Peace Train
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Nottingham Midland Railway Station
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They sat in the café with the carry cot on the table between them. Bobby looked at his sister. ‘I can’t cope with her,’ he said. This was part of the truth; he couldn’t cope with the baby any more than he could manage the pain of losing Marilyn. Trauma was like a virus, and you passed it along a chain to the people you loved. This little girl was better off without him.
Ruth had been trying for a baby since she’d got married over a year ago. As much as it hurt his heart, this felt like the right thing to do.
The guard blew his whistle on a platform nearby then there was the grinding sound of the modern diesel engine. The baby startled, and began to cry. Ruth cooed and picked her up. She held her close and bounced her. ‘
