by Judi Curtin
Nell leaned over and squeezed her sister’s hand, and everyone coughed and rubbed their faces and pretended not to have tears in their eyes.
After that, everyone chatted for a long time. Daisy told us a lot about her children, and her life in America. It all sounded strange and foreign, and very, very different to what her life would have been if she’d stayed in Seacove. It was totally weird how one lie from George Eades had made so much difference to so many people.
I hadn’t noticed Kate’s dad slipping away, and was surprised when I heard another car pulling up outside.
‘Are we expecting someone else?’ asked Kate.
Zoe just smiled at her, but didn’t reply.
Then the door opened, and Kate’s dad wheeled Rose into the room. Daisy was telling Nell all about her job as a children’s nurse, and she didn’t see her at first. Then she looked up, and her face went pale. I thought it must have been at the shock of seeing her friend all old and frail and in a wheelchair. That would have to be a big shock for anyone.
‘Rose!’ gasped Daisy. ‘You’re here. It’s really you. And you haven’t changed at all.’
She ran over and stroked her face, and hugged her, and they both laughed and cried and then laughed some more.
And all at once I realized that Daisy wasn’t seeing the wheelchair or the wrinkles or the thin, scraggly grey hair. All she could see was her dear old friend from so many years ago.
Daisy and Rose chatted for a long time. They told Nell all about Florrie and Jean-Marc. Then they told Kate and me about the many hours they spent in Manning’s field.
‘We call that field the Island of Dreams,’ said Kate.
‘How sweet,’ said Rose.
‘Mammy used to make us picnics,’ said Daisy.
‘We’d go off for hours,’ said Rose. ‘We’d lie on the grass and watch the clouds and talk about our foolish dreams.’
‘And you climbed Jeremy?’ I asked.
Rose and Daisy looked puzzled.
‘The big tree,’ I said. ‘Kate and I call it Jeremy.’
I was starting to feel a bit stupid, but changed my mind when Daisy gave a big smile. ‘Jeremy,’ she said. ‘A perfect name. I wish I’d thought of it myself.’
‘We could bring you to Manning’s field if you like,’ said Kate. ‘So you can see what it’s like now.’
But Daisy sat back, suddenly looking old and tired. ‘Maybe later,’ she said.
‘This must have been an exhausting few days for you,’ said Mum.
Daisy smiled. ‘Exhausting, but wonderful,’ she said. ‘Everything has been simply perfect.’
I saw my opportunity. ‘There’s just one more thing,’ I said.
Everyone watched as I reached into my bag and pulled out the old, red, leather-bound book.
‘I don’t believe it,’ said Daisy. ‘It’s my old diary. The one Mammy and Daddy gave me for my thirteenth birthday.’
I nodded.
‘I thought it was gone forever,’ sighed Daisy.
‘Eva and I found it in the shed,’ said Kate. ‘That’s what started this whole thing. That’s how we knew about what had happened to your dad.’
Suddenly I felt embarrassed. ‘I read it, Daisy,’ I said. ‘I’m sorry about that. I know that diaries are supposed to be private. It’s just that …’
Daisy patted my hand. ‘Don’t apologise, child,’ she said. ‘I’m sure most of what’s inside here is just girlish foolishness. And if you hadn’t read the diary, none of us would be here now. Daddy would never have been exonerated, and I would never have found my lovely sister. I am so very happy that you read my diary.’
She took the diary, and for a long time no one said anything. We watched as Daisy turned the pages slowly, sometimes smiling and sometimes wiping away a small tear. Finally she got to the last entry. She looked at it for a while, and then she reached into her handbag and took out a pen. I held my breath as she turned to the next blank page. In perfect, familiar letters, she began to write.
October 22nd
Today, thanks to the kindness of strangers, I came back home.
About the Author
JUDI CURTIN grew up in Cork and now lives in Limerick where she is married with three children. Judi is the author of Eva’s Journey, Eva’s Holiday and Leave it to Eva as well as the best-selling ‘Alice & Megan’ series. With Roisin Meaney, she is the author of See If I Care. She has also written three novels, Sorry, Walter, From Claire to Here and Almost Perfect. Her books have sold into Serbian, Portuguese, German, Russian, Lithuanian and most recently to Australia and New Zealand.
The ‘Alice & Megan’ series
Alice Next Door
Alice Again
Don’t Ask Alice
Alice in the Middle
Bonjour Alice
Alice & Megan Forever
Alice to the Rescue
Alice & Megan’s Cookbook
The ‘Eva’ Series
Eva’s Journey
Eva’s Holiday
Leave it to Eva
Other Books
See If I Care (with Roisin Meaney)
Copyright
This ebook edition first published 2013
by The O’Brien Press Ltd,
12 Terenure Road East, Rathgar, Dublin 6, Ireland.
Tel: +353 1 4923333; Fax: +353 1 4922777
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.obrien.ie
First published 2013
eBook ISBN: 978–1–84717–618–9
Text © copyright Judi Curtin 2013
Copyright for typesetting, layout, editing, design
© The O’Brien Press Ltd
UNAUTHORISED COPYING IS ILLEGAL
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, including electronic, digital, mechanical, visual or audio, or mounted on any network servers, without permission in writing from the publisher. Carrying out any unauthorised act in relation to a copyright work may result in both a civil claim for damages and criminal prosecution. For permission to copy any part of this publication contact The O’Brien Press Ltd at [email protected].
Layout and design: The O’Brien Press Ltd
Cover illustration: Woody Fox
The O’Brien Press receives assistance from
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