by Nancy M Bell
“If you’re busy, I can come back later.” Laurel started to chicken out.
“No, I could use a break. What do you want to talk about?”
“I wish you wouldn’t encourage Chance. I don’t like him that way. He’s like my brother, or something,” she began.
Colton Rowan held up his hand to stop the flow of words. “Your mother has already read me the riot act, chapter and verse, on that subject. I apologize if it seemed as if I was pushing you into something you don’t want any part of.”
“Okay, thanks.” Laurel twirled a strand of hair around her fingers. The silence stretched between them but she couldn’t make herself bring up the subject she really wanted to talk about.
“Was there something else, pet? I really should finish the books.” He picked up the pen.
“Daddy, I really want to go and see Ash. Can I, please? I promise I’ll behave and I’ll come home before Christmas if you want,” she blurted out the words before she could change her mind.
Colt put the pen back down and tented his fingers, resting his chin on the forefingers. She forced herself not to squirm under his intense regard. Although she wanted badly to continue to plead her case, Laurel stayed quiet. Mom always said if she would just be patient and let Dad come to his own conclusions without pestering him, more things would turn out in her favour.
“You really want to do this, princess? I’m not crazy about the idea of you not being home for the holidays.”
“I really do want to go. And…” she hesitated on the verge of telling him about Gramma Bella, “please don’t be mad. I went to Bragg Creek to find Gramma.” She waited for him to lose his cool.
“Did you see her?” he spoke calmly. The cords in his neck grew taut as he clenched his teeth.
“No, her neighbor said she went to England ‘cause Sarie called and said Vear Du was in trouble.” Laurel waited for the explosion she was sure was coming.
“In trouble, is he? What should that have to do with my mother after all this time?”
“I think she must still care about him,” Laurel ventured a reply. “So, if I go to see Aisling I can see Gramma Bella too without it bothering you.”
“Laurel, whether you see her there or here, it will still bother me. The woman lied to me for most of my life and now you and your mother expect me to just forgive her and welcome her back into the fold.” Colton pressed his lips together into a thin line. “I just can’t do it.”
“I know you’re mad at her, but she’s my gramma and I want to see her again. I’m not mad at her,” Laurel argued, knowing she was pushing her luck.
Dad sighed and rubbed his eyes again, leaning back in the chair and gazing at the ceiling. “Your mother made the same argument earlier. You’re a smart girl, and I guess you are old enough to know what’s right and what’s wrong. If you really and truly want to go half way across the world to see your friends and track down your grandmother, I shouldn’t stand in your way.”
“Daddy, thank you!” Laurel leaped to her feet and flung her arms around his neck. “I’ll be good, I promise. Thank you, thank you.” She hugged him hard and felt the vibration of his chest when he laughed.
“I can’t win when both the women in my life gang up against me. But, just don’t expect me to welcome the woman into my home. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Dad. Perfectly. I won’t ask her home for dinner.”
“How did you get to Bragg Creek anyway?” A frown darkened his face.
“I talked Chance into taking me. Carly was supposed to come too, but he told her not to come.”
Colton laughed. “You’ve got that boy wrapped around your little finger.”
“I didn’t ask him to get all weird and mushy. I like things the way they were before he got all crazy,” she protested.
“What do you mean? Did that idiot try something with you?” Dad half rose to his feet.
“No, not really. He’s just so…so, serious,” she said hastily.
“You let me know if the young pup steps out of line, you hear me?”
“Yes, Daddy,” she said meekly. Inside she was shouting for joy. Laurel could hardly believe her dad was going to let her fly to England.
“Off you go, princess. I have a lot of paperwork to get through yet. Go tell your mom the news. I know you two will have a lot of planning to do.” He kissed her forehead and unwrapped her arms from his neck.
“Thanks, Dad.” She kissed his cheek and danced out of the study.
