I'll Be Seeing You
Chapter 9
Liverpool Street Station was crowded. Charlie and Joey pushed their way through the crowd to a W.H. SMITHS kiosk. Charlie bought some magazines for Joey's journey back to the East coast and poked them into Joey's bag.
"Well, I suppose I better look for Helen." Joey said, looking about her.
"Yes." Charlie said quietly, fighting back tears.
Joey looked at Charlie's sad face.
"It won't be forever, my love."
"I know." Charlie replied in a small voice. "Joey, I'm going to say 'goodbye' to you now. I don't think I can..." Charlie blinked and looked away.
Joey's face paled, reality hitting her.
"Oh." She swallowed. "I never thought it would be as difficult as this."
"We don't have to make it difficult. I can just turn and walk away." Charlie said as a tear ran down her cheek.
"Come here." Joey said, pulling Charlie to her and wrapping her arms around her tightly. "God! I'm going to miss you."
"Me too." Sobbed Charlie.
"Take care of yourself and give my love to everyone at home, especially Ruby."
"Write to me often, won't you?"
"I will and you too. I'll rely on your letters to keep me going until this stupid war is over." Joey said, and tried to smile through her tears.
"Don't forget me." Charlie whispered.
"How can I?"
"Do you want to take this with you, this time?" Charlie asked producing Joey's little china boat from her pocket. "It always travels around with me, ever since the day you gave it to me to look after."
"In that case, I prefer you to keep it Charlie. I know that way you'll always carry a little bit of me with you. God bless you, Charlie Buckton."
"God bless and keep you safe, Joey Collins."
Charlie placed a gentle kiss onto Joey's lips and turned and hurried away. Joey watched as Charlie left the station without looking back.
"I'll be seeing you, Charlie." She murmured after her.
She wiped her eyes with her handkerchief and picked up the luggage and slowly walked to the gates of the platform. Each step she took making her more and more miserable.
"Josie! Josie Collins!" A familiar voice yelled and waved to Joey from the waiting train. "Where the dickens 'av ya been, lass?"
Joey smiled at Helen, glad to have some cheerful company on the journey back to Great Yarmouth.
***
Charlie stepped off the train at Blackheath Station. Her head ached from crying and she wondered how she was going to get through the next twenty four hours.
Morag opened the door and greeted her step daughter with a kind smile; her smile was quickly replaced by a look of concern when she noticed Charlie's swollen, red rimmed eyes.
"Is there anything I can do for you, Charlie?" She asked kindly.
"No thank you. I'll be fine. I'll just say hello to Dad and then, if I may, take a bath?"
"Sounds like a fine idea." Morag smiled, wondering if these tears were merely in tribute to a departing friend or was there something more intriguing?
***
Joey sat listening to Helen raving about GI, Chuck and all his virtues. She considered if now might be the time to disillusion her friend about the caddish Chuck, but thought better of it. If she had to plead her case, if would need to be a day when she could give it her full attention. Joey's mind was still full of Charlie Buckton and the memory of her fleeing Liverpool Street Station in floods of tears.
Maybe when Helen stops prattling on and goes to sleep, she thought to herself, I'll start to write a letter to Charlie. That way, it will be as if she's still with me.
Joey curled her fingers around her thumb and pretended she was still holding Charlie's soft hand. She closed her eyes.
"So, when Chuck takes me over to The United States of America as his bride, I'll be able to invite ya over and what larks we'll av then, Josie!" Helen said, her eyes dancing.
"What? America? B-Bride?" Joey stammered, opening her eyes wide.
***
Charlie sat down at the dining room table and folded back the cover of a book of note paper. She chewed the end of her pen for a moment then began to write.
Blackheath Grove, Blackheath
Sunday, 23rd April, 1944
My darling Joey,
I pray you arrived safely back at your billet.
I can't believe we've only been apart for a few hours, but I'm so lonely for you already, my love. I got back to Dad's feeling low and out of spirits. Even a hot bath didn't make me feel any better!
My mind has been constantly reliving our weekend together. Our tears and smiles and not to mention our wonderful Jitterbug exhibition at the Hammersmith Palais! If they'd had a dance competition that night, I'm sure we would have been the winners, hands down! Most of all, I have been imagining myself laying in your warm arms, feeling the touch of your lips on my own, feeling the gently touch of your hands on my skin and the closeness of our bodies as we lay together in the dark. These memories, my darling will have to last me until we are together again. Soon, please soon!
When I finish my letter, I am going to bed. I feel weary from all the emotion of the day and I hope and pray to see you in my dreams tonight and every night.
Please write to me as soon as you can. Just a few lines to say you are back safe and sound.
God bless you, my Joey. You are in my prayers.
My deepest love, always,
Charlie.
Xxx
Charlie kissed the letter three times and placed it lovingly in an envelope. She addressed it to Joey and slipped her jacket on ready to pop it along to the post box on the corner of the road.
***
Joey and Helen walked from the station to their billet. Helen was still engrossed in her story of stolen moments with Chuck and chatted away merrily, mostly entertaining herself. Joey's mind was back in London as she wondered what Charlie was doing and how she was feeling.
"Jo-sie!" Helen said, raising her voice.
"What?" Joey said, in surprise.
"I said, 'here we are' and you're gooing marching on...What ails thee Lass? Y've been in a little world of ya orn since we left London!"
Joey looked back at their hotel billet that she'd walked passed in her day dream.
"Sorry." She muttered following Helen up the steps to the entrance.
***
"I'm off to bed now, Dad." Charlie said, getting out of the easy chair and walking over to kiss her Father goodnight.
"You seem a little out of salts, my darling?" Her Father observed, taking her hand.
"Oh, it's nothing, pops, don't worry! Night, Morag."
"Goodnight, Charlie." Morag replied, watching Charlie walk out of the room over the top of her spectacles.
"That young lady has something on her mind." She said, knowingly.
"Like what?" Ross asked, glancing at his wife.
"I don't know for sure, but after so many months of thinking and doing nothing but work, all she's done this weekend is whoop-it-up! Since she's been home, she's had tears and is quiet miserable! Now, it takes a very special person to break your daughter down like that, Ross Buckton. Who was it she said she met with on Friday?"