Winter Magic on Railway Lane, page 18
‘Oh, it’s lovely,’ said Libby, smiling. ‘It’s about Clara whose favourite toy, a nutcracker, comes to life on Christmas Eve.’
‘Thanks to her magician godfather,’ added Maggie. ‘Clara and the nutcracker head off to where there’s a battle against the evil Mouse King. Which they win, of course.’
‘And then they go through the Land of Snow to the Kingdom of Sweets, where there’s lots of celebrations,’ continued Libby. ‘It’s very Christmassy there, with an enormous tree and lots of sparkle and sweets.’
‘Then she wakes up back at home and it was all a dream,’ said Maggie with a dreamy sigh.
‘Except her godfather’s nephew looks just like the nutcracker!’ finished Libby.
‘It’s a very traditional story actually,’ said Maggie. ‘You know, according to German legend, nutcrackers bring good luck and protection to a family and its home.’
Ethan’s immediate thought was that luck and protection was exactly what his family needed at that moment.
‘Then that’s our theme,’ announced Eddie, with a nod.
Ethan looked at him on the camera and smiled. ‘Okay, Grandad. It’s your show.’
Paddington the dog thumped his tail on the floorboards as if he too was confirming his agreement for theme and everyone laughed.
‘So it’s going to be The Nutcracker story?’ asked Ryan, who was frowning. ‘How are you going to fit all that on the train?’
Ethan shook his head. ‘It doesn’t go inside the train, dummy,’ he told him. ‘We can decorate the banks either side of the tracks and light them up into individual scenes.’ There was a gasp of surprise around the table, to which Ethan rolled his eyes. ‘I’m a lighting specialist,’ he reminded them.
‘Oh!’ cooed Libby, her eyes lighting up. ‘So there’ll be a show outside of the train that everyone in the carriages can look at?’
Ethan nodded. ‘That’s the idea.’
Libby screwed her face up in thought. ‘But what about the Kingdom of the Sweets?’ she asked. ‘That’s quite a big bit to fit alongside the railway tracks.’
There was a brief pause where Ethan began to doubt himself. Perhaps it wasn’t right after all. But the talk of protecting one’s family and bringing good luck had struck home with him.
‘The old abandoned station,’ said Eddie, into the short silence.
‘At Cranley? Oh, that’s a great idea, Dad!’ beamed Bob, nodding enthusiastically at the phone.
‘Oh, that would look so pretty all done up!’ said Katy, clapping her hands.
But Libby was frowning. ‘But how are we going to decorate all of this?’ she asked.
‘Mainly with miles of lights but also many assorted decorations. Plus a lot of elbow grease,’ Ethan told her. ‘I need someone to explain to me the various stages of the story so we can plan what it can look like. In a simplified version, of course. Libby? Can I count on you for that?’
‘Yes, sir!’ she said, with a mock salute.
A smile twitched on his lips before he carried on. ‘Someone else needs to check out that old station to see if it’s safe.’
‘We can do that,’ said Bob, looking at Maggie, who was nodding her head in agreement.
‘I’m still not sure what the story entails,’ said Ethan. ‘Not being a great lover of the ballet, that is.’
‘Me neither,’ said Ryan, frowning. ‘So how will any passengers understand what’s going on if they don’t know the story either?’
‘A handout with a description?’ suggested Bob.
‘How will they read it in the semi-darkness?’ replied Libby. She suddenly gave a small gasp. ‘There are speakers in the carriages, aren’t there?’
Ethan nodded. ‘Yup. Why?’
Libby broke into a smile. ‘Then how about we get someone to read out a simplified version of the story over the speakers as the train moves along? It can be pre-recorded so it tallies up with whatever’s outside of the window at the time.’
‘With some of the music playing as well!’ added Maggie, to more murmured agreement.
‘That’s a great idea!’ said Katy. ‘Who’s going to read the story?’
Libby gave them a sheepish smile. ‘Actually, I was wondering if you’d mind if my dad gave it a trial run? He was always good at reading aloud.’
