The Other Woman(103)

‘I, for one, cannot wait,’ says James, as Emily puts Poppy back down on the grass and she immediately heads to the beckoning land of yellow again. We laugh as James crawls after her, making a roaring noise, and she doubles her speed.

‘He’ll make a wonderful dad,’ I say after him.

I think of all those letters from a dad that Poppy will never know. I don’t know what they say because I’ve never opened them, but he must know what he’s missing. She’ll be a teenager before he’s out, and by then, Emily will have moved on, will be living the life that she deserves.

I hope she meets someone who will love her and Poppy the way I do.

Who will care for her in the same way she cares for me.

Not a day has passed without her coming to see me, not even when the court case was on and I was too weak to go.

‘You okay?’ she asks as she puts her hand gently on my shoulder.

I smile and reach up to hold it.

Yes. I am okay.

I’m free of the fear I’ve lived with for so long.

I just wish I had longer to live.