Life Beyond the Big Top

A Trip to Market

Aurora pouted as she stood in front of her house, staring at the walls. The morning sun was playfully peeking over surrounding rooftops, like a child playing hide and seek, casting a golden glow around the yard.

Her tail swished in annoyance.

Her ears twitched in the direction of Tidmouth Sheds; where she could hear the engines waking up, and their crews checking them over - in fact, she could hear their footsteps.

As she continued her unfruitful staring, she let out a screech of frustration "Ughhh! It's so bland!"

"What's bland, Ro?" Henry yawned before looking at his daughter.

"My house." Aurora sighed as she spun on her heel, walking over to the sheds. "It's so bland and meh, like Diesel, and..." She sighed before jumping onto one of the rails, walking along the smooth metal. "I want to... to..."

"Spice it up a bit?" James asked.

"Yes, but how?" Aurora asked.

"If you ask me, my dear, I had thought your house would suit a splash of red," James suggested smugly.

"I'm pretty sure she doesn't want her house looking like an oversized tomato, James." Emily teased, and she laughed when she saw James's shocked face.

"How dare you, Em!" James protested.

"It should be painted green!" Percy happily said as he puffed forward a bit. "Green makes everyone happy and cheerful!"

"Or sickly," Thomas butted in, and frowned at his friend, who only glared back at him. "It should be painted blue. Everyone loves blue. It's so calming, and it's the color of the railway's most splendid engines." He winked at Edward and Gordon before teasingly wiggling his eyebrows at James, and everyone burst out laughing.

"I'm not painting my house any color." Aurora said, happy that her siblings were trying to help her. "I don't mind it being white, but it just needs...something. Like a present needing a bow." She sighed before leaning against Thomas's buffer beam.

"What about a mural?" Suggested Percy.

Gordon vetoed the idea, as did Aurora.

"It's a nice idea, but not what I'm looking for," Aurora said thoughtfully.

"Who heard of a mural on a house, anyway?" Said Gordon.

Percy blushed.

"Well there's plenty of people who do interesting things with their houses, Gordon," said Edward. "I've seen gardens along Duck's branch line decorated with old lobster pots and sea glass."

Gordon scoffed. "Lunatics,"

Edward rolled his eyes. "Tell them that, Gordon, and you might get something unpleasant in your boiler."

"Like a lobster?" Suggested Thomas, cheekily. Edward laughed at that, and Gordon blushed.

"I think the mural could be used elsewhere, but I need something simpler here," Aurora said. Truth be told, she liked the mural idea; but it was woefully impractical.

Perhaps if she got the chance to paint one somewhere else...

"Flowers," Henry said simply.

"What a wonderful idea, darling," Edward smiled at his lover.

"I like it!" Agreed Percy.

"Red flowers will look splendid with white walls!" Said James grandly.

"Anything will go with white, James!" Teased Emily, and the others laughed.