Coming Home: An uplifting feel good novel with family secrets at its heart

She had two hours to wait. She sat in a side-street café next to the stage door and ordered a coke, her eyes glued to the theatre’s exit. She could hear the band through the back wall and the applause from the audience as the last curtain call was taken.

She finished the coke and, leaving the money by the empty glass, she walked to the stage door. She was the first person there. Soon the fans would have escaped the theatre and be here, jostling with their programmes for autographs. She stood her ground as they started to arrive.

The stage door opened and a gaggle of the girl dancers appeared in leggings and warm cardigans, still with their showgirl make-up on. Their boyfriends swiftly escorted them away. Next came some men carrying musical instruments, then two glamorous women, a double act, Sennen supposed, who signed a few autographs and then … there he was.

Her heart missed a beat. His dark hair was even longer, hanging sexily in his eyes and tumbling over his shoulders. He beamed at the autograph hunters as they pressed forward.

She held back, wanting to freeze this moment for as long as she could. He signed a woman’s ticket and, giving her pen back, looked around for the next person who wanted his attention. And saw her. At least, she thought he did. He reached for another pen, signed another programme, posed for another photograph then reached his hand out to her. She took it. ‘Hello,’ she said smiling at him. ‘Surprise.’

He smiled back in confused recognition, then froze. He dropped her hand.

‘Ali. It’s me,’ she said, suddenly fearful.

Another woman’s hand reached to grasp his. He smiled now, but not at Sennen. He was looking at someone behind her. ‘Darling,’ he said.

Sennen turned. A pretty blonde with long legs was pulling him from the crowd. ‘Ali, come on. I promised the babysitter we’d be back.’

Sennen stood between them. ‘Ali? It’s me, Sennen.’

He knew who she was. His eyes told her that. For a second he stared back at her with what, fear? Panic? The woman pushed Sennen out of the way. ‘Excuse me, love. He needs to get out of here.’

Sennen fell back as Ali swept past, looking anywhere but at her.

When Rosemary and Rachel got home later that evening, Sennen was already packed.

‘What are you doing?’ asked Rosemary, puzzled.

‘You’re going back,’ she said, struggling with the straps of her rucksack.

‘What?’ asked Rosemary.

Sennen looked at her, as though she were a halfwit. ‘It’s what you want isn’t it?

‘Well, yes, but … not right now. I’m sort of enjoying it now.’

Rachel, leaning against the bedroom door, held her hands up. ‘I know Spanish dentists can be bad, but this is ridiculous.’

Sennen turned on her. ‘It’s nothing to do with a dentist, I just … I just want to go. Okay?’

Rachel shrugged. ‘No skin off my nose. I’m going to make a cuppa if anyone’s interested.’

Alone in their room, Rosemary sat on the bed and watched as Sennen gathered up her passport and make-up.

‘What’s happened?’ she asked gently. ‘Is it Henry and Ella? Are they okay? Are you missing them?’

Sennen sat down and burst into tears. ‘I don’t know. I just … It’s me.’

‘What’s you?’

‘I just want to leave here, okay?’

‘Henry and Ella will be pleased to see you.’

‘Stop talking about them!’ Sennen rubbed her tears away ferociously.

‘But you’re their mum.’

‘Shut up! I don’t want Rachel to hear. Forget about them. I have.’

‘Have you?’

Sennen dissolved into tears again. ‘No,’ she sobbed. ‘But I want freedom. I don’t want to be judged any more. I don’t want my sainted parents looking at me in their disappointed way any more. I don’t want to be woken up at all hours of the night. I want to sleep, and lie in – and be me again.’

‘I’d love to have a baby,’ said Rosemary quietly.

Sennen pulled herself together and wiped her nose. ‘That’s what I thought, too.’

‘But I’ll have their dad to help me,’ said Rosemary.

‘Ha,’ Sennen scoffed, stuffing a pair of socks from the floor into her rucksack, ‘assuming he’ll want to hang around.’

‘I’m sorry.’ Rosemary passed Sennen a clean tissue. ‘I shouldn’t have said that.’ She watched as Sennen rubbed the smeared mascara from her face. ‘Any chance that their dad would help you?’

Sennen laughed bitterly. ‘Oh no. Absolutely not.’

Through the long night Sennen and Rosemary talked. Eventually Rosemary persuaded Sennen to return to Cornwall with her in the morning. ‘We’ll get the earliest ferry. We’ll go to your parents first and explain. I’ll be with you. By tomorrow night you will be in your own bed and Ella and Henry will be so happy to have their mummy home.’

They got up and left the squat before Rachel woke up. Sennen left a note saying thank you and to tell Tomas that they were sorry, and Rosemary left half of her tip money next to it.

The sun was coming up as they walked towards the docks. The first boat from England had just come in and the cars with their shiny GB stickers were disembarking. The girls had to cross the road to the ferry terminal to buy their tickets and waited as the cars went by. A man driving an estate car full to the gunnels with luggage, two children in the back and his wife in the front, slowed to wave them over.

Rosemary lifted her hand in a wave of thanks. The wife stared at them. She nudged her husband, then lifted a newspaper from her lap. Sennen saw the photos of herself and Rosemary on the front page.

‘Run!’ she said sharply to Rosemary. ‘Hide your face and run.’

In the terminal they dashed into the ladies loo, out of breath and panicking. ‘They saw us,’ gulped Sennen. ‘Shit. We’re in the papers.’

Rosemary went white. ‘We must be in so much trouble!’

Sennen searched for her purse. ‘Here.’ She shoved what money she had into Rosemary’s hand. ‘Take it and go. I’m not coming with you.’

‘But you must! You said you would,’ Rosemary pleaded. ‘We’ll go together. It’ll be okay.’

‘Go and buy a ticket and get on that boat,’ ordered Sennen.

‘I’m not going without you,’ Rosemary sobbed.

Sennen rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand. A bad headache was setting in. ‘Okay, okay.’