The Funeral for Mrs Allen was held the following week, school was closed for the day so that everyone could attend. It was a very sad day, the twins were kept away, being looked after by their nurse. It was felt that it would have been too much for them to have to say goodbye to their mother.

How can a 4 yr old understand about death when they've only just begun to live? The only thing they understood is that the person who cared for them when they sick or had been hurt themselves and that the one who'd cried and laughed with them wouldn't be coming home. It was made even more painful for everyone with Christmas only a couple of days away.

On Christmas day, the mood in village was still sad. We had been trying to think of way to make today a happy day for the twins. as we knew that it was a difficult and lonely time for them. I had spent a lot of time with them and had so far managed to take their minds of their mother, but today, they needed her and I couldn't take her place.

I arrived at Mrs Clegg's [or I should aunt Julia`s] home as the twins were having breakfast and went into the lounge. A short while later, Sue and Sandra came in hand in hand with tears in their eyes.

They were on each side of me, Sue looked at me and said, "Mums not coming back is she?"

Aunt Julia left the room and I told them, "Your Mum is in Heaven with the Angels."

"But we miss her!" said Sandra.

"She will always be with you in your hearts and memories and will always be watching over both of you."

Then the nanny came in and took them to get dressed and then I started crying, Aunt Julia came and cuddled me and told me, "What I said will be understood by them and hopefully they will start to feel better."

Usually, today would have been a family affair, but I told my family I would spend today with twins. I know they were disappointed, but they understood and said the come over in the afternoon.

Once they were dressed, we gave the twins their Christmas presents, they perked up when they opened them: new dolls, clothes, new bikes, you name it, they got it. They got much that the house was starting to look like a toy and clothing store. It was every little girls dream and they loved it, even the grown ups and myself felt a lot better. Tomorrow it might be different, but at least today they were happy, even though they missed their mum.

My parents and brothers came over just in time for Christmas dinner and were amazed when they found the twins running around giggling and enjoying themselves. Mum said "Aunt Julia must have done right with them."

But Aunt Julia shook her head and smiled and pointed at me,"Jacqueline has got a way with those two little imps."

Nobody minded the constant badgering they got from the twins who were showing them their presents, they were happy and that's what counted. The following day was Sunday and that meant church, I had stayed at Aunt Julia's last night and helped her with getting the twins ready for Church

It gladdened the hearts of the congregation to see the girls laughing. Once the service was over, the vicar asked us to join him and his wife for coffee. Me and girls were given glasses of hot chocolate.

Once we were seated he asked the twins," Are you alright?"

They just nodded.

He told them, "If either of you don't understand anything, please ask me."

But Sandra said, "That's OK, we know mum is with the angels and is watching over us."

"How do you know that?"

Sue pointed at me said, "Jacqueline told us all about it."

We sat and talked a while and saw weather was staring to get worse, so the vicar drove us home to Aunt Julia`s where I spent another night.

Monday came, and Mum rang to tell me, "Your dad was on his way to collect you, bring the twins with you and give Aunt Julia a day off."

I told Aunt Julia what mum said and she said, "I could with some quiet time."

I asked, "Are you sure?"

"Sometimes you go off alone just to be yourself and to think."

I couldn't answer that, but I didn`t want her to alone and do something silly.

When we got our house, I took the girls in while Dd garaged his 4x4 and Mum and my brothers greeted them. After they got their coats off, they had a drink and a sandwich and the fun started. Whatever they wanted to do, we did it, and so it went till bed time.

Everyday that week, they were taken over to another family where they had fun, the village took the girls into their homes and their hearts. They belonged to us and we belonged to them. They were spoiled rotten by everyone, but the other kids were not left out. Christmas that year was truly a season of goodwill, at least in our little community.

After months of legal tug of war, Aunt Julia was made guardian to the twins by the court, she fought and won. As was said, they belonged to us and nobody was going to take them away.

After Christmas break, it was back to school and the twins were back in attendance. It was also time to choose the next Queen of the May, there was no way I was going to do it again this year!

OK, I`ll admit that I enjoyed it, but I didn`t get a lot of free time to myself, and Billy would be glad as he wouldn't be king and have to wear his costume again. The girl selected was a neighbour named Natalie. I asked her to consider Sue and Sandra as two of flower girls, but she told me they were at the top of her list. I was glad about that, those imps deserved some good luck and this would be different for them.