Thinking of You

Looking up from the small clock on the mantle piece of the fireplace, Millie looked around herself at her grandmothers sitting room. It was your typical room for an old person; flowery wallpaper with matching curtains and sofa set. On the back wall opposite the bay window with the net curtains was a big cabinet inside of which were her photos and knick-knacks.

Millie leaned over the arm of the sofa to get a better look at the photographs. Black and white portraits that were starting to yellow because of their age, showing her Nana in her younger days when she was a flawless young beauty, stood beside a handsome looking man who was her grandfather. There were dull colour photographs of Millie’s father and his brother from the seventies, depicting them growing up. The most colourful pictures were the up-to-date photographs of Millie and her cousins.

She’d always liked the old ones best though, especially her Nana’s wedding photograph. Her hair was styled in big curls and pinned neatly to frame her face whilst her dress was long with lots of lace. It wasn’t anything like her mum and dad’s wedding photograph; they had got married three years ago on a beach in the Seychelles. Millie remembered it well because she had been sunburnt the day before and was worried her bridesmaids dress might rub her shoulders and hurt them.

She wasn’t here to talk her Nana about her wedding though; her form was learning about the war, and she had decided to go straight to a first person point of view of world war two: her Nana.

So far they hadn’t done very much talking about the war. They’d made some sandwiches, a pot of her Nana’s favourite tea, and some cakes that Millie had iced and decorated all on her own. She liked having proper Afternoon Tea’s with her Nana, because they would go and sit on the patio in the garden, and her grandmother had developed her country garden till it bloomed beautifully. It was full of wildlife, the fruit and vegetables were in abundance, the chickens had free reign of the garden and the adjoining orchard, it always smelt wonderful.

Getting up from the chair, Millie decided to go and find Nana Elly in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches to their tea-time. She smiled across at her granddaughter before putting the bowl of homemade strawberry jam on the tray and beckoning Millie over to open the French doors that led onto the patio. Terry and Arthur shot out first, their tails wagging profusely at the excitement of the prospect of cake for a special treat.

“Dad said the garden was a butterfly trap but I didn’t realise just how much!” She gushed with a light laugh as they sat at the table.

“Your granddad inherited a buddleia from someone in the town and he decided to plant it near the patio, where we took the old rose bush out,” her Nana explained, wagging one hand in the general direction whilst trying to pour herself a drink. “He said it would be nice to have more butterflies to watch from the dining table.”

Millie nodded thoughtfully whilst selecting some sandwiches for her plate whilst her grandmother did the same. They were silent for a few minutes, but Elly knew her granddaughter would start asking questions soon. She had actually found herself rather eager to regale her granddaughter with her stories of the war time.

“Tell you what,” she said placing her half eaten sandwich on her plate. “Lets us have this tea first, and then I’ll go show you my box?”

Millie wasn’t sure what a box would have to do with anything but she nodded and smiled all the same, her brain already beginning to speculate what Nana Elly could possibly be hiding from the world. As far as she knew she hadn’t murdered anyone, chopped them up into tiny bits and hidden them in shoe boxes and hat boxes. Or she hoped she hadn’t.

Elly knew it had thrown Millie’s mind into overdrive and she couldn’t help but grin as she ate, listening to the sounds of the Devonshire countryside and the gentle crashing of the waves on the beach just five minutes away.

“You know, the field out the back of the farm,” she began, “that used to be part of the Manor when I was your age. The RAF and the Army used it for all the American‘s that came over.”

“In the war?” Millie answered.

“Yes in the war,” she laughed lightly. “That was where I worked as a nurse. Part of the manor was used as a hospital, it’s not there now because they’ve converted it into the stables and the office now.”

“Did you train there?” Millie wondered whether she should write any of this down but she had a very good memory anyway and decided just to let Nana talk and the both of them continue with their tea.

“Oh no, I trained in London to begin with,” Elly shook her head. “But when the war started I came home to work at the manor for the lord and lady. Ever such a nice couple, they had three evacuees from Newcastle come stay with them, two girls, Elsa and Persephone, they were twins, oldest, and they were always coming down in the morning to help us with the patients, running round getting pillows and blankets, fetching notes and making cups of tea.”

“And the third?”

“Simon, he was four, he was the youngest of the three, he spent a lot of time with the farmer.” Danielle couldn’t help but smile fondly as she remembered the soft face and chubby cheeks of the little boy who had given her a daisy to cheer her up after one horribly stressful shift. “Of course, they had come from Newcastle so he wouldn’t have known what a sheep or a cow was. I remember the first time he saw the goats and honestly, he thought they were chickens! He was lovely, and such a charmer too!”

“Sounds like they made quite an impression?” Millie smiled, picking apart the unwanted cucumber sandwich.

