It was the day they’d all been waiting for. Germany had finally surrendered and it was official: the Allies had won the war. Kitty sang to herself as she surveyed her kitchen, the dull ache that still plagued her arm and ribs all but forgotten. She was going to celebrate, along with everyone else in Empire Street, and with however many friends and family came to join them. Her job now was to make a cake to suit the occasion, with no notice and no chance to pool rations as they were unprepared for the event. Still, this was what she was good at.
She’d spent the morning in the city centre, which was abuzz with the news. Wireless broadcasts had brought the joyful confirmation that the fighting in Europe was over, and Kitty wasn’t the only person keen to buy flags to hang in celebration. She’d had to queue to get any, but everyone was so good-natured that she hadn’t minded.
Now Tommy was outside with the ladder, insisting that he didn’t need her help and he wouldn’t fall. She knew she had to let him get on with it. He’d always be her little brother, but he was taller than her now, and to be fair she was in no state to stretch up and tie flags to the guttering at the front of the house. She was almost better, but that would be taking things too far. Tommy had proved himself by helping to rescue Georgie, and she had to accept he was well on his way to becoming a man – a sensible and responsible one too.
‘Need any help?’ asked Frank, coming in through the open back door. ‘Don’t you go lifting anything heavy, Kitty.’ He set down a wooden box on the table. ‘Can you make use of any of this?’
Kitty stared at the contents of the box in delighted astonishment. ‘Where did you get this? Eggs and butter – that’s exactly what I need, but they’re as rare as hen’s teeth.’
‘Seth and Joan have just arrived, bringing Michael and Megan to join in the fun,’ he said, stepping behind her and giving her a warm hug. ‘They rightly guessed that we’d all be gathering for a party.’
Kitty relaxed and leant against him for a delicious moment. ‘Let me guess, Dolly has sent them down to the victory garden to get them out of the way.’
Frank laughed and breathed in the beloved scent of her, all the more precious because for a minute or two back in March he had feared he’d never be able to savour this closeness; that Kitty would remain forever trapped under the rubble of the bomb site. He shut his eyes and enjoyed the moment, then he released her. ‘Of course. Nancy’s taken them.’
‘Nancy?’ Kitty couldn’t keep the surprise from her voice, as she carefully unpacked the eggs and the big pat of creamy butter. ‘Does she even know where it is?’
‘Apparently so,’ said Frank wryly. ‘Georgie wanted to help his cousins and Nancy volunteered to help out. Everyone else is making sandwiches in Mam’s kitchen – it’s like a factory assembly line over there.’
‘I can imagine,’ said Kitty, reaching for her biggest mixing bowl, remembering all the times the women had joined forces to produce a family meal out of what felt like thin air. ‘When I’ve got this into the oven, I’ll pop across and see if there’s anything more I can do.’ She weighed her flour and expertly tipped it into a sieve without getting any on the table. Then she set about separating the eggs. ‘What about Sid? He won’t be able to control three lively children when they’re out and about, will he?’
Sid’s return had been the talk of the street, ever since the day the emaciated young man had stepped from an ambulance a few weeks earlier, a shadow of his former swaggering self. He was severely malnourished, and the word was that dysentery and other diseases had spread through the camps just before he’d been freed. He certainly needed building up again. He’d hardly been seen out, and nobody knew what he and Nancy had said to each other. After the incident when his mother had come round blaming Nancy for Georgie’s disappearance, she had begun taking her ration books to another shop. It wasn’t that Violet or Ruby had asked old Mrs Kerrigan to shop elsewhere, but she clearly felt uncomfortable. As for Nancy herself, she had given nothing away, but ever since that dreadful day she had been noticeably less demanding and thoughtless towards her family and friends.
‘He’s still at his mother’s as far as I know,’ Frank said, watching with fascination as Kitty cracked eggshell after eggshell, neatly pouring the whites into a small bowl while retaining the yolk unbroken in the half-shell, before finally tipping it into a teacup. He waited for her to finish the last one then said, ‘Kitty, come here a minute, you’ve got flour on your nose.’
She stepped towards him and he brushed her face gently and then kissed her hungrily, more strongly than he’d ever dared to do for fear of hurting her. Now she kissed him back, passionate in her desire for him, and it was several minutes before they parted, gasping but laughing, full of pleasure that they could finally express how they’d felt for so long.
‘Kitty,’ said Frank, ‘shall we make this a double celebration today?’
‘What do you mean?’ she asked, returning to the task in hand and weighing the butter.
‘Put that down for a second, and give me your hand,’ he said. ‘Look, I can’t get down on one knee, but you swore you didn’t mind about my injured leg and so you’ll have to forgive me. Still … Kitty Callaghan, I love you more than I can say and you are the most precious woman in the world. I can’t imagine life without you. Will you marry me?’
