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 I check who it is?’

      ‘Please. You need to hold the button to speak.’

      ‘Hello?’ Alison said into the intercom.

      ‘Hi, it’s me. Mum’s been on a baking frenzy again. Scones this time. Don’t feel you have to.’

      Danniella smiled. Lorraine seemed to have made it her mission to feed her, regularly bringing round home-baked goodies. She’d been wary of Lorraine’s visits at first but she had a gift for making small-talk, never asking Danniella about her past, and she no longer dreaded her calling.

      ‘It’s my landlord,’ she called to Alison. ‘You can let him in.’

      ‘Come up,’ Alison said. ‘I’ll leave the door open.’

      Moments later, there was a knock and Aidan called out, ‘Hello?’

      ‘In the kitchen,’ Danniella called back.

      Aidan appeared holding a bag for life. ‘Sorry for disturbing your weekend. I’ll just leave…’ His eyes widened. ‘Alison?’

      ‘Oh my God! Aidan?’ They hugged each other briefly. ‘Wow! It’s been…’

      ‘Nine years. How are you?’

      Danniella looked from Aidan to Alison and back again. Sparkling eyes. Shy smiles. If she was a betting woman, she’d have put money on a story of love lost. Perhaps first love.

      ‘I’m good, thanks,’ Alison said, her hand clasped across her mouth, a look of astonishment on her face. ‘You?’

      ‘Really good. I can’t believe it. The last time I—’ Aidan’s phone rang and he grimaced. ‘Sorry. I’m running really late and I’ve got to go. It was great to see you, Ali. Hopefully see you again if you’re a friend of Danniella’s.’

      Alison nodded. ‘Hopefully.’

      ‘Enjoy the scones. Bye.’

      ‘Would you like a drink?’ Danniella asked after Aiden closed the flat door. She wanted to ask about Aidan, but that would inevitably lead to questions in return. Alison seemed chatty. Maybe she’d volunteer the information.

      ‘Some water would be great, thanks,’ Alison said. ‘But let me do it.’

      Danniella pointed out where the glasses lived. ‘I could do with putting my feet up,’ she said. ‘Do you want to come through to the lounge?’

      After easing her legs up onto the sofa, Danniella twisted them from left to right so she could see the extent of the damage. Both knees were covered in grazes, with several more down her right leg.

      ‘I hope I’ll be okay to exercise again by Tuesday,’ she said. ‘I’m supposed to be starting bootcamp.’

      ‘Bootcamp?’ Alison shrugged. ‘I’m going to show my ignorance now…’

      ‘Instead of going to the gym where you’d probably exercise on your own, you work out as a group and you do it outside. There’s one that runs on the seafront.’ Danniella nodded towards the window. ‘I’ve been watching it and was tempted but the group was a bit big for my liking. I spoke to the owner, Karen, and she’s starting a new mid-morning