He holds the umbrella over both our heads as we make our way into the station. The place is empty but for a woman in uniform at a kiosk. I rush over to her.
“Can I please have a ticket for the next train leaving for Villadorata?” I ask, removing my rain-splattered glasses and giving them a quick clean with the edge of my T-shirt.
“I'm not sure when that will be, dear,” she replies, her kindly face lifted in a smile. I notice her name tag says Prunella.
“Isn't there a train timetable?” I ask, confused. This might be a tiny station in the middle of virtually nowhere, but surely, they have scheduled trains.
“There’s flooding on the tracks from this rain, dear. All services are cancelled until it lets up and gets the chance to dry out.”
I gawk at her in disbelief. “But I need to get to Villadorata. It's vital that I get there as soon as I can.”
Her eyes land on Max, who had been collecting my suitcase from his car. “Your Royal Highness,” she says with a grin and an incline of her head.
“Good to see you, Prue,” he replies. “What's happening?”
“There are no trains running at the moment. I was telling your friend here that the tracks are flooded.”
“Surely there's a replacement bus service orsomething?” I say, panic rising. If I can't get to Villadorata to see Nona, I don't know what I'll do.
“Have you seen the weather? It's raining cats and dogs out there,” she says as though we weren’t aware.
“Buses can drive through the rain,” I retort. “I’ve been on them plenty of times.”
All she does is shake her head. “I'm sorry, dear. You’ll need to wait out the storm. I’m heading home myself shortly.”
Wait out the storm. I can do that. How long can it last?
Resolute, I reply, “In that case I'll wait.”
“All right. I’m closing the kiosk for now. No point being here when there are no trains running.” She pulls the sign that saysClosedfrom behind the kiosk.
“How long before the trains will be running again, do you think, Prue?” Max asks.
“A day or two, sir,” she replies brightly, as though it's no big deal at all. And to her, I’m sure it’s not.
To me? Well, that’s another story altogether.
“Two days?” I repeat, my eyes wide. “I can't wait two days. What am I going to do?”
He places a warm hand over mine. “I'll drive you.”
“All the way to Villadorata?” I ask in shock.
“Of course.”
I look out at the tracks where the rain is still heaving. “But the rain.”
“I've driven through rain before. I'm sure we'll be fine,” he says, his voice so warm and reassuring it makes me want to hug him with gratitude.
That’s the last thing I can allow myself to do.
“What about the program? The kids? You’re needed here, not driving me around the countryside.”
“Rocco and Dante can run the programwith their eyes closed. I’ll message them that we've been called away. I can take you to Villadorata and be back here tomorrow.”
To my surprise, my throat heats and tears prick my eyes, and I blink them away.
Spending the next few hours in the car with Max isn’t exactly giving me the space I need right now. But I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, as they say. I have no choice but to take him up on his offer if I want to get to Nona.
