CHAPTER16
FELIX
‘Mummy,’ Felix shouts and runs with the phone pressed against his ear. ‘I’m running towards King’s Cross station. My rucksack is heavy and is hurting me. Aunty Emily was busy talking to Aunty Lizzie when I ran away.’ He stops, breathless from running. ‘Baxter looked sad when I left. He will be all right with Aunty Emily. I know she says she doesn’t like him, but she will make sure he’s safe.’ Placing his hand on his side he groans. ‘I have a stitch. I must keep going. Here’s the station now.’ The sound of two feet running into a busy station can be heard.
‘Can you see me at the station?’ Pulling a silly face, he peers into the phone screen. ‘Look, I am at King’s Cross station’. Flipping the phone screen camera, he pans across the station. ‘There are lots of people here because it’s Christmas. Some are wearing Santa hats. That man over there has a hat which looks like a Christmas turkey.’ Felix’s laughter at the turkey hat can be heard above the train announcer overhead, the noisy commuters and the group of tiny children and parents singing Christmas carols. ‘I have things to do now so will speak when my plan is in action. Bye.’
Eight minutes later.
‘Hello, it’s me again. I’m hiding from Aunty Emily.’ Poking his head out of from underneath a table he looks up the train aisle, past several pairs of feet and legs. ‘My plan hasn’t gone well. I’m on the train to Leeds. Six minutes ago, I got really scared. I was on my own and I missed Aunty Emily. When I was planning this adventure, I didn’t think I would feel frightened on the train. Even though she makes me sad I wanted Aunty Emily next to me. So, I rang her, and she shouted at me down the phone. So now I am hiding from her. She’s going to scream and quite possibly ground me until I am twelve. Sai said his mother was scary, but I think Aunty Emily could beat her.’ He crawls back underneath the table.
Felix yelps as a man bends down and peers at him. The man smiles and walks up the train aisle making the door let out a whoosh sound. ‘That was scary, Mummy. I didn’t know who he was. I thought he was one of those bad strangers who Aunty Emily tells me never to talk to.’
Climbing out from underneath the table he sits on the seat. ‘The train is moving, Mummy. I’m scared.’ He wipes a tear trickling down his cheek. ‘Aunty Emily and Baxter might have missed the train. I am scared, Mummy. I think my plan was a silly one. All I want is to see Aunty Emily and Baxter. Bye.’
CHAPTER17
EMILY
I’m stood between carriages, outside the train toilet, clutching Baxter and trying to see if Felix will pick up his mobile. When I find him, I don’t think he should listen to my voicemail messages. There is no doubt in my mind – I will come across as a lunatic.
Half of me is trembling with rage at Felix. When I see him, I will scream, shout, and get emotional. However, the other half of me just wants to hold him in my arms, I want to hear his voice and I want to know he’s safe.
For the ninth time the phone goes to voicemail, and I let out a frustrated wail. Tears are filling up my eyes. I’m minutes away from an emotional breakdown. It’s time to start bargaining with God. If Felix is found safe and well, I will rethink my approach to being his legal guardian, I’ll not lose myself in dressmaking.
The carriage door swishes open and a calm, male voice says, ‘Are you all right?’
Wiping my eyes, I can see a tall, male stranger with short brown hair stood in front of me. ‘Sorry for asking,’ he says, ‘but you look like you could use a friend.’
Tears stream down my face as I try to breathe through sobs. ‘My nephew ran off at King’s Cross. He rang me to say he’d boarded the Leeds train. I raced to get on the train and now I can’t find him.’
The man glances back in the carriage he came from. ‘How old is your nephew?’
‘Nine — although he’s quite small for his age so looks more like seven or eight. He’s got dark copper-coloured hair and freckles.’
A broad smile spreads across the stranger’s face. ‘You might want to check out the table seat on the left, halfway down. I saw you come rushing through earlier and I also saw a boy hiding underneath a train table. He’s now sat on the seat.’
I follow the stranger’s gaze and spot a small head full of coppery hair. Before the stranger can say anything else I burst through the door. ‘FELIX!’
He turns around in his seat with a panic-stricken face. As I get nearer, I can see his tear-stained cheeks. Before I deposit Baxter on the table in front Felix, the little dog looks up at me. In that fleeting moment I know that this little dog and I have formed a new bond. Baxter knows we’ve both been through the seven circles of hell with losing Felix and I kept my promise of finding his owner. He turns his attention to Felix and dives onto his lap.
‘Felix – don’t EVER do that again,’ I shriek, trembling with rage and emotion.
Once I sit down Felix throws his arms around my shoulders, pulling me into an unexpected hug. He starts to weep and sob. It sets me off. Soon we are both a tearful mess. ‘I’m sorry, Aunty Emily,’ he croaks. ‘I’m so sorry.’
I hug him so tightly and inhale the scent of coconuts from his hair. ‘Is it that bad being with me that you have to run away to Leeds?’
He shakes his head. ‘No, it isn’t.’
I stare into his pink-rimmed hazel eyes before planting a sloppy kiss on his forehead. ‘You scared me, Felix.’
I watch as he stares up at me and into my eyes. ‘It seemed like a good idea yesterday. Jade said it was brilliant and so did all my friends, so I had to go through with it.’
‘Who knew about this?’
He looks away and mumbles, ‘Amelie, Ronnie, Sai and Jade.’ A few seconds later he turns back with a brighter expression. ‘Amelie and Jade both said I was cool.’
I watch him wipe his damp face with the back of his coat and silently curse Jade. If Felix gets this carried away by girls at nine, God help me when he’s older.
