"Oh Thank you!" The woman exclaimed as Rilla stopped to pick up the lost items.
"Where are you going?" Rilla asked looking around.
"Just to the Veterans hall, we're having an afternoon tea with some of the wives and I am running late." The woman explained.
"Veterans hall?" Rilla brow furrowed. How out of the loop was she?
"The community centre," She explained. "We are the Great War Veterans Association. Us wives, daughters, sisters gather about once a week. We are trying to plan a masquerade for Halloween. Something for the adults to do after the children are done with their festivities. But in all, we are the families of the veterans who try to bring forth a community. One that helps each other while promoting remembrance of what our men fought for."
"My brothers and husband fought in the war," Rilla told her. "I had no idea, no idea that you have built such a thing,"
"Well come along, introduce yourself. Share your own story of how the war changed your life," the woman told her. "Of course if you are not busy." She added.
"I was just out for a stroll," Rilla looked at her dainty wristwatch. "I am Rilla Ford," she said finally introducing herself.
"Adele Hunter," she said with a curt nod of her covered head. "My Barney was in the infantry, what about yours?"
"Uhh, Ken was a captain. I truly don't know much more," Rilla frowned. "He was never one to talk much about it."
"They never do," Adele said with a laugh and a shake of her head. "Your brothers?"
"Jem was a Lieutenant, and now a doctor. Walter, he died during the Somme and Shirley went into the air force. He's now becoming an engineer." Rilla told her smiling sadly at the memory of Walter.
"Did you just move here? I don't think I've seen you around," Adele asked as they rounded the corner.
"No, we've been living here for the past three years," Rilla told her. "We lived near Redmond until this past year. We just bought a house in the South End," she quickly opened the door for the other woman.
"Everyone, this is my saviour of the day Mrs. Ford!" She announced as one of the other ladies came retrieved the box from her friend. "Rilla is Elizabeth Brown, Caroline Thompson, Laura Stanley, and Mabel White."
"Ford, that name sound familiar?" One of the others commented, who Rilla pick out to be Laura who seemed to be in her thirties.
"Her husband runs the new magazine," another says. She looks familiar enough and when seeing her face I recognize her from the church. "Hello dear, you must be finished with school if you are out and about on such an afternoon?"
"I am, I graduated last spring, Mrs. Thompson," Rilla agreed with her. "Truthfully I am not sure what to do with so much time."
"You were in school?" Another lady asked intrigued Rilla knew as Mabel.
"Yes, I studied applied sciences, intro psychology and social sciences mainly," Rilla explained. "I am continuing through correspondence to achieve a B.A, I only need a few more credits."
"Why did you go into that? They allowed a woman to join Psychology ?" An older woman named Elizabeth asked.
"There were two of us ladies in the class and it wasn't always nice. But we managed, Why did I go into it?" Rilla tried to explain simply as she took off her long coat and took a seat. Tea was quickly served to her. "After the war, my husband, he didn't cope well. It was a way for me to understand and try to help him heal." Rilla explained. "I am sure you all know from personal experience how frustrating it could be? To not be able to truly help them or not knowing how to help them?"
The ladies all looked at each other and nodded.
"They call it to shell shock, it comes from traumatic experiences they faced during the war. At first, it could be devastating to them, then they learned to just ignore in away. They were at war, they were climatized to their actions. Their main goal was to stay alive and attack the enemy," Rilla explained. "When they finally came home, whether from injuries or when the war ended. All those things? Those memories they buried they can and still come alive and they still don't know how to process properly. While society prefers to pretend the war is in the past, thats it's not polite to ask questions. Our men are still suffering from the effects of war. Seeing their comrades die beside them. Killing men who were just like them who spoke another language."
"I know plenty of men were outraged when they prohibition came into effect here." One woman with light brown hair.
"It's a way to forget for them, drinking, smoking," Rilla agreed with her.
"We generally meet twice a week if we can, if you wish to join us you're more than welcome to. Do you have a telephone?" Adele asked her.
"I do," Rilla nodded as she scribbled her telephone number on a piece of paper. "My brothers Fiancee lives with us at the moment as they work out their wedding so if I don't pick up it is most likely her."
