Chapter VI

Julia spent three hours talking with her parents about what had happened between her and Blythe after the Christmas dinner.

Mother embraced her in the most tender way which only mothers know, and she was stroking Julia's hair while telling her that nothing what she said was wrong and that Blythe really shouldn't have kissed her. Father agreed and added that everything will get solved in its time and that Julia should get on with her things as if nothing happened. Well, it was certainly easier to say so than to actually do so but somehow Julia managed to laugh (although quite bitterly) and dance when New Years' Eve arrived.

Blythe was indeed broken-hearted, firstly because he knew that Julia could never love him in a way he loved her, and secondly because of the way she treated him on Christmas Day. It seemed as if the life flew out of his soul, and his thoughts were drifting somewhere between the clouds. He didn't talk to Julia, or at least not when he didn't need to. To be precise, he hardly talked with anyone since the Christmas Day, but everyone respected him doing so.

Julia on the other hand was simply too scared to talk to him about what happened, and somehow knew that even though if they had been able to speak to each other, their relationship would have never been the same. And she herself, for that very reason, was broken-hearted as well just as much as Blythe was.

Everyone in their family knew what happened and felt sorry for both Blythe and Julia and sympathised with both of them. Julia decided on not telling Troy about it and Merry kept her secret away from him. It just didn't seem right to tell Troy that Blythe confessed that he loves his fiancee and later on kissed her.

In January Rose, Blythe and Walt came back to Redmond whereas Jake and Gil got their khaki uniforms shortly after the New Years' Eve and left Glen St Mary at the end of January for their training in Toronto, leaving two more empty chairs for the next Christams dinner at Ingleside in 1940.

13th March 1940

Dear Julia,

How I wish you were here with me, in Redmond! Believe me, I really don't like any of the girls here. They judge everyone and they look like perfect porcelain dolls who are waiting for the first chance to get a husband. I don't know how they can live under these countless layers of make-up on their faces… Well, at least I have my John with whom I can talk to whenever I like, especially because my dear brother Jake is so far away from me now. John really is dearer to me with every passing day.

Oh, dear Sheba, I'll be honest with you, he's just perfect in every way! He's so kind and funny and very very clever, I'm telling you. I got my first kiss from him just two days ago! Now I know why you were so excited when Troy kissed you for the first time in June.

I'm so afraid, you know, John is thinking about joining up… I really don't know if I can endure it ever since Jake left for training almost three months ago. Three months ago! Dear me, when does this time go?

I'm so glad that you "almost" recovered from the 'Blythe situation'. In my opinion you should keep up your good work, like you always do and just… let the things happen.

Julia, you'll turn 18 in two months and I know that you want to go overseas as a VAD, and I know you will, but wait after the summer holidays, please? I have to spend some time with you before you go, my dear friend.

You're asking me about Blythe. Well, he is fine and all his teachers tell him that he is their best student with amazing imagination. He reads all day and night all of his poetry books which I could never understand and you always could. I know he misses you, but I have a feeling that he's too afraid to write to you or sometimes even say your name… I feel sorry for him and that's why we spend lots of time together, although I can see that I am not quite the person he wants to talk to. But he seems alright, so don't worry, he'll get over it in time. Besides, there is this one girl, called Helen Sampson who is spending lunch-breaks with him. They are talking about poetry of course and it seems as if Helen is madly in love with Blythe, who wouldn't even dream of loving her back; Julia, she wears a 'bright red lipstick' for every lesson!

Darling, I have to go now, it's almost midnight!

I'll write to you soon!

Yours,

Anna Rosemary Meredith

P.S. Do tell me whenever you hear something from Merry or Troy! Are they going overseas anytime soon?

1st April 1940

Dear sister o'mine,

We are going overseas next week, as you know. It's been way too long, we've all waited too long. I think we were all ready for fighting two months ago!

Anyway, I don't have much time for writing but at least I hope that you will be able to read my scribbles.

Everything is fine, so don't you worry about me, you dear heart. I'm so happy to hear that you're alright now and that you take such a good care of Mum, Dad and Cee. You are truly an angel! I hope Troy realises just how lucky he is!

It's sad that I have to leave our old Canada-land with Jake and Gil training as bravely as they can. I heard that they will end their course in around a month so certainly much earlier than we did!

Well, at least the training made us both Lieutenant Meredith Blythe and Lieutenant Troy Rogers. Tell me, how fancy do our names sound?

Dear sister, I have to go now so I'm sending you, Mother, Father and Cee lots of kisses for you to share between the four of you.

I'll write you a longer letter when I'll arrive in England.

Your brother,

Lieutenant Meredith Blythe

14th April 1940

Dear heart,

We are finally in London. Hurrah! London didn't change much since I've been here last time and it feels like home again! Although some of its corners have been damaged by this horrible bombing, its own, unique atmosphere will never vanish. I promise to take you here one day.

We are leaving for France in a week with loads of British soldiers by our side. So practically, I'll be on the front in less than two weeks' time. You know that both Merry and I are excited. We are both feeling that this whole war-adventure is going to make real men out of us, hopefully at least.

