‘Okay, but only if you’re sure. I wouldn’t want to be a burden.’
Alison gave her daughter a sharp look. ‘Are you ever going to let this go? I’ve messaged you a few times now and you’ve ignored every one. Is this how it’s going to be from now on?’
Jenna stared at her for a moment, then she rubbed her temples and said, ‘I’m sorry, Mum, it’s just?—’
Ada came running over and grabbed Alison’s hand. ‘Can we see the caravan then, Grandma? When are you coming home? We don’t like you being away so long.’
Alison and Jenna gazed at each other and Jenna said, ‘Whenever you like, Mum. It’s up to you.’
‘Shall we say next Saturday night then?’ Alison said brightly to Ada. ‘I’ll come and pick you up after work and take you round our posh caravan, then we’ll see Great-Granny and Grandad, and maybe I’ll take you for dinner at the pub on Sunday before I drop you home. What do you say?’
Ada whooped and ran off to tell her twin sister the good news.
‘Thanks, Mum.’
‘Are you sure you’re okay, Jenna?’ Alison asked anxiously. ‘If there’s anything?—’
‘I’m fine. Just tired. You know what teaching’s like.’ Jenna managed a wan smile. ‘Takes it out of you, doesn’t it?’
It had certainly taken it out of Alison, but she’d had only one child to care for at home, and a supportive, loving husband. Joel was never there, and even though he clearly wanted to protect and defend his wife, was that enough? Jenna needed him by her side.
Should she put her own selfish needs aside and go home? If her daughter needed her…
‘Jenna—’
Her voice was drowned out as a chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ erupted and everyone sang to the birthday girl, who stood looking suitably embarrassed until they’d finished. As the cheering and clapping began Jenna moved towards the table where the twins were urging Poppy to blow out her candles and make a wish.
Alison took a step forward.
‘Don’t even think about it.’ Rosie’s hand was tight on her arm. ‘I heard every word, and I know what you’re going to do. Leave it, Ali. Please.’
‘But she needs me,’ Alison said sadly.
‘She needs to sort out her life if she’s not happy with it,’ Rosie said firmly. ‘Just as you’re doing right now. If you go back things will slot into place exactly as they were before. You’ll be busy and stressed and resentful, the diet will go out the window and you’ll be right back at square one. You need to fix yourself, and if Jenna’s not happy she needs to fixherself, too.’
As Alison hesitated, Rosie’s voice softened. ‘Look, I know how you’re feeling, and I get that you think she’s your responsibility, but she’s a grown woman. You need to focus on your health right now – physical and mental. Please, Ali.’
Alison nodded. Rosie was right. If she went home things would never change, and she needed to remember how unhappy she’d been. She had to think about getting her blood sugar down and figuring out what she was going to do with the rest of her life – because the truth was, she was happy in Kelsea Sands, and though she’d never imagined it possible, she was quite happy living in the caravan with Rosie. She’d never felt more relaxed, and her stress levels had only risen when she thought about Jenna, which said a lot.
She would take the twins on Saturday, as agreed, and if she was allowed, she would see them every weekend, or every other weekend. But that had to be the limit of her involvement for now. She couldn’t get dragged back into a situation that was wearing her down. Not until she was stronger in her own mind about what she wanted for herself and her future.
23
‘Do you remember,’ Alison said, ‘when we were kids and this place used to be heaving?’ She and Mac were leaning on Millensea’s sea wall, gazing down at the beach, which was completely empty of people. ‘Look at it now.’
Mac laughed. ‘Yes, but it’s the middle of March and half past five. Most people are tucked up warm at home, eating their tea. I’m sure it still gets busy in the summer.’
‘Ah,’ Alison said, ‘but there’s busy and there’s busy. I’ve not seen it like it used to be for years. Decades.’ As a gust of wind blew her hair in front of her eyes for the umpteenth time, she tucked it behind her ears yet again. ‘I remember when this beach was packed. There used to be donkey rides along the sands, and the ice cream van was parked near the slipway. The amusement arcades were blaring out pop music, and you could hear the bells and whistles from the machines and the sound of coins dropping everywhere.’ She gave a wistful sigh. ‘It was magical.’
There used to be a bus service from Kelsea Sands to Millensea back then, and like most of the villagers she’d paid regular visits to the town. Then the local bus company had sold out to a larger company, which had promptly scrapped the service, despite promising to keep it running. The village had become even more isolated.
‘The real death knell for Millensea came when they closed the market,’ she continued. ‘Everyone used to come here on a weekend for that, didn’t they? I’ll never understand why they shut it down.’
‘The council sold the land to build a supermarket,’ he pointed out. ‘The very one we both shop in.’
‘ShopSmart?’ Alison wrinkled her nose. ‘I was only there because Mam and Dad insisted on it. I’d have gone to Maister’s.’
‘Not everyone can afford to go to Maister’s,’ he said quietly. ‘This isn’t exactly a booming area, is it? ShopSmart’s been a godsend for a lot of locals.’
