charges back in. I heard more rumbling overhead, more crews coming safely home. Davy might have already landed. I clung to this idea, even as Juliet and I sat on a patch of dry grass to wait. The incoming airmen were ferried to the Operations Block to debrief after their mission. I would have no firm news until they finally claimed their supper.
Another three landed together and then a loner. We waited silently, holding hands in the darkness. It seemed an age before another group of four and another loner. Thirteen in total.
They couldn’t have lost five. Could they? Would Davy be safe? With heavy hearts, we set off toward the mess hall, turning to watch another two landing in a group.
Three to go. They would be landing any minute.
I wrapped a scarf around my hair and smoothed my apron. Mrs. Latham greeted us with a tired smile. “They had a rough trip tonight. It could be a while before they come in.”
Juliet found her voice first. “How do you know? Is there news?”
Mrs. Latham paused and then spoke carefully. “My daughter is on duty in the control tower. I don’t know the details, I’m sorry.”
There was an uncomfortable silence while Juliet and I stared at her, and then she ducked her head. “Right girls, let’s get the cocoa ready.”
I snagged Juliet’s arm and held her back, waiting until Mrs. Latham was a few feet away. I wasn’t sure if I could even say what was running through my head, but I had to speak. To get it out in the open. I swallowed hard. “Do you think…?” I shook my head. Davy would be fine. He had to be.
“I don’t know.” Juliet’s whisper was so quiet I almost didn’t hear it.
I wanted to run across to the control tower. I knew they wouldn’t tell me anything; I’d have to wait here for news. My palms sweated, a dull headache throbbing across my forehead, and my eyes itched. A cold, hard ball of anxiety had taken root in the pit of my stomach and threatened to make me vomit. Somehow, I managed to drag myself to the counter with Juliet to set out plates and mugs and stir the vast jugs of cocoa. Stirring the hot drink endlessly, round and round, waiting. More waiting.
This is how my life would be as long as Davy stayed flying. How long would it take for him to move from active service, for us to have a life together? Lost in a daydream, I didn’t hear the first footsteps as they approached the kitchen, only realizing at the last minute that we had company.
“Bella.” Juliet spoke nervously. “They’re coming.”
I nodded, took a deep breath, and smiled at the first group to approach the counter, all the while looking eagerly for Davy. The airmen looked exhausted, gray lines of tiredness cutting into their faces, shadows beneath their eyes. They shuffled into a queue, yawning and cracking their knuckles, all pretense of joviality gone. There were none of the jokes and off-the-cuff remarks I’d grown accustomed to. And nobody would look me in the eye. They accepted their mugs of cocoa, helped themselves to the warm fruited buns, and drifted to their tables in little, quiet groups.
Some wore rough bandages on their hands, more than one was limping. I saw two with recent burns. And no sign of Davy.
As with the bombers landing, the airmen appeared in groups. I tried to work out how many were left to appear and failed. I handed out more mugs, more buns. Waited. God, the waiting was enough to drive me insane. The nausea was under control, just, as long as I kept myself busy. But as the clock inched round to three thirty, there was still no sign of Davy or his crew. And nobody had come in at all in the last twenty minutes.
Conflicting ideas warred in my head. Should I walk right up to the nearest group and ask them? Or beg Mrs. Latham for more information? I had to do something— anything . I could not just stand here and wait another minute. Drawing as deep a breath as I could manage, squashing down the waves of sickness again, I strode out into the mess hall and
Another three landed together and then a loner. We waited silently, holding hands in the darkness. It seemed an age before another group of four and another loner. Thirteen in total.
They couldn’t have lost five. Could they? Would Davy be safe? With heavy hearts, we set off toward the mess hall, turning to watch another two landing in a group.
Three to go. They would be landing any minute.
I wrapped a scarf around my hair and smoothed my apron. Mrs. Latham greeted us with a tired smile. “They had a rough trip tonight. It could be a while before they come in.”
Juliet found her voice first. “How do you know? Is there news?”
Mrs. Latham paused and then spoke carefully. “My daughter is on duty in the control tower. I don’t know the details, I’m sorry.”
There was an uncomfortable silence while Juliet and I stared at her, and then she ducked her head. “Right girls, let’s get the cocoa ready.”
I snagged Juliet’s arm and held her back, waiting until Mrs. Latham was a few feet away. I wasn’t sure if I could even say what was running through my head, but I had to speak. To get it out in the open. I swallowed hard. “Do you think…?” I shook my head. Davy would be fine. He had to be.
“I don’t know.” Juliet’s whisper was so quiet I almost didn’t hear it.
I wanted to run across to the control tower. I knew they wouldn’t tell me anything; I’d have to wait here for news. My palms sweated, a dull headache throbbing across my forehead, and my eyes itched. A cold, hard ball of anxiety had taken root in the pit of my stomach and threatened to make me vomit. Somehow, I managed to drag myself to the counter with Juliet to set out plates and mugs and stir the vast jugs of cocoa. Stirring the hot drink endlessly, round and round, waiting. More waiting.
This is how my life would be as long as Davy stayed flying. How long would it take for him to move from active service, for us to have a life together? Lost in a daydream, I didn’t hear the first footsteps as they approached the kitchen, only realizing at the last minute that we had company.
“Bella.” Juliet spoke nervously. “They’re coming.”
I nodded, took a deep breath, and smiled at the first group to approach the counter, all the while looking eagerly for Davy. The airmen looked exhausted, gray lines of tiredness cutting into their faces, shadows beneath their eyes. They shuffled into a queue, yawning and cracking their knuckles, all pretense of joviality gone. There were none of the jokes and off-the-cuff remarks I’d grown accustomed to. And nobody would look me in the eye. They accepted their mugs of cocoa, helped themselves to the warm fruited buns, and drifted to their tables in little, quiet groups.
Some wore rough bandages on their hands, more than one was limping. I saw two with recent burns. And no sign of Davy.
As with the bombers landing, the airmen appeared in groups. I tried to work out how many were left to appear and failed. I handed out more mugs, more buns. Waited. God, the waiting was enough to drive me insane. The nausea was under control, just, as long as I kept myself busy. But as the clock inched round to three thirty, there was still no sign of Davy or his crew. And nobody had come in at all in the last twenty minutes.
Conflicting ideas warred in my head. Should I walk right up to the nearest group and ask them? Or beg Mrs. Latham for more information? I had to do something— anything . I could not just stand here and wait another minute. Drawing as deep a breath as I could manage, squashing down the waves of sickness again, I strode out into the mess hall and
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