he’s taken everyone else over.’ She laid her hand over her abdomen and looked at the two girls. ‘It’s the little ones I worry about. Them, and him in here.’
‘I know,’ Jess said quietly. ‘And maybe if we’d thought there was going to be a war, we’d never have had this little one.’ She bent forward and prodded Maureen in the stomach. The baby squealed and chortled. ‘But we wouldn’t be without you now, would we? Specially with the other three evacuated.’ She looked at Kathy. ‘Didn’t you want to be evacuated? Is your husband in the Forces?’
‘In the Merchant Navy. He doesn’t believe in evacuation. Nor do I, really. I think everyone ought to stay where they are.’ Kathy’s face flushed a little. ‘Anyway, I never know when he’s going to get home for a night or two and I’d rather be here.’
Jest nodded. She knew how Kathy felt, for she hated the idea of leaving Frank. But if he weren’t here … Still, everyone had to make up their own mind.
‘D’you want another girl?’ she asked, changing the subject. ‘Or would you rather have a boy this time?’
‘Oh, a boy,’ Kathy said, with a passion that startled her. ‘I only want a boy. I only ever wanted boys. Well, I don’t mean I don’t love Muriel and Stella now they’re here — and I wouldn’t change them, not for the world — but I really do want a boy this time.’ She looked at Jess. ‘You’ve got a nice family, haven’t you. Three others, is it?’
‘Two boys and a girl. They’re a bit older than Maureen — she was our afterthought!’ She laughed selfconsciously. ‘Rose is thirteen now and the boys are nine and eleven.’
‘Oh, you’ll miss them,’ Kathy said. ‘I don’t think I could bear to let my kids go away without me.’
‘I will miss them,’ Jess said. ‘But it’s war, isn’t it. You just have to do the best you can. And I don’t want to go through
another experience like last night, not knowing where the boys were and then finding they’d been out in the street the
whole time. It still makes me feel sick to think of that.’ She shook her head. ‘You can’t keep them in all the time. Specially boys. They’re better off in the country, where they can roam about and play. And we go out to see them whenever we can. My husband goes out on his bike if we haven’t got enough for the fare.’
‘Well, if! get a boy this time I’m never going to let him out of my sight,’ Kathy said. She shut the front door. ‘Well, it looks as if we’re going to be neighbours. It’s a poky little place but it’s better than a corner of the church hall.’ She looked at Jess and gave her a wavery smile; it was clear she wasn’t far from tears. ‘Thanks ever so much for coming in with me. I think if I’d been on my own … ‘
‘That’s all right.’ Jess felt her own eyes sting. ‘And don’t forget, as soon as you want a bit of help you come over and say. I’ll be glad to give you a hand — take my mind off other things.’ She knew she was going to miss the boys and Rose dreadfully. But at least she had Maureen to think of, and Frank at home. She felt sorry for Kathy Simmons. Being bombed out °filer home with a baby due in a couple of months and no husband at home, she needed a friend or two. And the two little girls seemed nice enough. They seemed to enjoy playing with Maureen.
She pushed the pram across the road and round the corner
to number 14. Kathy was the first real casualty of the war that she had met, but there would be plenty more. She might even be one herself, before long.
The boys were playing leapfrog on the pavement outside
the house. She went indoors to get their tea. This time tomorrow, they’d be back out in the country and Maureen the only child she had at home.
The quiet of the afternoon was split by the sudden wail of the
siren. It rose and fell, filling Jess’s ears with its shriek, filling her heart with fear. She ran to the door but the boys came
‘I know,’ Jess said quietly. ‘And maybe if we’d thought there was going to be a war, we’d never have had this little one.’ She bent forward and prodded Maureen in the stomach. The baby squealed and chortled. ‘But we wouldn’t be without you now, would we? Specially with the other three evacuated.’ She looked at Kathy. ‘Didn’t you want to be evacuated? Is your husband in the Forces?’
‘In the Merchant Navy. He doesn’t believe in evacuation. Nor do I, really. I think everyone ought to stay where they are.’ Kathy’s face flushed a little. ‘Anyway, I never know when he’s going to get home for a night or two and I’d rather be here.’
Jest nodded. She knew how Kathy felt, for she hated the idea of leaving Frank. But if he weren’t here … Still, everyone had to make up their own mind.
‘D’you want another girl?’ she asked, changing the subject. ‘Or would you rather have a boy this time?’
‘Oh, a boy,’ Kathy said, with a passion that startled her. ‘I only want a boy. I only ever wanted boys. Well, I don’t mean I don’t love Muriel and Stella now they’re here — and I wouldn’t change them, not for the world — but I really do want a boy this time.’ She looked at Jess. ‘You’ve got a nice family, haven’t you. Three others, is it?’
‘Two boys and a girl. They’re a bit older than Maureen — she was our afterthought!’ She laughed selfconsciously. ‘Rose is thirteen now and the boys are nine and eleven.’
‘Oh, you’ll miss them,’ Kathy said. ‘I don’t think I could bear to let my kids go away without me.’
‘I will miss them,’ Jess said. ‘But it’s war, isn’t it. You just have to do the best you can. And I don’t want to go through
another experience like last night, not knowing where the boys were and then finding they’d been out in the street the
whole time. It still makes me feel sick to think of that.’ She shook her head. ‘You can’t keep them in all the time. Specially boys. They’re better off in the country, where they can roam about and play. And we go out to see them whenever we can. My husband goes out on his bike if we haven’t got enough for the fare.’
‘Well, if! get a boy this time I’m never going to let him out of my sight,’ Kathy said. She shut the front door. ‘Well, it looks as if we’re going to be neighbours. It’s a poky little place but it’s better than a corner of the church hall.’ She looked at Jess and gave her a wavery smile; it was clear she wasn’t far from tears. ‘Thanks ever so much for coming in with me. I think if I’d been on my own … ‘
‘That’s all right.’ Jess felt her own eyes sting. ‘And don’t forget, as soon as you want a bit of help you come over and say. I’ll be glad to give you a hand — take my mind off other things.’ She knew she was going to miss the boys and Rose dreadfully. But at least she had Maureen to think of, and Frank at home. She felt sorry for Kathy Simmons. Being bombed out °filer home with a baby due in a couple of months and no husband at home, she needed a friend or two. And the two little girls seemed nice enough. They seemed to enjoy playing with Maureen.
She pushed the pram across the road and round the corner
to number 14. Kathy was the first real casualty of the war that she had met, but there would be plenty more. She might even be one herself, before long.
The boys were playing leapfrog on the pavement outside
the house. She went indoors to get their tea. This time tomorrow, they’d be back out in the country and Maureen the only child she had at home.
The quiet of the afternoon was split by the sudden wail of the
siren. It rose and fell, filling Jess’s ears with its shriek, filling her heart with fear. She ran to the door but the boys came
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