Eileen put on a smile as a car pulled up outside the house. ‘Right, Lucy. Time to go.’ As she helped her 12-year-old daughter carry her bags out to the waiting taxi, she struggled to hold back the tears. Her ex-husband and his new wife sat inside the car, not even making eye contact with her.
‘Call me when you get there, won’t you?’ Eileen said.
‘I’ll try,’ replied Lucy, her eyes shining with excitement.
‘I wish I could take you on a holiday abroad, darling.’
‘Maybe you will one day,’ replied Lucy.
Eileen laughed. ‘Not unless I win the lottery.’
The taxi driver hooted impatiently, so Lucy climbed inside and greeted her dad.
‘Bye, Mum. I’ll be back before you know it.’
As the cab drove away, Eileen wiped her eyes. She’d love to be able to take her daughter on a fabulous sunshine holiday but, on her pay, it was a struggle keeping up with the mortgage, let alone anything else.
The house felt sad and empty. She picked up a magazine,
