The Docklands Girls (18 page)

Simon Pritchard had been seconded to Southampton headquarters. The Met had sent him there to work in a different station to further his experience before he took his sergeants’ exam. He was pleased with the move. Secretly he hoped to take the opportunity to meet up again with Cora. He’d deeply regretted the way that they had parted and he knew in his heart he still had strong feelings for her. After making enquiries, he had discovered she was in Shanklin, working with her friend Belle and on the first Sunday he was free, he took the ferry to the Isle of Wight.

Cora was sitting in the garden, drinking a cup of tea after cleaning the rooms and making the beds. Belle had told her to take a break whilst she did some paperwork before they started to prep the evening meal.

She lay back, eyes closed, breathing in the sea air, feeling the warmth of the sun on her face when she heard footsteps. Thinking it was Belle, she opened her eyes and saw Simon approaching. She felt the blood drain from her body with the shock.

‘Hello Cora.’ He stood in front of her smiling. ‘What a lovely place you two have here. How are you?’

‘Simon!’ For a moment that’s all she could say. Then … ‘I’m fine, how are you? What are you doing here?’

He gestured towards a chair. ‘May I join you?’

She nodded. ‘Yes, of course.’

It was hot in the sun and he loosened his tie. ‘I’ve been sent to work in Southampton for three months and I heard you and Belle were here, so I thought I’d come and see how you were getting on. I must say you look very well.’

‘Thank you. Yes, we’ve been open for business since Easter.’ She just couldn’t seem to find the words to chat normally and everything she said sounded stilted. It was a relief to see Belle walking towards them carrying a tray of coffee. She put the tray down on a table and looked at Cora.

‘Well, what a surprise,’ she said beaming at her friend. ‘I opened the door and this young man told me who he was and that he’d come to see you.’ Her eyes twinkled mischievously.

Simon spoke up. ‘I’m in Southampton for three months and it would have been a pity not to have looked for Cora. Nice place you have here, Belle.’

‘Thank you. I fell in love with it when I was looking for somewhere to open a B & B. I knew this was the house and I was fortunate that it was on the market. Will you stay and have some lunch with us?’

Cora looked askance at her friend, but Belle ignored her.

‘After all, we can’t have you coming all this way without feeding you.’

Simon was delighted. ‘How very kind. Thank you.’

‘You stay here and talk to your friend,’ she told Cora. ‘Lunch will be in an hour, I’ll give you a call.’ With that, she left them alone.

Taking out a cigarette case, Simon held it out to Cora. She took one and he lit it for her. ‘I’ve thought about you often you know,’ he said quietly. ‘I hated the way we parted.’

She didn’t know what to say. Looking at him, he was as she remembered, but there was something different about him that she couldn’t define.

He continued. ‘I was a complete fool, I know that now and I’ve regretted it ever since.’ He gazed at her, waiting for a response.

Cora was lost for words. She had put Simon out of her mind with her past, but now seeing him again, she was utterly confused.

‘I don’t know what to say to you, Simon. You coming here has taken me completely by surprise.’

‘I’m hoping that you can forgive me for being so insensitive. I really didn’t mean to hurt you, honestly.’

She didn’t want to be reminded. ‘Let’s leave that behind, I don’t want to talk about it.’ She needed to get away from here and this intimate chat. It was too painful.

‘Let’s walk down to the beach, we have the time before lunch. Leave your jacket here and take off your tie, it’s far too hot to wear it today.’

Belle watched them walk down the path from her kitchen window and smiled. Maybe, just maybe, things were looking up for Cora. She hoped so. She’d liked Simon immediately, but time would tell. Knowing Cora
as she did, trying to push her would have the reverse effect. She would make her mind up in her own time.

The two of them walked along the beach and Cora took off her shoes and, walking into the water, paddled. She looked back at Simon.

‘Take your shoes off and come in – the water’s lovely.’

He did so, tucking up his trouser bottoms and joining her. ‘This reminds me of my childhood when my parents would take me to the beach. We’d sit and have a picnic and, when I was really small, I would paddle in the sea with my mother.’

‘And when you were older?’

‘My dad taught me to swim. They were happy days,’ then he suddenly remembered that Cora had lost her parents. ‘Oh, I’m sorry, that was insensitive of me.’

