Rosie Goes to War (24 page)

‘Don't you? You've told me plenty.'

‘Not really. Hardly anything. I can't, can I? It might change the future.'

‘Well you're doing your best to change my future, ain't you? I mean, I never dreamed I had a chance with May until you started going on about it.'

‘That's different,' I say. I don't have a clue what he's so upset about. ‘You and May are meant for each other.'

‘We'll see, won't we? In the meantime, I don't think you should've got Nan all worked up like that.'

‘But I didn't! Honestly, Bill. I never said a word. I don't know anything about …' Oh hell! Standing here on the pavement, looking at Lil's house I realise that when I stand outside Gran's house in the future, it looks different. Instead of the unbroken line of terraced houses, there's a break. Right where Lil's house is now, in the future there's a couple of more modern houses in amongst the older ones. I'd totally forgotten all about that. Now it's staring me in the face. But that doesn't mean Lil's house got blown up, does it? Oh crap, who am I kidding? But how could I have possibly said anything to Lil? ‘Maybe it was me in another time,' I say, thinking aloud. ‘It definitely wasn't me now.'

‘Bloody hell, Rosie, I don't know what to think about all this blinking time travel lark.'

‘Tell me about it,' I say. ‘It's totally doing my head in. But I definitely haven't said anything to Lil about her house. Not in this time.'

I must look really pathetic, because he pulls me into a bear hug. ‘Aw, come here. What's done is done. For all I know, you've done us a favour. I'm sorry I had a go at you.'

‘That's OK,'

He puts me away from him. ‘Time will tell, eh? I'd better get those tins.'

‘Yeah, OK. See you in a minute.' I go back indoors and sit in the parlour with the sleeping May. I suppose I should go and see if Nelly wants some help, but I just want to be alone with my thoughts for a while.

I'm almost dozing off when May wakes up.

‘Where's Bill?'

Well it's got to be a good sign if he's the first person she thinks of.

‘He's just popped over to Lil's to get something. He's going to have supper with us. How do you feel?'

May sighs and raises her bandaged ankle. ‘I won't be dancing for few days, that's for sure. The doc strapped it up tight, and told me to stay off it. I've got a pair of crutches to help me get about. Bill put 'em behind the settee for me. What happened at work? I ain't got the sack or nothing, have I?'

‘No, don't worry. They're too short-staffed to get rid of you. Daisy wasn't in either. Someone said her house was hit. She was under the stairs with the children.'

‘Oh no! Are they …?'

I shake my head. ‘No, thank goodness. They're all alive, although Daisy's broken some ribs, and one of the kids has a broken arm.'

‘We've been telling her to evacuate those littl'uns, but she's so bleeding stubborn. Well, I hope she's learned her lesson now, and gets the little mites out of London before they all get killed.'

‘It must be hard, though, sending your children away.'

‘Better that than seeing 'em killed, I reckon. We're all in the same boat, missing family. I wish our Dad wasn't away. He's all we've got.'

‘He'll be back, May. I know it.'

May sighs. ‘You keep saying things like that, Queenie, but you ain't God. You just don't know. None of us do.'

Not for the first time, I really wish I can tell May the truth, but don't dare. ‘Maybe I've got a bit more faith than you have,' I shrug.

There's a knock at the door. ‘I'll get it,' I say. ‘That'll be Bill.'

It's not. It's Harry. He's obviously bathed in another barrel full of aftershave, his hair is extra slick, and under his arm is a box of chocolates. ‘Hallo, Queenie, love. Tell May I'm here, will you?'

I want to slam the door in his face. ‘She's really not well, Harry,' I say instead, giving him a totally insincere smile. ‘If those are for her, I can pass them on, and tell her you called.'

He looks at me through narrowed eyes. ‘You wouldn't be winding me up, would you? 'Cause I don't take kindly to being mucked about.'

‘Really, Harry,' I say, trying to look wide-eyed and innocent. ‘Why would I do a thing like that? Shall I get Nelly? She'll tell you the same as me, I guarantee it.'

He only just manages to hide his alarm. Then he turns all cocky.

‘Well, it's understandable – you wanting to keep May out the way. I saw the way you was looking at me at the dance the other night.' He smirked. ‘I ain't daft. I could see you liked me.'

