History repeating

A sChloe let herself into her mother' s house, she wondered what was going on. For the past six years, her whole life had revolved around her mum.

Then, almost overnight, her mother had gone from being frail and needing support to heading off to Manchester for the weekend, having bumped into an old flame.

She' d called two days ago, her voice full of excitement.

You don' t mind looking after Snowy while I' m away, do you?'

As always, Chloe found herself saying yes.

After letting Snowy back in from the garden, she sat down to browse her mother' s bookcase, where she found one of her old diaries, tucked into the end of a shelf. She' d thought she' d lost it when her mum had had a clearout.

She made herself comfortable on the sofa, patted the space beside her so that Snowy could jump up for some fuss, and settled down to read it.

The diary fell open on an entry dated 19 May, where she had written about her sister Paula.

She started talking about going on a singles holiday, but I managed to put her off. I told her she' d hate it everyone hooking up here there and everywhere.

Chloe frowned and carried on reading.

Paula wanted to try speed dating. I didn't fancy it so I told her Mum needed to see us both that day.

Then a few pages later¼

Paula's decided to join a dating site, so I offered to help with her profile. I persuaded her to use a pic from Lou's christening because she was all dressed up. Seeing her holding a baby will definitely put men off.

With each entry she read, Chloe felt increasingly ashamed of herself. When she read the one dated 10 August, she felt even worse.

Paula's boss asked her out for a drink after work. I told her to say no. Dating somebody you work with is never a good idea.

When their dad had left home after an affair, their mum had fallen apart. Chloe had been terrified that if

Paula found love, she' d move away, leaving her to hold things together on her own.

To stop that happening, she' d done all she could to kill any signs of romance before they' d even started.

Her plan had backfired when Paula decided to ignore all her advice. She' d gone out with her boss.

Six months later they married and moved to London, leaving Chloe to take care of their increasingly demanding mother. From that point on, she' d had no time for a personal life, let alone romance.

Now her mother had disappeared to spend time with an old boyfriend and her sister was happily married, while she was 43 years old and on her own.

She turned to an entry dated 12 December.

I almost didn't go to

Paula's engagement party, but I went to show willing. The moment I arrived, Dean sauntered over and asked me to dance. When the music changed to a slow smooch, I sat back down. Paula asked what I was playing at. I told her I didn't have time for romance.

Chloe remembered that only too clearly. She' d only said it to make her sister feel guilty. She put the diary back on the shelf.

The parallels were there to see, as plain as day. She' d been ghastly to her sister, doing all she could to keep her close by, and now her mother was doing exactly the same thing to her.

From the moment her mum had got back in touch with her old flame, her health worries and problems had miraculously disappeared. She would be fine without Chloe around.

Chloe checked her watch, then hurried to fetch Snowy' s lead. If they left now, they might bump into the rather attractive man who lived at number 16. He liked to take his Labrador for a walk after getting in from work.

This time she would stop for a chat. She might even invite him round for a drink later on. While she was in the mood, she' d look on Facebook to see if any of her old flames were single.

As Chloe stepped outside, she was smiling. Maybe history didn' t have to keep repeating itself after all.

Chloe had been terrified that if Paula found love, sheÕd move away, leaving her to hold things together