The Very Thought of You
Chapter 43
"My God! That was close!" Charlie whispered to Joey in the darkness of her room. She felt a cold chill engulf her body. "Get dressed, quickly!"
Charlie switched on the small bedside light and they jumped out of bed collected their garments so carelessly discarded a little earlier.
Joey looked out of the bedroom window.
"Charlie, I don't know where it fell, but it was somewhere in that direction." She said pointing towards a glow as few streets away.
Charlie came and stood next to her and looked to where Joey was pointing.
"Think we better go and have a look." The Policewoman said, sliding a pair of slacks on.
Joey knew exactly what thoughts were creeping into Charlie's mind. Had the Assembly Rooms been hit? She took hold of Charlie's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Charlie looked into Joey's eyes.
"D'you think...?"
"I don't know. Come on." Joey said gently, leading Charlie out of the room.
"We better take some stuff with us. Emm... Grab what blankets you can; there's some more in that cupboard and bring the torch." Charlie ordered, pulling herself together a little. "We can come back for anything else we need."
The two girls left the house, making their way back towards the Assembly Rooms. The sound of Fire Engine bells could be heard clanging in the distance.
The girls followed the orangey glow in the sky which acted as a beacon to guide their footsteps in the dark.
As they drew nearer to the Assembly Rooms, Charlie stopped dead in her tracks. Joey stopped like wise and glanced back at her girlfriend.
"Charlie, she'll be alright!" She tried to comfort, praying that she wouldn't need to swallow her words later.
"What if...?"
"Charlie!" Joey pleaded.
The two girls hurried on.
The Assembly Rooms had indeed taken the blast of the bomb which had been so carelessly discarded by the German bomber. The bomb itself had fallen a little way from the hall, in a public house, but the blast had caused doors and windows to be blown in and the fire now engulfing the pub was threatening to spread to the Assembly Rooms.
The girls arrived at the same time as the fire engines.
Charlie tried to run into the Assembly Rooms but was prevented by Mr. Hodges, the ARP Warden for the area.
"You can't go in there love!" He said, blocking their path.
"Mr. Hodges, I've got to. My sister..." Charlie wailed.
"Sorry love."
"But I'm a Police Officer!" Charlie said, trying another tact.
"Not until the boys have given the okay!" Mr. Hodges said, staunchly.
Joey put her hand on Charlie's arm.
"Just wait a minute, Charlie. Let them do their job."
Charlie quickly looked at her with a mixture of anxiety and disbelief.
"But Ruby!"
"I know, I know, Charlie, but you've got to let them check first. What if you go barging in there and...? Oh! I don't know." Joey said, too worried to put it into words.
They stood outside for what seemed an eternity. Suddenly, a dusty figure immerged from the Assembly Rooms.
"All okay in there, Bill!" Called the fireman to the Warden. "Apart from one or two with injuries. I'm off to call for an ambulance now."
"Okay, you two. You can come in with me and help some of these poor sods. But only because it's you, Constable Buckton.
The Police Officer thanked the Warden and the two girls followed him inside.
It was dark and dusty, but they could hear voices and people coughing at the other end of the room. Someone held a torch and was shining it around, checking who may be injured and need help.
Charlie switched on her own torch and started to shine it around looking for her sister.
"Charlie!" Came a familiar voice.
"Janet! Are you alright?" Charlie asked anxiously walking towards her friend. "Where's Ruby and Vince?" She added without waiting for an answer.
"I'm okay and the kids are over there." She said pointing towards a little crowd who had collected around a tea urn. "Luckily the blast didn't touch the kitchen, so the tea urn came through unscathed!" Janet said practically. "You'll have to excuse me, I'm checking on everyone."
"Is there anything I can do, Janet?" Joey asked, "We've brought blankets with us."
"Yeah, there's a few people suffering from shock. We need to get a hot, sweet tea down them and some warmth. That's perfect." Janet replied, eyeing the blankets.