"Of course, she is always welcome as well if she wishes. Though I am surely preparing a wedding has her time cut short." Adele told her.
"Oh it will be a fairly small wedding on the island most likely," Rilla told them. "I will tell Ken about the dance though. I am sure I can persuade him in some way or form to come, it's not like he has to wear a uniform or anything."
"Oh goodness no, but a costume is required for a masquerade though," Adele reminded her.
"Of course, I am sure I can figure something out for him," Rilla told her before bidding them goodbye.
"Oh, that looks so pretty!" Rilla exclaimed as she walked through the women's department. Her heels clicking on the hardwood floors as she walked daintily along. Her long coat, button low at the waist where the long line of fur on the lapel started. She had been told the Ken was wandering around the building.
"Thank you, Mrs. Ford!" The woman flushed as she fixed the arrangement before stepping back. Rilla watched take another look before stepping toward the camera. "Do you want to try on the hat? I think I would look lovely with your coat?"
"Oh no, I don't want to interrupt your work, Ethel," Rilla shook her head to the young woman who had a head of dark hair. "I just stopped by to drop something off for Ken," she explained holding up the canvas bag she was holding.
"He's in the darkroom," Ethel smiled to her.
Rilla nodded and walked into the small hallway that had been built on the back wall. She knocked on the door gently. She heard him call out one moment, and shuffle around before he opened the door.
"You forgot your lunch," She smiled at him.
"I did, you didn't have to bring it all the way down here though. I thought you were working on your papers today?" Ken asked her.
"I needed to get some air," Rilla explained to him. "When I realized you left your lunch I jumped on the tram so it was a win-win for me."
"You are bored," Ken corrected her.
"I am not bored," She gave him a look as they walked down to his office.
"You are, it's the first fall that you aren't going to school, the house is clean and Lillian busier than ever." Ken grinned at her. "It's fine, you are still adjusting." He kissed her temple after he shut the door to his office.
"I'm not bored," Rilla shook her head refusing to let him know that he was right.
"Is Susan still pretending as nothing happened?" Ken asked her as he cut up the apple in the bag.
"She's still refusing to even acknowledge the wedding, it can be awkward according to Amelie." Rilla sighed. "But Shirley is adamant on just riding it out and not make a fuss about the situation. But he's not also there either which doesn't help."
"What do your parents say or think?" Ken asked her looking over his ledger.
"It's complicated, they see Susan as part of the family. It doesn't matter that she's paid or not, she's still one of the family. Dad has tried to talk to her but hasn't gotten anywhere with her." Rilla told him. "I think she's waiting for Shirley to apologize and he won't because he didn't do anything wrong," Rilla explained to him.
"But I did come here for a reason," Rilla told her. "I met a group of ladies today by accident and they invited us to a masquerade." She explained.
"Oh I didn't know there was in the works," Ken looked up from his ledger.
"It hasn't been advertised yet, but it's by the Great War Veterans Association," Rilla told him carefully. Unsure of his response to the organization who was putting it on.
"I have heard of them," Ken said after a moment. "They generally put together the armistice ceremonies each year." He told her.
"Yes, that is what the ladies said," Rilla told nodded her head. "They are a nice group of ladies if you don't object to me being apart of the group." She asked him nervously.
"Rilla you don't need my permission to have friends or join groups." Ken sighed, hating how worried she was to just tell him about the group. "Just don't go volunteering me for things if you do spend more time with them." He told warned her gently.
"I would never," Rilla rushed to set his mind at ease. She opened her mouth to say something else when someone knocked on his door.
"Pardon me, but Mr. Ford I don't mean to disturb, but you needed down in editing," A young woman told them.
"It's all right Violet," Ken stood up. "I'll see you at home later?" He turned to his wife.
"Of course," Rilla nodded her head in agreement walking to the door with him with her coat over her arm. "That is a very pretty dress." She told the young girl with a smile who she learned was only eighteen and working to save up to go to college next yet.
"My mother made it," Violet blushed at the compliment. "Someday I hope to have one like yours," she said bravely.
"Yours is just as nice" Rilla corrected her. "I could never wear such a colour, I am always jealous of those who can wear such pinks."
"Violet, will you walk Mrs. Ford to the door?" Ken spoke up behind them.
