The Very Thought of You

Chapter 13

Joey awoke early and lay for a long time listening for any sign of life in the household. She had met Charlie's younger sister Ruby, very briefly, the evening before but had not met Mrs. Leah, Charlie's land lady. She didn't want to leave her room and bump into someone who probably wouldn't even know of her existence. She considered it better to remain in her room until Charlie surfaced. Joey relaxed back on the pillow and thought of Charlie. Charlie was the most incredible person she had ever met. She was kind, sincere and very beautiful. She would have to be careful that she didn't start to rely on this heavenly angel too much. After all, Charlie wouldn't want her around for too long. Joey made up her mind to start looking for a room to rent as soon as she could. She would need to find herself a job too. She couldn't go back to her fishing job on The Summer Bay or any other vessel at the moment. She wouldn't be able to cope with that. She was also expecting her call-up from the Ministry of Labour at any time. If she no longer worked on a trawler, the Ministry would expect her to sign on for some sort of war related work. The thought made her stomach knot. The idea of working hour after hour in a factory making munitions didn't appeal to her in the slightest. She knew the work was of the upper most importance to the war effort, but she was used to spending her working life out at sea. No, factory work was not an option. Women's Land Army? Maybe. ATS, the Wrens...? At that moment, the bedroom door opened revealing a smiling Charlie carrying a steaming hot cup of tea.

"Good morning! How did you sleep?" Charlie asked placing the cup and saucer on the bedside cabinet and perching on the edge of the bed.

"Morning. I slept very well, thank you Charlie." Joey fibbed. She had managed to get some sleep, but it was disturbed by unpleasant dreams involving her brother and Robert Cruze. The only good part was when Charlie appeared, cast as the hero, taking Joey by the hand and leading her to... but then she awoke.

"Well, feel free to use the bathroom, which is vacant at the moment, and pop down to the kitchen for breakfast. I want to introduce you to our land lady." Charlie said cheerfully.

"Okay, I'll get up now... Charlie, I still feel bad about all this. It really isn't your problem and I..." Joey's words were cut short by Charlie placing a finger over her lips to hush her.

"Say no more about it. See you at breakfast!" Charlie said, smiling and leaving Joey to get ready. Joey lay back on her pillow still feeling the touch of Charlie's soft finger on her lips.

"Janet, this is Josephine, or as she prefers to be known, Joey!" Charlie said, introducing the young girl to her land lady.

"Good to meet you Joey. Charlie has mentioned you're having a few problems at the moment, so until you get yourself sorted out, you're welcome!" Janet Leah said extending a warm hand to Joey.

"How do you do, Mrs. Leah, and thank you for having me and at such short notice. I promise I will get myself sorted out as soon as possible and then be on my way." Said Joey sincerely.

"No rush, love, oh! And by the way, call me Janet, everyone does."

"Okay, thank you – Janet."

Joey liked Janet. She was kind and had a warm heart. She was a lot younger than she imagined her to be, for a land lady.

Charlie guided her to one side as Janet started to sort out breakfast. "I think I'd rather keep you close at the moment, Joey. There'll be plenty of time to look around for a room. Stay here for now." She said quietly and walked back towards Janet to give a hand with breakfast.

After breakfast was over, Ruby and Joey washed the dishes together.

"So, what do you do, Joey?"

"By trade, I work on fishing boats." Joey replied.

"Gosh! That sounds exciting! How did you get involved with that? Bit of an unusual job for a girl." Ruby said with interest.

"My dad and grandfather before him, worked at sea. From a very early age, I can remember sailing out with my dad and falling in love with the freedom."

"Didn't your mum mind?" Ruby asked, enthralled.

"She knew I was safe enough. She enjoyed sailing too."

"Didn't you ever get sea-sick?"

"No! I have sea legs, haven't you noticed?" Joey grinned.

"Have you?" Ruby asked, looking down at Joey's legs.

Joey laughed.

"Did you go to School?"

"Of course she went to School!" Charlie answered, saving Joey from yet another pertinent question. "Now leave Joey alone and get yourself dressed!"

Ruby shot her sister a look and wandered off to her bedroom, muttering as she went.

"Sorry about that. She's very inquisitive." Charlie apologised.

"It's the only way to learn." Joey replied, emptying the spent washing up water.

"So, what are your plans for today?" Charlie asked, putting away the salt and pepper pots.

"Well, I was going in search for rooms to let, but you've ordered me not to, so I may just... You know, I really don't know!" Joey smiled.

"Good! I have a day off, so, I think we should do something together, if you like? Do you cycle?" Charlie asked, enthusiastically.

"Well, yes, but my bicycle is back at home and I don't think I fancy bumping into Brian this morning." Replied Joey sadly.

"That's not a problem," said Charlie grinning. "Ruby has one you can borrow!"

"Ruby's got 'what' she can borrow?" Ruby's voice came from the hall way before her face appeared.

"May Joey borrow your bike? I thought we'd cycle to Herne Bay today."

"Herne Bay? What on earth for?" Ruby enquired with a frown.

