Home Front Girls

the girls could only pray that the rumour was wrong. The alternative was just too frightening to contemplate.
     
    ‘Blimey, I thought we’d have an easy day today, now that the Christmas rush is over.’ Lucy eased her feet carefully out of her shoes beneath the table and wriggled her toes.
    It was the day after Boxing Day and ever since arriving at work all three girls had been rushing around like headless chickens. There were nowhere near as many customers in the store admittedly, but even so each head of department had had them all marking down goods ready for the January sales.
    ‘I know what you mean,’ Annabelle answered as she took out her compact and powdered her nose. ‘I was busily working away behind my counter and didn’t notice a customer waiting to be served when Miss Goode swept over to me like a battleship in full sail. She gave me a real roasting, I don’t mind telling you, but how are we supposed to do two things at once?’
    ‘Perhaps we should all sprout another pair of hands?’ Dotty suggested with a wry grin. ‘It’s no better in my department. There are so many different rolls of material and if I get the price wrong on one of them I reckon I’ll be for the high jump.’
    ‘I doubt that would happen,’ Annabelle said stoically. ‘We’re understaffed as it is, and they can’t afford to lose any more – though if what Mummy heard was true, then things are going to get a whole lot worse soon. They’re saying that in January all men between the ages of nineteen and twenty-seven will be liable for service. It won’t be a matter any more of them signing up if they have a mind to, they won’t have a say in the matter unless they’re flat-footed or suffer from some other ailment.’
    They each lifted their cup as the hum of the store canteen went on around them.
    A royal proclamation made on New Year’s Day declared that two million young men were about to be called up, thus proving Miranda Smythe to be right. People’s spirits dropped still further as young men went in hordes to the recruiting offices.
    ‘There soon won’t be a bloke worth looking at left in Coventry,’ Annabelle moaned. She and Dotty were at Lucy’s house and they were all feeling a bit sorry for themselves, especially Annabelle. ‘Fancy,’ she said, ‘I actually stayed in on New Year’s Eve. No party, no dance, nothing !’
    ‘I don’t think anyone was really in the mood for celebrating this year,’ Lucy said.
    Dotty nodded in agreement. ‘You’re right, and the weather isn’t helping either. I’m sure it’s trying to snow and it’s absolutely bitter out.’
    ‘Oh super, that’s all we need.’ Annabelle rolled her eyes skywards. ‘Everything seems to be doom and gloom at the moment.’ Her eyes then rested on an envelope on the mantelshelf and suddenly forgetting all her gripes, she asked, ‘Is that a letter from Joel?’ Just thinking about him made her heart beat faster.
    ‘Yes, it is.’ Lucy had read it so many times in the two days since it had arrived that she almost knew it word for word. ‘He’s going to be shipped out within the next two weeks, but the good news is he’s hoping to get another two days’ leave before they go.’
    ‘Oh, and when will that be? And I thought he was being shipped out straight after his last leave.’ Annabelle was doing her best not to sound too interested and failing dismally.
    ‘So did we,’ Lucy agreed. ‘And I have no idea why the plans were changed. But he could be coming home on leave any day now.’ Her face lit up at the thought of seeing her brother again, although she was worried sick about him being posted abroad. But then he was only one of thousands and she knew that all across the country, wives, mothers, sisters and lovers must be feeling exactly the same.
    Annabelle felt a little bubble of excitement form in her stomach. ‘You shall have to ask us round to say goodbye to him and wish him well,’ she remarked casually, but she didn’t fool Lucy for a second.
    ‘Of course you’re always welcome,’ the girl answered winking at Dotty. ‘And I’m sure Joel would like to see you too.’
     
    The January sales started the next day and when the girls arrived at Owen Owen they were shocked to see people queuing along the street.
    ‘Looks like we’re going to be busy again if the crowd outside is anything to go by,’ Annabelle declared as they trudged towards the staff cloakroom. ‘I’ve never seen such a queue! Do they