As Time Goes By
Hi everyone! I know this is a few weeks early, but I'd like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas! ~ S&L ~ xx
Chapter 9
The next morning, the snow was deep, but not impassable. It had stopped snowing during the previous evening, allowing Charlie to take Joey to see a show in town. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves, especially dressing up and feeling glamorous for a change. When the lights went down they were able to secretly hold hands between their seats and smile lovingly at each other from time to time with no one suspecting their feelings for one another.
***
"Merry Christmas!" Ross cried as Ruby opened the door as he and Morag stood on the snowy steps, dressed in heavy coats, hats, scarves and gloves.
"Merry Christmas Daddy!" Ruby yelled, throwing herself into her father's arms; even at sixteen she still adored Christmas.
She stood aside and allowed Ross and Morag to enter. Janet met them at the kitchen door.
"Happy Christmas Mr and Mrs. Buckton and welcome!"
"Thank you, Janet, and compliments of the season to you and your family! How kind of you to invite us to share your Christmas." Morag said, genuinely.
"Yes, indeed!" Ross was eager second. "Merry Christmas!"
Janet Leah showed Ross and Morag into the lounge where it was prettily decorated with a Christmas tree, homemade paper chains, holly boughs and an assortment of gaily coloured Christmas cards.
"This looks lovely!" Morag enthused.
"Ruby and me done it!" Vince announced, proudly.
"Ruby and I." His mother corrected.
"No, it wasn't you Mum! It was me and Ruby what done it!"
Janet shook her head in disbelief at her young son's improper use of grammar in front of their special guests.
Morag chuckled and ruffled Vince's hair, much to his annoyance.
"So where's my other daughter hiding herself?" Ross asked, looking about him for signs of Charlie.
Janet looked at Ruby; her eyes encouraging her to explain.
"Well, they'll be here at sometime, but I'm not sure when." Ruby said carefully, glancing back at Janet.
"They?" Morag enquired, with a frown.
Ruby blushed and nodded. She took a deep breath and continued.
"Charlie has a particular friend who until yesterday was stationed up at Great Yarmouth. She's a Wren you see, and she's got a transfer down to Dover. She has no family as such, so Charlie has invited her to spend Christmas with us and therefore, has gone to meet her at the station." Ruby explained quickly, hoping she'd said all that was necessary to satisfy her father and stepmother and praying she hadn't said anything out of turn.
"Oh!" Ross said in surprise. "Is this friend anyone we know?" He said, looking at Morag.
"Her name's Joey – Josephine Collins. Her family used to live in Whitstable. Well, her brother does still, but she doesn't have anything to do with him anymore." Ruby advised, crossing her fingers behind her back.
"Josephine Collins? That name rings a bell." Morag remarked with a frown.
Suddenly, the penny dropped as she remembered where she had heard, or rather, seen the name, 'Josephine Collins'. It was on a letter that Charlie had posted after her short break in Great Yarmouth during the spring. Morag remembered the tears which Charlie had secretly shed whilst writing it, though Morag had been quick to detect them. She frowned to herself, wondering what this meant.
"We have another guest for you to meet. He's a local lad too and a particular friend of Joey's. His name's Andrew Aden. He's on a week's leave from the Navy. He's serving on... I can't remember the name of the ship off the top of my head, but it's his second within a year!" She explained, excitedly. "In the spring, his ship HMS Kite was lost. He was lucky to have been rescued!" Ruby said, guiding the conversation away from Charlie and Joey.
"I remember Ruby talking about him in one of her letters!" Morag said, looking at Ross. "He was reported lost, feared dead and then he miraculously turned up, I believe."
"That's right!" Janet said. "It was a miracle!"
"Then I look forward to meeting him. He sounds as though he could be a very interesting young man." Morag mused.
At that moment, the back door opened and two rosy cheeked girls stood, beaming at the gathered company.
"Merry Christmas!" They chorused together.
"Merry Christmas!" The others responded.
