Chapter Seven: Learning More

Cara embraced James when a booming voice shouted, "James!"

James gulped as usually; that meant he was in deep trouble. This frightened the young girl as she hugged James tighter. She felt safe around him as he gave a positive and warm aura. She can trust him. When James looked, he saw a slightly overweight man with a suit and a top hat that covered his bald head, "I heard that you were making a scene, and I got told from Gordon. Care to explain?", he asked with a big frown.

Cara overheard what The Fat Controller asked as she knew that James stood up to her and did nothing wrong. Before James could answer, Cara mustered up the courage, despite her trembling, and replied, "H-he stood up for me, Sir."

The Fat Controller was surprised to see a girl on James' running plate and noticed the girl had dried tears on her cheek. Although he appreciated the girl's answer, he did want to hear from James himself to confirm the story, "Is this true, James?"

James blinked as a nod, "Yes, Sir. Five boys were kicking and picking on her, and I couldn't bear seeing it. So I told off the boys and chased them off. I'm sorry if I made a scene, Sir.", James blushed in a pink shade of shame as he lost his temper back there.

To his surprise, The Fat Controller gave him a gentle smile, "That was very brave of you to stand up to this little girl from her bullies, but you should control your temper and talk to them without making a scene.", he explained.

James understood, "Of course, Sir, and thank you, Sir."

The Fat Controller hummed as he turned his attention to the young girl he saw earlier, "And what would your name be, young girl?", he asked.

"I-I'm Cara.", she stuttered as she kept hugging James.

"Well, Cara. I'm just glad that you're alright. Make sure you tell your mother about this.", The Fat Controller explained as Cara didn't deserve to be bullied.

Cara felt nervous about telling her mother as she knew that it would make the situation worse, yet she kept pushing it off and making a brave face made her only feel miserable and weak. There, she nodded, "I will, Sir."

The Fat Controller beamed a smile as he walked back to his office. Not long after, Cara's mother arrived late. She called her daughter's name, "Cara! Sweetheart!"

"Mum!", Cara cried back as she got help from James' Driver to get off so she could go to her mother.

When Cara's mother got there, she noticed her daughter looked hurt and shaken as she rushed to her and gave her a hug, "Oh, sweetie. Sorry I arrived late. It was getting busier today at the Floral Shop. What happened?"

Cara's mother placed her hands gently on her daughter's cheeks as she rubbed her dry and her remaining tears as Cara responded, "James stood up for me."

"James?", Cara's mother asked as she was puzzled and surprised.

Cara nodded, "He chased the bullies off.", she explained.

That got Cara's mother even more surprised, yet hearing that her daughter was bullied again broke her heart. She did suspect her daughter to be mistreated by the students again, but she wanted not to make her daughter feel uncomfortable talking about it. However, with all the information she was getting, she turned her attention to the red engine, who was smiling gently at the heartwarming scene, "Thank you so much, James."

James replied warmly, "You're welcome, Ma'am."

Cara's Mother chuckled a bit, "Please. Call me Rayne.", she hummed.

With that, Cara hugged her mother again before she asked, "Mum?"

"Yes, Cara?", Rayne questioned.

"James is my friend.", Cara responded with a beaming smile.

"And you're my friend, too!", James exclaimed.

This made Rayne smile warmly at her daughter and James as she thought it was so heartwarming and lovely. Just hearing about her daughter having a friend made her overwhelmed with joy. She could tell that James was a genuine engine, and she was surprised that Cara befriended an engine when they were usually busy. The question was, how can Cara and James spend as much time as possible?

A week flew by, and James decided to beg The Fat Controller to visit Cara as he enjoyed her company. The man thought until he agreed as long as Cara was okay with it. When Cara found out about it, she was overjoyed as she asked her mother. Rayne happily agreed, and thus, James and Cara get to have more quality time as friends.

Every weekend in the afternoon, James can collect Cara from her house, and since Cara's mother trusted James, his driver, and fireman, she allowed her daughter to go on her own as she knew she was more than capable. James and Cara enjoyed each other's company, and James got to learn more about Cara and what it was like to be blind yet happy.

It was a fine Saturday afternoon on the Island of Sodor. James was so eager and pleased with himself as his paintwork gleamed in the sunshine as he saw lots of flowers and animals prancing around. As he puffed down the track as Wellsworth, he spotted a beautiful cottage with lots of flowers growing and an apple tree with red ripe fruits. He thought the cottage was cute yet simple.

When he arrived, he parked right in front of the house as he tooted his whistle proudly, "Here's James!"

Without a minute went by, Cara rushed out of the door as she wore a light yellowish-white dress with a white flower in the centre, a brown pair of shoes with a light yellowish-white bow attached to each shoe, a headband for her low ponytail, and a pair of white flower earrings. She had a warm beaming smile as she carried her acoustic guitar case and a book.

Once she got to James, she greeted him cheerfully, "Hello, James!"

James grinned, "Hey, Cara!"

"It's good to see you again, James.", Rayne spoke as she exited from her cottage with a load of clothes, "Cara just couldn't wait to meet you."

James chuckled, "Of course she did. Who would be upset to see me?", he joked.

Cara laughed as James' Driver led Cara into James' cab, "Please, have her here by 5 o'clock."

"Don't worry. We will.", James' Fireman replied.

Rayne smiled as she waved at her daughter, "Bye, sweetheart!"

"Bye, Mum!", Cara waved back as James peeped his whistle.

"Off we go!", James smiled as he puffed his way across the fields and bridges to a place where both James and Cara hung out.

