For Better or for Worse
By
Joanne Rawson
Take a trip to the steamy side of English suburbia. To the envying eyes of the locals, three ordinary women in their forties seem to have wonderful families and excellent careers. Or do they?
Annie Fitzgerald’s perfect marriage to the debonair Patrick falls apart when she discovers him having an affair. Struggling with a failed marriage, her world turns upside down. Suddenly being at home is not the ideal life she thought it would be. Annie finds solace in her salsa teacher. Patrick ends his affair, but with near fatal consequences.
Lorna Davies, mother of four children, is in a loveless marriage to Robin. Unexpectedly she literally runs into Ben Adams, an old flame from her teens. Secrets about her past that she has kept hidden for years are revealed, dramatically affecting her family, changing all their lives.
Celina Peel’s ex-husband, Ethan, arrives at her office after being gone twelve years. She truly believes him when he says he has changed. As Celina makes plans for the future with Ethan, she can not help wondering, has he changed or not? She encounters another problem, her son’s girlfriend. Unable to cut the apron strings, Celina has to accept Sam’s girlfriend or lose him forever.
To any passer-by, Rising Oaks was yet another suburban English village. However, Bishops Close, with its renovated cottages and small terraces converted into modern residences by couples escaping from the madness of city life, added a touch of wealth to the other grey houses and the ever-increasing rabbit warren of the housing estate. That is why, to the locals of Rising Oaks, it was a ritual to take daily walks or slow drives, straining to look into homes for ideas to take back to their shoebox houses and gardens, always in anticipation of a glimpse of three women. They really were just ordinary, but to the envied eyes of the locals, all had what seemed to be wonderful families and excellent careers, what most of the women of Rising Oaks aspired to have. These women, Annie Fitzgerald, Lorna Davies and Celina Peel, friends for years, seemed to be three perfect women, but in reality, each one had her secrets, trials and tribulations; what they never envisaged was how their lives would change one glorious day in June.
Lorna Davies weaved in and out of the traffic, with the dexterity of a Formula One driver, while at the same time on her car phone, apologised profusely to her boss for leaving the perspective buyers of 24 Madison Court in the lurch, assuring him that it would not happen again.
Battling through the one-way system, Lorna questioned herself about constantly pestering Robin to return to work, wondering now if she had made the right decision. Lorna openly admitted that her four children were not the typical role models, to any broody young mum, least of all to her new highflying boss at the estate agents where Lorna had just started to work. At her interview, Lorna made it perfectly clear that her four children were used to a working mother, and, with the nanny on hand, this job couldn’t be more suitable for her. Little did he know, Lorna thought as she sat, crossed legged, crossed fingered and appalled at herself, and at her blatant lies. Tara, seventeen now, had been a wonderful baby. Her nanny adored her. The birth of Lorna’s eight-year-old son Jason and twins, Wilson and Wayne, now six, not only gave Lorna and Robin a short sharp shock into parenting, but the nanny as well.
After her sudden departure, a succession of nannies had passed through their house. Timid Antoinette managed three weeks, finding Jason demanding twenty-four seven. Lorna had big hopes for Rula, but the day Lorna returned from work to find her bags packed in the hall, with a broken nose, and a couple of butterfly stitches in her eyebrow, she agreed that perhaps leaving was for the best. Heidi came with glowing references but was let go, no reflection on her work with the twins, but Robin seemed far too interested in the welfare of their pretty, blonde Norwegian nanny.
Just as Lorna was beginning to wonder if there was anyone out there that could cope with her children, the agency sent Comfort. Her name might be Comfort, but she ruled the boys and the rest of the family with a rod of iron. When the twins started school, she offered to stay, much to Lorna’s relief. Now here she was for the second time this month, leaving clients to rescue her boys, making promises she couldn’t keep that this would be the last time.
Lorna couldn’t understand what had spurred the boys’ latest caper. It had been a normal chaotic morning in the Davies house, Robin in his morning battle to pull Jason out of bed, Comfort in a frenzy packing lunches, kept one eye on the twins as they ate their scrambled eggs, making sure they were not sneaking it to Moggie their cat, while Lorna had yet another argument with Tara about spending the weekend in a tent with Thomas her new boyfriend at an animal rights rally. Then it all came to Lorna in a flash. "Of course, the little buggers. Tara and her animal rights issues." For one brief second, Lorna closed her eyes, knowing quite well that this last little escapade would cost either the boys having to leave St Thomas’ or put a big dent in last month’s bonus. As she opened her eyes, a four-wheel truck loomed up on her, stationary at the traffic lights. Standing on the breaks, the impact as she went into the back of the silver tank vibrated through her body, the sound of crushing metal sounded more expensive than the bribe for her sons’ misdemeanours.
