Under the July Sun

by Barbara Jones

But it was Ellie she wanted to see most. Ellie she wanted to hold; gossip to, and cry with. She wanted to do just about everything with her, but had to hold back. Ellie had a husband and she would have to share her sister with him.

  Michael was stacking the trunks and suitcases in the room and straightened up moaning about his back strain.

  ‘Jesus this woman has more clothes than the Queen of Sheeba, he laughed.

  ‘Michael,’ Cat said, ‘D’ya remember when ye first came to dinner at our house in Crookston Road?’

  ‘Would I ever forget it, ye little minxes? I’ve played that trick on several people since. Always works a treat.’ He laughed, and Cat knew then that the same old fun-loving Michael was back. He hadn’t changed and they would get along just fine.

  Every so often, Cat stole at glance at Ellie. She looked so old. Her hair was not the only change in her. Something had died in her sister. She seemed subdued and resigned. Maybe she would feel better once they saw more of each other. She hoped so.

  After a while Cat decided it would be diplomatic to leave the couple to themselves.

  ‘Well, I’ll be gettin’ off home now. Why not come up to my house and have dinner tomorrow after Mass, I assume ye’ll be goin’?’

  ‘Probably give Mass a miss tomorrow, Cat. We’ll take some time sortin’ everythin’ out and we’re pretty tired. Too tired for either seven o’clock or eleven o’clock Mass, but we’ll come to dinner – if that’s okay with ye?’

  ‘Okay? What kind of a word is that?’

  ‘Oh ’tis an American word – it means all right, or somethin’ near to that.’

  ‘Well, then it is okay. I’ll see ye about one o’clock. Now I’ll explain how to get there.’

  Next day, Ellie and Michael arrived for lunch and Cat was deliriously happy. She opened a couple of bottles of her homemade wine and it wasn’t long before they all were quite merry.

  Anna, Eileen and Elizabeth had stayed in specially to greet their aunt and uncle, although Elizabeth went out to play in the afternoon with her friend next door.

  Ellie seemed more relaxed than she had the day before and Cat put her sister’s mood down to travel weariness. She couldn’t wait to take up the threads of their former relationship. So much had happened to them both. Scarred by tragedy, they had come through and out the other side, only to be left denuded of something neither could define.

  Ellie wanted to know all about their life so Cat spent quite a while talking about Reggie and Maureen and their children, and Lize and Louis’ mother, who even now still wouldn’t receive her.

  She explained about the shop and how her mother-in-law lived above it in a flat with Lize, Louis’ sister. She told about Iris and Fred’s family, Brian and George their children, but said they lived in Essex so hardly ever saw them.

  Cat noticed as she mentioned Reggie that Anna sneered, and she meant to have it out with her later but not until after Ellie and Michael had gone.

  Photographs came out and they poured over them laughing at the old fashioned clothes, but beneath the mirth was an undercurrent of unspoken melancholy.

  By the time Ellie and Michael decided they should go they had covered quite a distance in remembrance, but some of the things that had caused most pain were avoided. They did not mention Catherine or Marie. It was as though both sisters knew the safety boundaries – and to go no further. It would wait.

  * * *

  Later that night, Billy arrived home unexpectedly.

  ‘Good Heavens, Billy,’ Cat laughed, ‘this is a lovely surprise. Why didn’t ye let me know ye were comin’ home? We’ll have to have a bit of a re-shuffle with the beds,’ she added. ‘Wait now, I’ll put the kettle on before I do that.’

  She called to Anna and Eileen to come downstairs and greet their brother and within seconds both girls flew downstairs and threw their arms around his neck.

  Cat watched them with a tinge of sadness. How like Louis he had grown. About the same height, that same chestnut brown hair and Louis’ eyes.

  ‘Anyway Billy,’ Cat said as she disappeared into the kitchen to fill the kettle, ‘ye haven’t told us what brings ye home on a Sunday night.’

  Billy hesitated and both girls looked at him as though anticipating what he was about to say.

  ‘I’ve got my call-up papers,’ he said.

  Cat spun round from the kitchen doorway.

  ‘Oh no! Oh my God. I thought ye were safe workin’ in the medical profession. I didn’t think they’d call ye up from the hospital.’

  Billy sighed and sat down.

