She’dliterallywhooped out loud this time as she discovered she’d lost twelve pounds in just over four weeks. Obviously that rate of weight loss wouldn’t continue, but it was a brilliant boost to start her off, and it must be doing something to help her blood sugar levels.
‘You’re absolutely glowing,’ Rosie said, tilting her head and surveying Alison thoughtfully. She smirked. ‘All that healthy food must be doing you the world of good.’
She was probably right. Alison had never eaten so healthily in her life. Rosie had set her on the right path, and now she had another ally whose help was making all the difference…
‘Your parents are lovely,’ Mac had said as they walked through Tide’s Reach towards Rosie’s caravan. ‘You know they’re just worried about you, don’t you? I know they did go on about the diabetes a lot, and I saw the look on your face when your mum served up that cheesecake and you got the yoghurt, but it’s only because they want you to be well. I could see it in their eyes. They love you to bits.’
Alison had nodded. She knew it, deep down.
‘It’s just a bit embarrassing,’ she said at last.
‘What is?’
‘Getting diagnosed with type 2 diabetes,’ she admitted. ‘Feels like an admission of failure somehow. Like if I’d only had more self-control and willpower this would never have happened to me.’
‘It’s not your fault,’ he assured her. ‘Society’s geared towards getting people to eat unhealthily. Diabetes is an epidemic these days. How many diabetics did you know when we were kids?’
‘I’d never heard of it,’ she agreed. ‘But food wasn’t so widely available as it is now. The shops closed at teatime. They closed on Sundays. There were no takeaway deliveries or apps that allowed you to have food delivered to your door in minutes. It feels like we’re encouraged to eat non-stop these days. And all the wrong things.’
‘I’ve been thinking about that,’ Mac said. ‘You know I’m the world’s worst cook?’
Alison laughed. ‘You might have mentioned it once or twice.’
‘Yes, well, I’ve decided that I’m going to learn how to make some meals from scratch, so I’ve ordered a cookbook. I wondered if you’d like to learn alongside me? We could help each other out. You could come round to Watersmeet, and we could practise together. Only if you want to!’ he added hastily. ‘I mean, there’s no pressure. I just really want to do this for myself, and I thought if you wanted to do the same, we might as well work as a team.’
Alison liked the sound of them working as a team. She liked it a lot, which wasn’t something she wanted to examine too closely.
‘That would be great,’ she’d told him. ‘Thank you. Let’s do it!’
What he hadn’t mentioned – and what she only discovered a few days later when the cookbook arrived – was that it was full of diabetes-friendly recipes and was aimed at getting your blood sugar levels back to normal. She couldn’t believe he’d done that for her, and thought he was quite possibly the kindest man she’d ever met.
Well, apart from her dad, obviously.
And Uncle Christopher.
And Niall.
And Drew of course…
‘Ali, have you drifted off again?’ Rosie asked impatiently. ‘Come on, or we’ll have Mam moaning at us all afternoon.’
‘Sorry!’ Alison shook her head and grabbed her bag. ‘Ready.’
‘At last! Let’s go.’
22
Alison had never noticed before, but Rosie was quite right. Elaine was like a different person when in the presence of Kendra and Niall.
‘How can she be so awestruck by her own family?’ she wondered aloud, watching her aunt transform into a timid, blushing mouse, who was all ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and ‘you’re so kind’ as Kendra offered her tea and enquired if she’d prefer milk or lemon in it.
‘To be fair to Mam,’ Rosie said, ‘nobody else in our family would even think about offering tea with lemon, would they?’
They watched as Kendra asked the same question of Alison’s dad, who threw up his hands in horror and said, ‘I want a brew, not a cold remedy!’
Rosie giggled and Alison said, ‘Trust Dad.’
Uncle Christopher told an amused Kendra that he’d love tea with lemon, and she gave him a knowing smile before heading into the kitchen.
