a training group is going to Orkney next week. If your dad is allowed out of hospital, they’ll bring him back.’
Rosie was visiting her mother but, when she heard the news, she was overcome with excitement. So much so that I had to make her lie down to recover.
Maddie warned her, ‘Of course, it’s not fully settled yet, Rosie, but Mum thinks the group will go. Then you have to consider that the hospital may not let Mr Neill out. It all depends on how well his injury has healed.’
I was immediately brought back to earth. There were so many ifs and buts but Rosie refused to be deflated. In her mind, Dad was already home.
As it turned out, the training group was held up for another week but they eventually set off. Dad then told Rosie the hospital was reluctant to let him go but they would if the transport was suitable.
I confided in Connie. ‘I just hope Rosie’s not disappointed. Army convoys are usually bone-rattling trucks and the hospital won’t let Dad out in one of those.’
Connie said I should look on the bright side. ‘Och, well, even if he doesn’t get home straight away, at least Rosie is keeping fine now and her time is going in.’
It certainly was and I couldn’t believe how fast the year was flying by.
Dad arrived home on a misty Sunday in September. Much to his disgust, he was carried upstairs on a stretcher. As soon as the two stretcher-bearers left, he got up and walked through to the kitchen.
He looked at his wife in disbelief. ‘Rosie,’ he said, ‘you’re looking beautiful.’
Rosie blushed like some love-struck sixteen-year-old. ‘Och, away you go, Johnny!’
‘No, I mean it – you look radiant.’
We had planned a welcome-home meal for Dad. I’d made a huge pot of soup and we had saved up our meat ration that week so that Dad could have a whole pork chop to himself.
Later, he told us about his accident. ‘We were climbing up this cliff when the rope broke and I fell on to a ledge – which was lucky for me because I would have fallen another hundred feet or so and probably been killed.’
Rosie went white. ‘Don’t speak like that, Johnny – don’t tempt fate.’
He laughed. ‘Well, I’m back home now and that’s all that matters. I expect I’ll be off work for some time but Mr Pringle has asked me back to the fruit warehouse a couple of days a week and he says it’s nothing strenuous.’
Rosie was unsure of this arrangement. ‘Should you not be resting, Johnny?’
‘Och, I’ve been resting since July, Rosie. I want to get back to work but I’ll have to leave the Caledon Shipyard. Still, John Pringle’s offer is great because I can do some paperwork for him and also give him a hand.’
Although Rosie was still unsure of this arrangement, she readily agreed. Anything to keep him happy and she also knew he would get restless being in the house all day.
John Pringle, who was Maddie’s uncle, was well known for being a good employer and Dad was glad to be going back there. Because of the war, fruit coming from all parts of the world had virtually stopped and John Pringle had had to let some of his staff go. He had promised to reinstate them when the war was over. Because of this, Dad had got a labouring job at the Caledon Shipyard. As for the Home Guard … well, it looked doubtful if he would ever be able to return there.
The following week, Lily and I moved to the flat at Roseangle. Maddie was quite happy for us to move in earlier than planned. It was a cold autumn evening when we moved in but we soon had a lovely fire in the grate and had put the kettle on for our tea.
Lily lay back on the hearthrug. ‘I love this house, Ann. When I grow up, I’m going to buy a house like this for you and me.’
I laughed. ‘What happens if you get married?’
She made a face. ‘I’m never going to get married. I’ll just stay with you forever and ever.’
I smiled and wondered what Greg would say to that arrangement. As soon as the war was over, I hoped we
Rosie was visiting her mother but, when she heard the news, she was overcome with excitement. So much so that I had to make her lie down to recover.
Maddie warned her, ‘Of course, it’s not fully settled yet, Rosie, but Mum thinks the group will go. Then you have to consider that the hospital may not let Mr Neill out. It all depends on how well his injury has healed.’
I was immediately brought back to earth. There were so many ifs and buts but Rosie refused to be deflated. In her mind, Dad was already home.
As it turned out, the training group was held up for another week but they eventually set off. Dad then told Rosie the hospital was reluctant to let him go but they would if the transport was suitable.
I confided in Connie. ‘I just hope Rosie’s not disappointed. Army convoys are usually bone-rattling trucks and the hospital won’t let Dad out in one of those.’
Connie said I should look on the bright side. ‘Och, well, even if he doesn’t get home straight away, at least Rosie is keeping fine now and her time is going in.’
It certainly was and I couldn’t believe how fast the year was flying by.
Dad arrived home on a misty Sunday in September. Much to his disgust, he was carried upstairs on a stretcher. As soon as the two stretcher-bearers left, he got up and walked through to the kitchen.
He looked at his wife in disbelief. ‘Rosie,’ he said, ‘you’re looking beautiful.’
Rosie blushed like some love-struck sixteen-year-old. ‘Och, away you go, Johnny!’
‘No, I mean it – you look radiant.’
We had planned a welcome-home meal for Dad. I’d made a huge pot of soup and we had saved up our meat ration that week so that Dad could have a whole pork chop to himself.
Later, he told us about his accident. ‘We were climbing up this cliff when the rope broke and I fell on to a ledge – which was lucky for me because I would have fallen another hundred feet or so and probably been killed.’
Rosie went white. ‘Don’t speak like that, Johnny – don’t tempt fate.’
He laughed. ‘Well, I’m back home now and that’s all that matters. I expect I’ll be off work for some time but Mr Pringle has asked me back to the fruit warehouse a couple of days a week and he says it’s nothing strenuous.’
Rosie was unsure of this arrangement. ‘Should you not be resting, Johnny?’
‘Och, I’ve been resting since July, Rosie. I want to get back to work but I’ll have to leave the Caledon Shipyard. Still, John Pringle’s offer is great because I can do some paperwork for him and also give him a hand.’
Although Rosie was still unsure of this arrangement, she readily agreed. Anything to keep him happy and she also knew he would get restless being in the house all day.
John Pringle, who was Maddie’s uncle, was well known for being a good employer and Dad was glad to be going back there. Because of the war, fruit coming from all parts of the world had virtually stopped and John Pringle had had to let some of his staff go. He had promised to reinstate them when the war was over. Because of this, Dad had got a labouring job at the Caledon Shipyard. As for the Home Guard … well, it looked doubtful if he would ever be able to return there.
The following week, Lily and I moved to the flat at Roseangle. Maddie was quite happy for us to move in earlier than planned. It was a cold autumn evening when we moved in but we soon had a lovely fire in the grate and had put the kettle on for our tea.
Lily lay back on the hearthrug. ‘I love this house, Ann. When I grow up, I’m going to buy a house like this for you and me.’
I laughed. ‘What happens if you get married?’
She made a face. ‘I’m never going to get married. I’ll just stay with you forever and ever.’
I smiled and wondered what Greg would say to that arrangement. As soon as the war was over, I hoped we
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