Wartime at Liberty's by Fiona Ford

Author:Fiona Ford [Fiona Ford]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781473572799
Publisher: Random House
Published: 2020-04-30T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty

Exactly a week after the fundraising evening, the day Flo had been dreading arrived. Waking early on Christmas morning Flo closed her eyes and buried her face in the pillow, wanting nothing more than to stay in bed all day and pretend Christmas had been cancelled. She had successfully managed to avoid the festivities at work, all but ignoring the carols, decorations and excited shoppers. Instead she had tried to pretend this was just another Friday, but now it was here, Flo knew it was anything but. This was the first Christmas she had faced without Aggie and Neil. The pain of it blindsided her for a second, and she felt so sick with grief she didn’t think she could face the day. Just how was she supposed to keep going like this?

Flo wasn’t sure. But then, hearing Arthur downstairs gurgling in delight, Flo knew she couldn’t put off facing the day any longer. She would simply have to make the best of it and at least she would be doing it in good company. Dot had invited Mr Button, Mary, Rose, her dad Malcolm and Tommy, who was back on leave, to join them for dinner as well as Jean and Bess. They were going to be collected by Mr Button in his motor car. He had been saving up his fuel for the job, Dot had told her proudly. Alice had invited Jack, and Flo had invited Celia, Henry and Stan, so she was sure there would be at least enough of a distraction if she found the day proved a bit too much.

And so Flo had dragged herself out of bed, wished Dot, Alice and Arthur a merry Christmas and made the tea. Then she had dutifully helped peel the potatoes and organise the chairs ready for a lunch she was secretly dreading.

Now as the assembled group crowded around Dot’s kitchen table, ready to eat, she felt as if she might crumble. The grief she had successfully managed to avoid all morning was somehow finding its way back into her heart. Lifting her chin, she looked across the table and found Henry looking at her sympathetically. She smiled in gratitude, grateful for the support, and turned her attentions back to the table.

‘So, Tommy,’ she said, turning to the soldier seated on her right. ‘When did you get back?’

‘Last night. I go back tomorrow. But it’s worth it to spend Christmas with my Rose.’

Flo nodded. She couldn’t miss the look of love plastered on Tommy’s face. He had barely taken his eyes off Rose and Rose too appeared overjoyed, the smile on her face seemingly permanent. Rose deserved a bit of happiness, and it was nice to see, especially with Mary wearing a face like a broken clock. She was still devastated at Mrs Matravers’ decision and Flo was furious on her behalf. Turning her gaze towards her friend she could see that, like her, Mary was doing her best to put a brave face on things but her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.

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