It’s been a real trip. I stayed at the Chelsea at first. That was a blast, being where all those incredible people had been, where Sid killed Nancy. Then I found a room in a flat on the Lower East Side. I played at someone’s wedding a few weeks later, mainly cover versions, but I threw in a couple ofmy new songs. And what do you know – someone liked them and bought them off me for $5,000! Some girl band is going to use them. Apparently they’re really famous, but I’ve never heard of them.

  I tried to persuade the guy to let me record them, but guess what he said? He said, ‘Beautiful girl, the world does not need another chick with an attitude and a guitar.’ Pah! That kind of took the shine off selling my songs. I went into a bit of a decline after that. I know, I know – I never appreciate what I’ve got. It’s never enough, is it?

  I started drinking quite heavily. Got through a lot of your cash that way. Pissed off my flatmates. And it was when they threatened to kick me out that I realized I needed to take control of my life. So I joined AA.

  Yeah, yeah – I can hear you laughing from here! I know, it’s hard to imagine. But it’s been great. I’m on the 12-Step Program (only one ‘m’!) and part of that is that I have to redress any imbalances in my life, undo wrongdoings, make amends and apologize. I’ve written to Tim and his wife, to say sorry for fucking them around. And now here’s my apology to you:

  Toby, you are one ofthe greatest people I’ve ever known. It’s taken being away from you for me to be able to see that. You took me in when I had nobody else and you took care ofme and all I ever did was belittle you and take advantage. You’re a better person than I could ever hope to be and I am so sorry to have broken your trust and let you down. You didn’t deserve it. I really hope you managed to sell the house and that you have moved on and found happiness. No one deserves a happy ending more than you. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, but if you don’t that’s fine.

  As for me, well, there’s no happy ending in sight just yet. I’ve written some more songs, but they didn’t go for them. To pay the rent I’m working as a waitress in some trendy Vietnamese place in Greenwich Village. I haven’t had a drink for five weeks and that, for now, is enough. I’ll get there in the end, I know I will. When I do, I’ll let you know. And maybe one day I’ll be able to buy you that Lamborghini!

  With love and respect,

  Ruby xxxx

  Toby passed the letter to Leah and sighed. He felt something in his heart loosen, untwist itself. Ruby was alive. Ruby was safe. Tonight, for the first time since she’d moved out of his house, Toby could fall asleep without wondering, without worrying. After nearly sixteen years, the last residual traces of Ruby had finally been expunged from the soft, sticky corners of his consciousness.

  ‘That’s good, isn’t it?’ said Leah, passing the letter back to him a moment later. ‘Good news?’

  Toby nodded and smiled. ‘Very good news indeed.’

  ‘So,’ said Leah, ‘are you ready to go to work?’

  Toby nodded, and together they headed towards the front of the cottage, towards their shop.

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Acknowledgements

  Prologue

  Fifteen Years Earlier

  November 1900

  April 2002

  Feburary 2004

  September 2004

  31 Dream Street

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  21

  22

  23

  24

  25

  26

  27

  28

  29

  30

  31

  32

  33

  34

  35

  36

  37

  38

  39

  40

  41

  42

  43

  44

  45

  46

  47

  48

  49

  50

  51

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  53

  54

  55

  56

  57

  58

  59

  60

  61

  62

  63

  64

  65

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  67

  68

  69

  70

  71

  72

  73

  74

  75

  76

  77

  78

  79

  80

  81

  82

  83

  84

  85

  86

 

 

  Lisa Jewell, 31 Dream Street

 

 

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