Saturday brought fresh challenges. Ella received a call from home and was gone by 10am. Simone and I walked her to the train station as she was clearly upset at the news of her mother's illness but she was strong enough to make the journey on her own. Which left Simone and me - alone for the weekend. And I was a little nervous.

Simone looked fabulous again. Scrubbed clean but so bright and fresh, her golden hair blowing freely in the wind. She had on a fluffy sweater which only accentuated her femininity. I said goodbye to her at the station and walked off. She ran behind and caught...