“How far away are you?”
“Another half an hour or so I think … then I think it’s about twenty minutes in a taxi from the station.”
“I like the idea of surprising him.”
“Me too … I just wish I could know for definite he’ll be happy about it.” She frowned and tapped the tabletop. “What if we arrive and his ex is there?”
“She’s only picking some of her stuff up, right? What are the chances of her being there exactly when you arrive?”
“I’ve no idea.” She pushed her palm into her forehead. “Why am I putting myself through this?”
“Because you love him, that’s why.”
“Yes. I do.” She glanced at Ellie who was watching the fields and trees go by. “I really do. I need this to go well.”
“It will. How’s the train trip been?”
“Surprisingly easy. Ellie’s been as good as gold and hasn’t complained of being bored once. How’s Ferne, by the way?”
“Tired and quiet, but she’s managed to eat something, so I guess we’re over the worst.”
“That’s good.”
“I better go and check on her, but keep me updated with how you get on.”
She promised she would, then switched her attention to Ellie as she put her phone away. “We’ll be there soon,” she told her. “Are you excited to see Trystan?”
“Not really.”
Beth’s eyebrows knitted together. “Why not? I bet he’s going to love seeing you?” She hoped so anyway.
“My tummy feels funny.”
Automatically, Beth put her hand to Ellie’s forehead while wondering how long her cheeks had been so flushed. “You feel quite warm,” she remarked at the exact moment that Ellie lurched forwards and vomited all over the table.
For a moment, Beth froze. Until Ellie’s crying jolted her into action and she attempted to comfort her while making a poor attempt at clearing up sick with a few napkins and a travel pack of baby wipes. As the stench of vomit permeated the stuffy air, most of the passengers around them made a quick getaway to other carriages. A woman with a small child passed her another packet of baby wipes before telling her she’d find the conductor.
By the time the conductor arrived, Ellie had also vomited over the gangway and a chair. Apologising profusely, Beth ushered Ellie into the tiny toilet cubicle where she peeled her soiled clothes from her and put fresh ones on, all the while reassuring her she was fine and she’d feel better soon. Beth washed her hands in the trickle of water from the tap, then turned back to Ellie who threw up again, managing to cover them both.
After getting clean clothes on them both and turning the sick-covered ones inside out to put them in the bag, Beth insisted Ellie stay by the toilet until they arrived. She’d only packed for one night so they were now out of clothes. Ellie had a pair of pyjamas but Beth hadn’t even remembered to pack any for herself.
She poked her head out of the toilet to apologise again to the conductor and hand him a twenty-pound note which didn’t even come close to compensating him for his task.
The only good thing about the stink of vomit around them was that people moved out of the way for them on the platform while Beth struggled to carry Ellie and their bags outside to the taxi rank. Almost as soon as she opened the door of the black cab, the driver turned his nose up at the smell which was mostly coming from their bag of vomit-covered clothes. They probably didn’t have much hope of him letting them in the car, but any chance they had of convincing him was dashed when Ellie threw up on the pavement.
“My tummy hurts,” Ellie whimpered as the taxi drove away with another passenger.
“I know.” Beth set their bags down and lifted Ellie into her arms, then pulled her phone from her pocket and hit dial on Trystan’s number. She only had a moment to ponder what she’d do if he didn’t answer. His voice made emotions creep up from her chest, bringing tears to her eyes and making her throat so tight she could barely speak.
“Can you pick us up?” she asked, after giving him a garbled rundown of the situation. “I don’t think any taxi is going to take us … you won’t have a car seat for Ellie but it’s not too far, is it?”
“No … it’s not far, but the car seat isn’t as much of an issue as the fact that I don’t have my car … it’s being serviced.”
“Oh my god.” Beth’s arm ached from holding Ellie. “I’ll have to put you down for a minute, sweetie. You’re too heavy.” She’d just bent to set her down when Ellie puked all down Beth’s front. It dripped into her cleavage via her V-neck top. “Trystan?” she whispered into the phone.
“Yeah, I heard. Send me your location and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
She didn’t ask how he’d manage that without a car. She didn’t care how he got there as long as she had someone to help her figure out what to do. A guy buying a coffee from a nearby kiosk gave her a wad of napkins and a sympathetic smile. She was too dazed by the situation to thank him. Not that napkins were much help, given the amount of vomit dripping down her front. Feeling queasy herself, she attempted to clean up the worst of it, then lifted Ellie again, who was crying pitifully.