Free The Village Show (Tales from Turnham Malpas) by Rebecca Shaw Page A

been awake since six. Having no one at home to care for them while he said his early-morning prayers in the church, Peter had had to abandon his half-hour prayers and his three-mile morning run with Jimbo until Caroline got back, so he’d been containing them and entertaining them that morning for what seemed like half a year. The need for re-establishing his life pattern was growing; his routine of having Caroline around him, of breathing her scent, of holding her, of knowing she was there picking up the pieces. God, he’d be glad to have her back. He’d taken to touching her coat in the hall cupboard whenever he had to open it and sometimes when he didn’t need to. He just deliberately held the door open and absorbed the feeling of Caroline by holding her coat. It was the longest time they’d been apart since their wedding day.
    At the very least her return would sort out the problems with Louise and Sylvia. What a fortnight it had been! Placating one, confiding in the other. He couldn’t manage without either of them, with Caroline away. But he had tofinish with Louise, even if she did make his life easier and free him for the parish. Caroline would see to everything, that was for sure.
    In his rearview mirror he spotted Alex trying to undo the fastening on his safety seat. ‘Alex, no! Leave that, please. We shan’t be long, the station’s only five minutes away.’
    Peter found a place in the station car park, and with a twin firmly gripped in either hand, he marched to the station entrance. Beth took fright at the size of the station concourse and had to be picked up. She clung to him, her soft cheek against his own, her eyes closed, her breath fluttering rapidly on his neck. He checked the arrival screen and mercifully he’d got there on time. ‘Platform seven it says, children. We’ve got to go over the bridge. Come along, Alex. Hurry. Big steps. Up! One, two, three.’ Beth struggled to get down. ‘Me, me.’ She climbed the steps too, her sturdy little legs trying to keep pace with Peter’s.
    As they reached the platform on the other side, Caroline’s train drew in. Passengers came pouring off. For a moment Peter couldn’t see Caroline and then he did. His heart bounded with joy. ‘Look! There she is, children! There she is! There’s Mummy!’
    As she walked towards them, Peter rejoiced in her strong determined walk, her dark hair blowing in the wind which swirled so cruelly along the platform, her sparkling eyes, the sheer joy the sight of her gave him. Caroline put down her cases. The children clung to her legs with cries of delight, Peter kissed her, she kissed him, she kissed the children and then Peter again, then hugged the children close. ‘Darlings! I’m so glad to be home. I’m sure you’ve grown. Alex, you’ve had your hair cut!’
    ‘Yes, he has. It kept falling into his eyes and annoying him and I knew you wouldn’t like that. And, yes, I think they have grown. Are we glad to see you. You take the children, I’ll carry your cases. How’s things at the hospital?’
    ‘Well, both Mother and Dad are improving every day. Mother’s got this mad idea she’s going to discharge herself. Which of course is ridiculous as she has both legs in plaster and a fractured skull and three broken ribs and terrible bruising. She’s making their lives hell in there. Dad keeps trying to calm her down and constantly reminds her that she’s the patient and not the doctor at the moment, but it’s no good, she won’t behave herself. In some ways I’m quite glad I’ve come away, she’s so embarrassing!’
    ‘Sounds as though she’s on the mend.’
    ‘She is. Oh yes, she is. I may go back up there when they both come out, just for a few days. But that won’t be for some time yet. Hurry up, I’m longing to get back home and catch up on all the news.’
    When Peter unlocked the front door of the rectory, he called out; ‘Sylvia, we’re back!’ Alex and Beth ran straight to the kitchen,