Mary's parents told her not to worry. They said that if William could get across France, he could find his way back to the house. However, when it was getting dark, Mary sensed that her father was starting to worry. The night was when the German's started to bomb the areas because it was easier to catch the English off guard. If William was outside during the dark, he could be caught in a bombing.
"I'm going to look for-"
"No, I'll go look. You stay with your mother. She needs you to stay inside, alright? I won't come back until I find him, I promise."
"Okay." Mary nodded, agreeing with her father. He had more of a chance finding William than Mary ever did. "He was walking towards the field when he left, so start in that direction." He nodded, leaving Mary and her mother and the dining table. Mary's eyes followed him until he was out of sight. Only then did she turn back to her mother.
"He'll find William, Honey, I promise."
"You don't understand. Anything can set William off. If a car backfires it could-"
"Mary, we've read about shellshock in the papers. Your father was terrified that William would come here and completely lose himself if he heard a plane. He'll know exactly what to do."
"I'm scared."
"So am I, Mary, but we have to focus on the good things. He's home and he's safe. He seems to be staying. You've got me and your father who are fully supporting the both of you now. I want you to know that no matter what happens with William and your father tonight, you both will always be welcome here."
"Thanks, Mum. Let's just hope that William feels the same. Let's go make some dinner; I need something to distract me from fully becoming one of those women who do nothing until she has her loved ones home." Mary immediately felt horrible about what she said. It's exactly what her mother did the moment that Thomas and Joseph left for France. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"
"It's the truth. Let's go make the boys some stew, yes?" Her mother stood up from the dining table and led the way into the kitchen. "Tell me about London."
~~
William sat in the field letting the day pass over him as he just sat. He had no judgment of just how long he sat there, but he knew his limbs were numb. His skin was red from the sun that was beating down on him, a rare sight for the British countryside. He knew that if any Luftwaffe flew overhead, he'd be thrown back into the trenches and there was no one around to pull him back. He had no Mary to pull him back.
William was stuck in his head. He was stuck with the idea of Blake wanting nothing more than to get leave and go home. He thought about how Blake would constantly talk about his family and held his siblings on such pedestals that it made William patch up his relationship with his mother. He thought of Blake and how somehow, he always told William that he was going to get home. Blake was the glass-half-full type of man that William was never able to be, even before the war. He thought about how it was all a lie. Blake knew that he wasn't making it home. As much as he wanted to go home, Blake knew that he would never come back to England.
"William?" The soldier jumped, turning quickly, ready to fight off whoever had come up on him. "Steady Son, it's just me." William relaxed, seeing Mary's father standing in front of him, hands up in surrender. "Mary sent me after you because you've been gone the whole day. Got the entire Blake family up in a tizzy."
"I'm sorry, I'll come-"
"No, it's alright, Son. I read the letter, so did my wife. I'm sorry that you had to go through all that. No one should go through that, especially no one your age. I'd fight the lot of them that are probably trying to get you back over there."
