Keep Calm and Carry On, Children by Sharon K. Mayhew

Author:Sharon K. Mayhew [Mayhew, Sharon K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Published: 2019-09-04T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

September 11, 1940

6:00 PM

I was thankful Missus Wood said we both would take our baths inside. Being outside without my clothes on sounded rather odd. I hadn’t noticed the old decorative tile on the kitchen floor until I slipped on it when Phyllis and I came back downstairs. They must have been smashing a hundred years ago when the cottage was built. Gina splashed around, having a jolly good time.

“Gosh,” I said, “Gina’s bath is going to give your floor a wash too.”

“Nothing to worry about, Dear. I’ll mop it up when we’re finished with bath time.”

Missus Wood knelt beside the bath and began to wash Gina’s long red hair.

“Oh dear! I’m afraid you have some nits in your hair. We’ll need to work very hard to get them out.” Missus Wood turned to me. “Have you had an itchy head?”

I blushed. “I hadn’t thought about it before, but maybe I have. We must have caught them from the rats in the underground.”

“Never mind, if I can’t get them out tonight, we’ll pop into the chemist’s shop tomorrow to buy something to get rid of them.”

Thinking about the nits made my head itch even more. What would Grandpa Wood say if he knew we had nits?

Gina and Dolly cleaned up quite well. Missus Wood wrapped them up in a big towel.

“Mum,” Phyllis said. “Would Gina fit in some of the clothes that don’t fit me anymore?”

Phyllis’s kindness continued to amaze me. She didn’t even seem to care that we had nits.

Missus Wood opened Gina’s bag. “She very well could. Let’s have a look in your bag first and see what you brought with you.”

I began nervously twirling my hair. “We didn’t have everything on the list. We didn’t ever have some of the things they said we should bring.” I wondered if it showed that we were poor. I didn’t realize we were poor until we came here.

“Well, don’t worry about that.” Missus Wood’s calming voice indicated she wouldn’t judge us based on our possessions. She pulled a pair of knickers, a pair of stockings, a blouse, a pair of short trousers and a nightgown out of Gina’s bag. “This will be fine for now. We’ll have a look at your bag after your bath, Joyce.”

She handed my sister the pair of knickers, the stockings, her blouse, and short trousers. “You get dressed, while I dry Dolly.”

Gina put on her clothes, and Missus Wood filled the container on the side of the stove with more water. She added more wood to the fire.

“I can comb through your hair, while I heat some fresh water for your sister’s bath,” she said.

Gina climbed into a wooden chair and sat with a straight back. Missus Wood began combing Gina’s hair.

“Goodness, there are a lot of tangles and nits in here,” she said. “We might have to cut it a bit. Would that be all right?”

Gina shrugged.

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