Home Front Girls

dinner as well.’
    ‘It doesn’t matter.’ Annabelle led the way into the cloakroom. ‘In actual fact, my mother has sent you both an invitation. She thought you might like to pop over and have tea with us on Saturday. That’s if you haven’t got anything better planned, of course?’
    Just as she had expected, Lucy frowned. ‘That would have been lovely. But the thing is, after Mrs P has looked after Mary all week, I don’t like to impose on her more than I have to at the weekends as well.’
    ‘That won’t be a problem. Mummy said you’re quite welcome to bring Mary too,’ Annabelle assured her.
    ‘In that case I’d love to,’ Lucy responded.
    ‘And so would I.’ Dotty was grinning from ear-to-ear. She usually spent her weekends tidying the flat and writing, and so the thought of going somewhere other than to work was appealing.
    Mrs Broadstairs entered the cloakroom then and suddenly there was a flurry as all the girls scattered like flies to their different departments.
     
    By home-time all three girls were exhausted after being run off their feet all day.
    ‘I never thought I’d say it, but I shall actually be pleased to get home and put my feet up tonight,’ Annabelle told them as she pulled her coat on. She was missing her friend Jessica badly, but tonight she wouldn’t have wanted to go out even if she’d had the chance to. ‘I shall be glad when the Christmas rush is over now,’ she said, never missing the chance to have a grumble.
    ‘Hmm, the problem then is we have the January sales and after that, we have to stock-take. Mrs Broadstairs told me so today,’ Dotty confided. ‘And apparently that’s no easy task. Still, I dare say we’ll survive it.’
    ‘It’s going to be a strange Christmas anyway with Joel away,’ Lucy said gloomily, and then she instantly felt guilty. Here she was feeling sorry for herself, but she still had Mary, whilst Dotty had no one. Perhaps she should invite her over for Christmas dinner? She decided she’d give the idea some thought.
    ‘At least we’ve only got five more days to go until we break up,’ Dotty said, ever the optimist. ‘And then we can enjoy a few days off work.’
    ‘Oh whoopee doo! We finish late on Christmas Eve and then we’re back in again the day after Boxing Day to start getting ready for the January sales. I cannot wait!’ Annabelle sighed as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders, making the other two burst out laughing. Annabelle could always make them smile without even trying.
    It was as they stepped outside the store onto the icy pavement that someone suddenly stepped forward and Lucy gasped with pleasure to see Joel standing there clutching Mary’s hand.
    ‘We thought we’d come and meet you out of work,’ he explained, keeping his eyes fixed on Lucy, but he was painfully aware of Annabelle standing directly behind her. ‘I thought Mary would like to see the displays in the shop windows. Not that there’s much to be seen now that it’s dark,’ he added.
    ‘Oh, that’s lovely, but I hope you’ve got her warmly wrapped up,’ Lucy fussed as she bent to tighten the ribbons of Mary’s bonnet beneath her chin.
    ‘She could go to the Antarctic and not feel cold with the layers of clothes she’s got on,’ her brother assured her wryly. ‘But now why don’t I treat you all to a nice cup of tea before you go home? I noticed there’s a café open just a bit further along in Trinity Street.’
    Annabelle’s tiredness was suddenly forgotten and she was glad of the darkness that would hide the colour that had risen in her cheeks. Her heart was thumping painfully again. I’m acting like a love-struck kid, she scolded herself, but she followed the others along the pavement all the same.
    When she entered the steamy café, she blinked as her eyes adjusted to the light inside. Apart from the Open sign outside she might have passed it without even knowing that it was there, for the place had blackout blinds that effectively blocked all the light from leaking outside and sandbags propped all across the front of it.
    Joel scurried to the counter to get them all a drink as they found an empty table, and Annabelle quickly got out her compact and powdered her nose while he was gone, much to the amusement of Lucy. Dotty, meanwhile, was fussing over Mary, who had totally captured her heart.
    Soon Joel was back with a tray loaded with mugs of tea, a glass of milk for Mary and five scones.
    ‘There wasn’t