Chapter 29
29
Before leaving Platform 1, Libby had sheepishly asked Ethan if it was okay for her to use his kitchen that day. She felt bad about asking, even though he had told her that it was fine and she believed him. But he had already been through a dreadful evening after Eddie’s stroke and she hadn’t wanted to burden him further.
The fact was, though, that she had a week to her deadline and time was racing on. She had somehow managed to complete over half the order, but there was still a huge amount of work to do to get it done on time.
Ethan had been out all day, after his announcement in the coffee shop that morning about staying on in Cranfield to run a Christmas train. She had been surprised but pleased. She knew how much it would mean to his family and she was also happy that she would see him more often as well, although she tried not to dwell on the reasons why that would please her.
For the past couple of hours, she had knuckled down in the kitchen, working quickly. But despite the hard work, Libby found she couldn’t stop her mind towards thinking of Eddie. Ethan and Ryan had taken Bob to visit him in hospital and, according to the text she had just received from Katy, they were pleased with Eddie’s progress so far. Relieved, Libby forwarded on the news to her dad by text.
Libby put down her mobile, and looked around the kitchen. She was still way behind on what she needed to get done. She had made more chocolates but the flat-pack boxes were still in their packaging nearby, so she had to store the truffles in layers. She could box them up last, she decided. The main thing was to get the chocolate finished. Although that was still such a tall order that she could almost cry at the thought.
She looked at the time. It was already half past four and she knew that Ethan wouldn’t want her there when he got home from the hospital. She had maybe two hours before needing to finish her work for the day. She could feel the hysterical laughter bubbling up inside her. She was just tired, that was all. It had been an emotional twenty-four hours.
Libby checked her phone once more and suddenly weariness washed over her. She swayed a little on the spot and shook her head at herself. Just sit down for five minutes , she told herself. You just need to rest for a short while and then you’ll have more energy.
Everything would be better just as soon as she’d had a little rest.
So she went over to the sofa, her phone in her hand and sank down. As soon as she was sitting, she felt her eyes droop. Maybe a power nap would be best, she decided. What was it that she had read recently? Twenty minutes was the optimum time to give the best results. Twenty minutes and the nibs would be ready in the oven. That was it. That sounded perfect.
Libby went to set the alarm on her phone to wake her up as soon as the twenty minutes was up, but she fell fast asleep before she had a chance to press the Set button.
It had been a long day, but Ethan was glad that they had been able to visit Eddie. The doctors were pleased with his progress and Ethan, Ryan and Bob had been grateful to find him weary but still the same old Eddie that they knew and loved.
‘Wish you hadn’t cancelled your job,’ he’d said when he’d found out that Ethan was staying on. But even Ethan could tell that Eddie was pleased that the Christmas train would become a reality. ‘That’s great, lad,’ he had murmured, squeezing Ethan’s hand with his before falling asleep.
After dropping off Bob, Ryan and Ethan chatted outside for a short while.
Ethan suppressed a yawn. ‘Sorry, bro,’ he said. ‘Long day.’
‘Me too,’ said Ryan. ‘But it was good to see Grandad looking all right. He was, wasn’t he?’
Ethan nodded. ‘Early days, like the doctors said. But yeah.’
They both exchanged a concerned brotherly look as they stood by the front gate. Lights were beginning to be switched on in each cottage as dusk started to fall.
Ryan stepped forward to give his brother a hug before he headed home. But as he slapped Ethan on the shoulder, Ryan suddenly took a sharp intake of breath.
Ethan looked at his brother, but Ryan was frowning over his shoulder.
‘Hey,’ he said, squinting into the semi-darkness. ‘Is that smoke coming out of your house?’
Ethan spun around and followed his brother’s gaze down to the old school. He too could see a grey cloud pouring out of the open window of the lounge in the front of the building.
With sudden dread, he broke into a sprint towards his home.
Ryan raced alongside him as they both leapt over the small fence that separated the front yard from the lane.
Ethan ran up to the front door, noting the smell of burning coming out of the kitchen window as well as thick smoke. He threw open the door, grateful that it wasn’t locked. But he realised with horror that it meant that surely Libby had yet to leave to go home as she always locked up each night. Therefore she must still be inside somewhere.
He rushed inside, immediately engulfed in grey smoke. ‘Libby!’ he shouted, trying to get his bearings through the acrid cloud. It was hard to see anything.
He went to switch on the overhead light, but Ryan stopped him. ‘Too dangerous,’ he said, bringing out the torch on his phone instead to shine a light around the lounge.
‘Libby!’ shouted Ethan again.
The brothers raced to the kitchen, feeling their way around. As the smoke billowed out of the open front door, Ethan felt his heart in his mouth as he looked for Libby.
Finally, to his absolute relief, he heard coughing nearby.
‘Libby?’ he shouted, heading in the direction where he had heard her.
It was then that he found her, sitting up on the sofa and coughing endlessly.
Feeling shaky but fired up on adrenaline, Ethan quickly picked her up in his arms and raced out through the front door. He headed down the path and lay her on the overgrown patch of grass, still holding her in his arms.
‘Libby?’ he said, his voice croaky with emotion and smoke. She looked tiny, her beautiful blonde hair covered with a layer of fine soot, as well as her face.
She tried to say something but began another round of coughing.
Ryan joined them, panting heavily. ‘I’ve turned off the oven and opened up some more windows and the back door. How is she?’
‘Fine,’ said Libby, her voice tiny and raspy.
But when she began coughing yet again, Ryan drew out his phone and said, ‘I’m calling the doctor.’
Ethan instinctively drew her closer to him, his heart thumping in his chest. Another hour and perhaps the outcome wouldn’t have been so good, he thought. And the thought that he might have lost Libby made him hold her even tighter.