Yeah, right. You wish. I want to tell him exactly what I think of him but I keep my mouth shut. He takes my silence for agreement.

‘Well you don't need to fret your pretty little head, Queenie. I might be paying a bit of attention to May right now, but it don't mean I ain't got my eye on you n'all.'

‘Really?' I say, trying to keep my true feelings off my face. What I really want to do is kick him where it hurts. ‘So it's not serious with May, then?'

‘Nah, ‘course not. I promised her I'd partner her for a dance competition at the Palais next week, and I reckon we can win it. The money's always handy. But me and May?' He shakes his head and moves closer. I fight the urge to move back. ‘She's all right for a laugh, but I know class when I see it. You're the sort of bird I'm looking for long term. Don't you worry, I just need to keep May sweet for a bit longer, then I'll be round to see you. I'll show you a good time.'

Oh. My. God. I think I'm going to throw up. I can't believe his nerve, the slimy toad.

‘That sounds like fun,' I say, all the while thinking ‘NOT!' He really is an arrogant, stupid little rat-bag and I really want to punch him on the nose.

‘Yeah, don't it just,' he says, sliding a hand round my neck and pulling me towards him. He kisses me on the mouth. I want to gag, especially when he pushes his tongue into my mouth. He tastes of cigarettes and bad breath. His sickly aftershave is making me feel faint.

I twist, trying to get him off me, but he's holding my head and moves with me. Out of the corner of my eye I see a movement. May! Oh hell. I close my eyes. This is a nightmare.

I clamp my teeth on Harry's tongue in frustration. He groans, but doesn't let me go. I'm tempted to bite him really hard, but the thought of getting his blood in my mouth stops me. God knows what I'd catch from him.

‘Harry? What the bloody hell's going on?' May yells.

I unclamp my teeth and Harry staggers back, right into the arms of Bill, who has just walked through the door. Nell comes out of the kitchen as well, just in time to see what's happening.

‘Bloody hell,' said Harry.

‘Why were you kissing her, Harry?' Nell asks in her scary, don't-mess-with-me voice.

‘I'll tell you why,' cries May. ‘He's a bloody two-timing git, that's why. I'm all right for a dance or two, but Queenie here's got the ‘real class', ain't she, Harry?'

I want a great big hole to open up in the floor and swallow me up. I have never been so embarrassed in all my life. Why didn't I just knee him in the privates and yell rape or something?

‘May, darlin',' says Harry. ‘I didn't mean nothing by it. It was just a joke. Look, I bought you these.' The box of chocolates is looking crumpled and sad. ‘Special sweets for my sweetheart.'

May glares at him. ‘Well I ain't laughing. So you can take those and shove 'em where the sun don't shine. Now sod off!'

‘But …'

‘You heard the lady,' says Bill. ‘Now shove off.'

Harry looks at Bill, and sneers. ‘Don't worry, Jocky me lad, I'm off. They're a bunch of bloody witches that lot. Mind they don't turn you into a frog.'

‘Right, that's it.' Bill grabs him by the lapels and lifts him clear off the ground. Harry drops the chocolates. ‘Listen here, you piece of dog turd, if I see you around any of these girls again, I'll knock your bloody block off.' He manhandles Harry round and pushes him hard. Harry lands in the gutter, shrieking like a girl. Bill wipes his hands, as though getting rid of any dirt he's picked up from Harry, then turns back to us.

He grins. ‘Close your mouths, girls, or you'll be catching flies.'

Nell's the first to move. She runs past me and picks up the chocolates, then throws them at Harry. They land on his head and he howls, ‘Oi! Sod off!'

‘No,' yells Nell. ‘
You
sod off, and take your black market rubbish with you. I'll be telling the coppers about you. I hope you rot in jail.'

I want to cheer. This is great! We've seen off horrible Harry, and Bill is a hero. May's bound to see him differently now. I turn to look at May, but she's gone back into the parlour. I follow her, leaving Nelly and Bill to watch Harry run down the road.

‘May? It's all right, he's gone.'

‘Yeah, I heard. Why don't you go after him?'

‘What? Are you kidding? I don't want …'

‘Well, you could have fooled me, you … you … bloody tart!'

