“Not Like Everyone Else”
“Laura, are you still home?” Lucy poked her head into the bathroom, where her older sister was fixing her hair before work.
“Of course Im home! You telecom lot start at sevennothing like decent folk. We office workers keep proper hours, eight to five.”
“Oh, please, ‘office workers’!” Lucy snorted. “Youre just as much a factory girl as I am! Sitting there in your lab coats, thinking youre so clever.”
“Who stopped you from training as an engineer?” Laura shot back. “But no, you had to follow that crush of yours, Mike, straight to the tech college!”
“Oh, give it a rest!” Lucy waved her off. “Mikes ancient historygone and married some girl from his course.”
Lucy hated being reminded of that mess. Back in Year Five, shed fallen head over heels for Mike, the handsomest boy in school. He couldve been in films, but he chose telecom studiesso Lucy, sighing, followed. Not that he cared. Graduation came, and he married a classmate.
Lucy rinsed off under the shower, pulled on her cosy pyjamas, and yawned her way to the kitchen.
“Anything to nibble so I dont wake up starving?”
“Theres half an omelette under the lidI made extra,” Laura offered.
“Ugh, omelette again! How can you eat eggs every day? Ill have something lighter.”
Lucy grabbed instant oats, poured boiling water, and stirred lazily.
“Youll fall asleep mid-bite!” Laura smirked.
Lucy forced down two tasteless spoonfuls and pushed the bowl away.
“Right, Im off to bed.”
Soon, loud, even snores drifted from her room. Laura checked the clock. “Whyd I get up so early? Half an hour left to scroll.” She sank into the armchair by the radiator.
Thena knock. Laura answered, accepting a New Years telegram from distant relatives who refused modern messaging. “Health, happiness…” She signed, returned to her chair.
Suddenly, Lucy shuffled to the loo, then stopped in the hall. “Blimey!” Laura listenedzippers, shoes, the slam of the door.
“Lucy? Wherere you off to?” Laura leapt up, but her sister was gone, phone left on the side table.
“Blundering idiot! Forgot something at work?”
Back to the warm kitchen.
***
Lucy slipped on the icy pavement, squinting at shadowy figures ahead. Still dark, but she hoped to spot Lauras coat. When the telegram arrived, shed been asleep, but the door woke her. SilenceLaura mustve left.
After tossing, she went to the loo, spotting Lauras factory pass in the hall. “Blimey!” She threw on a coat over pyjamas, boots, grabbed the pass, and ran.
But Laura wasnt among the workers. The factory was ten minutes away. At the gates, no sign of her. The security guard shook his head.
“Not seen her. Only half-sevenshes usually here at five to.”
“Half-seven?” Lucy gaped. “Oh, Im such an idiot!”
The guard eyed her like shed smuggled in a missile.
“Leaving!” Lucy bolted. Laura wouldve torn the place apart for that pass!
Nearly home, she hit a patch of icethud!
“Mum!” she groaned as a stranger helped her up.
“Can you stand?” he asked gently.
“Dunnothink not!”
He was young, in a warm coat, a white lab coat peeking underneath. Tired but kind eyes.
“Whats the rush on ice?”
“Long story. Ive got to get backmy sisterll kill me!” She tried standing, yelped.
He sighed. “Hold tight.” Scooping her up, he carried her inside.
“Floor?”
“Third,” Lucy mumbled, flushing. Never this close to a manlet alone a handsome one. He smelled faintly of cologne and antiseptic.
At the door, Laura gawped. “Lucy! What happened?”
“Evening. Might be a sprain,” the stranger said, carrying Lucy to the sofa.
“Laura, Ill explain later!” Lucy handed over the pass.
“There it is!” Laura stuffed it in her bag, dashed out, then returned.
“Lu, this your friend? Safe to leave you?”
“Safe,” he said. “Im a doctor. Mind the ice.”
Laura nodded, vanished downstairs.
“Right, Lucy,” the doctor said briskly. “Lets see that ankle.”
He eased off her boot, whistledher joint jutted sideways.
“That bad?” Lucy winced.
“Yep. Hospital trip.”
“Must we? Im shattered from night shifttheyll drag me through X-rays!”
“Night shift? Colleagues, then?”
“Hardly! Im on the factory switchboard. Round-the-clock operationphones never sleep.”
“Ah. Still, need an ambulance. Joints got to be set, and Ive no anaesthetics.” He dialled.
“Jim, got a sprained ankle here. Slipped on ice.” He smiled, handed Lucy the phone. She gave their address, then panicked. What if this was a scam?
“Relax,” he said, seeing her face. “Jims my shift matetop-notch with bones. Im Max, by the way.”
Lucy shook his large, warm hand, wishing hed never let goor better, sweep her up again.
***
That New Year, they all celebratedLucy, Laura, Max, and Jim. They toasted the ice, Lauras pass, and the magic of a night that sparked two love stories.
