As I worked my way through writing this year’s pile of Christmas cards, my daughter Lily, 18, peered over my shoulder and asked who ‘Philly’ was, and why I was putting so many kisses. When I told her Philly was my sister – and her aunt – she gasped in astonishment.
‘You’ve got a sister?’ Lily exclaimed. ‘How could I not know that?’
It’s no wonder she was surprised. For decades, there’d been distance, both geographically and emotionally, between Philippa, 47, and me. I never spoke about her in front of my children, and before lockdown, I’d had no contact with my sister for almost five years. The catalyst for this rift – although there’d been bubbling tensions for decades – was our brother Charles’ death.
Although she didn’t know Philly, Lily had loved Charles – known to everyone in the family as Bug – before he tragically died, aged just 40.
I was on holiday in Canada in July 2015 with my husband Erik, then 44, Lily, 13, and my two sons, Henry, 21, and Matt, 18, when I received the shattering call from a doctor at the John Radcliff e Hospital in Oxford to say Bug had suffered a major heart attack and was in a coma.
I caught the next flight and traveled for 26 hours to be at Bug’s bedside. But Philippa hadn’t made the two-hour journey from her home in Brighton to be with him. When I called to ask if she was coming, she said no, she’d find it too upsetting.
Feeling alone
The next couple of days were the worst of my life. It quickly became clear that the brain damage caused by the cardiac arrest triggered by his epilepsy was so severe, Bug would never wake up.
This story is from the November 23, 2020 edition of WOMAN - UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 23, 2020 edition of WOMAN - UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Fast&fresh DINNERS
Healthy meals to keep you satisfied on busy weeknights.
Health checks that could SAVE YOUR LIFE
We service our cars and boilers to make sure they run smoothly, so why not our bodies?
FEEL SEXIER in 60 seconds
Try these instant tricks to lift your libido and get turned on fast
Destination SWAPS
Change your favourite resorts for these great-value, lesser-known places
5 steps to the PERFECT HALLWAY
Try these makeover musts to transform the often-overlooked space into an entrance you can be proud of ai
The secrets WE KEEP
Two women explain why they realised it was finally time to speak up
Our split made us STRONGER!
Bernie Jones loves her husband more after their break-up 4
Can our beloved NHS BE SAVED?
With waiting lists for surgery reaching new highs, we investigate the lengths patients are going to in order to receive treatment
WANT TO SEE BEHIND THE CASTLE GATES?
It’s an interesting development that King Charles has increased public access to Buckingham Palace and opened up Balmoral Castle for the first time.
'The divorce SPEAKS FOR ITSELF"
Singer-turned-actor Billie Piper on her turbulent past and becoming the woman she is today