Ros - Title

Caroline leant over the author's shoulder and read the words 'Holly and Marie' on the screen.  She withdrew the cigarette from her lips and proceeded to stub it out very slowly and deliberately until it was limp and squashed in the ash tray. A faint wisp of smoke hung in the air.

'Well, well', she drawled, that's the way its going is it?'  'Holly and Marie'. Holly she called out.  'Come and look at this.'

Holly left her seat in front of the television and obediently went and stood by her mother.  ' So you and the delightful Marie are going to have a book written about you.  What do you think about then?.'  asked Caroline

'I shouldn't think anyone would be interested in reading about me.  But they might want to read about Marie,' Holly replied cautiously.

'And what about me.  Isn't it my story? I'm the one who suffered all these years in silence only to have you and the meddling Marie dig about in the detritus of my life and now you want the world to know what happened to me.   If there must be a book,what about it being called "Caroline"?'

'It  could be "Caroline and Holly" or "Mother and Daughter". That would be fair.  But I don't think you can have it all your own way this time, Mum,"   Holly replied firmly.

'Both bloody boring names if you ask me.  Just my luck to have an author lacking imagination.  Ah Marie, come and join us.  Why don't we make ourselves comfortable .'   Marie and Holly moved to the sofa and both sat with their legs curled under them.  Caroline perched on the arm of another chair, her elegant legs crossed.  At a glance from Caroline Holly turned off the television.

'What do you think, Marie', started Holly hardly able to conceal a  growing excitement.'  someone is writing a story about us'

'Us?'  queried Marie.

'You, me and.. Mum of course.  The story about how we found my father.

'Pricelesss isn't it,' retorted Caroline.  ' An interfering Au Pair, paid to look after my daugheter, is about to star in my story.  The next best thing would be if Holly's father featured in the title'.

'Well as a matter of fact I had heard that the title "The Man Who Would Be Her Father,"  had been suggested ,' volunteered Holly hesitantly. 

'Ghastly parody,' groaned Caroline reaching for her box of cigarettes.

'What does "parody" mean?' asked Marie.

'Oh, Never mind. She can't pick that one anyway. For some reason you seem to be party to all of this, Holly.  Are there any other suggestions I should know about?

'Past Lies and Present Lives.'

'What was that?'

'Past Lies..,' Holly began to repeat but Caroline interrupted her.

' That's nice,' Caroline puffed thoughtfully on her now lighted  cigarette."  They fell silent each, each remembering the events of the past year.  How to convey in a few words the fear, excitement, sadness and joy which each had experienced in their different ways.  The author had a  hard task to perform.

At last Holly said 'What do you think Marie?'

'Well, I see your Mum's point. I don't think the story is about me but it's definitely about you and for once you should get some credit.  I would favour a title that had your name in it, Holly  but don't ask me to think of one my  English isn't good enough.'

'That's not like you Marie, you usually have an answer for everything.'  remarked Caroline. The scene   fades, the protagonists continue to argue.  Is the author any  further advanced on a search for a title?  Not really but it has confirmed a growing realisation that Caroline is by far the most interesting of the three characters!