“Mom,” she hollered after she closed the door behind her. “Dad says I can go!” She ran down the hall and jumped on the couch beside her mom. Anna set her needlework down and hugged Laurel.
“I’m happy for you. Just make sure you stay safe.” Anna held her at arm’s length and studied her face.
“I will, I promise. Can I call Ash right now? Oh, what time is it there?”
“It might be better if you email her and figure out a time to call when it works for both of you,” Anna suggested.
“Thanks, Mom.” Laurel bounded out of the room and took the stairs two at a time, skidding down the hall and into her room.
Chapter Six
Carly hugged Laurel so tight her ribs hurt. “I wish you could come with me, Carly.” Laurel extracted herself from her best friend’s grip.
“Me, too. But Dad wouldn’t hear of it. Missing a week of school, not to mention the expense. Make sure you email me every day, and post tons of pictures on line. It’ll almost be like I’m there with you.” Carly gave her quick hug and stepped back. “You need to go through security soon, so go say good bye to your folks.”
“Still, I’d love for you to meet Aisling, Gort, and Coll.” She glanced around the crowded baggage check in area. “Where’s Chance? I thought he might show up to say good bye.”
A red flush rose up Carly’s face. “He didn’t want to. Why is he mad at you? Did you two have a fight or something?”
Laurel shook her head. “I don’t know, he’s been strange ever since I came home. And he gets all snarly whenever Coll’s name comes up. What’s with that?”
“Are you blind? It’s plain as day how he feels about you.” Carly sighed in exasperation.
“How he feels about me? What’s to see? He’s one of my oldest friends.”
“Chance has the hots for you and you never seem to give him a second look,” Carly explained.
“What?” Laurel was astounded at her friend’s revelation. “Really? You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“God’s honest truth.” Carly laid a hand over her heart.
“Seriously? Man, I gotta go, but we’re gonna talk more about this later. It just feels so unreal.” Laurel picked up her carry-on luggage and gave her mom a hug. Dad was as bad as Chance, refusing to come to airport to see her off. Once Gramma Bella was back home, she’d have to find a way to get the two of them together and resolve whatever the problems there were between them.
Laurel paused by the entrance to security and looked back at Carly and Mom one more time. Mom had her arm around Carly’s shoulders and they both waved. She got through the line up in record time and set out to find her gate. Once there, she pulled out her tablet to finish the last chapters of a book she needed to read for school.
After a long and boring trip across the ocean in the plane, Laurel was more than happy to collect her luggage and catch the Heathrow Express from the airport to Paddington Station. She had a ticket for the Cornish Riviera Express where Mom had booked her a berth with a bed and wash basin all to herself. The hustle and bustle of Paddington Station unnerved Laurel when she first stepped off the Heathrow train. Damn, I wish Carly was here. Rolling the large suitcase along beside her, Laurel stopped at the ticket office to ask where she should wait to board the night train. The attendant showed her to a well-appointed lounge and told her someone would come and let her know when the train was available to board.
Her feet resting on her suitcase, Laurel flipped through a magazine someone left on the chair bes
ide her. She tossed it back where it came from and closed her eyes. Excitement warred with weariness. It was so hard to believe she was back in England. It didn’t seem real at all. In just a few hours she’d be stepping off the train in Penzance. Hopefully, it would be a clear day and Saint Michael’s Mount would be visible off to the east across Mount’s Bay. I wonder if I’ll see Corm again, if we go there. Only this time I’ll know he’s the spirit of Cormoran, the last giant ever seen in Cornwall. The first time I thought he was just a nice old man. Her thoughts drifted to what Carly said about her brother. How had she missed the fact Chance wanted to be more than friends? He had tons of girls chasing after him at school and at high school rodeo events.
“The Cornish Riviera Express is now available for boarding. Please have your boarding passes ready,” a First Great Western Rail employee announced.
