Sisters

Praise for Sisters: ‘A moving and compelling tale exploring the heartbreak one impulsive lie can cause, breaking apart a family. Deft and confident, this book has it all: emotive and gripping in equal measure. Had to stop myself gulping it down in one go!’ Louise Mumford ‘I love everything about this book. If you like character-led novels, then they don’t come finer than this, with its beautifully developed personalities reacting to changing circumstances. Amongst the shocking revelations are touches of humour and lightness that balance the grief and darkness… “I couldn’t put the book down” may be a cliché, but I read this in one session that stretched into the early hours of the morning, from the shock of the opening to the ultimately satisfying conclusion.’ Alex Craigie ‘Judith Barrow is such a skilled storyteller I was completely immersed in the narrative, living alongside the characters as the plot played seamlessly out. It is hard to say too much about the story itself without including spoilers, but take it from me, Sisters is a first class read.’ Jane Cable SISTERS Judith Barrow HONNO MODERN FICTION For David Contents Title Page Dedication Prologue Part One Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Part Two Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-two Chapter Twenty-three Chapter Twenty-four Chapter Twenty-five Chapter Twenty-six Chapter Twenty-seven Chapter Twenty-eight Chapter Twenty-nine Chapter Thirty Chapter Thirty-one Chapter Thirty-two Chapter Thirty-three Part Three Chapter Thirty-four Chapter Thirty-five Chapter Thirty-six Chapter Thirty-seven Part Four Chapter Thirty-eight Chapter Thirty-nine Chapter Forty Chapter Forty-one Chapter Forty-two Chapter Forty-three Chapter Forty-four Chapter Forty-five Chapter Forty-six Chapter Forty-seven Chapter Forty-eight Chapter Forty-nine Chapter Fifty Chapter Fifty-one Chapter Fifty-two Chapter Fifty-three Chapter Fifty-four Chapter Fifty-five Chapter Fifty-six Chapter Fifty-seven Chapter Fifty-eight Chapter Fifty-nine Chapter Sixty Chapter Sixty-one Chapter Sixty-two Chapter Sixty-three Chapter Sixty-four Chapter Sixty-five Chapter Sixty-six Chapter Sixty-seven Chapter Sixty-eight Chapter Sixty-nine Chapter Seventy Chapter Seventy-one Chapter Seventy-two Chapter Seventy-three Chapter Seventy-four Chapter Seventy-five Chapter Seventy-six Chapter Seventy-seven Chapter Seventy-eight Chapter Seventy-nine Chapter Eighty Chapter Eighty-one Chapter Eighty-two Chapter Eighty-three Chapter Eighty-four Chapter Eighty-five Chapter Eighty-six Chapter Eighty-seven Chapter Eighty-eight Chapter Eighty-nine Chapter Ninety Chapter Ninety-One Chapter Ninety-two Chapter Ninety-three Chapter Ninety-four Chapter Ninety-five Chapter Ninety-six Chapter Ninety-seven Chapter Ninety-eight Chapter Ninety-nine Chapter One Hundred Chapter One Hundred and One Chapter One Hundred and Two Chapter One Hundred and Three Chapter One Hundred and Four Chapter One Hundred and Five Chapter One Hundred and Six Chapter One Hundred and Seven Chapter One Hundred and Eight Chapter One Hundred and Nine Chapter One Hundred and Ten Chapter One Hundred and Eleven Chapter One Hundred and Twelve Epilogue Acknowledgements About the Author Copyright Prologue 1981 I never wanted to be in Micklethwaite ever again. Yet here I am. And meeting the one person I never wanted to see again. Sisters don’t do what she did to me. I’ll never forgive her. Ever. Part One Chapter One Mandy, 1970 ‘Thanks, love, he’s not settled all night.’ I know, I heard him. Robert’s in Mum and Dad’s bedroom, next to mine, and the walls are thin. But I don’t say anything, I love my little brother and I’m proper chuffed that Mum trusts me to take him out in his new pram. They bought all new things for him because they’d got rid of everything after me: the pram, a cot, one of those seats that bounce when Dad lays him in it. And loads of clothes – Mum was knitting all the time before he was born. Most of the wool was yellow because we didn’t know if the baby would be a boy or a girl. When Dad came back from the hospital, after Robert was born, he kept repeating, ‘a son’, and that he was, ‘over the moon’. I think my sister was a bit jealous. She said it showed she was special, being the first girl, and that I was a disappointment because I wasn’t a lad. I don’t care, I get to play with him more because Angie says she has better things to do. I’m guessing she means dolling herself up and putting all that muck on her face. Mum tells people Robert was a total surprise. I can’t think he was that much of a surprise, seeing as how she must have known there was a baby in her tummy, seeing as how she got fatter and fatter. Anyhow, I know she loves him because she smiles all the time and laughs at everything he does. She says he’ll be sitting up before he’s six months old. I can’t wait – it’ll be good to show him all the birds and things in the garden. ‘I’ll just take Robert round the avenues, Mum. I’m going to call for Belinda. We won’t go off the estate. Promise.’ I grip the handle of the pram; it’s a bright and shiny blue with little letters that spell 5out ‘Silver Cross’ on the rim of the hood. I love pushing it around the avenues. ‘I’ll look after him. Cross my heart.’ ‘I know you will, Mandy. I’m not worried.’ Robert whimpers. I jiggle the pram. ‘Go on, then, before he starts again. Off you go. It’ll give me a chance to get the washing done.’ We both look up at the sky. There are no clouds, and the brightness hurts my eyes. ‘It’s a good drying day,’ I say. Mum laughs and gives me a quick hug. It’s something she always says on washdays like this. I walk steadily along the path, through the gate and onto the pavement. I know she’ll be watching to see how I’m managing; she always does. When I go round the corner to the next avenue, I go a bit faster. Robert’s muted grumbles mean if I stop, he’ll be in full throttle in no time. I take no