Una tried to block the light with her hands. But the sun was a force to
be reckoned with. It refused to let her sleep. And try as she might to
escape the light and catch a few more moments of sleep, she could not in
good conscience do it. Faith was sitting in her bed, still dressed in her
nightgown staring out the window moodily. "Una," she said, not even turning
to look. Una walked around, to sit next to Faith, "How did you even know I
was up??" she asked confused. "Oh," Faith said airily, "I have been sitting
here since just after the sunrise saying your name. I figured you would
wake up at some point." Una smiled at her sister. "So it was you then,
calling me back from my dreams. And they were sweet dreams Faith. It was
most unkind of you." Una laughed, but noticing Faith didn't join in, her
eyes grew grave, "I am sorry I was not here when you came back last night.
I should have been here with you, instead of walking back with Walter."
Faith turned to Una, her eyes fierce, "You know. I wish I were a man, so
that I could fight too!"
**************************************************************************** **
The call had come during the middle of dinner. She could remember everything. It was as though time stopped the minute the phone rang. She remembered their dinner of chicken and potatoes with beans, the creaminess of the milk, the smell of apple pie wafting out of the kitchen. Una thought nothing was more comforting and warming than the smell of cinnamon. They had all known the call was coming. But how could anyone prepare to send their child, their brother into war? Una wanted to be supportive. She understood why they wanted to fight. Really, she assured herself, I do. But it seems so futile. And how can so many men, boys really, for they knew little more of the world than she did, be ready to join a battle a world away. How could they be willing to leave their homes and family to fight a nameless and faceless evil? Perhaps, she considered, it simply depends on how you see the world. A pessimist would fight because they fear the war could spread here. But then perhaps they would believe that the Kaiser's success is inevitable and therefore would choose not to fight. Una sighed, frustrated with the flaws of her logic, just as Jerry hung up the phone.
"That was Jem," Jerry spoke with a rare excitement in his voice, "He is going into town to enlist tomorrow. And I am going to go with him." They knew better than to stop him. Una saw Carl looking at his brother wide-eyed with envy. Ever since he had heard of the war he had been eager to join up. But he knew it was Jerry who must go first. And he was too young anyway. Still Carl thought it did not seem fair. Jerry was going to become a minister. Who ever heard of minister's being soldiers. No it made no sense at all. If anyone should go it should be him, or maybe even Faith, he did not doubt that she could be a menace. He could still remember her flying at him for the littlest things. No, in his humble opinion, Una and Jerry were simply too solemn for this war business. Their place was at home, and his place was at the front. He could only pray that the war lasted long enough for him to go get himself some Germans. But was it not wicked to pray for such things, he wondered. Anyhow, he had stolen more than a few apples from the Barnes' orchard over the past week. So he was far from being an angel, what danger was one more wicked thought?
Una thought, her father looked dangerously pale, she could see his hands shaking visibly as he tried to cut his chicken. He had not looked so alone, forlorn since their mother had died. Reverend Meredith loved all his children equally. But Jerry was his firstborn son, and in his eyes he could always seen his well beloved long since dead wife. What is Jerry never came back? What if he came back with a cloudiness in those eyes. He couldn't bear to think of it. Rosemary noticed her husband's change in demeanor. But knew there was little she could do. For those that understood what war meant life would never be the same. There would be death and suffering she knew, but she didn't know. She couldn't recall the last time Canada was ever at war. "Come let us at least finish dinner. I made Bruce's favorite pie!" They all pasted their smiles on for Bruce. He did not quite understand what was happening yet, and he deserved to keep his innocence as long as possible. Una looked over at her sister. Faith's eyes were still pink from the tears as she absentmindedly poked at her pie. She had spent the afternoon with Jem. And despite her vows from the morning, she had confessed to Una that she was scared. Una's heart went out to her sister. She knew Faith had loved Jem since the day she first laid eyes on him. Of course she had played games with him, tried to make him jealous, fought with him. But Una remembered falling asleep to Faith's tears on those days she had fought with Jem. Una did not doubt for a minute that the pain Faith was feeling now was genuine. She prayed the war would end before it even started. That Jem was going was bad enough, but it was likely Jerry would leave with him. And what if Walter went as well? It wouldn't do for her to dwell on that. She did not have any right to cry over him. That Irene Howard had more of a right than her. But Una pushed thoughts of Walter away, and turned to place a reassuring arm around her sister. She was used to putting others before herself. Now was not the time to stop.
