plait. “Going to be an artist when I grow up,” she said, “or a doctor, same as Mummy.”
“I’m going to be in a rock band. Or an architect doing renewable energy projects like my dad…” Pete hoped this chat was distracting Beth while he wiggled towards her along the tunnel. But she blocked his advance, the flat of her hand up to his face.
“Hold it. Don’t know who you are or what you’re even talking about. What the sherbet Dip Dab’s a rock band ?” She scrunched her nose. “What you doing in Aunty Mary’s house anyway? And where’s wee Jamie?”
Since the chat wasn’t working, Pete propped himself on his elbows, and gave Beth the smile his Scottish granny said would melt a frozen Highland toffee.
“I’m Pete Smeaton and I’ve just moved up here. Mydad’s got a new job.”
“Ahhhh. That explains your funny wee accent.” Beth was nodding as if everything suddenly made sense. “You’re an evacuee then.”
“No,” Pete said, “but I’m from London. And I don’t have a funny wee accent.”
“No, you do, and you are an evacuee, silly. They just haven’t told you.” Beth was looking puzzled. “Anyway, why would they send you up here? They’re sending me away . And your daddy’s with you?”
“And my mum.”
“And your mummy?” Beth pulled her plait round to her mouth and stroked her lips with the end of it. She stared at Pete, her eyes troubled. Then – to his total embarrassment – she put her hands over her face and broke down.
Well, now I know for sure she’s the one crying through the wall , Pete thought, though he didn’t have one clue what to do to comfort her. It wasn’t like he could scoop Beth up and sing, “ You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog, cryin’ all the time ,” into her face, pecking her forehead with kisses, which always turned Jenny’s tears into gurgles. Or hug her, like he’d done once or twice to Mum when she was at the end of her tether. No chance. They’d only just met. And anyway, these tears Beth was sobbing were different from anything he’d seen before. Beth was trying to speak too.
“I don’t want to leave my mummy and daddy. What if Hitler blows them up?”
When Beth swiped at her tears, her cheeks were left streaked with dirt from the floor of the tunnel.
Pete edged a little closer.
“Please don’t cry,” he said, reaching out to pat her shoulder.
“Easy for you to say.” Beth winced away before Pete could touch.
“You’re going to make me cry too,” Pete said, only half joking. After all, he knew what if felt like to leave a place when you didn’t want to, and he had his family with him to take the edge off the sadness of it. He decided to change the subject. “If you stop crying I’ll tell you something amazing.”
“Like what? You’ve killed Adolf? We’re all going to get free chocolate? And there’s going to be bananas in the greengrocer’s again?”
Pete ignored the sarcasm. “You know I’ve moved into the Milligan’s house?”
“Is that your something amazing?” Beth’s face crumpled. “With your mummy and daddy. You-you-you told me that.” Beth was rocking back and forward on her knees, hands to her face. Pete took a deep breath.
“Well, I’m not an evacuee at all. I’ve moved in years and years after the war.” Beth stopped rocking, held her breath. “I’m from the 21 st century.”
Pete knew Beth heard that last bit alright because she was spreading the fingers covering her face to peek through at him. It did sound impressive, Pete was thinking himself: I’m from the 21 st century . Like he was Captain Pete, teleported from the Starship Enterprise. Or the Tardis. Or the Millenium Falcon. No wonder Beth was studying him with new eyes. Taking in his jeans. Sweatshirt. Trainers.
“Hang on, if that’s true, then that means I comefrom the past.”
Beth’s voice was still shuddery, but at least she’d stopped crying. She was looking down at herself now: big woolly jumper, tartan
“I’m going to be in a rock band. Or an architect doing renewable energy projects like my dad…” Pete hoped this chat was distracting Beth while he wiggled towards her along the tunnel. But she blocked his advance, the flat of her hand up to his face.
“Hold it. Don’t know who you are or what you’re even talking about. What the sherbet Dip Dab’s a rock band ?” She scrunched her nose. “What you doing in Aunty Mary’s house anyway? And where’s wee Jamie?”
Since the chat wasn’t working, Pete propped himself on his elbows, and gave Beth the smile his Scottish granny said would melt a frozen Highland toffee.
“I’m Pete Smeaton and I’ve just moved up here. Mydad’s got a new job.”
“Ahhhh. That explains your funny wee accent.” Beth was nodding as if everything suddenly made sense. “You’re an evacuee then.”
“No,” Pete said, “but I’m from London. And I don’t have a funny wee accent.”
“No, you do, and you are an evacuee, silly. They just haven’t told you.” Beth was looking puzzled. “Anyway, why would they send you up here? They’re sending me away . And your daddy’s with you?”
“And my mum.”
“And your mummy?” Beth pulled her plait round to her mouth and stroked her lips with the end of it. She stared at Pete, her eyes troubled. Then – to his total embarrassment – she put her hands over her face and broke down.
Well, now I know for sure she’s the one crying through the wall , Pete thought, though he didn’t have one clue what to do to comfort her. It wasn’t like he could scoop Beth up and sing, “ You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog, cryin’ all the time ,” into her face, pecking her forehead with kisses, which always turned Jenny’s tears into gurgles. Or hug her, like he’d done once or twice to Mum when she was at the end of her tether. No chance. They’d only just met. And anyway, these tears Beth was sobbing were different from anything he’d seen before. Beth was trying to speak too.
“I don’t want to leave my mummy and daddy. What if Hitler blows them up?”
When Beth swiped at her tears, her cheeks were left streaked with dirt from the floor of the tunnel.
Pete edged a little closer.
“Please don’t cry,” he said, reaching out to pat her shoulder.
“Easy for you to say.” Beth winced away before Pete could touch.
“You’re going to make me cry too,” Pete said, only half joking. After all, he knew what if felt like to leave a place when you didn’t want to, and he had his family with him to take the edge off the sadness of it. He decided to change the subject. “If you stop crying I’ll tell you something amazing.”
“Like what? You’ve killed Adolf? We’re all going to get free chocolate? And there’s going to be bananas in the greengrocer’s again?”
Pete ignored the sarcasm. “You know I’ve moved into the Milligan’s house?”
“Is that your something amazing?” Beth’s face crumpled. “With your mummy and daddy. You-you-you told me that.” Beth was rocking back and forward on her knees, hands to her face. Pete took a deep breath.
“Well, I’m not an evacuee at all. I’ve moved in years and years after the war.” Beth stopped rocking, held her breath. “I’m from the 21 st century.”
Pete knew Beth heard that last bit alright because she was spreading the fingers covering her face to peek through at him. It did sound impressive, Pete was thinking himself: I’m from the 21 st century . Like he was Captain Pete, teleported from the Starship Enterprise. Or the Tardis. Or the Millenium Falcon. No wonder Beth was studying him with new eyes. Taking in his jeans. Sweatshirt. Trainers.
“Hang on, if that’s true, then that means I comefrom the past.”
Beth’s voice was still shuddery, but at least she’d stopped crying. She was looking down at herself now: big woolly jumper, tartan
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