  ‘I have to report for duty in two days for training and then I’m to go into the R.A.M.C.’

  ‘What’s that, a department at the hospital?’

  ‘No, it’s the Royal Army Medical Corps, Mum. I won’t be fighting, but I will be out there amongst it all, bringing home the wounded and tending to them once we get them here. That’s if I don’t get shot on the way.’ He gave a funny little laugh.

  ‘Billy! I don’t want to hear ye joke about it – ye’ll put the mockers on yerself. Oh God I never thought I’d see the day. First yer father, now ye. God help us.’ She went back into the kitchen and turned on the tap, hoping the noise of running water would drown the sound of her crying.

  83

  Eltham

  June 1941

  ‘C’mon in, Reggie. Hi there Maureen, and here’s the little darlins’ come to see their auntie too. ’Tis good to see ye.’

  The family went into the front room and Ellie and Michael stood to welcome them.

  Cat smiled at them.

  ‘Reggie, ye remember me sister Ellie, don’t ye?’

  ‘Yes, I think so. How are you Ellie?’

  ‘Oh I’m grand thanks. This is Michael, me husband, Reggie.’

  Reggie shook hands with him and Charlie, the elder of his two boys, shook hands with Michael too. Little Louis, as Reggie’s youngest boy had become known, held back and hid behind his mother.

  ‘Louis,’ Maureen coaxed, ‘c’mon and say hello now.’

  ‘Ah, don’t worry him. He he’ll be grand once he gets to know us,’ Ellie laughed.

  ‘So, Ellie,’ Reggie said, ‘Cat tells us you are back working at Woolwich Arsenal.’

  ‘I am indeed and it doesn’t seem as though I ever left England. We’re both workin’ there at present, Michael and I, that is.’

  ‘Bet the noise gets you down, doesn’t it?’

  ‘Ah, ye get used to it,’ Ellie said sitting down again, ‘and anyway it’s work, that’s the main thing.’

  ‘Sure is,’ Michael added.

  ‘Is my mum joining us this afternoon, Cat?’

  ‘Sure, she’ll be along soon. Anna popped round there earlier to give her a hand in the shop now she opens Sundays, and she said she’d be here about four o’clock.’

  ‘I ought to go and see Granny some time,’ Reggie said, ‘but to be quite honest, by the time I get finished up in my shop at night, I just don’t get time to do much else except sit in the armchair and fall asleep.’

  Cat uncovered the pile of sandwiches and salad she had prepared, along with butterfly cakes and some scones baked that morning.

  ‘C’mon now and dig in folks,’ she said, then squatting before little Louis added, ‘will I get ye a sandwich?’ Louis nodded and she planted a kiss on his forehead. ‘Good boy,’ she said smiling at him, ‘I’ll get ye an egg one, ye like them don’t ye?’ The boy nodded and she went to the table to put some food on a plate for him.

  Maureen sat chatting to Eileen and Cat asked Reggie if he’d open a couple of bottles of beer for himself and Michael.

  ‘Eileen, will ye go next door and fetch Elizabeth now please?’ Cat asked ‘and Anna, will ye put Tipper outside for a run please, there’s a love?’

  Eileen went next door to bring Elizabeth home and Anna shut Tipper out in the back garden, then closed the door with a bang.

  ‘Jesus, Anna I asked ye to put the dog out, not shake the whole house down.’ Cat laughed.
>
  Anna just scowled.

  Oh don’t say she’s going to get into a mood just because Reggie and the family are here again, Cat thought, I don’t know what gets into her when they are here, and it makes me feel as though I’m walkin’ on eggshells.

  She felt a knot of anguish in her stomach.

  ‘Yoo, hoo. Came Lize’s voice as she let herself in through the back door. ‘Cat I’ve brought you some bits and pieces from the shop and, I’d better spell it out Maureen, but I’ve got some s.w.e.e.t.s for the boys.’

  ‘Ah ye spoil them, thanks though ’tis very good of ye,’ Maureen said.

  Lize turned to Billy. ‘When are you off?’

  ‘First thing tomorrow, I can’t wait.’

  ‘Oh don’t be in too much of a rush, Billy. If it’s anything like the last war, everyone thought it was something magnificent to join up to, a touch of glory for all the boys, except it wasn’t so glorious for all of us left as widows.’

