A Home From Home

As the Americans celebrated Thanksgiving, it was a relief for everyone to forget their worries for a while . . .

THE steady clip-clop of the horses’ hooves made Phylly sleepy and she was having trouble keeping her eyes open. She’d gone with Ned to take boxes of fruit and vegetables to the nearby railway station and now they were on their way back to the farm.

“You nodding off?” Ned’s voice jolted her awake.

“Sorry. I didn’t get much sleep last night.” She’d managed a few hours after her late chat in the kitchen with Bea and Gracie, but it hadn’t been enough and she felt out of sorts today, her thoughts constantly returning to Edwin and worrying over his fate.

“Bea told me you were up in the night. I thought bringing you out for a change of scene might help.” He smiled at her. “Gracie and the POWS can manage on their own for a while. How about taking the rest of the day off?” Phylly shook her head. “It’s kind of you to offer, but there’s work to do. People still need feeding whether someone’s missing or not, and me moping around won’t help Edwin. It’s best to keep busy.”

They fell into silence for a while, looking out across the hedge tops from their high seat in the trap, while above them, hidden by the overcast cloud, they could hear the drone as American planes flew off on yet another bombing raid.

“There they go again,” Ned said. “The sky always full of aeroplanes, day or night.”

“But not Edwin’s plane any more.” Phylly sighed.

“He wanted me to be his girl!” she blurted out. “But we decided to wait until he’d finished his missions, then he was going to volunteer to do a groundbased job instead of going back to America with the rest of his crew. It would have been safer to be together then.”

Phylly looked down at her hands clasped tightly in her lap, her knuckles standing out white against her skin.

She’d needed to tell someone about their plans as it had been eating away at her since the news had come about Edwin being missing. Now she couldn’t shake the awful feeling that they’d been wrong to wait.

They should have grabbed the chance to be together and the happiness it would have brought them while they could.

“Why wait?” Ned asked gently.

“For several reasons, we both decided it was for the best. Edwin didn’t want to put me through the worry of waiting after seeing what Gracie went through. He didn’t think it was fair.” She sighed.

“And I was wary of loving anyone again after losing my fiancé at Dunkirk, knowing that they could be snatched away at any moment. I couldn’t face going through that again.” Ned nodded. “They’re all fair reasons.” “But maybe we were wrong! I can’t help thinking we should have snatched what happiness we could while we had the chance.” Phylly’s voice cracked and she stopped to compose herself. “Now we might never get the chance if Edwin doesn’t come back.”

“It’s hard to choose when your head tells you to do one thing, but your heart wants you to do the opposite. Which of them is right?” Ned paused. “I did a

“There’s nothing I can do to help Edwin. He’s in God’s hands now”

similar thing by not telling Edwin’s mother, Annie, how I felt. I didn’t say anything for what I thought was a good reason, then it was too late. I missed my chance.” Phylly patted his arm. “We’re a right cautious pair, aren’t we?”

“It comes out of caring for other people. War heightens emotions and speeds everything up, making every moment precious. It’s no wonder many people grab at any chance of joy they get, because you just don’t know.”

“I wish I could go back. I’d listen to my heart for once and grab my chance with Edwin.” She shook her head sadly. “But nothing can turn back time.”

“You might still get your chance to do what your heart tells you. It could happen.”

“I hope so.” Phylly smiled. “It’s all I can do.”

“What did you do today?” Bea tipped a pile of chopped onions into the pan, where they started to sizzle gently in the heat. Jimmy shrugged. “Just more sums.” He stood beside Bea, watching her stir the glistening onions, glad to be back home with her. He hadn’t wanted to go to school today, but Bea had insisted that he did, saying that Aunt Min wouldn’t have wanted him to miss his education.

He’d gone for Aunt Min, because he knew how important it was to her, but it had been a long, hard day and he’d found it impossible to concentrate on what he was supposed to be doing.

Practising long multiplication sums had no appeal when all he’d been able to think about was that Aunt Min was gone and he’d never see her again.

When the school day had finally ended he’d come straight home, back to the farmhouse, and he’d stayed close by Bea’s side since then.

