The band is there to meet us
Old friends to greet us
That's where the line and the dark folks meet
A heaven on earth, they call it Basin Street

Kate wiped away her make-up and carefully combed back long strands of wavy auburn hair. The show had been a success that night, as it had been most nights. Soldiers came in their droves, filling the various events with such merriment and laughter, leaving with permission to dream of a tomorrow.

She had been on the road for some time now, first just visiting clubs and bars in and around the main cities, then came the offers to perform at camps entertaining the troops. Her manager Harry had been extraordinary, booking her into show after show. Times were tough, and it seemed what the people craved was distraction – whether by their own making or in the form of a sultry redhead.

"Great news doll face!" the burly manager burst in her dressing room, "Booked another show! In Toronto! Whaddya say Kate, are we on fire or what!"

Kate blinked singularly as she registered the older man's excitement – as a force of habit, it always took her a moment to decide the reaction she was going to wear for any given situation. "Oh golly! Harry - that's fantastic. You're fantastic!" Kate beamed with her signature wide eyes, "Wow, it's been some time since I've been in Toronto – where will we be playing exactly, do you know?"

"Some place called the Jewel Box? The lad running the joint said he'd love to bag new talent for a theme night they're having – ladies night," Harry book-ended with a grin.

Kate's face lit with palpable joy with the recognition, "The Jewel Box… I know that place! I used to go there all the time back when I worked in the city. My friends from the factory and I would go and for a little dance after work, I even performed there once, a long time ago … at an all-girls revue."

"Ha! You're a hoot, Kate. Always full of surprises, aren't you! Well they better be ready, Kate Andrews is coming home a star! Now, I best run off - just wanted to let you in on the good news. Get some rest Katie - great show tonight by the way - another big day tomorrow! Hoo-ha!"

"Thanks, Harry," Kate smiled softly. "Have a good night."

Kate's smile didn't drop as she watched Harry leave, sitting on the edge of her motel room bed – her mind was already a million miles away. Toronto. It had truly been some time since she allowed herself to stop and think about the life she once had there; at Vic Mu, with the girls, at the boarding house; with her. She'd received the odd reply from Gladys, but with all the moving about, she wondered how many replies – if any – had missed their intended destination. Kate felt that familiar flutter and shortness of breath as her mind continued to wander on its own accord. Smiling, despite herself - despite her tiredness – she was excited to go home.

Betty inhaled deeply into her morning cigarette, holding the smoke in longer than usual, causing her head to spin lightly.

"I'll tell you what, Princess – you really do know how to come through in a pinch."

"You don't need to keep mentioning it, Betts. After all, that man had it coming for him. Justice was served in the end."

Betty scoffed, taking in another hit of her cigarette. She was grateful; to Gladys most of all - but the blonde was under no illusions about the paths in which justice took, and the costs that came with it. Jail had not been kind to her, but she wore it as she always had. And now that she was out, Betty knew that the hardships would not end. Same war, different battles, Mrs Corbett's words of encouragement echoed in her mind.

Betty's trial was well publicised throughout Toronto. A woman accused of murdering her spurned lover's father – it made for great newspaper fodder in the local dailies. In between the news of the Allies efforts over in Europe, it served to further add to the myth that the fabric of society was deteriorating; a sort of mass panic in response to changing and uncertain times. She had just served 18 months of a 5 year sentence, when Gladys and Kate had managed to track down character witnesses willing to attest in favour of Vernon Rowley's history of abuse and pushed for a re-trial. With a more sympathetic judge, Gladys and her skilful lawyers, Betty was finally acquitted with a downgrading to involuntary manslaughter.

"Look, don't get me wrong Princess, I owe you my life. I just don't know how I'm ever gonna…"

"Forget it, Betty.' Gladys gently reminded her friend, "It's all over now."

Gladys honestly could not think of anyone more deserving of a fair break. Yes, the fallout of her choices with her father and mother had been difficult to weather, but truth of the matter was, she was sure she'd do it again. Every time. Betty was a loyal friend, a hard worker, with a good heart, and she simply could not - in good conscience - stand by and leave her friend in the lurch.

In many ways, Gladys was always this young girl fiercely defiant in her conviction. Once, at boarding school, the Le Messurier's scallywag of a daughter, Eloise, had wrongly accused Gladys' brother Laurence of stealing copies of student report cards and distributing them to everyone's lockers. Gladys knew the hallmarks of the Eloise ruse – a beacon of model behaviour in the presence of the headmaster, teachers and parents alike, wildly bored and insolent with a penchant for mischief and disruption in reality. She knew the only way she could prove her brother's innocence was to expose Eloise for all her duplicity. And so she did, goading Eloise to confess in front of the entire student body and faculty. From an early age, Gladys Witham was rarely, if ever, outplayed.

"Yeah, I know." Betty resigned to being grateful, under the ever reassuring presence of Gladys. They've been here many times before. "You got it Princess. Upwards and onwards, right?"

"Precisely." Gladys smiled, linking her arm into Betty's, leading her towards the car.

"So, have you… have you been able to get in contact with Kate?"

Gladys eyes fell at the mention of her name, wondering how best to say. "No, I haven't heard from her in for some time I'm afraid. The last letter I got, she was touring east playing at battalions trying to boost the troops morale."

"Ah. She did mention that in the last letter she sent me too," Betty nodded her head once, recalling the letters she had read one too many times. "She seems like she's doing well?"

"I think so. She seems happy Betty."

Betty smiled and hopped into the car looking back at the Penitentiary one last time. Face forever forward, she silently reminded herself as Gladys stepped on the gas and skittled down the dusty road.