‘Frank.’ Kitty’s hands went to her face.
‘Look, I’m sorry if I’ve rushed it. I know we’ve only been together for a couple of months. It’s just that we’ve known each other so well for so much longer than that, I suddenly couldn’t wait to ask you.’
Kitty gasped and then came into his arms again. ‘Don’t be sorry; don’t even think it. I’m surprised, that’s all. I didn’t think you’d ask – or at least not so soon. Yes, Frank, yes, with all my heart. Of course I’ll marry you. I can’t imagine how anyone could be happier. Yes.’
For a moment they stood still, as the golden sunlight shone through the window, and outside they could hear somebody cheering, and the clattering of Tommy’s ladder as he strung the flags from the house to the closest lamppost.
Then Kitty gently pushed him away. ‘Duty calls, Lieutenant Feeny,’ she said, her eyes bright with happiness. ‘I’ve got a cake to make.’
Nancy watched Georgie trying to keep up with his bigger cousins. Michael and Megan knew exactly what they were doing at the victory garden, which is more than she could say for herself. She could count on the fingers of one hand the times she’d been there since her mother and Violet started it, although she’d been happy enough to eat the produce.
She took a deep breath as Megan began to pick rhubarb and Michel carefully explained to Georgie how to find out if the radishes were ready yet. Her son looked so solemn. He’d had a lot to get used to, what with his father – a total stranger to him – turning up. He’d been polite but puzzled. Sid wasn’t like his friends’ fathers or the men he knew. He was very quiet, very thin, and very different to the few pictures he’d seen of him.
Nancy had been cautious at the first sight of Sid. She’d thought she was prepared, but when she’d finally come face to face with the shell of the cocksure man she’d married, she’d been almost speechless. Of course his mother had been all over him, and it had been some while before they’d managed any time on their own.
Sid had looked mostly at the floor, down at the parlour carpet Nancy so hated. ‘Thank you for your letters,’ he’d managed to say after a painful pause. ‘It was good to have news of the nipper. He’s a fine lad, you can see that.’
‘He is,’ said Nancy immediately. ‘He’s brave an’ all. You can be proud of him, Sid.’
Sid had rubbed his forehead, as if that exchange had used up all his reserves of energy.
‘Don’t you overtire yourself,’ she’d begun, but he’d waved his other hand at her.
‘You’re still a fine-looking woman, Nancy.’ He kept his eyes down. ‘I know I wasn’t the best husband to you when we were wed. I see that now.’
Nancy shrugged. It was true, but then she was a fine one to talk. ‘Doesn’t matter, Sid. That was a long time ago. We weren’t much more than children ourselves.’
Sid laughed wearily, and coughed. When the spasm was over he cleared his throat. ‘The thing is, Nancy, I don’t know if I can be a husband to you now, if you know what I mean.’ He’d glanced up and then away, embarrassed. ‘I’m that tired all the time, I don’t know if things will work like they used to. And lots of us got sick and weren’t treated proper. I’m not the man I was, if you get my drift.’
Nancy didn’t know what to say. ‘Early days yet, Sid,’ she replied awkwardly. ‘We’ll have to get used to each other all over again.’
‘That’s if you want to,’ said Sid morosely. ‘Just look at me, how I am now. I wouldn’t blame you if you said no. Mam will look after me.’
‘I’m sure she will,’ said Nancy with asperity. Then she softened her tone. Sid’s grim honesty deserved sympathy, she acknowledged. ‘Look, you want to get to know Georgie properly, don’t you? He’ll want his parents to stay together,’ she went on carefully, preparing the ground as best she could.
‘He’s a grand little lad,’ Sid said, his voice brightening. ‘You’ve done him proud, Nancy. I’m just sorry that I can’t give you a little brother or sister for him, or not for a long while, I don’t think.’
Nancy had clasped her hands and sent up a silent prayer for courage. Then she’d bitten the bullet. ‘Well, Sid, about that …’
Sid had been shocked, but not as angry as she’d feared. At first he’d said he’d think about it, but over the next few days he’d come round to the idea of being the father of the new baby. Nancy had been heartily relieved, even if she foresaw her life being consumed with taking care of all three of them – Georgie, the baby and this semi-invalid Sid. Well, they’d work something out. They’d have to. At least Georgie could say he had his daddy home again. Even if Nancy was for now sleeping on the sofa in the parlour.
The one thing she hadn’t raised, Nancy thought now, was where they would live. Come hell or high water, she would not spend one night more under her mother-in-law’s roof than she absolutely had to. The woman’s behaviour when Georgie had gone missing made it impossible. Nancy clenched her fists. She would not raise this new child in that poisonous atmosphere. Somehow she’d find a way for them to set up home elsewhere.