‘No, it isn’t,’ she assured him. ‘I have my happy childhood memories too. I had sixteen years of things I remember and they are very precious. The rest … well, that we’ll never know. But there are so many people who lost loved ones during the war. You eventually learn to live with it because there is no alternative. At least I had a happy childhood to remember.’

Smiling softly at her, he said, ‘You are an amazing woman, you know. But I only realised that far too late.’

She heard the regret and the affection in his voice, but she wasn’t ready to recall their happy times together, not yet.

‘We’d best get back to the house,’ she said hurriedly. ‘Belle will have the lunch ready.’

They put on their shoes and left the beach.

‘We went paddling, Belle,’ said Cora as they walked into the kitchen. ‘It was lovely, the sea was a bit cold but very refreshing.’

‘When it warms up, we should go for a swim,’ Belle suggested. ‘Mind you, I’d have to buy a costume, I don’t remember when last I wore one.’

‘Me neither,’ agreed Cora.

The lunch went well, with the three of them chatting away. Simon telling them about his work and impending exam. Belle gave him a tour of the house, which he really liked.

‘You should do well, Belle,’ he said. ‘This is such a pretty village, the house is lovely and I can vouch for the food. Give me some of your business cards and I’ll hand them round at the station.’

She beamed at him. ‘Thank you, Simon, that’s really good of you.’

They spent part of the afternoon in the garden until Belle said she had to prepare the evening meal. Cora offered to help, but Belle refused.

‘I did most of it before lunch,’ she said. ‘Why don’t you walk Simon to the ferry, by the time you come back I’ll be ready for your help.’

It was said in such a way that Cora knew not to argue, so Simon thanked Belle for her hospitality and they left.

Just before he boarded the ferry, he caught hold of Cora’s hand.

‘I can’t tell you how good it is to see you after so long and looking so well. May I come and see you again soon?’

As she looked at the smiling face that had meant so
much to her, Cora relented. ‘Yes, that would be nice.’

There was a look of relief in his eyes. ‘Thank you, I’ll call you.’ He leant forward and kissed her cheek. ‘Take care,’ he said and walked up the gangway.

When she got back to the house, there was no time to chat, it was time to get the dinner cooked as their guests would soon return. It wasn’t until dinner had been served and cleared that they sat down before doing the washing-up.

‘Well?’ asked Belle.

‘Well what?’ Cora answered.

‘Oh for God’s sake! How was it seeing Simon again and is he coming back? And by the way – I think he’s lovely!’

Cora had to laugh at her friend’s direct approach. Belle never did mince her words.

‘Yes, it was good to see him – after I got over the shock. For one moment when I opened my eyes and saw him, I really thought I was going to faint.’

‘How do you feel about him now?’

‘To be honest, Belle, I don’t know. I really loved that man and I guess I still do, deep down. But I was so hurt when we broke up. However, I have to say, he’s softened a lot. Before, everything was either black or white in his eyes, but now … he seems more sensitive, which is strange really.’

‘I don’t think it’s strange at all!’ Belle exclaimed. ‘You were hurt, but so was he – you seem to forget that and I can tell you that man is still in love with you. To me, it was as clear as day.’

‘Well, I’m not rushing into anything. He asked to come again and I said yes. We’ll see what transpires.’

Simon sat out on the deck of the ferry in the evening sun, feeling happy and relieved. When he arrived in Shanklin, he wasn’t at all sure if Cora would even see him and then when Belle let him in the house and told him to find Cora in the garden he didn’t know if she’d tell him to leave. He could see how shocked she was to see him and he held his breath for a moment until she spoke. Thankfully the afternoon went well and he was going to see her again.

He leant back in his seat and closed his eyes, remembering the happy days when they were together. The places they visited, the shows they saw and the times they slept together and were intimate. He longed for that relationship again. Her past didn’t matter any more. He loved her and wanted to be with her, care for her … love her. Although he was still on shaky ground and he knew it. But she had said he could visit again. He could hardly wait, but he had the sense to know he’d have to step carefully and slowly.

Hildy climbed off the bed where the army doctor had examined her, got dressed, and sat facing him as he smiled at her.

