CORAL (A Romance Trilogy, Book 1) Read Free

Mommy.”
    “Mommy is a Nurse,” I tell her.
    “Is she?”
    “Yes.”
    “Which hospital sweetheart?”
    “The big one.” I tell her.
    “Ok, keep talking to me Coral.
The policeman is there, he’s going to bang the door ok?” The door bangs loudly
three times then it falls open.
    Two big policeman come into the
house. I am scared. I don’t want them to hurt me like the other men did.
    “Coral can you hear me?”
    “Yes.”
    “Ok then, the policeman will call
your Nanny and your Daddy for you now. Can you give him the phone?” I hand the
phone to the policeman. The other policeman tries to take my hand but I don't
want him to touch me. “Come on sweetheart,” he says.
    “No!” I scream and try to run
away, but he catches me and picks me up – No! I don't like it, don't touch
me...don’t touch me....Daddy!
     
    I AM IN THE HOSPITAL .
There is a lady with me, she is asking me all kinds of questions. She is very
pretty. She tells me that Mommy is sick and I have to go and live somewhere else.
She says she doesn’t know where Daddy is, but Nanny is coming. Nanny is old and
smells funny. I don’t think she likes me. She is arguing with the nice lady. I
want Daddy, but he doesn’t love me anymore...
     
    I HAVE LIVED WITH NANNY for a while now. I don't like it. My bedroom is cold and all Nanny does is
smoke and watch television, she won't play with me.
    “Coral.
Wake up.” I open my eyes. Nanny is dressed and she has
my bags packed. “Get up girl, time to go.”
    I
brush my teeth and get dressed. Nanny is waiting for me downstairs with another
lady.
    “You remember Gladys?” I nod my
head. Gladys has come to visit me three times, I don't think she’s bad like
Mommy. “You’re going to go and live with her,” Nanny says, I start to cry.
    “There, there sweetheart,” Gladys
kneels down and smiles at me. She has kind eyes. “I live by the sea Coral,
would you like to come and stay with me for a while?” I suck my thumb and shake
my head. “We can go and play on the beach,” she tells me. I don't know what the
beach is. “I’d really like you to come and stay, see if you like it.” Gladys
wipes away my tears with a tissue. I don't mind her touching me – I think she
is nice.
    “Ok,” I cry. She holds out her
hand to me, I put mine in hers. Her hand is big and warm...
     
    WE ARE TREVELLING ON THE TRAIN . Gladys tells me to keep looking out the window because I will see
the sea soon – I have never seen the sea.
    “Look Coral, can you see the
sea?” I look out the window and I see something big and blue. It is very
sparkly. I like it a lot. It is very pretty. Gladys walks with me from the
train station, we stop outside a big house with lots of pretty flowers outside.
    “This is your new home Coral. Do
you like it?” I look up at Gladys, she is smiling at me, I smile back. I think
I might like it here. Gladys doesn’t seem bad, not like Mommy. Gladys shows me
my room. It is pretty and I can see the sea from my window.
    Gladys is nice to me. She is big
and cuddly and she smiles all the time. Gladys has a little girl, her name is
Debbie, she is ten; she is nice to me too. I like her already.
    “Are you hungry Coral?” I nod my
head. “Come on then sweetheart.” Gladys holds her hand out to me, I put my hand
in hers and walk down the stairs into the kitchen. It is pretty with lots of
flowers - Gladys has made apple crumble and custard, it is delicious.
    “Shall we go down to the beach?”
Gladys asks when I finish my second bowl.
    I nod my head. Gladys takes us
both out to the beach and we play all afternoon. I have never played on the
beach before, I really like the sand and the pebbles.
    Debbie shows me how to make
sandcastles.
    I like the sea and the waves, but
it is cold and makes my feet tingle.
    Gladys tells me I will stay with
her for a while and maybe forever?
    I hope so, she is really nice...

CHAPTER
ONE
     
    Twenty-Five Years Later...July 2013
     
    IT’S THE START OF ANOTHER