Usually when he got home he’d come in for a drink and something to eat, then go out to find Ned or Jacob, or the land girls and POWS, and join in with whatever they were doing, but not today. Jimmy needed to stay close to Bea.

“Here.” She handed him the spoon she’d been using to stir the onions. “You take over for me while I cut up the meat. All right?”

Jimmy nodded and started to stir the onions.

“That’s it. Keep them moving so they don’t burn. We need to soften them up.” Bea squeezed his shoulder and went over to chop more ingredients at the table.

Jimmy concentrated on what he was doing, making patterns in the glistening onions as he moved the spoon in different directions. “Hello. I’m home.”

The voice made Jimmy jump. He turned round to see Florrie standing in the kitchen door, a wide smile lighting up her face. She put down her bag and came over to see what he was doing.

“You’re doing a good job there, my man,” Florrie said, looking over his shoulder. “I’ve been telling my sister all about you and how well you’ve settled in here. My sister said –”

“Mum.” Bea touched Florrie’s arm. “I need to talk to you.”

“What’s the matter?” Florrie asked, her face full of concern. “What’s going on?”

“Sit down and I’ll be there in a moment.” Bea added pieces of rabbit meat into the pan with the onions. “You need to brown the meat now, Jimmy. Turn each bit over so every side gets cooked. Can you do that?”

Jimmy nodded. He knew what was coming and turned his back on Bea and Florrie, focusing his attention on browning the rabbit meat just as Bea had instructed.

“Oh, no!” Florrie gasped when Bea had told her the news. “Poor Min.”

Jimmy heard a chair being pushed backwards fast and felt Florrie’s warm arms wrap around him, hugging him tightly against her lavender-scented shoulder.

“Oh, Jimmy. I’m so sorry.” Florrie’s voice was thick with tears.

“That’s not all,” Bea said. “I’m afraid there’s more bad news.”

She told Florrie about Edwin being missing.

Jimmy felt Florrie’s body stiffen as the second lot of bad news hit her. She hugged him tighter for a few moments, then loosened her arms and put her hands on his shoulders, turning him to face her.

“There’s nothing I can do to help Edwin – he’s in God’s hands now, and I hope he sends him back to us. But as for you, Jimmy . . .” She smiled at him, her kind eyes bright with tears. “There’s something I can give you that will help.”

“What do you mean?” Bea asked.

“You’ll see.” Florrie hurried out of the door and they could hear her footsteps tip-tapping up the stairs.

Bea looked at Jimmy and shrugged.

“Let’s have a look at how that meat’s doing.”

Florrie returned a few minutes later, carrying an envelope.

“It’s for you.” She handed it to Bea.

“What is it?” Bea stared at her name written on the front.

“It’s from Aunt Min. She gave it to me when she came here. Go on, open it.”

Jimmy watched as Bea opened the envelope, took out a single sheet of paper and read the words which he could see were written in Aunt Min’s distinctive handwriting.

“Oh, my!” Bea gasped, her eyes bright with tears. “Look.”

She held out the letter for them both to read.

“Dear Bea,” Jimmy read.

“I’ve given this letter to Florrie, just in case, because none of us knows what’s in store for us. Should anything happen to me, I want Jimmy to be well looked after, safe and most importantly happy.

“If the need arises I hope that he can stay with you. I’ve been so impressed with the way you’ve taken him into your home and your heart.

“If I’m no longer here to look after Jimmy, then I can think of no finer person than you to do it. Perhaps, if you are willing, you could adopt him? With my grateful thanks, Min Pritchard.”

“She was a wise woman, your aunt Min.” Florrie put her arm around Jimmy’s shoulders. “What do you think about Bea becoming your mother for real?”

Jimmy stared at Bea, who stood quietly looking at him, her eyes shining brightly. Would he like her to be his mother? He didn’t need to think about the answer, but was it what Bea wanted?

She hadn’t said a word about what she thought of Aunt Min’s suggestion. It was a big thing to take on someone else’s child for ever. Looking after an evacuee for the duration was one thing, but for ever was a lot to ask of someone.

