T.S.

Diana aged 17: June 1915 3 days after

The fucking minuscule suitcase is packed. I had asked one of the tailor shop ladies to sew one of my dresses onto the inside of another to fit it better and piled other belongings in there as well. The suitcase was government mandated and I hated it. It was larger than a cardboard box but just as big in width. It did, however, have a good lock which would help with keeping it shut. I tried to pile on as many socks and panties as possible but left behind the good ones. Why take lacy black panties if the only way I'm going to see men is on their deathbeds. My last days in Small Heath I ran errands by day and packed by night. I said my goodbye to auntie Zilpha and the tailor shop ladies. I made sure to congratulate Luca on his marriage and I tried to find Antonio but he wasn't there or anywhere nearby. I said goodbye to Harry at the garrison and made sure to go to Kitty's house and say them to her too. I went to my last communist party meeting and cheered with them all when Jessie Eden came on stage. They even pushed me up on stage next to her. I spoke about how empathetic we needed to be to drive our cause; To remember the troops as our lads from Small Heath and not the capitalist puppets; To help with the war effort and thus to help our comrades on the frontline. I then announced my leave to Jessie and her mates. She'd been at school with Jayden but was always a smart kid. Mrs Changretta had an awful time with her when she started attending the meetings. My goodbyes had been said and the last thing that needed doing was my goodbye to the Shelby women. My last day was just lounging with them as we played poker for secrets. It was a fun game and even little Finn joined, spilling secrets about John, Tom, Arthur and Freddie That no one else had known. The next day, or rather today, was tearful. We'd tried not to think about it but the day had come and I had to go. Pretty shortly the bus would be waiting for me just like it had for the boys. Jayden came out of our apartment and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back. The Shelby women cried openly around me and I fell into their arms smiling weakly. How was I supposed to comfort them if I didn't know I would come back in one piece or worse, if I came back in a coffin. They let go of me and I climbed onto the truck. We drove out of Small Heath and to the Birmingham docks. We sailed to France. We all received our training. I hadn't seen Joy. Time passed and she arrived weeks later, completing her training seperately from mine.