It was a late afternoon on Sodor, and Emily was working well by herself. She was enjoying her day quite well…but today was to be a special day for her. The Fat Controller had received word that a visitor from the Mainland would be coming to Sodor and spending some time with a particular engine.
As Emily finished her work and rested in a siding, she suddenly heard arguing voices.
"I be older, Donnie!" It was Donald and Douglas, arguing once again. This time, about how old the other was despite them being twins.
"I puffed out of those engine works first!" huffed Douglas. "It's me, laddie!"
"Nonsense! Everyone knows it's me!" Donald snapped back.
"Och! What rubbish!" argued Douglas.
"You're the one talking rubbish!" said Donald.
"Nae true!" Douglas snapped angrily. "YOU be talking rubbish!"
"I will have no more!" snapped Donald. With that, he sped away from Douglas and towards Emily. The signal nearby was red, and Donald had to stop. He let off so much steam, Emily was covered in a cloud of it.
"Donald!" gasped Emily as the steam cleared away.
"Oh! Sorry, Emily! Didnae see you there!" said Donald.
Then the signal went green and Donald set off again, followed closely by Douglas. While Emily was impatiently watching the twins argue, she didn't notice someone walking towards her. Especially with what Douglas did next. Douglas as so angry, he decided not to bother chasing his brother. He suddenly began hastily backing into Emily's siding, until he bumped right into her until she bumped back to the buffers.
"Stop it!" she wheeshed angrily.
"Oh dear! I'm so sorry, Emily!" panicked Douglas. "Come back here, Donnie!" And he rushed back out, still arguing, and sending another cloud of steam towards Emily. Luckily, she wasn't clouded again.
"Go away! Both of you!" she scolded. As the smoke cleared away, she saw a figure standing before her. "And you too!"
The smoke cleared away completely, revealing the figure. It was clearly a driver…except he seemed older than most drivers.
"Hello, Emily," said the man. "Don't you remember me?"
Emily took a close look. There was something familiar about this driver. Then it suddenly came to her. "Why! It-it's my old driver! Lawrence Rider!"
Lawrence nodded with a smile. "That's right, my dear," he said. "I'm visiting Sodor, particularly to see you."
"My, my…it's been so long," Emily breathed. "This such a lovely surprise…well, would you like a chance to drive me again?"
"I'd love that, Emily," said Lawrence. "And…I have something to show you later tonight."
"What's that?" asked Emily.
"I brought along some picture slides…from when you were first built…and some of your first few runs on the Great Northern Railway."
"Really?" beamed Emily.
"I do indeed," said Lawrence as he climbed aboard Emily.
"Welcome, sir," said her current driver, shaking Lawrence's hand.
"Thank you," said Lawrence, shaking the fireman's hand as well. With that, he took control and drove Emily out of the siding. He could feel all his memories flooding back to him as he drove Emily along the main line.
"Well, Lawrence," said Emily. "I can't wait for you to meet Thomas. He'll surely like this."
"Steady, girl," said Lawrence. "There's plenty of time."
After a long while on the main line and talking with her original driver, that evening, Emily returned to Knapford Station. There, she saw Seymour Murphy standing on the platform. He was facing away from them with a frown on his face, but when she stopped, he took the frown off and looked more presentable. Then Lawrence stepped out of Emily.
"Oh, good afternoon, Mr. Murphy," said Lawrence.
"Good afternoon, good sir," said Murphy. "Sir Topham told me you'd be visiting today. So you're Emily's original driver before she came here?"
"Yes, sir. I am," said Lawrence.
"I was not expecting this at all," said Emily. "He has plans to show me something tonight."
"Does he now?" inquired Murphy. "That should be a fine thing. If you'll excuse me, I must make other arrangements to help Sir Topham now." And he turned and walked away. At that moment, Thomas came back from his Branch Line with Annie and Clarabel.
"Hello, Emily," he whistled. "How are you?"
"Wonderful, Thomas!" said Emily. "Look who's visiting us!"
"Hello, Thomas," said Lawrence. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Who's this?" asked Thomas.
"Oh, Thomas, this is my first driver, when I was first built on the Great Northern Railway!" said Emily.
