Cockney Orphan (17 page)

‘Nearly but not quite.’ Ada touched her hair. ‘I’m still officially single.’

Len’s eyes widened comically. ‘Is that so, Miss Freeman?’

‘Oh yes it is, Mr English.’

Connie smiled as the pair acted the fools, relieving the tension of the Monday morning that had brought with it yet another wave of disaster.

‘Anyway, let’s look on the bright side,’ Len suggested as he took a last drag on his cigarette. ‘Mr Burns said we might get our old office back.’

‘This time, I bags the stool by the window,’ Ada cried. ‘I want to look at the river. It makes me feel like everything is back to normal.’

‘Talking of normal,’ Len mused, ‘I might unlock Mother from the cupboard tonight.’

‘Get away with you!’ Ada screeched. ‘She’s not locked up, is she?’

Len kept a straight face. ‘I’ve lost the key to the handcuffs, though.’

Ada giggled, nudging his arm. ‘I wish my Wally had a few laughs up his sleeve. He used to be such a giggle. These days he’s a right old misery guts. Ever since he was told he had
flat feet and wasn’t eligible for the call-up. And when those five incendiary bombs fell on Maconochie’s where he works, in February, it was the highlight of his life. He ain’t
stopped talking about it since.’

‘At least he’s safe,’ Connie reminded her friend.

‘Yeah, course.’ Ada glanced at Len. ‘Go on, tell us about your mum, again. I feel like I want to laugh until I cry, if you know what I mean.’

Connie listened as Len obliged. But under his humour she sensed a thread of desperation, and it was what Ada didn’t say about her life that worried Connie. War brought out the best and
worst in everyone. People’s lives changed in ways that no one would have ever dreamed of. Ada’s family were now settled in Kent and urging her to join them. Was Ada considering going?
Was her great love affair with Wally over? Len made jokes about his mother, but sometimes Connie felt he wanted to be taken seriously. Dealing with an eccentric mother must be exhausting.

‘I’d offer you a fag for your thoughts but I suspect they’re priceless.’

Connie looked up. Len and Ada were staring at her. Len shook his head. ‘I’m gonna call you the Mona Lisa from now on. You’ve always got a smile on your face these
days.’

Ada giggled as she threaded her arm through Len’s. ‘Well, she’s got something to smile about, hasn’t she? Her Vic’s due for leave any day now.’

Connie’s heart somersaulted. Vic’s letter had arrived last week. He was coming home! After five long months away she would be holding him close once more.

C
onnie jumped off the bus in Westferry Road. It was a lovely May evening, but the country was in shock. HMS
Hood
, Britain’s beloved
flagship, had been sunk by the German battleship
Bismarck
. It was thought that only a handful of her 1,421 crew had been saved. Everyone had listened to the radio reports trickling in and
disbelievingly read the newspapers. At work, voices had been hushed and incredulous as the tragedy became clear. Connie’s thoughts were with Vic, who had not written since his last letter
saying he hoped to get leave. Where was he? Would he come home soon? Did the disastrous events that had unfolded at sea reflect in his life?

Nan, with Lucky astride her hip, opened the door to Connie. ‘Hello, love. Come in and sit down.’

Connie kissed them both, taking the child into her arms. ‘Hello, mischief, have you been a good boy?’

Lucky gurgled and offered her his blue elephant. Connie squeezed him tight, then looked at Nan. ‘Where’s Lofty?’

‘In the backyard, nailing up the broken fence. He’ll be in soon. Sit yourself down.’

Connie took Lucky into the front room and, moving aside the usual clutter from the couch, she sank down with a sigh. ‘I’m glad to be finished today. Everyone had their chins on the
floor with such depressing news.’

‘The nation’s grieving, love,’ Nan agreed, sitting beside her. ‘I was up the shops this morning and they was all talking about Kathleen Walker’s sister, that lives
up Poplar. Her husband was serving on the
Hood
, just boarded at the last refit.’

‘Oh, Nan. I don’t know what I’d do if something like that happened to Vic.’ Connie hugged Lucky against her, trying to tell herself she was strong. But since the terrible
news she wasn’t so certain any more. Now she was engaged to be married and the reality of what she had done had come home to her. She was worrying herself silly over Vic’s safety. And
as far as she knew, he hadn’t even left England yet!

‘You’d do like all the rest,’ Nan said steadily, ‘and keep hoping. That’s what keeps us afloat. Hope in the future.’