‘That’s a grand idea,’ said Eddie. ‘He was always the narrator at our school concerts. He’s got a smashing voice for that kind of thing.’
Libby looked at Ethan, who nodded his agreement.
‘Then I’ll ask him later,’ she told him.
Ethan was pleased. ‘It sounds as if it’s going to be a bit of a village effort to get this thing ready in time,’ he said.
‘Well, the clue was always in the name,’ said Eddie. ‘After all, it’s the Cranfield Christmas train, isn’t it?’
‘Yes. It is, Grandad.’
Ethan was warmed by his grandfather’s words, as well as the thought of the steam train being a community effort. Not only would it need everyone’s help to get it ready in time for December, in a way, he could see how much it meant to everyone sitting around the table that evening.
He finally understood the legacy that the trains had within his family. He felt it deep inside, woven into his very blood. He couldn’t let anyone down. Not now. Not ever.
And then he had to admit that it meant something to him too. That being born and bred in Cranfield still meant something to him. That not all of the times he spent there were bad. And perhaps there were future happy memories just around the corner as well, he thought as he looked across at Libby and found her smiling back at him.
40
After the meeting was over, Libby and Ethan walked Bob home.
As Libby only lived two doors away, a few moments later they stood by her front gate.
‘That all sounded really positive,’ she told him.
But, to her surprise, he actually looked a little sheepish. ‘I need you to describe this nutcracker story to me again. Otherwise I can’t begin to plan out the lighting. This is how I normally start off with my clients.’
‘And I’m your client?’ She gave him a wide smile. ‘Excellent! How much does it pay?’
‘Not very much at all you’ll find,’ he drawled, leaning against the front wall.
‘Okay,’ she began. ‘I would start off with the scene on Christmas Eve as that’s how the ballet begins. So you need a big tree, lots of twinkly lights and presents underneath the tree. I know! You could make that bit at the station, so when everyone arrives, they’re immediately immersed into Christmas and the start of the story.’
He nodded and made some notes on his phone. ‘Got it.’
‘But you’re going to have to highlight one toy somehow,’ she told him. ‘Have one of the larger boxes open to reveal a nutcracker doll, all dressed up in its smart uniform.’
He made some more notes.
She tapped her chin in thought. ‘Then, as the train gets going, there would need to be a bit of shazam.’
‘Shazam?’ he asked, his eyebrows going up.
‘You know, that something magical is happening,’ she said. ‘Because presto! The nutcracker doll comes to life.’
He nodded thoughtfully. ‘Shazam,’ he muttered to himself as he typed into his phone. ‘That we could probably manage.’
‘Then there’s the big scene where the nutcracker doll has to fight the evil Mouse King in order for there to be peace in the realm,’ she carried on. ‘So it’s like a big battle. You know, fighting, explosions. That kind of stuff.’
He frowned. ‘Not sure we can have actual big explosions, but perhaps I could rig something up. Lights flashing, smoke machine, that kind of thing.’
She nodded. ‘That would do it. After all, it’s only as the train goes past. Then, when the battle is won, they go through the forest of the fir trees. That’s normally to the “Waltz of the Snowflakes” in the ballet.’
‘That we can do,’ he said, suddenly animated. ‘Lots of fake snow, icicles, that kind of thing.’
She clapped her hands enthusiastically. ‘Perfect. The second act is where they arrive at the Kingdom of Sweets, which is a big celebration. The famous Sugar Plum Fairy dance, but really there’s lots highlighting different sweets and food, such as coffee, tea and chocolate.’
He was deep in thought for a moment. ‘If we simplify it but still make it magical with narration and perhaps some of the music, then that might work.’
‘And the Kingdom of Sweets could be set up at Cranley station, if it’s allowed,’ she added.
He grimaced. ‘It’s all going to be pretty tight time-wise,’ he told her. ‘So how does the story end?’
‘Back at home when Clara wakes up,’ she told him. ‘It’s where she realises that her godfather’s nephew looks just like the nutcracker doll come to life! But we could have that scene along with a big Merry Christmas sign to finish off just before the train gets back into the station.’