**************************************************************************** **
The call had come during the middle of dinner. She could remember everything. It was as though time stopped the minute the phone rang. She remembered their dinner of chicken and potatoes with beans, the creaminess of the milk, the smell of apple pie wafting out of the kitchen. Una thought nothing was more comforting and warming than the smell of cinnamon. They had all known the call was coming. But how could anyone prepare to send their child, their brother into war? Una wanted to be supportive. She understood why they wanted to fight. Really, she assured herself, I do. But it seems so futile. And how can so many men, boys really, for they knew little more of the world than she did, be ready to join a battle a world away. How could they be willing to leave their homes and family to fight a nameless and faceless evil? Perhaps, she considered, it simply depends on how you see the world. A pessimist would fight because they fear the war could spread here. But then perhaps they would believe that the Kaiser's success is inevitable and therefore would choose not to fight. Una sighed, frustrated with the flaws of her logic, just as Jerry hung up the phone.
"That was Jem," Jerry spoke with a rare excitement in his voice, "He is going into town to enlist tomorrow. And I am going to go with him." They knew better than to stop him. Una saw Carl looking at his brother wide-eyed with envy. Ever since he had heard of the war he had been eager to join up. But he knew it was Jerry who must go first. And he was too young anyway. Still Carl thought it did not seem fair. Jerry was going to become a minister. Who ever heard of minister's being soldiers. No it made no sense at all. If anyone should go it should be him, or maybe even Faith, he did not doubt that she could be a menace. He could still remember her flying at him for the littlest things. No, in his humble opinion, Una and Jerry were simply too solemn for this war business. Their place was at home, and his place was at the front. He could only pray that the war lasted long enough for him to go get himself some Germans. But was it not wicked to pray for such things, he wondered. Anyhow, he had stolen more than a few apples from the Barnes' orchard over the past week. So he was far from being an angel, what danger was one more wicked thought?
Una thought, her father looked dangerously pale, she could see his hands shaking visibly as he tried to cut his chicken. He had not looked so alone, forlorn since their mother had died. Reverend Meredith loved all his children equally. But Jerry was his firstborn son, and in his eyes he could always seen his well beloved long since dead wife. What is Jerry never came back? What if he came back with a cloudiness in those eyes. He couldn't bear to think of it. Rosemary noticed her husband's change in demeanor. But knew there was little she could do. For those that understood what war meant life would never be the same. There would be death and suffering she knew, but she didn't know. She couldn't recall the last time Canada was ever at war. "Come let us at least finish dinner. I made Bruce's favorite pie!" They all pasted their smiles on for Bruce. He did not quite understand what was happening yet, and he deserved to keep his innocence as long as possible. Una looked over at her sister. Faith's eyes were still pink from the tears as she absentmindedly poked at her pie. She had spent the afternoon with Jem. And despite her vows from the morning, she had confessed to Una that she was scared. Una's heart went out to her sister. She knew Faith had loved Jem since the day she first laid eyes on him. Of course she had played games with him, tried to make him jealous, fought with him. But Una remembered falling asleep to Faith's tears on those days she had fought with Jem. Una did not doubt for a minute that the pain Faith was feeling now was genuine. She prayed the war would end before it even started. That Jem was going was bad enough, but it was likely Jerry would leave with him. And what if Walter went as well? It wouldn't do for her to dwell on that. She did not have any right to cry over him. That Irene Howard had more of a right than her. But Una pushed thoughts of Walter away, and turned to place a reassuring arm around her sister. She was used to putting others before herself. Now was not the time to stop.