The trees were lavished with bees pollinating for honey as squirrels teased each other on the tree branches. The forest was rich and alive as it was full of wonders and beauty. This forest was named "Henry's Forest" as Henry did save the forest and called this place his sanctuary. Many engines loved going there for peace, and for James and Cara, this was the perfect place for them.

As James and Cara laughed and talked about their days, Cara then gasped, "Oh, that reminds me! I found a book that I like!"

James was puzzled, "A book?"

Cara giggled, "Of course. Have you heard of books, James?", she asked curiously.

James replied, "I have, but… since you're blind… how can you read?"

As James raised his eyebrow and frowned in confusion, Cara only laughed, "Blind people can read, but they just read it differently."

"How?", James asked.

There, Cara presented a brown book with a single rose on the front and a bunch of dots, "By a braille."

"A b-braid? A bride? A… what?", James tried to say the word, but he messed it up.

"A braille, James.", Cara corrected him, "It's a way for how blind people to read."

"Oh, then what are the dots for?", James spotted dots that looked like a mess.

Cara smiled, "Those are the words."

"Words?", James raised his eyebrow again as he was more puzzled, "But how can you read dots?"

"I feel it, and then I recognise what it's spelling.", Cara explained as she began to trace her finger at the first set of dots, "Two rows of dots going down spells the letter "B"."

"B?", James gasped in surprise, "Then what's next?"

"E.", Cara replied, "A diagonal line from left to right is the letter "E"."

James was more confused, yet he was intrigued simultaneously, "So that's how blind people read? By dots? That's weird but… interesting."

After spelling all the words, Cara tested James' knowledge, "So, all the letters I spelled, what does it say?"

James thought hard, "B E A U T Y A N D T H E B E A S T."

When he tried to spell it out, he gasped as he grinned, "Beauty and The Beast!"

Cara clapped her hands excitedly, "Yes! And it's my favourite story! Want me to read it?"

James was somewhat familiar with the story, but since he wanted to see more about how Cara reads, he replied, "Yes, please."

With that, Cara opened the book to reveal pages with dots everywhere that got James' eyes widened in surprise. However, for Cara, this was no issue as she began to read the story, "Once upon a time, there lived a widowed merchant with his only daughter named Belle, who he liked to call "Beauty" as she was not only beautiful on the outside, but beautiful within…"

As she read slowly, yet she was fast at reading, James listened carefully as he watched how Cara traced her fingers at each of the dots, and he tried to remember what the dots meant for each letter. It wasn't easy for him, yet he wanted to learn, "This is interesting. I have never seen this before."

With James reading along with Cara, James' Driver and Fireman noticed James' curiosity as they smiled, "Seems like he wants to read. Usually he's not into books.", James' Driver named Ryder commented.

"I know, and I'll admit, Cara is slowly changing him as James wants to learn more.", James' Fireman named Carter replied.

"And Belle and The Prince lived happily ever after. The End.", Cara finished the last sentence of the entire story.

James was impressed, "Wow! I must say! You read as any person can!"

Cara blushed in a pleasing shade of red, "Well, to be honest. Whenever I start reading a book, it can take me up to hours to complete the entire story as I have to feel the dots when I read. Once I know the story, that's when I can read faster.", she explained.

James enjoyed the story, and he admitted to himself that he enjoyed learning from Cara, "This is fun to read. I guess she and Edward are right. Blind people are just as capable. I wonder what's next?"

Not long after, Cara unzipped the guitar suitcase and retrieved a beautiful wooden crave acoustic guitar as she smiled, "Care to hear a song?"

This made James even more curious, "Wait. You did say you can play the guitar, but how can you read notes? By a braille?", he asked hopefully.

Cara laughed again, "No, James! I do it by my ears! I listened to the tune carefully, and then I could play! I have done it since I was four!"

James' eyes glistened in awe as he thought this was amazing, "Do play me a song!", James exclaimed.

Cara grinned as she adjusted the tune of the strings as she kept strumming until it was in the correct tune. Just hearing the strum of the guitar was satisfying for James as he closed his eyes. There, Cara cleared her throat as she began to play the melody.

"Somewhere over the rainbow.

Way up high.

And the dreams that you dream of.

Once in a lullaby."

James was impressed with Cara's singing talent as he hummed to the guitar's tune quietly. Both Ryder and Carter enjoyed Cara playing the guitar as Cara sang beautifully. As Cara played and sang the song, she thought, "James is such a great friend. I'm glad he's my friend."

5 o'clock rolled by as James parked next to the cottage and tooted his whistle, "Mum, I'm home!", Cara called out happily.

Rayne exited from the front door as she crouched down for a hug, "Oh, Cara! I'm so glad to see you!"

Cara rushed to her mother and gave her a big hug, "So, how did it go?"

"Pretty good, Mum, and I taught James how to read a braille!", Cara smiled.

James blinked as a nod, "She did, and I must say, we had a good time!", James exclaimed.

"I'm so glad it hear that.", Cara's mother explained as she looked at her daughter, "Dinner is ready shortly."

Cara was excited, but before James could go, she went to James and gave him a hug on the cheek, "See you tomorrow, James!", she beamed as she hopped off with the support of Ryder as she ran back to her mother.

"Can't wait! See you around, Cara! Have a goodnight!", James replied.

"You too! Bye!", Cara waved as she and her mother entered and closed the front door.

James smiled as he went his way to Tidmouth Sheds, "I'm glad Cara is my friend. I wonder what's more to learn.", he asked himself as he made his way home and couldn't wait to tell the others.