Table of contents for 13-Feb-2020 in Chat

Fauve’s tiny baby boy Theo survived something that would see off most grown men (p10). Vanessa’s Facebook profile told the story of a happy marriage but, after she died, a dark truth emerged (p16). And being a twin was something Margaret cherished – until she heard something about her brother that disgusted her (p24). There are more real-life stories, puzzles, cheap ideas for a quick, cosy home update (p31), an easy romantic meal (p42) and the latest supermarket fashions (p12). Plus loads more!…

I’ve been here before! Q I sometimes get deja vu, where I feel I’ve been somewhere before or met someone before – even though I haven’t. Why does it happen? Mina, Birmingham A We all experience deja vu from time to time, though no one’s quite sure why. One theory is that something about a new situation reminds you of something you’re already familiar with, and your brain makes a false connection, so you think you’re remembering a scene from your past. It is more common in younger people, and usually happens less often as we grow older. Stress or tiredness can trigger it, and rarely it might be a side-effect of some drugs. It’s usually a temporary and harmless sensation, but occasionally it can indicate a form of epilepsy…

Alyssa Tantillo, 29, north London Repeatedly swiping on my phone, I let out a sigh. It was March 2017 and I was on the penultimate night of my 11-day work trip to London. Having ticked off the tourist hotspots, I’d clicked on dating app Bumble. See, back home in Los Angeles, I was something of a serial dater. Bumble, Hinge, Tinder, I used all the apps. Often, I’d clock up to two dates a week. At home, I was looking for love. But in London, I just wanted a few casual drinks. As I continued to scroll through the city’s singletons, one profile caught my eye. Tom, 29, doctor, it read. With a flick to the right, it was a match. In no time at all, we’d arranged where and…

3 ways to... save on mobile phone bills 1 Do your research It is essential that you take the time to shop around using different comparison sites. But first, try to work out what you actually need. When it comes to choosing a new deal, there's no point paying for generous call or data allowances if you're not going to make full use of them. Free specialist online tools such as Billmonitor (billmonitor.com) will take a look at your bills and suggest the best deals for you based on your current usage. 2 Wait it out Once your contract ends, if you're happy with your current handset, you could save a bundle if you stick with it and get a SIM-only plan instead. 3 Haggle! Once you know exactly what…

Irresistible Sparkling Rosé, £8, Co-op Crisp, delicate and refreshing, this pink fizz is made by a prosecco producer but must be called sparkling wine as it’s pink. Finest Cremant De Limoux Rosé Sparkling, £12, Tesco  Fresh and fruity, this is delicious paired with seafood, salads and desserts too. It’s made with grapes specially selected from the Languedoc vineyards in France and is exceptionally good value. Cava Rosado Brut, £5.49, Lidl  This Spanish sparkling wine is made the same way as champagne and is excellent value at just over £5. It’s especially good with strawberry desserts, so it’s a perfect match at this time of year.…

Aries 21 March-20 April Now’s the right time for booking and planning that special holiday in the sun. And heat permeates a relationship, as you enjoy what someone has to offer. Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May Your creativity will come out over the days ahead as your imagination will be free-flowing, bringing you the inspiration to start something very successful. Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Acting on impulse leads you to surprise a lover or someone to whom you’re attracted. Letting a partner know that you care will have positive results. Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July Be sure that you play your cards right, as your search for something new will come up trumps. Job…

Revlon Super Lustrous The Luscious Mattes, £8.99, Boots For a pop of colour that won’t budge throughout the day, give these new lippies a try. They come in nine classic shades and are infused with a cocktail of hydrating goodness, including moringa oil and agave, which helps keep lips buttery soft. Yes to Tomatoes Yin & Yang Detoxifying & Hydrating Black & White Charcoal Paper Mask, £2.99 The ultimate detox to draw out impurities and help hydrate dry and sensitive skin. Pop on for 10 mins and say hello to a bright complexion. Lumene Arctic Hydra Care Moisture & Relief Rich Hand Cream, £7.90, John Lewis Nordic bilberry, oat and canola oils make up this nourishing hand cream. Designed to intensely hydrate, making it the perfect winter companion.…

Fauve Syers, 31, Salford As my newborn son Theo snoozed in his cot, he didn’t as much as stir. It was May 2017 and I couldn’t believe how lucky we were with him sleeping through the night. ‘He’s a godsend, isn’t he?’ I smiled to my partner Steven, then 34. I’d heard horror stories of babies wailing constantly in those first few days. Not our little Theo. But when Theo was just eight days old, I noticed his little lips looked blue. ‘Stick the heating on, will you?’ I asked Steven. But minutes later, his lips were still tinged blue. ‘Something’s wrong,’ I panicked. Ringing 111, I listed his symptoms – he was breathing with his tummy and his head was frantically going up and down as he breathed in…