‘Congratulations, Mrs Miller, you are about ten weeks pregnant by my calculations. When did you last have a period?’

She could hardly cope with the excitement she felt and told him the date.

‘That’s pretty conclusive. Congratulations! Have you told your husband your news?’

‘No, I wasn’t sure. You know, what with all the excitement of coming to the States, a new life, new husband, it could have been any of those things, but when I missed my second period, then I began to hope.’

‘Well, now you can tell Sergeant Miller he’s going to be a father.’ He handed her a pile of leaflets and a small handbook. ‘Here, take these home and read them; it’ll give you lots of information about pregnancy. Come back and see me in a month, unless you’re worried about anything.’

As she walked out of the clinic, Hildy was so happy she
wanted to shout out her news. But there wasn’t anyone around and she didn’t know any of the wives well enough to want to share her news before she told her husband. It would have been lovely if she and her mother had been closer, but Olive would be the last person to be pleased for her and that was sad … but not for long. Milt was on leave from tonight and they’d planned to go to the Appalachian Mountains, where they’d hired a log cabin to spend a week up there, relaxing, walking, fishing and spending time together away from the base and the army. It was tonight when they’d settled in the cabin that she would tell him her news, she decided, and went back to their house to finish packing.

Later as she and Milt drove out of the base, Hildy let out a sigh of relief. Army life was all consuming and she could never get away from it with living there. Had they lived elsewhere, it would have felt so different. It was the only thing that Hildy regretted about her move.

‘You alright, honey?’ asked Milt, patting her knee.

‘Yes, I’m fine. Oh Milt it’s so good to get away, leave the army behind. To feel like a normal married couple.’

Laughing, he said, ‘But we are a normal married couple!’

‘Yes, I know, but you know what I mean, without the army intruding. Even having our own place to live, it’s on the base, you open the front door and all you see are uniforms and jeeps. If we lived outside then it wouldn’t feel that way.’ Then she felt guilty, after all she married Milt knowing he was a military man.

‘I’m not complaining, I guess I’ve not got used to it yet.’

‘Never mind, darling, we have a week to put that life on hold. You’ll love it in the mountains. I’ll teach you how to fish. Eating freshly caught fish tastes so different you wouldn’t believe.’

Hildy sat back enjoying the passing scenery, secretly hugging herself, knowing she had such news to tell this lovely man whom she loved even more with each passing day. He would be a great father. Strict if they had a son, teaching him to be a man, and kind and gentle if they had a daughter – as he was with her.

They eventually drove up through tall pine trees into the mountains and Hildy marvelled at the view. It was like being in another world, one she’d never seen before and one that took her breath away as she became aware of the force of nature.

Milt drew up in front of a log cabin, like those Hildy had seen in American movies, hardly able to believe she was actually there and, as they entered the huge sitting room, she was delighted to see the huge open fire, comfortable settees with colourful throws, a big basket of logs and another with fir cones, ready to put on the fire if they needed it.

The bedroom had a large double bed already made up with a patchwork quilt on the top of it. There was a big wardrobe and chest of drawers and bedside light either side of the bed atop of two small bedside tables.

‘Oh Milt! This is wonderful. Just like all the old cowboy movies I’ve seen with the homesteaders living in the woods.’ She looked at him and grinned broadly. ‘Just tell me there aren’t any marauding Indians around.’

He laughed at her delight. ‘No, Hildy. Only bears.’

She looked horrified. ‘Are you kidding?’

‘No, I’m not. They are hereabout so we shouldn’t leave any food outside, but don’t worry; we could be here all week and not see one.’

They walked through to the kitchen which was well stocked with china, cutlery and cooking utensils. Milt put down a cardboard carton of food he’d bought at the army stores and Hildy started to put it away in the fridge in the corner. Then while Milt brought in the suitcase, she filled the kettle and made some coffee.

They sat outside in the fading light drinking the coffee and admiring the scene before them. There were other cabins in the area, he told her, but they were not in sight, which made the privacy for Hildy extra special. On the base the houses were all so close together, at times, Hildy felt everyone was living with her, part of her household.

As they sat together, Hildy asked, ‘Would it be possible to rent or buy a place of our own outside the base?’