‘You’ve done it again,’ said Pop to Dolly, gazing in admiration at the row of tables, all covered with cloths or – when they’d run out of those – sheets, laden with sandwiches, pies and, in the centre of the row, the huge cake that Kitty had made. Everyone had contributed chairs and cutlery from their various houses and now sat around the tables, enjoying the food. Union Jack flags hung across the street, and the younger children all had matching red, white and blue hats, which Danny had brought back when he’d returned from work.
‘It was a team effort,’ said Dolly generously, although in truth she’d done most of the organising. She leant against Pop’s familiar frame and sighed. ‘Look at them, all together. They’re safe at last, Pop.’ She turned her face to his chest so that nobody would see her silent tears. ‘How I wish our Eddy was here to see it. There’s not a day goes by when I don’t think of him.’
‘I know,’ said Pop, putting his arm around his wife and remembering his brave son, lost for almost a year now. ‘Sure we’ll never forget him. He was the best son we could ever hope to have. Now it’s up to us to make sure his own children are brought up right.’
‘Yes, you’re right.’ Dolly swiftly dabbed her eyes with the edge of her apron. ‘They’ll want for nothing, those little twins. We’ll see to that, won’t we.’
‘We will,’ said Pop, glancing to where the big pram stood, one baby at either end of it, tucked in tight. Megan had fastened bunting to the handle. ‘If they turn out anything like as well as our five, they’ll have no trouble at all. You’ve been the best mother any of them could ever have hoped for. I’m so proud of you.’
‘Pop!’ Dolly could feel herself blushing. She knew Pop loved her, but he was a man of few words and didn’t often say things like that. He was a treasure, to be sure. She knew she’d fallen lucky when she’d met him all those many years ago.
She looked around at her remaining children. There was Frank with his arm around Kitty – well, no surprise there. It only surprised her that they’d taken so long about it. There was Sarah, still in uniform, right up close to Danny – no surprise there either, though they’d said very little as yet. Of course Sarah was still her baby – but older now than Dolly herself had been when she’d married Pop. In all the upheaval of the war, Dolly had overlooked that. She’d become so accustomed to Sarah having to grow up fast and act far older than her years. Maybe now her youngest could let her hair down and reclaim some of that youth she’d lost.
Rita had worked late last night, but had done her turn making sandwiches and was now carrying baby Ellen around to see everybody. It was a shame that Jack was still on duty, but Rita had been thrilled to get a telegram from him, wishing he could be there with them for this longed-for day, but assuring her that he’d be home as soon as he could. Dolly smiled. She had no worries for Rita any more. She and Jack were so obviously meant for each other and baby Ellen was thriving. Ellen was waving her podgy arms at Maeve, who’d decided to join in the fun with her Empire Street friends. Dolly made a note to ask the lively nurse to play them some tunes later on.
She shook her head as she regarded her middle child, the most difficult of all of them. Nancy was standing with Violet and Ruby, deep in conversation. Dolly worried for her. Anyone could see that Sid would take a long time to recover, if he ever did. She thanked the lord that Georgie was such a sensible little chap, despite what he’d been through. Nancy had been markedly less flighty since that day – it was as if she’d grown up all at once. Dolly regarded the young woman’s silhouette carefully – no, she was sure she wasn’t imagining that little change around her middle. Well, she wouldn’t push the matter but would wait for Nancy to speak. Dolly could do the sums as well as anyone else, but if Nancy chose to announce this new addition to the family as Sid’s homecoming present, then she wouldn’t contradict her.
She sighed in gratitude. When all was said and done she felt blessed to be here, with the prospect of peace at last, among her beloved family. Of course they’d had their ups and downs, but when it came to it she couldn’t have asked for a better husband, better children or better neighbours.
Ruby blushed to the roots of her white-blonde hair but smiled broadly. ‘So what do you say, Violet?’
Violet had to take a moment to reply. It wasn’t that she was surprised to learn that Reggie James had popped the question. He’d been paying court to Ruby for months now and evidently cared deeply for her. Violet and Rita had often discussed it when the young woman couldn’t hear, deciding that it would be the best possible thing for Ruby if she were to marry Reggie. She’d been dealt such a tough hand in life – she surely deserved her chance at happiness.
What Violet hadn’t counted on was Reggie’s idea formally to set up in business, supplying fruit and vegetables to the shops around Bootle and, in time, beyond. He had the gardening know-how, and Ruby had proved she had a good business brain and head for figures. But, Ruby had pointed out, that wouldn’t be enough. They’d have to have someone who was good with the customers, and ideally who knew about the growing side of things as well. Would Violet consider joining them?
