FAMILY FEELING

A collection of 25 short stories

Helen's sister always calls with emergencies, real or imagined, at the most inconvenient times. Tara's sister rang for help dealing with the consequences of having turned into a crazy cat lady. Katy's sister is waiting for a call to congratulate her for having the one thing her sibling longs for and can never have. Each of them might hang up, keep quiet or even criticise – but that doesn't mean they won't provide help and support when it's needed.

When we love someone we want them to have the best, whether it's gifts, memories or a future. Because she is trying to give Mum a present as wonderful as she deserves, Lucy had lied and now the pair of them aren't talking. Alison wants to give Aunt Cecilia a day out to match her childhood memories, and provides an unforgettable disaster. Melissa and her kids all want to protect each other from hurt, even if it means putting up with the bug-eyed zombie goldfish.

Providing food for our family is another way to show how much we care. Albert has supplied his wife with far more meaty soup and pies than she ever wanted, Claire feeds her mother-in-law the smallest portions of the plainest food and Kim ignores her mother to contemplate curry. Are they any less loving than Ali's mother who often bought her expensive treats and Mike who went out to fetch milk for his wife despite his headache?

Families, whether we're born or married into them, or choose them for ourselves all have stories to tell. This collection contains 25 of them.