"Merry Christmas Jo!" Vince yelled and threw himself into Joey's arms.
"Merry Christmas darling!" Joey grinned back; giving him a hug.
As Ruby and Janet moved forward to hug their guest, Charlie very sedately moved to greet her father and step mother.
"Merry Christmas Dad and Morag!" She said, kissing her father and hugging Morag. "I'd very much like you to meet my best friend, Josephine Collins, or Joey, as we know her." Charlie said proudly, holding out her hand to Joey to introduce her to her family.
"Dad, Morag, this is Joey. Joey, this is my Dad, Ross and his wife Morag."
"Nice to meet you." Joey smiled, feeling a little nervous about meeting her girlfriend's parents for the first time.
"How do you do?" Ross and Morag both said in turn.
The three shook hands and Janet brought round a tray of glasses and a bottle of sherry.
"Ooh! Didn't know you could still get this!" Morag enthused, looking at the label.
"Had a couple of bottles in the cupboard from before the war." Janet confided. "Not often a good enough reason to take out the corks though!"
"Well, this is a good enough reason!" Charlie said, full of enthusiasm.
She looked at Joey and smiled. Morag caught the smile which passed between the two girls and she frowned again.
"Well, Joey. You must tell us all about yourself." Morag said, glancing at Charlie and guiding Joey away. Charlie looked on anxiously as alarm bells began to clang!
"So Joey, you're obviously a Wren," Morag said, looking at Joey's uniform. "But what is your profession within the service?"
"Up until yesterday, I worked in maintenance."
"How interesting." Morag said, studying Joey with interest. "What does that entail?"
"General repairs to equipment and such and we sometimes lend a hand with repairs to the ships just back from a tour of duty." Joey explained.
"And do you ever go to sea?" Morag asked.
"We might sail out on a vessel sometimes, just to make sure it's functioning properly and do 'on board' repairs where necessary. But I have now transferred to Kent and shall be pursuing a new role shortly." Joey explained.
"Sounds interesting work. I see you have two stripes up." Morag observed from the sleeve of Joey's uniform jacket.
Joey glanced down at the newly attached blue stripe and smiled.
"It goes with the new job!" She said shyly.
Charlie smiled, feeling proud of Joey; not only for acquiring an extra stripe, but being able to stand up to Morag's interrogation with such ease.
"You're obviously very dedicated, Joey. To reach your position, you've obviously worked and studied hard. Do you see the Wrens as a long term career, even after the war finishes?"
Charlie shot Joey an anxious look. It was something she had never considered. But of course, Joey was doing well in her profession, so it would be natural to want to continue in the service after the war finished. The pay was good and the job stable. But it would also keep Joey away from home for long spells and the thought tore through Charlie's heart.
"I think it's a little too soon to start making decisions like that." Joey said, giving Charlie a quick look and noticing she was wearing her 'anxious face'.
"Well, I wouldn't say 'too soon'. The war has to finish sometime. We all have to make plans for the future." Morag advised.
Joey just smiled in return.
***
A 'Tap! Tap!' on the front door saved Joey from further pertinent questioning. Janet left the room and Charlie hastily walked to Joey's side. Their fingers briefly entwined and she smiled anxiously at Joey. Joey winked at her and smiled reassuringly.
"Look who's here!" Janet proudly announced as she beckoned a smartly uniformed Sailor into the lounge.
"Andy!" Ruby yelled as she ran to meet him.
"Hello Ruby!" He grinned, but his eyes searched for someone else. It wasn't long before he found her. He smiled broadly as his eyes fell upon Joey.
"Andrew Aden RN!" Joey cried. "I had no idea you'd be here!" She said, walking hastily over and hugging the sailor.
"Joey! It's marvellous to see you. You look so well!"
Joey blushed and glanced at her smiling girlfriend.
"Well, I'm a very fortunate girl. I have reason to look hearty! And just look at you in your uniform! I bet you break hearts in this!" Joey said with a wink.
