Stanley Moffatt, had been donated by an elderly resident as her legacy to the town she loved. Alison found something very comforting about sitting beside the colossal structure, relishing a rare opportunity to feel petite. Plus, it was above the rock pools; her special place.
She sat down on Stanley’s bench, sipping her tea, devouring the second shortbread, and absorbing herself in the buzz around her. Locals brushed shoulders with day-trippers and holidaymakers. There were families, groups of giggling teenagers, couples taking romantic strolls, and dog walkers. Mobility scooters travelled alongside cyclists, and joggers weaved in and out of the crowds. She really was fortunate to live in such a beautiful place that so many people wanted to visit and, looking at the North Sea twinkling in the sun, who could blame them?
She slipped off her jacket and closed her eyes as the sun kissed her bare arms and face. It was the most relaxed she’d felt in weeks. Dave had barely spoken to her since the plate-smashing incident but that was fine because Alison had nothing to say to him. She’d replayed that scene so many times. Although she wanted to believe it was an accident, that one statement – ‘I’ll show you childish’ – suggested a deliberate act. The lack of remorse had floored her and that parting shot about her in a bikini? Why had he felt the need to hurt her again? That night, she’d come so close to packing a bag and leaving, but where would she go? With no family and no close friends, even Dave in a foul mood was better than being alone.
Frantic barking interrupted her thoughts and drew her gaze to the left. A couple of dogs were chasing each other in a circle, ignoring the shouts of their owners who were attempting to untangle their leads. A tall, slim woman running towards them tried to avoid the chaos but it seemed that, wherever she moved, the dogs moved too, their leads stretching across her path.
Alison leapt off the bench as the woman screamed and tumbled full-length onto the pavement. One of the dog walkers rushed off and the other stood by, looking helpless.
Alison crouched down beside the woman. ‘Oh my God! Are you all right?’
‘A bit winded.’
‘Take it slowly,’ Alison said. ‘Let me help you.’
The other dog walker disappeared too. What was wrong with people? She helped the jogger to her feet and over to the bench, wincing at the blood trickling down both the woman’s legs.
‘I’m Alison. What’s your name?’
‘Danni… Er, Danniella.’
‘Did you hit your head?’
Danniella put a shaking hand up to her forehead and frowned. ‘I don’t think so.’
Removing a packet of tissues from her bag, she nodded towards Danniella’s bloody knees. ‘Do you mind?’
Danniella looked down and released what sounded like a sob mixed with a groan. ‘I’m not good with blood.’
‘It probably looks worse than it is.’ Alison mopped at some of the dribbles. ‘But we do need to get you cleaned up. You’ve got some grit in there. If you wait here, I can get a bottle of water from the café.’
Danniella shook her head. ‘Don’t worry about it. I think I’ll just head home. Thanks for your help, though. Alison, was it?’
‘Yes.’ She frowned. ‘Is home close?’
Danniella nodded, but didn’t share any further information.
‘You’ve scraped your arms too. I can help you home and clean you up. I’m a first-aider at work so I’m used to it and I promise to be gentle.’
Danniella bit her bottom lip and stared at Alison, as though weighing her up.
‘I promise I’m not a mad psychopath,’ Alison said, ‘and I won’t steal all your stuff as soon as I know where your spare key’s hidden.’
Danniella smiled, her shoulders relaxing. ‘Don’t you have anywhere that you need to be?’
Alison shrugged. ‘I’d love to say that I have an exciting life full of plans for a sunny Saturday afternoon but, sadly, I don’t. Except first-aid duties, of course.’
‘Okay. Yes please,’ Danniella said.
Alison stood up and helped Danniella to her feet. ‘Where are we going?’
Danniella pointed to a row of flats on the cliff above them. ‘Not far. It’s the blue one.’
A hill. It had to be up a hill, didn’t it? On a hot day too. ‘Great. Let’s do it. But I think we should take it really slowly because of your knees.’
Danniella nodded. ‘I don’t think I could take it quickly even if I wanted to.’
8
Danniella
Danniella’s stomach was in knots as she crossed the road and slowly limped up the zigzagging cliff path with Alison by her side. Calm down. Stop panicking. It had been an accident and Alison had simply been the closest person. It was good that there were still people around who were prepared to help strangers, especially as the dog walkers who’d caused the accident had fled the scene. She needed to focus on that instead of being instantly suspicious that Alison would demand to know her life story.
She winced as she stretched her right knee too far.
‘Painful?’ Alison asked, puffing beside her.
‘Agony. I don’t think I’ve fallen over like that since I was a little kid.’
‘I went splat a couple of months ago in the middle of the hotel lobby where I work. Tripped over my own feet and went arse over tit.’ Alison held her hands to her cheeks. ‘I still go red thinking about it.’
Aware of Alison’s increasingly laboured breathing beside her, Danniella slowed her pace. ‘Do you mind if we take it a bit slower? It hurts.’
‘We can go as slowly as you like.’
Ten minutes later, Danniella let them into her flat. They’d chatted about their jobs on their way. When Danniella shared that she was a proofreader and copyeditor, Alison said that she was a prolific reader. It transpired that she’d read books by most of Danniella’s clients, giving them plenty to talk about, much to Danniella’s relief. Books, like conversations about work, she could cope with. Good subject. Safe subject.
Sitting at the kitchen table a few minutes later, she winced and looked towards the window, biting her lip, while Alison gently cleaned her wounds.
Rummaging in her enormous bag, Alison pulled out a first-aid kit. ‘It drives my other half mad that I carry so much stuff, but you never know when it’ll come in useful.’ She squirted some antiseptic spray. ‘All done. The spray just needs a minute to dry.’
‘Thank you. Would you like—?’ The sound of the buzzer ringing stopped Danniella mid-sentence, eyes wide, pulse racing.
‘Are you expecting anyone?’ Alison asked.
She shook her head.
‘Shall
