Page 170 - The Letter By Ann Newhouse

Soon after Sherry paid me a visit to off load her guilt, guilt at giving Paul an ultimatum. Apparently, she told him she liked him very much even loved him but that she was not prepared to be a mother or a housewife. Paul said he understood and that he loved her and wanted her to stay. He told Penny of his dilemma and made the suggestion that he take over the business and she take over rearing Shalma! ‘Although he said how much he loved his daughter he knew she would look after her better’, Sherry said trying to justify the situation, ‘and understanding how Penny felt about me she jumped at the chance’.
The first change Sherry implemented as landlady was to sack Jenny. With two other staff they employed Paddy Smyth junior to work the cellar.
It was a very sad day for me when Penny and Shalma left the village, I would miss hoping across the village green to let the girls have a play date while we chatted over some tea and treats. Or even just calling on each other when we wanted advice usually about the babies. Although Sherry was still a good friend we were on a different page from each other. She was still a career girl and I was a mother and housewife. We had less and less to talk about as the time went on. When I have some free time, I visit Penny and Shalma in the cottage.
The following summer we travelled to Canada for our postponed honeymoon, Lilli in tow. I got the impression that Lucy, Rex’s grandmother, was a very stern woman but she was very pleasant to us and loved Lilli, she was at a nice age and had started to walk and string some words together.
Rex showed us where his mother was buried, Lilli’s grandmother. We did all the touristy things and Rex showed us some of his favorite places where he liked to go