Page 29 of Neighbors at War

Her aunt didn’t hide her shock. She stared at Helen thoughtfully. ‘I see. What will you do?’

‘Nothing, for now. I need to come to terms with what he’s told me.’ She sighed. ‘It’s not as if anything I say can make a difference to either of our situations anyway. Bobby and I are stuck here and he’s there, and that’s all there is to it.’

Her aunt’s eyes filled with sadness. ‘I suppose you’re right.’

Helen replaced the message in its envelope and slipped it into her pocket. So much for wanting a telegram. Hearing from Richard had upset her. She had been coping before, mostly. Now she had to make decisions: about Richard, and of course about Bobby.

‘I don’t think I’ll reply,’ she said, but took out the envelope again and looked at the date it had been sent. ‘It’s taken three months to get here,’ she sighed. ‘So much might have changed in that time.’

She couldn’t bring herself to say, ‘Richard could be dead,’ but it was a possibility. Or he could have reconsidered his feelings for her. ‘Maybe he’s met someone else by now.’

She knew it was an unfair thing to say but she couldn’t help herself. This message had torn open the wound his engagement had caused and the pain stung deeply.

Damn it, Richard, she thought. Why couldn’t you have just left me alone after all this time?

Chapter Seventeen

PEGGY

December 1941

It was almost Christmas. Another year was over and the war’s ending was still no closer. Peggy anxiously wondered what 1942 had in store for them. There was little news to be cheerful about as far as she was concerned, although Tony, who she now suspected must have a radio hidden somewhere, insisted that now the Americans had entered the war, hundreds of thousands of men, women and children’s lives could possibly be saved and the war might be brought to an earlier conclusion than it would without them.

Any pleasure she might have found in that was diminished when she thought of the men and women who had been killed at the US Navy’s Pearl Harbor base in Hawaii. It was strange to think how familiar that name was now; when the news was first reported, she had needed to look it up in their world atlas.

Right now, though, she needed to get ready to accompany Tony into town to find a gift for his father. She also needed one for her mother and sister, and Bobby for his first birthday a few days before Christmas. Unfortunately there was little left in the shops and she had no idea what to buy.

‘I suppose we should be focusing on useful gifts,’ she suggested thoughtfully. ‘Soaps, that sort of thing.’

Tony took her hand in his and pulled a face. ‘That doesn’t sound very exciting.’

‘It’s necessities we need now,’ she said recalling some of the beautifully scented soaps she had enjoyed only the year before. ‘Anyway, that’s what I’ll be hoping to find for my mum.’

‘I suppose the best place for that sort of thing is Boots, then?’

‘That’s where I was planning on stopping first. Babs was saying there are a few scented soaps left that would make perfect gifts, but not many.’

‘Well, I’m sure she’ll be able to steer us in the right direction. She must have lots of customers needing her assistance at this time of year.’

Peggy supposed she must do. ‘Good, then that’s agreed.’

She spotted Babs as they walked into the shop from Queen Street. She was serving a customer but noticed them and gave a discreet wave, which Peggy returned with a smile.

‘We’ll have a look around this area,’ Peggy suggested quietly to Tony. ‘As soon as Babs has finished serving that lady, we’ll nip over to her and see what she can do for us.’ Then she noticed a middle-aged woman watching her and Tony, and she let go of his hand.

‘What’s the matter?’ he asked.

She told him about the woman staring at them. ‘It might look odd if we’re seen holding hands when I work for your father.’

‘I’m not sure why.’ He looked over her shoulder in the woman’s direction and gave her a courteous nod. ‘Then again, I know her. She’s one of my father’s oldest clients and is a bit of a busybody. She’d love nothing better than to stir gossip, so maybe you’re right. Do you think she saw us?’

‘I’ve no idea.’

‘Ah, well, it’s too late now if she did. Let’s not worry about it.’

‘Good afternoon, Madam. Sir,’ Babs said. Despite sounding formal, she was clearly pleased to be serving them. ‘How may I help you today?’

‘We’ve come for suggestions for Christmas presents.’ She looked at Tony. ‘What exactly are you looking for?’ Enjoying herself, too, Peggy spoke loudly enough for the staring woman to hear, since she could tell she was eavesdropping.