Evacuation

The time has come..

Saturday

Sorry, I have not written in days but a lot has happened since I last wrote in this diary.

It all happened yesterday when our teachers decided to give us a half day because there was an emergency meeting with the staff. We were all given the opportunity to stay until the normal leaving time and do our homework in the hall or walk home.

My two friends and I automatically chose the latter, as did the majority of the school. So we walked Olivia across the road the Florence and I continued towards our homes.

Florence turned off first then I skipped down our lane, I crept in the back door and planned to surprise June but my plans were abandoned when I heard sniffing coming from the living room, I hurriedly rushed in to find a dishevelled and weeping June.

She was startled to see me and tried to hide that she had been crying, but it was useless and she burst into tears again.

I quickly ran over to her and hugged her, tough I still didn't know what was wrong.

She hugged me back and I felt like I was comforting a child rather than an adult.

It was only then that  I noticed the photograph of her husband she was clutching, a sudden surge of anxiety struck me.

''What's wrong?'' ,I asked, hoping that my fears weren't true

''Oh R-rosemarie'' she sobbed, gulping a little, ''h-he's d--d-d-ead'', and she broke don again.

I was speechless, as reality smacked me in the face.

I clung to the weeping woman, she said, ''I haven't t-told Wilbur'', this was the first time I had heard her call him by his actual name.

''But you haven't had time'', I said, ''I can help you''.

''You don't understand'' she wailed, '' He's been d-d-dead for, t-three months..''

I was shocked, ''When did you find out?''

''A couple of weeks before you came, but I thought if I didn't tell anyone, it wouldn't be true and he could j-j-just be fighting in Europe like any other husband.''

I was starting to realise what I burden she had been holding all this time.

''I wanted to tell Will but when you came along'' she paused, ''I never found the right moment''

''It's all right'', I reassured her.

''I always hated when George called Wilbur, ''Will'', but when I found out he was d-d''

She broke down again and I kept my arms around her.

''I know'', I said, ''but you'll have to tell him sometime, why don't we tell him today?''

She agreed hesitantly and then thought of asking, '' Why are you home early?''

I explained about the meeting and after chatting for a while, she admitted sorrowfully, ''I think the time has come to tell him.''