  ‘No, I don’t suppose so Auntie, but I’ll be fine. Just look after Mum for me will you?’

  ‘Of course. Don’t worry.’

  ‘Well we’re all here then, except Eileen and Elizabeth,’ Cat said, taking some sandwiches for herself just as Eileen came in, minus Elizabeth.

  ‘Where’s Elizabeth?’ Cat queried

  ‘She doesn’t want to come. She said she’s playing with Carol next door.’

  Furious, Cat told Eileen to go right back and fetch her and there was not to be any nonsense from her.

  Eileen shrugged and left once more to get Elizabeth. When they returned Elizabeth crept in and sat on the arm of the chair next to Ellie.

  ‘Well, Pet,’ Ellie said stroking her arm, ‘were ye havin’ a nice game with Carol?’

  Elizabeth nodded.

  ‘Well get yerself some tea now, and maybe yer mummy will let ye out again after,’ Ellie said, and Elizabeth slid off the arm and approached the table.

  Reggie happened to go to the table for some food at the same time and Elizabeth immediately took a sideways step away from him.

  ‘Elizabeth,’ Cat said, ‘say hello to yer cousins.’

  ‘Hello,’ she said without turning round.

  ‘Here, young lady, where’s yer manners? Turn round and say it properly,’ Cat said, furious that Elizabeth was displaying what she thought to be downright rudeness.

  Elizabeth turned and said hello to Charlie and Louis in an unenthusiastic tone and then continued putting food on her plate.

  Maureen accidentally dropped a sausage roll onto the floor and Cat then asked Elizabeth to go and fetch a dustpan and brush from the kitchen. ‘No, don’t pick it up to eat it Maureen, take another one. Tipper can have that,’ Cat said.

  Elizabeth took the dustpan out to the kitchen and opened the back door. She stepped outside and called Tipper and was then aware that Reggie was behind her.

  She ran into the middle of the garden and Tipper frolicked around her thinking it was a game. She gave him the sausage roll and then ran around the circumference of the garden, out of the side gate and through to the front garden.

  Reggie stood still for a moment and then strolled back indoors.

  ‘Where’s that child?’ Cat asked him.

  ‘Gone off out to play again I think,’ Reggie said, stuffing a sausage roll into his mouth.

  ‘Eileen, will ye go and get her in here this minute, I won’t have her runnin’ off in the middle of eatin’. We’re all here to send Billy off and she’s not goin’ out to play with Carol while all the family are here.’

  ‘I’ll get her, Eileen. You stay there and finish your food,’ Anna offered, and Eileen, looking surprised at the offer, sat down to continue eating.

  Anna went to the side of the house and through the gate to the front garden where she found Elizabeth sitting on the front step.

  ‘Shove over,’ she said to her and Elizabeth moved over to make room for her. Anna put her arm around Elizabeth and cuddled her.

  ‘What’s up?’ she asked.

  ‘Nothing.’

  ‘Come on, Elizabeth, you seem very jumpy.’

  ‘No I’m not! I just don’t want to be inside, I want to go out and play and Mum won’t let me ’cos they’re here.’

  ‘Well it’s a send-off for Billy; can’t you just stay in a bit for that?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Then why don’t you come in now, stay for some food and then maybe Mum will let you go out again later.’

  ‘Anna, I don’t want to come in.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘I don’t know. I feel as if I’m going to choke on the food.’

  ‘What on earth for? Have you got a sore throat or something?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Then what is it?’

  Elizabeth began screwing the hem of her dress round and round her finger. ‘Don’t tell Mum will you?’

  ‘Not if you don’t want me to.’

  ‘Cross your heart and hope to die?’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘Say it then.’

  ‘Look, what’s this all about?’ Anna sounded impatient

  ‘Say it or I won’t tell you.’

  ‘Cross my heart and hope to die.’

  ‘I don’t like Reggie.’

  Anna felt a wave of fear wash over her. How could she deal with this?

  Anna sat silently for a while, but eventually she thought of something to make her laugh.

  ‘Is it because he’s got a big nose?’ Elizabeth laughed.

  ‘No, silly.’

  ‘Is it because his front teeth stick out like a pantomime horse?’

