Eddie came home from his day with Michael with a big smile on his face. "Guess what," he said.

"What?" asked Rachel, curious what had made Eddie so happy.

"How do you feel," he asked, "about a little holiday?"

"A holiday?" asked Rachel, nervously.

"Yeah, you know, a thing that normal people do for fun."

"Where? When?" she asked, worried now.

"Tomorrow," he said, waving a set of keys, "Alison booked a holiday cottage for half term, and now she's got to work, so it's ours for 3 nights!"

"Oh Eddie," she said, not wanting to spoil his excitement, "I really can't cope with travel now, not just before going back to work."

"I know," he said, still smiling, "it's only an hour's drive away, in the Peaks. I'll drive. It's in the middle of nowhere Rachel, countryside, peace and quiet, just you and me. Oh well and the sheep. Michael says there is a field of sheep. You, me and the sheep. There's a little pub in the village that does nice meals, or we can stop off at the supermarket and get everything we need to eat at the cottage."

As he spoke, he saw the anxiety fade from Rachel's face as she broke into a smile. She had barely left the house since returning from the hospital. She was so keen to get home, but now she was almost afraid to leave. It was only her desperation to get back to work that she knew would get her to the school, but a holiday? Nevertheless, she had to admit, it sounded perfect. "OK," she said, "let's go!"