“What do you think, Bea?” Jimmy asked.

“I think it’s a good idea,” she said quietly, “but only if you agree that it’s what you want.” She paused and smiled. “If it is what you want, then I’d be delighted to become your mother.”

Jimmy nodded and grinned.

“Yes, please!” He flung himself into Bea’s arms and hugged her tightly.

Aunt Min was gone, but she’d made sure that he was safe, cared for and loved.

It was November 1944 and Jimmy didn’t want to go. Not any more.

When Edwin had first told him about Thanksgiving back in the summer, he’d promised Jimmy that he’d take him to celebrate it with the other Americans at his airbase.

It sounded wonderful and he’d been delighted at the thought of going,

but now the day was here and his school had been invited to the nearby American airbase to celebrate, he didn’t want to go. Not without Edwin.

“Come on, Jimmy. Hurry up or you’ll be late for school!” Phylly called.

“Good.” Jimmy sat on his bed, his arms folded firmly across the front of his new blue pullover which Bea had knitted him.

The door opened and Phylly peered inside.

“You look nice in that jumper. What’s the matter, Jimmy?”

“I’m not going.” “You’re not going?” Phylly knelt down beside him.

Jimmy shook his head. “So you don’t like roast turkey and ice-cream, then?”

“I do!”

Phylly shrugged.

“It’ll be a pity to miss out on them, won’t it? All the other children are going. Do you want to be the only one that isn’t there and misses all the fun and delicious food?”

Jimmy’s throat tightened. “I can’t go.” His voice sounded odd.

Phylly took hold of his hands in hers.

“Why not?” “Because Edwin’s not going to be there.” A sob spilled out of him and somehow he found himself crying in Phylly’s arms.

“Hush,” she said softly, holding him tight. “It’s all right.”

“He said he’d take us to Thanksgiving . . .” Jimmy managed through his sobs. “I remember.” Phylly’s voice sounded strange and Jimmy pulled out of her arms and looked at her. She had tears in her eyes.

“Don’t cry, Phylly.” He did his best to smile at her.

“I’m all right.” Phylly sniffed. “We all miss him, don’t we?”

Jimmy nodded.

“Do you think he’ll come back?”

Phylly shrugged.

“I don’t know. It’s been weeks since he went missing, but I hope he’s out there somewhere and we’ll see him again one day.”

She stood up and smoothed a hand over Jimmy’s neatly combed hair.

“Come on. Let’s go.” Should he go or not, Jimmy wondered. He hesitated, torn between wanting to go yet feeling that he’d be betraying Edwin by going without him.

Phylly held out her hand to him.

“Edwin would want you to go and enjoy yourself.” “Do you think so?”

“I know so. He’d be sorry if you missed out on today.”

Jimmy stood up and took her hand. He’d go for Edwin.

“He loves his socks!” Gracie shrieked as she read her husband’s latest letter which the postman had delivered that morning. “He’s amazed that I’ve learned to knit and has put in an order for a balaclava next. Do you think I could manage that, Bea?”

“Of course you can.” Bea smiled as she poured tea into the cups lined up on the table.

Now the weather had turned colder, the land girls and POWS usually came into the farmhouse for their morning break as it gave them a chance to warm up again.

“Socks are special because you make them with love.” Benedict sat down at the kitchen table and warmed his hands around his cup of tea. “He know that.”

Gracie beamed at him. “Lots of love and a great deal of patience. I’m so happy that he likes them.”

“I make this for you.” Benedict took a small wooden heart out of his pocket and handed it to Gracie. “For you send him your heart.”

Gracie stroked the small, perfectly shaped heart which had been polished to a silky smoothness, emphasising the wood’s beautiful grain pattern.

“Oh, thank you, Benedict. This is . . .” she blinked back tears “. . . so beautiful.”

“Is like mine.” He took a half of a similar wooden heart out of his pocket and showed her. “My wife, she have other half. I make heart for you in two bits.”

Gracie saw that her own heart had a fine line running around it and she gently pulled the two pieces apart, one for her to keep and one to send to Richard.

