William and Mary let all the passengers get off the train before them. William had told Mary that the less crowd the better and so she told him to wait until they were left on the train before getting off. Her father could wait.
As they stepped off the train and onto the platform, Mary looked around, spotting her father at the entrance, a cap on his head as he scanned the crowd. Mary smiled, grabbing William's hand and pulling him towards the man. She made sure that she stayed away from the crowd, taking longer than necessary to arrive in front of her father.
"Well, my daughter's no longer a little girl, huh?" Mary smiled, dropping her soldier's hand to hug her father. "How are you doing in London?"
"I'm doing the best as anyone can during these times. How's the house?"
"Your mum has been frantically cleaning the rooms to make sure that they're up to standards for the soldier you're bringing home." He turned to William then, smiling and holding out a hand. "You must be Schofield, you've been an important person in all my children's lives so it's nice to finally meet you."
"Pleasure's all mine, Sir." They shook hands and Mary's father smiled telling Mary that William was completely welcome into her family.
"Well, c'mon the journey's not short and my daughter looks ready to keel over." Her father grabbed both of the suitcases, ignoring William's protest, as he led the way out of the train station and to the car. "Your mother's going to be happy with you home, but don't let her convince you to stay. London seems to suit you, you're smiling again." Mary blushed, knowing that London wasn't the reason that she was smiling. William had made it through the journey with not one issue that he had said may come up and she was proud of him. "In we get, we've got to get you two home before supper or my wife will have my head." Mary laughed, knowing that her mother couldn't hurt a fly, but allowed William to open her door and help her climb into the car before he climbed in after. "So, Mary tells me you're from London."
"Yes, Sir. My father always loved the city and my mother just never wanted to leave when she arrived."
"Must be quiet here to you."
"It'll be nice to get some quiet for a change. London's a bit overwhelming for a soldier at the moment." Mary's father looked back at William who was staring out the window now before he turned to his daughter. Mary just shrugged, not being able to help her father at all without seeing William's face. "Where's your mother now?"
"The countryside for the remainder of the war. My sister's husband was killed over in France and so my sister packed up my mother and her son and headed to the country."
"They must be pleased that you're home safe then."
"I haven't told them yet." The car felt silent and Mary looked over at William, seeing that his hands were in his lap and he was watching his fingers as they danced around each other. "Never really had the time and I barely wrote to them when I was across the channel, I just forgot, I guess."
"Well, you can write them when we arrive home. Mary can lend you some paper, yes?" Mary nodded. "I know I'd want to hear from my child that they were safe."
"I've not a clue how to start it." Mary's father laughed at that. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but truly, do I just say that I'm home and safe?"
"You say what feels right. And if you can't think of anything you tell Mary and she'll take you to the one cherry tree that would always bring us our best ideas."
"Yes, like that idea Tommy had to throw me into the lake while we were fishing," Mary chimed in, knowing that she was going to have to change the subject quickly.
