The Girl From Mile End. Ch 23.

Chapter 23.

“There has been an accident in Liverpool,” Billy said. “Tommy has been killed.”

         “No, no, no. How? Why?" I stood open mouthed for a moment. "Please tell me he wasn’t working on a bomb.” The thought of Tom being blown to pieces was horrendous to me.

         Billy’s fiancée walked in from the kitchen with a pot of tea. “Tea’s up,” she said. “You must be Tommy’s girl. I’m Millie, Billy’s fiancée.”

         I looked at Nellie. “Mum, please?”

         “It wasn’t a bomb.” Nellie said. “Tommy’s car broke down and was in the garage for repairs. He borrowed a friend’s motorcycle but was killed when he collided with an ambulance.”

         I sat next to Nellie and took hold of her hand. I felt as if she were shaking, or was it me. I looked at Millie. “I’m sorry, Millie. I didn’t mean to ignore you.”

         “That’s all right, I understand,” she said. "I think we could all use a strong hot cuppa.”

         “We have all suffered a terrible loss,” Nellie said. “But you dear, Elsie, have lost a wonderful future with my darling Tommy.” Nellie burst into tears, I put my arms around her and it was like a chain reaction as my tears began to flow down as well.

         When Nellie had calmed down we sat drinking the tea. “How long are you staying, Billy?” I asked.

         “I’ll be leaving tonight. I have to be back at Portsmouth in the morning. But I’ll get a longer compassionate pass for the funeral.”

         “You can’t be on your own, Mum,” I said.

         “I’ll be all right.”

         “No. I’ll get the train back to camp and see the sergeant. I get on very well with him now and I’m sure he will clear it with my Section Officer for me to have a forty-eight hour pass.” I got up and walked to the door. “I’ll be back later and I’ll beat you at a few games of gin rummy.”

         The sergeant was very supportive and cleared it with my section officer and I was soon on my way back. Tragedy was something that I was used to in my life and it had hardened me to the loss of loved ones. I had none left except for my aunt and uncle in Caterham. Suddenly, with the loss of Tom I am lonely and I feel that I should not get involved with anyone in the future as I would be sure to lose them.

         I got to Nellie’s house and Millie opened the door to let me in. “I’m just getting the dinner ready,” she said. “Mum and Billy have gone to the undertakers to make the arrangements to get Tommy brought over from Liverpool.”

         “Are they bringing him in the house?”

         “That is what Mum wanted but we talked her out of it. It’s not a good idea to be here alone with his body. So we decided to let him rest in the chapel at the undertakers until the funeral.”

         “Makes sense, I suppose. Do you want some help in the kitchen?”

         “No, it’s all done really, I just have to keep an eye on things. You can lay the dining table though, Elsie, if you like?”

         A little later the four of us sat down to dinner. The food was pretty basic, vegetables and mutton. I have better food back at the air base but I did not comment on it. Just before seven Billy and Millie set off for Portsmouth. I sat with Nellie by the fire listening to the radio. I don’t think either of us was in the mood for playing cards and it was not even mentioned again.

         “I have got my demobilisation date through,” I said. “I’ll be out in two months.”

         “That’s good news, Elsie. Or is it? Will you miss it?”

         “At first I thought I would. But then I thought maybe it was time to move on.”

         “What, are you leaving Chester?”

         “Goodness me no. I’ll need to get a job and find somewhere to live.”

         “Oh, I thought you were moving in here.”

         “I’d like to, really I would. But I didn’t think you would want me here now.”

         “Silly girl, of course I want you here. You are good company for me. Millie is from Portsmouth and won’t leave her family so when they are married they will be living down there. I’ll be all alone in this big house.”

         “I would love to live here. I know we are not related but I would be so happy if we were to live together as mother and daughter.” Nellie didn’t answer, she just looked at me. “I’m sorry, I have spoken out of place.”

         “Don’t be sorry. I have never had a daughter and it is something that has been missing in my life. To have you as a daughter is a wonderful idea and I could not wish for a better daughter then you.”

         I didn’t want to seem too happy and thought it would be inappropriate given the circumstances but I needed to say something. “That’s wonderful, Mum. I have a family again at last.” My eyes were watering with the sheer emotion that I was holding back.

         Nellie noticed and smiled. “Come on, get your travel bag and I’ll show you your room.”

         We went up the creaky stairs to the landing. “There’s the bathroom,” Nellie said.

