Page 104 of The Sisters at the Last House Before the Sea

‘Why can’t you?’ Sean’s voice was laced with the Devonian burr that, to Maisie’s ears, made everyone sound half asleep. ‘I think, deep down, that you want to.’

‘You sound like Paul, telling me what I really want.’

Caitlin sounded weary and slightly irritated, which was fair enough, thought Maisie. Mansplaining was the pits.

Sean sighed. ‘Sorry. I don’t mean to be like him. He’s a nasty piece of work.’

Yes! Maisie wanted to shout that she completely agreed but she couldn’t let them know she was here. She should have shown herself immediately but it was too late now. It would look as if she’d been eavesdropping.

‘You should stay,’ Sean continued. ‘Not for me, but for you. This place does you good, Cait. Admit it. You look much better than when you first arrived. Even a short time by the sea has made you seem more—’

When he stopped speaking, Caitlin urged: ‘Seem more what?’

‘More yourself.’ Maisie frowned because that was pretty cheesy. ‘What I mean is, more how you were when I first knew you.’

‘Have I found myself again amongst Heaven’s Cove’s community?’ Caitlin groaned. ‘Sorry. I’m doing what I always do. I’m being sarcastic to avoid facing up to the truth.’

‘Which is?’ urged Sean gently.

‘Which is that a part of me – a big part, actually – would like to stay in Heaven’s Cove. That’s ironic, seeing as I couldn’t wait to get away. But I’d forgotten over the years what it’s like being here, where people care about you and accept you for who you are.’

‘So what’s making you go back to London? Is it Stuart?’

‘No, my marriage is over. It’s been on the rocks for a while, before he started gambling big time. Who knows, maybe being unhappy with me helped to fuel his addiction? Or perhaps I’m just making excuses for him.’

Maisie knew that her dad’s marriage to Caitlin was over, but hearing it set out in such blunt terms still made her heart lurch.

‘So why go back to London?’ asked Sean again. ‘What can possibly be dragging you back to a place where you’ve been unhappy?’

‘Maisie,’ said Caitlin quietly.

Maisie’s eyes opened wide at that.

‘Maisie’s life and school are in London, and she’s suffered enough recently, with finding out that her dad’s behaviour has cost her our home. Being fifteen is awful, Sean, don’t you remember? All those hormones and emotions. I can’t add to the disruption in her life.’

‘Doesn’t she have other people who can look after her in London? What about her dad?’

‘He’s all over the place and isn’t reliable enough to be her sole carer. There are grandparents – Stuart’s parents – who would probably have her, but Maisie would hate it there.’

‘You’ve told me that Maisie hates you,’ said Sean gently.

‘I think she does, sometimes. I’m the evil stepmother, and I’ve not always handled things well. I’d parented Isla for so long and I wasn’t sure I was up to doing it again. Maisie and I were landed with each other six years ago. She was stroppy, I was scared, and I didn’t really know what I was doing.’

That was true enough, thought Maisie. But the next thing Caitlin said made the breath catch in her throat.

‘To be honest, I love her, Sean. I’ve grown to love her like a mum and I desperately want to be a good mum to her. She deserves that and her happiness is more important to me than anything else. So that’s why I need to go back to London with her.’

Maisie blinked furiously as tears spilled from her eyes and ran down her cheeks. Her nose was running too but she couldn’t rummage in her pocket for her tissue. She couldn’t move or she would be discovered.

There was silence, broken only by the boiler’s hum, until Sean said: ‘You’re so annoying, Cait. When you left, I was heartbroken, and I’ll be sad when you leave again. But you’re going for the right reasons. I can see that.’

Caitlin gave a peculiar gulp. ‘You’re a good man.’

‘And you’re a much better woman than you think you are. I reckon we could have been good together, Cait, but I have to say our timing is absolutely terrible.’

Caitlin’s laugh ended in a sob and, when they went quiet, Maisie plucked up the courage to peep over the top of her chair.

They were kissing! It was gross and kind of upsetting because it wasn’t her dad – but he’d had his chance and he’d blown it. They looked good together: Sean with his arms tight around Caitlin, and Caitlin with her eyes closed and her lips pressed against his.

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