Winter Jackets

Chapter 10 - The Whole Explanation

'So... three months before I left, I received a letter from the head of the medicine department, saying that I had won a job at a hospital, as an assistant nurse. But when I went there, they said that there must have been a mistake, because there were only two spots available, and... around ten of us. So the head over there chose two people and sent the rest eight of us back home. But when we were going out, we were stopped by some important looking man, who turned out to be one of the officials of the Red Cross.'

He looked at Lisa when he finished the last line, expecting a sign of... well, anything, but Lisa still looked at him, expressionless, except for her eyes, which still looked cold. Jack sighed and continued.

 'With him was one of the senior nurses. When they passed us, they were talking about finding more recruits at that hospital, and then they saw us. They asked us if we were working there, and I told him the whole story of the mistake with the jobs. He said that he needed at least fifteen people more than he had, and if we felt up to the job. S.. six of us said yes, the other two said no and ran home.' As he spoke, Jack replayed the memory in his head, and was surprised that he remembered it quite well.

Jack remembered being only fifteen at the time, and wondering if he would be able to do it... he hadn't even gotten a job at the hospital! (though that may have been only due to a miscommunication...) But he accepted the offer anyway, imagining it to be only bandaging up wounds, and treating minor sprains.

And so, when he reached home and explained to his parents what had happened, he could not quite understand why they looked so horrified and... scared!

But even after they sat him down and explained to him the horrors of war, Jack still wanted to go, but for a different reason. He now wanted to help his country by helping the warriors of his country. And no one could tell him otherwise.

Lisa never found out why he was leaving, at least not before he left.

'I did.' Lisa interrupted. 'A few years after you left, I realised that you had gone for war. But you just said that you were going to to be a nurse...?'

She looked close to tears now, and so did Jack, just looking at her. He now realised that he hadn't been there when she needed him, when she was most vulnerable, and that she had grown up so much that there would be no way to make up for all that they missed during those five years.

Jack nodded, signalling for her to wait, and continued the story. 

A/N: Again, so sorry for not posting sooner! I think these summer holidays have made me lazy...

I will try to post at least twice a week, now.

Anyway, hope everyone is doing fine during these times!