Prologue
It'd been nearly three years since Emma entered my life – 3 years since my life changed beyond recognition. Emma was rapidly approaching school age. I honestly never thought I'd say this, but I was going to miss looking after her all day, and the constant stream of energy she brought with her.
In general, things were looking up. Adam had gone back to school at the start of year 12 and I was on an evening course at the Open University studying microbiology; which wasn't my initial plan but it was working out great. I already had a job in the local Tesco which, though it didn't exactly pay goldmines, was sustaining me just fine. Sustaining us.
" Daddy!" came Emma's voice from the kitchen.
"Coming, Emma!" I replied.
"Quickly!" she stressed petulantly.
I entered the kitchen.
"Look," she cried excitedly, pointing out of the window "look!"
I looked out of the window expectantly. I couldn't see anything: well nothing of any significance. Just a young woman; with short, dark brown hair, wearing a brilliant white T-shirt, heels and a pair of studded jeggings. True, she looked stunning, but apart from that, I didn't see why Emma would be taking the trouble to sit on the desktop staring at a stranger on the street.
She turned around, and looked through our window. No, she didn't just look, she stared, right at me, like she knew me. Not that I normally take kindly to people staring at me like that, but there was something about this particular woman that made me intrigued. I squinted at her face. No doubt about it, I'd seen that face before. The question was: where? She turned and carried on down the street, before disappearing into a porch: our porch. The doorbell rang. And then it hit me.