As she slipped on her penny loafers, Prudence let out a laugh.

"That's not how it happened!"

"That's exactly how it happened!" Her mother shouted from the kitchen. "I was lying in bed, and you ran in and started jumping on it, shouting 'Mummy! Mummy!' And then you just whacked me with your little foot, plain in the face! I would not forget a day like that!"

She walked into the hallway carrying a paper bag.

"Here you go," she said, handing Prudence the bag. "Just a few snacks for your trip."

Prudence nodded a thank you as she took the parcel.

The light shone in from the window. It was a beautiful day.

Prudence hadn't been this happy in ages.

"Do you need anything else?" her mother asked.

"No, I think I have everything." Prudence looked around the hallway. Her eyes passed over her two suitcases and one satchel, stacked against the bare wall. "Yeah, I'm all set..." As she turned back, she saw her mother wringing her hands anxiously.

"Mum...?" Prudence walked closer to her. Her mother's face was torn between happiness and loneliness.

"Do you...." Her mother trailed off, looking down at the ground. Not finishing her question, she sucked in a breath and smiled tiredly, looking up as she did so. "It seems like just yesterday you were running around in your little bloomers."

Prudence smiled. Her mother always knew the right things to say.

"Thank you, mum," she said softly. "For everything."

Her mother, tears in her eyes, stroked Prudence's cheek softly. "Promise to write," she said.

"Every week," Prudence answered, and knew that she would.

The two leaned into each other in a warm embrace, and there was nothing more to be said. After a long, deep hold, Prudence moved back, and reached to her suitcases.

"Ta, mother," she said, tears forming in her own eyes.

Her mum did not reply, just stood in the hallway, a hand over her mouth and her eyes crinkled.

Prudence grabbed her suitcases, turned around, and left her home, off to her new life.

---------

Prudence swayed with every pulse of the rolling train. The fields flew past her through the window.

She had been on the train for about an hour, and had a lot of time to reflect. Millions of things had been floating around in her mind, and she was trying to put them in order.

It had been nearly half a year since her and John's relationship had faded away, and Prudence had done enough moping around to last her a lifetime. One day, she had had enough, and got out of her bed and back on her feet. She returned to the art school, started going out with friends, and turned to her career.

The sun was a wonderful shade of gold. Prudence couldn't look directly at it, it was so bright; she stared at it out of the corner of her eye.

After a few weeks of Prudence getting her life back, she had received a letter. It was small, and didn't look very significant, except for the return address which was typed very neatly in the center.

Paris.

Prudence had been accepted for a position in a French fashion company, as a designer. Scouts had seen her artwork and they loved it.

It was nearly too good to be true.

As the train passed a few grazing cows, Prudence grinned, thinking of excited she had been when she had seen the letter. She was finally getting out of dreary Liverpool, and leaving all the dullness behind, to go work in the fashion capital of the world.

She remembered how John had told her, all those weeks ago, that it would happen. He told her she would get her break. He believed in her.

But then he betrayed her.

Prudence shoved those thoughts out of her mind, and moved her head closer to the window, staring at the road ahead. She wouldn't let her past push her off her track. She would only look to the future.

There was nothing but road ahead. For the millionth time that day, Prudence sucked in a breath, thinking of the incredible new life she was to lead.

{HI EVERYONE

Yes, yes, I finally wrote another chapter. What a miracle.

I hope all of you have been doing well these past few weeks. How are all of you?

OOH OOH I MET ALAN CUMMING A WEEK AGO AND HE WAS SO SWEET

I ACTED LIKE A WEIRDO OBVIOUSLY

BUT HE WAS SO NICE ABOUT IT

AND HE SIGNED SOMETHING FOR ME

I WAS SO HAPPY

I WAS ON ~CLOUD NINE~

Haha get it

PEACE AND LOVE L***}