Page 37 of Neighbors at War

‘But you’re the one helping me out by doing that.’

She tried to continue, but Ida shook her head. ‘I don’t think you realise how much I value my time with him.’ She looked down at her hands. ‘It’s been a long while since I’ve found much to cheer me up, isn’t it, girls?’

Her daughters looked at each other sombrely and Helen presumed they were thinking about their late father. ‘Yes, Mum.’

‘Please let us do this one thing for him.’

Helen felt her resolve weakening. ‘All right, then. Thank you very much, all of you. I really appreciate your kindness, and I know Bobby will be much happier wearing this instead of me cramming his arms into the other one.’ She had an idea. ‘I’ll bring his old coat to you tomorrow if you like, Babs. Then you can take it to Boots and see if any of the other employees has a child who might benefit from it.’

‘That’s a great idea.’ Babs said smiling. ‘I’ll do that.’

‘If the woman has given her son’s coat to you,’ Aunt Sylvia said thoughtfully, ‘won’t that mean that her son is now without one?’

Babs shook her head. ‘She has three sons. I mentioned that you might have a smaller one for her baby. The middle son will now wear a hand-me-down from the oldest one.’

‘I see,’ Sylvia said.

‘Maybe when Bobby has outgrown this coat, I can swap it back to her for something else?’ Helen was beginning to warm to the idea of bartering. They might not have any money but knowing she might have items that others could benefit from made her feel useful.

‘That’s exactly what I was thinking,’ Babs said, grinning. ‘Now that the shops have run out of most things, we all need to be creative with our thinking.’

Taking Bobby from Ida, Helen placed him onto the sofa and crouched down in front of him. Picking up the coat, she slipped his arms into the sleeves and fastened the four front buttons. ‘He looks very smart,’ she said proudly.

Bobby took hold of one of the buttons and stared at it before looking up at her and giving her a wide grin.

‘I think he approves,’ Peggy said with a laugh.

‘As he should do.’ Helen got up and hugged her and Babs.

‘He’s such a treasure,’ Ida said. ‘Doesn’t he look adorable? Like a proper little Lord Fauntleroy.’

Helen wouldn’t go quite that far, but even she had to admit her son did look especially sweet in his new coat. And he was smiling. It was an enormous relief. ‘I think we can all safely say that Bobby is very happy with his new coat.’ She smiled at each of them. ‘Thank you for a lovely day, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.’

Peggy fetched their coats, and when they were ready, Sylvia led the way to the front door. ‘Merry Christmas and thank you again for sharing your day with us.’

‘We’ve enjoyed every moment,’ Ida said.

Back at home, as she took off her son’s coat, Helen couldn’t help thinking how much better Christmas Day had turned out than she had expected.

She wondered where Richard had spent the day.

Chapter Twenty-One

PEGGY

January 1942

Lying on her bed staring up at the ceiling on the first day of the new year, Peggy thought of Tony and the beautiful brooch and reminded herself how lucky she was to have someone who cared so much about her. Someone she was falling more deeply in love with each day. She hoped he had enjoyed his family Christmas.

She thought of poor Helen, with a little boy to care for and distanced from her parents and brother, and was comforted to know that she at least had her Aunt Sylvia for company. Would Helen’s life be any easier if she had a husband away fighting? Probably not. So many women were struggling to care for families on their own these days. It was soothing to know she herself had family to look out for her, just as she looked out for them. How difficult it must be for those without someone close to lean on, she mused.

‘Peggy, what are you doing up there?’ her mother bellowed. ‘You’ll be late to work if you don’t move yourself soon.’

Peggy jumped off the bed, quickly pinned her new brooch onto the lapel of her jacket, then lifted the material to gaze at it. She slipped on her shoes, picked up her handbag and ran downstairs.

‘I’m here.’ She took the sandwich her mother was holding out for her. It was neatly wrapped in greaseproof paper, as always. ‘Thanks, Mum,’ she said, kissing her on the cheek as she pushed her lunch into her bag. ‘I won’t be back late tonight. Have a lovely day.’

‘I will if I manage to find something decent for our supper,’ Ida grumbled. Then, frowning, she turned Peggy round and pushed her gently towards the door. ‘Go. Your sister left ten minutes ago.’