by Rebecca Done
So he does. He tells me all about his travels (amazing) and his work (selling scuba-diving lessons on the other side of the world). He says he’s been in regular therapy for close to six months now, that he feels at peace for possibly the first time in his life.
‘So how long are you staying?’ I ask as we gaze back up the garden towards the house, so cosy now with all the lights on. It really does look like home.
‘Three weeks,’ he says. ‘Though I understand my timing’s terrible. Alex was telling me you’re all off on the trip of a lifetime.’
‘The Maldives,’ I say. ‘Did he tell you about the Sea of Stars?’
He smiles. ‘Oh yes.’
‘We wanted to go before … well, you know.’ I glance down at the round ball of my belly.
‘So I’m really going to be an uncle. That’s amazing.’
I look across at him. ‘I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but I feel like with Mum and Dad now … there’s four of us taking on the world, not two.’
‘Soon to be …’ He hesitates. ‘Wait, did it skip a generation?’
I smile. ‘Absolutely. Only one little Frazer in here.’
Graeme smiles back. ‘That’s good. I’ve heard twins can be trouble.’
We sit companionably for a few minutes more, allowing the darkness to finally enclose us. Then Graeme says, ‘Thank you, Moll. For giving me my life back.’
‘That’s okay,’ I tell him. ‘I didn’t want to lose you both.’
‘You know, I’ve met someone. Katherine. While I was scuba diving. Actually, she was my instructor.’
I turn to him. ‘Graeme, that’s amazing!’
He nods, sliding a smile my way that looks almost bashful. ‘Yeah, it is. She is. Anyway, I wanted to tell you in person. I’ve already told Alex.’
‘Tell me what?’
‘We’re getting married this Christmas. And … we’ve got plans to move back home soon too. Not to London – we’re thinking about the south coast, where she’s from.’
I smile, genuinely thrilled for him. ‘Oh, Graeme. That’s fantastic. Congratulations.’
‘Thank you. You know, Moll – for the first time in a long while, I’m really starting to think … that everything might be okay.’
We sit there together for a few moments in contented silence, searching the sky for stars. And then I rest both my hands on my belly, the belly that’s cradling mine and Alex’s baby daughter. We’re naming her Julia, after Alex’s mum.
‘Actually, Graeme, I think it already is.’
Discussion Questions
Compromise is a part of marriage. Discuss the sacrifices that Molly and Alex made for each other. Were they equal in this? Are some sacrifices just too large to make?
Graeme is incensed that his brother is dating a girl that he spoke to first and Alex is furious when he discovers that Graeme has slept with Nicola. Did they both act badly? Are certain people ‘off-limits’ and why?
Graeme has feelings for his brother’s wife. What is the best way forward in this situation? Honesty or secrecy?
The man that Molly married has changed into somebody new. Do you think she is obligated to stay with Alex? What would you think of her if she left him?
Even before the accident Molly and Alex have different ideas about their future. How important is this in a long-term relationship? Was it a mistake for them to get married so quickly or is love all that matters?
Molly tries to cope with Alex alone in their home and understandably runs into difficulties. Do you think that Molly took the best course of action? What other paths could she have taken?
Graeme believes that his father partly held him responsible for his mother’s death. How guilty should he feel? How much is a child ever to blame when their actions result in tragedy?
In their father’s will, the cottage was left solely to Alex. What is the best way forward in this situation? Do you think Alex dealt with it correctly?
Molly’s life doesn’t turn out like she expected it to. Do people know what they want in life? How much does the gap between what you think you want and how things end up relate to happiness?
Molly comes from a wealthy, loving family and has parents who are always present and willing to help. Alex and Graeme come from a home of tragedy, sadness and alcoholism. How do their backgrounds affect them as people?
Friends and family are eager to lend Molly and Alex a hand or listening ear. Do they always do this entirely honourably or does self-interest come into play? Does anyone ever act purely out of a desire to help?
Nicola is a constant, and unwelcome, presence in Molly’s life. How does this affect her relationship with Alex? Do you think Alex should have acted differently where his ex was concerned?
Should Graeme have told Molly the truth about his part in Alex’s accident? Should he have told the police? Would this have caused more harm than good?
Did you forgive Graeme at the end of the novel? How do you feel about the way Molly acted towards him?
The author has chosen to tell this story using both Molly and Alex’s voices, each looking at a different time in their relationship. How does this affect how you feel towards the characters? Why hasn’t she chosen to include Graeme’s voice and how does this change your feelings towards him?
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my wonderful agent, Rebecca Ritchie, for all your help, support and encouragement. Thanks also to my editor Eve Hall, for your never-ending enthusiasm and invaluable creative input. And to Kimberley Atkins, for believing in me and this story from the outset. Many thanks as well to Karen Whitlock, Sophie Elletson, the whole team at Michael Joseph and everybody at Curtis Brown.
I am indebted to the following people and organizations who were kind enough to share their professional and personal experiences with me while I was researching this book. I will be for ever grateful; thank you all for your advice, openness and generosity. In no particular order: Dudley Garner, Linda Atterton, Deb Troops of Headsmatter, Joshua Troops, and Charlotte Fox of Occupational Therapy Norfolk. The charity Headway has also been a hugely helpful source of information; I would especially like to thank Kathy Bullock and the clients of Headway Cambridgeshire for being so open and making me feel so welcome. Any errors, omissions or inaccuracies with regard to medical and related details are entirely my own.
Lastly, thank you to my family, friends and Mark, for everlasting love and support.
THE BEGINNING
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PENGUIN BOOKS
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First published in 2017
Copyright © Rebecca Done, 2017
The moral right of the author has been asserted
Cover photo © Getty Images
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental.
ISBN: 978-1-405-92397-2
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