Read While We're Apart for Free Online

young man, and they’re planning to have a fish supper afterwards.’
    Cordelia’s face lit up with pleasure. ‘I do like Matthew,’ she said. ‘And it’s delightful to see our sweet little Rita start to blossom, don’t you think?’
    Peggy nodded. Rita had met Pilot Officer Matthew Champion at Kitty’s wedding, and by the look of it, it had been love at first sight for the pair of them. He was a lovely lad, just into his twenties, and as dedicated to the RAF as her son-in-law Martin. But Matthew flew one of the large bombers that spent night after terrible night on raids over Europe, and she knew that Rita suffered dreadfully every time he went up.
    Ron sank into a chair and lit his pipe. ‘I know what you’re thinking, Peg,’ he said once he’d worked up a cloud of smoke, ‘and it’ll do no one any good. The heavy toll on the RAF is the same for our boys out there with the Atlantic convoys and those fighting in Egypt. We have to stay positive, or we’ll never win this war.’
    Peggy knew he was right, but it didn’t make her fret any less, for Martin still flew his Spitfire on those raids into Europe. She determinedly pushed away the gloomy thoughts and put the potatoes and sprouts on to boil. Jim would be home tomorrow and she must concentrate on that, and be grateful that he was still in England, and would probably not be sent to fight anywhere. He was, after all, in his mid-forties and had done his bit in the last war.
    As Ron and Cordelia carried on with their non-too-serious bickering, she checked the stew and ladled out a small portion for Daisy. Setting it to one side so it could cool, her skittering thoughts turned to the knotty problem of how to tell Jim about her close brush with death during the bombing raid earlier in the year, which had led to an early miscarriage and a hysterectomy. The telegram informing him of her operation had clearly not been delivered, for he hadn’t mentioned it at all – and as the censors read everything she’d felt uncomfortable about revealing such intimate details in what should have been a very private letter.
    She had almost decided on the best way to do it, but she was afraid he’d be upset that she hadn’t told him earlier, and had battled through the ordeal without him by her side. She could only hope that her obvious good health and a meal of his favourite sausages, mashed potato and onion gravy would prove he really had nothing to worry about.
    Suzy and Fran came back into the kitchen having changed into knitted sweaters, comfortable slacks and slippers. While Suzy made a fuss of Harvey and chatted to Cordelia, Fran carefully placed her vanity case and two towels on an empty chair. ‘I’ll set your hair after tea, Auntie Peg,’ she offered. ‘And then I’ll do your nails and give you a face pack.’
    â€˜Oh, I’m not sure I want that green goo on my face again,’ said Peggy.
    â€˜Well, we’ll see about that,’ said Fran, tossing her curls back. ‘But at least it will give you a chance to sit down and take a breather while I do your hair. To be sure,’ she continued in her Irish lilt, ‘you’ve fair worn us all out with your dashing around these past few days.’
    â€˜Aye, she’s right about that,’ said Ron as he puffed contentedly on his pipe. ‘You haven’t sat still since the wedding, and if you’re not careful you’ll be worn to a frazzle by the time that son of mine gets home.’
    â€˜A bit of hard work never killed anyone,’ Peggy retorted, ‘and I don’t want him coming home and thinking I’ve let things go.’
    â€˜Ach, Peggy girl, he’ll not be worrying his head about spit and polish,’ said Ron. ‘He’ll have had enough of that in the army, so he will.’ His greying brows lowered as he suddenly noticed Fran’s vanity case and the towels.