You Promised

Chapter Twenty Two

We hold a small, private funeral in the garden. The cold December brings a stinging wind that whips our hair around our heads. Jenny stands beside me, a firm grip on my hand while she holds a handkerchief to her trembling lips.
   John didn't invite Hazel, the funeral is totally private, so John stands alone near Father and Mother. It is so private indeed, that the little baby's,who has been named Edward for our grandfather, own father was not even told, nor invited.
   Father holds a bible and recites some prayers and as soon as it's over, Jenny turns on her heel and, escorted by me, returns indoors. Her face is pale and her eyes are glassy but she thanks me for my help before trudging upstairs. I watch her go, very concerned, as the rest of our family comes indoors.
   'Is she ok?' John asks, seeing Jenny retreat upstairs.
   'No. But she will be.' I answer dubiously.
   John sighs and walks down the hall to pick up the mail.
   'Oh Ami!' He calls, waving an army regulation letter in my direction.
   I sprint down the hall to snatch the letter from his hand. I rip it open and pull the letter out of its paper casing.

My dearest Ami,
   I have the most wonderful news. I am due home soon! I have three weeks of leave coming, probably close enough to the time you get this letter. I cannot wait to see you. Is there any news back home...wait what am I saying?! I will be seeing you within two weeks!
  I will get the eleven o'clock train from London and I will be seeing you at about half eleven on Tuesday the 8th.
  I will see you soon my dearest love.
  Adam
   xxx

My heart skips a beat. He is coming home. I skip to the calendar to check the date. Today is the sixth. Only two days until my Adam comes home. I heart skitters with excitement as I jump about the room. John looks at me and guesses instantly.
   'When's he home?'
    I laugh at John's insight. Then continue to skip happily around the kitchen. Two days. Only two days. Two days.

   I stand in the train platform, the mist from the last train floating around the concrete floor. I hop from foot to foot in anticipation. The two days seemed to trickle by. The train finally groans into the station and I feel a jitter run along my spine. The doors open and out jump some of the eager soldiers, politely holding the door for the other men. I scan he faces. No, no not him. Definitely not him. No.
   Then I see a man jump from the train and look around him. I know who it is without a doubt. I start running to him and then he turns to look at me, running at full pace towards him. He drops his bags and comes to me halfway. I wrap my arms around his neck and hold his forehead to mine.
   'You're home!' I say quietly, happy tears rolling down my cheeks.
   'I'm here.' He reminds me, his voice cracking with emotion.
    I kiss his lips, again and again, to remind myself that he is still here. He laughs between my kisses until he eventually puts a gentle hand on my shoulder to stop me.
   'How is everyone?' He asks, picking up his luggage and holding my hand as we walk out of the station together.
    I pause, unsure of what details to tell him and what details to leave out. I quickly decide just to tell him everything. He listens to the full story and doesn't interrupt, until I get to the part about my poor, dear nephew.
   Then he says; 'Oh Ami. I'm so sorry!'
   'It's Jenny you should be sorry for.' I remind him, before we turn down the lane to his house. 'Anyway. How long will you be home for?'
   'Until New Years.' He says, delight evident in his voice.
   I hum merrily as we continue, hand in hand, down the street.
   'Will you come to Anna's art show tonight?' I ask him, knowing that Anna will not mind.       
   'I would love to.' Adam answers reaching his gate and turning to look at me.
   I imagine how excited Lily will be when she sees Adam and how happy his parents will be so I kiss him once and then make my way down the street alone.
   When I get home, I see Jenny sitting on the freshly-cut grass, making daisy chains. She slowly raises her head when she hears my feet crunching on the gravel.
   'Is he here then?' She asks somewhat rudely. I, however, cannot argue because she has just lost her child.
   'Yes, Adam is back.' I say happily, because no matter what she says, my Adam is home and nothing can dampen my mood. Except perhaps the sight of my brother sneaking out the back door and running into the forest behind our house. He is holding one of my dresses and has, for some odd reason of his own, has painted it scarlet red.
    'John!' I shout after him, hoping for some rational reason for this.
    'Don't worry.' He shouts back. 'I'm not going to be the one wearing it.'
     Not exactly feeling like a weight has been lifted, I go inside to prepare for my trip to London.
    After, my hair is pulled back in a plait, and I am wearing a sky blue dress, I come down the stairs.
    John offers me his arm and we leave the house looking on the outside, like a normal pair of people. However, anyone who knows John knows he is most certainly not normal. But he is, obviously my brother and a wonderful and kind person at the back of his oddness.
    We see Hazel and Thomas coming down their road and instantly I see what John was doing to my dress. She is wearing my dress, now scarlet red, with her hair tied up softly behind her beautiful face. She looks absolutely stunning.
    'She is actually wearing the dress you painted?' I say jokingly in John's ear. He beams proudly at her before taking her arm as well. I leave them to it and drop behind to talk to Thomas.
    As she walks, Hazel kicks up the hem of the dress and you can see the original white underskirts. I cannot help but keel over laughing in a most undignified manner.
     Soon, Adam joins us and the three men walk together in front while Hazel and I walk behind.
     'Did John tell you where he got the dress?' I ask.
     'No. But I am very aware that it wasn't always red.' She says smiling at the back of John's head.  I chose not to tell her and ruin his gesture. We get onto the train, while carefully minding our dresses.
    I sit beside Adam and loop my arm through his.
    'Ami.' He says quietly in my ear.  'Hazel's dress looks familiar.'
    'It certainly should, it's mine.' I whispered back to him. We both chuckle softly at my brother's devotion, and Hazel's acceptance of it.