A Day To Remember by Adam Rutter

Alex and Christina stayed in the same coach. Christina sat down next to him. They both slept in the same sleeping car – in separate berths. Alex woke up at eight in the morning. The clouds and fir forest blocked out most of the daylight, confusing Alex into thinking that it was still night time. There was a knock on the door. No answer. The door slid open, rattling. Alex gasped – his eyes barely opened.

‘Wakey wakey,’ said Christina.

‘Where's the fire,’ asked Alex.

‘What?’

‘What you’re doing waking me up in the middle of the night?’

‘I think you’ll find it’s not night time.’

‘Isn’t it?’

‘I’ve got dressed.’

‘Why?’

‘Cos it’s morning.’

‘No it ain't.’

‘Since you don’t believe me, hold the drape up, and you’ll see daylight coming in.’

Alex held up the bottom of the drape. He saw the trees sliding past. He let go of the drape, and looked at Christina, worried. She was barely visible in the dark.

‘What time is it,’ he asked.

‘It’s past your wake up call, let’s put it that way.’

‘Does that mean..?’

‘What?’

He checked the time on his smartwatch.

‘Gee! It’s eight o’clock,’ he cried.

‘Get up you lazy soldier.’

Alex threw back the blankets. He was wearing a pair of boxer shorts. Christina quickly turned.

‘Erm, did you have a good sleep last night,’ she asked.

‘I slept like a baby.’

‘Good. Er, whereabouts in Newfoundland do you live, did you say?’

‘Esker.’

‘Nice. So how long have you been traveling?’

‘A week.’

Christina gasped.

‘That’s a heck of a journey,’ she said.

Alex slipped into his jeans.

‘I’d called you up cos breakfast will be ready soon,’ said Christina.

Alex struggled to pull the zip up.

‘Christina,’ said Alex.

‘Yeah.’

‘The zip on my jeans. I think it’s broken.’

‘What!’

‘I’ve broke the zip. I don’t suppose you could do me a favour, would you?’

‘It really depends what it is.’

‘I don’t suppose you could pop into the wardrobe and pass me another pair of trousers, would you?’

‘Sure. I can do that.’

‘Christina stepped inside Alex's compartment; her back to him, still looking the other way. She put her hand on a door handle.

‘That’s for the washroom,’ said Alex.

‘Ah,’ uttered Christina, feeling her way round the room. Her hand placed on another handle.

‘That’s the right one,’ said Alex.

She held the handle and opened the wardrobe. She removed a pair of black trousers from the hanger to hand over to him. Stepping back out into the corridor, she looked out through the window, watching the snow drifts. The snow on the ground had rose another two meters, virtually swallowing the bottom of the trees. The train intersect with a railroad crossing. The snow was so deep, the highway was not visible. The only clue was a railway sign to warn motorists of the train approaching. The snowflakes had reduced in size, from as big as a fingernail, to as small as a grain of rice. Mousse in their herds funnelled through the gap between the railway embankment and the forest; their legs sank into the snow, leaving a trail of holes reaching up to the railroad where they crossed. The snow flurries were driving in the wind, trees arched; their branches bent back by gales. Most of the trees were very tall; some as high as an obelisk.

‘Do you know what today’s date is,’ asked Christina.

‘Of course I do. It's February the 14^th.’

‘And what would you be doing on February the 14^th?’

‘Like what?’

‘Like what couples normally do on that day.’

‘I would go roller blading.’

‘What?’

‘Sure. That’s what I normally do in my free time.’

‘On February the 14^th?’

‘Yeah.’

‘You mean, you’re asking me to go roller blading with you, today of all days? I don’t believe you.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because we’re suppose to be celebrating.’

‘Celebrating what?’

‘St Valentine’s Day.’

‘Of course. Today is St Valentine’s Day.’

‘You clever boy. Put the flags up.’

‘How should we celebrate?’

‘What do you think?’

‘How about celebrating in the dining car?’

‘Are you crazy? We can’t afford to dine in there on our budget.’

‘Yes we can. I’ll pay for the meals.’

‘That’s insane.’

‘It’s not.’

‘Alex, do you have any idea how much the bill is gonna be?’

‘Why don’t you pick up a menu and let me have a look?’