“Benedict, for once I don’t know what to say. Thank you very much.”

Benedict bowed his head and placed his hand on his heart.

“You welcome, Gracie. This war can no stop love.”

Gracie’s eyes blurred with tears.

“You’re right. Even if we’re miles apart the love doesn’t stop. One day we’ll all be together again.”

Jimmy had never seen so much food in one place before. The long tables were groaning with platters of different foods, a lot of which he’d never seen before, and he had no idea what they were.

“Help yourself,” the serviceman who was standing in the queue behind Jimmy said. “There’s plenty to go round.”

Holding his plate in front of him, Jimmy didn’t know where to start. Most of his classmates didn’t have the same problem and were already helping themselves, piling food on to their plates.

“I’m not sure . . .” “What’s your name?” the American asked. “I’m Buddy.”

“It’s Jimmy.”

“OK, then, Jimmy, let me help you. First off, you can’t have a Thanksgiving dinner without turkey, then you should have some creamed potato, cornbread . . .”

Buddy guided him along the serving table, explaining what each food was and recommending what to try. Jimmy remembered his manners, saying please and thank you when he was offered something, and Buddy added it to their plates.

His plate quickly filled up with food. Jimmy was willing to try it because the Americans had gone to a great deal of trouble to make the magnificent dinner for them.

Buddy led him over to one of the long tables where children and servicemen were sitting side by side tucking into their food.

“So did you enjoy your ride here in the truck?” Buddy asked.

“Yes, thank you,” Jimmy said as they sat down. “But they had to lift us in because it was so high up. Even the teachers needed help.”

The Americans had collected them from school in two large, canvascovered trucks where the children and teachers had sat on long benches along each side.

“OK, time to try your first Thanksgiving dinner,” Buddy said. “Try putting a bit of cranberry sauce on your turkey. It makes it taste real good.”

Jimmy watched as Buddy dipped a piece of turkey into the red, jam-like sauce before popping it into his mouth, and as he chewed a look of joy spread across his face. Would he like it, too, Jimmy wondered.

Turkey with jam wasn’t how they ate it in Britain, but then they didn’t normally celebrate Thanksgiving, either.

Today was a day to try new things, Jimmy reminded himself. He’d never know what it was like unless he tried it, and Edwin liked it, so it must be all right.

“Do you remember what happened the first time I took you home?” Phylly asked as she walked Jimmy home under an inky-black, starlit sky.

She’d met him from school where the American trucks had returned the children and teachers long past their usual home-time, but worth it for the special occasion.

“Of course.” Jimmy’s breath came out in a misty plume in the cold night air. “We had to jump in a ditch after you waved at that German plane.”

“Don’t remind me.” Phylly shivered at the thought of what could have happened that day

and how stupid she’d been, waving at an enemy plane. Luckily for them, he hadn’t tried to shoot them.

“That’s when we first met Edwin. He nearly ran us over and I was really angry with him.”

Tears stung Phylly’s eyes as she remembered how kind and polite Edwin had been, even after she’d shouted at him.

He was always so generous-hearted and lovely – so easy to love.

The word slipped so easily into her mind. Just four little letters, but which meant so much. If only he were still here . . .

But there was no news, and the longer it was since Edwin went missing, the less likely it seemed that he’d ever come back.

Phylly still hoped she’d see him again, but her mind had begun to betray her with thoughts that he might be gone for ever. She tried hard to stay positive and hopeful, but sometimes it was so hard.

“I was really scared of going to live at Catchett’s Farm,” Jimmy admitted. “I thought it would be like the first time I was evacuated and Bea would beat me for being late.”

“She’d never do that.” “I know that now, but I didn’t then.”

“A lot has changed since you arrived,” Phylly told him. “It’s only been a few months, but it feels a lot longer in some ways. Things have happened in our lives that we never expected.”

“You mean like Aunt Min dying?”

Phylly put her arm around Jimmy’s shoulders and hugged him to her.

“Yes, like Aunt Min dying. She was very proud of you, you know that, don’t you? And so glad that you’re safe and happy here.”