Startled out of her thoughts, Laurel got to her feet and collected her things. She exited the lounge. Even at this hour of the evening Paddington was busy. Pushing her way through the milling crowds she searched the overhead information boards to find the track for her train. She finally found it and started off toward Platform One. She stopped beside the long sleek blue car emblazoned with Night Riviera Sleeper. A man in a First Great Western uniform approached and Laurel showed him her ticket.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t know how to find my berth. Can you help me, please?” Laurel was totally at a loss to figure out which car to get on, and how she was supposed to figure out which berth was hers.
The man explained how to read the ticket and took her to the correct car. “Once you’re on board, the berth numbers are on the doors. If you have any trouble, there should be an attendant around to help you out.”
“Thank you so much,” Laurel said and allowed the man to lift her luggage on board.
“You’ll be all right then, miss?” he asked.
“Yes, thank you again,” she replied, although she was still a bit nervous. The last time she rode the train, it was daylight and she had a seat in the first class car. Finding her place then was so much easier than in this narrow corridor with windows on one side and a bank of closed doors on the other stretching the length of the car.
Another uniformed gentleman came to her rescue and showed her to the correct door and explained how things worked. Laurel thanked him and stowed her belongings. She swayed a little as the train pulled out of the station. Once it was well underway, Laurel went off in search of the Lounge Car for something to eat. Happily, it was easy to find and Laurel was soon back in her berth and ready for bed. Snuggled under the duvet, the sound of wheels on the rails kept lulling her to sleep, even though she tried to read. Eventually, she gave up the fight and let her eyes close. I wonder what it will be like seeing Coll? It’s been a long time since I saw him. Email and phone calls just aren’t the same as being together.
Chapter Seven
Laurel stepped lightly from the London train onto the Penzance platform. She moved a few feet from the stream of passengers disembarking behind her and searched the small knot of people waiting to meet the train. Excitement bubbled in her chest as she bounced on her toes looking for Aisling.
“Laurel, over here!” Aisling waved from beside the ticket office at the end of the platform. Before she could wave back, Aisling was racing down the platform, dodging the passengers on their way to the bus station or cab stand. Laurel hurried to meet her as fast as her belongings would let her.
She reached Aisling halfway down the platform and dropped the bags in her hand in order to give her friend a hug. Tears pricked the back of Laurel’s eyes. She stepped out of the embrace as Aisling loosened her hold. Self-consciously, she wiped away the moisture on her cheek. Laughing, Aisling did the same.
“What a pair of old grandmothers we are,” Ash joked.
“It’s so good to be back.” Laurel survey the sun drenched scene. She turned back to Ash. “Did you tell Coll I was coming? I didn’t mention it to him ‘cause I wasn’t sure Dad was gonna let me come.”
Aisling shook her head, her eyes dancing with mischief. “Not a chance, I want to see the look on his face when he sees you.”
“Should I call him, do you think?” Now she was so close to seeing him again she was unaccountably nervous. Maybe he’d changed so much she wouldn’t like him anymore, or worse, what if he didn’t like her anymore?
“Sure, go on and call him.”
“You’re sure? We could just go by Emily’s and surprise him.”
No, better idea. Why don’t you call him and pretend you’re still at home? Coll has no idea you were planning to come for Christmas.”
Laurel slipped the cell phone out of her jacket pocket and tapped Coll’s name in the display window. She shifted from foot to foot while it connected. Aisling stood beside her with a huge smile on her face. Finally, the call connected.
“Hallo?” The male voice sounded distracted.
“Hey, Coll. It’s me, don’t you wish we could share some fish and chips right now?” Laurel repressed the urge to giggle.
“Laurel, is that you, then?”
The voice was more distinct and she figured she had his full attention now.
“Yup, it’s me. What are you up to?”
“Nothing much, what about you?”
Laurel frowned, there it was again, that slight hesitation in his voice. What was making him so uneasy, instead of thrilled to hear from her? Conscious of the minutes ticking away on her rather expensive international mobile plan, she decided to do away with the subterfuge and get to the point.