“Oh they did, I mean there were some kids at other houses in the town and honestly they were such trouble makers but these three were absolute credits to their mothers!” She smiled, before holding up a finger. “I remember the day the first American’s arrived, I had been with Simon when the trucks rolled up to the manor, some of us nurses and Simon were having a picnic with the Lady of the Manor on the lawn because the farmer had not been well and Simon had been upset he couldn’t go to the farm that day…”

The day couldn’t have been more glorious and though Simon was most dreadfully upset he couldn’t go to the farm today he had been won round by the promise of a picnic providing he could invite the nurses.

We had even brought out with us some of the patients well enough to leave the wards. Elsa and Persephone and Simon put on all the entertainment for us which was jolly good fun; they sang songs, and they danced, and the girls rather impressively even recreated their favourite scene from one of Shakespeare’s many plays.

The spirits of everyone were up, it was almost as if the war in Europe was not going on, we were detached from it all. Eventually though matron came bustling down the lawn towards us with the most urgent of expressions.

“Girls, quick quick, get these men back inside!” She ordered, wagging her finger in the direction of the hospital wing. “We have just got a forward message, the American’s will be arriving soon!”

“Surely we could be allowed to stay and welcome them, then, Matron?” One of the men asked, turning his wheelchair to look at her.

“Absolutely out of the question, not out here, I am sorry.” Then she looked back at us. “Girls, hurry now, you must get yourselves tidied up!”

Simon began to whine and stamp his feet but all she did was grab the handles of one of the chairs and began to wheel the pilot back up to the hospital wing. I didn’t want to disobey her and climbed to my feet, dusting off crumbs and grass from my uniform before rallying the patients on crutches and slowly ambling back with them. These men had once been in wheelchairs at first but we had accustomed them to walking on crutches; however they were still slow and we still had some way to go before we reached the doors.

I heard the rumble of the lorries as were reaching the steps. I allowed myself a momentary look back and saw the convoy making its way up the gravel drive and a flurry of butterflies filled my tummy. When I first went to London to train to be a nurse I had got the same butterflies at the thought of meeting Londoners. Now, at the thought of meeting these men from much further a field, from a different shore altogether, the butterflies were even more excitable!

I turned back to helping the men up the steps, well aware of the fact the engine noises were getting louder as they quickly approached the manor.

“Here come the Yanks,” the young man chuckled. I smiled too, helping him onto the next step. “Are you not caught in the thralls of excitement like the other girls, Nurse Danielle?”
“A little,” I admitted. “But I also happen to remember my duties and those happen to be looking after all you patients. My duties come first.”

“Don’t you think we could just stop for a minute nurse and see them?” Another man added. “I am getting weary, I would like to sit for a minute if you wouldn’t mind.”

I sighed before nodding. I didn’t want these men to get tired and I didn’t want them on their feet too long because that would tire them out faster too. No, a sit on the steps would perhaps be best for them, but I would only let them have a few minutes.

So they sat down and I placed myself beside them, all three of us watching as the lorries came to a stop and men began to jump out of the back. They didn’t look any different, but their uniforms were different. They were all wearing smart tidy uniforms and lugging over their shoulders their kit bags filled with their luggage.

Their accents were wonderful, I couldn’t describe them because they all sounded slightly different as if they came from different parts from all over the country. I watched with curiosity as three of the men came forward. All three of them were tall and dark haired, their skin tan. The one in the middle had really dark almost black eyes, the shortest of the three blatant bright green eyes and the third, the one nearest me, his eyes were hidden behind big wide sunglasses till he removed them from his face, allowing me to see they were hazel as I got to my feet.

It was Private David Hobbs who spoke first. “Hello,” he smiled, sticking a hand out. “I am sorry I cannot stand to greet you but as you can see I am not in the best health to do that. I’m Private David Hobbs.”

“Don’t you worry about getting yourself up for us,” the hazel eyed one spoke. “I’m Matthew Sanders.” He looked at me then and winked; I couldn’t help but giggle as I raised my hand to greet him. “And you are?”

“Danielle,” I informed him. “I am currently working as a nurse here at the manor.”

“It is more than our pleasure, Little Lady,” the green eyed one smiled toothily as he also greeted me. “I’m Zachary Baker.”

“And I am Brian Haner Junior, miss,” Brian, the dark eyed one, announced. “Are there more lovely ladies like you here?”

I felt the breath catch in my throat and I couldn’t force any words out. A fierce blush was creeping up onto my cheeks and all of a sudden I came over all hot and bothered. I had never been complimented by such attractive men before.

“Of course there are!” David laughed. “Just watch out for Matron!”

Matthew kept his eyes on me, smiling the entire time, his lips stretched enough for me to be able to see his perfect teeth. Now I don’t know about anybody else, but that was the first time that I had ever entertained the idea of love at first sight.

Millie had her head in her palms watching her Nana with a soft smile as she sat back in the chair with such a fond smile on her face. She knew her Nana loved her granddad, but the way she had spoken of this American soldier was like some other sort of love that couldn’t ever be touched.

