Two days after Christmas, Mary was rushing around the hospital. According to the men who had just arrived, there was a truce between the English and the Germans on the battlefield for the holiday. They had ceased the fighting just for that night, according to the soldiers that Mary was taking care of now, but as soon as their clocks struck twelve, the fighting was back on.
There were more men each day that the nurses and the doctors had to treat. She had barely seen William because he was constantly being needed at the army office. Every few days, he'd get enough time to walk Mary back before he was needed back at the office, but most days, she and William would spend no time together. She missed him, he was in the same city and yet this seemed the furthest he's ever been.
"Nurse Blake," she turned to see the nurse that was on desk duty today run-up to her, a piece of paper in her hand. "This came for you today, I've been trying to find you."
"Thank you." Mary took the paper, smiling as she saw William's handwriting on the envelope: Nurse Mary Blake.
Darling,
If you had told me that arriving back in London would separate us further than the channel, then I would have stayed in France. I feel further from you than when I was on the front lines, fighting for England. I fear that the army office is far too busy for any of us to leave before the sun is set. Though it does give me an excuse to write to you as if we are separated yet again by the channel. A letter is the best way to reach my fiance who literally lives just a few streets away, writing those words seem ridiculous, but it is the truth.
They say we're nearing the end of the war, that the Germans seem to be giving up France, though I have a suspicion that they will retaliate with more force than any of the British soldiers expect. It feels like it did right before Blake and I were sent out to find your brother and to stop the sixteen hundred men from running into a death trap. I have tried to share my concerns, though the generals do not seem to heed any advice from any soldier that is lower in ranks. The rest of the men agree, this seems too easy for us to just take the win from the Germans when they were so against giving up earlier.
I fear that I may be stuck at this office even if the Germans do surrender. The paperwork we have to complete may take up until next year if we continue at the speed we are completing each one at the moment. Most of us are learning on the job, the amount of training I have had to complete to even understand the paperwork. If we receive more soldiers, it would take them just as long to complete the training as it takes for us to go through a stack of papers.
I hope the hospital is less time-consuming than the office, but from the letters I've had to send tell me that you're almost as busy, if not busier as we are down at the army office. I hope that you're taking care of yourself and making sure that you're not overworked, though I doubt many of us are not overworked at the moment. I hope that I'll see you soon. I'm requesting time off for the new year so we can celebrate at least for one day. It will have to go to the higher-ups, those who are not in these offices, it may take a few days, but I will tell you as soon as I know.
My mother has also written to me, she has told me that she and my sister are coming back to London. My mum will want to meet you; I've written enough about you for her to immediately try to meet you when they arrive. Our one day that we may have together, will most likely be spending time with my mother and my sister in the city if that's alright with you. If not, I'll tell them you're busy and we can have a few months to decide what to actually do.
I'll see you as soon as I can and I pray that this war will end soon as they say.
Thinking of you always,