"Goodness!" said Thomas. "A pleasure to meet you too…Mr. uh…"
"I'm Lawrence Rider," said the driver. "You can call me Mr. Rider."
"Oh. A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Rider," said Thomas. "So…what are you two doing right now?"
"I have some photo slides to show Emily," said Lawrence. "When she was first built…"
"Wow…may I join you? Please?" asked Thomas. "I've never seen the first days of my emerald angel."
"What?" said Lawrence.
"Oh, that's Thomas' special name for me," blushed Emily. "We're in love, and have been for several years. He's my cobalt star."
"Oh…well that is lovely. I'm proud of you two," smiled Lawrence. "You're welcome to join us, Thomas."
"Thank you, Mr. Rider," smiled Thomas.
And so, that night, Thomas and Emily were side-by-side on Henry's side of Tidmouth Sheds, where Rosie found James after his crash, and Lawrence had acquired a slide projector to show the images on the wall.
"So…Emily," said Thomas. "This is a little wave of nostalgia, isn't it?"
"Yes, Thomas. It is," said Emily. Suddenly, Donald and Douglas came huffing nearby the sheds.
"Oh…uh…Emily, aren't those two Donald and Douglas?"
"Yes, Lawrence. Why?" asked Emily.
"Because…there may be something here for them to see as well."
Emily whistled to call the twins over. They came up just behind her and Thomas.
"What is it, Emily?" asked Donald.
"This is my first driver from the Great Northern Railway, Donald. Lawrence Rider," said Emily.
"Oh. Hello, sir," the twins said together. "Why did you call us over, Emily?"
"Lawrence is going to show me some pictures of when I was first built…but he just said there's something for you as well…"
"What might that be?" asked Douglas.
"I'm not sure yet," said Emily, suddenly sounding stern. "But you'd better not argue when he's around! I haven't seen him for years and I will not have you two arguing about who's older than who right now!"
"Hmm…" said Lawrence. "Perhaps these pictures may settle that matter. Shall we, Emily?"
"Oh, yes please, Lawrence!" Emily bubbled excitedly.
With that, Lawrence tuned up the projector, pointing it to the shed wall, while Thomas, Donald and Douglas watched with Emily. Lawrence put in the first slide. The image showed the inside of an engine works…and there was Emily's Stirling form being forged and pieced together. There was no face yet. Just the smokebox, wheel arch and cab. It was quite interesting to see. The next slide showed her tender being coupled to her engine for the first time ever. Emily giggled softly at that as she knew what would come next.
"Here is the first time seeing her face," said Lawrence. The next picture was of Emily's face on her smokebox, with her eyes closed. Thomas' heart flipped as he saw his love being built and being given life for the first time. After a few moments, the slide turned again.
"Here's a picture of her first opening her eyes," said Lawrence. There was Emily. Her eyes were open and she just began to smile.
"Aww…" Thomas said softly. "You look just like newborn baby, Emily…"
Emily's eyes shone with happy tears. "Oh my goodness! I really do!"
The next slide was of Emily slowly puffing out of the engine works for the first time, smiling happily and Lawrence was in the cab, waving to the photographer.
"Your first time running on your two beautiful wheels, Emily," said Lawrence.
"Thank you, Lawrence," sighed Emily. "This is so lovely to see…"
The slide changed again…and Donald and Douglas both gasped. So did Emily. This picture was of the twins being first built…at the same engine works. Both their engine frames were standing together without faces as they were still being finished up. Emily remembered their argument earlier that day and could now see they were built at the same time.
"So…we…we are…" began Donald.
The next picture appeared and showed both Donald and Douglas taking their first trip side-by-side.
"We're the same age!" exclaimed Douglas. "So that really does make us twins, down to being built at the same time!"
Emily looked back. "Well, you two. What do you have to say now?"
"We're sorry, Emily," said Donald. "And thank you, Mr. Rider. This does settle our little issue."
"You're welcome, boys," said Lawrence. At this point, Donald and Douglas had to leave for Arlesburgh. So they set off again, feeling much happier now.
"Well, that's all the slides, Emily," said Lawrence. "What did you think?"
