Sowing The Seeds Of Love Part 40

'Thanks, Myrtle. That's all I wanted to know.'

The party went on until the early hours. None of the neighbours complained because all of them were there.

Afterword.

Liam sleeps in his own bed now.

I sleep with Seth, the contours of his body following my own. Of course, every now and then, Liam has a bad dream and comes in to us. As does Kathy. On those occasions, we adults hang off the respective edges of our bed, childish knees and elbows digging into our spines.

Just like that, my family has doubled. At first it made me uneasy. I felt I didn't deserve it, this miraculous second chance. But over time I learned to be grateful. And it is this grat.i.tude that has blossomed and transformed my life.

Acknowledgements.

I have many people to thank:.

My editor at Penguin, Patricia Deevy. Thank you for taking me on in the first place. I've enjoyed your insights, your direct approach, your love of words and your unstinting dedication to all things grammatical.

Much grat.i.tude also goes to Michael McLoughlin, Brian Walker, Cliona Lewis and Patricia McVeigh at Penguin Ireland. And to all the people, Penguins and otherwise, whom I have yet to meet, who will contribute to this book. Particularly Keith Taylor and Ellie Smith in the London office.

My agent Faith O'Grady. I have many things for which to thank you. First, your role in helping me to conceive of the idea for the book in the first place, and for the pep talk that spurred me into writing it. If it wasn't for you, the walled garden would have been a scruffy corner plot and the deli would have been a dingy corner shop. And thanks for getting me this book deal.

Hazel Orme. Copy-editor extraordinaire. Your attention to detail is astounding.

Many moons ago, Lenny Abrahamson was kind enough to meet up with me and share valuable insight into what it means to grow up Jewish in Dublin. At last, I was able to put that knowledge to good use. Thank you.

Heartfelt thanks to Emma Delahunt, for filling me in on what 'the young people' wear, drink, smoke and do nowadays. Emos and Dubes. Who knew?

I am also very grateful to Emer O'Carroll, who, a long time ago, gave me valuable information about the nature of adoption in Ireland.

And thank you very much Eithne Hegarty BL for your expert legal advice.

To John and Dorothy Allen, who set me straight on Eucharistic ministers, to Neal McCormack, who told me about Tin Pan Alley, to Kay in Thomastown Library, who sourced the books on the 1950s, to the people in the Lisa Richards Agency who came up with a suitable book for Emily to read, and to the motley crew who racked their brains to help me come up with a t.i.tle for this book I thank you one and all.

To those family members, friends and neighbours who make up my inner circle, thank you for being in my world. I'd particularly like to thank both of my parents for sharing their stories about growing up in Ireland in the 1950s.

To Leo and Marianne, I love you both, you little squirts.

And to Rory, my first reader and editor. Thank you for your enthusiasm, encouragement and patience.

Finally, I would like to pay tribute to three beautiful gardens, all of which inspired me: the walled garden at Woodstock, Inistiogue, the Water Garden in Thomastown and the walled garden at Mount Juliet, Thomastown, all in South County Kilkenny. To those of you who designed, planted and care for them, I thank you all. Especially Paddy Daly of Mount Juliet.

end.