Caroline’s shoulder, and I tried to forget about exam results and university courses, and enjoy the fact I had a long hot summer ahead of me.
I felt like I had only just closed my eyes when Caroline said, “Hey, sleepyhead, this is our stop.”
As I woke, the train came to a juddering halt. The brakes squealed in protest. Caroline reached up for our bags on the luggage rack, and I stood and took each bag as Caroline handed them to me.
Carrying the bags, we disembarked the train and stepped down onto the platform. Staverton-on-Sea Station was tiny. Only one other person got off the train, and there were no rail staff that I could see. The station sign was attached to an old stone wall, and hanging baskets full of flowers adorned each side of the sign.
“It’s small,” I said.
Caroline nodded. “Yes, tiny. There isn’t even a ticket office anymore, and there’s only one train an hour, even at rush hour. My parents hardly ever take the train these days.”
Caroline set off towards the exit, and I followed. The bags pulled at my arms already, and I hoped we didn’t have to walk a long way. “How far is it?”
“About a ten-minute drive. I sent Mum a text to tell her which train we were getting.” Caroline turned and smiled. “Hopefully she’ll be waiting for us.”
As we rounded the corner, entering the car park, Caroline let out a whoop of delight. She dropped her bags, and ran to hug a dark-haired man, standing by a green Porsche.
He staggered backwards against the car, laughing at her enthusiasm.
“Hello, Caro,” he said and returned her hug.
As they chatted to each other, I hung back near the car, still holding the bags, wondering whether I should introduce myself.
But before I could decide, he turned to me. “Who’s your friend, Caro?”
Caroline turned. “This is Lucy, my best friend from school.”
“Nice to meet you, Lucy,” he said. “I’m Jake, Caroline’s brother.” His eyes were warm and full of laughter.
Jake, at twenty-five, was the elder of Caroline’s two brothers, and I had never met him before. I met her other brother Michael a few years ago when the Harringtons invited me to visit the South of France with them. I flushed at the memory, remembering my thirteen-year-old self trailing around after Michael like a lovesick puppy.
Before I’d met Michael, I expected both brothers to be male versions of Caroline, with red, frizzy hair, but they were both dark-haired.
After shaking Jake’s hand, I took the chance to study him as he talked to his sister. He was tall and very slim, with black hair he pushed back from his face. His skin was almost olive. With Caroline standing next to him with her bright red hair, pale skin and freckles, it was hard to believe they were brother and sister.
Caroline had moaned to me that her brothers treated her like a baby. But now she seemed to be playing up to that, hugging Jake and jumping up and down like an excitable puppy.
I wondered what Michael would look like now. I hadn’t seen him for four years.
“I’ll take those, shall I?” Jake said.
I stared at him for a moment, before realising he meant the bags. “Oh, right. Yes, thanks.” I handed them to him.
Caroline looked at me curiously.
We managed to fit all the bags in the car, and I wedged myself into the tiny back seat of the Porsche, insisting I didn’t mind the cramped space.
We travelled with the roof down.
“You’re not bothered about your hair, are you?” Jake asked. “Seems a waste to put the roof up on such a lovely day. I would ask Caroline, but her hair is always a mess anyway.”
Caroline, sitting in the front passenger seat, delivered a playful punch to her brother’s arm.
“No, I’m fine,” I said.
Jake caught my eye in the rear view mirror. “Are you sure you’re all right back there?”
“She’s fine,” Caroline said.
“You should have let her sit in the front. She’s your guest,” Jake said.
“I’m fine, really.” My words were
I felt like I had only just closed my eyes when Caroline said, “Hey, sleepyhead, this is our stop.”
As I woke, the train came to a juddering halt. The brakes squealed in protest. Caroline reached up for our bags on the luggage rack, and I stood and took each bag as Caroline handed them to me.
Carrying the bags, we disembarked the train and stepped down onto the platform. Staverton-on-Sea Station was tiny. Only one other person got off the train, and there were no rail staff that I could see. The station sign was attached to an old stone wall, and hanging baskets full of flowers adorned each side of the sign.
“It’s small,” I said.
Caroline nodded. “Yes, tiny. There isn’t even a ticket office anymore, and there’s only one train an hour, even at rush hour. My parents hardly ever take the train these days.”
Caroline set off towards the exit, and I followed. The bags pulled at my arms already, and I hoped we didn’t have to walk a long way. “How far is it?”
“About a ten-minute drive. I sent Mum a text to tell her which train we were getting.” Caroline turned and smiled. “Hopefully she’ll be waiting for us.”
As we rounded the corner, entering the car park, Caroline let out a whoop of delight. She dropped her bags, and ran to hug a dark-haired man, standing by a green Porsche.
He staggered backwards against the car, laughing at her enthusiasm.
“Hello, Caro,” he said and returned her hug.
As they chatted to each other, I hung back near the car, still holding the bags, wondering whether I should introduce myself.
But before I could decide, he turned to me. “Who’s your friend, Caro?”
Caroline turned. “This is Lucy, my best friend from school.”
“Nice to meet you, Lucy,” he said. “I’m Jake, Caroline’s brother.” His eyes were warm and full of laughter.
Jake, at twenty-five, was the elder of Caroline’s two brothers, and I had never met him before. I met her other brother Michael a few years ago when the Harringtons invited me to visit the South of France with them. I flushed at the memory, remembering my thirteen-year-old self trailing around after Michael like a lovesick puppy.
Before I’d met Michael, I expected both brothers to be male versions of Caroline, with red, frizzy hair, but they were both dark-haired.
After shaking Jake’s hand, I took the chance to study him as he talked to his sister. He was tall and very slim, with black hair he pushed back from his face. His skin was almost olive. With Caroline standing next to him with her bright red hair, pale skin and freckles, it was hard to believe they were brother and sister.
Caroline had moaned to me that her brothers treated her like a baby. But now she seemed to be playing up to that, hugging Jake and jumping up and down like an excitable puppy.
I wondered what Michael would look like now. I hadn’t seen him for four years.
“I’ll take those, shall I?” Jake said.
I stared at him for a moment, before realising he meant the bags. “Oh, right. Yes, thanks.” I handed them to him.
Caroline looked at me curiously.
We managed to fit all the bags in the car, and I wedged myself into the tiny back seat of the Porsche, insisting I didn’t mind the cramped space.
We travelled with the roof down.
“You’re not bothered about your hair, are you?” Jake asked. “Seems a waste to put the roof up on such a lovely day. I would ask Caroline, but her hair is always a mess anyway.”
Caroline, sitting in the front passenger seat, delivered a playful punch to her brother’s arm.
“No, I’m fine,” I said.
Jake caught my eye in the rear view mirror. “Are you sure you’re all right back there?”
“She’s fine,” Caroline said.
“You should have let her sit in the front. She’s your guest,” Jake said.
“I’m fine, really.” My words were
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