Page 45 of The Path to the Last House Before the Sea

Magda frowned. ‘You haven’t come over to tell me you can’t help on Saturday, have you? Only I’ll be stuck trying to find someone else at this late stage.’

‘No, don’t worry. I said I’d help you and I will. I just needed some sugar, that was all.’

‘Hmm.’Magda didn’t sound convinced by Alyssa’s white lie. Which was ironic since Alyssa had been lying to her since arriving in Heaven’s Cove. Though that was more lying by omission, rather than directly to her face.

Alyssa sighed. ‘OK, I’m rumbled. I don’t really need sugar. The reason I came over is to see how you are.’

Magda picked up her icing bag and crafted another delicate petal. ‘That’s sweet of you,’ she said, not looking up from the cake. ‘But I’m absolutely fine and I’m sorry that I worried you. Ignore what I said in the pub the other day. I’d had a bit to drink, which isn’t like me at all.’ Her tone was light but a dark flush had begun to stain her cheeks.

‘My lips are sealed, obviously. If you’re sure you’re OK.’

Magda’s hand was shaking and she cursed as too much icing squirted out. She put the bag down on the table and breathed out deeply.

‘Only…’ Alyssa stopped, unsure if she should say more. It wasn’t her business, and yet she felt close to Magda and concerned that she was facing a new bombshell on her own.

‘Only what?’

‘Only you must be upset about Stan’s diagnosis. I’m so sorry about it.’

Magda’s jaw dropped. ‘How do you know about that?’

‘Jack told me.’

‘Did he? I’m surprised he confided in you. Jack’s always been a reserved and private person.’ Magda gave her a sideways look. ‘He must think highly of you to tell you something so personal.’

‘I doubt it. I came across him when he was upset. He’d just found out from his dad – he needed to talk and I was there.’ Alyssa shrugged. ‘He told me in confidence, and I won’t tell a soul, but I knew that you’d heard the news too, and I was concerned about you.’

‘You appear to be collecting people’s secrets,’ said Magda, an edge to her voice.

Alyssa winced, realising she’d misjudged the situation. Magda was a private person, like Jack, and didn’t appreciate people sticking their noses in. ‘Sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. I was worried about you, that’s all. But I won’t mention it again, and I’ll leave you to finish Rosie’s cake.’

Magda’s face softened and she waved a hand at Alyssa, splattering bits of icing across the floor.‘Don’t rush off. It was kind of you to think of me. I-I have been rather blindsided by Stan’s latest health update.’

When she swallowed, as if she didn’t have the strength to say any more, Alyssa recognised the expression in her eyes.She’d seen it many times before on the faces of mothers, fathers, partners trying to assimilate bad news about someone they loved. Alyssa had sat with them as they cried and railed against the world, against God, against fate, what or whoever they held responsible as their lives careered out of control.

‘It’s really tough, Magda, and if I can help in any way, I will. I have some experience of Stan’s condition.’

Why had she said that? Alyssa cursed herself quietly when curiosity flared in Magda’s eyes.

‘What sort of experience do you have?’

‘I was in a caring role, before coming here,’ said Alyssa, hoping that would be enough for Magda, because it meant she wasn’t giving away too much about her past life. There was a lot about her on the internet if people had enough information to find her.

Magda stared at her, as if trying to size her up. Then she nodded. ‘Thank you for checking up on me, Alyssa. I am upset about Stan. Of course I am, but he, Jack and I will deal with it.’ She shrugged. ‘There’s no other choice, is there?’

Alyssa agreed there wasn’t and placed the pot of sugar on the table. ‘Thanks for this but, as you so expertly deduced, I don’t really need it.’ She paused, wanting to ask Magda one more question but quite sure she shouldn’t.

Magda sighed. ‘Spit it out, Alyssa! I know what you want to ask.’

Was she so transparent? Alyssa cleared her throat. ‘I wondered if you’d told Stan how you feel about him?’

Magda gazed past Alyssa, through the window towards the caravan and the cliffs beyond.‘No, I’ve decided not to tell him in the circumstances, so I’d be grateful if you could definitely keep what I said to yourself.’

‘Of course I will. I promise.’

Magda nodded, seemingly satisfied, and turned back to the wedding cake.

It was such a shame, thought Alyssa, as Magda created another delicate petal from lemon-yellow icing. A terrible shame that Magda, a woman with a huge heart, would have to carry her secret forever, always wondering what might have been between her and Stan. But perhaps she was right, and it was for the best in the circumstances.

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