‘Okay.’ He blew out a long sigh as he scrolled through his notes. ‘There’s an awful lot to get done.’
‘Yes, but everyone’s going to pitch in,’ she reminded him.
‘They’re going to need to if we want to get everything done on time,’ he told her, with a worried look. ‘The first of December isn’t that far away.’
She hesitated to say what was on her mind before looking up at Ethan. He was studying her.
‘Just say whatever’s on your mind, Libs,’ he told her. ‘You always have done.’
‘So you’re staying on to get this done,’ she replied. It wasn’t a question. The very fact that he was planning to be so heavily involved with the Christmas train meant that he was.
He nodded slowly.
‘Because of your grandad?’ she asked softly.
‘A little,’ he admitted. ‘This Christmas train idea is so important to him that I’ve got to get it right.’ He was quiet for a while, but she knew that he was going to carry on, so she waited patiently. ‘And, I guess, it’s time for me to stop running.’
She was shocked to see pain in his eyes.
‘What is it?’ she asked, reaching out to take his hand in hers. ‘What were you running from?’ She gulped. ‘Was it me?’
He looked fiercely at her. ‘Of course it wasn’t you. It was never you.’ He gave a long sigh before he carried on. ‘It was Mum. You see, she had affairs before the very last one when she finally left Dad. And I knew all about them.’
‘You did?’ she gasped. ‘How?’
‘Let’s just say Mum was never particularly discreet,’ he drawled, rolling his eyes. ‘Anyway, I knew from the age of thirteen that my parents’ marriage was a lie. That Mum kept having affair after affair.’
Libby was stunned by his revelation and suddenly realised why he too had been rebelling throughout his teens. ‘Did Ryan know too?’ she asked.
Ethan shook his head. ‘No. Not until later… Not until the day of the prom.’ He looked at her with a sad expression.
‘So that was it,’ she said, with a heavy sigh. ‘You were so distant that night. So angry.’
‘I thought I could carry it by myself,’ he told her. ‘I thought it was best that only I knew, not Dad or Ryan. But we saw them as we went into Aldwych and Ryan was, well, shattered. He’d never even guessed and then, boom, it was something we both had to suffer. But I’m sorry I was so miserable with you.’
‘You should have said something,’ she said. ‘You should have trusted me instead of walking out that night.’ She felt the tears prick at her eyes. ‘I thought we were friends.’
‘We were,’ he said, squeezing her hand in his. ‘We are. But you have to understand that it wasn’t my secret to share. Mum’s poison about how love was wrong, not to be trusted, I heard it over and over. Those kind of words remain with you.’ He gave her a humourless smile. ‘Especially when I came back later to apologise and tell you the truth and you were making out with that idiot Garth.’
Libby gasped. ‘You saw that?’ She blushed. ‘You knew I never liked him like that. I was just hurting so much.’
‘I know. It was all on me,’ he told her. ‘But when I saw you, I thought you must be just like Mum.’
She shook her head. ‘Of course I’m not,’ she muttered.
‘I know that now,’ he said. ‘But at the time it just reinforced my feeling that women couldn’t be trusted.’
‘You can trust me,’ she said in a fierce tone.
He reached out to stroke her face. ‘I know that now,’ he said. ‘But at the time I had Ryan to think of as well. Then your mum got sick and you had other priorities.’
‘We both had to grow up fast,’ she said.
‘You did,’ he told her with a grimace. ‘I just ran away from everyone, including you.’
‘So did I,’ she said. ‘Why do you think I was a flight attendant? I couldn’t wait to get away.’ She shook her head. ‘All those wasted years,’ she said, thinking back to the pain that they had both suffered.
‘I know,’ he said. ‘But we were always a pair of idiots.’
She giggled. Despite everything, he always knew how to make her smile.
‘But we were always friends too,’ he added. ‘And hopefully friends again now.’
As he looked into her eyes, she found her breath caught at the intensity that was there.
‘Just friends?’ she whispered.
Ethan stared down at her, his eyes unreadable in the darkness of the night.