         I looked in. My aunt in Caterham had a bathroom but it was just basic. Even then I thought it was a luxury compared to the tin bath we had to use in the scullery in Mile End. This bathroom, however was luxury and would not look out of place in one of the Chester hotels. Nellie led me into my room. I walked in and felt like Alice in Wonderland. The floor had a fitted carpet which looked of good quality. There was a lovely Victorian era wardrobe and dressing table with a huge mirror. Various other small items and a large double bed.

         “We’ll get the bedding and get the bed made up,” Nellie said.

         I followed her out to a cupboard on the landing and we collected the sheets, blankets and pillows. We made the bed and I felt as if I could get into the comfy bed and snuggle up right away, but of course I couldn’t do that. Instead we went downstairs for a well-deserved brew.

         It was not long after when Nellie got up from her chair. “Put some more coal on the fire if you want to stay up for a while, but I’m going up for an early night. I feel a bit tired.”

         “No, I could do with an early night as well,” I said. I couldn’t wait to get up into that lovely double bed.

         “Goodnight, Elsie, and thank you for being here for me.”

         “And I thank you for allowing it. Goodnight, Mum.” I remember calling Nellie, Mum earlier when Billy was here and I wonder if he resented it. I shouldn’t think so, but if he did he will just have to get used to it. His Millie calls her Mum anyway.

         I got into bed thinking of Tom and how much I would miss him. It was the same with Ronnie. He asked me to marry him and a week later he was killed. I was, understandably, starting to get upset but I sat up suddenly. I could hear Nellie sobbing. I went to my door and thought of going in to her, but thought better of it. Maybe it is best to let her grieve in peace.

         The next day we were busy doing a spring clean of the house even though it was not spring but it kept our minds occupied. The dark cloud did float over me a couple of times as this was the day when I was supposed to meet Tom again; luckily I managed to shake it off.

         Monday morning a lady from the house opposite came over. Apparently she often calls in for a brew and a natter which pleased me because I could not be here all the time and she could keep an eye on Nellie. I got back to camp and got booked in ready for work for the next day.

         The day of the funeral arrived and I prepared myself for the sorrow. When I arrived at the church in Blacon the place was already full of people. I managed to get a place halfway along the aisle. Billy was looking around and he spotted me. He walked up to me and took hold of my hand.

         “You’re family, Elsie, “he said. “Come down to the front with the rest of us.”

         His words gave me such a wonderful feeling inside, knowing that Billy had accepted me as family.

         A week later Jane walked over to me in the barrack block with a silly grin on her face. “Guess who I saw in town today, Elsie?”

         “Chester is a city, but go on.”

         “Like I said, guess who I saw in town?”

         “Rudolph Valentino.”

         “No, but nearly. I saw Bobby.”

         “Bobby, Bobby who?”

         “You know, your Bobby.”

         “He’s not my Bobby and never will be again.”

         “Maybe you should think again. He is quite a nice fellow. I wouldn’t mind dating him myself.”

         “Help yourself,” I said.

         “Anyway, he was sorry to hear about your tragic loss.”

         “What! Why the hell did you tell him?”

         “He was asking about you and I thought you would want him to know.”

         “Did you now? Well I wish you hadn’t spoken about me to him. Don’t forget they call me Bruiser Elsie, the nose buster?”

         “All right, I’m off then,” she said and walked away laughing.

         Oh, well no harm done I suppose. At least it shows he still cares about me.

         At the end of the next day’s duty I was leaving for my tea at the mess. I looked in at the control office to book off.

         “Don’t go anywhere. There is a Spitfire coming in very soon and I want you to pick up the pilot and take him to the Officer’s Mess.”

         Straight away I thought of the pilots at Kenley and I wondered if it was one of them. I hoped it was. “I thought we were not repairing fighters anymore,” I said.

         “We are not. It’s an idiot Pilot Officer just out of training and he has gone well off course and apparently is nearly out of fuel. So we will have to fuel it up ready for him to take off again. You don’t need the crew bus just take a car.”

         I drove out to the runway and sat waiting. The sergeant said the pilot was just out of training so it was obviously not one of my friends from Kenley. It was not long until I saw him on the approach. He hit the runway at a wrong angle and bounced into the air before landing off the runway into the grass nose first. The Spitfire flipped over and dislodging the canopy came to rest upside down with the tail in the air. Right away I sped over as I could see smoke rising.

         The crash crew and ambulance were also on their way but I knew I could get there before them. I ran to the Spitfire and crawled underneath to help him out but to my horror he was unconscious with blood over his face. I unstrapped him and pulled him to the floor then with all my strength I dragged him bit by bit across the tarmac. As the crash tender and ambulance pulled up the aircraft exploded and blew me off my feet.

The Girl From Mile End. Ch 24.  (18+) Final chapter. #2292304 by Bruce.