Page 97 of Neighbors at War

Helen gasped then covered her mouth with her hand, hardly believing what she was reading.

‘Please don’t tell me it’s bad news,’ Peggy pleaded.

Helen felt Daphne’s hand on her arm. ‘What is it, Helen?’

Helen quickly reread Richard’s message shaking her head to let them know that it wasn’t bad news. She passed the telegram to Daphne. ‘It’s the most marvellous news.’ She closed her eyes and took in a slow, deep breath. Exhaling gradually and trying to calm down, she opened her eyes and smiled.

Peggy leant across the table. ‘Really, if you two won’t tell me what this is all about, I’m going to have to find out for myself.’ She took the message from Daphne and read it. Her mouth dropped open.

Helen saw her friend’s joy and laughed. ‘Isn’t it the most exciting news? I never thought they would speak to Richard, let alone want to know about Bobby.’ Emotion made her throat tight and her voice croaky. ‘And did you see, they send their love to both of us.’

The tears she had been trying to contain began to fall. Unable to help herself, Helen began sobbing uncontrollably. She covered her face, not wanting to worry Bobby.

Seconds later she felt small arms wrapping around her legs. ‘Mummy?’

Helen struggled to gather herself, relieved to hear Daphne’s soothing voice. ‘Mummy’s fine, sweetheart. It’s nothing to worry about. Those are happy tears.’

‘Happy?’

‘Yes, poppet,’ Peggy said. ‘Mummy has been sent a message from her mummy and daddy.’

Helen withdrew her handkerchief from her skirt pocket, wiped away her tears and blew her nose. She was desperate to comfort her little boy and hated that she had alarmed him with her outburst.

She opened her arms and Bobby ran into them and clung to her as she hugged him. ‘I’m sorry, darling. Mummy didn’t mean to frighten you. She’s heard from your daddy.’ She forced her lips back into a smile, still stunned by what Richard had told her.

Bobby frowned. ‘My daddy?’

‘Yes, darling. Your daddy.’

She needed to start telling Bobby about his father, she decided. She had been so angry with Richard, discovering he was engaged to someone his parents loved and were looking forward to calling their daughter-in-law. And then her mother’s reaction to catching her being sick one morning had told Helen all she needed to know: that she was on her own and needed to be with someone who would love her no matter what. She pictured her kind, beautiful aunt and how she had welcomed her with open arms when Helen had arrived on her doorstep straight from the ferry. Not asking questions, never expecting explanations, her aunt had loved her unconditionally.

She felt her throat constricting with more tears and gave Peggy a pleading look.

Seeming to know instantly what Helen needed, Peggy got up and held out her hand to Bobby. ‘Why don’t you show your Aunty Peggy where to find a glass of water?’

He immediately took her hand and led her into the house. Not having to contain her emotions any longer, Helen burst into fresh tears, wishing her aunt was with her now to know of her parents’ change of heart.

‘It’s been a lot for you to deal with,’ Daphne said, gently rubbing Helen’s back. ‘You let it all out.’

Unable to help herself, Helen sobbed into her friend’s shoulder, trembling at the tumult of emotions carousing through her. She wasn’t sure if she was happy, grief-stricken, or simply unhinged. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘Hush, now. You’ve had a lot to deal with and have been incredibly brave. It’s not surprising your emotions are raw after such a message. It’s perfectly natural.’

‘Thank you, Daphne. I don’t know what Bobby and I would have done without you taking us in like you have. You’ve made the world of difference to us, to me.’

‘As both of you have done for me.’

Chapter Sixty-Three

HELEN

Helen had just finished washing Bobby’s face before putting him to bed when she heard a sound. She stilled, holding her breath and listening to hear it again. Deciding she must have imagined it, she helped him into bed, handed him his teddy and pulled up the sheet to cover his shoulders. It was a warm night, and he didn’t need anything more than that on the bed.

She bent to kiss him. ‘Sleep well, poppet. Mummy will be back soon.’

She left the room, stopping when she heard whispered voices. One of them sounded like Tony’s. Surprised, but happy at his visiting, she went through to the kitchen to join them. She opened the door and went to greet him, but stopped when she saw Tony wasn’t alone. Sitting at the table, a glass of water in one hand and a slice of bread in the other, was a dishevelled man. It was obvious by his filthy state that he was one of the enforced workers who had been brought to the island to work on the many bunkers and gun emplacements that had been built around the island over the past three years. She had heard about these poor people but this was the first time she had met one. He looked as if he’d been treated far worse than she had imagined. Not wanting to frighten him, Helen kept quiet.

He sensed her presence. His deep-set dark eyes stared at her momentarily before he leapt up, knocking his chair backwards so it crashed on the tiled kitchen floor.