head. I didn’t expect this.’ She pointed at the rain dashing at the little window.
‘It’s quite a downpour.’ George peered out of the hut, her arms wrapped across her body in an attempt to keep warm. ‘I wanted to bring my son to the beach after school, but I don’t think we’ll make it in this.’ She hadn’t thought it was possible, but it was raining even harder now. ‘It was supposed to be a special day, but I suppose we’ll still have cake.’ She smiled brightly, but the warmth didn’t quite reach her eyes.
‘Is it his birthday?’
George shook her head. ‘His first day at school.’ She sighed as she lifted her tote bag onto the fold-down table and removed the cake tin. ‘I’m finding it quite hard, if I’m honest. Letting go. Letting him grow up. Do you ever wish you could pause time? Or rewind it, just a little bit?’
The woman gave a humourless laugh. ‘God, yes.’ She covered her face with her hands and rubbed at her eyes. ‘I’d go back a couple of hours. Before I made an absolute fool of myself.’
‘What happened?’ George didn’t want to pry, but maybe she could help.
The woman slid her hands down so only her mouth was covered by her fingers. She shook her head over and over until she finally dropped her hands completely, resting them on her lap. ‘I just did a runner from the supermarket.’ She held up a finger. ‘Not with any goods, I should add. Things haven’t got so desperate I need to shoplift. Yet.’ She attempted another humourless laugh, but it quickly morphed into a groan.
‘Why did you run, if you don’t mind me asking?’ George lowered herself on the other end of the bench, not wanting to invade the woman’s personal space even as she poked her nose into her personal business.
‘I saw my husband’s girlfriend – ex-husband, I suppose, though it isn’t official.’
‘Ah.’ George nodded with understanding. She’d never been married, but she’d been in long-term relationships that had ended before she’d been ready to let go.
‘Oh, God.’ The hands were back on the woman’s face, covering her reddened cheeks. ‘I can still hear the clash of basket on tile. And the looks of the people around me as I tore past! Coming through! Madwoman on the loose!’ She rubbed at her eyes again and groaned. ‘Well, I won’t be shopping there for the next millennia. I’ll have to drive out of town or use one of the overpriced convenience stores instead.’
‘There’s always online shopping.’ George was attempting to add a bit of humour into the conversation, and luckily the woman managed a small laugh.
‘At least I have options.’ She groaned again and stamped a foot down on the floor. ‘Why did I have to react like that? It isn’t as though I haven’t seen Anya before – though I try to avoid contact with the woman, obviously. I ducked into the funeral director’s when I spotted Rob and Anya strolling with their new baby through town during the summer. I didn’t realise it was the funeral director’s until I’d catapulted myself inside as I’d just panicked and opened the nearest door. I had to pretend to be browsing for a coffin until it was safe to leave.’ She sighed. ‘I really have to stop embarrassing myself like this, but I just couldn’t face her.’
‘It’s tough, especially in the beginning.’ George pushed herself up from the bench and returned to the table, where she pulled a flask of hot chocolate from the tote bag.
‘I thought I knew who I was, where my life was heading. Now I have no idea. I feel like this was all done to me, and I have no control of my life anymore.’ She cringed as George pressed a plastic mug into her hands. ‘People must think I’m mad. You must think I’m mad. I’m not even sure why I’m telling you all this. Sorry.’
‘Don’t be. It sounds like you’re having a rough time.’ George indicated the mug. ‘Now, drink that. It’ll warm you up a bit.’
‘Thank you…’ The woman paused, the hot chocolate held aloft. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t even know your name and I’m boring you to tears with my life woes.’
‘It’s George.’ She patted the woman on the knee. ‘And you’re not boring me to tears. We all have tough times. It’s good to get it out rather than bottling it all in.’
The woman shrugged. ‘I guess.’ She took a sip of the warm drink. ‘I’m Katie, by the way.’
‘It’s nice to meet you, Katie.’ George patted her knee again before she headed for the table. ‘Now, can I interest you in a slice of cake?’
Katie smiled, genuinely and brightly. ‘I never, ever say no to cake.’
‘That was the best Victoria sponge I’ve ever tasted.’ Katie licked the jam and cake crumbs from her fingers while George batted away the compliment with a wave of her hand.
‘I don’t know about that. It was just something I whipped up.’ Despite her protestations, George felt her chest swell with pride. While she scrubbed other people’s homes and places of work for a living, baking was George’s true passion. She had catering qualifications, specialising in patisserie and confectionery, as well as files stuffed with recipes handed down from her grandmother.
‘It’s true.’ Katie shrugged and was about to say more when her attention was caught by something happening outside the hut. Or rather, something not happening. ‘Hey, it’s stopped raining. When did that happen? Just how long have I been rabbiting on for?’ The sand was still wet, but the grey clouds had dispersed, revealing the suggestion of blue sky. ‘I should go home and lick my wounds before the kids get home from school. I was hoping to have a bit of a tidy up before…’ Katie’s next words were snatched away as a voice bellowed outside. A huge, shaggy dog appeared in the doorway of the hut, panting as it took in the inhabitants, and then it was inside, its claws clattering on the wooden floor. It sniffed at George and Katie in turn before it barked once and tore off out of the hut again.
‘I’m so sorry.’ A man was jogging towards the beach hut, a red lead dangling from his fingers, as George stuck her head out of the doorway. ‘He’s a bloody menace. Jake!’
And then the man was gone, speeding up as he spotted the dog leap into the sea.
‘Well, that was bizarre.’ George chuckled. ‘But at least it didn’t try to scoff the cake.’ With the day turning brighter, perhaps she’d get to bring Thomas down to the beach hut after all.
‘I really should get going.’ Katie pushed herself up from the bench. ‘I’ve got a hot date with the dishwasher and vacuum cleaner. Unfortunately, it’s the only date I’ll have for a long time.’
George patted her on the shoulder gently. ‘Everything will work out in the end.’
Katie nodded, but the grimace wasn’t so encouraging. ‘Thanks for the cake and the hot chocolate. And for listening. You were right – it does help to get it all off your chest, even if only a little bit.’
‘It was nice to meet you, Katie.’
‘You too, George.’ Katie stepped out of the beach hut but shuffled back when she heard the distant bark of the dog again. She peered out, checking the coast was clear before she ventured out.
‘Jake! Slow down, you absolute nutter!’
Katie took another step away from the door as the dog bounded by. The owner was sprinting after the dog, but he was powerless to stop the beast from leaping up at an unsuspecting jogger, sending her – and the paper bag she was carrying – flying and landing with a thud on the damp sand.
Frankie
It felt fantastic to be out, gulping the fresh sea air after over a week cooped up in the house with the twins. The muscles in her thighs were crying out for her to stop as she charged up the cliffs, but she couldn’t stop now. She hadn’t realised quite how