"That was so beautiful. Thank you, Lawrence," smiled Emily.
"Yes, thank you," said Thomas. "I am amazed to see Emily's real beginning of life."
"You're welcome, Thomas and Emily," said Lawrence. "I think I'll be staying here for a while…"
Later that night, the other engines were asleep…but Lawrence stayed a while in the sheds, talking with Thomas and Emily. They told him short stories about some of her first adventures with Thomas, how she fell into a trap of despair and Thomas saved her from it…then when they kissed to the lips for the first time and how they held onto love ever since.
"So, Thomas…you've really become devoted to Emily ever since she first arrived here…I am very proud of you," said Lawrence.
"I'm so happy to have met her and fell in love with her, Mr. Rider," said Thomas.
"I can't imagine life without Thomas, Lawrence," said Emily. "He's everything to me…"
"Well, I support your love right to the end," said Lawrence. "Thank you for taking care of her, Thomas."
Thomas almost replied, when a sudden snore came from Gordon. Thomas, Emily and Lawrence couldn't help but chuckle.
"Sorry about that," whispered Lawrence. "He must be a bit of a bother…"
"Oh, not much," said Thomas. "I don't mind…especially when we sleep in Knapford Sheds with no one else around."
Emily remembered that night she and Thomas spent before he left for the mainland.
"Even when I did it, Thomas didn't think it was a bother," she said a little sheepishly. "I was very sleepy, but he wasn't…then when he heard me snoring, he woke me up and told me about it…then he wanted me to help him relax by letting him hear me snore."
Lawrence folded his hands and shook his head with a smile. "Oh, you two," he chuckled.
"And so, I obliged to him and it helped lull him to sleep," said Emily. "Didn't it, Tommy?"
Thomas looked at Emily and they blushed together before giggling softly. But suddenly, Emily felt another memory from that night tweak in her mind. She looked alert and looked right at Lawrence. She didn't think of this before when she met Lawrence earlier that day…but now she could tell him what else happened that night.
"Lawrence…that actually reminds me…Do you have any current family members?" asked Emily.
"Well, I have a loving wife and my own friends," said Lawrence. "But…why do you ask?
"Well…you see," said Emily. "That night, when Thomas and I slept together, when I snored to help him fall asleep…I had a dream…where I met…your son."
Lawrence suddenly looked intent. "My…my son?" he asked. Thomas looked up and listened in complete silence. Emily had not said anything about this dream to anyone yet.
"Is it true?" asked Emily. "Do you really have a son?"
Lawrence looked at Emily, then sighed. He had to speak the truth. "Yes, Emily. I am a father."
"You are?" Emily asked excitedly. "What's his name?"
"His name is David," he said.
"Why didn't you tell me about him?" asked Emily.
"He was very young when you were built, and because I worked so much with you, I didn't have much time with him. My wife raised him…until he was a young man and he left to serve in the Navy for six years."
Emily's heart jumped. Her dream had a shred of truth.
"When did you have this dream, Emily?" asked Mr. Rider.
"It was almost a month ago. Just a few days before Thomas left for a journey beyond Sodor," said Emily.
"Probably the most perilous journey I've had," said Thomas.
"Do you remember what this dream was like?" asked Lawrence.
"Oh, yes," said Emily. "I was trapped on a rail raft in the middle of the ocean under a starry, moonlit night…then suddenly, I saw this big ship cut through the water and a crane hauled me on board. The ship had sails as green as my paintwork…"
Lawrence raised an eyebrow. "Really? In your dream…was it called the Sea Emperor?"
"Y…yes," said Emily. "How did you know?"
"After his work in the Navy, that's the ship David was given for his exceptional conduct of service and bravery," said Lawrence.
"In my dream, I saw a file explaining some of your son's credentials," said Emily. "And your description matches perfectly! But then…I read that he kept to business on the sea…and almost never had time with the family."
Lawrence sighed sadly. "It's true," he said. "His work did keep him away from us almost all the time…But what else can you remember from this dream?"
"After I read the ship's information…I saw him come out," Emily continued. "We arrived at Brendam Docks…and he cut my rope loose with a sword, so I could leave. Did he truly receive a sword…as a trinket for his services?"