“I know.” Jimmy’s voice wobbled. “I still miss her.”

“Of course you do. She was a big part of your life and you don’t get over missing someone who’s important to you quickly.” “Do you miss Edwin?” Phylly swallowed hard. “Yes, I do.”

“The Americans at the Thanksgiving reminded me of him,” Jimmy said. “They were all kind and polite and called our teachers ma’am, just like Edwin used to call Florrie and Bea.”

“And they put a sort of jam on their turkey,” Jimmy said. “I wasn’t sure about having any, but Buddy said I should try it and I liked it. The Americans call it cranberry sauce.”

Phylly looked around at everyone listening to Jimmy describing the things he’d seen and done at the Thanksgiving celebration.

Bea, Florrie, Ned, Jacob and Gracie were gathered around the table, cosy in the farmhouse kitchen with the range filling the room with warmth.

These were people whom Phylly hadn’t known a few years or even months ago, but now were family to her.

The war was a terrible thing, but it had brought them together, people who otherwise would never have come to know each other, and they had shared both difficult and good times. She was glad she was part of it.

She treasured times like this as they helped to ease the terrible ache of missing Edwin for a short while.

“The ice-cream we had was made in a B24 Liberator. They flew it high enough to make it freeze solid,” Jimmy said excitedly, “and it was still frozen when the plane landed.”

“The Americans know how to entertain people,” Florrie said. “We should invite Buddy and some others for tea as a thank-you.”

“You could make them some scones,” Jimmy said. “Edwin likes them.”

“Yes, he certainly does,” Florrie said, smiling at Phylly.

“Come on, Jimmy.” Bea stood up. “If you want me to read the next chapter of ‘Wind In The Willows’ you need to go to bed, else we’ll have to wait until tomorrow night to find out what happens to Mr Toad.”

“Night, everyone.” Jimmy followed Bea out of the door to a chorus of goodnight wishes.

Gracie started collecting the last of the plates from the table.

“Let’s get the washing-up done now, Phylly. I want to be ready when Bea comes down, so she can get me started on knitting a balaclava. You wash and I’ll dry.”

While Phylly washed up she thought about what Jimmy had told them. It gave her a better understanding of what Edwin’s life was like on his airbase.

She was just finishing the last plate when she heard the sound of a vehicle driving into the farmyard.

Pulling back the black-out curtain, she peered out but couldn’t see much except the weak beams of light coming through the gaps in the headlight covers. She couldn’t see who it was.

“We’re not expecting anyone, are we?” Ned stood up from the table where he was working his way through some of the latest government forms that had been sent to the farm.

“Not that I know of,” Jacob replied. “Could be someone on Home Guard business.”

He got up from his chair by the range.

“I’ll go and see.”

“Go with him, Ned,” Florrie said.

Phylly watched as the two men went outside, taking care to close the door behind them. She could hear raised voices outside, and moments later Ned burst back into the kitchen.

“We’ve got an American visitor.”

A heavy, sickening feeling flooded through Phylly. Had there been news about Edwin? Had they found out what had happened to him?

She closed her eyes and held on to the side of the sink. She heard the door open and the sound of people coming in, but didn’t dare look.

These could be the last few precious moments when she could go on hoping that there would be good news, before it was shattered for ever.

“Edwin!” Florrie shrieked. Phylly snapped her eyes open as Florrie rushed across the kitchen and flung her arms around him. He squeezed her back then looked directly at Phylly, their eyes meeting and holding for what seemed like an age.

He smiled at her, his eyes crinkling up at the corners.

“You’ve lost weight,” Florrie said, loosening her hold on him and stepping back to give him a good look up and down. Edwin laughed.

“I couldn’t get any scones where I’ve been.”

“We’ll soon remedy that.” Florrie took hold of his arm and marched him over to the table. “Gracie, make some more tea, and Phylly, fetch those fresh scones out of the pantry, please.”

Phylly’s legs felt as if they were filled with jelly as she made her way to the pantry, where she stood quietly for a few moments, breathing slowly to try to calm her racing heart down.

