This chapter is dedicated to everyone who has read this book through from the beginning to the end.  I thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

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The following Saturday, having already bought every conceivable thing that a dog could want, Clare took the children back to the dog rescue centre to collect Buster and take him home. Today, Sonia was not on duty and another lady called Nadia took them to Buster.

"As you can tell, he has responded very well to the treatment." Nadia said, as she opened up the cage.

"Look mummy!" said Adam. "Doesn't he look better?" Buster came straight up to Adam and licked his face, all the time wagging his tail. His beige coloured coat had grown back, thick and strong and his black ears were now as soft as velvet.  He was now in a remarkably good condition.

"Wow!" said Clare, as she patted him. "He looks like a different dog!"

"We will tell you which dog shampoo to buy, so that this doesn't happen again. Allergic reactions can be dangerous." said Nadia.

Clare signed the paperwork and then they were able to take Buster home.

"Do you think daddy will like him?" Maryann said to Adam as they were playing with the dog in the family area.

"Yes, of course he will." Adam replied.

"But daddy won't like him if he bites him." said Maryann.

Clare laughed.

"No one is going to like him if he bites them are they? But don't worry Maryann, Buster won't bite anybody."

"If he bites me, I'll bite him back." said Maryann.

* * * * * * * *

Alan stood looking out of the window of his tiny bedroom at the Theological College, praying.

"Oh Lord, if this is right for me, why is it so difficult? I really thought this is where I should be. Please make it easier. Or, perhaps if I shouldn't be here at all, then you need to let me know." Alan glanced at his watch and made his way to his first lecture of the day.

It seemed that the other students were enjoying the course and he was the only one who wasn't. He missed his job as an accountant, never having realised how much he had loved it and how easy he found it. He was finding the work at college difficult and studying gave him endless headaches, although, so far he hadn't had a migraine.

In the classroom, as the lecturer told the class facts and figures, Alan's mind wandered. His thoughts went to Clare, Adam and Maryann. He missed them so much, it was hard to think straight. Then suddenly a large black spot appeared in front of his eyes. He tried to blink it away, but it wouldn't go. The lecturer started to ask questions and the students answered. As Alan looked around the room, zig zag lights began to flash in his eyes. He shut them tight.

"Alan, what are your views on the subject?" the lecturer asked.

Alan opened his eyes. The lights continued to flash.

"I'm sorry, I feel ill." he said, standing to his feet. "I'll have to go." He made his way to the door and stumbled back to his room. There he took some migraine tablets and then threw himself onto his bed to sleep the pain away.

Alan stayed in bed for the whole of that day with only water to drink. The following day he dressed, but still felt very washed out and didn't go down to lectures. At 11 am that morning there was a knock on his door. There was a message from the college Principal, John Morgan, that he wanted to see him; now if possible. Alan made his way to the Principal's office and was invited inside.

"Hello Alan." said John, as he shook Alan's hand. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, thank you." Alan replied.

"Do sit down." John motioned to the chair at the front of his desk and sat down in his own chair.

"Not to beat about the bush, Alan, you appear to be struggling. Your marks in the exam were below average and I have the feeling you're not enjoying the coursework. Before you say anything, I can tell you I do understand. I set out to become a minister myself, but I am now here in this position doing something else. What are your thoughts on the matter?"

Alan frowned.

"I'm finding the studying very hard, but the worse thing is, I miss my wife and children so much it hurts."

"What do you think you should do?" John asked.

"I want to go home, but I feel such a miserable failure. What sort of man am I?"

"Well, I can tell you I felt exactly the same, but after a while I found the right path and I've been so much happier since. Go home, Alan, back to your wife and children. That is where you belong and maybe God has used this kink in the road to set you out in another direction? Who knows, but I sincerely wish you all the best. God bless you."

They shook hands and said goodbye and Alan walked back to his room, feeling very despondent. He had failed. He was a failure. He sat on his bed for a while coming to terms with the situation and then started to pack his suitcase. He stood at the window looking out at the view. It was a horrible view, the worst in the world probably and he wouldn't miss it one bit. Old crumbling buildings were all crammed together in a small space creating a feeling of dismal claustrophobia. So different from the view from his bedroom window at home.

"I'm sorry, Lord." he said. "I've let you down."

Then, as if a heavy burden was lifted from his soul, a sudden feeling of elation flooded through his body, making him laugh out loud. He was going home!

* * * * * *

Alan had returned to college two weeks ago and Clare was missing him like crazy. As she pegged her washing on the line she wondered if perhaps she should tell him about her reservations, but she was reluctant to do that as she didn't want to ruin his dreams.

"Oh Lord." she prayed. "Tell me what to do."

She finished pegging out the washing and picked up her washing basket and walked up the terrace steps, across the terrace and into the kitchen.

She found Maryann on the floor sitting in a pool of sticky, orange liquid. She had taken a full bottle of orange squash from the fridge and poured it over her head.

"You are naughty, Maryann." said Clare. "We have to go and fetch Adam from school soon and now look what you've done!"

Clare quickly rang her neighbour Sharon whose son was in Adam's class at school to ask her to pick Adam up for her and bring him home. Sharon was only too happy to help. Clare fetched a bucket of soapy water and washed the orange from the floor then she picked Maryann up and took her upstairs for a bath.

"Come on Madam, let's get you sorted out."

