When Dreams Come True

By Amanda Paull

Michelle Cameron is off to live in Pamplona. Her fiancé is waiting at the airport. All her dreams are about to come true. Or are they?

 

As teenager, Michelle fell in love with all things Spanish. After years of hard work and careful planning, she's finally moving to Pamplona. A great job, fabulous apartment and gorgeous boyfriend await her. Life doesn't get better than this. But once she arrives, the revelations begin. Was she naïve to follow her dream? Should she pack up and go home? Or could she still make it work?

 

If you like stories that make you laugh as well as gasp, then you'll love When Dreams Come True, Amanda Paull's short prequel to her novel Pictures in the Sky.

 

Download it today to find out if Michelle catches her star.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amanda Paull
• Release date: Jul 21, 2018
• ISBN: 9798201038557

Amanda Paull

Amanda Paull is a writer of Women's Fiction and Romantic Comedy. She lives with her husband in the North East of England, and likes nothing better than to escape with a good book or binge-watch a Netflix boxset.

Book preview

When Dreams Come True

Prequel to Pictures in the Sky

Amanda Paull

Contents

Contents

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Dear Reader

About the Author

Also by Amanda Paull

Dedication

Copyright

1

Newcastle Airport 1988

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Michelle watched her suitcase trundle off along the belt with a strange mixture of elation and dread. The day she had been planning and dreaming about for ten years had finally arrived. She was moving to Spain – her favourite place in the whole world. But something was amiss – where were the ‘Yays’, the hugs and the smiles? Why, instead of feeling excited, was her stomach churning with fear and uncertainty?

‘You’ll be back for Christmas before you know it,’ said Audrey, her mother. ‘Maybe you could bring some Spanish Christmas crackers with you?’

Michelle swallowed the sob that was threatening to escape. ‘I’m not sure they have them in Spain, Mam. I’ll bring some Turrón, that nutty one you like.’

Audrey’s lips formed a Yardley, frosted pink ‘O’ as she turned to her husband in disbelief. ‘Did you hear that, Tom? No crackers. Christmas in Spain without crackers...’ This revelation appeared to upset her more than her daughter’s impending emigration.

Michelle, assuming personal responsibility for the Spanish cracker situation, felt obliged to compensate further. ‘And what about some Nina Ricci perfume from duty free?’

‘Ooh, that would be nice,’ Audrey said with a little smile. ‘But perhaps give the nutty Turron a miss.’

A memory flashed into Michelle’s mind – her mother screaming in pain, spitting out half a molar and cursing ‘stupid Spanish toffee’. ‘I could get the nice soft nougat and cherry one?’

Tom’s eyes lit up. ‘And maybe a bottle of single Malt?’

Michelle laughed. ‘Of course.’ She turned to her brother. ‘And yes, Gary, before you ask... I’ll bring you a giant Toblerone.’

She noticed a glimmer of gratitude attempt to surface before it was niftily suppressed by a teenage scowl. ‘So, they’re getting nougat, perfume and whisky, and I’m getting one measly tube of chocolate?’ Gary thrust his hands into the pockets of his baggy jeans and kicked a discarded cigarette butt across the floor. ‘Skinflint.’

Michelle felt none of her usual excitement as they ambled along. She had loved Newcastle airport ever since their early childhood trips to see the planes taking off. As she used to watch the travellers bustling around, she’d try to guess where they were going. The smart people in suits, she’d decide, would be off to important business meetings in posh foreign hotels. They’d eat snails and cheese with shiny cutlery and drink expensive red wine from sparkly glasses. The families with hyper-active children in tow would be going to the seaside, somewhere exotic like Benidorm. Michelle had seen Benidorm on Wish you were here, and thought it looked amazing. The hotel would have swings, a slide, and a children’s club with a leader called Sally. Michelle wouldn’t have liked the club, too many older boys and girls to boss her around. She and Gary never questioned why the other children got to go on the planes, while they watched them. It didn’t matter; they were far too busy enjoying their special trip to the airport.

Today the atmosphere was different. A cold, sombre feeling hung in the air. Everyone seemed so serious and detached. Where were all the excited travellers? In fact, the only happy-ish-looking people around were her family, and she would have much preferred it