Andrew blushed and everyone laughed.
***
Friends and family settled down to lunch. Janet had done them proud! She managed to trade vegetables and numerous pots of preserves for a large Capon bird courtesy of Colleen Smart, though Colleen was most insistent that her chicken was worth far more than Janet's fresh vegetables!
"Wonderful lunch!" Ross enthused as he dabbed his lips on the damask napkin.
"Truly scrummy!" Ruby agreed.
"I'm just sorry it wasn't a real Christmas pud, but I just couldn't get all the ingredients!" Janet sighed.
"It was marvellous!" Joey said, squeezing Janet's hand. "And just to prove how marvellous, I'll wash up!"
"And I'll help!" Andrew volunteered.
Joey smiled; glad to have some private time alone with Andrew so they could catch up.
***
The other's left the dining room and headed for the lounge. Joey ran some hot water from the Ascot Boiler on the wall and added the soap flakes to the water. She glanced up at Andrew and smiled.
"So, how's your war? I thought we'd lost you!" She said raising her eyebrows.
"Yeah, so did I." Andrew grinned. "When the 'Kite' was hit by a torpedo and started to sink, I've never felt like I did at that moment. It's true what they say about your life flashing before your eyes, but then survival and self preservation kick in." Andrew said, picking up a tea towel. "It's everyman for himself when they yell 'Abandon ship!". I'd like to say no one panics but they do. I remember men running about in all directions trying to find a way out. Some climbing over others just to get to safety a bit quicker."
"They said you were lost." Joey said, quietly.
"Well, I suppose they would because we didn't get in the ship which came along to pick up survivors. We'd managed to keep afloat on a raft type thing and were picked up by a fishing boat a day or so after. We were in a sorry state by them, I can tell you!" He said, with a grin.
"All ready to start eating each other, eh?" Joey quipped.
"Yeah, almost, 'cept the others were tough and I didn't have any salt!"
Joey laughed and splashed a little water at her companion.
"Oi!" Andrew cried and laughed along with Joey.
"I'm glad you survived, Andy."
"Me too."
Andrew was quiet for a few moments as he concentrated on drying a saucepan.
"What about you and Charlie?" He suddenly asked.
Joey blushed.
"Are you happy together? I assume as you're here... "
"Yes, we are together and blissfully happy!" Joey confided to her friend.
Andrew smiled.
"I'm pleased for you both. I'm especially pleased for Charlie."
"Why Charlie, especially?" Joey asked in surprise.
"Well, after you disappeared, without saying 'goodbye or kiss my arse'" Andy grinned, "She was a wreck. I've never seen anyone look so ill in all my life." Andrew said seriously.
Joey frowned into the washing up water. Whenever she thought of the day she'd left Charlie through a misunderstanding, she felt guilty and hated herself. After a few moments of silence she regarded Andrew.
"It was the worst mistake of my life." She said quietly. "I'll never forgive myself for it and I know I don't deserve to be as happy as I am now."
"I'm sure Charlie doesn't feel that way or hold a grudge."
"No, she never does. And I count myself as fortunate that she doesn't." She smiled.
"So, now you're back home in Kent, what about the court case and Robert Cruze?" Andrew asked.
Joey paled.
"I try not to think about it." She said, quietly.
"But you'll go through with it?" Andrew said quickly.
Joey looked at Andrew; her eyes full of anxiety.
"I don't know. Maybe. I'd just as soon get on and forget it."
"Joey! You can't just let it go!" Andrew pleaded. "He's only in jail now because he was caught red-handed trying to murder you!"
Joey swallowed.
"You know Charlie will help you. You're not by yourself in this, love!" Andrew reasoned.
Joey nodded, knowing her friend was right but feeling her stomach doing somersaults at the thought.
"You'll think about it?" Andrew asked kindly; resting his large hand on her tiny shoulder.
She looked into his eyes and nodded.
"I'll think about it."