Page 82 of The Path to the Last House Before the Sea

She traced a circle in the dirt she’d tracked into the caravan and sat there, feeling miserable, until a tentative knock on the caravan door made her jump. The door creaked open and Magda poked her head inside.‘Would you mind very much if I came in for a minute? I promise I won’t get angry.’ She spotted the suitcase and her mouth fell open. ‘Are you going somewhere?’

‘Yes, for a while,’ said Alyssa, wearily getting to her feet.

‘You can’t.’ Magda stepped into the caravan, shaking her head. ‘Are you leaving because of what I said this morning?’

‘No, not really. There’s other stuff going on and I need to get away.’

‘But I’ll miss you.’

When Magda’s face crumpled, Alyssa stepped forward and led her to the window seat. ‘Sit down. Do you want some water?’

Magda gulped and nodded. ‘Yes, please.’

While Alyssa was fetching water from the fridge, Magda suddenly blurted out: ‘I’m sorry I was bad-tempered this morning. I shouldn’t have blamed you for the total mess I made of things with Stan. That was down to me and me alone. I asked for your opinion and you gave it, but it was me who decided to speak out.’

She stopped speaking and nodded to herself, as if she’d been rehearsing what to say and was pleased that she’d managed to do it.

‘That’s all right,’ Alyssa assured her, closing the fridge.

‘Only it’s so much easier to blame other people rather than yourself, don’t you think?’

‘Always. But you honestly don’t need to apologise, Magda. You’ve been brilliant to me since I arrived in Heaven’s Cove, and me leaving is not just about what happened this morning, I promise you.’

Alyssa handed over the glass of water, feeling relieved that their spat was being resolved. She’d grown very fond of Magda over the last few months and didn’t want to leave while they were on bad terms.

‘He came to see me, you know.’ Magda stared at the glass, which was catching the light and projecting rainbow colours around the caravan. ‘This morning, after our little bust-up, Stan came round and told me that he loved me.’

‘Wow, Magda, that’s brilliant! I’m so happy for you. Does—’

Alyssa stopped speaking when Magda held up her hand. She didn’t look like a woman whose passion had been requited.

‘He told me that he loves me but he’s not in love with me, and never will be. He still loves his wife, you see.’

Alyssa nodded. She did see. Like father, like son.

‘So, what are you going to do,’ she asked gently, ‘now that Stan has laid his cards on the table? Are you still leaving Heaven’s Cove?’

Magda gave a sad smile. ‘No, I don’t think so. Stan needs me, you see, and what kind of love would I have for that man if I deserted him in his hour of need?’

Her selflessness took Alyssa’s breath away. Her willingness to put aside her own heartbreak to help a man who could never give her the affection she craved was admirable, and perfect proof of true love.

Alyssa crouched down beside her. ‘I’m sure that Penny would approve of you being here to look after him.’

‘Yes, I rather think that she would.’ Magda sniffed back tears. ‘But what about you, Alyssa? You can stay in Heaven’s Cove now that I’m staying too. The caravan is yours for as long as you’d like it.’

‘Thank you, and I do appreciate all of the kindness you’ve shown me since I turned up, out of the blue. You’ve been amazing.’ Alyssa’s eyes were suddenly full of tears and she gulped, trying not to sob. It had been a difficult day of trying to hold herself together, and Magda’s kindness and generosity were about to push her over the edge.

‘Ah, bless you.’ Magda pulled Alyssa onto the seat beside her. ‘I don’t know what’s going on in your life but you’re very welcome here. You’re good for me – and for Stan too, I think. You seem to understand the challenges he’ll face, and he needs all the support he can get.’

Magda took a sip of water while Alyssa weighed up whether to tell this remarkable woman the truth about her own past. The truth had been a weight around her neck for so long but now, having told Jack, it seemed to have lost some of its power.

She took a deep breath. ‘Actually, I know quite a lot about what Stan’s facing because I used to be a nurse, and I’ve come across his condition before. I’ve cared for patients badly affected by it.’

Curiosity sparked in Magda’s eyes. ‘You were a nurse?’

‘Yes, I worked in a hospital as a nurse for about ten years.’ Much to Alyssa’s surprise, Magda said nothing but went back to sipping her water. ‘Aren’t you going to ask me why I’ve given up nursing to run myths and legends tours in Heaven’s Cove?’

‘No,’ replied Magda, shaking her head. ‘Fortunately, I’m not as inquisitive as Belinda. I assume you have a very good reason for your change of circumstances, and you’ll tell me if and when you’re ready.’ She patted Alyssa’s hand. ‘We all have very good reasons for the actions that we take, even if, with hindsight, they’re not always such good reasons after all.’

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