The Telephone Girls by Patricia McBride

Author:Patricia McBride [McBride, Patricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books

9

A WORRYING DEVELOPMENT

I continued to write to Edward every week, although I hadn’t heard a word from him. I even tried writing to his mother again, asking if she had any news. It took her two weeks to reply which was a terse ‘no news’. Every night I said a prayer for him, and as I lay in bed I tried hard to banish all pictures of him being tortured, or starving or being made to do awful back-breaking work – or dead.

Then, one Wednesday when I was on duty, headset in place, things changed. Sorting the incoming mail was one of Mavis’s tasks and she knew I’d been waiting for a letter.

‘Got something for you,’ she said, trying not to smile.

‘Is it a letter from my mum?’ I asked. ‘Hand it over.’

She produced the letter from behind her back like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat. She went to hand it over, then snatched it back at the last minute when I held out my hand for it. She thought it was a great game. This happened twice and I was ready to kill her. I transferred two calls while she was messing about. I could tell the letter wasn’t from home, the envelope was completely different. It had to be from Edward. In the end, I ripped the headset off and chased her, grabbing the letter she was trying to hold over her head.

‘Sorry,’ she said, laughing so much she could hardly speak, ‘’ard to resist teasing you.’

Amanda was the other person on duty and she saw what was happening. ‘Take it to the Ladies’ to read,’ she said, ‘I’ll cover for you.’

Slapping Mavis as I walked past, I ran to the toilet hugging the letter to my heart. The envelope was grubby, with fingerprints and muddy smears here and there. It also seemed as if it had been opened and poorly stuck back down. But I recognised Edward’s handwriting and gently stroked it with my fingers. I opened the envelop carefully, fearful of tearing any part of it. I took out the letter with trembling hands, tears already threatening to spill. It said:

My dear Lily,

I have received a few letters from you although I realise from reading them that you have written more that haven’t arrived. I read and reread your words until I fear the paper will disintegrate. You will never know how much they mean to me. Hearing about your everyday life is such a balm, reminding me that there is life outside where I am now.

You may know that I am a prisoner of war in Plaszow, Poland, although we have been moved around three different camps already. Mother sends Red Cross parcels regularly, although often the guards help themselves before we get them. I hope that you and Mother are keeping in touch. I like to think that one good thing to come from being captured is that you two will find something in common and become more friendly. If she hadn’t already done so, she will learn to love you like the daughter she never had.

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