Chapter IX
On the next day, Walt, Rose and Blythe said their 'goodbyes' and 'see you laters' to their family, and left Glen St Mary, heading towards the Redmond College for their final year. On the same day, but on a different train, shy and nervous Owen started his journey to Queen's. It was a quick farewell yet quite different to all the other farewells the Blythe, Meredith and Ford family has ever had because all of them were terribly afraid that someone will give either Walt or Blythe 'the white feather' at school and that they might enlist, not even telling anyone about it. And that would be the worst thing they could possibly do to break their family's hearts.
But Julia knew they would never do such a thing, not Walt and definitely not Blythe, besides both of them vowed to her the day before that they won't enlist or, at least, not without first informing her about the idea. It was still weird for Julia, to think that her brother Merry and cousins Gilly and Jake were already overseas, fighting for their country ever so bravely, and that she would be very close to all of them soon.
She was incredibly excited about going to England and nursing, but she knew that she would be homesick and terribly scared at times. When Julia said her farewells to Walt and Blythe, she felt like a big stone was put on her heart, not knowing when she will see both of them again, her "two bosom friends" whom she loved very dearly and who always gave her courage to be strong and independent. It was always the two of them, the "quieter ones" of the family who always understood her better than anyone else. How will she survive without them by her side? she thought, but she knew that she will because she will survive for them.
Through the rest of the day, Julia seemed as if she was 'there' and yet wasn't at all. As Blythe would describe her: "she was drifting in the clouds, listening to how the angels sing". She didn't say much when she played with Cee and Nancy or when she sat down in the Ingleside's living room between Leslie, Luna and Cilia. She was thinking about her uniform which was hanging on the door of her wardrobe in the House on the Hill. She thought that she was ready, she told everyone that she was, yet it seemed as if she was just partialy ready for the journey across the Atlantic Ocean because she realized that she won't have anyone from her family sitting next to her on the train or that she won't have her own cosy room or that… she won't know when she will see her family again.
"Julia, sweetheart, tell me: what's on your mind?" Una asked kindly. It was just a coincindence that Julia and Una stayed together in the kitchen and were both doing the washing up after the dinner when the others stayed on the Ingleside's verandah, talking over the newest letters from Merry, Jake and Gilly.
Julia looked shyly at her Aunt under her long eyelashes "Auntie, I'm so afraid…" she breathed out eventually.
Una grinned to her gently "I know, dear Sheba." she said "But don't worry so much, you always do most extraordinary things without any mistakes at all."
"It's not exactly what I'm mostly scared of…" she answered in a whisper, looking at the bowl which she was holding in her hand.
Una put down her towel and made Julia to sit down on a chair next to the kitchen table, facing her Aunt's worried face "What is it then? You know you can tell me anything, sweetie." she said.
"I'm afraid…" Julia started and clasped her hands together "-I'm afraid of changing and of all the things I will see and that I don't know when I shall see each of you again." she said feeling how her pale hands started shaking.
Una put her own small hand on Julia's hand and squeezed it tightly. Una always thought that Julia, although having a spirit of her mother, was as sensitive as she herself was. That's why Una was always like a second-mother to Julia.
"I talked about it with Mother and I felt better for a moment." Julia continued "But I fear that I won't get less stressed no matter what someone will tell me."
"Dearest," Una whispered and looked in her niece's eyes caringly "Of course you will change. Every one of us will change because of this war. We will all be affected by it no matter how hard we will try to escape it, but I will tell you from my experience that it's usually a good change." she said.
"I really hope so." Julia replied and sighed.
"You will see that after some time you will feel greatful for going overseas and seeing the horror of this war. Because what you will do, will help other people and that is the most precious gift you can ever give to another human being." Una smiled to her niece.
Julia grinned back and stood up from her chair. She went over to the sink and took another bowl in her hands "If so, then let us help others by washing the dishes." she chuckled, thinking that everything will be alright after all.
It was a day before Julia's leaving for England when Julia finally thought of packing her suitcase. She wasn't allowed to take lots of clothes but even though she invited Cilia, Luna and Leslie to help her pick her four outfits for the "glourious London adventure", as the three girls called it. When Julia's suitcase was finally closed and her uniform ready to put on, along with her thin coat and comfortable shoes standing by her bed, Julia sinked down between her girls "Tell me, my darlings, what are your plans for the future." she said suddenly.
"You know what our plans are." Leslie said joyfully, with a raised brow.
"Oh, I'm not too sure about that." Julia answered and smiled in a funny way.
"Well, I'm planning on staying at home for a while and helping Mum and Dad to cope with Gilly at the front." Leslie started quickly "Then, maybe… Maybe one day I will join you in England, Jules." she grinned lightly.
"Oh, do! Yes, that would be splendid!" Julia exclaimed and shaked her friend's hand.
"And I," said Cilia "-I will marry Marshall when he comes back." her eyes started to shine for one second and darkened after two "If he comes back."
"Why, Cilia, stop being so pesimistic!" Julia said and put her arm around Cilia's shoulders "I won't promise you that he will come back, but have hope, for him." she squeezed her friend's arm assuringly.
"I have hope, but it's so hard not to think that I could not see him again." she whispered with tears in her eyes.
"He'll be fine, you'll see." Luna said gently and kissed her older sister's cheek.
"What about you, Luna-Moona," Julia poked her friend playfully in the arm "-what are your plans for the future?"
"I'm not too sure yet, to be honest." she said shyly "I only know that I don't want to move anywhere far from home."
"Yes, Glen is the sweetest place in the whole world, no matter what other people say." Leslie said decidedly.
"Says the person who told me not so long ago that she wants to move to the States!" Julia chuckled.
"Oh, Bathsheba!" Leslie laughed "The United States of America is not so far away from the Island, you know."
