Gemma Hilton, 34, and her family were off on a once-in-a-lifetime trip – but someone had other ideas…
As she cradled my baby daughter in her arms, my best friend Rebecca Waterfall chatted away about her latest trip abroad. It was the enviable perk of working as a travel agent – she was forever getting discounted holidays.
‘I could get you one, too,’ she said with a grin. I shook my head. It was September 2012 and my husband Michael and I were just getting used to being parents since the arrival of little Lola six months earlier. Going abroad was the last thing on our minds.
Rebecca and I had become friends after we had moved in next door to her in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, in October 2011. She loved popping round for cuddles with Lola, often bringing us gifts from her travels.
So I was gutted when she told us a few months later that she was moving to London for a new job. ‘But I’ll keep in touch on the phone,’ she said.
A great deal
Rebecca was as good as her word and she would ring up for a chat once a week. And when my Grandma Doreen died, aged 84, in November 2015, Rebecca was one of the first people I called. ‘I’m going to miss her so much,’ I sobbed.
I explained how my dad, Philip, 64, wanted to take the family to Walt Disney World, Florida, to cheer us up. Rebecca leapt in. ‘Let me help you get a discounted deal,’ she said. ‘It’s the least I can do.’ By then, she’d moved to Manchester and was working for Virgin Travel.
Bu hikaye WOMAN'S OWN dergisinin June 05,2017 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye WOMAN'S OWN dergisinin June 05,2017 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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