Page 50 of New Beginnings on Railway Lane

‘This is all delicious,’ she said, swiftly changing the subject and picking up another flapjack. ‘By the way, once I’m better, I’m going to need to head back to London to pick up some more clothes if I’m staying a bit longer.’ She looked directly at Libby. ‘Do you want me to see if I can squeeze in a couple more pairs from my fabulous shoe collection? Especially as I appear to have ruined most of my boots already.’

Libby looked delighted. ‘Wow! Yes please!’ she said, clapping her hands. ‘And in return, I’ll lend you my spare wellington boots to stop any more of your lovely designer ones getting ruined. Deal?’

Katy nodded. ‘Deal.’

‘I know!’ carried on Libby. ‘How about something to match that dress I’ve got for my birthday party. Did I tell you about it? It’s this Friday night so you’d better be feeling better by then as you’re most definitely invited, of course. Here, let me show you what I’m planning to wear.’

‘Have you decided where it’s going to be?’ asked Flora.

Libby shook her head. ‘I can’t have it at home as my dad’s there.’

Katy looked at Libby wonderingly as it was the first time that Libby had mentioned him.

Libby caught her inquisitive gaze. ‘Ex-headmaster, strict as anything, which I naturally rebelled against. But he had a stroke a few years ago so he doesn’t go too far these days.’

Katy nodded. ‘I see. I’m sorry.’

Libby gave a shrug in reply and Katy once more thought that Libby’s hard shell was protecting much more vulnerable feelings.

‘I suppose it will have to be at the Black Swan Inn,’ carried on Libby in an overly bright tone. ‘It’s not as if there’s anywhere in Cranfield to gather, is there?’

As Libby got up to plonk herself down on the sofa next to Katy and show her the dress she wanted to wear on her birthday, Katy thought that perhaps Ryan was right. Perhaps friendship really was worthwhile and that letting a few people into her life could only make it better.

Her other thought was on Libby’s point about there being nowhere for people to go in Cranfield and she recalled the email she had received that morning from the council. She had been thrilled to learn that they had approved the application that she and Bob had made for a small business to be held in the waiting room.

Katy allowed herself a secret smile as her mind was whizzing with ideas once more.

26

After another day of enforced rest, Katy was finally beginning to feel better and more like her old self. The next morning she got dressed in her jeans and a warm jumper and headed downstairs and out onto the platform.

She took a deep breath of fresh air, the first she had taken in a few days. Whilst she had been stuck indoors, the colours on the trees had deepened so that now some of the leaves had turned deep russet as well as dark gold. It really was quite beautiful, she decided.

‘Good morning,’ said a voice nearby. She looked up to see Bob walking carefully towards her using a crutch. He had a large plastic boot on his broken foot which was still in plaster.

‘Good morning,’ she said, giving him a tentative smile. She was still nervous being around him, such was the level of guilt about his broken foot. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t get to see you yesterday after you came home, but I didn’t want to give you any of the leftover germs. How are you?’ she asked.

‘On the mend,’ he told her. ‘Like you, I hear.’

‘It was just a bad cold,’ she replied. ‘I’m so sorry you got hurt.’

‘You said that already,’ he reminded her with a soft smile. ‘And besides, like I said at the time, it wasn’t your fault.’

She nodded, wanting to believe him.

‘Now that we’re both back on our feet, sort of,’ he carried on, ‘how about we have another look inside?’ He nodded at the station.

Katy hesitated. ‘If you’re sure you’re up to it.’

‘If you’re sure you are as well! Anyway, I can’t run away even if I wanted to,’ he said, with a gentle laugh.

She laughed along with him before heading over to unlock the door and they stepped inside the ticket office.

‘Ryan and I did a little bit of sorting,’ she told him. ‘So there’s a sort of order to go through regarding the boxes. But I won’t get rid of anything that you don’t want to, okay?’

He nodded. ‘Okay,’ he said. Despite his declaration to Ryan that he was ready to start clearing the space, Bob still looked a little nervous.

Katy cleared a path to give Bob safe passage into the old waiting room where there was a chair that he could sit on whilst she showed him the first box.