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so quietly it came out as a whisper.
    â€œThat’s a lovely name. Well, Vincent, it’s nice to meet you,” Mr Whippy said softly. “I bet you love 99s like your brother, do you?”
    Vincent nodded and said yes. And how I loved the sound of his little voice.
    The boys sat happily on the grass with their ice-creams. Joe handed me a chocolate ice-cream cone with butterscotch sauce and sprinkles.
    As I took my first taste, I watched as Charlie was forced out of the house by Brian. I watched as he was forced into his car and ordered off down the road. I watched him drive out of my life.

Twelve
    When I was a little girl I believed in fairy tales. My mother used to read to me every night while I was snuggled up in bed. I loved hearing stories of princes and princesses who lived in beautiful castles in faraway lands. Just before I would drift off into my own faraway world, my mother would whisper to me that I too would find my prince some day.
    Charlie was the first man I ever fell in love with. For over twenty-five years he remained the only man I loved. Butwhen I fell in love with him, I stopped believing in fairy tales.
    I believe in them again. Mother, if you can still see me, look. I’ve found my prince. His white van is the white horse that took him to me. His ice-cream cone is his sword! This fairy tale is real. I have a messy divorce to face and troublesome sons to guide. I have lost a best friend. But I’ve found my prince and that makes me smile. It’s not
where
I live happily ever after, or
who
with. It’s the fact that
I
live happily ever after. I know now that’s what my mother was trying to teach me.
    I have a new ice-cream memory now. Chocolate ice-cream, butterscotch sauce and sprinkles gives me new feelings when I eat it. It gives me the feelings of empowerment, freedom and inner strength. I’ve learned that the best revenge is finding happiness again.
    A revenge of the sweetest kind, served up by Mrs Whippy.

OPEN DOOR SERIES
    SERIES ONE
    Not Just for Christmas
by Roddy Doyle
( TG )
    In High Germany
by Dermot Bolger
    Sad Song
by Vincent Banville
( TG )
    Maggie’s Story
by Sheila O’Flanagan
    Jesus and Billy Are Off to Barcelona
    by Deirdre Purcell
    Ripples
by Patricia Scanlan
    SERIES TWO
    No Dress Rehearsal
by Marian Keyes
    Joe’s Wedding
by Gareth O’Callaghan
( TG )
    It All Adds Up
by Margaret Neylon
    Second Chance
by Patricia Scanlan
( TG )
    Pipe Dreams
by Anne Schulman
    Old Money, New Money
by Peter Sheridan
( TG )
    SERIES THREE
    The Builders
by Maeve Binchy
    Letter from Chicago
by Cathy Kelly
( TG )
    Driving with Daisy
by Tom Nestor
    The Comedian
by Joseph O’Connor
    Has Anyone Here Seen Larry?
    by Deirdre Purcell
    An Accident Waiting to Happen
    by Vincent Banville
    SERIES FOUR
    Not a Star
by Nick Hornby
    Mad Weekend
by Roddy Doyle
    Fair-Weather Friend
by Patricia Scanlan
( TG )
    Stray Dog
by Gareth O’Callaghan
( TG )
    The Story of Joe Brown
by Rose Doyle
( TG )
    Mrs. Whippy
by Cecelia Ahern
( TG )
    (TG):Teacher’s Guide available at www.gemmamedia.com