Home Front Girls

getting used to, that’s all,’ Lucy replied. ‘I never realised how cushy we had it at Owen Owen till I started in the munitions factory. It’s damned hard work, I don’t mind telling you, standing on a production line for hours on end. The women I work with are a decent lot though.’
    ‘And how is your job going?’ Dotty asked Annabelle.
    The girl shrugged. ‘Fine. I’ve actually been taken off bedpan duty now and I’m in the operating theatres sterilising the instruments, which is an improvement.’
    They chatted about this and that, and as the afternoon wore on they all exchanged presents with promises that they wouldn’t be opened until Christmas morning. It had been arranged that Lucy would spend Christmas Day with Annabelle and Miranda, who had decided to stay at home rather than go to her parents, and Boxing Day with Mr and Mrs P.
    ‘And what will you be doing?’ they asked Dotty.
    When she glanced at Robert uncertainly he grinned. ‘She’ll be spending the day with me,’ he told them with a wink. ‘I’ve got something pretty special lined up for her but I can’t tell you what it is because I don’t want to spoil the surprise.’
    Dotty was intrigued as she tried to imagine what it might be, but then Robert looked at the clock and told her regretfully, ‘I’m sorry, darling, but we ought to be heading back to the station now if we’re to have any chance of getting back to London tonight. It was bad enough on the way here,’ he explained to the others. ‘Because of the weather conditions the train got diverted twice and it might be even worse now because it hasn’t stopped snowing.’
    ‘Well, you’re more than welcome to stay here. In fact, you can stay over Christmas if you like,’ Miranda offered generously. She was actually dreading Christmas without her husband, so it was a case of the more the merrier as far as she was concerned – especially as Annabelle had to return to Haslar the day after Boxing Day. Now that Annabelle had managed to get leave, Miranda was determined to make the most of every second they had together, which was why she had decided to stay at home, for who knew how long it might be before her daughter was able to get leave again? Miranda just prayed that they might get some respite from the air raids. She’d almost forgotten what it was like to have an unbroken night’s sleep, and now even when she did she found that she lay there waiting for the sirens to wail.
    Robert told her, ‘That’s really kind of you and I appreciate the offer, but Laura will be in a tizz if I don’t deliver Madam here back home to her.’
    Miranda bustled away to get their coats and hats and when the couple were ready, everyone saw them to the door. Dotty hugged them all as best she could with her one good arm. ‘The next time I see you, I hope I’ll have got rid of this thing,’ she told them tearfully, and then she and Robert set off, watched by the others until the thickly falling snow swallowed them up.
     
    Robert arrived at Laura’s bright and early on Christmas morning with a spring in his step and a twinkle in his eye.
    ‘Merry Christmas,’ Laura greeted him from the hearthrug where she was playing with Simon and his new train set.
    ‘Uncle Robert . . . look what Santa brought for me!’ Lizzie flung herself at him, proudly showing off her new doll, and he shook his head in mock amazement.
    ‘Why, she’s just about the prettiest dolly I ever saw,’ he told her seriously. ‘But not quite as pretty as you, of course.’
    Lizzie giggled with delight before skipping off to examine her other presents. Robert thought how festive the room looked. A large Christmas tree standing in the corner of the room in a sturdy bucket was decorated with tinsel and paper garlands that the children had made, and glossy sprigs of holly were placed on every surface, the red berries looking festive. A fire was burning in the grate, adding to the cosy atmosphere, and Robert hoped that one day he too would have a lovely family like Laura’s.
    ‘So, is she almost ready?’ he asked.
    Laura nodded. ‘Yes, she’s all spruced up and ready to go, and dying to know what the surprise is. In fact, we all are.’
    He grinned but shook his head. ‘You’ll know soon enough.’
    Dotty came in then looking very pretty in a pink twinset that Laura and Paul had bought her for Christmas, and a smart black skirt. She usually avoided bright colours but they all thought how much it suited