Love, Rosie (237 page)

to
have
around
the
house.
You
and
Katie.
I’m
only
sorry
we
had
to
leave
you

when
you
needed
us
both.
Your
mum
and
I
questioned
our
actions
time
and

time
again.
I
hope
we
did
the
right
thing.

I
know
you
always
felt
that
you
were
in
the
way
or
that
you
were
letting

us
down,
but
that’s
far
from
the
truth,
it
just
meant
that
I
got
to
see
my
little

girl
grow.
Grow
from
being
a
baby
to
an
adult
and
grow
as
a
mother.
You

and
Katie
are
a
great
team
and
she
is
a
fine
example
of
the
good
parenting

she
received.
A
bit
of
ink
on
her
skin
doesn’t
tarnish
the
goodness
or
dim
the

brightness
that
shines
from
her.
A
tribute
to
her
mother.

Life
deals
each
of
us
a
different
set
of
cards
and
out
of
all
of
us
there’s

no
doubt
that
you
received
the
toughest
hand
of
all.
But
you
shone
through

the
tough
times.
You
are
a
strong
girl
and
you
grew
even
stronger
when
that

idiot
of
a
man
(what’s-his-name,
your
mother
told
me
to
say)
let
you
down.

You
picked
yourself
up,
dusted
yourself
off,
and
started
all
over
again,
set
up

home
with
Katie,
found
yourself
a
new
job,
provided
for
your
daughter,
and

did
your
dad
proud
once
more.

And
now
you’re
only
days
away
from
your
exams.
After
all
you
went

through
you’ll
now
have
a
degree.
I’ll
be
proud
watching
you
accept
that

scroll
Rosie;
I’ll
be
the
proudest
dad
in
the
world.

Love,

Dad

from
:

to
:

subject
:

Rosie

Alex

Degree

There’s
no
way
I’m
giving
this
college
course
up
now.
In
the
wise
words

of
Johnny
Logan,
what’s
another
year?
I’m
going
to
do
these
exams
and
I’m

going
to
get
this
degree
in
Hotel
Management.
Dad
wouldn’t
want
himself
to

be
the
reason
for
me
missing
out.

It’s
the
good-bye
I
needed,
Alex.
What
a
wonderful,
wonderful
gift
to
be

given.

352

from
:

to
:

subject
:

Julie

Rosie

Staying
with
me?

Cecelia
Ahern

So
you’re
staying
with
me
another
year
then?

I’ll
allow
you,
but
after
that,
once
you
have
your
degree
I’m
serious

when
I
say
I’m
firing
you.
I’m
56
years
old;
I
don’t
have
much
longer
at
this

job
to
be
waiting
for
you
to
fulfill
your
dreams.

This
year
the
courses
will
be
a
breeze,
first
because
you’ve
done
it
before

and
second
and
more
important
because
you
have
the
good
wishes
and
pride