Page 22 of Good Sisters

‘Beef bourguignon, Dad’s favourite. Mum’s special recipe.’ I paused as a wave of grief hit me. It was like a punch in the gut. It winded me.

Christelle patted my hand. ‘It’s hard for you, Julie. It must still be very raw.’

I wiped my eyes with the bottom of my apron. ‘It still hurts like hell, to be honest.’

She gave me a hug. ‘Anne was a unique person. It’s only natural she would leave a big hole in your life.’

I nodded. ‘That’s exactly it. She was so special, so good to all of us.’

Christelle grinned. ‘Well, I thought she didn’t like me at first. She sort of, like, held me at arm’s length, like, who is this person? What does she want?’

I laughed. ‘I can’t deny it,’ I said. ‘She was wary of you, this gorgeous French-American young woman suddenly turning up and saying you were Harry’s daughter.’

‘I can understand it,’ Christelle said, with one of her magnificent Parisian shrugs. She was such a brilliant mix of her American mother and her childhood in Paris. ‘Anne was looking out for her son-in-law. She really liked Harry.’

‘She did,’ I said, feeling another gut-punch. ‘They were great friends from the very start. The first time I broughthim home, he ended up helping her fix a shelf in the hot-press. Then they had a whiskey to toast each other and talked for about two hours straight. I didn’t get a look-in.’

Christelle threw back her head and laughed. ‘I can so see that.’

‘She loved you too. Once Mum got to know you, she thought the world of you. She was always telling me how lucky I was to have you, as if I didn’t know.’

‘That’s lovely,’ Christelle said softly. ‘I had so much respect for the way Anne was with Clara, and I think she respected how I was able to connect so well with Clara too. And she always said I was the only person who could keep the triplets under control. “I don’t know how you do it,” she’d say. “Those boys never listen to me.”’

‘She was right. Oh, God, what am I going to do without you?’ I hugged my stepdaughter tightly.

‘I’m only going for a few months. You and Dad should come and visit me and Kelly in South America.’

‘If I survive this rugby palaver, I might!’ I chuckled.

‘It’s just a game. Don’t get stressed. Enjoy watching the boys being happy playing their beloved rugby. It’s good that they can get all of their energy out on the pitch. Dad promised to send me videos of the games.’

‘I’ll try to get him to send just the highlights. He’s obsessed.’

‘One of the reasons I’m going to a different continent is so that I don’t have to listen to any more quotes from Clive Woodwork, or whatever his name is.’

We fell about laughing. I was really going to miss having Christelle around, Kelly too. My laughing tears turned to sad ones … again.

Luke strolled in and, seeing me wiping my cheeks, stopped dead in his tracks. ‘Are you okay, Mum?’ he asked.

‘I’m fine, pet.’

‘No, you’re not,’ Christelle said. ‘Luke, your mum is sad about your granny, also about me leaving, and she’s stressed about all the rugby stuff too. Give her a hug,’ she ordered her brother.

‘What?’ Luke’s eyes widened.

‘Go on, she needs a hug.’

Luke put his arms around my shoulders and tapped them awkwardly.

I kissed his cheek. ‘Thanks, love.’

Liam walked in. ‘Dude, are you hugging Mum?’

‘Christelle made me.’

‘It’s called affection and being kind to your mother,’ Christelle said.

‘Do I have to give her one too?’ Liam asked. ‘No offence, Mum, it’s just embarrassing.’

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