watch. ‘I’ve got to get back to school.’
I released myself from Shirley’s clutches and gave her a hug. Tilly dashed off, leaving me with my boss. We looked at each other for a long moment.
Shirley sighed. ‘How about I give you some time off, unpaid, while you go up there and see what’s what?’
I could have kissed her. In fact, I did kiss her. ‘Are you sure?’ I sniffed. ‘Thank you. I could tell Auntie Sue wanted me to come but I didn’t like to ask as I’ve only just got back.’
‘We can manage here between us. Anyway, you deserve it. You came to my rescue when I broke my ankle and I’ll always be grateful for that. And it’ll be peace of mind for your auntie. Go on, why don’t you get yourself home?’
Anna was there on the doorstep waiting for me when I got back.
‘Mum called me from the café,’ she murmured, pulling me in for a hug.
‘Bless her. Your mum is the best boss ever. Fact.’ I swallowed down another sob.
‘I’m so sorry. What can I do to help?’ Anna asked. ‘Shall I book a train ticket while you pack?’
I shook my head. ‘Thanks, but I’m going to drive.’
Anna raised her eyebrows. Bobby’s top speed was fifty miles an hour.
‘I know, I know. It’ll take me hours, but at least I won’t have to rely on Eddy for lifts once I’m there. He’ll be busy enough as it is.’
Besides, I mused, I didn’t know how long I’d be gone. I followed her inside; she disappeared into the kitchen while I ran upstairs to start packing.
‘Have you told Charlie?’ Anna shouted up.
Charlie! My stomach flipped. I needed to let him know. I racked my brains to remember what shift he was on but my mind had gone blank. I pulled out my phone and sent him a quick text.
Hey. Bad news, Uncle Arthur is in hospital. Had a heart attack this morning, but doing OK, I think. Am driving up there now to help out. Call me when you get a minute. Love Freya xoxo
Fifteen minutes later I’d thrown most of my stuff into bags and was loading up the campervan. One of the major benefits of owning a home on wheels is that there’s never any need to travel light.
‘Wow.’ I heard a familiar voice behind me and I spun round to find myself nose to chest with Charlie in his fire-fighter’s uniform. My face lit up and I felt my body relax for the first time since Auntie Sue’s call; I was so pleased to see him.
‘Looks like you’re off for good with all that stuff. I’ve just caught you in time, I see.’
‘Yeah, it’s a bit chaotic …’ The laugh faded from my voice. Charlie didn’t look in the least amused.
His eyes blazed at me. ‘I can’t believe you’d just bugger off after sending me a text, without even saying goodbye.’
‘It isn’t like that,’ I exclaimed in horror, folding my arms.
He snorted in derision and looked away. ‘No?’
What? I hadn’t seen this side to Charlie before. And I can’t say I was too keen on it either.
‘Hey, Charlie, this isn’t about me and you. This is about helping two people that I love, and I need to leave as soon as I can.’
He sighed and leaned against the side of the campervan. Neither of us spoke for a few seconds. The sound of my heart thumping was deafening.
‘Yeah, sorry, you’re right, and I’m sorry to hear that your uncle’s ill,’ he conceded. ‘I’m being selfish. But you’ve only just got back and I miss you when you’re gone.’
‘I know; I miss you too. But you can’t expect me to ignore what’s happening at the farm. Uncle Arthur could have died today.’
And besides that, Charlie was behaving like a petulant child not an adult.
‘Sorry,’ he mumbled again and pulled me towards him. We squeezed each other tightly and he buried his face in my hair as we stood holding each other for a long time.
Charlie bent down to kiss me. ‘You’ll be back next weekend, though, to take Ollie swimming?’
I hesitated. I’d forgotten about that. Ollie wanted to go to the waterpark with the big slides and Charlie
I released myself from Shirley’s clutches and gave her a hug. Tilly dashed off, leaving me with my boss. We looked at each other for a long moment.
Shirley sighed. ‘How about I give you some time off, unpaid, while you go up there and see what’s what?’
I could have kissed her. In fact, I did kiss her. ‘Are you sure?’ I sniffed. ‘Thank you. I could tell Auntie Sue wanted me to come but I didn’t like to ask as I’ve only just got back.’
‘We can manage here between us. Anyway, you deserve it. You came to my rescue when I broke my ankle and I’ll always be grateful for that. And it’ll be peace of mind for your auntie. Go on, why don’t you get yourself home?’
Anna was there on the doorstep waiting for me when I got back.
‘Mum called me from the café,’ she murmured, pulling me in for a hug.
‘Bless her. Your mum is the best boss ever. Fact.’ I swallowed down another sob.
‘I’m so sorry. What can I do to help?’ Anna asked. ‘Shall I book a train ticket while you pack?’
I shook my head. ‘Thanks, but I’m going to drive.’
Anna raised her eyebrows. Bobby’s top speed was fifty miles an hour.
‘I know, I know. It’ll take me hours, but at least I won’t have to rely on Eddy for lifts once I’m there. He’ll be busy enough as it is.’
Besides, I mused, I didn’t know how long I’d be gone. I followed her inside; she disappeared into the kitchen while I ran upstairs to start packing.
‘Have you told Charlie?’ Anna shouted up.
Charlie! My stomach flipped. I needed to let him know. I racked my brains to remember what shift he was on but my mind had gone blank. I pulled out my phone and sent him a quick text.
Hey. Bad news, Uncle Arthur is in hospital. Had a heart attack this morning, but doing OK, I think. Am driving up there now to help out. Call me when you get a minute. Love Freya xoxo
Fifteen minutes later I’d thrown most of my stuff into bags and was loading up the campervan. One of the major benefits of owning a home on wheels is that there’s never any need to travel light.
‘Wow.’ I heard a familiar voice behind me and I spun round to find myself nose to chest with Charlie in his fire-fighter’s uniform. My face lit up and I felt my body relax for the first time since Auntie Sue’s call; I was so pleased to see him.
‘Looks like you’re off for good with all that stuff. I’ve just caught you in time, I see.’
‘Yeah, it’s a bit chaotic …’ The laugh faded from my voice. Charlie didn’t look in the least amused.
His eyes blazed at me. ‘I can’t believe you’d just bugger off after sending me a text, without even saying goodbye.’
‘It isn’t like that,’ I exclaimed in horror, folding my arms.
He snorted in derision and looked away. ‘No?’
What? I hadn’t seen this side to Charlie before. And I can’t say I was too keen on it either.
‘Hey, Charlie, this isn’t about me and you. This is about helping two people that I love, and I need to leave as soon as I can.’
He sighed and leaned against the side of the campervan. Neither of us spoke for a few seconds. The sound of my heart thumping was deafening.
‘Yeah, sorry, you’re right, and I’m sorry to hear that your uncle’s ill,’ he conceded. ‘I’m being selfish. But you’ve only just got back and I miss you when you’re gone.’
‘I know; I miss you too. But you can’t expect me to ignore what’s happening at the farm. Uncle Arthur could have died today.’
And besides that, Charlie was behaving like a petulant child not an adult.
‘Sorry,’ he mumbled again and pulled me towards him. We squeezed each other tightly and he buried his face in my hair as we stood holding each other for a long time.
Charlie bent down to kiss me. ‘You’ll be back next weekend, though, to take Ollie swimming?’
I hesitated. I’d forgotten about that. Ollie wanted to go to the waterpark with the big slides and Charlie
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