Angels With Dirty Faces
III
He followed the porters back to the ward, only stealing a split-second glance at his wife, pale bandaged and bruised, pipes and wires tracing her usually freckled skin, His heart fell in to his stomach.
“the worst is over now love it’s all over”
He was pulled in to another hug
“I need to be with her, I need to go”
He sped to her bedside silently slipping in to the chair, returning to his usual position, one hand in hers the other trailing through her hair, he remained still just watching her chest rise and fall slowly,
“Come on Dolly, wake up”
--
As the sky turned a pale orange the two found themselves alone in the mess room, it had become common for them to sacrifice sleep to sit and chat together often over tea and biscuits,
“D’ya fancy some toast?”
She asked,
“Go on then!” he smiled and pushed his cup forward “and a tea!”
She side eyed him as she walked away, snatching his mug off the table,
“You take the bloody mick Medhurst!”
“And don’t be stingy with the Marmite this time eh?”
She couldn’t help but laugh, her stomach flipping over, she had been at Black Wall for 13 and half weeks now and hadn’t expected to develop friendships, being the youngest member of the crew she expected many a lecture from the guv and the sub about traditions and appropriate practices, but it was far different, she felt accepted and had come to regard the rest of the crew as family.
The shrill cry from the bell roused the station back to life, Kevin groaned and pushed his plate away,
“You didn’t eat your crusts!”
Scarlett reprimanded, he smirked at her as they rushed towards the pole, he watched her in a few movements she had converted her long ponytail in to a tight neat bun and slipped in to her kit, a mocking voice from behind him snapped him back to reality,
“Kevvy’s got a crush!”
He turned to see Bay leaf smirking at him,
“Sod off!”
Kevin blushed, he sat in the back of the pump silently, his mind running through question after question, did he have a crush?
They arrived at the scene to see a small terraced house engulfed in flames, thick black plumes filled the air, Orders where barked and the crew set to work, Kevin bowled a length of hose out, he fronted, feeling the heat from the blaze he took aim,
“Drummond! Time in 0437 hours”
His stomach lurched, Scarlett was going in on a BA crew, the high whistles of the tanks chilled his blood, he drew in a few deep breaths attempting to settle his nerves, he focused on dousing the flames only allowing his mind to wonder for moments at a time, why was he panicking? he knew everyone on the crew was capable, but this time felt different, it felt like there was more of a risk. Bay leaf’s words echoed in his mind.
The dense air soon cleared as smoke made way for steam and orders to knock off were made clear,
She pulled her BA off, making her way over to the pump, she pushed her hair off her forehead leaving a smear of soot, she smiled over to Kevin,
“Can you give us a hand?”
She motioned to the tank on her back, his heart thumped, and panic rose in his throat,
“Nah sorry I’m busy”
He moved quickly to the back of the pump, she furrowed her brow and sighed loudly unable to comprehend what was going on, someone who only hours ago was making jokes and chatting with her was now ignoring her,
“Nice! Real nice!”
She muttered, throwing her kit back on to the pump, George pulled his pump next to hers,
“May as well go straight home!”
He laughed, she ignored him climbing in to the driver’s seat and pulling away at speed.
She marched back in to the station,
“You coming for breakfast Dolly?”
Bay leaf asked, she pulled her coat on and swung her bag on to her shoulder,
“Not a chance!”
She snapped raising a few eyebrows before leaving the room.
--
Her legs felt as though they were suddenly made of lead, she opened her eyes, squinting as the shapes around her came in to focus, with magnolia walls, garish upholstery and faded water colours on the walls there was no mistaking where she was, her stomach dropped, she attempted to sit up, pain tore through her abdomen forcing her back down, confused, she began to panic, she lifted her arm, dozily pushing the oxygen mask from her face, head swimming she looked around, her husband slept peacefully in the chair next to her, she attempted to reach out to him, more pain shot through her once more, she whimpered defeated.
“the worst is over now love it’s all over”
He was pulled in to another hug
“I need to be with her, I need to go”
He sped to her bedside silently slipping in to the chair, returning to his usual position, one hand in hers the other trailing through her hair, he remained still just watching her chest rise and fall slowly,
“Come on Dolly, wake up”
--
As the sky turned a pale orange the two found themselves alone in the mess room, it had become common for them to sacrifice sleep to sit and chat together often over tea and biscuits,
“D’ya fancy some toast?”
She asked,
“Go on then!” he smiled and pushed his cup forward “and a tea!”
She side eyed him as she walked away, snatching his mug off the table,
“You take the bloody mick Medhurst!”
“And don’t be stingy with the Marmite this time eh?”
She couldn’t help but laugh, her stomach flipping over, she had been at Black Wall for 13 and half weeks now and hadn’t expected to develop friendships, being the youngest member of the crew she expected many a lecture from the guv and the sub about traditions and appropriate practices, but it was far different, she felt accepted and had come to regard the rest of the crew as family.
The shrill cry from the bell roused the station back to life, Kevin groaned and pushed his plate away,
“You didn’t eat your crusts!”
Scarlett reprimanded, he smirked at her as they rushed towards the pole, he watched her in a few movements she had converted her long ponytail in to a tight neat bun and slipped in to her kit, a mocking voice from behind him snapped him back to reality,
“Kevvy’s got a crush!”
He turned to see Bay leaf smirking at him,
“Sod off!”
Kevin blushed, he sat in the back of the pump silently, his mind running through question after question, did he have a crush?
They arrived at the scene to see a small terraced house engulfed in flames, thick black plumes filled the air, Orders where barked and the crew set to work, Kevin bowled a length of hose out, he fronted, feeling the heat from the blaze he took aim,
“Drummond! Time in 0437 hours”
His stomach lurched, Scarlett was going in on a BA crew, the high whistles of the tanks chilled his blood, he drew in a few deep breaths attempting to settle his nerves, he focused on dousing the flames only allowing his mind to wonder for moments at a time, why was he panicking? he knew everyone on the crew was capable, but this time felt different, it felt like there was more of a risk. Bay leaf’s words echoed in his mind.
The dense air soon cleared as smoke made way for steam and orders to knock off were made clear,
She pulled her BA off, making her way over to the pump, she pushed her hair off her forehead leaving a smear of soot, she smiled over to Kevin,
“Can you give us a hand?”
She motioned to the tank on her back, his heart thumped, and panic rose in his throat,
“Nah sorry I’m busy”
He moved quickly to the back of the pump, she furrowed her brow and sighed loudly unable to comprehend what was going on, someone who only hours ago was making jokes and chatting with her was now ignoring her,
“Nice! Real nice!”
She muttered, throwing her kit back on to the pump, George pulled his pump next to hers,
“May as well go straight home!”
He laughed, she ignored him climbing in to the driver’s seat and pulling away at speed.
She marched back in to the station,
“You coming for breakfast Dolly?”
Bay leaf asked, she pulled her coat on and swung her bag on to her shoulder,
“Not a chance!”
She snapped raising a few eyebrows before leaving the room.
--
Her legs felt as though they were suddenly made of lead, she opened her eyes, squinting as the shapes around her came in to focus, with magnolia walls, garish upholstery and faded water colours on the walls there was no mistaking where she was, her stomach dropped, she attempted to sit up, pain tore through her abdomen forcing her back down, confused, she began to panic, she lifted her arm, dozily pushing the oxygen mask from her face, head swimming she looked around, her husband slept peacefully in the chair next to her, she attempted to reach out to him, more pain shot through her once more, she whimpered defeated.