Darling girl, how are you? Do tell me that you don't worry too much, please, it would give me the greatest relief if you really weren't so worried like you seem to be in your letters. With every day nearer France, I really feel that I will survive the war and I want you to know that I'll come back to you, no matter what, and if you'll accept my porposal, I will marry you straight after the war.

I so wish to dance with you tonight, it's such a wonderful evening with a full moon and the sky filled with billions of stars. I still remember how we both laid on the grass last August and we watched them together on our Canadian sky. I remember you saying: "I don't want someone who promises me the moon or the stars but someone who will watch them with me every night". I'll always remember that night, it was so marvelous and magical. And you looked so dashingly beautiful with your shining red hair covered by the shadow of the moon and your pale, perfectly smooth face with eight (I counted) sweet freckles on your cheeks…

And with that I shall end up my letter, for I have to go to sleep now, although I really don't want to.

Goodnight my love,

Always yours,

Lieutenant Troy Rogers

"Happy birthday, Julia!"

Julia was awoken by her little sister Cee who jumped swiftly on her bed with a peace of paper in her hand.

"Oh, thank you, Cee." Julia answered and rubbed her eyes sleepily. She sat on her bed and took the handed piece of paper examining it carefully.

"I drew it for you." Cee whispered proudly. The drawing represented a not childish at all, posture, of no one else but Julia sitting on her horse River, with her eyes closed and a dreamy look on her face, facing the horizon.

Julia whooped and kissed Cee on her red cheeks "Oh, it's beautiful! I didn't know that you can draw like that!" she gasped, still looking at the drawing in her hand with pride in her eyes.

Cee blushed heavily "It's not that good." she said shyly.

"It is very very good, Cee! I can clearly see that your Miss Lawson is a really great Art teacher!" she said and smiled at her baby-sister. The door of Julia's room opened again and Julia and Cee turned their heads towards the two happy people standing in front of them.

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!" Mother and Father started singing joyfully. Father was holding a small package in his hands and quickly handed it over to his daughter. Julia giggled and took her present. She then hugged both of her parents tightly and kissed their hands.

"I hope you are going to like it, darling." Father said and winked at Julia knowingly.

She opened it quickly, with hungry eyes. The packaging paper was soon all over Julia's bed, covering litte Cee's hands and legs. When Julia saw what her present was, she covered her mouth with her hand "Oh! Goodness!" she gasped. In her hands was a brand new portable radio which she was dreaming of for a very long time, "so that I can always have music by my side" she used to say whenever she spoke of it.

"Oh, thank you so much!" she said and kissed her Mother's cheeks and her Father's nose.

"We wish you all the greatest happiness, my dear." said Father with a smile on his lips "We hope that your life will be very magnificent and that you will always be able to do what you want to do and that you'll be surrounded by people who love you in every situation of your life."

Julia's eyes filled up with tears of joy and to hide them, she chuckled "No matter what happens, I know that there can never be more wonderful parents than Faith and James Blythe!"

By the evening, every Blythe, Ford and Meredith had their stomachs' full of birthday chocolate cake and their ears filled up with music from Julia's new portable radio which was turned on for the whole afternoon.

Julia thought it was one of her loveliest birthday parties. It could never be the loveliest one because of the war going on in the world and with Merry and Troy fighting in France and Walt, Blythe, Gil, Jake and Rose so far away from Glen St Mary. But after all, she enjoyed 'her day', especially because her dear Uncle Bruce, his wife Hannah and their sweet two year old girl May, arrived to stay for a week of vacation at Ingleside after their very busy year in Toronto.

Julia spent her day in a very lovely family atmosphere which she knew she needed desperately. She, Cilia, Leslie and Luna were dancing for the whole two hours and singing with their whole family for another two. There was no person in a distance of two miles who couldn't hear the happy voices of Leslie and Julia who sang at the top of their voices "I'll be seeing you".

After all, the party was announced a big success and everyone went home in good spirits.

Julia couldn't believe that she was eighteen already, she thought it even felt weird just to say: "Yes, I'm eighteen years old." but then she was over the moon that she could finally join the VADs. It was as if a new stage of her life was just about to begin, and she couldn't feel more excited and happy about it. Just before the party she agreed with her parents that she would join up after the summer holidays (just like she promised Rose to do so).

The day of her 18th birthday was like a day-vacation for Julia and it gave her courage which she intended to use for when the dark days of war would come again. What she didn't know was that the dark days would come even sooner than she could ever dream of.

When Mr and Mrs Blythe with Cee and Julia by their side, came back home that evening, they were all lost in talking over the wonderful weather which was occuring during that day. Cee went to bed almost immediately with Mother and Father following her upstairs to give her their usual goodnight-kiss in her bed. Julia was left alone in the living room and only then she realised that she didn't check their mailbox yet. She was expecting the first letters from Merry and Troy from the front and another one from Gilly and his first air-plane flight.

She flew outside and opened their red mailbox hurriedly. There was no letter excpet for the small orange envelope. Julia thought it very weird but would never forget its colour after she read its content.

It was a telegram which informed Julia that Lieutenant Troy Rogers was killed in action at the Battle of France on 14th of May 1940.