by Kerena Swan
‘Danny has agreed to take a picture of the three of us, Mum. He says he’ll e-mail it to me then we can buy mouse mats or mugs with our picture on. It would make lovely birthday presents for Grandma and Grandad.’
We stand side by side with Mia in front of us, I look proudly across at Tilly who is smiling at Danny and then down at Mia who is shifting restlessly from foot to foot. There’s something missing from this wedding picture, though, and it takes me a minute to work it out. Neither of them is wearing their cream rose buttonholes.
As we leave through the lych-gate I hesitate. ‘Tilly, can you strap Mia into her car seat and help Florrie into the car? I’ll only be two minutes.’
‘Sure, Mum.’
I give her a quick hug of gratitude and hand her the keys then hurry back up the path. I can sense her eyes on my back. She knows where I’m going. I enter the church and remove three of the pew arrangements we’d made at the centre, filling my arms with roses, calla lilies, and purple hyacinths. I take them outside to Max’s grave where I lay them carefully next to Tilly and Mia’s roses. My girls have so much to teach me and I have so much love to give them. Today they have shown me how to forgive and with forgiveness has come strength. Optimism about the future.
I hurry back to the car and see the smiling faces of my daughters waiting for me. As I get close, Mia presses her face onto the window making her nose lift like a piglet. Tilly turns to her, wondering why I’m laughing, and then does the same. I have so much to look forward to – warm bedtime kisses, cuddles on the sofa, tooth fairies, school proms, weddings, grandchildren, and perhaps even a romance of my own. Not that I’ll be rushing into one. The thought scares me but I won’t be defeated by fear. Not anymore. My heart lifts and I smile as I reach the car.
The End
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Readers who enjoyed Dying To See You will also enjoy
Undercurrent by J.A Baker
Captor by Anita Waller
Acknowledgments
First and foremost I would like to thank Lesley Eames, my tutor, my mentor and my editor, for bringing out the best in my writing abilities. It has been an exciting journey together. I’d like to thank the fantastic team at Bloodhound books. You do a great job and really care about your authors. It is a privilege to work with you.
Thanks are also due to my daughter Beth and son Charlie for their continued enthusiasm and advice despite constant badgering, and to Lynn, Amanda, Michael, Frazer, Julie and Maddy for reading draft chapters and pursuing me for more. You spurred me on. Thanks also go to my book reading group in Aspley Guise. The discussion we had after you read the book was most enlightening and helpful. Finally I’d like to thank my long-suffering husband (his words) for putting up with me tippety-tapping on my keyboard constantly and saying the word ‘book’ a thousand times a day.
Book Club Questions
Suggested questions for Book Clubs (WARNING – CONTAINS SPOILERS)
Warming-up:
1.Which character was your favourite and why? Did your opinion of them change as the story progressed?
2.Which themes in the story could you identify with?
3.Which part of the book did you enjoy the most and why?
4.Would you change the ending and, if so, how?
Going deeper:
5.In Dying to See You Sophie meets a stranger and allows him access to her life and her family.
Was there anything she should or even could have done differently to protect herself and her children?
6.What difference, if any, might it have made if Sophie had sought financial support from her children’s fathers sooner?
7.Are killers born or made? If you think they are made, what can be done to stop people from becoming killers?
8.Who is more to blame – a person with no conscience who kills out of bitterness at life or a person who covers up for a killer out of self-interest, knowing that killing is wrong?
9.How should society deal with people like Ivy who commit serious crimes?
10.What do you think happens to older people whose serious crimes have gone undetected? Do they become reformed characters or still have the potential to inflict harm on others?
11.Was Max worthy of Sophie’s forgiveness?
12.Was Ivy worthy of her mother’s forgiveness?
Going wider:
13.Did you feel it was appropriate for Mr. Brentwood to marry Lily when he sometimes confused her with his dead wife?
14.What do you think of social care provision in your country? What changes would you make and how do you think they should be funded?
