Blowing on my nails, I extended my arm to assess my manicure.‘That suits you,’ my big sister, Vicky, then 38, grinned. It was September 2018 and, Vicky, her wife, Naomi, 44, and our mum, Wendy, 63, were enjoying a spa day.
We’d lost my dad, Michael, 64, to leukemia that May, and his passing had taken a devastating toll on all of us. Adjusting to life without him had been so hard, and Vicky and I had found ourselves rallying around Mum, to make sure she was OK. That’s why we’d suggested a pamper day – it was what we all needed.
For Vicky in particular, it was a chance to relax, ahead of doing a charity skydive later that week to raise money for the hospice that had cared for Dad.
Kind acts like this were typical of my sister. Growing up, while I’d been into a ballet, Vicky just wanted to help people.
When Vicky was 18, she joined the Ambulance Service and she became a senior paramedic for the East of England Ambulance Service when she was 22.
When she married Naomi in November 2012, I was so happy for her. I looked up to Vicky and felt so proud of the woman she was.
And now, as she told us how excited she was about the skydive, I couldn’t help thinking how proud our dad would be, too.
‘I hope you’ll all be waiting for me as I land,’ Vicky said.
‘Of course, we will, you’ll hear our cheers from the plane,’ I promised.
Only, two days after our spa visit, I answered a panicked phone call from Mum. ‘Vicky hasn’t rung to say she’s back from lunch with her friend,’ she fretted. ‘She always calls.’
Denne historien er fra June 08, 2021-utgaven av WOMAN'S OWN.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra June 08, 2021-utgaven av WOMAN'S OWN.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
MAGNIFICENT MAURITIUS
Pe This istand in the ut 7% Indian Ocean feels Sa: like paradise, says Charlotte Richards
I HATE BEING A MUM
One woman, 55, reveals why she resents all of the sacrifices she made to be a mother
SLASH SUGAR AND SLIM
Trying to lose weight? With these clever tweaks, you don’t have to miss out on the seasonal sweet stuff
DAWN HARPER ASK THE DOCTOR
Doctor Dawn Harper answers all your questions
SEX HORRORS SOLVED!
Stop physical intimacy from turning into the stuff of nightmares with our expert advice
THE TRUTH ABOUT LIFE WITH CANCER
More than 12,000 people are diagnosed with brain tumours each year in the UK. Two mums tell us how the cruel disease changed their lives forever
DAWN NEESOM MIND OF MY OWN
The Woman's Own columnist has her say on marriage, tea and Absolutely Fabulous!
TRAPPED INSIDE MY HOME WITH A MONSTER
Gemma Williams, 46, thought she'd die at the hands of her partner
AMANDA TO REPLACE CAT?
With increasing criticism directed at the This Morning host, are producers ready to call in a familiar face?
Get the GOSS
Your round-up of this week's biggest showbiz stories