She looked out to sea, where grey clouds were brewing, but it didn’t spoil the view. Clifton-on-Sea was the perfect place to raise her children, with the beach within walking distance of their home, and although she sometimes felt guilty about moving away from her childhood town and leaving her mum behind, she and the twins needed this quaint little town to heal.
‘I’ve tried to get Mum to move here, so she’ll be closer to me, Isaac and the twins, but she’s too stubborn for her own good.’
‘Is Isaac your brother?’ Katie asked, and Frankie nodded while she munched on her cupcake. She was no longer hungry, but nibbling the soft sponge gave her something else to concentrate on, something to keep the tears at bay.
‘He’s my stepbrother, actually, but we never use the step word usually, and he has an amazing relationship with Mum. The twins adore him. He’s the closest thing they’ll ever have to a father figure.’
George gave her a knee a pat. ‘I can totally empathise. But you never know what the future will bring. Maybe one day…’
Frankie almost choked on her cupcake, and she shook her head emphatically until she could speak. ‘Nah. I’m content with being single. I have no plans to start dating again. Although…’
‘Yes?’ Katie’s ears pricked up, and she leaned in towards Frankie.
‘I sort of ran into that guy from yesterday on the way here. You know the one with the dog?’
George pursed her lips. ‘How could we forget?’
‘Anyway, I ran into him – not literally. There were no injuries this time – and he remembered me. Asked how my knee was.’ Her hand rubbed at the knee, even though it hadn’t caused any problems once she’d rested it. There was a bit of bruising, but nothing major.
‘Then what happened?’ George asked.
Katie’s eyes gleamed. ‘Did he ask you out?’
Frankie shook her head. ‘No, nothing like that. In fact, he had to run off because the dog slipped his lead again and was heading for a little old man with a walking stick.’ She placed the palms of her hands on her cheeks. ‘But he’s sort of cute, isn’t he?’
‘Sort of?’ George tutted. ‘The man’s bloody gorgeous. You need to get hold of his number.’
Frankie shook her head. ‘I wouldn’t know how to anymore. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the dating game.’
‘Me too.’ Katie grabbed a second lemon drizzle cupcake and tore the wrapper from the sponge. ‘I don’t think I’ll ever be able to face it again.’
‘I’m sure you will, when you’re ready.’ George reached across to give Katie’s knee a pat too. ‘You’ve been through a lot. You’re bound to feel jaded by it all.’
‘Jaded is an understatement,’ Katie grumbled. ‘Scarred for life would be more accurate.’ Her phone started to vibrate from within her handbag, and she groaned when she saw the name on the display. She shot an apologetic look at her new friends as she shuffled away from the blanket to answer the call.
‘I’d better get going soon,’ Frankie said as the phone call behind her started to heat up. ‘I’ve got a deadline coming up, so I need to get back to work.’
‘I need to leave soon too.’ George started to clip the lids back down on the food containers. ‘I’m cleaning for a new client this afternoon and I need to drop the picnic bits and bobs back at home and grab my kit. I’m a bit nervous, actually.’ She pressed a hand to her stomach. ‘I was personally recommended by one of my other clients, so I don’t want to let her down.’
‘You’ll be great.’ Frankie rested a hand on George’s arm. ‘If you clean half as well as you cook, you won’t have anything to worry about at all.’
George beamed at her. ‘Thank you. That’s so kind of you to say that.’
Frankie shrugged. ‘It’s true. This is – hands down – the best picnic I’ve ever been to.’
George laughed and gave a wave of her hand. ‘Stop it now, you’re making me blush.’
‘Sorry, but it really is.’ Frankie shrugged again before she helped George to pack up. Only the blanket was remaining by the time Katie returned with a heavy sigh.
‘Everything okay?’ George asked as she lifted two corners of the blanket and gave it a rigorous shake to rid it of sand.
Katie rolled her eyes. ‘Just the ex.’ She grabbed the opposite corners of the blanket and helped George to fold it. ‘As if I don’t know I have to file the acknowledgement of service. I’m not an imbecile.’
George rolled the blanket and tucked it under her arm. ‘But you haven’t done it yet?’
Katie shook her head. ‘I was going to, but…’ She sighed. ‘It sounds really childish saying it out loud, but it’s the one bit of power I have in all this, and I can’t seem to relinquish it. Signing that form, agreeing to this thing, it makes me feel sick.’
‘It must be so difficult.’ George draped an arm around Katie’s shoulders. ‘You were together a long time.’
‘It sounds like he treated you like dirt to me,’ Frankie said. ‘And now he’s pressuring you?’
Katie fiddled with the wedding band she still wore. ‘I have been dragging my feet with this…’
Frankie folded her arms across her chest. ‘So what? It’s nothing less than he deserves. Why should it all be on his terms?’
Katie nodded, but she didn’t look convinced and continued to slide her thumb back and forth across the back of her wedding ring.
‘You must do what’s best for you.’ George gave her shoulder a brief squeeze. ‘You never know, you may feel empowered by signing it. You’re letting him go and forging ahead on a new and brighter future.’
Katie shoved her hands deep into her coat pockets. ‘It doesn’t feel like it.’
George patted her arm lightly. ‘It will, one day. You’ll see.’ She picked up the tote bag and hooked it onto her shoulder. ‘I should be going, but it’s been lovely meeting up with you ladies this afternoon.’
‘It has.’ Frankie hadn’t realised how isolated she’d felt since choosing to go freelance and working from home. ‘We should do this again.’
‘I’ll bring the picnic next time.’ Katie pulled a face. ‘Since I put away most of it.’
George tsked. ‘You did not. We all had our fair share. Besides, there was plenty to go around. I can’t help going overboard with food.’
Katie laughed. ‘Feel free to go overboard again. You’ll get no complaints from me.’
Frankie held up her hands. ‘I wouldn’t dream of grumbling.’ She zipped her coat up fully so it reached her chin. ‘Should we swap numbers, so we can arrange times and places?’
‘Good idea.’ George reached into her pocket for her phone, and Frankie and Katie did the same, each saving the contact information for the other two.
George lifted a hand in farewell as they parted ways on the promenade. ‘See you next time. I’m looking forward to it already!’
Frankie was too.
Katie