Connie knew that Nan was trying to bolster her spirits. But Lofty was only out in the backyard, repairing a fence and within calling distance. Then she felt ashamed of herself. If he
wasn’t too old Lofty would have volunteered for the front line too. And Nan would have risen to the occasion, just like she always did.

‘Now, would you like a bit of tea with us?’ Nan asked, straightening the ties of her pinny. ‘I’ve got a nice pot of stew on the go.’

Connie smiled gratefully. ‘No thanks, Nan. I’d better get home. Mum’s still anticipating a raid tonight even though we haven’t had one in almost two weeks.’

‘Let’s hope Jerry has his hands full.’ Nan nodded as they walked to the front door. ‘If Adolf ’s got his panzers on their way to Moscow, as they say he has, then it
will take the strain off us. Nevertheless, my heart goes out to those poor souls he’s turned his attention on.’

Connie nodded sadly. ‘Thanks for having Lucky, Nan.’

‘You don’t have to thank me, it’s a pleasure.’ She put a hand on Connie’s arm. ‘Any news from the Welfare?’

‘They allocated me the extra coupons for Lucky, so I’m officially a war nanny.’

Nan smiled, showing her large front teeth. ‘Had another letter from Vic?’

‘Yes, but no date for his leave. I’m beginning to think that him coming home is just wishful thinking.’

‘He’ll turn up, ducks. Now, give my love to your mum. I’ve not seen her in a couple of days, so tell her I’ll call later in the week.’

Bidding Nan goodbye Connie made her way home. Lucky blew bubbles and made noises in his own baby language. She loved this time of the day. Cuddling and playing with him seemed to draw her closer
to Vic. The memory of Gilbert Tucker was receding fast.

She kissed Lucky’s blond head as she stood in the evening sunlight outside the house. She didn’t want to go in. Spring had arrived. The nightly bombing had ceased after nine long
months of continuous raids. A neighbour from down the road, Mrs Baines, and her two children strolled by. They called out hello and Mr Haskins from number ninety-one passed, raising his cap. Groups
of young children played hopscotch again.

A young man walked towards her whistling. He was tall and dark, like Vic. As he grew closer she saw it was Ben Shutler, from six doors up.

‘All right, Con?’ he cried, and she smiled.

‘And you, Ben?’

‘Got me call-up at last,’ he said, pausing briefly at the gate. ‘Can’t wait to get going.’

‘Your mum will miss you,’ Connie said sadly.

‘Yeah, but when I come home on leave it’ll be a pat on the back,’ Ben joked as he walked on, ‘instead of a flea in me ear for being a dirty stopout.’

Connie watched him saunter off. Ben had been a handful to his mum and dad and was known as being a bit of spiv by the local residents. But he didn’t lack courage and had been waiting
eagerly for his call-up papers. Watching him swagger down the road, Connie’s heart tugged. So many young men sent to war, including her Vic. Oh, when would she see him again?

The evening was quiet and skies remained clear except for the barrage balloons swaying above like huge metallic clouds. The residents of Kettle Street gossiped on doorsteps and the kids dared to
stay out longer.

Connie went indoors. The house was empty. She knew that her parents had gone for a walk to Island Gardens. Billy spent his evenings in Taffy’s shed for what he called his fitness
instruction. By day he helped Taffy on the roofs. He won more of his fights than he lost and had kept his promise to stay out of trouble. The nights when they were cooped up in the Anderson seemed
a long way away.

Much later, when Lucky was asleep, Connie went out into the yard. She sat down on the bench that she and Billy had spent so many hours sitting on in the Blitz. Dad had filled in the hole with
the debris from the shelter and laid earth on top. A few brave weeds were working their way up to the light.

A soft wind blew her hair lightly around her shoulders. The smell of the river was back again, unpolluted by the odour of cordite. The evening stretched long and lonely before her. Kevin and
Sylvie had asked her to go to the pictures. Mum and Dad would have looked after Lucky, but she didn’t want to play gooseberry. Connie envied Sylvie not having to worry about Kevin going in
the forces. His engineering job at the factory making components for radar was a reserved occupation.

If only Vic would come home. She would marry him tomorrow! Not having a big wedding didn’t matter. She just wanted to be his wife. Five months apart had made her realize how much she loved
him.

She looked up at the beautiful spring sky now going dusky. The gulls were screeching over clouds tinged with a delicate, rosy hue. It was a true English evening. There was even a blackbird on
the soil, digging away with its yellow beak. Connie lifted her face to the warm breeze and sighed.

Suddenly a pair of hands slipped over her eyes. ‘Guess who?’

