Cathy Glass - A Long Way from Home - Part 2 of 3

Contents Cover Title Page Copyright Chapter Ten: All New Chapter Eleven: Exhausted Chapter Twelve: Another Worry Chapter Thirteen: Good Girl Chapter Fourteen: Settling In Chapter Fifteen: Bad Parenting? PART II Chapter Sixteen: Foster Care Chapter Seventeen: First Night Chapter Eighteen: I Haven’t Got a Home Chapter Nineteen: Memories Moving Memoirs eNewsletter About the Publisher

Certain details in this story, including names, places and dates, have been changed to protect the family’s privacy.

HarperElement

An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk

First published by HarperElement 2018

FIRST EDITION

© Cathy Glass 2018

Cover layout design © HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 2018

Cover photograph © Elly De Vries/Arcangel (posed by model)

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

Cathy Glass asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

Find out about HarperCollins and the environment at

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Source ISBN: 9780008275891

Ebook Edition © February 2018 ISBN: 9780008275914

Version: 2018-01-15

Cover

Title Page Contents Cover Title Page Copyright Chapter Ten: All New Chapter Eleven: Exhausted Chapter Twelve: Another Worry Chapter Thirteen: Good Girl Chapter Fourteen: Settling In Chapter Fifteen: Bad Parenting? PART II Chapter Sixteen: Foster Care Chapter Seventeen: First Night Chapter Eighteen: I Haven’t Got a Home Chapter Nineteen: Memories Moving Memoirs eNewsletter About the Publisher

Copyright Copyright Contents Cover Title Page Copyright Chapter Ten: All New Chapter Eleven: Exhausted Chapter Twelve: Another Worry Chapter Thirteen: Good Girl Chapter Fourteen: Settling In Chapter Fifteen: Bad Parenting? PART II Chapter Sixteen: Foster Care Chapter Seventeen: First Night Chapter Eighteen: I Haven’t Got a Home Chapter Nineteen: Memories Moving Memoirs eNewsletter About the Publisher Certain details in this story, including names, places and dates, have been changed to protect the family’s privacy. HarperElement An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF www.harpercollins.co.uk First published by HarperElement 2018 FIRST EDITION © Cathy Glass 2018 Cover layout design © HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 2018 Cover photograph © Elly De Vries/Arcangel (posed by model) A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library Cathy Glass asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books. Find out about HarperCollins and the environment at www.harpercollins.co.uk/green Source ISBN: 9780008275891 Ebook Edition © February 2018 ISBN: 9780008275914 Version: 2018-01-15

Chapter Ten: All New Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven: Exhausted Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve: Another Worry

Chapter Thirteen: Good Girl

Chapter Fourteen: Settling In

Chapter Fifteen: Bad Parenting?

PART II

Chapter Sixteen: Foster Care

Chapter Seventeen: First Night

Chapter Eighteen: I Haven’t Got a Home

Chapter Nineteen: Memories

Moving Memoirs eNewsletter

About the Publisher

Chapter Ten

No words can describe how Elaine felt at that moment as she stood in the corridor outside the courtroom holding her daughter’s hand. Disbelief, euphoria, relief and panic combined as she stood immobile, staring after Ian. Then realization and responsibility kicked in. She was a parent and needed to behave like one. She looked at Anastasia, who returned her gaze, wide-eyed and confused. Did she understand what had just happened in the court room? Did she have any idea? She wasn’t crying or upset, so perhaps like her mother this was simply the end of a long and inevitable journey. ‘Are you all right, love?’ Elaine asked quietly, and Anastasia stared back.

Ian reappeared, out of breath and clutching his phone. ‘I got two photos of her,’ he said.

‘How was she?’ Elaine asked.

‘Upset, as you’d expect, but she wiped away her tears and put on a brave face for the photograph. I think she was pleased I’d asked her and that we are going to keep her memory alive for Anastasia.’

Ian showed her the two photographs he’d taken in the square outside the court house and Elaine’s eyes immediately filled. The woman was looking directly into the lens and trying to smile so that her daughter would have a positive image to remember her by. It felt uncomfortable standing outside the court room, looking at photographs as if they were on holiday. But these two pictures would probably be the most important either of them ever took. Elaine was pleased they were nice photos. A copy would go in Anastasia’s Life Story Book and another they’d frame and put on a shelf in her bedroom so she would grow up aware of her origins, just as the social worker had said.

Seeing Ian’s mobile phone, Anastasia agitated to look and he showed her the photographs and then put it away. Phones and cameras weren’t allowed in the court house.

‘Well,’ he said to Elaine with a big sigh, ‘we’ve finally done it! Congratulations.’ He kissed her cheek, then stooped to kiss Anastasia’s. Her skin felt cold. ‘I don’t think she’s warm enough,’ he said to Elaine. ‘Perhaps put on her hat, scarf and boots.’

‘Oh dear, yes, of course,’ Elaine said, immediately concerned for her daughter’s welfare.

They tucked themselves in a corner of the corridor out of the way, and Elaine unzipped the holdall and took out the fleece-lined boots, then the matching scarf, mittens and hat. Anastasia’s face lit up, clearly having never owned anything like this before.

‘I hope the boots fit,’ Elaine said, squatting beside her to put them on. She carefully slipped off the plimsolls she was wearing and, with Anastasia steadying herself against Ian’s leg, she eased her feet into the boots. They were slightly too big but better that than too small. Anastasia looked down at them, delighted. Elaine tucked her jogging pants into the boots and then eased her little hands into the mittens. Anastasia was still holding the crucifix and later Elaine would put it somewhere safe. She tied the woollen scarf loosely around her neck and put on her hat. It felt strange dressing her, like dressing a doll, but she knew she’d soon get used to it.