Stanley’s Last Letter

Maybe Peggy was mad to bring her children to the holiday camp without her beloved Stanley. Yet it had been his wish…

Peggy Douglas stepped from the crowded coach into the bustling crowd of holidaymakers. A battered suitcase in one hand, her older child Charlie’s hand in the other, she called sharply to a young girl dawdling behind. “Keep close, Trisha, or you’ll be lost.” The child needed no second bidding and reached out to hold onto the sleeve of her mother’s coat.

“Are we really here?” she asked peering from behind Peggy’s back. “Is this really a holiday?”

Peggy smiled. However much she explained to Trisha, the girl couldn’t comprehend that “holiday” was not the destination. But then any child who’d been born into and lived through years of war couldn’t be expected to know that a holiday meant travelling to another part of England and enjoying oneself.

“Yes, this is our holiday, Trisha. This is what we’ve looked forward to these past months. Now, I wonder where we have to go? I could kill a cup of tea.”

“Me too,” young Charlie piped up. “Can I have an ice cream with mine? There’s a boy over there with one.”

Peggy held her breath. This was exactly what she’d been fearful of. The money she’d sent by postal order to the holiday camp covered bed and board, but extras like sweets and ice creams would have to come from the meagre amount she’d saved from her wages.

She pulled herself up and inwardly scolded the cowardly Peggy who surfaced when she had doubts.

Come on now, Peggy Douglas. You’ve done all right so far. Don’t start weakening now, girl.

“I tell you what, let’s find where our chalet is, then we can go for a walk and explore the camp. What do you say?”

Trisha looked away and started to scrape the tip of her polished shoe in the gravel footpath. Charlie’s face started to crumple and she could see tears forming.

“But, Ma, the other kids –” he started to say. His voice cracked with emotion and a large tear ran down his face. “I thought we was here to have fun,” he sniffed.

Peggy felt anger rise inside her. She’d scraped and saved for this holiday with her kids and they’d hardly set foot inside the camp when already they felt different.

“As I was saying,” she smiled gently, putting down the suitcase and pulling them both close to her, “we will find our chalet, unpack our bits and bobs and then go for a walk – and have that ice cream.”

The children brightened at once and they headed to a busy reception where Peggy was given a key along with directions to their chalet. She’d have to keep a tight hold of the spending money but it was worth it just to see the smiles on their faces.

Around her she could see parents and children full of excitement for the week ahead. She felt like the odd one out, without a husband by her side like so many other women around her.

“You’ll stand out like a sore thumb,” her mother had pointed out when Peggy told her of the plan to take the kids for their first proper holiday. “Besides, you’ll need new clothes and spending money and where’s that coming from, I ask you? You’d best forget this foolish idea and hang onto the money to keep a roof over your heads and food in your belly. You’ve got to start thinking about the future. You don’t even think about tomorrow.”

“It was Stan’s wish, Mum. I’ll not go back on what he wants. His last letter said I was to treat the children and me and I’ll do that for him even if it takes the last farthing I’ve got,” she said defiantly. Her mother had shrugged. “You’re as much a fool as you were the day you married that Stanley Douglas. Full of dreams, he was, even then – and you fell for it hook, line and sinker. The kids don’t even know their dad. Charlie was a toddler when he upped and left and Trisha just a twinkle in your eye. You go on about his last letter but he’d not know you never carried out his wishes – and the kids would be none the wiser.” She tutted loudly and walked out of the room.

“Well, it’s too late. I’ve posted off the money and we’re going,” Peggy called defiantly. “It was Stan’s wishes,” she whispered to the thin air. “It wasn’t his fault the war took him from us and he ended up in the hands of the Japs.”

Isn’t this cosy?” Peggy beamed as she hung their few clothes behind the curtained-off pole that just about resembled a wardrobe. “And look, we each have a bed, and the wash house is just a short walk away.

“Why, we’re going to have a ball, just the three of us together. Let’s get you out of your uniforms and into shorts. Then we will go have a look around… and have that ice cream,” she added before Charlie objected. “But make the most of it as too much ice cream isn’t good for you,” she warned. Or her purse either.

Like many children Trisha and Charlie had travelled in their smartest clothes. For Peggy’s children, that was their school uniforms. She was keen to get them into something more comfortable.

She helped them into their play clothes before deciding to change out of her skirt and blouse as the weather was quite warm for May.

“Go and sit outside on the grass while I get myself dressed,” she instructed. “And don’t go running off anywhere and getting lost. The holiday camp is a big place, we don’t know our way around.”

She slipped into a yellow patterned cotton frock. The simple design suited her light brown hair. Although not new, she’d found the dress at a church jumble sale and altered it to fit her slender figure. It had washed up a treat.