She couldn’t breathe or speak.

‘Blow me down, that’s the quietest I’ve ever heard my girl.’

Then Connie was in his arms, her heart beating so wildly she was afraid it would burst. Tears of joy trickled down her cheeks and sobs of delight filled her throat.

‘Oh, Vic! Oh, Vic, I don’t believe it.’

‘You’d better.’ He kissed her passionately. ‘There, does that help?’

She nodded. ‘I was thinking of you and you appeared . . .’

‘Oh, sweetheart, I’ve missed you so much!’

She pressed her lips hard against his. ‘Say that again.’

‘I’ve missed you so much—’

‘No.’ She lifted her mouth, whispering softly, ‘just say sweetheart.’

He held her face between his hands. ‘Sweetheart,’ he whispered huskily, ‘my own dear sweetheart.’

She trembled in his arms. ‘I nearly faint when you call me that.’

A twinkle came into his eyes. ‘That’s what all damsels do just before getting saved. They faint into a pair of strong arms and get taken off on horseback.’

She was laughing and wiping away the tears. ‘Oh, just look at your uniform!’ She inspected the slim-fitting dark blue tunic and flared trousers that moulded his body. He looked
taller than ever and, yes, a little older, though she couldn’t quite see why. His lovely dark eyes had a new expression that made her feel both proud and sad at the same time.

‘How long have you got?’

‘Till the end of the week.’

‘Is that all?’

‘I’m lucky to have got that.’ He lifted her chin. ‘There’s so much I’ve got to tell you and so much I want to know.’

‘Come inside. Are you hungry?’

‘Not for food.’ He kissed her again and her head swam with joy.

‘Have you seen Gran yet?’ she asked as he took her hand and they walked into the house.

‘No. I came straight here. Where is everyone?’

‘Out, making the most of the quiet. We haven’t had a raid recently, though the last one was terrible. A lot of the city was demolished, even the House of Commons was hit. But with
the news about Russia, people are saying it might be the end of the Blitz.’ She pulled him along to the front room. They gazed into Lucky’s cot. ‘Do you think he’s
grown?’ she whispered, watching Vic’s face as he gazed at the sleeping child.

‘You know, he looks the spit of you.’

‘Yes, he does,’ Connie admitted, a little embarrassed. ‘Let’s sit down and talk.’

In hushed whispers and holding hands, they tried to catch up on the news. Vic traced the shape of her ring with his finger.

‘Anything about Lucky?’ he asked.

‘No.’ She wasn’t going to mention Gilbert Tucker. She didn’t want to spoil a lovely evening.

‘Let me look at you.’ He took her face between his hands and kissed her long and hard. ‘You’re more beautiful than ever.’

Connie didn’t want the kissing or the loving to stop. Her body cried out for him. She felt as though she had been starved for a year.

‘We’re home!’ Olive’s call made them jump apart. Connie sighed. Whenever would they find time to themselves?

Her parents followed by Kevin and Sylvie tumbled into the room and swept Vic into their warm embrace.

The next day Connie asked Mr Burns if she could take time off. In view of the circumstances, he agreed. When the hooter went at five thirty, she flew down the stairs and
hurried towards the gates, Ada running beside her. Vic was waiting in his uniform. All the girls were staring at him. Connie felt very proud.

Ada nudged her arm. ‘What an eyeful he makes, Con.’

‘I can’t believe he’s home.’

‘I’d never have come to work today if it was me.’

‘I didn’t want to let Mr Burns down. He’s very good to let me go at such short notice. And now I’ve got Lucky I need my job.’

‘Hello, Ada.’ Vic bent to kiss her cheek.

‘How’s the navy, Vic?’

He grinned. ‘I’ve got to find a ship first.’

Connie looked up at her handsome fiancé. He was so good looking! She wanted to hug and kiss him all the time.

‘Right, we’d better be off,’ he said, grabbing Connie’s hand. ‘I don’t have the car any more, so it’s Shanks’s pony I’m afraid.’

Ada winked. ‘Enjoy yourselves.’

‘We will.’

They walked hand in hand and Connie felt she could burst with pride. People they passed looked in admiration at the tall young man beside her.

‘What would you like to do?’ he asked as they made their way home. ‘We could push Lucky out in the pram. Don’t think there’s any chance of a raid, do
you?’

‘Hope not,’ Connie agreed as she felt the exhilaration flow through her veins. ‘It would be nice to be by ourselves.’ She felt her cheeks go pink.