The queue shuffles forward a bit and Vanessa wrangles her suitcase and handbag to a new position, barely three steps further on. She sighs, muttering under her breath. "Bloody Paddy Kirk. Bloody CPD. Bloody RCVS."

Her boss Paddy had been going on about her not doing enough CPD this year and had booked her on a conference two flaming days before Christmas. In London of all places. Vanessa would rather not go to London at the best of times, but two days before Christmas in one of the coldest winters in years is possibly the worst time anyone could choose. She'd made him fork out for a flight so at least she wouldn't have to spend hours on a train. That is proving to have been the wrong course of action.

It's been snowing since just before noon. The ground has a fairly decent covering of a few inches. So, of course, the Great British transport network has ground to a complete halt and everyone's running around like headless chickens trying to get to where they need to be. She'd reached Stansted just as all the flights were cancelled. The few trains still running were packed to the brim with people and shopping bags. She'd gone for a look at where the buses leave from, but the queues were crazy and people with clipboards were yelling about people who'd pre-booked tickets getting priority. So she'd decided her best bet would be to rent a car and drive home. The roads are probably chaos, but at least she'd be in control.

So, here she is, stood in a queue a mile long at a car rental desk. As usual, the one she's chosen seems to be moving the slowest. Most of the other rental companies have put signs up saying they have no vehicles left and Vanessa's compulsively counting the number of people in front of her, worrying that they'll run out before she gets to the front. She shuffles and counts and shuffles and counts until there's only one couple in front of her. They finish up the paperwork and are handed a set of keys and she steps up to the desk and smiles widely at the harried rental agent.

"Thank God. I was worried that-"

In her peripheral vision, she sees someone approach, moving to stand right beside her. Vanessa turns to the intruder with a frown. It's a woman of about her own age, long blonde hair and clear green eyes. And she appears to be unbothered by the queue of people behind Vanessa, now agitated and mumbling about queue jumpers.

"'Scuse me, babe. I just need to talk to this nice gentleman here for a sec."

The man behind the desk looks at Vanessa and then back to the interrupter. "I'm actually dealing with this lady just now. And there's a queue of peo-"

"Yeah, I can see that." The woman leans forward, lowering her voice. "But I've got an family emergency, you see, and I really need to get a car and get home as soon as possible." She winks at him. "Yesterday if you can manage it, handsome."

"Uh, we're all trying to get home," Vanessa puts in, with a frown. She indicates the people in the queue. "Except the difference is, we've all stood here waiting our turn instead of just barging in, demanding things."

"It's Christmas. I've got kids to get home to." The woman rolls her eyes. "I'm sure people understand a mother wanting to be with her kiddies at Christmas."

"I've got a kid to get home to an'all!" Vanessa throws up her arms. "I'm sure all the people here have things they need to get home for. You're not special, you know?"

The woman's cocky demeanour falters briefly and something twinges in Vanessa's chest before she pushes it down. She is not going to fall for some sob story.

"Ladies, I do need to hurry this along. I've got to get home myself." They both turn to look at the bloke and he cringes a little. "And I...I've just checked and we've only got one car left."

Although he's trying to keep his voice low, the people behind are clearly listening in and a series of groans go up and the queue starts to disperse.

"I was next in the queue, so that car's mine," Vanessa tells him, picking up a pen and gesturing for him to give her the paperwork. As he's printing it off, the woman puts a hand on Vanessa's arm, squeezing lightly. Vanessa turns and looks at her, finding genuine sadness in her eyes.

"Look. I...I promised my kids a good Christmas this year. We've not always been able to be together at Christmas and I...I wanted to make that up to them. Please let me have the car. I...I don't have any cash on me, but I can pay you! I can-" She trails off, the light slowly dimming in her eyes.

Vanessa clenches her jaw as she glances over the form before adding her signature on the lines indicated. There's something about the woman that reminds her of her dad a little. That need to make amends, to show people he's changed. But she can't afford to be soft now, and leave herself stranded miles from home.

She shakes her head. "I don't want money. I want to be with my little boy."

The woman deflates, all the bluster and bravado disappearing. She sighs and nods. "Well, can't fault you for that, I suppose. I'll find a way home. Even if I have to hitchhike all the way to flamin' Yorkshire." She gives Vanessa a half-smile. "Merry Christmas, babe."

Vanessa watches her walk away, pulling a carry-on case, shoulders hunched. She's handed a set of keys and half listens to the directions about how to find the car, her mind still on the woman who's now fiddling with her phone, probably figuring out what to tell her kids. Sighing, Vanessa makes up her mind. With a nod of thanks to the rental guy, she grabs her case and the keys and jogs after the woman.

"Hey. Hey!" The woman turns, a question written in the lines on her brow. "Where about in Yorkshire you headed?" Vanessa asks.

There's a spark of hope in the woman's eyes. "Little village called Emmerdale, why?"

Vanessa knows it well. She visits the farms on the outskirts on a regular basis. "I live in Hotten." She only hesitates for a moment before making the offer she came over to make. "Why don't we share the car, eh? See if we can't both get back to our kids in time for Christmas?"

The most beautiful smile breaks out on the other woman's face and Vanessa can't help but return it.

"Seriously?" Off Vanessa's nod, the woman blows out a long breath. "Wow, babe, you have saved my arse, I can tell you. Thank you."

Vanessa shrugs. "Makes sense, doesn't it."

"Right, well, we'd better get a shift on, eh?" She nods to the large windows where the snow's still falling. "Roads'll be a nightmare."

"Take the lifts down two floors and follow the signs, the bloke said." Vanessa jiggles the key in her pocket as they start walking. "I'm Vanessa, by the way. Since we're going to be sharing a very small space for a few hours, we should probably know each other's names."

The woman smiles. "Nice to meet you, Vanessa." She holds out a hand. "I'm Charity."