On 18 November 2019, Andrew MacCormack, 31, was found guilty of the first-degree murder of his wife. After the verdict was delivered, Vanessa’s heartbroken sister Angela told of the gaping hole left by her sister’s death. She said that Vanessa’s three-year-old daughter asks her to drive her to heaven, so she can visit her mother, who ‘lives in the clouds’. ‘She will never laugh as hard as we did at Vanessa’s jokes and sense of humour,’ Angela said. Soon after, Andrew MacCormack was sentenced to life without parole, but even after the jury returned its verdict, he still protested his innocence. ‘There is someone out there getting away with murder,’ MacCormack insisted. His lawyer told the court of Andrew MacCormack’s plans to appeal his conviction for murder.…

Margaret Harrod, 63 I watched as my mum Coral, 65, and dad Richard, 77, beamed proudly at my twin brother, Michael, then 31. Making his way to the altar to be ordained as a priest, he was dressed in long, black robes and a clerical collar. The picture of purity. It was March 1987, and the lavish ceremony in our local church was a proud moment for all my family. After the service, I gave my brother a big hug. From the moment we were born, Michael and I were as thick as thieves. Like many twins, we shared a deep connection. We even had our own language – one nobody but us could understand. From birth to our teens, we were inseparable. At school, we sat side by side,…

Jealous of his daughter Q I live with my partner of five years and his 17-year-old daughter. She’s a nice girl, but is very quiet. Her mum passed away, and she only comes out of her room when her dad’s home. Then she’s all over him, and I feel left out. I don’t want it to affect my relationship but she gets jealous when we’re affectionate towards each other. Am I being over the top? Lyndsey, 31 AYou’re absolutely being over the top! She’s 17, has lost her mum and misses her madly. Her only connection with her is her dad. So what if she wants to spend time with him? He is her safe haven. If you’re holding onto jealousy, how do you expect her to want to spend…

Sarah Jones, 44, Cwmbran Hurrying the kids upstairs, I turned to my husband Darren, then 46. As usual, he was sitting slumped in the armchair. Staring at the TV like a zombie, he had a glass of wine in one hand, a pack of sausage rolls in the other. ‘Are you coming?’ I asked him hopefully. ‘Later,’ he said to me, barely looking away from the screen. It was March 2015, and as I bathed our son Ieuan, then 6, and daughter Sophia, 3, my heart felt heavy. The truth was, my husband just wasn’t the man I married. I remembered how, just a year ago, Darren would wrestle with the kids until they were both crying with laughter. ‘It’s bedtime!’ I’d groan as they giggled, clinging to Darren. Now,…

More than half of over-65s have money stashed away to support adult children through financial trouble, a survey by Saga Savings has found. The average amount the age group has put aside to help out in case of emergency stands at £11,500. The study also found that 49% of those surveyed said they dip into their savings at least once or twice a year to help adult children, up from 34% in a 2012 survey. Don’t heat unused rooms If you have a spare bedroom that is rarely used, turn its radiator down to the lowest setting without turning it off completely. Fitting reflective foil behind radiators on external walls will also help to reduce the rate of heat loss in these rooms.…

CeraVe Facial Moisturising Lotion, £11.99 If you’ve sensitive skin prone to irritation, you might want to try this. The cream is lightweight and won’t leave your skin feeling oily. It works to combat those major skin gripes, like fine lines, redness and dull-looking skin. Palmer’s Moisture Rich Night Cream, £9.55 Infused with retinol and vitamin E to help smooth and promote younger- looking skin. Our top tip? Use as an overnight mask by applying a thick layer before bed for maximum hydration. Nspa Expert Daily-Rejuvenate Cream, £10 This deeply nourishing cream improves skin firmness and reduces wrinkles, thanks to the anti-ageing actives of millet seed extract and Crocus chrysanthus bulb. These promise to reveal a radiant, smoother, firmer complexion.…

Lauren Jane, 25, Llanelli Rummaging through my wardrobe, I pulled out armfuls of dresses, skirts and jackets. Laying it all on the bed, I turned to my best friend Maddie, 19. ‘Borrow anything you want,’ I smiled. ‘Thanks, babe!’ she said. It was 13 February 2019 and I was helping Maddie get ready for a night out. We’d known each other for four years, were the best of friends. And we loved any excuse to get glammed up together. Had had countless nights out on the town. Especially since I’d broken up with Adam, 27. I thought we had something special. He’d doted on my daughter from a previous relationship. But after two years, we’d split. And I’d been devastated. Like a true friend, Maddie had been there for me.…

Scrolling through Vanessa Masucci’s Facebook profile, it would be easy to think she had it all. Regular posts drew a timeline of her courtship with her partner Andrew MacCormack. An announcement of their engagement, happy snaps of their wedding. Vanessa’s profile picture showed her in a beautiful fishtail gown on her big day, glowing with happiness. She was a teacher, Andrew had a good job in a union. They lived in a new house in Revere, Massachusetts, USA. And in 2016, they’d announced the arrival of their baby girl. It should have been the start of a long, happy future. But on September 2017, tragedy struck. Andrew was out when he received a worried phone call from Vanessa’s parents. They couldn’t reach her. Andrew raced back home, staying on the…

