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Vince was in the kitchenette beside the large room used for gatherings, meetings, and movie nights. He was using tongs to arrange a selection of pastries and tarts on a plate; this was usually something that his wife Daniela took care of, but she’d left instructions on what needed to be done.

The ringing of his mobile paused his movements, and he laid the tongs down before answering the call.

‘Sophie! What’s the problem?’

‘There’s no problem, Dad. Just wanted to see how you were coping on your own.’

‘All good, love. Your Mum left me enough food for a month and a list of jobs to keep me busy.’

‘It might have been easier if you went with her.’

Vince laughed. ‘I wasn’t invited! You know what it’s like when she gets together with her sisters. I’d be at their beck and call for the trip. And anyway, I’ve got things to do here. There’s a residents meeting that’s just about to start.’

By the time Vince had finished the call and put out the rest of the pastries, the committee had gathered around the table. As Vince took his seat, the room fell quiet. He glanced around the table, smiling and nodding hellos. But something was off. People were either glancing away or giving him a look of concern. Then the meeting was underway and he started taking the minutes. He wasn’t sure how he’d ended up as secretary, but he focused on getting the key points down, and trying not to show exasperation at the usual detours and soapbox rants about things outside the agenda.

It was after the meeting that he twigged that something was really up. There were several women on the committee, and one by one they sidled up to him and offered their condolences, saddened to hear about his change in circumstances. Initially perplexed, he merely nodded as he crunched into a tart. But when Daisy from Unit 3 placed a hand on his arm and said that she was always free if he needed to talk, really talk, that he had to bluntly ask what she meant.

‘Well, about Daniela. And how she left you.’

Vince nearly splattered Daisy with a mouthful of sweet, flaky pastry. ‘She hasn’t left me, Daisy. She’s taking a holiday with her sisters.’

Daisy took a step back, her glance flicking to the small knot of women looking at the pastries but not eating anything. ‘But Mary said that she was going for broke.’

Vince grinned. ‘No, she’s going to Broke. The little town where she grew up. It’s in the Hunter Valley, and she’ll be living it up with her sisters, wine tasting and sorting out the problems of the world. But she’ll be back, Daisy.’

Daisy gave him a stiff smile and nodded her head. ‘I’m pleased to hear that, Vince.’

He grinned, wondering if it were one of Daniela’s jokes that had started that little piece of misinformation. It wouldn’t surprise him.

This piece was written to a prompt on the Writer’s Digest website. I Heard A Rumour: write about someone trying to track down the source of a rumour.

Photo: delicious pastries from a bakery at Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains