I'm Glad I Found You This Christmas

4. Departure

4

Departure

‘So, you’re all set. You’ve got your passport, right?’

‘My … I don’t … what?’

Renee giggled and patted Maggie on the arm. ‘I’m having a laugh. No, you don’t need it. Except maybe to check in. But they’re hardly going to turn you away after travelling from Cambridge, are they? You’ve got your driver’s license?’

Maggie took a deep breath. ‘Yeah, I’ve got it.’

‘And you’ve got enough underwear, just in case there’s no washing machine?’

‘What? You never said—’

‘Relax!’

Maggie tried to calm herself, but was aware she was starting to panic. ‘It’s not too late, you know. I can pull the whole trip. I haven’t paid anything upfront. I mean, Dirk might not even show up. We can have a girls’ Christmas. Drink some wine, watch, um, Frozen again….’

Renee gave her a comforting pat on the arm. ‘It’ll all be fine. Just trust Auntie Renee. Tell me again about the journey. It sounds so romantic.’

Maggie had read over the printout from the web page so many times she could recite it with barely a mistake. ‘“Catch the 7.15 a.m. train to Edinburgh Waverley. From there, take the 1.03 to Inverness. At Inverness, find Platform 7A and wait for the 4.31 on the Hollydell Line. There is only one train per day—don’t miss it. The train is a single carriage and stops only once, at Hollydell Firth at exactly 5 p.m. Do not be alarmed when you exit the station. To reach Hollydell, walk up the road through the trees for approximately three hundred metres. The village will appear in front of you. The village hall is on your left. Someone will be waiting to show you to your cottage.”’

Renee hummed, her hands pressed together under her chin. ‘“The village will appear in front of you.” Sounds like it’s magic, doesn’t it?’

Maggie resisted the urge to say something negative. ‘Assuming it’s even there. I tried to find it on Google Maps, but it’s a black spot. That could mean anything. Perhaps I’m walking into a military alien a*******n facility.’

‘Well, at least Dirk’s coming to meet you. He can be your knight in shining armour to save you from all those pesky E.T.s.’

‘Yeah, sure.’

Renee was still beaming and staring off into space as a loudspeaker announced the approach of a train.

‘Well, here goes.’

Renee pulled Maggie into a bear hug. She smelled faintly of Yves Saint Laurent and Starbucks Latte. No doubt Maggie smelled of fear, but she forced herself to take a deep breath.

‘It’ll be fine,’ Renee said. ‘Haven’t I told you to trust me?’

‘Several times.’

‘And if you get phone reception, be sure to give me a call to let me know how it is. Send me some pics. I’m having Christmas lunch down at the children’s home this year. A few pics of your special moment’ll cheer them up.’

The train pulled in. Guards opened the doors and a stream of passengers climbed down, bustling along the platform.

‘Right, here goes.’

‘And remember, I’ll see you on the twenty-seventh. We’ve got our lunch date, so don’t forget. I want to see your new ring. Gosh, it should be massive, what with Dirk’s salary.’

‘I won’t forget.’

‘Unless the two of you decide to extend your stay over New Year,’ Renee added. ‘I’d forgive that, but anything else … nope.’

‘Ren, I’ve got to go. Thanks for everything.’

Maggie lifted her case and climbed onto the train. Renee waved at her from the platform.

‘Good luck, Mags! Break a leg! Or don’t, as the case may be!’

As the train started to pull away, Renee tucked her hair behind her ear, and Maggie saw that little point again. Perhaps her friend was magical after all. She could only hope so. It might need magic to save her relationship with Dirk.