A Twist In Time

Nott Another Mission

July 24th 1918

Dear Tommy,

I'm not sure if you've received a letter from John yet, but he's returning home to us.

I don't know if he's written to you but he received a head injury and it was decided it was best to send him home. Don't worry, he's okay now, but it was touch and go for a while without him waking up.

I long for this war to be over. I can't stand the thought of you possibly getting hurt out there. I fear every day I'll receive a letter about your death from Arthur and I'm not prepared for that.

How will I ever explain to Thomas-J that his dad is never going to meet him?

I'm sorry, I'm being selfish.

You probably have a lot more to worry about than me and my silly visions of Thomas-J being broken-hearted.

I long to see you.

All my love,

Always and forever,

Romy xx

P.s. There is something I wish to tell you but I fear your reaction. Polly insisted I not tell you, but I can't fight with myself any longer with it. I've been —

There was a moment when Tommy's heart stopped at the mention of John and a head injury. He knew it was only due to a serious injury for someone to be sent home and here was his little brother being sent back.

There was something he agreed with and that was for this war to end.

He didn't want to be here anymore, digging tunnels, shooting young boys because it was life or death. He wanted to be home with his brothers drinking in the Garrison and returning home to his woman and his son.

He wished with everything he had that nothing would happen to him because he couldn't imagine what it would be like for Romy and Thomas-J if he never returned. His heart ached at the thought of never meeting the boy and wondered what pain he'd cause if he never got to meet him.

Tommy frowned as he re-read the end of the letter and paused, running his finger over the cut-off.

"You alright, Tom?" Arthur asked, shuffling closer to his brother as he caught his eyes.

"Hmm? Just a letter from Romy," Tommy replied noting the surprise on Arthur's face.

"She wrote?" It seemed Arthur hadn't expected it either. When was the last time Romy wrote to him? The end of February?

He'd been receiving letters from Ada and Polly since. According to Polly, Romy was busy at the hospital with all the soldiers being sent back and she was doing more hours now that she was almost finished in her nursing school.

While he was happy with the updates in Thomas-J's life and the photographs he'd been receiving he did miss hearing from Romy. There was a nagging feeling that had been bugging him since he received his first letter from Polly. Now that Romy had written to him and ended the letter by saying there was something she needed to tell him.

He had a feeling he knew why she wasn't writing to him or why she wasn't in the photographs anymore. He had a feeling, but he didn't want to admit it.

"It'll be alrigh', Tom," Arthur said, resting his hand on his shoulder. It also seemed Arthur had the same feeling as Tommy.

God did he wish he was wrong.

Things were changing.

While the war was coming to its end it also seemed that there was a build-up on the fighting.