Home Front Girls

birthday.
    ‘I made her cake today,’ Mrs P told Lucy as she passed her a mug of tea. ‘An’ though I shouldn’t say it I’m quite pleased wi’ it, though I’d have liked to have had a few more currants to go in it an’ I had to use that horrible dried-egg stuff.’ She grimaced. The rationing was hitting hard now and everyone was having to do without certain foods, eggs being one of them.
    ‘Still, I’ve no doubt it will do once I’ve put a bit o’ me special pink icin’ on it,’ she went on more cheerfully with an indulgent glance at Mary. The woman was going to miss the child almost as much as Lucy would, but she was trying not to think about it at present.
    ‘I’m going to pack her case tonight,’ Lucy said. ‘Just to make sure that I’ve got everything.’ Every spare penny had been spent on the things that Mary would need to take with her, because Lucy wanted her to go with everything brand new. Mrs P secretly thought it was a complete waste of money. The way she saw it, the clothes that Mary already had were perfectly respectable, but then, knowing how upset Lucy was about her little sister going away, she had refrained from voicing her opinion. Best let the poor lass deal with it in her own way.
    ‘That might be a good idea,’ she said tactfully. ‘Then if you’ve forgotten anything you’ll have time enough to get it.’
     
    Later that night, when Mary was tucked up in bed, Lucy began the heartbreaking job of packing her small case, ticking off each thing as she carefully folded it.
     
2 vests
Spare pair of knickers
Nightdress
Petticoat
2 pairs stockings
6 handkerchiefs
Blouse
Cardigan
Skirt
Boots
Shoes
Wellington boots
     
    And finally a wash-bag containing a brush, comb, toothbrush, soap, flannel, ribbons, and anything else that Lucy felt the little girl might need, including her teddy bear.
    By the time she was done, tears were rolling down her cheeks unchecked. All that was left to do now was count down the days until it was time for Mary to leave.
    Thankfully, for now at least she had a reprieve, as she got home from work the next evening to find Mrs P grinning like a cat that had got the cream.
    ‘You’ve had a visit from a woman from the Red Cross today,’ she told Lucy with glee. ‘I went to the door an’ explained you were at work an’ I had young Mary, so she asked me to pass on a message. Seems half the trains ain’t runnin’ what wi’ the weather bein’ so bad, so the long an’ the short of it is, Mary won’t be goin’ next week. The lady told me she’d let us know when the next lot of evacuees are goin’.’
    ‘Really?’ Lucy’s face lit up and suddenly she felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders – for now, at least.
    Everyone said that Mrs P had done Mary proud on Saturday when they came to celebrate the child’s fifth birthday. The cake was delicious and Mrs P had even found some candles to put on it although Lucy had to blow them out as they all sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to Mary. She was off with the fairies in a world of her own as usual, and Annabelle wondered why they had bothered. The poor little mite clearly didn’t even know where she was, let alone what day it was.
    Once the party was over, Mrs P insisted on keeping Mary so that the three girls could go to the pictures together. They set off for the Gaumont to see Gulliver’s Travels .
    On the way back to the bus station, Annabelle almost spoiled the night when she asked, ‘Any news about when Mary might be evacuated yet?’
    Dotty scowled a warning at her. Annabelle could be very thoughtless. But Lucy answered civilly enough. ‘No, not yet.’
    By now, the snow had finally stopped; the big thaw had set in and everywhere was slushy and dirty. It was still bitterly cold too, but gradually the country was churning back into life as roads reopened and people could get back into work again.
    After the film, which they’d all enjoyed, the three girls went their separate ways, feeling all the better after the break from routine.
     
    Two weeks later, Lucy returned home from work one evening to find Mrs P close to tears. She guessed instantly what was wrong. ‘You’ve had a visit from the Red Cross, haven’t you?’ she asked.
    ‘Yes, luvvie – or should I say you did. It was the same woman that came to say Mary’s going was delayed, an’ guessin’ that you’d be at work she came to leave the message with me. They want you to have her up at the school playground