TRUE-LIFE
I’d lost everyone overnight – all because of one selfish man
Summer Mace, 24, King’s Lynn
Flashing my stepdad Paul, then 38, a cheeky grin, I cleared my throat.
‘The first thing I said to you was I didn’t trust you,’ I joked into the mic.
It was August 2020, and I was giving a speech at a very special occasion.
The wedding of Paul to my mum Lisa, then 46. I was 16 when they met.
Mum had been divorced from my dad since I was 5. But as a typical teen I’d been frosty with Paul.
‘Yet you quickly became my best mate,’ I told him and the wedding guests now.
He’d brought fun and laughter into our house.
But the best thing about Paul was how happy he made Mum.
It was an honour to speak at their wedding, share my love for them both.
‘You two were made for each other,’ I said, as Mum and Paul beamed proudly.
That night, our family partied in a marquee in my auntie Laura’s garden.
Me and my older sister Jade, then 22, belted out Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis, danced like loons.
After, Mum and Paul settled into married life.
Me and Jade still lived at home with them, and Paul, a builder, was always working on the house, usually with Mum, a mobile hairdresser, calling the shots.
They loved gardening, kept chickens. Were devoted to their three French bulldogs and poodle.
‘I’m going travelling,’ Jade said in summer 2022, announcing plans to backpack around Asia.
‘I’ll head off in September 2023, start in Thailand.’
Jade had an insatiable love for life. When she wasn’t being a social worker she was at a music festival.
Always first on the dance floor at parties.
‘I’ll miss you,’ I said, but I was excited for her, too.
One day in January 2023, Jade got the train to London with me and my girlfriend Orlath, then 24.
We went for dinner then to the theatre to see The Choir of Man.
‘I had a great time,’ Jade said, as me and Orlath got the train before her.
I tried Mum’s number but it just rang and rang
She was visiting family with Mum and Paul, whereas I was spending the weekend at Orlath’s house.
Next morning, I wrapped up warm to watch Orlath’s Sunday league football game from the sidelines.
Jade texted me throughout the day, as we chatted about how our family were.
Then, at 7.15pm, she stopped replying. ‘Probably back home now,’ I told Orlath.
Later, scrolling through my phone, I saw a news story about a car crash 25 minutes’ drive from where I lived.
How awful, I thought, heading to bed.
Next morning, I set off in my car for my drama teacher job and called Paul on my hands-free on the way.
Only, his
