Two Sisters

January. Clara to Ines: "Happy New Year from a very wet London! I spent midnight on Primrose Hill with my flatmates, watching the fireworks over the river. It was freezing, but it was beautiful. How was the party at Mum and Dad's? I bet Grandma danced until three again. I miss you all, but honestly, I think this is going to be my year."

Ines to Clara: "Grandma danced until four, actually. It was thirty-five degrees and the twins fell asleep under the table. Lucas burned the meat, as always. Your year? I'm happy for you. Mine looks exactly like last year, which looked exactly like the year before. Whereas you wake up somewhere new every month, I wake up at six because somebody wants breakfast."

March. Clara: "Big news: I got the promotion! I'm now officially a senior designer, which means more money and much longer hours. I went to a gallery opening on Thursday, a jazz bar on Friday and a friend's birthday on Saturday. I'm exhausted. Unlike you, I never have time to cook. Last week I had cereal for dinner four nights in a row."

Ines: "Congratulations! Mum told everybody at the market. Meanwhile, here, the big news is that Sofi lost her first tooth and Mateo learned to ride a bike. I know it isn't a promotion, but I cried more than he did. I envy you sometimes, you know. You go to a museum because you feel like it. I go to the supermarket because we've run out of milk."

June. Clara: "Can I tell you something without you telling Mum? I came home on Friday after a work dinner and there was nobody in the flat. My flatmates were all away. I made a cup of tea and sat in the kitchen and realized that nobody in this whole city knew where I was. In Buenos Aires, at least six people would have phoned to ask. Here, I could disappear for a week and nobody would notice until Monday."

Ines: "Here, I can't disappear for five minutes. Somebody always finds me, usually to ask where their shoes are. But I understand. Freedom is lovely, but it doesn't make you dinner when you're ill. Call me whenever you want, even at three in the morning. I'm awake anyway, because Sofi has bad dreams."

September. Ines: "I did something crazy. I signed up for an evening course in photography, two nights a week, and Lucas is looking after the kids. On Tuesday the teacher said I had a good eye for ordinary life. Of course I do. Ordinary life is all I have. But for three hours I was just Ines, not Mum, and I loved it."

Clara: "That's wonderful! Send me everything you take. While you've been discovering photography, I've been discovering the opposite of excitement: I joined a Sunday walking group. Most of the members are over sixty, and they bring sandwiches and talk about their grandchildren. It's the best part of my week. Is it strange that I feel more at home with them than at any party?"

December. Clara: "I've booked my flight. I'll be home on the twenty-third for three whole weeks. I've been thinking a lot this year. When I left, I thought you had the boring life and I had the exciting one. Now I think we both just had the lives that the other one couldn't see properly."

Ines: "I think so too. You have the freedom I sometimes dream about, while I have the noise you sometimes miss. Maybe neither of us has the perfect life, but at least we can borrow a bit of each other's. The twins have made you a sign for the airport. Be warned: it has glitter on it. And Grandma says she's going to dance until five."