"Of course, Mr. Ford! Mr. Garrison is looking for you in layout," Violet told him and waited as Rilla shrugged on her jacket.
"How do you like it here?" Rilla asked the younger girl.
"I enjoy it very much, I just run between floors and help with little things here and there," Violet explained. "How long have you and Mr. Ford been married?" She asked curiously. "If I may ask.'
"Oh! Little over two years," Rilla laughed. "Any boys in your life?" She smiled and when Violet blushed and shook her head. "There will be time, and they will come around. I will see you around."
Rilla bid her goodbye before stepping back out into the cool fall weather. She sighed and looked up at the sky
Over the next few days, she began to piece together what she wanted for a costume and Ken as well. With Lillian's help she found her dress in a booklet they found at the dressmakers. She bought yards of netting and a floaty tarlatan and finally a couple of yards of soft chiffon.
With Lillian's help helped they adjusted a pattern to suit Rilla's idea. Drawn out on brown paper on the living room floor. they carefully cut it out. The gown would be moonlight blue that shimmered over a full petticoat skirt. A Girdle of silver, that matched the glittering silver stars she would eventually sew on to the dress. While for Ken they planned on sewing fair amount metallic stars and glass beads onto an older tux jacket that she had found. Matching her dress as best as she could between splitting her sewing and her course work. It wasn't perfect, but she was proud of her work.
She had spent a large part of an afternoon with Lillian with boxes of dye. Swatching colours mixtures until they found the perfect blue to dye the light chiffon she had bought.
"I never thought of dying the fabric to get the colour I wanted," Rilla told her honestly. "I remember mother dying a few things over the years though. Though I think they lied about not staining hands," Rilla laughed as she looked at her blue hands.
"It will wear off in a few washes," Lillian told her as she stirred the large pot they brought from the basement that steamed from the hot water. "It's almost ready I think."
"Are you and surely going to come?" Rilla asked her looking into the pot.
"I believe so," Lillian told her with a smirk. "I may have gotten him to dress up as a harlequin."
"Are you serious?" Rilla exclaimed not willing to believe her. "How in the world did you do that?"
"I asked," Lillian shrugged but smiled.
"How is he liking Dalhousie?" Rilla asked her.
"He doesn't mind it, but we are closer now, we're thinking getting married on over Christmas Holidays," Lillian let out for the first time. "Gives us time to plan a small ceremony and relax before he finishes his last semester."
"I'm truly glad that everything worked out for you," Rilla told her quietly. "and Amelie as well, I think Di enjoys having her around."
"Why does it smell like vinegar?" Ken walked into the Kitchen with a wrinkled nose. "Why are your hands blue?"
"We're dying some fabric, vinegar is to help set the colour in the silk and tulle" Rilled explained. "We didn't expect you until later, everything all right at the magazine?"
"Oh yes, I just thought of something and wanted to give it to one of the departments," Ken explained. "I will leave you two ladies to do your thing have no fear." He chuckled and quickly kissed the top of his wife's head.
When he came home again later the house was quiet and smelling fresh and clean from the windows being open. The closer to the kitchen, he smelled dinner cooking faintly in the air.
"You cooked," Ken stepped into the Kitchen as he arrived home from work.
"I did, it's just pasta even I can make pasta." Rilla gave him a look and gave him a welcome kiss home as she took off her apron. "It's just us tonight, Lillian and Shirley are off somewhere for dinner."
Ken nodded and looked around, papers and file folders were stacked on the table. Telling him that she had been working on something that afternoon. He quickly made his way upstairs, changing out of his suit and hanging it up. The soft afghans spread out on the bed, things were changing once more with Rilla at home more. More than she had ever been, and Lillian making plans with Shirley was often out for the evening. Little things they bought on shopping trips, doilies that crocheted. It made their home feel that much homier.
She had dinner on the table when he came back downstairs. Her schoolwork banished to the hutch in the corner. The table simply set with the floral china they received from their wedding. She smiled at him as turned to him, her hair taken from the pins from earlier today lying down her back. Her simple green house dress, completed her look.
"How was your day?" She asked him as she wrapped her tea towel around the handles of the corning wear. Ready to bring it to the table, Ken quickly grabbed the small salad she had made.