  Elizabeth began to laugh and just then the front door opened and Cat scolded Elizabeth for running off.

  ‘Now get back in here this instant young lady,’ she said, ‘and ye won’t be goin’ out later on now.’

  Elizabeth cast a sideways glance at Anna, looked down, and then stood up to follow Cat inside.

  Anna remained on the step for a while and then was aware of Reggie behind her. Goose pimples stole across her flesh as he spoke to her.

  ‘Penny for your thoughts, Anna.’

  She stood immediately feeling agitated and tried to push past him, but he just barred the way.

  ‘Excuse me, Reggie,’ she said in a loud voice hoping everyone in the front room could hear her.

  He quickly stepped aside. ‘Oh sorry, Anna,’ he said in a voice that made her skin crawl.

  She pushed past him and disappeared into the front room, leaving him by the open front door. She would try to speak to Elizabeth again to find out what was behind her fears, although she already had a good idea.

  When Anna went inside, Cat said she wanted to say something now they were all together.

  Reggie ambled in as she said she wanted them all to wish Billy God’s protection as he went off to war.

  ‘Come home safely, Son, that’s all I want,’ she said, and embraced him.

  ‘Don’t worry. I’m not going for any bravery award; I just want to stay in one piece.’

  Anna glanced at Reggie and wished it was him going off to war and not Billy. She doubted she would shed any tears.

  84

  Eltham

  July 1941

  ‘Quick, we’ve to get down the shelter,’ Cat shouted to Anna, Eileen and Elizabeth.

  All four of them had a rigid routine and dropped everything they were doing to scramble into the dug-out. They paddled into the water that had surfaced; the earth having reached field capacity after days of rain. It was cold, dank and petrifying. But Cat knew it was better than taking the risk of staying indoors.

  The bombardment was ferocious; shaking the ground beneath them as they sat huddled together.

  ‘This is the worst we’ve had,’ Cat said, shielding her ears with her hands. ‘Lord save us,’ she murmured as bombs fell from the sky. ‘Billy, Billy,’ she sobbed into her handkerchief, ‘Oh Lord don’t let my boy be killed - or any of us.’

  Elizabeth began to scream when the next
explosion splintered the door to the shelter and she scrambled onto Cat’s lap. Eileen and Anna drew closer, putting their arms around their mother and little sister. The four hung onto each other as the pounding continued, breaking up the world they knew forever.

  All night they sat petrified awaiting the most brutal predator of all, their fellow human beings. They feared this was their last night alive.

  * * *

  Fatigued, yet thankful for survival, they emerged next morning from the air-raid shelter.

  Anna came out first.

  ‘Oh my God,’ she gasped. ‘There’s nothing left.’

  Cat, Eileen and Elizabeth followed her to find the whole landscape had gone from the end of Alwold Crescent.

  Speechless, the four walked to the end of what had been their road and viewed the devastation. Cat’s eye traversed the horizon and she took a sharp intake of breath.

  ‘What’s the matter, Mummy?’ Anna asked.

  ‘Jesus, I hope I’m wrong.’

  ‘Wrong about what?’ Eileen queried.

  ‘I don’t want to say it, I just need for us to go and find out.’

  Puzzled, Eileen looked at Anna, raised her eyebrows and shrugged indicating that she didn’t know what their mother was on about.

  ‘Quick girls, we have to go to the High Street,’ Cat said and started to hurry off in that direction.

  Along the way they crossed rubble that was once the main road and then took the direction of Crookston Road.

  Once they arrived at what Cat thought must be roughly where they used to live, she had difficulty in orienting herself. The whole area had suffered a direct hit and had been flattened by the worst bombardment they had experienced. But Cat was driven towards finding exactly where they had once lived.

  She scrambled relentlessly over rubble, craters and debris; the girls following in her wake, until they reached the corner of the road that Lize’s shop was in.

  Nothing was left to identify the shop and Cat couldn’t even begin to imagine where it had been as the whole area was flattened into a mass of smoking rubble.

  Firemen were working relentlessly to quench fires and free trapped people. Cat saw that the WRVS was there handing out cups of tea.

  Frantically she clawed her way over bricks and piles of concrete attempting to locate the shop; desperate to find Lize and her mother-in-law.