Don't Look Back (22 page)

St. James Park is one of my favorite London quiet spots, a lush oasis in the middle of a bustling city. I have fond memories here, many fond memories, and for a brief moment, my heart aches that familiar ache of having loved and lost.

I hear laughter in the distance; familiar giggles and screams grow closer. Sensing the end of my tranquility, I sit up, wrapping my arms around my knees, enjoying the scene playing out before me. Allie, now a stunning sixteen-year-old, is trotting up
the hill from the pond, zigzagging back and forth. A few steps ahead of her, her little brother runs, exerting all his toddler strength, desperately clasping his new orange ball against his chest. His deep brown curls bounce energetically, and his golden brown eyes are wide and full of delight as he squeals, thrilled at their game of chase. Seeing them fills my heart so completely that the ache from a moment ago dissolves and is forgotten.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nicola Graham, the mother of two, lives in Southern California with her husband. British by birth, she immigrated to the United States as a young teenager in the early 1980s. She has always flirted with writing poetry and lyrics.
Don’t Look Back
is her first book.