Megan was being stalked by a girl at school and in the park, worrying her. When she told her brother James about it, he confronted the girl aggressively. To his surprise, the girl apologized and explained she was Teresa's long-lost daughter Emma, abandoned as a child. James was shocked, as Teresa had never mentioned being a mother before becoming their housekeeper years ago.

1. Deasil
7.2
Street

2. She wasn’t sure when it had started, but
Megan was becoming aware of a presence.
She was being followed. Some teen would be
there when she left school…

3. … and whenever she
went to the park, she
had a shadow. Megan
was not easily scared,
but this had her
worried.

4. Megan didn’t go to James for help, but
when he noticed she was looking down
he asked her if she was ok. It was a
Saturday, didn’t she want to go to the
park like usual? Megan spilled. That girl
had been waiting at the end of the street
for hours.

5. James would be the first to admit he
usually shied away from
confrontation, and Megan was the
confident one. But someone scaring
his little half-sister roused something
in him. No matter how badly they’d
got on in the past, he would do his
utmost to stick up for her now.

6. He went on the offensive and surprised
her form behind. Who the hell was she,
what did she think she was doing? He
should call the police! Why was she
stalking his baby sister?

7. To his surprise, the girl backed
down immediately, and
seemed genuinely apologetic.
She said she understood why
he was so upset, and begged
for the time to explain herself.
Somewhat mollified, James
agreed. One hour.

8. She took him to a nearby pub and spilled her guts. She got it all out so quickly James
could only gape. It was impossible, ridiculous. His step-mother had never mentioned
the possibility… this girl claimed to be Teresa’s daughter, Emma Marshall.

9. James knew Teresa had arrived to
be a housekeeper when he was a
toddler, and that she had always
been quiet about her past. He had
even heard her tell Bernice, her
best friend since childhood to stop
prying.
So there was a gap, a time in
Teresa’s life no one knew anything
about. But an abandoned daughter?
Surely Teresa was too maternal to
have dumped a child. She’d been so
attached to him when she’d… oh.
Maybe that was why she had
become so attached to him. Had
she been recovering from the loss
of her own baby?

10. Things were going far better
across the road at number 4.
Ambrose had let Gareth stay
over, the first time she had
gone so far with a man. Being
with him was magical, she had
fallen in love.

11. She decided to ask him if they
were a couple, because her
lack of experience meant she
wasn’t sure. Watching Bernice
had taught her a bit of
woohoo didn’t necessarily
mean a relationship. She was
thrilled when he said they
were. Her first boyfriend!

12. After a quick affirming
chat with Teresa, Bernice
decided to bite the bullet
and do the same. She
would ask Gracie out
properly.

13. Bernice had never asked anyone out
before, never wanted a relationship. She
really like Gracie, and wanted things
perfect. Luckily, Gracie saw her bumbling
mumbling question as adorable, and
agreed to be her girlfriend.