Love at first sight she said.

“Oh he was just so wonderful, Millie!” Elly gushed, her heart missing a beat. She felt so young and invigorated just to think about the American again. There wasn’t a day gone by that she had not thought of him, even on her wedding day. “He would take me for afternoon tea after my shift at the hospital, sometimes he would borrow a car and drive us to the cinema.” She sighed with the nostalgic thoughts. “I remember once he took me for a picnic on the beach, that was where he first kissed me.”

“Did you fall in love with him, Nana?” Millie asked, her eyes wide with wonder at the story.

“Oh of course,” she smiled. “I was just so devastated when they went to France. But I sent him a photograph and I told him to tell people I was his sweetheart. He would write to me as often as possible and every month I would get a bundle of letters from him.”

“Do you still have them?” Millie then asked.

Elly nodded to her granddaughter. “That is what is in the box I want to show you.” Standing, she put her napkin on her plate and indicated for Millie to follow her inside. Inevitably Terry and Arthur scampered after them both, following at their heels up the stairs into the spare bedroom.

Millie watched as her grandmother open the door to the closet and pulled out an ornate box. It looked like it was once a jewellery box, but she knew her grandmother had a new one that she had bought on holiday in Spain. She set it down on the bed in the middle of the room and opened the lid as they both sat on the sumptuous patchwork quilt.

Rooting through all the paper and pressed flowers and old photographs, Danielle located the one she wanted to show her granddaughter and pulled it out. She recognised the young girl in the photograph, it was obviously her Nana but the man…he was tall and well built. His hair dark and slicked tidy whilst he had a welcoming smile that split across his face and his eyes were filled with such devotion as he looked at her grandmother.

“Is this him?” Elly nodded. “What happened between you two? You sounded like you were really in love with one another.”

“He died, Millie.” She felt bad for asking now, her grandmothers smile had slipped. “He was killed in an explosion in a small town in France. Well, they got him to a hospital but he died of his injuries later on.”

“Nana, I’m so sorry!”

She looked fit to burst into tears, especially when she pulled out a gold ring with a dark opal sapphire set in the centre. “We were going to get married,” she mused. “After the war he told me he would take me to Huntington Beach in California to meet his family.”

“Wow!” Millie breathed. “He was Californian? That’s so cool!” Then she chewed her lip thoughtfully watching her grandmother studying the photograph of her American sweetheart. “Does granddad know?” She asked tentatively. “About Matthew, that is?”

“Yes he knows,” Elly nodded. “I didn’t meet your grandfather till after the war, darling.”

Millie nodded, pulling out one of the many letters. She didn’t know whether she should really read them though, because they were her grandmothers personal possessions, one of many things she had left of the love she lost so many years ago now.

Elly stood, placing her ring and photograph back down in the box before heading to the door. She offered her granddaughter a soft smile, telling her to having a good nosey about if she wanted. Millie wasn’t sure she still wanted to do that even with her permission but curiosity eventually got the best of her and she resolved just to read one.

My dearest Danielle,

This letter may only be short today. This is the only remaining piece of paper I have available to write to you until I am able to acquire more. It should not be hard, the townsfolk are all very accommodating and this week no signs of neither the Germans nor the Italians.

I suppose you could say no news is good news, so we shall stick with saying that I think!

It is quite an adorable little town. As I said the townspeople are all very welcoming to us and the British soldiers, and they are most certainly friendly. We’ve been finding that in any spare moments we have, aside from resting and writing letters home, we’re going out of our way to learn French so we can speak with them in their own native tongue.

How is your nursing going? I heard there was an awful raid on London the other night, I’m just glad that you are safe and well in the countryside where they don’t target you. I know what you are thinking, ‘but I work as a nurse at an army base!’ Well hopefully, they will just think of it as a big house not a base for us Yanks.

I have most definitely decided that when I return to Devon on leave we should go for another picnic, maybe go somewhere different though. I’m sure Lord Whatton won’t mind me borrowing his car for the day, he has allowed me to do so in the past. Hey! Maybe I should even teach you to drive!

Of course, unless that is you are already being taught to drive?

That would be very unfair if you are, taking away my fun and excitement at teaching you, my sweetheart, how to drive a car. I do feel that the pleasure should be mine and mine alone if you do not mind. I hope you don’t.

There’s something else I must tell you that I hope you don’t mind and that is that I think I am hopelessly in love with you Danielle! I implore you, if you love me too, that you save yourself for me as I will for you because I love you far too much to lose you!

I have honestly never felt so strongly and so passionately for one woman, never wanted so badly for the love of that woman and yet here I am feeling it all and wanting it all for you!

As they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Anyway it is now time that I bring this letter to an end, my love. As you can see I am fast running out of paper and I am also fast running out of time to write the words I need to write for you.

I love you, dearest Danielle, from the deepest depths of my heart and soul I love you!

Be safe, Princess,
All my love,
Matthew
xxx