BooksBarbecue
Back A Place to Call Home Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. Epilogue
  58. Author’s Note
  59. Acknowledgments
  60. More from Fay Keenan
  61. About the Author
  62. About Boldwood Books

Holly gasped as the breath was, rather pleasurably, squeezed out of her. ‘Me too. Travel safe.’

‘I will.’

Within a minute or so, the Bristol-bound train, a mere two carriages on a small branch line like Willowbury, had drawn up to the platform. Charlie and Holly broke apart far enough to share one, last, passionate kiss, which would have to sustain them both until Wednesday when Holly joined him in London.

‘Take care,’ she said softly as the train drew to a halt.

There was a pause before the door buttons illuminated, and, turning to pick up his small suitcase and his satchel, Charlie smiled. ‘I miss you already.’ He glanced at the door and pressed the button to open it. ‘Oh, fuck it!’ Sweeping Holly up, he found her lips with his once more, as the train doors glided open, almost taking her off her feet on the platform.

‘Go,’ Holly said breathlessly. ‘They won’t wait for you, even if you are the MP!’

‘I’ll text you later,’ Charlie said as he grabbed his suitcase and satchel.

‘See you on Wednesday,’ Holly called as the doors began to close.

In one more moment, the train had rumbled to life. As it pulled away from Willowbury station, Holly reflected that it might not have been as romantic as a steam train, but her heart was still thumping. Charlie loved her; he loved her. And, scarier still, she knew that she loved him. Thoughts raced through her mind as she realised that she hadn’t felt this way for a long time, not since she and Andrew had first met, and even then, it seemed different somehow. Filled with hope, and feeling more than a little wobbly-footed with love, she headed back home to get herself together before another busy day at ComIncense.

As promised, when Charlie reached London a couple of hours later, Holly’s phone pinged. Sending him a quick reply, as she was in full swing in the shop, she mused on what this week would bring. It may well be the turning point that she and Rachel and the rest of their family had waited so long for; could Charlie’s question at PMQs really make a difference, be the catalyst for further discussions about getting the drugs to CF patients that might make a huge change to their lives? For the first time in a long time, Holly found herself putting her faith in politics, and politicians, and hoping against hope that Charlie would be someone who would make a difference.

Later that evening, she spoke to Rachel, who was hoping to bring Harry home from the BRHC on Tuesday morning. The intravenous antibiotics had managed to stabilise his chest infection, thank goodness, but Holly couldn’t help wondering how many more trips to hospital the little boy was going to end up taking all the time he was waiting for medication that could really change his life.

34