I freeze, hardly breathing. I know I shouldn't be surprised by May's anger, but I am. Surely she must realise I didn't want to kiss him, that I would never do anything to hurt her? ‘You don't understand.' Oh my God, that's exactly what Jess said to me when I caught her snogging Simon! Of course she wasn't trying to take him from me, she was trying to save me from making the biggest mistake of my life. And like May, I completely lost it. I should have known better. I didn't trust her but I know I can trust Jess with anything. She's the best friend a girl could ever have.

I wasn't thinking straight. And now May isn't either. She's hurt and angry and it's all my fault.

‘I … I'm sorry,' I say.

‘Sorry you got caught, more like. God, I was worried you were going to mess Bill about, but I had no idea what a greedy little cow you are. One fella's not enough for you, is it? Oh no, you have to make a play for mine n'all.'

‘I did not!'

‘Oh yes, you did. I heard every word.'

I feel my heart sink. May has no idea what I was trying to do, so of course she thinks I was after Harry. ‘Honestly, May, it wasn't what you thought. You don't understand …'

‘Oh, I understand all right. Well, at least Bill's seen through you now, Miss High and Mighty. He's too good for the likes of you.'

Bill, standing in the doorway, coughs. I can't look at him. I hope to God he understands what's going on. I can't bear it if he thinks I'm really like that.

‘You're right,' I say, my voice shaking. ‘He's far too good for me.'

Bill coughs again. ‘Nelly says the pie's ready. Come and eat.'

The thought of food makes me feel sick. How can I be expected to eat when everything's so horrible?

‘May, listen,' I say.

‘I ain't listening to nothing you've got to say, Queenie,' she says. ‘I wouldn't believe a word of it.' She picks up her crutches and hobbles out of the room.

I sink down onto the sofa.

‘Come on, Rosie,' says Bill. I brace myself to look at him, not know what to expect. He gives me a sad little smile. ‘She'll come round. May don't hold grudges.'

‘But Nelly does,' I say, remembering how Great-aunt Eleanor reacted when she recognised me as Queenie.

‘Chin up,' he says. ‘At least it got rid of Harry. I reckon that's got to be a good thing. Now, come and have some food. You can't hide in here all night.'

‘You go ahead. I won't be a minute.'

He leaves me alone and I sit there, trying to get everything straight in my head. This must be what Gran and Eleanor were talking about, when they thought I'd stolen May's boyfriend. If it is, then this is the night I disappear. For a moment I can't breathe, I feel fear wash right over me. Is this the night I die?

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

I can't sit here all night. I've got to face them, even if no one's talking to me.

As I enter the kitchen there's an awkward silence. Bill gives me a nod, but the girls ignore me and carry on eating. There's a plate of cottage pie at my place. I sit down and pick up my fork. I take a mouthful, but I'm so stressed I can't taste anything and when I swallow it feels like a stone in my throat. I close my eyes, fighting back tears. This is awful. I don't know what to do.

The air-raid siren cuts through the air, making us all jump.

‘Come on, May, we'd better get you down the shelter,' says Nelly. ‘Bill, can you get her crutches?'

‘I'll carry her,' he says. ‘It'll be quicker.'

‘Right. Good idea. I'll get the coats.'

Bill picks May up and she gives him a shy smile as she wraps her arms round his neck.

‘Thanks, Bill. I'm sorry to be such a pest.'

‘It's no trouble, May. I'm glad to help.'

The look they share brings tears to my eyes. That's my Gran and Grandpa, falling in love. And you know what? I don't care how horrible things are, or what might happen to me, because I've just witnessed the most beautiful thing in the world. I stand up, really wanting to hug them both.

Big mistake.

May glares at me as Nelly comes in with May's fur coat and Bill's army coat. She's already got her Grandpa's great coat on.

‘You'd better get a coat, Queenie,' says Nelly. ‘Hurry up.'

‘I ain't going down the same shelter as her,' says May.

Bill frowns. ‘We can't leave her out.'

May shakes her head, her eyes cold. ‘It's her or me. I can't stand the sight of her right now.'

Bill hesitates. I can't let them argue, not now.

‘It's all right,' I say. ‘You go ahead.'