The best of friends

Julia, do hurry up! You don’t want to be late on your first day.” It’s Mum calling up from the hall. The face staring back at me from the mirror is tense and pale and even under all that makeup the fr

JESSIE didn’t bother to knock before entering her parents’ house. “Hello, I come bearing gingerbread men! Call me the gingerbread woman.” The hallway was strung with fairy lights and colourful paper c

OK? Ready?” “Yep.” Fi smiled at Brand. She then picked up the bags full of presents, hoping her face had been convincing. There had been a time when she’d loved these family gatherings at Christmas bu

GOOD morning! Seems like we’re both up bright and early today!” Dianne Fernsby smiled at the red-breasted visitor who hopped about on the bird table close to her kitchen window as she filled the kettl

Alan, don’t you think it’s time you got cleaned up? Grantham’s coming to tea.” Helen looked at her sixteen-year-old son’s filthy overalls and grease-streaked arms. “I wish you wouldn’t get quite so di

SO, how have you been?” Jen took a sip of her coffee and looked expectantly at her friend. “Fine,” Elsa answered. “Oh, come on. There must be more than that. What about the dishy dentist?” “Hopeless,”