by Sue Welfare
Both girls shook their heads.
‘Too long for the billboards,’ said Charlotte. ‘And way too fussy. People won’t know how to spell it. No, we need something catchy and memorable.’
‘Hang on a minute then,’ said Harry, picking up the evening paper from the bedside table.
‘What are you doing?’ asked Linda. ‘Don’t tell me you’re looking at births, deaths and marriages?’
Harry laughed. ‘No, I just thought I’d see what was on at the Odeon.’
‘You planning a trip to the pictures?’ said Linda incredulously.
‘Don’t be daft. I was just thinking we could look to see what’s on and who’s in it, see if any of the names go with Lydia.’
‘I’m not sure I even like Lydia,’ Linda began, not that either Harry or Charlotte were taking any notice of her.
‘How about Lydia McQueen?’ said Charlotte, reading over Harry’s shoulder. ‘Oh, or Lydia Brando. Or Lydia Eastwood?’
‘No,’ said Harry. ‘You need to take this seriously. We’ve only got another ten minutes and then we have to be going or we’re not going to be there in time for the run through.’
If Charlotte had any other opinion about how much time it would take to get there this time she kept it to herself, and instead took a long hard look at the cinema programme. ‘Okay. The Sting. Lydia Redford or Lydia Newman. What do you reckon?’
Harry nodded. ‘They both sound good to me. Classy but of the people.’
Linda stared at him. ‘Of the people? What on earth is that supposed to mean, Harry?’
Neither of them appeared to be listening to her, instead Charlotte nodded. ‘I knew you were the man for the job, Harry. I was thinking – if we get spotted tonight we’re going to need a manager to handle all this sort of stuff. What do you reckon, do you think you’d be up to it?’
Linda stared at her in amazement while Harry, pulling back his shoulders and coming over all manly, appeared genuinely flattered. ‘Well,’ he began.
‘Charlotte, stop it – You know what you dad said about not saying anything or signing anything?’ Linda said.
Charlotte laughed. ‘Which is why we’re getting changed here and not over at my place. You’re a natural, Harry. Isn’t he, Lin? I mean he manages his dad’s shop, doesn’t he, and you’re always saying what a good job he does.’ Charlotte gave Linda a great big pantomime wink.
Harry said, ‘I’m not sure about that,’ but Linda could see he was warming to Charlotte’s flattery.
‘Of course you are,’ said Charlotte, patting him on the shoulder. ‘Anyway. Names. What do you think? Lydia Redford or Lydia Newman.’
Harry was busy pulling a coin out of his trouser pocket. ‘Heads for Redford, tails for Newman. Okay, Lin?’
Before Linda could reply he had flipped the coin up into the air. It spun over and over, catching the light as it peaked and then began to fall. She watched it with an odd detachment as Harry caught it, slapped it down onto the back of his hand and then peeled away his fingers to reveal the coin.
‘Heads,’ he said. ‘It’s heads.’
Mum on the Run
Fiona Gibson
The dreaded mums’ race at school sports day - every mother’s worst nightmare!
Laura Swan hopes to wriggle out it – but her daughter’s not taking ‘no’ for an answer. Racing against the super-fit mums is bad enough. But what Laura hadn’t bargained for was spotting her husband Jed, smirking on the sidelines with his delectable colleague Celeste . . .
Laura decides it’s time for drastic action. She steals her son’s trainers, drags herself around the local park – and gets a lot more than she bargained for when she finds herself a cute new running buddy called Danny . . .
Is Laura falling hopelessly in love with her running mate? And is it normal for a mother of three to buy saucy lingerie two aisles down from the gherkins in the supermarket? Mum on the Run will have you cheering on Laura as she desperately tries to rediscover her true self – and her pre-motherhood, wobble-free tum.
978-1-84756-249-4
£6.99
B-format paperback
Out now
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About the Author
Sue Welfare was born on the edge of the Fens and is perfectly placed to write about the vagaries of life in East Anglia. In between raising a family, singing in a choir, walking the dog, working in the garden, taking endless photos and cooking, Sue is also a scriptwriter, originating and developing a soap opera for BBC radio, along with a pantomime for the town in which she lives. Sue Welfare has written extensively under her own name appearing frequently on the Sunday Times bestseller lists, and writing both as Kate Lawson and Gemma Fox. Sue has had 8 novels published.
For more information on Sue and her alter egos go to www.katelawson.co.uk.
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By the same author
Mum’s the Word
Lessons in Love
Keeping Mum Mother of the Bride
Copyright
This novel is entirely a work of fiction.
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.
Copyright © Sue Welfare 2011
Sue Welfare asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN-13: 978-1-84756-118-3
EPub Edition © 2011 ISBN: 9780007432493
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