"A naval cutlass…" pondered Lawrence. "A silver guard and gold handle-lining." Emily's eyes widened a little. Her dream seemed to have more significance than she thought.
"That's what he cut me loose with," said Emily.
"Yes, he was given that sword as a royal symbol for his service along with the ship. No one alongside him performed as exceptionally as him."
"I tried to urge him to come with me and start a life on Sodor," said Emily. "But he felt as though he couldn't. He felt as though his bond to his life at sea would be too complicated to get out of, what with his employer's disagreeable behaviour…or so he told me in my dream."
"Well, he wanted to be useful even after the Navy," said Lawrence. "He offered to help with goods transporting by water around England and Scotland…and this fellow workers took to his offers a little too eagerly…and they relied on him so much, he seldom found time to be with me."
"Hmm…maybe that explains why he was hesitant to join me in my dream," said Emily. "But just before I left the ship and returned to Tidmouth Sheds…he gave me something beautiful…"
"What was that, Emily?" asked Lawrence.
"He was wearing a silver chain and two silver charms," said Emily. "One of an angel, and the other one was a sailboat."
Lawrence looked at Emily, then smiled. "My goodness…I think your dream is more real than you thought…because I managed to see him around a month ago."
"What?!" gasped Emily.
"Yes, Emily. I managed to see him again."
"Really?" said Emily. "Was it on the night I had my dream?"
"Probably," said Lawrence. "I can't say for sure. Anyway, he was at the harbour back home. He was just coming out of a small tavern after having a meal when I ran into him. I asked him how he was doing. He seemed fine, but he wanted to give something so I'd think of him every night…and he gave me that very charm. Here it is, right here."
And Lawrence pulled out the same charm from his pocket. Just like Emily dreamt, it had the angel and sailboat.
"But because you were my engine…I think you should have it, Emily." He climbed onto her running plate…and just like her dream with David, Emily saw that Lawrence put it around her funnel.
"So it's true!" gasped Emily. "David is real! Do you think I could meet him one day?"
"I wish he could, Emily, but I can't say that he will. He's just as busy as ever off at sea…but I'm sure he'll learn about you someday."
"I hope he does…" said Emily. "But for now, I'm so glad to see you again."
"What do you think of the charm, Emily?" asked Lawrence.
"Oh, Lawrence!" Emily whispered. "It's so beautiful…thank you!"
Lawrence knelt down onto Emily's running plate. "You're beautiful too. Now, I must go and take a vacancy to stay in. It's good to be back with you." With that, he gently held her face and kissed her cheek before he stepped down and walked out of the sheds.
Emily looked up at her funnel and saw the charm. Thomas looked at it too. He was also amazed after hearing everything Emily had dreamt.
"I never knew you dreamt about your driver's son…who you never knew, Emily!" he said.
"I can't believe it's actually true," said Emily. "There really is a David out there…if only he'd end his work at sea like I dreamt of…I think he'd love it here."
"He certainly would, Emily," said Thomas. "But all we can do for now is have faith and enjoy your company right now."
"Okay, Thomas," said Emily. "Have a good night."
"You too, Emily. Goodnight," said Thomas. Then he and Emily fell asleep with the other engines. Emily had quite a day, meeting her original driver, getting a wave of nostalgia through the pictures she was shown…and that there was another Rider out there for her to possibly meet. That very night, as Lawrence Rider settled in his vacancy, he felt like he wanted to ride on Gordon's express sometime soon during his visit. But neither him, nor Gordon and several others knew about what lay ahead for that express.
So, this is based on the magazine story "Emily's Slide Show", but you're probably wondering 'how this heartfelt story could possibly tie into the Sailor John story?' Next story, that's all I'm gonna say, next story will answer that question. As the title would suggest, it's gonna be based on the classic "Murder on the Orient Express" detective story by Agatha Christie. Since it's a detective story, you know what that means; Detectives Phelps and Gallagher will be back in action once again. And you know, in case it wasn't anymore blunt, there will be a murder crime. So until then, leave a review and we'll see you guys later.