You're Leaving Home, by Shelley Kirton

Darling girl don’t forget your passport put it with your ticket and your bottle of water is in the frig so pop them all in your bag and yes I know I’m fussing I can’t help it oh look at you all grown up you were such a beautiful baby I made your christening gown and you looked sternly at the Vicar as if to say don’t you dare drop me and everyone smiled and then you grew up and started school and here you are finished uni and off to see the world and I know that you will cope and be amazing and what a help being able to stay with Nichola for just a few weeks and then get your own flat and I cannot imagine how the tube is and how confusing it must be but you will work it out in no time and find a job and go off each morning like a real London girl and oh did you remember to pack your winter coat because you will certainly need that and do buy a nice warm scarf and gloves and a hat because snow is snow joke and I am joking because my heart is breaking and I don’t know how else to do this and I am scared to tell you how much I will miss you because I will start to cry and once I start I won’t be able to stop so let’s get you in the car and we can make sure of being on time because the traffic in the morning is just awful and all it takes is a nose-to-tail and everything stops for hours and we don’t want that to happen now are you sure you’ve got your ticket and your passport and do zip them into your bag because they might fall out or worse because there are thieves around and you wouldn’t even know about it until afterwards and please make sure you take care and don’t walk home too late and you look so beautiful in that top and yes your jeans are perfect but will that light sweater be enough as planes can get quite chilly I have found although I’ve only been on short distances but those air vent things are quite fierce and you don’t want to catch a cold and yes I will be fine but this is the hardest thing I have ever had to do but once we get to the airport it will all just happen and I know you will be fine because you are amazing and strong and I love you and please email me and message me and it is awful not knowing when I will see you again because I don’t know how I will be able to afford to visit you so far away and I love you and how I have dreaded this moment but now we have to go and my heart is broken and I love you.