Finding Home by Kate Field (read book .txt) 📗

with breast cancer. She was going through hell and I couldn’t make it better. I needed some time to myself, selfish though it sounds. Swimming was a way to get rid of my frustration and fear. I could then appear strong in front of Susie.’

‘I met Karen on the beach one day, cursing at the sky.’ Heather laughed. ‘We’ve been friends ever since and now we swim together. Friends who swim together, stay together.’

They squeezed hands and the strength of the bond between them was obvious to Mim even though she’d never experienced anything like it herself. She had no friends, not the way these two were. Growing up, she’d never stayed in one place long enough to form close ties, and working all hours in the hotel had left no time for friendships. She hadn’t missed it, because she hadn’t realised what it meant, not until now. Perhaps this new life could bring new friendship? She wished it would.

‘How is Susie doing?’ she asked Karen.

‘Well. She’s finished the course of treatment and the prognosis is good.’ Karen put her mug down on the kitchen worktop. ‘So what’s your story? You’re not from round here any more than I am. I’m Derbyshire but I reckon you’re further north. Lancashire?’

‘Yes. I’ve always lived there. I only arrived here a few days ago.’

‘Have you brought your family with you?’ Heather asked.

‘I don’t have any family.’

‘No children?’ Karen said. ‘You’re young. There’s plenty of time to decide if that’s what you want.’

‘No family at all,’ Mim said. Karen and Heather both stared at her, looking aghast. Perhaps they imagined some horrific accident had wiped them all out. It was much less dramatic than that. Although she didn’t dwell on the past, she didn’t think it fair to conceal it now, when these women had shared far worse stories with her.

‘I was brought up in care,’ Mim explained. ‘I never knew my dad and I was taken away from my mum when I was eight. She had a history of violent relationships and couldn’t keep me safe. I lived in a series of foster homes and care homes until I was moved to a hostel when I was eighteen.’

‘You poor soul,’ Heather said, and she took a couple of steps across the camper and gave Mim a brief half-hug. ‘Where’s your mum now?’

‘I don’t know. She abandoned any attempt to keep in touch years ago.’ Mim met the women’s looks of pity and smiled. ‘Don’t feel sorry for me. I was rescued from a bad situation. I kept my head down, worked hard, and didn’t get into trouble. And then ten years ago I was given a second chance by an amazing man who didn’t care about the past and who gave me stability for the first time in my life. It all worked out for the best.’

‘The best?’ Karen repeated. ‘I’m not sure I could be so sanguine about it.’

‘Come swimming with us,’ Heather said. She inched forward on her bench seat until her knees were almost touching Mim’s. ‘Be part of our little group. If you want to, I mean. We swim for a while and then come back here for a cup of tea and a chat. It helps.’

‘Are you sure?’ Mim asked. She couldn’t think of anything she’d like more. ‘You two have been through terrible things. I don’t want to get in the way.’

‘You won’t,’ Karen said. ‘We’ve suffered because we have people we love. I’d take that pain any day over having no one to love at all. You’re more than qualified to join us.’

Chapter Six

It was like old times again when Mim heard an abrupt bang on the caravan door on Thursday morning. At least it didn’t wake her up this time. She’d invested in the cheapest alarm clock she could find and it had done the job of waking her up in perfect time to have her breakfast before going to the village shop for her first day of work.

She was surprised to see Corin on her doorstep, wearing his scruffy old coat teamed with what looked like an expensive cashmere scarf. Dickens trotted in and jumped onto the sofa where he sat and stared at Mim. Corin stared at her from where he stood outside.

‘Is something the matter?’ she asked. ‘I’m in the middle of breakfast. Don’t forget I’m on probation with Janet. I can’t be late on my first day.’

‘From what I hear, you almost didn’t make your first day at all,’ he said.

‘What are you talking about?’

‘I warned you not to go swimming on your own.’

‘Urgh.’ Mim sank down on to her chair, and scooped up a spoonful of porridge. She couldn’t face this on an empty stomach. ‘Have you tramped over here to say I told you so? That’s such an annoying habit.’

‘Not as annoying as someone who deliberately ignores good advice.’

Mim swallowed her porridge.

‘I didn’t ignore it. I was going to ask Lia to come with me but she’s on holiday. Didn’t you know that?’

He shrugged. ‘It’s impossible to keep up with her social diary. There are other people besides Lia in the world.’

‘Not in my world. I didn’t know anyone else. Apart from Janet, I suppose, but I think it’s too early in our relationship to invite her on a swimming date.’

‘She’d scare the current away.’ Corin laughed grudgingly but stopped when Mim gave a throaty cough, a lingering symptom of her immersion yesterday; she’d tried to hold it in but hadn’t managed it. Corin pulled out some sheets of paper from his coat pocket and tossed them on the table in front of Mim. ‘Here. I’ve printed out some details about the swimming pool in Sidmouth. It’s not that expensive if you only want to swim and it would be safer.’

Mim carried on eating her porridge while she read the information. She must have been fairly close to the pool when she went shopping, so she knew it wasn’t too far away, and it looked a similar