But she knew. She knew him so well, almost as well as she knew herself.
They came together instantly in an embrace, stepping forward so that their lips met at the exact moment that their arms wrapped around each other.
Libby moaned against his mouth at the feel of his lips on hers. It was the same as it had been in Las Vegas. She had waited for this for so long.
She knew he felt the connection too. She knew from the way his lips covered hers, the way he was holding her against him. This was everything.
Finally, they broke apart, both breathless and wide-eyed as they stared at each other. Her lips were still bruised from their passionate kiss. And yet, she could feel him holding back from her and deep down she knew why. His mum had broken his trust in all relationships and he still didn’t believe in them. At least she now understood but it didn’t make her feel any better.
Her self-defence mechanism kicked in. ‘Well, I’ll have a chat with Dad about the narration,’ she told him, reaching for her front door key in her handbag. ‘Talking of which, I’d better get inside and make sure he’s okay.’
She felt him watch her go down the short front path.
‘Goodnight, Libby,’ she heard him say as she opened the front door.
‘Goodnight,’ she replied before walking inside and closing the door behind her.
Nothing had changed in the years since their secret wedding. Her feelings for Ethan were exactly the same. Just friends? She shook her head. Nothing could be further from the truth, as far as she was concerned. And yet, sensing Ethan holding back from her, she wondered whether they could ever be anything but friends, despite her yearning for so much more.
41
Despite her confused personal feelings for Ethan, Libby was still feeling excited about her idea for the theme for the Christmas train over breakfast the following morning.
‘So the meeting went well last night?’ asked her dad.
She nodded, as she took a sip of her coffee, trying to dismiss the thought of Ethan’s lips on hers when they had kissed. Something she had tried and failed to do all night. ‘There’s lots to do, but we’ve all promised to help come up with ideas for the decorations. But I came up with the theme!’
Her dad looked impressed. ‘And what have you decided upon?’ he asked.
‘The Nutcracker,’ she told him. Suddenly, she hesitated. It was another memory linked with her mother. Perhaps it was too painful a reminder. ‘You see,’ she stumbled on. ‘We used to go to the ballet when I was younger and—’
‘I remember.’ Thankfully, rather than looking upset, her dad was smiling as if to himself. ‘You know, it was me you have to thank for that.’
‘Why?’ asked Libby, surprised.
‘Because your mother used to hear me playing Tchaikovsky’s marvellous music and wanted to know what the story was behind it,’ he told her. ‘So I explained the story and she immediately got the both of you tickets to see the ballet.’
‘And it became a Christmas tradition,’ said Libby, heartened by the reminder of their happy marriage. ‘I had no idea you loved it too.’
‘Indeed.’ Her dad nodded. ‘I must say, it’s been many years since I’ve heard the music. I must bring out that CD of mine.’
‘Actually, you may need to dust it off a bit quicker than that,’ said Libby, suddenly feeling nervous.
‘Elizabeth,’ said her dad, inclining his head to one side as he studied her. ‘You have that exact same look you had when you told me that you had reversed the family car into a bollard.’
She grimaced. ‘I’d forgotten about that!’ She gave a small giggle. ‘And I’d still swear that the bollard moved, not the car.’
‘Now what were you saying about The Nutcracker,’ prompted her dad.
‘Well, Ethan’s going to decorate the railway line with different scenes and they’re going to play some of the music over the speakers,’ said Libby, her words coming out in a bit of a rush as she realised the magnitude of what she was about to ask him. ‘But not everyone will know the story, so I suggested having someone narrate it over the speakers to explain what happens as we go along. Pre-recorded in advance, of course.’
Her dad nodded. ‘Sounds marvellous,’ he said. ‘But I’m still failing to understand your nerves.’
She took a deep breath. ‘Well, I suggested that you might be the perfect person to record the story as a narrator,’ she told him.
Her dad’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.
‘Of course, if you don’t want to do it, then everyone will understand,’ said Libby quickly.
‘Why would you think that?’ replied her dad, breaking into a smile. ‘In fact, I’m very flattered that you even thought of me.’