"And you, Sheba?" Luna asked sweetly "What do you want to do when this war will end?"
"I know that I want to help people, wherever I will go." Julia replied and smilied, thinking about her upcoming overseas adventure "Other than that I just intend to be forever-happy."
"With Blythe?" joked Leslie who didn't know that Julia didn't consider laughing at such question.
"I won't talk about him in that way." she answered plainly, and looked at the ground, putting a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Let her be, Leslie." Cilia said to her cousin gently.
Leslie rolled her eyes "This Cornelia Douglas is getting on my nerves more and more with every passing day." she started, waving her hands "I really don't know what Blythe sees in her."
"What's wrong with Cornelia?" Julia questioned half-interested and half-grinning.
"She is just…" Leslie thought for a moment "-so perfect in every way!" and the three girls laughed.
"There's nothing wrong with having a perfect personality, is there, Leslie?" Cilia said in an annoyed tone.
"Perfect personality is no personality at all." Julia said suddenly and wished she bit her tongue in time when she saw a fammiliar, knowing grin on Leslie's lips.
"That's quite right, Sheba." she said "Therefore I can't stand talking with her and hearing "Miss Ford, please" and "Miss Ford, sorry" all the time!" All of the girls in the room started giggling and couldn't stop for another ten minutes. Their laughter filled up all of the rooms in the House on the Hill, like the music from the radio.
Faith and Jem Blythe who were sitting downstairs with Anne and Gilbert Blythe exchanged their looks with bitter-sweet smiles on their lips "I will miss Julia's laughter." Faith said and felt her husband's hand touching her own.
"So will we, dearest." Anne said and sighed "But in a way, I'm glad that she's going. It really is her duty; to help those in need."
"Yes, you're right, Mother." Jem added "And I'm really happy that she's going too, although, it seems quite selfish of me, I sometimes wish I said 'no' when she asked me for my permission for her to sign up."
"Everything happens for a reason, son." said Gilbert and patted his oldest son's arm.
"I wish our dear, old Susan was here and that she could do her famous monkey-faces for Julia for her long journey." Anne said.
"I'm sure she will enjoy your chocolate cake just as much as she would enjoy Susan's monkey-faces." Faith grinned to her mother-in-law.
Anne smiled "Hopefully she will like them. Julia was always known for saying precisely whether she likes something or dislikes it."
"Just like her Grandma." Gilbert winked at his wife and Anne smiled in a way she always used to smile ever since her very own beautiful wedding in the Green Gables' garden nearly fifty years earlier.
Suddenly Julia ran into the living room and said hurriedly: "Mother, would you mind if I would go riding today after all? I know that I promised that I will spend this day entirely with my family but River is my family too. Please, Mother-dear?" Julia leaned on her Mother's arm and looked deeply into her eyes.
Faith sighed "Alright, Bathsheba." she said and Julia almost jumped from where she was standing. She knew that she had to say her goodbyes to the golden fields which she loved so much and the sandy beach which always seemed so smooth for her feet and the azure sea which was alwyas like a big mystery for her. Besides, she had to get away from all the people who although seemed fine with her leaving, Julia knew too well, not to notice a growing shadow on their faces.
And so, just after leaving of Cilia, Leslie and Luna, Julia put on her riding suit once again and wrapped her red scarf around her thin neck and jumped on River, feeling the eyes of her parents and Cee on her back when she started galloping towards the inevitable sunset.
The train station on the morning of 5th of September 1940, was very calm and foggy. The birds were singing from the trees surrounding it, filling up the air around the Blythes, Fords and Merediths. Julia was dressed in her unifrom and felt positively proud of herself and even excited. Although her heart was beating fast from nerves and doubts, her face was raditating with an upcoming adventure which would change her life, although she didn't know it then.
Everyone was smiling, apart from little Cee and Faith who both couldn't keep up the smiling and felt like they were losing a sister and a daughter.
"Cheer up, little Cee." Julia kissed her sister's crimson cheeks "I'll be just fine and I'll be sending you letters every Monday like I promised." she smiled at her.
"And… I'll… send… you my… drawings." Cee said between sobs and threw herself in Julia's arms.
Julia's Grandparents gave her thousands of kisses and hugs along with much more cakes and cookies into her bag. Her aunts and uncles wished her well and gave her their advices about how to keep strong and think positively when the world around you is falling apart. Leslie gave Julia a new shining pen so that she will have no excuse not to write to her. Cilia gave her a brand new copy of "The Wuthering Heights" so that she can read it all over again in her free time. And Luna made Julia a new blanket in orange and blue stripes, so that she will be sure that Julia will be warm at night.
Julia's heart was melting with every word, look or grin each of her family gave her. She felt how tears started coming up to her hazel-eyes, but she held them back, and kept on grinning and saying that she is and will be fine.
"All aboard!" shouted the conductor.
Julia hurried up to jump on her Father's neck and kissed his face three times "I love you, Daddy. Please take care of Mum and Cee." she whispered to his ear.
"I will, my darling girl." he whispered back with a small grin on his face "And I love you too, whatever you do and wherever you are." She smiled at him through her watery eyes and turned her head to her Mother who looked at her as if she was a five-year-old little girl all over again. Faith kissed Julia's forehead, nose and lips and put her Julia's head on her chest to stop herself from crying "Be good my girl, and write to us as often as you can. England is so far away." she whispered into Julia's red locks.
"I will, Mummy." Julia whispered back and heard the conductor's voice again.
"I love you so much that words can't describe it." Faith said and a warm and loving smile appeared on her wet face.
"And I love you, and always will." Julia said and left the final kiss on Faith's cheek.
Julia took her two suitcases in her hands and jumped on the train quickly, feeling as if she was jumping in the completely new world which was waiting for her to be discovered.