A second purchase for a few pennies had seen a multi-coloured women’s dress cut down to make a summer frock and a blouse for Trisha. Thank goodness she was good with a needle, she thought as

She’d found the dress at a church jumble sale and altered it to fit

she ran a comb through her wavy hair and put a slick of red lipstick on her lips.

“I’m ready to face the world,” she said aloud, checking her reflection in a small mirror on the wall of the chalet.

Mum, this man from next door wants your help,” Charlie said as Peggy stepped from the chalet, coming face to face with a tall, broad-shouldered man of about her age. A pretty, blonde child was holding his hand.

“I’m sorry to bother you,” he said, turning a little pink. “Enid here has pulled a button off her cardigan and I’m useless with a needle. It’s an awful imposition, but I wondered if you could help?” Peggy frowned. “Doesn’t your wife…?” Her words froze on her lips as she saw a bleak look cross the man’s face. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been so nosey. Of course. I’ll just get my sewing kit – I need it all the time with my two.” She smiled.

Sitting in a deckchair in front of the chalets, Peggy quickly attached the stray button to Enid’s cardigan and put a stitch or two in several others that were also coming loose.

“There you are, it’s as good as new,” she smiled, handing back the garment. Enid’s dad had introduced himself as Jack Johnson and had sat beside her on the grass as his daughter played nearby with Trisha and Charlie.

“This is very good of you,” he said, holding the small garment in his strong hands. “I suppose I should learn about such things. It’s hard being a mother and a father to a young girl… men aren’t equipped for such things.”

“I admire you for trying. Many wouldn’t,” Peggy said gently. “May I ask about Enid’s mother… that’s if you don’t feel I’m imposing?” Jack’s eyes took on a faraway look. “She died in the Blitz saving Enid, who was only a baby. She threw her body across the cot. There wasn’t time to get to the shelter. She died instantly.” His voice cracked. “I was away in the RAF. A telegram informed me of the arrival of my daughter and the death of my wife. My life changed with that piece of paper.”

Peggy reached out and touched his arm. “Selfless love,” she whispered.

“Mum – what about that ice cream you promised us?” Charlie demanded. Jack jumped to his feet and smiled. “This will be my treat for being so generous with your time – and your sewing kit,” he said.

The two fractured families became inseparable in the days that followed. It seemed only right they sat together for meals in the large dining hall, and Trisha and her brother bonded

They moved slowly, swept up in the emotion of the song

with Enid to the extent they only parted company to go to bed after a day spent in the children’s club or at the beach.

For Peggy, it was the first time she’d had the company of a man since Stanley’s conscription. She’d have been telling a lie if she didn’t admit to enjoying the company of the ex-RAF pilot.

It was during an old-time dance in the vast ballroom that Jack showed his feelings for Peggy. They’d been laughing, attempting to join in with the Gay Gordons, when the music changed and the lights were lowered.

At once the room took on a magical air as a glitter ball twinkled overhead and the band began to play We’ll Meet Again. Jack pulled Peggy into his arms as they moved slowly through the many other couples swept up in the emotion of the song.

She could feel his heart beating and his breath close to her head, and was reminded of her Stanley. It had been too long since he’d held her just like this.

Gazing up to his face, it was natural for her lips to meet his in a fleeting kiss.

Peggy was instantly shocked by what she’d done. Pulling away and running out of the ballroom she stopped, gasping, in the cold night air, trying to come to her senses, as Jack caught up with her.

“Peggy, I’m sorry. I assumed you felt there was something between us?” he said reaching out to take her hand. “I’ve abused our friendship.”

It would be far too easy to fall in love with this charming man. “It wouldn’t be fair to my Stanley; I love him too much.”

Jack frowned. “I assumed you were free… that Stanley…”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small well-worn envelope holding it close to her heart.

“My Stanley was a prisoner of war but two months ago, I received this letter from him. He’s in a hospital in Singapore. It’ll be a while, but he will come home. We came here for our honeymoon before the war and it was his wish that I brought the children here as his treat, as he’d hung onto our happy times throughout the time he’d suffered.

“I’d not wanted to come at first and my mother told me I was a fool to waste the money, but it was something Stanley wanted us to do and here we are. I didn’t expect to… to make a friend like you.”

She felt tears threatening to spill from her eyes as she smiled at Jack.

“He’s a lucky man, Peggy. I envy him,” Jack said sadly, “but I hope we can remain friends?”

“There’s someone waiting for you. I don’t think it’ll be too long before you meet the right woman,” Peggy said as she placed the letter back into her pocket. “Why, it could even be tomorrow. Like the song says, just you wait and see.”