After Maryann was bathed and dressed in clean clothes, Clare took her back downstairs. Adam would be home in half an hour, so Clare made herself a cup of coffee and sat on the sofa with Maryann who was playing with her dollies. Suddenly, Maryann looked up and said "Daddy is coming home."

"No Maryann, I'm sorry, but daddy won't be home yet for a while." Clare said.

"Yes, daddy is coming home." said Maryann, her eyes bright with excitement.

'Oh dear.' thought Clare. 'She will be upset again tonight when Alan doesn't appear. Perhaps that's what I should say to him? None of us are happy apart.'

Suddenly, with no warning whatsoever, no noise from the front door opening or any other sound, Alan appeared at the kitchen door. Clare was shocked and surprised. Maryann flew to him shouting, "Daddy. My daddy."

Alan picked her up in his arms and swung her around. By the time Clare reached him they were all in tears and Buster was roused from his sleep and began to bark.

"What's happened?" she asked him.

"I couldn't do it Clare, I can't live without you and the children. I need to be here. It seems I'm only cut out to be an accountant."

Alan took Clare into his arms and kissed her passionately and Clare's spirit soared.

"I've got something to tell you, Alan." she said.

"You're pregnant?" he asked.

"Yes." she replied. "And now you're home, I'm on Cloud 25!"

Adam came home from school fifteen minutes later and he was overjoyed to see his dad back home. Alan was sitting on the sofa now, cuddling his children, one arm around Adam and the other around Maryann. Clare was preparing their dinner in the kitchen.

"And you'll never leave us again?" asked Adam.

"No. I'll never leave you again, I promise."

"Unless Buster bites you and you have to go to hospital." said Maryann. "If he bites you daddy, I'm going to bite him back."

Alan laughed and Buster, having heard his name, came up to the sofa wagging his tail and Alan lifted him up onto his lap. Buster licked his face.

"You really are a lovely little dog aren't you, Buster Harding?" said Alan stroking the dog. Buster put his head to one side, as if he was thinking about the statement and lifted up his paw.

Alan decided not to go back to Dixon's and started up his own accountancy company. Clare let him share her library and he made it into an office. The work came in slowly at first, but by the time their third child was born, he was employing staff and had an office in Westbury On Trym High Street.

Their third son, Luke, was born in hospital as Clare had problems with high blood pressure and had to rest for two weeks at the hospital before his birth and due to other complications, he was born under a caesarian section. Luke was a beautiful baby who looked like Alan and also had his blue eyes. Unexpectedly, Maryann was very protective of her little brother.

Early one Saturday morning, when Luke was four weeks old, the family was eating breakfast in the kitchen.

"I have a big surprise." said Alan. "We are going to put on our best clothes and go into town."

"Why?" asked Clare. "It's raining. Why should we go into town?"

"Yes, why daddy?" Adam repeated.

"Ah, that would be telling. It's a secret. I want you all to wear your best clothes and be ready to leave the house by 10.o'clock. I take it my little button has a dress?" Alan asked. Maryann, quite the tomboy, didn't like wearing dresses and preferred to wear leggings and tops.

"Yes, I'll find one for her." Clare replied.

They finished their breakfast and together, Clare and Alan got the children washed and dressed ready for the trip.

Alan parked the car in the multi storey car park and they made their way to Park Street, pushing Luke in his baby buggy. Clare was puzzled.

"Are we going to the book store?" she asked.

"No, but we are going to the place next door." Alan replied.

The 'place next door' was a photographer's studio and Alan had arranged a session for the Harding family to be photographed.

"Oh darling, what a lovely idea." said Clare, as they stood on the pavement outside. "Thank you so much."

Alan grinned. "I had a feeling you would like it." he said.

The session was successful. The children behaved themselves and did everything they were supposed to do. In fact, the photographer was very impressed with their behaviour and he said they were very photogenic. Several photographs were taken as a family group, then some of the children only and then Alan and Clare on their own. Luke, despite all of the fussing, didn't cry once.

Clare was taken by surprise as when they were about to leave and all of their photographs were done, Kathy and Frank turned up with Philip, Libby and the children. Then shortly afterwards Sandra, Stephen and the family arrived.

"What's going on?" Clare asked as her mother came towards her to say hello.

"We're having a few group photographs taken, all together." said Alan.

Clare was overwhelmed.

"What a lovely idea."

Amidst the cacophony of noise, as the family members greeted one another and cooed over Luke, who was now the only baby of the family, Angie and Matthew arrived with their twin daughters. This was almost the best surprise of all for Clare. She loved Angie like a sister. She and Matthew were family as far as she was concerned. Angie flew to Clare and they jumped up and down together on the spot; just like old times.

After the photographs were taken they were booked into a restaurant for a meal all together, at Alan's expense. It was a very special day, one they would never forget and they would always have the photographs to remember it by.

* * * * * * *

One week later, Clare parked in the multi storey car park and made her way to Park Street. She was taking Luke to meet Gerald and Sue at the book store. She had ordered some books which she needed to collect and was looking forward to reading them. As she passed the photographers window she glanced in and there, right in the centre, was a photograph of Alan, herself and the children. She was mesmerised and she stopped to study it. If ever there was a perfect photograph, this was it. Both of the children were smiling and looked so beautiful and Luke, who was in Alan's arms, was looking up at Alan with his tiny hand stretching up towards his face as if he was his hero, as small as he was. It was amazing!

Clare thought how very blessed she was. She had a wonderful, handsome husband and three beautiful children... it brought a lump to her throat...