Epilogue
Sabri resigned from her job as a paramedic.
She and her husband now run the Carter Trust, providing funds for young women of colour and those from a disadvantaged or immigrant background to train as doctors.
Their eldest daughter, Maddy, is applying to medical school.
They don’t expect her to be offered a place, she’s simply not as bright as her mother, but her fifth choice is to study nursing at Birmingham.
Sabri thinks Maddy will make an excellent nurse.
Cheryl and Sheila are in the process of booking their next cruise.
Sheila likes the idea of the British Virgin Islands, but Cheryl’s preference is for the Far East. The ultimate decision will be Cheryl’s of course, her mum perfectly understands that, but Cheryl suspects she’ll probably opt for the Caribbean.
Her mum won’t be around for that much longer and letting her have her own way isn’t such a big deal anymore.
Tara and Tug moved to Dittisham. When they’re not swimming or sailing, Tara is preparing for her first exhibition and Tug spends his time hunting down former servicemen who’ve fallen on hard times.
He and Charlie devise ever more devious ways of transferring much-needed funds without the recipients having any idea who their benefactors are.
Charlie started his new secondary school a few weeks ago and has more friends than he knows what to do with.
Holly worries that the half who aren’t motivated by his mother’s money are intrigued by her reputation as a former call girl.
Hormones are pumping in boys of eleven rising twelve and she’s unnerved by some of the glances she gets when Charlie’s friends come to the house.
Coffie, ever unflappable, tells her to chill.
When it comes to friends, Charlie is more than capable of sorting the wheat from the chaff, and at least now he has a big enough pool to fish in.
Coffie and Holly plan to get married in the spring. They’re hoping Robin will officiate, but as he and Jax haven’t been heard of for some months – the last communication came from somewhere in the Pakistan mountains, she isn’t sure he’ll be back in time.
Thomas and Lauren’s whereabouts are unknown.