"Shi ... shine a light." She unhooked her seatbelt, grabbed her bag then jumped out of the car.
Already the driver was out, slammed his door then gestured a finger of discontent to a passing vehicle sounding its horn.
"You stupid woman. What in the name ... "
"Sorry, it was totally my fault. There has been an emergency, and I need to get to my children’s school." Lorna started rummaging through her bag. "I’m sure we can sort this out amicably, without insurance. The last thing I need is an issue with my husband. Damn, where are my cards?"
Ben Adams assessed the damage to his precious truck, not at all interested in a dumb housewife’s domestic issues. Happy that there was more damage to her vehicle than his, he looked for the first time at the panic-stricken woman. Were his eyes deceiving him? After all these years of hoping, that on the off chance he would see her again? Maybe not quite like this. Ben had imagined he would see Lorna walking around a supermarket, perhaps seeing her from across the street, definitely not having her crash into him. Yet here she was, Lorna Miles, as she had been all those years ago when she left him broken hearted. The crash had just made his day.
"Not much damage. Just a scratch on the bumper and a crack in the brake light."
"Oh," was all she could say, amazed by his calmness, hoping that Robin would take the news of her crushed bonnet with the same composure, which was highly unlikely seeing, as Robin had zero tolerance with any women drivers. "Here’s my card. Whatever it costs, just send me the bill."
Lorna passed the card over, suddenly aware how her heartbeat had become rapid and strong, beating inside her chest. Without being too obvious, she moved forward to take a better look at him. If she were not so vain and wore her glasses, she would have recognized him right away. Her body began to shake inside, finding it hard to breathe, desperate to fill her lungs with fresh air. He was older. The once slender body now had muscles in all the right places. Was it really him? Most of all did he know it was her?
DOWNLOAD FOR ONLY 0.77p FROM: www.amazon.co.uk
OR: $0.99 FROM: www.melange-books.com www.barnesandnobel.com www.allromanceebooks.com www.smashwords.com
By
Joanne Rawson
Take a trip to the steamy side of English suburbia. To the envying eyes of the locals, three ordinary women in their forties seem to have wonderful families and excellent careers. Or do they?
Annie Fitzgerald’s perfect marriage to the debonair Patrick falls apart when she discovers him having an affair. Struggling with a failed marriage, her world turns upside down. Suddenly being at home is not the ideal life she thought it would be. Annie finds solace in her salsa teacher. Patrick ends his affair, but with near fatal consequences.
Lorna Davies, mother of four children, is in a loveless marriage to Robin. Unexpectedly she literally runs into Ben Adams, an old flame from her teens. Secrets about her past that she has kept hidden for years are revealed, dramatically affecting her family, changing all their lives.
Celina Peel’s ex-husband, Ethan, arrives at her office after being gone twelve years. She truly believes him when he says he has changed. As Celina makes plans for the future with Ethan, she can not help wondering, has he changed or not? She encounters another problem, her son’s girlfriend. Unable to cut the apron strings, Celina has to accept Sam’s girlfriend or lose him forever.
For Better or for Worse
By
Joanne Rawson
To any passer-by, Rising Oaks was yet another suburban English village. However, Bishops Close, with its renovated cottages and small terraces converted into modern residences by couples escaping from the madness of city life, added a touch of wealth to the other grey houses and the ever-increasing rabbit warren of the housing estate. That is why, to the locals of Rising Oaks, it was a ritual to take daily walks or slow drives, straining to look into homes for ideas to take back to their shoebox houses and gardens, always in anticipation of a glimpse of three women. They really were just ordinary, but to the envied eyes of the locals, all had what seemed to be wonderful families and excellent careers, what most of the women of Rising Oaks aspired to have. These women, Annie Fitzgerald, Lorna Davies and Celina Peel, friends for years, seemed to be three perfect women, but in reality, each one had her secrets, trials and tribulations; what they never envisaged was how their lives would change one glorious day in June.
Lorna Davies weaved in and out of the traffic, with the dexterity of a Formula One driver, while at the same time on her car phone, apologised profusely to her boss for leaving the perspective buyers of 24 Madison Court in the lurch, assuring him that it would not happen again.
