‘Well, look, if you change your mind, call me back. If the train times don’t work, I can always jump in the car.’
‘Thanks Todd, but honestly, I’ll be fine. And besides, you’ll be busy with that Crowdfunding page.’
He was still laughing when he hung up, just as the tempo of the train changed enough to rouse the gentleman sitting opposite her from his sleep. He leaned forward and peered out of the window.
‘Ah, almost there.’ All traces of sleep on his face were immediately cast aside by excitement. What a lovely man.
There was a screeching of brakes as the train slowed even further, the end of the platform coming into sight now.
Caro got up, steadying herself by leaning against the side of the seat, and pulled down his bag. The train chuntered to a stop.
‘Thank you, my dear. It was an absolute pleasure.’
‘Merry Christmas. Enjoy your stay with your family.’
‘And you my dear,’ he replied.
Caro didn’t contradict him. Her family wasn’t in Glasgow. Her family was Todd, his parents, and a few distant relations that she only ever saw at weddings and funerals. Even Todd’s mum and dad, Auntie Pearl and Uncle Bob, had gone off to live in Spain. And there was Mum…
Slipping back into her seat, she glanced out of the window and saw a woman, maybe the same age as her, standing at the end of the platform with a couple of kids of maybe ten or eleven. They started running as soon as they saw the gent she’d shared the journey with. In seconds, they reached him,threw their arms around him, in a group hug. For a moment, Caro’s heart ached.
Her children would never do that.
They’d never run and throw their arms around their grandfather, because he’d never been that kind of guy. He’d never shown much of an interest in Caro, never mind any children she might have. No, he wouldn’t be that lovely old man, thrilled to pieces to see his descendants, to know them and pass on his wisdom and the stories of his life.
And they’d never be able to throw their arms around their gran because she was lying in a hospital bed, clinging on to a broken life.
Caro blocked her mind from going there, closed her eyes to stop the tears from falling, then concentrated on her breathing to make her pulse slow back down. In. Out. Inhale. Exhale.
She couldn’t think about it now. Over the last couple of months she’d become so practised at keeping it together, acting strong. Not that she’d had a choice. It almost came naturally to her now.
In. Out. Inhale. Exhale. It took a few moments, but she got the emotions under control and the combination of closing her eyes and the late morning winter sun that was shining through the window made her drop off into a welcome sleep.
The next thing she knew, the train was changing tempo once again, the movement and raised noise level in the carriage alerting her to the fact that they were near a station. Maybe Stirling? Falkirk.
She glanced at her watch. No, it couldn’t be. Only a few minutes before they’d been in Perth, hadn’t they? But no. Her fellow passengers were all on their feet now, the deathly slow movement of the train allowing them to yank down their bags,lift their children, pull on their coats, call loved ones to let them know they had arrived.
Caro stretched up, trying to kick-start both body and brain into action. She wasn’t ready for this. She wanted a while longer in the safe cocoon of oblivion before she took any more steps towards finding out if everything she believed to be true was a total sham.
The train was crawling now, nearly stopped, alongside a platform that was almost deserted, making the sign that greeted her impossible to miss.
Glasgow.
She was here.
The truth was out there. All she had to do was walk towards it.
6
Cammy
‘Right, action stations,’ Val announced. ‘Places to go, people to see…’
‘… Unsuitable women to get engaged to,’ Josie added, with a pointed glare at Cammy.
He grinned in return. ‘Josie, I’m not rising to you.’
‘Quite right, son – she’s the root of all marital evil. Just ignore her,’ Val concurred.
