Page 10 of Winter Magic on Railway Lane

At the top, there was a small landing, from which led the two bedrooms and a bathroom. Libby headed into her bedroom to get changed, carefully hanging up her uniform in the wardrobeand wondering whether it would have to be returned to the airline at some point.

She checked her emails and sank down onto the bed as she read the one from her supervisor. It was all very formal, very finite, she realised. It really had happened. She hadn’t imagined it after all. She was out of a job. It was a mess and she had no idea how to make her life better.

After going back downstairs, Libby grabbed her coat from the hook before going outside to join her dad.

She cleared her throat as she went to stand next to him, knowing she couldn’t put off the moment any longer.

‘Dad, I’ve got something to tell you,’ she began, giving him a tentative look. She felt all of ten years old again when she had to tell him that she had lost her bike in a ditch and it was in pieces.

He raised his eyebrows at her but didn’t reply.

‘So, er, they’ve announced a whole load of redundancies at work and I’ve been laid off,’ she said, her words coming out in a rush. ‘With immediate effect.’

‘I see.’ He looked a little alarmed as the silence stretched out between them.

‘But don’t worry,’ said Libby, giving him one of her wide smiles. ‘They’re going to give me almost a month’s pay due to my years of service and I’ve got lots of feelers out for the next job. I’ll get one in no time.’

‘Of course you will,’ he replied, looking relieved.

Libby’s smile grew rigid as she tried to maintain it. ‘Just thought I’d better keep you in the loop, as it were. Now, what about this train?’

Thankfully, at this precise moment, the loud toot-toot of the steam engine whistle rang out and she was able to step forward with her dad to concentrate on the train as a plume of smoke rose up into the air.

‘It’s certainly been a labour of love for Bob and Eddie,’ he murmured.

Her dad had been to school with Bob and knew the family very well. Not that her dad ever socialised these days, with Libby always making an excuse for him whenever they were invited anywhere.

‘You don’t want to stand out on the platform and watch?’ she asked, looking back up towards the station, where a small group of people were beginning to gather.

Her dad shook his head. She wasn’t surprised.

‘Still, we’ll get a good view here, won’t we?’ she said, gesturing at the low fence, over which they would get a grandstand view of the steam engine.

It was only a little white lie about finding another job, she told herself as they stared down the line back towards the station. Her dad didn’t need to know about her two written warnings. And surely she’d find a job quickly, wouldn’t she?

But the twinge in the pit of her stomach reminded her that her whole career might be over and she had no idea how she was going to earn a living from now onwards.

6

Ethan stood in the driver’s cab of the steam engine and exchanged nervous but excited looks with his dad and grandad.

‘So it looks like we’re good to go,’ Ethan told them both.

‘Well,’ said Bob, rubbing his hands together. ‘No time like the present.’

‘Aye, son,’ said Eddie, nodding. ‘Let’s get this show on the road.’

The boiler was already packed with coal and with the water tank also full, the engine billowing out clouds of steam from its chimney. All it needed now was a release of the brakes for the train to move forward.

‘Better give the folks another warning,’ said Bob.

Eddie smiled. ‘You do the honours.’

But Bob shook his head. ‘Together, I reckon, Dad,’ he said.

‘All right,’ replied Eddie. ‘Together.’

So they both reached out to the chain hanging from the ceiling and gave it a hearty couple of tugs.