He looked surprised. ‘I guess so, why do you ask?’

‘It’s just that I’d like to bring up our children in a house with a garden, little private shops, a civilian life. Don’t get me wrong, Milt, I know that the army is your life and, although you did at one time think of leaving, it’s what you were born to do and you do it so well. You wouldn’t be happy away from it.’

He leant back in the chair. ‘You’re right, honey, it’s what I do best, but if you want to move, we can certainly think about it when we have a baby.’

‘Well, darling, I’m afraid we’ll have to start thinking about it right now. We don’t have time to waste.’

He nearly choked his coffee.

‘Hildy, are you saying you’re pregnant?’

‘Yes, you are going to be a father sometime in December!’

He leant forward, took her in his arms and kissed her. ‘Hildy, that’s marvellous!’ He kissed her again. ‘Are you alright? Did the doctor say everything was fine?’

Chuckling, she assured him she was. ‘Pregnancy isn’t an illness, Milt. It’s quite normal, you know.’

He just looked at her. ‘You have made me the happiest man alive,’ he said. ‘Come on inside, it gets chilly in the mountains at night. I’ll light the fire and we’ll cook a meal, then we can sit and decide on a name for our child.’

‘For heaven’s sake, darling, there’s plenty of time.’

‘I know, but just indulge me here. We can both make suggestions. After all, we may have quite different ideas.’ He was like a child who’d been given a new toy she thought and was amused by it.

After consuming steak and a salad, they settled by the fire, nestling close and started discussing names. At the end of the evening they still couldn’t agree and decided to do the sensible thing and buy a book of names and try again.

As they lay in bed, Milt placed his hand gently on her stomach. ‘If it’s a boy or a girl, I promise you, I’ll take care of it and you for the rest of my life. You want to move out of the base, then that’s what we’ll do.’

Hildy didn’t know she could be this happy as Milt made love to her, whispering how they would spend the rest of their lives together with the family they planned. The house he would buy for them, the holidays they
would take, how they would bring up their children and eventually in the twilight of their years, how they would sit on their porch in the evening with their grandchildren and reminisce.

The following morning after taking a shower and eating a hearty breakfast, Milt drove her to a nearby lake and tried to teach her how to cast a fishing line. It took a while, but eventually she managed and was delighted.

They put their rods in special holders and sat drinking coffee from a flask until Hildy saw her line jerk. ‘Oh my God! I’ve caught a fish!’ She jumped to her feet. ‘What do I do? Help me, Milt.’

He stood behind her showing her how to let the fish run and to suddenly tighten the line until they pulled the fish to the shore and Milt caught it in a net.

‘Well done, darling! I’ll make a hunter out of you yet.’

He, too, soon had a bite and by the afternoon they had a nice catch to take home. On the way, Milt slowly stopped the car.

‘Look,’ he said, ‘over there.’

Hildy looked in the direction he was pointing and to her dismay and eventual joy, she saw a brown bear and two cubs, walking among the trees. They sat and watched, Hildy fascinated by the sight. This was something to write and tell the girls about.

‘The most dangerous thing for anyone who comes across a bear and her young is to get between them, you remember that.’

She looked at him in surprise. ‘Milt Miller, I will never ever be in that situation – that I can promise you. I make
sure I look out of the cabin window every time you or I go outside. If I saw a bear, you wouldn’t see me for dust!’

He laughed. ‘I guess we have some time to go before you become at home in the mountains.’

‘Not true! I feel perfectly at home … in the car or in the cabin.’

Their week in the Appalachians was idyllic and when it was time to pack up and go home Hildy let out a deep sigh of regret. It had been so good to have Milt to herself twenty-four hours a day, but duty called. However, now she had something to plan for, but when she was unpacked the first thing she would do was write to Belle and Cora. They were the closest thing she had to a family and she could hardly wait to share her news.

What a shame they weren’t here with her. They would have had such a good time together. Hildy started to chuckle. She couldn’t imagine Belle living in the woods for one moment, she loved being surrounded by people. The solitude of the mountains would drive her crazy. Now Cora would probably settle better, she was so very resilient.

With those thoughts, she sat down to write to them.