Home Front Girls

she huffed.
    Lucy and Dotty exchanged an amused smile. Both of them were just grateful to have jobs, but it certainly didn’t appear to be the same for Annabelle. They watched as she took a cigarette from her bag and lit it, then she stared at them through a haze of blue smoke as she asked, ‘Do you both live locally?’ She felt she ought to at least make an effort to be friendly.
    The girls nodded in unison but before they could answer, Annabelle went on, ‘I live in Cheylesmore with my parents and I don’t mind telling you, this job wasn’t my idea!’ She sniffed indignantly. ‘Daddy has cut my allowance so I had to get a job. And all because of this bloody stupid war! It’s all a waste of time, if you ask me. After all, nothing’s even happened yet, has it? No bombs – nothing! And half of the kids who were evacuated are coming back already. I mean, what’s the point of them staying away anyway? I reckon it will all be over in no time and then we can get back to normal – and the sooner the better, I say!’
    ‘I’d like to think you were right but I’m not so sure,’ Lucy replied pensively. ‘I was reading in the newspapers that some of our ships are already being sunk by magnetic mines out at sea. I’m afraid this is only the beginning and I think things will get far worse before they get better.’
    ‘Hm, and in the meantime we have to suffer.’ Annabelle took another long drag of her cigarette. ‘They’re ruining the city in the meantime, digging up shelters for everyone. Have you seen the trench one they’re working on in Cox Street on the corner of Grove Road? It will shelter two hundred people when it’s finished apparently, but it’s a right old eyesore! Then there’s another being dug in Bird Street on the old bowling green that will accommodate six hundred and forty-five people when it’s finished. That’s to name but a couple, not to mention the ugly Anderson shelters that are appearing in people’s gardens everywhere.’
    ‘I suppose it’s just a precaution in case they’re needed,’ Lucy said sensibly, but Annabelle just shook her head.
    ‘I disagree. Why would the Germans want to bomb the city centre? If they do drop any bombs, they’re going to aim for the factories on the outskirts of the city, surely?’
    The conversation was stopped from going any further when Dotty nervously pointed to the large clock on the wall above the counter. The catering staff, who were robed in long white coats and hairnets, were now collecting the dirty pots and the majority of the staff had already disappeared off back to their departments. ‘I think it’s time we were going, otherwise we’ll be late.’
    ‘Oh for goodness sake,’ Annabelle groaned. ‘I haven’t even had time to go to the ladies yet!’ Even so she ground her cigarette out and followed the other two back to the lift with a martyred expression on her face.
     
    It was almost lunchtime when Annabelle was approached by a customer as she was arranging a nightdress on a mannequin.
    ‘Is that pure silk, my dear?’ the middle-aged woman asked her imperiously. The fur coat she was wearing looked like mink and Annabelle saw that her handbag and shoes were of the finest leather. Annabelle glanced about. She had been told that the senior staff would serve the customers, but as none of them appeared to be about she couldn’t see the harm in helping the woman.
    ‘Yes, it is,’ she answered, flashing a bright smile. ‘Would Madam like me to take it down so that you can see it?’
    ‘I’ll take over from here, Miss Smythe.’ One of the senior assistants had appeared at her elbow from nowhere and Annabelle glared at her resentfully as she ushered the customer away. From the look on the assistant’s face, anyone might have thought that Annabelle had committed a cardinal sin, but what was she supposed to have done? Just left a customer standing there unattended? She frowned as she glanced at the clock. Roll on lunchtime!
    She was secretly pleased when she found Lucy and Dotty already sitting at the same table they had shared during the morning break when she entered the staff dining room some time later, and after buying some sandwiches and a cup of tea she joined them.
    ‘How did your first morning go?’ Dotty asked pleasantly as Annabelle sat down.
    ‘Huh! Apart from almost getting my head bitten off when I started to serve a customer, all right I suppose,’ Annabelle grumbled, then pointedly ignoring Dotty, she