"It was good, how did your fabric turn out?" He asked her. "How did the doctors go this morning?" He asked her.
"Right as rain," Rilla smiled "I was told that the small cough is nothing to worry about. Among other things," she gave him a demure look. "He gave me a clean bill of health and said if we wished to we could resume any sort of actives that we had before I was ill. To do so at our own discretion."
"Did he?" Ken looked up as he handed her the breadbasket. He pondered something for a moment but didn't say anything. They went on through their night, as Rilla folded the laundry she brought in from the clothesline. Ken went over his calendar for the next day. By eight o'clock Rilla was crocheting and Ken was listening to the news on the radio.
"You are still all right with this decision?" Ken asked as he rubbed her stockinged leg that was on his lap.
Rilla nodded after a moment, setting down her crochet. "I liked having Jimmy here with us. If it will mean having that again on a permanent basis. It might be nice." She said softly. "I just hope that everything goes smoothly."
"All we can do is pray for a healthy baby," Ken told her. "Is that what you're worried about?"
"How can I not be?" Rilla looked at him. "My parents lost Joy hours after she was born. Nan has had two miscarriages, so much can go wrong. I'm always going to worry about it, that's not something I can change."
Ken frowned and moved so she could be closer to her. She closed her eyes as he traced over the side of her face with fingers. "Only if you are sure?"
"The least I can do is try Ken, I have to try. I can't run away from everything that scares me. If I have learned anything in the past year is that burying my worries doesn't work. I know there is a difference in being afraid of the what if's and not wanting something." Rilla tried to explain to him as she left herself nuzzle his hand softly.
"I don't remember being sick, but sometimes I felt like something was telling me to stay here. I still don't even know if it was real or if I was dreaming. I just remember some child climbing on to my bed asking if I wanted their teddy bear." Rilla admitted.
"As far as I know, no children ever snuck into your room," Ken told her with a smile.
"She had your dark hair," Rilla said quietly, as she reached out to touch the dark hair that escaped the pomade. "Eyes greener than my hazel. I stared at her. I must have either woken up or blinked, because when I opened my eyes. There was no one there, but I could hear a faint giggle float in my room. Now I wonder, I wonder what can be? Can she be real one day?"
"Anything is possible," Ken answered. Now he himself was thinking of what Rilla described to him. "Did she have a name?"
Rilla only shook her head. "I never thought much about names, all I know, there was enough Gilberts growing up in Glen." Rilled cracked a wry smile. "And I refuse to name a child after myself." She told him with a curt nod of her head. "Actually any name in my family is off-limits. I don't want to be that sort of a family that keeps reusing the same names over and over again."
"I think I can agree to that," Ken chuckled. "You know for someone who is so unsure of herself, you definitely have your conditions."
"I'm a woman, and you know what they say about women. We constantly change our minds," Rilla teased him as she poked with to foot. "Though I will probably need some reassurance from time to time. A reminder to not let my worries get the better of me." She told him quietly.
"I'll tell you every day, morning and night," Ken kissed her pulling her close. They relaxed, relishing in each other. Not even hearing the front door open.
"You do realize your neighbours can see you necking? And frankly, I don't like seeing it either!" Shirley called out as he ushered Lillian into the house.
"Then get your own place, Blythe!" Ken called out.
"Trust me I'm working on it!" Shirley replied, and you could hear Lillian swat her glove on his arm at his antics.
"Who wants tea?" Rilla sighed and untangled herself from her husband who pouted at her. "Don't look at me like that, you knew that was all you were getting tonight?" Rilla gave him a look.
So I had a small bit of fun with this one with the dress and dying of fabric. I didn't realize until this week that Rit and Tintex dye has been around for over a hundred years. I am a dyer at work and its fun to know a little bit of history.
I hope that you my lovely readers are doing well and thank you for all the reviews previous and if you are new to the story don't be shy!
To the guest reviewer who mentioned my mistakes. I edit the best of my abilities and sometimes yes things still slip through. But I do edit to the best of my abilities, with my own brain, along with Grammarly and Hemingway App. But even they don't catch everything sadly. But I do try my best.
To Julie- Merci Beaucoup!