Battling through the one-way system, Lorna questioned herself about constantly pestering Robin to return to work, wondering now if she had made the right decision. Lorna openly admitted that her four children were not the typical role models, to any broody young mum, least of all to her new highflying boss at the estate agents where Lorna had just started to work. At her interview, Lorna made it perfectly clear that her four children were used to a working mother, and, with the nanny on hand, this job couldn’t be more suitable for her. Little did he know, Lorna thought as she sat, crossed legged, crossed fingered and appalled at herself, and at her blatant lies. Tara, seventeen now, had been a wonderful baby. Her nanny adored her. The birth of Lorna’s eight-year-old son Jason and twins, Wilson and Wayne, now six, not only gave Lorna and Robin a short sharp shock into parenting, but the nanny as well.
After her sudden departure, a succession of nannies had passed through their house. Timid Antoinette managed three weeks, finding Jason demanding twenty-four seven. Lorna had big hopes for Rula, but the day Lorna returned from work to find her bags packed in the hall, with a broken nose, and a couple of butterfly stitches in her eyebrow, she agreed that perhaps leaving was for the best. Heidi came with glowing references but was let go, no reflection on her work with the twins, but Robin seemed far too interested in the welfare of their pretty, blonde Norwegian nanny.
Just as Lorna was beginning to wonder if there was anyone out there that could cope with her children, the agency sent Comfort. Her name might be Comfort, but she ruled the boys and the rest of the family with a rod of iron. When the twins started school, she offered to stay, much to Lorna’s relief. Now here she was for the second time this month, leaving clients to rescue her boys, making promises she couldn’t keep that this would be the last time.
Lorna couldn’t understand what had spurred the boys’ latest caper. It had been a normal chaotic morning in the Davies house, Robin in his morning battle to pull Jason out of bed, Comfort in a frenzy packing lunches, kept one eye on the twins as they ate their scrambled eggs, making sure they were not sneaking it to Moggie their cat, while Lorna had yet another argument with Tara about spending the weekend in a tent with Thomas her new boyfriend at an animal rights rally. Then it all came to Lorna in a flash. "Of course, the little buggers. Tara and her animal rights issues." For one brief second, Lorna closed her eyes, knowing quite well that this last little escapade would cost either the boys having to leave St Thomas’ or put a big dent in last month’s bonus. As she opened her eyes, a four-wheel truck loomed up on her, stationary at the traffic lights. Standing on the breaks, the impact as she went into the back of the silver tank vibrated through her body, the sound of crushing metal sounded more expensive than the bribe for her sons’ misdemeanours.
"Shi ... shine a light." She unhooked her seatbelt, grabbed her bag then jumped out of the car.
Already the driver was out, slammed his door then gestured a finger of discontent to a passing vehicle sounding its horn.
"You stupid woman. What in the name ... "
"Sorry, it was totally my fault. There has been an emergency, and I need to get to my children’s school." Lorna started rummaging through her bag. "I’m sure we can sort this out amicably, without insurance. The last thing I need is an issue with my husband. Damn, where are my cards?"
Ben Adams assessed the damage to his precious truck, not at all interested in a dumb housewife’s domestic issues. Happy that there was more damage to her vehicle than his, he looked for the first time at the panic-stricken woman. Were his eyes deceiving him? After all these years of hoping, that on the off chance he would see her again? Maybe not quite like this. Ben had imagined he would see Lorna walking around a supermarket, perhaps seeing her from across the street, definitely not having her crash into him. Yet here she was, Lorna Miles, as she had been all those years ago when she left him broken hearted. The crash had just made his day.
"Not much damage. Just a scratch on the bumper and a crack in the brake light."
"Oh," was all she could say, amazed by his calmness, hoping that Robin would take the news of her crushed bonnet with the same composure, which was highly unlikely seeing, as Robin had zero tolerance with any women drivers. "Here’s my card. Whatever it costs, just send me the bill."
Lorna passed the card over, suddenly aware how her heartbeat had become rapid and strong, beating inside her chest. Without being too obvious, she moved forward to take a better look at him. If she were not so vain and wore her glasses, she would have recognized him right away. Her body began to shake inside, finding it hard to breathe, desperate to fill her lungs with fresh air. He was older. The once slender body now had muscles in all the right places. Was it really him? Most of all did he know it was her?
DOWNLOAD FOR ONLY 0.77p FROM: www.amazon.co.uk
OR: $0.99 FROM: www.melange-books.com www.barnesandnobel.com www.allromanceebooks.com www.smashwords.com
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