Violet thought it through. She loved gardening and the satisfaction of producing nourishing food from seed. She also loved dealing with people. Working in the shop made her happy and allowed her to be only a stone’s throw from the twins. Yet long-term it might not be as good for them all. The shop now belonged to Rita and Ruby between them – Winnie and Charlie must be turning in their graves. Rita had confided to her that when Jack came home, she wanted to move out of the accommodation above the shop, as it had too many memories of the years of abuse she’d suffered when married to Charlie. Besides, when Michael and Megan returned, they’d be bursting at the seams. It had been decided that they would finish their school year out at Freshfield, but then move back to be with their mother, baby sister and, eventually, Jack too.
Violet explained all this to Ruby. ‘So you see, if I come and work with you, I’d only have a little time in the shop, as I can’t ask Mam to mind the twins every day. Rita won’t be there full time. So I can’t see what would be best.’
Nancy cleared her throat. ‘I could help.’
Violet’s eyes widened. Nancy had never been known to do so much as move a box in the shop. ‘Really?’
‘Yes,’ said Nancy, speaking quickly now the idea crystallised in her mind. ‘I used to work in a shop, you know. All right, it was the big department store, George Henry Lee, but I dealt with customers and all that. It would be the ideal solution all round.’ She looked at Violet squarely in the eye. ‘If the flat is going to be free, I would be interested in that too. I’m not staying where I am, no chance, not after what the old bag said about me when Georgie went missing. Georgie would love it; he’d be right next to his favourite granny and you, Violet. Sid would have something to watch from the upstairs window as people come and go, and when he’s feeling up to it he might want to help out as well. How about it?’
Violet and Ruby looked at each other and nodded. ‘We’ll have to ask Rita,’ Ruby pointed out, ‘but it might be good for Sid, mightn’t it?’
Violet grinned. ‘Nancy, if Rita agrees, you’re on. I couldn’t let the shop down, but I’d love to grow plants for a living. If we knew you were behind the counter, we wouldn’t have to worry.’
Nancy beamed. She knew she’d just committed herself to a life of hard work. It might not be the glamorous existence she used to dream about with Gloria, or the fantasy of moving to America as a GI bride. However, it would give her little family security. That was the most important thing now.
Kitty watched the children devouring the last of the cake and smiled. As usual it had taken far longer to make than to be eaten, but that was how it should be. It was good to be out of uniform for once, in a full skirt, teamed with a pretty gingham blouse with puff sleeves and broderie-anglaise collar, topped with the rash purchase of a new cardigan. She’d decided that morning she deserved it as she’d scarcely touched her clothing coupons for ages – she was usually in uniform, after all. Laura had teased her about that often enough.
The thought of Laura reminded her of the letter she’d received a few days ago. It was from Marjorie. She was now recuperating at her parents’ house, conveniently close to where Freddy was currently being treated. Evidently their romance, begun in the most testing of circumstances, had survived and was flourishing in the quieter surroundings of Sussex. While Marjorie still couldn’t say exactly what she’d been doing, reading between the lines Kitty could tell that their guess had been right. The quiet, bookish former teacher had been working with a cell of the Resistance, going undercover at great danger to herself. Somehow she had come through it, unlike many other equally brave young women on similar missions. Kitty hoped to visit her soon. Perhaps she could co-ordinate it with Laura, if Marjorie was strong enough to take two visitors at once.
Then Frank brought her out of her reverie. ‘Shall we tell them? Make it official?’
Kitty turned to face him, her expression full of love. ‘Yes, why not, let’s do it while everyone’s here together. It’s not as if you have to ask Jack’s permission or anything. Unless you’re afraid one of us will change our mind?’
Frank laughed and kissed her quickly. ‘I don’t think so. I’ve never felt more certain about anything in my life.’
‘Neither have I.’
Frank reached down to the table and picked up a metal spoon, which he tapped against his half-full beer bottle until everyone looked towards them.
‘We’re here to celebrate the wonderful news that our country is at peace at last,’ he began, ‘but if I may have a moment of your time, I’d like to bring you some extra happy news … we’re getting married!’
Kitty glanced across to where Danny stood with Sarah, and caught the glance that passed between them. So maybe there would be even more happy news very soon. For now, though, this was her moment – hers and Frank’s. She looked around at all the faces turned to them and knew that she couldn’t share it with a better group of people, the brave and resilient inhabitants of Empire Street and their closest friends. The war had destroyed houses, damaged workplaces, killed some of their nearest and dearest and turned all of their lives upside down – but it had not defeated them. On top of all that, it had brought her together with the man she loved most in the world.
‘To Kitty and Frank!’ called Pop, and everyone raised their glasses or bottles or cups and echoed, ‘To Kitty and Frank.’
The End