“I’m here Coll, at the train station. In Penzance.” She waited for the words which would express his astonishment and joy at her announcement. The silence from the other end of the line forced her to check and see if the connection was dropped. Nope, he should still be there. “Aren’t you glad to hear I’m in Penzance?”
“Where did you say you are? You’re not really here in Penzance are you?” Laurel could hear excitement warring with something else in his voice.
“I’m at the train station. The Riviera Express just arrived about ten minutes ago. Can you come down and pick us up?
“Who is ‘us’?” he sounded annoyed.
“Me and Aisling.”
“Ash knew you were coming and didn’t let on?”
“It was supposed to be a surprise, but then other things happened.”
“What other things?”
“Coll, can you just come and pick us up, please? This call is eating up my minutes. I’ll explain everything when I see you.”
“Does Sarie know you’re coming?”
Laurel wrinkled her brow at his tone.
“Yes, she said I was welcome in her house anytime and I worked all summer to save up and come visit for the Christmas holidays.” Her voice trembled at bit and she bit her lip.
“I’ll ring her and let her know you’re here. I’ll be down directly to collect you.” Coll broke the connection.
“She knew Ash was meeting me,” she said quickly, but the connection was already dead.
Laurel shoved the phone back in her pocket and picked up her bags. Ash pushed the bigger suitcase over to a bench by the taxi stand. Laurel shifted from foot to foot and pulled the collar of her oilskin jacket up against the wind which blew sharply across the area. What was Coll’s problem? She was so sure he would be excited and happy to see her. Maybe he had second thoughts, maybe he was involved with some other girl and didn’t know how to tell her. That would suck royally. Laurel kicked at a crisp wrapper lodged under the edge of the bench.
Perching herself on the wooden bench, she looked at Aisling. At least Ash was happy to see her. “What’s up with Coll? He didn’t seem happy to find out I was in Penzance. Does he have a girlfriend or something?”
“Not that I know of, but Adelle has the hots for him.”
“Who’s Adelle? Do I know her?” Laurel searched her memory to try and place the girl.
“Stuart’s sister, remember?” Aisling grinned.<
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“Is he interested in her?” A shard of jealousy speared her.
Aisling laughed and shook her head. “Not hardly. He never talks about anyone except you.”
“Then what’s he so fired up about, he sounded like he was sorry I came.”
“I met your grandmother, did you know that?” Aisling took a step back.
“What! I haven’t even seen her yet. Where is she? What does she look like?” Laurel bounced on her toes.
“She looks like she does in that old picture we found in Sarie’s books, just a bit more wrinkly. She’s staying at Sarie’s. I’m supposed to get Coll to drive us all out there. Gort will come with him to pick us up.”
“How is Gort? It was horrible what happened to him. His uncle was a real piece of work.”
“At least Gort doesn’t have to deal with him anymore, the sod.
“I know. It’s bad karma to be glad someone’s dead, but I just can’t help being happy Gort’s free of the scumbag.” She changed the subject abruptly. “I can’t wait to see Gramma Bella. I remember a bit about her, but I was only a kid when she moved off the ranch.” Laurel wrinkled her forehead. “What if she doesn’t recognize me?”
“I wouldn’t worry about that. Sarie told me she sent your gramma some pictures the last time you were in Cornwall. I’m pretty certain she’ll know who you are.” Aisling pulled her to her feet and picked up one of the bags. “C’mon, let’s wait for the lads out by the bus platforms.”
Laurel followed behind with the big suitcase. As they reached the white peaked tent-like structures that sheltered the bus platforms, Ash pointed and waved at a small decrepit car just pulling into the pickup area. The Mini was covered in paint splotches of different colours, but the engine hummed evenly.
Gort jumped out of the passenger seat and hugged Laurel tight. “It’s just brill to see you again, Laurel. It’s grand that you could come. Sarie and Emily can’t wait to see you again, and your gramma is running around like an ant on a hot brick.”