Joey sent Charlie off to find Ruby and set to work with her blankets and distributing cups of tea.
Charlie hurried down the hall looking for the little sister.
"Charlie!"
Charlie turned round and saw Ruby holding something against her head.
"Ruby!" She cried, rushing to hold her sister. "Are you alright, sweetheart?"
She caught her up in a big hug not letting go.
"I'm fine except for a scratch." Ruby said, showing Charlie her wound.
Charlie shone her torch at Ruby's head and grimaced. The blood had collected around Ruby's unruly hair. She examined the wound, but it seemed superficial.
"Look, the blood's dripped down my pretty taffeta!" Ruby moaned, pointing at her skirt.
"Keep that wadding against it. At least it's no worse, Ruby!" Charlie advised. "Is Vince alright?"
"Yeah, he's fine." Ruby said, tickling Vince with her free hand.
He giggled, enjoying all the excitement.
"Is there anyone badly hurt, Ruby?" Charlie asked, glancing about her.
"Mr. Stewart isn't too good. I think the window fell in on him. He's got some nasty cuts and took a nasty blow to his head. I think they're gonna get him to hospital when the ambulance arrives. Mrs. Holden's with him." Ruby said pointing towards Martha and her Grandfather.
"Okay. Stay with Vince and I'm going to see what I can do, alright darling?" Charlie said, hugging her sister again, in relief.
"Charlie! Where did you and Jo get to?" Ruby called behind her.
Charlie just gave her a guilty look. Ruby grinned.
Joey helped Mrs. Smart who was still sitting on the floor where the bomb blast had shot her.
"Here, drink this." Joey encouraged, offering the older lady some tea.
"Thank you sweetheart." Colleen said, taking the beverage. "You were lucky you didn't come back in."
"Yes, wasn't I?" Joey said, hoping that in Colleen's shocked state, she wouldn't think to ask for explanations.
She wrapped a blanket around Colleen's shoulders and made her as comfortable as possible on the floor.
"You just stay here until the ambulance comes." Joey said kindly. "Just in case you're a bit shaky."
"Thank you darling." Said a grateful Colleen, holding her head.
It had been a long night. The walking wounded were able to leave and go home but the injured were conveyed off to hospital in Canterbury.
Joey saw Ruby and Vince home safely; wounds attended too and put to bed with a hot, sweet drink and then returning to the Assembly Rooms.
The pub next door which had taken the full impact of the bomb had been totally destroyed. The firemen managed to contain the fire thus, stopping it spreading into the Assembly Rooms. Rescue teams had evacuated the injured and were still digging for those who were less fortunate.
Joey walked back into the Assembly Rooms. Not many people were left. Janet and the remaining WRVS ladies were packing up what was left of their cups, saucers, plates and glasses; many had been broken in the incident.
Charlie stood with a some of her colleagues. She smiled when she saw Joey approaching and broke away from the group.
"Are the kids alright?" She asked, catching hold of one of Joey's fingers, discretely.
"They're fine." Joey promised. "You look tired, sweetheart."
"Emm. I am. We're just about finished here. Think we're just wait for Janet, then we can go home. You were right earlier."
"What d'you mean?" Joey asked frowning.
"You said you had a funny feeling about things."
"Bit of an old witch, me!" Joey replied, laughing.
"I love you, Jo."
"I love you, too. With all my heart."
"You girls ready for home?" Janet said, making the girls jump and break finger contact.
"Yes, yes. When you are."
The women walked home together, tired and dusty.
"Why don't you stay over tonight, Jo?" Janet suggested as she put the kettle on.
"Yes, do. Please?" Charlie pleaded, with her eyes.
"Alright." Joey said, looking into Charlie's eyes.
"Mind you, you'll have to bunk in with Charlie. Ruby's back in her room." Janet reminded them.
"Oh yes!" Charlie said, her eyes shining. "You don't mind sharing, do you Jo?"
"No. I think I can put up with it!"