She couldn’t quite believe that Edwin was here, but she could hear his voice with its lovely American twang as he answered a barrage of questions.

She swallowed hard to stop herself from crying. She mustn’t make a fool of herself, because a treacherous thought had crept into her mind.

Edwin might have come back, but did he still want her to be his girl? After all he’d been through he might have changed his mind and want to get back to America as soon as he could.

Carrying the scones through to the kitchen, Phylly was almost knocked off her feet by a whirlwind in striped pyjamas rushing past her.

“Edwin!” Jimmy launched himself at Edwin, who stood up and caught the boy in his arms. “You’re home! I’ve been to Thanksgiving today and it was as good as you said it was. I even liked the cranberry sauce.”

Edwin laughed and ruffled Jimmy’s hair.

“I’m glad you got to celebrate Thanksgiving, Jimmy.”

“So what happened to you?” Gracie asked a short while later when they were all once again

sitting round the kitchen table with cups of tea and Edwin had satisfied Florrie by eating two scones.

“Our plane was in trouble. Two engines were gone and we were losing height. Captain ordered us to bail out and he stayed on to try to bring her home to England.

“He did it, too. Just got her over the Channel and landed at an RAF base. Those of us who bailed out had to do our best to make it on our own behind enemy lines.”

Phylly was relieved to be sitting down as the truth behind Edwin being MIA came pouring out.

“Have you all come back?” Jacob asked. Edwin shook his head. “I’m the only who made it home. There was a strong cross wind and we were blown far from each other. The rest were captured and are POWS, but I was lucky and got picked up by the Resistance.

“They hid me and kept moving me from place to place until I was passed over to the Allied side again. It took a long time to find my way home.”

“Does your mother know you’re safe?” Bea asked.

“A telegram’s been sent and I’ve written to her.”

“She’ll be so relieved.” Ned said.

Phylly knew how worried Ned had been about Edwin’s mother.

“Why don’t you write to her, Ned? I’m sure she’d be glad to hear from you.” Edwin nodded.

“She sure would.”

“I will. Thank you.” Ned caught Phylly’s eye and smiled warmly at her.

Perhaps he’ll get to meet Edwin’s mother again, Phylly thought, and have another chance to tell her how he feels.

“So what’s been happening here while I’ve been gone?” Edwin asked.

“Aunt Min died,” Jimmy said. “She left a letter asking Bea to be my new mum and she’s going to adopt me.”

Edwin listened as Bea and Jimmy told him what had happened.

“I’m sorry, Jimmy, but Bea will look after you. She’ll be a proper mom to you.”

“Come on, Jimmy, it’s time you went to bed,” Bea said. “You’ll be able to see Edwin again soon.”

“You sure will. I’m done with missions – that was my last one.”

“You’ll be going home, then?” Ned asked. Edwin shook his head. “No, sir. I’ve volunteered to become a paddle foot.”

So he wasn’t going back to America, Phylly thought. Was there a chance for them after all?

“What’s that?” Gracie asked.

“It’s what fly boys call ground staff.” Edwin looked at his watch. “I have to go. They weren’t keen on me coming out on my first night back, but I had to see you.” He stood up. “Phylly, would you mind showing me out?”

“Of course.” She followed him to the door.

“See you soon, everybody,” Edwin said. “It’s good to be back.”

As soon as they were outside, Edwin grabbed hold of both of her hands.

“Oh, Phylly, I’ve missed you.” His voice cracked. “I thought about you all the time I was away.”

“I was worried you might have changed your mind about me.”

“No, never! The thought of coming back to you kept me going. I was determined to get back to you.”

He hadn’t changed his mind. Phylly’s heart leapt with joy.

“I kept hoping and hoping you’d come back.” Edwin stepped closer. “I didn’t ask before, but I’m back for good now, so Phylly, will you be my girl? Will you marry me, please?” “Marry?”

“Why not? Why wait? We waited before and I wish we hadn’t.”

“Me, too.”

“So will you?”

Phylly threw her arms around him, not ever wanting to let him go. She’d turned down a chance to be with Edwin before and she wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice.

The End.