Page 46 of New Beginnings on Railway Lane

Whilst Katy slept on the sofa, Ryan headed downstairs.

He felt touched about the story she had told him of how the family had been bankrupted and how she had had to take care of her mum.

He frowned to himself as he reached the still cluttered station. Katy had stepped up to the difficulties that she had been dealt and looked after her mum. He and Ethan had run away from their parents instead, leaving their dad living with a false marriage.

For a moment, Ryan felt ashamed. Katy really was the better person, the better child, given how she had faced her problems and taken care of the parent that needed her. Bob had needed his sons to be honest and they had kept the secrets of his wife’s affairs instead.

He looked down at the pile of steam engine parts that needed to be boxed up, but he wasn’t really seeing them. He was still thinking about Katy, something he found himself doing more and more over the past day or so.

Something had changed between them when she had become ill. At first, her hardened attitude had irritated him. Now he understood why she was such a hard worker and obsessed with getting on with the task in hand. She had needed to work hard to survive.

And she had taken on the job at the station because his dad had been so upset. Ryan felt guilty that she had to put up with the dreadful condition of his younger brother’s bedroom when all she had wanted to do was help the family.

‘Why didn’t you tell me that the roof tiles had slipped so badly that you can actually see the sky from inside the room?’ he snapped down the phone when Ethan rang a short while later, taking all his frustrations out on his absent brother.

‘I figured with Mum walking out that there were bigger issues for us to deal with than the fact that the condition of my bedroom had deteriorated since Christmas and now had its very own skylight,’ replied Ethan.

Ryan blew out an exasperated sigh.

‘So is Katy going to sue us?’ asked Ethan, joking. ‘And by us, I mean you, of course. I was nowhere near the scene of the crime.’

‘No, of course not,’ snapped Ryan, who had completely lost his sense of humour. ‘I’m just grateful she hasn’t walked out on us because heaven knows we need all the help we can get. Anyway, I’ve asked for a roofer to come out and get it fixed as soon as possible. So at least when you come home in two weeks’ time, you’ll be draught-free,’ said Ryan.

‘Yeah, about that,’ began Ethan.

Ryan found himself automatically shaking his head. ‘No way, little bro,’ he snapped. ‘Not only is Dad still in hospital with a broken foot, this will be his first birthday without mum being here. You are most definitely coming home even if I have to fly to Canada and drag you back here myself.’

Ethan sighed. ‘Okay, okay,’ he said quickly. ‘You sound stressed. You need to get a decent love life like me then you’ll be more laid-back.’

‘Ha ha,’ replied Ryan sarcastically.

‘Hey, I’m not kidding,’ said Ethan. ‘You’ve been grumpy for months, and how long have you been single for? It’s been ages since your last date, am I right?’

‘Listen,’ said Ryan, not wanting to have this particular conversation. ‘I didn’t call so you could lecture me about my lack of female relationships.’

‘Why not? After all, I’m an expert.’

Ryan rolled his eyes in response.

‘I heard that,’ said Ethan. ‘But you’re wrong. How can fifteen girlfriends already this year be wrong?’

‘On so many levels, that is most definitely wrong,’ Ryan told him, with a grimace.

But he knew that Ethan would never commit to anyone or anywhere whilst he continued to run away from his own guilt at hiding their mum’s many affairs.

‘So Dad’s coming home on Monday?’ asked Ethan.

‘Yeah,’ said Ryan. ‘Well, that’s what the hospital are saying. And home to Grandad’s cottage anyway.’

‘So what can I do to help?’ asked Ethan.

Ryan was a bit taken aback. His brother had a good heart, but normally he was so wrapped up in himself that he didn’t offer to help out at all.

‘I don’t know,’ said Ryan, staring around the waiting room. ‘Persuade Dad to sell the steam train and then maybe the mortgage can be paid off.’

‘I can’t do that,’ Ethan told him. ‘For a start, it would break his heart and he’s not got over the last heartbreak yet.’

‘Yeah, I know. But how else can we pay off the loan?’ Ryan reminded him.