The moon had just begun it's ascension as Henry pulled up behind the steamworks. Locking his doors behind him, he popped the collar of his overcoat and lengthened his stride as he briskly walked to the workman's entrance.
"Evening Victor" Henry gave a brief wave as he hung his coat and cap on the rack by the office.
Victor looked up from his paperwork over his glasses. Through the blinds he watched as Henry made his way to the back of the building, snagging a toolkit from the workbench.
"Henry my friend," He called as he stood up from his work. "Welcome back. Long day?" He leaned against the entryway as he rubbed his eyes between his fingers.
"Long enough. How about you? You look … you've looked better." Henry finished lamely.
Victor chuckled, "I've felt better. Three engine overhauls and two new ones to be inspected and fitted. Sometimes I wish there were three of me just to get everything done."
Henry gave a woeful smile, "I get it. But at least your crew's reliable right? Even that new guy, what's his name? Conner? Kenan..? Don't tell me I know…. KEVIN! HA!" Henry snapped his fingers as Victor hung his head and shook, grinning.
"Yeah Boss!?" A weedy Kevin came stumbling out from the bathroom, tripping over a mop and falling into a stack of used parts.
"Sorry boss! I'm okay!" He called. Victor gave Henry a weary huff.
"Kevin did you finish the checklist for end of day?"
"Just wrapping up boss. Last thing is to put away the mop bucket."
"Here Kevin I've got that. Not a worry." Henry had gone over and helped the poor guy up.
"Come along Kevin. Walk me out." Victor said as he pulled his coat around his shoulders, donning a fedora as he made his way to the door.
As he and Kevin exited the building, Victor hung back and beckoned Henry over.
"Keys are where they always are, and you know the drill. Gone before sunrise, everything back as it was." He clapped Henry warmly on the shoulder. "You're doing great my friend."
"Thanks Victor. Have a good night." Victor winked and pulled the door shut with a heavy 'thunk'.
"Okay then. Let's get started."
Henry turned on the floodlights and made his way to the back of the workshop. Setting his tools down he took a deep breath and grabbed hold of the tarp before him. One massive heave later, the covering fell to the ground and Number 3 stood battered, but not beaten before him.
"Missed me?" Henry smiled as he pat one of the drive wheels. "Let's get started."
Number 6 pulled into Lower Suddery Station. Pistons wheeshing steam, the engine came to a steady stop, and Percy rested his head against the cool metal at the back of the cab.
"Last stop he sighed." He pulled out his green handkerchief and unwrapped his snack. Taking a healthy bite, he slung his handkerchief around his neck and looked out the cab's front window.
"So dry." He sputtered as he continued to chew.
He was about to turn away to check in with the station manager, when he saw it. Appearing in the distance he saw the two lights breaking the horizon line.
"Oh. OH! COME QUICK! HEY!" Percy was jumping about erratically. He exited the cab and ran to the edge of the platform. Dancing on his feet he looked back over his shoulder anxiously, the lights coming closer.
"Anyone!? WHERE IS EVERYONE!" He needed witnesses. Everyone had all but blew him off earlier when he described what he'd seen the night before. He changed tactics.
"YOU THERE! STOP! HEY!" Percy was now waving and yelling toward the oncoming lights. They were nearly to him.
He turned and bellowed as loud as he could.
"WOULD ANYBODY LIKE ICE CREAM?"
He turned back and the lights whizzed past on the opposite line behind his train.
"What the—? Bother me, bother that." Percy grumbled as he stomped back to his cab with no new information.
It was then the manager's office door opened.
"Did I hear something about ice cream?"
Henry had a wrench in his mouth and his hands deep in the belly of Number 3's wheelbase when he heard a distinct rapping on the workman's entrance. Tap tap ti-tip tap. Tap. tap.
Dropping his wrench, Henry stood and cracked his neck, retying his boilersuit sleeves around his waist.
"About time. It's almost midnight." He hurried over to the door and unlocked the bolt.
"Surprrss!" Rebecca fervently walked in with a coffee in each hand and a doggybag hanging between her teeth.
"I was just thinking.." Henry began, "That if she was going to be this late then she better bring the goods."
He took the coffees from her and started back over to his work.
"You didn't get any for you?"
Rebecca took the bag from her mouth and scoffed.
"If you take my latte then you won't get any of these." She dangled the mystery treat teasingly as she followed him back.
"Depends on what they are." Henry said picking up the wrench he'd dropped twirling it casually. Then dropping it again.
"Well here's the real question,-" Rebecca began as she sauntered over to the workbench and leapt up to sit on it.
"Savory, or sweet?"
"I'll say sweet."
"Awh that's so nice, thank you!" Rebecca overacted her embarrassment as she laughed from Henry flustering.
"Get over yourself. Have a bearclaw." She laughed and tossed him a pastry from the bag.
Henry took a heaping bite and groaned into the flavor.
"Theeth ith amatheing" He garbled
"You're disgusting"
"You're despicable," He retorted.
Rebecca had gone to take a sip of her latte and snorted directly into it.
"I'm sorry, I'm disgusting?"
Henry laughed as he polished off his last bite and wiped his fingers on his green handkerchief peeking from his pocket. He walked back over to the spot between the driver where he'd been trying to adjust the alignment.
"How's the progress?" Rebecca asked as she regained her composure, mopping up her nose with her yellow handkerchief.
"Slow, but consistent. If that makes sense?" Henry chuckled to himself. "It's like it takes me so long to fix one thing, but once it's fixed, it's fixed for good."
Rebecca looked at him in admiration. He had been coming after hours to help speed up the restoration process for Number 3. Considering the mainline jobs had enough coverage amongst the other larger engines, the priorities for overhauling had gone to Numbers 10 and 2. According to Henry, Number 3 had always been a problematic engine. Troubles with steaming correctly, not generating enough heat from a small prototype firebox. The hurdles Henry had to jump through to convince The Controller to keep the engine had given him a sentimentality to it that Rebecca was beginning to understand.
The more she worked with the Bulleid, the easier it was to compensate it's quirks. The wheel slip, the jittery brakes. She was quickly getting the hang of it under Henry's guidance.
"Hey, remember what you said to me about 'Sometimes when you feel it you know?' I thought I knew what you meant, but I'm not sure I really get it."
Henry pulled his head out from the axle block, grime covering his person.
"It's like I said. When you feel it you know, you know? It's like how Gordon feels his place is pulling the express. Because he feels that way, he knows it's right."
Rebecca felt her jaw clench.
"Then I guess I'll never get it. I couldn't ever get things right with Gordon."
Her spirits dropped. If 'feeling' like Gordon was how she'd know she was right, she may as well turn in her resignation now.
"That's a tough one. Or I mean, Gordon's a tough one." Henry stood up and began wiping the grease from his hands on his green handkerchief.
"Don't tell him I said this, but I think it's all an act. Gordon has to be as good as he is to get over some of his own insecurities. You can't ever be good like Gordon."
Rebecca had her hands clasped around her cup. The warmth barely affected her as she felt herself go numb at the disappointment.
"Hey, listen to me."
Henry jumped onto the workbench and took a seat next to her.
"You can't ever be good like Gordon, but you can always be the best Rebecca."
She felt her eyes begin to brim and quickly tilted her head back and sniffed.
"That's really nice of you, but it also kind of stinks. There's no alliteration."
Henry laughed, and she laughed too.
"We'll work on it."
Didn't intend for this chapter to be so long. But I started writing and… well here we go.
I think now that certain parts of my story have been established, I can shy away from bouncing between narratives and focus more on individual scenes. This felt good to write.
As always thank you so much for reading! -REN