Free The Boy I Love by Lynda Bellingham Page B

to see a group of irate passengers accosting a guard. She went to
the door of the waiting room and opened it to listen to his excuses.
    ‘Ladies and gentlemen,
please
let’s have some calm. We are doing our best to make alternative arrangements for your onward journey. Would you kindly make your way to the
ticket office where my colleague will give you details of your onward transport.’
    This sounds ominous, thought Sally. She gathered up her things and joined the crowd as they crossed the platform over the bridge to the ticket office. After waiting in the queue, she finally
made it to the grille where a very harassed-looking lady was taking down information.
    ‘Destination?’ she enquired curtly.
    ‘Crewe, please,’ replied Sally.
    ‘Right, there will be a coach outside here in forty-five minutes to take you to Crewe. Sorry for any inconvenience.’
    ‘How long will the journey take, do you think? I am not from round here, and I have no idea where I am really.’ Sally tried to smile her way into the woman’s affections.
    ‘Oh dear, well, this is Rugby so if the traffic is OK on the motorway you should be there in an hour and a half. Here’s your ticket. Good luck, love.’ Her parting shot to Sally
came with an attempt at a smile.
    Great, thought Sally. I am not going to get to my digs much before eight o’clock tonight.
    In fact, she arrived on the doorstep of her new home at seven thirty, and almost burst into tears of relief when her knock was answered, and Janie was standing there.
    ‘Goodness – we thought you must have got lost!’ the other girl cried.
    ‘I am so sorry, but I couldn’t ring you, could I?’ replied Sally as she practically fell through the door with her bags. ‘I have been on a train or a coach since ten
o’clock this morning. Great British Rail, how do they manage it?’
    ‘You poor girl. Here, let me take your bags and you go and sit by the fire with Pete. I expect you’re starving. We have only got the basics in so far, but I can make you some cheese
on toast and a cup of tea or a hot chocolate.’
    ‘Oh, that sounds like heaven,’ sighed Sally. ‘Thank you so much. Hello, Pete, nice to meet you.’ She leaned down to take Peter’s hand but he politely jumped up.
    ‘Sally, welcome. It is lovely to meet you too. What a bummer, eh? Still, you are here now, and Janie will have you settled in before you know it. She is a real mother hen, and I
can’t believe I have been so lucky to find her. She rules my life!’ They sat down and let Janie fuss around them. Sally felt instantly at home, and the day’s woes faded fast as
she ate her cheese on toast and wrapped her hands around a steaming mug of hot chocolate.
    ‘Have you got any idea what happens tomorrow morning?’ she asked Peter. ‘I am actually ASM, small parts and understudy so I am expecting to be in early doing chores,
unfortunately.’ She grinned. ‘Not like you, Pete – a proper actor.’
    ‘Now, we are not having any distinctions between stage management and artistes in our company. We are all in it together, aren’t we, sweetheart?’ Peter grabbed Janie’s
hand as she stood beside him and pulled her onto his lap. She let out a squeal of delight.
    ‘Oh yes definitely, we are all in it together.’ She giggled and wrapped her boyfriend’s hands around her. ‘I have every intention of getting myself a small part in some
of the plays as well as making the costumes,’ she announced. Then: ‘Stop that, you wicked boy! Sorry, Sally, but he is very naughty.’ She turned on his lap and kissed him full on
the lips.
    Sally took this as her cue to go to bed. ‘Good night, guys. I will leave you to it. I need to get to the theatre tomorrow for nine, so I will creep out and see you there later. Thanks for
the lovely welcome.’ She made her way upstairs and left the lovebirds clasped in each other’s arms. They hardly seemed to notice Sally’s exit.
    Her little room looked so cosy as she opened