The Last Train Home

Chapter Forty-Three

After breakfast, Jonathan went outside to check on the animals and to complete his usual farm chores whilst Barbara started the indoor chores. I shuffled my way over to the sofa and sat down, tucking my legs underneath me. Goose ran up and jumped onto the chair beside me, placing her chin on my knee and demanding that I fuss her, which I did. I scratched her behind the ears and she closed her eyes. It wasn't long before she started to snore.

"You look like you're having fun," Barbara said, wiping a cloth along the top of the mantle.

"The time of my life." I grinned. "I don't like not having anything to do. It's boring."

"You're the one who decided to try and jump Jigsaw without the proper supervision and no, Alec doesn't count."

"Try telling him that."

Barbara laughed. "I would if he were to listen to me. Everything goes in one ear and out the other with that boy. Still, he managed to ride down to us pretty quickly yesterday so I'll give him that." She dropped the cloth onto the table and perched on the edge of the sofa. "He seemed pretty worried about you, though."

"Probably because he thought it was his fault. It escaped his notice that I'm the one who attempted to make the jump, not him."

"It just means he cares about you."

"In a friendly way."

"I didn't say anything to the contrary."

"You're the only one who doesn't."

"Maybe this week will give you a chance to really think about it all."

Barbara smiled and picked up the cloth, standing up from the sofa she disappeared into the kitchen to continue on with the inside chores. I sighed and pressed my back against the sofa, running my hands over my face and trying my hardest not to disturb Goose who snored softly beside me.

I knew Barbara had a point, but I didn't want to think about the story that Eva and Jonathan were convinced of. Alec had been the only person my age from the village that I had really met and he became someone I could spend time with when Eva and the others were indisposed. Despite what everyone else thought, I didn't want to think about Alec in any other way than a friend, but I knew Barbara had a point in me thinking about it. There had to be a reason why they all thought Alec might like me and I wanted to know what that reason was.

Eva was most likely doing it just to wind me up since that wasn't an unusual action for her and happened a fair bit back in London. Jonathan, however, remained a little bit of a mystery when it came to his comments. At first, I thought he had only said it because I told him about Eva and her comments, but it had to be more than that. I didn't know Jonathan as well as Eva and I had my doubts that he would say it unless he meant it. Maybe he did.

Goose stirred a little on my lap, but she didn't wake up. I rested my hand lightly on the top of her head and scratched my short nails through her fur. She snored and pressed her chin a little harder into my thigh. At least someone was content. I couldn't stop thinking about why Jonathan would go along with Eva's idea about Alec. He had no reason to tease me like she would, even though he had enjoyed teasing me before, but that had all been in jest. I doubted this was. Either they were both determined to wind me up, or I couldn't see what was right in front of my face.

"I've thought of something for you to do!" Jonathan said, swinging open the front door and waking Goose who jumped and looked around the room in alarm. It snapped me out of my reverie and I turned to look at him.

"Which is?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"We have a jigsaw puzzle hidden in the attic. It's one thousand pieces and we've never had the chance to finish it, although it's been started several times. Now might be the only chance we have."

"You want me to do a jigsaw?"

"Why not? You were good at the smaller ones we did at Christmas and it gives you something to do for the next week whilst those bruises clear up." Jonathan smiled like he had just had the best idea ever. "That, and it can be a fun family activity."

"Alright, I'll do it. We'll have to be careful with Goose, though. She'll try and eat the pieces."

"Goose will be fine." He kicked his boots off at the front door and shed the light jacket he had been wearing. "Barb! Put your cleaning supplies down and pick up your jigsaw hat! We're finally going to be completing that large one!"

"What are you going on about?" Barbara called from the other room.

"Just get in here!"

With that, Jonathan bounded up the stairs like a small child, Goose following him to see if she was likely to get anything from the excitement. Barbara plodded into the room with a cloth over her shoulder and looked at me, an eyebrow raised. I shook my head and bit back a laugh as we listened to the sound of Jonathan moving around upstairs in search of the jigsaw that would consume the next few days of my life.

Even though I didn't think completing a jigsaw would be all that exciting compared to working on the treehouse, it would give me something to do. I would rather that than spend the next week sitting around, bored out of my mind and with nothing to do. For as long as I could remember, I hated those days where there was nothing to be done. If it rained, I would try my hardest to search for something to do and sometimes it involved heading out in the rain. I liked to move, to be busy.

"I found it!" Jonathan said, returning from upstairs. Goose trailed behind him, her tail wagging.

"What is all this about, John?"

"Something for Sybil to do for the next week. We've always wanted to complete this jigsaw, now we can!" He held up the box, the small pieces inside rattled about. "Now, help me move the furniture so we have somewhere to put this thing together."

"You want to rearrange my living room?"

"It's for family activities! Besides, you don't want to see Sybil spend the next week being bored, do you? Come on, Syb. Back me up."

"I'm staying out of this one," I held my hands up and laughed.

"Alright, fine, but it goes back the moment this jigsaw is finished."

"Scouts honour."

"You weren't in the scouts."

Barbara shook her head and laughed, but she relented to moving the furniture nonetheless. I climbed off the sofa, shuffling out the way so they could grab it and drag it backwards. Once the sofa had been cleared, Jonathan moved the coffee table which gave us a massive square on the floor which would be perfect for our task. It took me a few seconds before I could sit down, my hip groaning at the movement; I knew I would have trouble standing up again.

In all his infinite wisdom, Jonathan decided that the best way to start the puzzle would be to tip the entire box of pieces on the floor. They spread about the wood, travelling outside of the designated square so he had to crawl away to grab them. Goose appeared rather interested in the pieces, but she gave up once she realised they weren't food. Beside me, Barbara clicked her tongue.

"Family activities sound a lot like making a mess."

I frowned at her and then widened my eyes when the realisation set in.

I hadn't noticed that Jonathan had called us a family.

~~~

A/N - Chapter Forty-Three is here! Still several chapters to go with this one which might be a good thing since I'm already struggling with the sequel and I haven't started yet xD

Question! Do you think Jonathan was right to call them a family?

Comment below!

First Published - January 5th, 2022