Before the Dawn by Emma Pass

Author:Emma Pass [Pass, Emma]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
ISBN: 9781801105521
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Published: 2022-03-03T00:00:00+00:00

21

SAM

28th May

‘You OK?’ I asked Ruby.

‘Yes, of course.’ She pushed a curl of hair out of her face and smiled at me. ‘Why wouldn’t I be?’ Turning away, she busied herself looking through the stack of records next to the gramophone – I’d bought some over from the camp. ‘What would you like to listen to next? There’s Glenn Miller, or Mozart—’

‘I don’t mind,’ I said. ‘You choose.’

It was the first time we’d seen each other in three weeks. Our time off was being cancelled left, right and centre as our training ramped up, and although the high-ups weren’t saying as much, word around the camp was that the invasion of Europe was imminent. A lot of the guys were excited about it. I wasn’t sure how to feel. Part of me wanted it over with; mostly I was dreading it, wondering what was waiting for us on the other side of the English Channel and knowing that when it happened I’d have to leave Ruby behind. And I was scared what would happen to Meggie and Ma if I got killed.

I watched as Ruby picked up a record, put it down again. ‘Look, you sure nothing’s bothering you?’

‘I said, I’m fine.’

Her sharp tone stung me. ‘Well, you’re not acting like it.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘What I mean is, you’ve been like a bear with a goddamn sore head ever since I got here. I thought you’d be glad to see me.’

She put the record down with a sigh. ‘I am. It’s just – oh, I don’t know.’

‘So tell me.’

‘This.’ She waved a hand around. ‘Us. Everything.’

‘What about us?’ A cold finger was tracing down my spine. We’d been apart for too long – she’d been thinking – changed her mind.

‘What’s going to happen to us, Sam? After you go to Europe, I mean?’

‘Well, I dunno. I guess I’m gonna try my best to make it back over here to you. And then we can make plans, if that’s what you want.’

‘I do want that – of course I do – but then what?’

‘What do you mean?’ I said.

She sat down, her shoulders slumping. ‘How are we going to make it work, Sam? With Father, I mean? I’ll have to tell him about us, and—’

‘So what’s he gonna do? Tell you you can’t see me? Ban us from getting married?’

The word slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it. Ruby’s face kind of froze. But I’d said it now; there was no going back. ‘I mean, is that what you want? For us to get married? Because you’re nineteen. He can’t stop us.’

‘He can. You have to be twenty-one here to marry without parental permission. You’ll be all right – on paper you’re old enough already – but—’

I got up and went over to her, crouching down in front of her and taking her hands in mine. What had only been a vague, unspoken thought – a hope for some distant time in the future – was suddenly real.

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