I said ‘Of course but as long as it’s not too personal at the dinner table.’

He looked at Julie then turned to me and said in a quiet voice ‘Chrissy I hope that you don’t mind me asking but did you deliberately adopt the style and look of your Aunt Judith to try to please your Gran or is it just a co-incidence?

At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 25 Special Short Chapter

Mum left the door ajar and I could see them through the crack. I stood still and looked in the hall mirror. I looked OK but not perfect. We should have come on a better day when the weather was warmer. My legs were cold and my tights felt damp. My nose was red with the cold wind outside. No wonder girls are always turning up the heating in the office and wearing cardigans.

At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 23 Rescue Ranger

I looked past the bright headlights and it was my boss Kate Harper. She quickly beckoned me to get inside the car and then wound her window down to give the guys a piece of her mind as she drove off.

I was so relieved and yet I felt a cold shudder down my spine. ‘Put on your seatbelt. I thought it was you as I pulled out of the railway station’ she said. ‘What happened. Where are the others? What were you doing alone?’

At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 21 Girly time.
Kate asked me to sit down on a leather chair whilst she sat on the sofa. I felt a little conspicuous sitting in a skirt and tried to be as feminine as possible. She said to relax and asked how I was feeling in this new role and in the new job. What could I say it was like a dream or a wonderful adventure and I not had time to take it all in. It all seemed like a blurr..

At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 19 A little family history unearthed

I looked at mum and said ‘What do you mean?’

Then mum paused and squeezed my hand and said that Gran had never gotten over the tragic loss of Judith that had a massive effect on her life and our lives. It had eventually driven dad away and Gran had not been able to show proper affection to anybody and particularly to Julie and I.

At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 17 New Domestic arrives

I recognized the voice immediately. It was Jessica.
She had a big smile on her face. ‘ Hi gorgeous I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist my invitation’.

At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 15 Lunch with Sis

All I could say was ‘What’s wrong…what’s happened?’ to which Julie put her hand on mine and said ‘Don’t worry it’s just something that happened this morning.’

I was at a loose end after I dropped you at work since mum decided I didn’t need to take her to town so I called in at the Health club for a coffee and to read the newspapers until the shops opened. Who should come in but Rachel Atkinson. Remember she used to fancy you at school but you were too shy to notice. I denied this of course.

. At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 13 Is life getting better or not?

Mum panicked as usual, ‘Who could that be at this time, it’s 11-30pm?’

‘Hello, Yes Christine is here, who is speaking please?...James? Is it about work?’
I cringed and rushed to take the telephone ‘it’s OK mum it’s James, I met him last weekend at the hen night. Don’t worry he’s just a friend’

At last ‘A life’

By Julie D Cole

Chapter 11 Back to work!!
I turned around and saw Ms Harper getting out of her car that was parked in her Executive parking place. It was a big BMW 7 series that seemed awfully big for a woman to drive.
She had opened the car boot and waved me across to her so that I could carry a file to her office. So it was funny that because I’d helped her previously I’d been christened Christine and now here I was arriving at work as Christine.

At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 9 A Strange Sunday

Coming through the door was James girlfriend. I felt a cold chill down my spine and my stomach was churning. She was with two friends and they looked a little drunk even though it was still fairly early in the day. I couldn’t believe that he would like this person. I knew it was her as soon as Sallys face. She looked at me and her eyes were wide open.

Chapter 7
OMG - What a night!!

I screamed as if I was drowned in acid because the water was cold and it came as such a shock. The few moments that passed seemed like several minutes and I felt as if I was under a waterfall or in a cold shower. Sally told me later that my scream was ear piercing and very girly. The shock lasted ages because in all my life nobody had ever hit me or done anything so bad to me before. I was never a person who would cause trouble and I’d walk away from any confrontation.

Chapter 5
The Night Goes On

We took 2 taxis to the bar that wasn’t the one we expected. In fact it was a big surprise because it was a famous and popular Gay nightclub called the Nightingale Club but I’d never heard of it. Jessica had been before with Mary Jo and Sally so it was their recommendation. We had the tickets and when I looked at mine I realized it was the same bar that James had mentioned with the discount tickets. They’d be there I was sure.

Chapter 3 An evening to remember