You Promised

Chapter Fourteen

Again, I stand on the platform, waving goodbye to Adam. For some reason, it doesn't seem quite as hard this time, saying goodbye. After last time...I guess that I feel I'll see him again. Lily, of course, is clinging to my arm and, regardless of the little bit easier it is...the tears are streaming down my face as I wave goodbye. The glint of the jewel on my finger catches my eye in the sunlight. I pull Lily tighter to my side and imagine what it may be like. Adam and I, married. Will there be children? A home? Near here? Only if he survives this. That possibility of our life together is fraught with danger.
He boards the train and looks back at me one last time. I valiantly attempt a smile. He smiles sadly and, taking a deep breath, boards the train. I watch him go with a sinking feeling in my chest. He takes his seat and my heart aches again to see him leave. Mrs. Green could not bear to see him go again so I was volunteered to mind Lily for the day.
'Can we go into Oxford Ami?' She chirps at me after we leave the station.
I sniff and dry my eyes. 'Do you have any idea how much it costs to go into town Lily? About two weeks of my bakery earnings.' She looks up at me and enlarges her eyes so that they are the size of saucers. I sigh then turn on my heel and walk defeatedly back into the station to purchase our ticket to Oxford.
Soon, we are on our way, with Lily buzzing in my ear with all sorts of questions.
'How fast can trains go?'
'Would you like to drive trains?'
'How many times have you been on a train?'
'Are army trains like this?'
'How long is this train ride?'
And then her very favourite....
'Are we there yet?'
So, when we arrived in Oxford, I sit elegantly in my seat with Lily beside me, with her finger stuck across her lips in a 'silence' gesture. I take her hand and we go out to Oxford. To my surprise, I see Jayne and Anna also getting off the bus. Lily immediately runs to them and yanks me along with her.
'Ami!' They say surprised.
I nod to them as Lily pipes up with 'Ami's taking me hear to forget that Adam's gone.'
Anna squeezes my hand and says to Lily 'Well that's very nice of her, isn't it?'
Lily nods emphatically at her then sprints off to look in the window of a shop.
So that is how we spend our day. Laughing in between shops and Lily announcing that Jayne needs to pay for all the meals and purchases because she is going to inherit a small fortune. We quickly stop before she delves into her little speech and pay for our things individually.
We walk down an alley to get to a delightful little shop that sells tea leaves. We are talking about scarves and where to buy them, when a group of men, about twenty years old, surround us and walk alongside us. Instinctively, we pull closer together but they seem to do nothing until Jayne lets out a yelp. She jerks her purse away from the young man who was lurking at her shoulder.
We spin on him. He flicks his long black hair out of his eyes to reveal aqua blue eyes that glint boldly.
'What did I do?' He asks cheekily.
'You bloody well tried to steal my bag you imbecile.' Jayne snaps back at him. 'Did you not?'
He grins at her. 'Tried?' He asks sneakily before lifting his hands and revealing that he is holding the entire contents of her bag.
Jayne just gasps. The rest of us just stare at the boy.
'Ollie.' He says before handing the contents back to her. 'Do you mind me saying something?'
'Of course not'' Jayne answers, still bewildered that he managed to steal it and then give it back.
'You are mighty pretty.' He says. He winks at her and struts away, disappearing into the crowd.
For the first time, in all the time I have known her, Jayne is utterly speechless. She gapes after the stranger, Ollie. Anna and I exchange a glance then turn to Jayne. She notices our looks and blushes.
'What?!' She grumbles. 'He was..... was......'
'Beautiful?' I supply
'Handsome!' Anna declares.
'Stop it both of you.' She says in mock anger, then cranes her neck to try and spot Ollie over the crowd.
Anna and I trade a knowing look then continue after Jayne and Lily who has sped away.