"Why do people climb mountains? I don't know. It's somewhere to go for some fresh air!"

"Okay. You may need to pump up that front tyre. Looked a bit soft last week."

"Thanks Ruby!" Charlie said with excitement. Ruby looked at her sister and frowned. She must be sickening for something, she thought.

Charlie and Joey got two bicycles out of the shed and after attending to the soft tyre on Ruby's bike set off on their journey to Herne Bay.

"So, Herne bay. What on earth for?" Joey said, re-iterating Ruby's words.

"Oh, I don't know! For the hell of it!" Charlie said. "Don't you like Herne Bay, then?"

"A wonderful place!" Joey mocked.

"Oh, shut up!" Charlie growled, but with a little smile on her face.

As they peddled, Charlie and Joey made small talk, not alluding to the stresses of the evening before. After half hour or so, the girls heard the sound of some heavy transport coming towards them. Several army trucks came into view. The girls stopped peddling and allowed the trucks room to pass. As the trucks neared, the driver of the first called out the window,

"Ello girls!" And a barrage of wolf whistles from the back of the truck descended upon them.

The two girls laughed and waved back as the trucks passed by.

"I expect they'll be off soon." Charlie said, as they continued their journey.

"Wonder when it will all end?" Joey said wistfully.

"What?" Charlie asked glancing at Joey.

"This war. The constant taking of life and upheaval of humanity."

Charlie glanced at Joey for a few moments. Her face was dark and sad. Charlie had wanted to cheer her up; she didn't want deep reflections on such a beautiful day.

"Come on... race ya!" Charlie challenged, "Last one past the barn is a BIG TWIT!"

Joey couldn't help but laugh at her friend's unimaginative out come for the loser. The girls set off as fast as their legs could pedal.

The 'big twit' title was awarded to Joey; her wheels a fraction slower than Charlie's. The two girls laughed and panted as their bikes squealed to a halt.

"Oh God! Charlie gasped, "I can hardly breathe!"

"You should have gone slower then!" Joey panted, "And let me win!"

"Not blooming likely!" Charlie laughed.

Joey, still panting, noticed an open gate to a field close by. "Come on, let's go and rest in there a while."

The two girls walked their bicycles on to the grassy field, propped their transport up against the hedge and settled down onto the soft green grass.

"This is the life!" Charlie said, stretching herself out. "Smell that earthy smell."

"Cow shit!" Joey suggested, with a grin.

"JOEY COLLINS!" screamed Charlie, in mock horror. "Language, please!"

Joey laughed and rolled onto her stomach.

"Have you ever eaten grass?" Charlie enquired, picking a blade or two.

"Only when it's poached in butter with a little salt and pepper, but what with butter being on ration..." Joey said, straight faced.

Charlie burst into a fit of laughter rolling onto her stomach too, bringing the girls side by side.

"You nut case!" She said, gently grinned at Joey.

Joey smiled back at Charlie keeping eye contact for a few moments until Charlie blinked and looked away. They remained silent for a few minutes listening to the sounds of buzzing insects and the twitter of birds.

"What you were saying last night about... about liking girls rather than men; does anyone else know?" Charlie asked, shyly.

"Only Robert's sister. That's why Cruze hates me so much. He caught his sister and I together one day; kissing. He went mad! He belted her and thumped me so hard; I had a bruised face for weeks afterwards. She and I have never been allowed to meet since. Cruze blamed me – said I seduced his sister, but if the truth were known, she encouraged me. Anyway," Joey turned over and sat up, "It's all over now."

Charlie remained laying on her stomach, her eyes focused on nothing but listening to Joey's voice waving over her like soft music.

"So," Joey suddenly said, breaking another silence, "Is there a boyfriend?"

Charlie, startled by the sudden switch from Joey's life to her own, choked. "No, no one at the moment."

"Really? I'd have thought most men in East Kent would be chasing after you!"

"What on earth for?" Charlie asked innocently.

"Come on, Charlie, you're an incredible looking girl. You're bright, intelligent – you have everything going for you! Where are they all?"

Charlie laughed gently. "No, nothing like that. Just not that interested, I guess. Blame it on the war if you like."

"The war usually encourages that sort thing, if you don't mind me saying! Nobody at all?"

"No," Charlie smiled. "Nobody at all."

"Well, tell me about your past then?" Joey said, watching a bumble bee hovering around a clover head.

"My past? It's not that exciting you know!"

"Well, tell me about your unexciting past boyfriends." Joey grinned.

"Well, I haven't had that many really. Somehow relationships and I don't seem to work. My last boyfriend, Paul Roman; lasted a little bit longer, but he was never really that committed to me. I liked him, but there was always something missing. There were kisses and stuff and yes, before you ask, there were physical moments too," Charlie blushed, "if you know what I mean! Oh, I don't know. Maybe the missing thing was love."

Joey sat quietly listening to Charlie talk and wondering what sort of an idiot was this man who let a wonderful woman like Charlie Buckton slip through his fingers.