Chapter 58
Ethan looked up at his grandad, who was wearing his stationmaster’s uniform with a proud look on his face as they stood next to the steam engine.
‘All set?’ Ethan asked.
Eddie nodded. ‘Yup. All set.’
As the cameras whirred and clicked around them, Ethan looked past the train and along the railway line to where it disappeared off in the distance.
Daffodils were nodding their bright yellow heads in the gentle breeze alongside the track. Spring had arrived and brought with it blue skies and bursts of colour everywhere, from the violet crocuses to the fresh green growth as new shoots appeared on every hedgerow and tree.
Ethan felt as if he were coming back to life as well, after so many years hiding away from his friends and family.
His eyes slid to the old school, which he had finally been able to finish renovating with the train rides taking a break during the coldest winter months. Since she had moved in, Libby had transformed the place so that it felt more cosy, with her additional touches, such as photographs and candles, as well as the constant aroma of her chocolate making wafting from the busy kitchen.
Of course, the train was likely to be equally busy very soon. Ethan had also spent the winter making great plans for the busy spring and summer season ahead. They had even approached local schools, inviting them to come along so that the children could learn about the history of steam engines. Perhaps there would be another budding engineer amongst them?
The train rides would happen at the weekends, apart from during the school holidays, when they would put on an extra few dates. It had been Philip who had suggested themed weekends, so they’d already had made plans for a special cream tea run where all the passengers would be provided by a delicious picnic prepared by his brother.
Ryan had complained about the extra work, of course, but Ethan knew that his brother was pleased that they were becoming closer with each passing week. Ethan was pleased too. He finally felt as if he could let go of the past and face a future filled with happiness and love as they made new memories in his home village.
In two years, Cranfield had been transformed. It was now a winter tourist destination, thanks to the success of the Christmas train. The long summer days would be equally busy with the glamping campsite and lavender fields. And Platform 1 would provide any refreshments desired. Pride had been rekindled in their village. And in the villagers too.
Ethan caught eyes with his dad who gave him a wink and a smile from a short distance away, as he stood hand in hand with Maggie. Ethan was glad to see his dad in a healthy relationship based on friendship and respect. Most of all, he was grateful that his dad was happy at last.
At the sound of familiar laughter, Ethan spun around and smiled as he watched Libby joke with her dad and Eddie.
Both men had also formed a bond as they continued to recover from their strokes. Philip’s stroke club had become a fixed date in the diaries for many stroke survivors in the area. In addition, he had begun to concentrate his love of reading on researching an ever-increasing amount of steam engine information to provide to future passengers.
Eddie had been thrilled to have yet another steam train enthusiast join him and Bob. He would never quite be as agile or quick as he had been before the stroke, but he had recovered enough to take pride of place alongside Ethan and Bob in the driver’s cab when needed.
Libby glanced over at Ethan and her face lit up into a warm smile. Ethan immediately felt the warmth and love that she gave him every day.
They had never confessed about their actual marriage to anyone. That was their secret to keep. But everyone else seemed very enthused about their whirlwind engagement soon after Harriet and Joe’s wedding day.
‘It only took thirty years for you two to get together,’ Ryan had said, rolling his eyes.
But he had looked emotional when Ethan had asked him to be his best man.
‘Maybe you can repay me the favour next year,’ he had murmured.
Ethan had been delighted for his brother.
Ryan had also been a mine of information when Ethan had told him that he wanted to build Libby a proper shop within the grounds of the old school. That was a secret plan to reveal in the upcoming weeks.
Ethan finally believed in love, true love. His mother had been wrong and he had been mistaken to believe her.
The past wouldn’t repeat itself, that much he knew. The love between him and Libby was stronger than anything he had ever known and whatever life threw at them, they would face it together.
Because love did exist, between families and friends, as well as for him and Libby. It was true and good and he was happier than he had ever been because of it. He was back home at last, where he belonged, alongside Libby.
Libby reached over to give her dad a peck on the cheek. ‘You’re not overdoing it, are you?’ she warned him. ‘It’s been a busy day already.’
‘Of course not,’ he replied, with a warm smile. ‘Eddie and I were just saying that we’re both ready for a cup of tea and a slice of delicious cake.’
‘Too right,’ added Eddie.
Libby smiled at them both. It warmed her heart to see her dad having close friends again. He had flourished in the past few months and she was as proud of him for the success of the stroke club as she knew he was.
He would often pop in to see Eddie at home or head to the train workshop to chat to him and Bob. In addition, meeting strangers at the stroke club seemed to have helped him overcome his shyness and she was glad to find him so much more enthusiastic about facing new people and situations.
In fact, it had been his idea to prompt her to move in with Ethan at the old school.
She had rebelled against the idea until he had finally been able to persuade her that he was happy with the idea.
‘It’s the natural order of things,’ he had told her. ‘And you’re literally a minute’s walk away!’
Libby had agreed, knowing that it was the right thing to do for her and Ethan but it had also appeared to have helped her dad as well. Philip was more independent these days, organising his own supermarket deliveries and even heading to Platform 1 for coffee a couple of times a week.
She was equally thrilled to see how much he enjoyed the chocolate that she made for him. He was always willing to try out new flavours and boast about what a success his daughter was.
Even Libby was surprised at how busy her chocolate-making business continued to be. She had expected a slump in orders after the success running up to Christmas, but instead it had gone from strength to strength. Valentine’s Day had been one of her best weeks ever profit-wise and her Easter eggs were proving to be equally as popular. She had plans to start making tins of upmarket hot chocolate, as well as introducing different flavours of truffles to coincide with each new season.
But even she was allowed a day off, especially when it was such a special celebration as that day.
Ethan walked up to her and smiled as he held out his hand. He looked so handsome in his suit and she couldn’t help but be amazed once more that they would spend their lives together.
They both headed to the front of the train and, ever the gentleman, he let her climb the steps of the driver’s cab first and she was grateful that she had chosen a knee-length dress.
Once they were both inside, Ethan wrapped his arm around her.
‘Mrs Connolly,’ he murmured, pulling her close to him and kissing her.
‘Mr Connolly,’ she replied when they finally drew apart.
She had never known such happiness and she knew it was because she had everything she wanted in Ethan. He was her best friend, her soulmate, the love of her life. She trusted him with both her heart and the life they were going to make together in the years and decades ahead.
With the cameras clicking and whirring once more, Libby and Ethan leaned out of the window to wave back to their family and friends to give them all the perfect photograph.
And as they went to kiss each other once more, the Just Married sign on the front of the train fluttered in the gentle breeze of a warm spring wedding day.