Was a Supermum, now a Supernanna.
Mum is still so involved with the children and young people that come to us. She’s taught them how to knit and spin and even went out to buy three more Giant Angoras. They live in a hutch now, behind the Yarn Barn, and Mum looks after them. The hills are hard on her joints these days, so I do the lion’s share where the alpacas are concerned. But she’ll still take the herd boxes of apples and will spend time making sure each and every one of them gets a bite.
I remember someone once rudely asking Mum how much she got paid to foster. She gave them a vague answer about it being enough, but later, when George and I were going through the fostering process and discovered that we would still need to put in a lot of working hours to get by, she told us: ‘You may never be rich financially, but your lives will be enriched with love and laughter. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing young people grow, heal and find hope.’
What a beautiful sentiment that was.
And she was right.
It’s Mum’s birthday this weekend, which is why Jamie and Dani are coming to raise a glass – albeit a non-alcoholic one. Shauna and Gemma are popping over too, and Dani said Preston hoped to come say hi after he’s finished up at the market.
I try not to associate Mum’s birthday with the anniversary of Theo’s death, but it’s not always easy. Instead I try to remember him on his birthday, when Emilie and I will walk up to Hare Heads and sit for a while, chatting about anything and everything. Although I try to have mother and daughter time with Emilie more often than my parents did with me, this is the one day a year I’m guaranteed to get her completely to myself and vice versa. George always does something to entertain the clan while we’re gone.
This weekend also reminds me of Dad, and last night I dreamt of him, as I often do. I dream about talking to him, about giving him a hug, about him saying kind words to me or one of my children – he’s never, ever angry in my sleep, just as he rarely was when I was awake. But last night, I simply dreamt that I came downstairs and that he was standing at the counter, buttering toast. He turned around and saw me.
‘Don’t worry, love. Everything will be okay,’ he said, and then he offered up his toast with a smile.
Acknowledgements
I always thank my readers first and this time is no different. Actually, it is a bit different, because I feel the need to thank you – and every blogger, bookstagrammer, booktuber and reviewer – even more this year than ever. I’m hoping that by the time this book comes out, we should be emerging into the light following a long journey through a dark Covid-19 tunnel. I’ve had more messages from readers than ever during this pandemic and it has lifted me up so much, hearing how my stories have helped you to find some escapism. Whether you’re new to my books or have been reading them since Lucy in the Sky, thank you for picking up this one. Someone I Used to Know was my most emotional book to write and I hope it connects with you too.
If you’re interested in finding out more about fostering or adoption, please visit www.gov.uk/becoming-foster-parent or check out your local council if you’re outside the UK.
There are a lot of incredible charities out there for children and young people and hopefully you will feel compelled to support them. I will be raising money for Action for Children and Become, a charity that supports children in care and young care leavers, by doing auctions of signed copies of my books so please keep an eye on my social media channels if you’re interested in bidding: Twitter/Facebook/Instagram @PaigeToonAuthor.
Huge thanks to everyone at Simon & Schuster UK for everything they do for me and my books, but especially Suzanne Baboneau, who has always given me the freedom and encouragement to write the stories that I love to write (you might think this is a given but, believe me, it isn’t). Thank you also to Judith Long, Jessica Barratt, Laurie McShea, Sara-Jade Virtue, Pip Watkins, Gill Richardson, Dominic Brendon, Joe Roche, Amy Fulwood, Richard Vlietstra, Amy Fletcher, Hayley McMullan, Rachel Bazan, Maddie Allan, Francesca Sironi and Anne O’Brien.
Thank you to Penguin Random House in Australia and the team there, especially my publisher Ali Watts, and Sofia Casanova and Abby Wilson.
And thank you to all my foreign publishers who help my stories to reach so many lovely readers around the world, in particular S. Fischer Verlage in Germany.
For their insight into fostering and the care system, I can’t thank the following people enough: Alison Barker, Joanne Hainsworth, Fiona Campbell and Lucie Martin – and my friend Sarah Horsborough who put me in touch with these amazing women.
For help with my alpaca research and for inspiring certain ideas, including Carrie’s knitting workshop, huge thanks to Tracy Birch. Visiting Tracy’s herd of gorgeous alpacas was one of the most fun things I have ever had to do for research! Check out purlalpacadesigns.com if you’d like to see some of the inspiration behind Carrie and Leah’s knitwear, and if you’re in Cambridgeshire, you might even like to attend one of Tracy’s workshops.
The Cracked Teapot was also inspired by a real-life coffee shop in America that only employs care leavers – I thought this was such a great idea that I wanted to shout about it from the rooftops.
I’ve come across a few coincidences in my time as an author, but I was amazed to discover that there actually is an alpaca farm near Brimham Rocks. I just want to stress that everything relating to farms and farmers in the area is one hundred per cent a figment of my own imagination and not based on any real people or events. I met a couple of farmers while I was doing my research and they were incredibly friendly and helpful. Brimham Rocks is one of my favourite places in the world and there’s no way I’ve done it justice, so I hope one day you’ll get to see it for yourselves, if you haven’t already. Check out NationalTrust.org.uk/brimham-rocks for more information.
A very special thank you to my friend Kimberly Atkins. When I told her the idea for this book, she replied, ‘Oh, I thought you were going to say this…’ I immediately decided to take the story in a different direction and I am so pleased I did: this book literally would not be the book it is without Kim and I am incredibly grateful.
Thank you also to these lovely friends who read early drafts and helped to pick up errors: Jane Hampton, who always goes above and beyond, Femke Cole, Katherine Reid, Georgie Barnes, Katherine Stalham and Rebecca Banks.
Lots of love to my parents Vern and Jen Schuppan, and my brother Kerrin and his family. They all live half a world away in Australia, but the coronavirus pandemic has made that distance feel even further. Much of the emotion I felt while writing this book came from missing you.
Thank you to my parents-in-law, Ian and Helga Toon who helped with various aspects of this book, not least introducing me to so much of stunning Yorkshire. But above all, I’d like to thank them for giving me their son, Greg. Together with our children Indy and Idha, I cannot think of anyone else I would have rather spent months and months holed up at home with – I love you all so much.
More from the Author
The Minute I Saw You
If You Could Go Anywhere
One Perfect Christmas and Other Stories