Q Don’t you feel hungry? A Never! In fact, it's usually the opposite - because of the amount of fruit I have to eat to get me up to the recommended calorie intake, at first it was actually hard to eat that volume of food. I never feel hungry. And by making sure I eat a variety of different fruits, and a little veg, I get all the minerals and vitamins I need, too. Q Do you crave cooked meals? A Even when I first started the diet, I didn't have any cravings. I used to love pasta and curries, but I didn't miss it once. Things changed during my pregnancy as I needed to eat simple vegan meals to help with the nausea of morning sickness, but I'm hoping…

MURDERED AT SCHOOL On 8 December 1995, a head teacher was fatally stabbed outside his west London school. Dad of four Philip Lawrence, 48, was attacked while protecting a pupil, 13, who was being assaulted outside St George's Roman Catholic School, Maida Vale. Medics battled to save Philip but he died in hospital. Learco Chindamo, 15 at the time of the attack, was found guilty of murder and jailed for life, to serve at least 12 years. RINGLEADER JAILED In November 1995, Badrul Miah was found guilty of conspiring to murder 15-year-old Richard Everitt. Richard was attacked by a gang and stabbed with a kitchen knife in Camden, north London. One of those responsible for Richard’s death, Miah boasted of ‘stabbing up a white boy’. During the trial, the judge…

1 Think back. Remember what it was like – the hormones, the changing body, the need to fit in with friends. Bless them, it can be a confusing time. Your child needs stability, support, patience and understanding. 2 Set clear boundaries. Involve your child in developing rules. It’ll help them become independent. Set and use consequences for poor behaviour, but make your list of rules and consequences as short as possible. 3 Spend time together. Make yourself available to talk. Offer to give them a lift and use the time to chat. While you should allow your child space to develop their own interests without feeling smothered, some common ground can make everyday conversation easier.…

After doing some research, we got in touch with the mental-health charity Mind. ‘They’re offering therapy,’ I said to Darren. Darren knew he needed help and wanted to try it. And talking to someone really did seem to help him. He also went out for walks during the day. Slowly, his mood seemed to lift. He started picking the kids up from school, and cooking healthy meals in the evenings. ‘No more of this,’ he said a few weeks later, emptying a bottle of wine into the kitchen sink. As Darren slowly but surely started making progress, his 50th birthday was approaching. ‘You deserve to do something special,’ I said. He’d always wanted to skydive but we discovered that he couldn’t weigh any more than 15st to do so. ‘Challenge…

Bucatini and meatballs SERVES 2 PREP 10 MINS, PLUS CHILLING COOK 20 MINS 200g free-range pork sausages ½ small onion, finely chopped 1tbsp olive oil ½ garlic clove, crushed ¼ fresh or dried chilli, finely chopped Handful of large basil leaves 200g tinned plum tomatoes 1tbsp tomato puree ½tbsp dried oregano ½tbsp balsamic vinegar 150g bucatini 20g Parmesan, grated 1 Squeeze the meat from the sausages into a bowl and add 1tbsp of the chopped onion. Season well and combine thoroughly. Form the mixture into 6-8 equal-sized meatballs, then place in the fridge for 20-30 mins. 2 Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the remaining onion for 5-7 mins, until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic and chilli, cook until coloured, then add the basil leaves.…

Coronation Street Bethany exposes sex pest Ray He tried it on with Michelle and now Ray’s eyeing Alya. Learning of his history of harassment and hoping to expose him, Bethany puts evidence of his pervy past in an online article. What will Abi make of the allegations about her fella? EastEnders Who’s watching Callum? Callum prepares for his assessment to see if he can join the police force, unaware he’s being watched. But later, he gets a big shock when the person who’s been watching him turns up at his door. Who could it be? Plus, Whitney finds herself in danger when she comes face to face with Leo… Emmerdale Vanessa’s killer face-off! Innocent Marlon’s in prison, and no one has any idea Pierce is the real culprit or that…

Q How can I make my blow-dry look bouncier and last all day? Pauline Taylor, 69, Hampshire A Swap your normal shampoo for a volumising formula. Try Pantene Pro-V Miracles Grow Strong Shampoo and Conditioner, £5 each; both contain biotin and bamboo to strengthen hair and reduce loss. After washing, use a thickening mousse, such as Living Proof Full Thickening Mousse, £10. Work a golf ball-sized amount into your  roots and blow-dry your hair upside down. It will transform limp, flat locks and doesn’t leave behind any sticky residue. Got a beauty question? Send your problems to chat_magazine@ti-media.com TOP TIP For an instant eye lift, use a highlighter just above the arch of your brows and blend. It will define your eyebrows perfectly.…