Christina flashed a look of annoyance at Alex. Alex was changed, dressed in a white long sleeve shirt. When he drew back the drapes, he was bestowed with panoramic views of Mount Columbia to the northeast, and the Coast Mountains, to the west. By this time the train was close to the edge of the forest, offering open scenery interrupted by Douglas fir woodlands. He turned, stepped out, and slid the door shut behind him.

‘All right. You win,’ continued Alex. ‘But I have a proposition for you.’

‘What’s that,’ asked Christina.

‘We’ll split the bill between us.’

‘It’s still gonna be an expensive meal.’

‘Oh c'mon. It’s for the special occasion. I mean, forking out on a lavish meal isn't going to hurt for once, is it?’

‘Whatever you say.’

‘Christina, this is our last day on board this train. At least let’s celebrate our union on this special day.’

‘Let’s do it.’

Christina gave Alex a quick kiss on the lips, beaming a warm smile.

‘But first – breakfast,’ she said.

Alex and Christina hurried to the dining car. The chefs had made a hearty breakfast for the passengers. As soon as they entered the dining car, most of the passengers were already eating their breakfast. The food had been eaten off a lot of plates. Breakfast started at seven. Alex was up an hour late. The dining car was half full. There were empty seats nearly at the other end of the car. They raced to claim them while weaving past people along the gangway. They finally reached the spot that they so desperately needed and landed on their seats. The waiter arrived at the table with their breakfast. Alex and Christina tucked in. She saw a track branch out, bending to parallel with the railroad, stretching a mile. As she watched the sleepers slipping by, the train went along a wide curve where the track followed the edge of a frozen lake. After another mile, the train had cleared the points. The train slowed down. It taxied along the line; then stopped. The muffled hum of the engine made a slight shudder inside the coach. The length of the train trailed off to the other side of the lake like a camel caravan in a desert. The waiter returned to serve them drinks. Christina drank a glass of Coke. From the corner of her eye, she caught a fleeting glimpse of a bald eagle swooping past. Its wingspan spread out vertically as the avian prey swung round above the track.

‘So what are you doing at uni,’ asked Christina.

‘I’m studying Cybersecurity. How about you?’

‘I’m training to be a barrister.’

Just as Alex took a sip of lemonade, he involuntarily spat it back into the glass. He could not believe what Christina told him.

‘No way,’ he said, horrified.

‘Yeah,’ she said.

‘I want to ask you a question.’

‘Go on then.’

‘What made you want to become a barrister?’

‘My parents decided it is the right career path. Now you.’

‘Wow! Wait a minute.’

‘What is it?’

‘Are you telling me that it’s your parents’ decision for you to become a barrister?’

‘Yeah.’

‘There’s alone?’

‘Are you saying I can’t make my own decisions?’

‘I’m not saying that.’

‘It’s what you’re implying Alex.’

‘No. You’re getting it all wrong.’

‘Alex, I don’t think you need to say anything because you’ve made yourself quite clear.’

A loud rumble crescendoed to a continuous drumbeat as a freight train was hurtling by. The giant trucks screeched and thundered like cannons firing. The weight of the cargo made banging noises, which went on continuously and rapidly until the freight had gone.

‘Look, what I said was out of order,’ said Alex.

‘It damn well was out of order.’

‘I know I stepped out of line, but I swear I’ll never do that to you again. Ever.’

‘Not only you must never step out of line with me again Alex, you gonna have to make sure that you don’t cross it neither. Understood?’

‘Yes.’

‘Have I made myself clear?’

‘Yes ma’am,’ said Alex, pretending to salute Christina.

‘Don’t be cheeky,’ said Christina, lightly hitting Alex's hand, smiling, one side of her lips raised. The engines revved up. As the train slowly pulled away, it picked up speed, moving at thirty miles an hour – the current speed limit. Alex and Christina continued eating their breakfast without saying another word to one and other. The tensions that immersed them both quickly cooled like the air after their short outburst had ended. They were still eating as though nothing happened. The waiter took their plates once they had finished.

‘There’s a forty per cent reduction with meal prices for Valentine’s Day,’ said the waiter.

‘Cool! What do you say to that Alex?’

‘Awesome.’

‘May we have the menu, please waiter?’

‘Coming right up.’

The waiter went to the kitchen at the other end of the coach.

‘Let this be a day to remember,’ said Christina, raising her glass.

Alex held his glass up.

‘To the two of us,’ said Alex.

‘Happy Valentine’s Day Alex.’

‘The same to you Christina.’

They toast their union. Their glasses chinked.