A Wartime Christmas by Carol Rivers Read Free Book Online Page B

in a fresh pot of tea. ‘Who’s for a top-up?’ she called and there was a ‘yes please’ from almost everyone. Kay thought that if it wasn’t
for the reason they had all gathered, this would be the first happy get-together in the street since before September last year and she deeply regretted that her husband wasn’t there to share
it.
    ‘Alan busy is he?’ a voice asked over her shoulder.
    Kay turned to find Paul Butt beside her. He was not as tall as Alan, Kay decided, but certainly a good six foot and she had to crane her neck to look up at him. He had very penetrating blue eyes
and had combed his fair hair back in a neat short back and sides. Like his father Neville, who sat talking to Jenny Edwards, he wore a dark suit and black tie as a mark of respect. ‘Alan had
to report in to work,’ Kay said quickly. ‘Thanks for the cheese, Paul. I hope you didn’t leave yourself short.’
    ‘Not at all. The cheese was given to me by a girl from the yard canteen. We’re sort of seeing one another.’
    ‘Like that, is it.’ Kay grinned.
    ‘Rose and me started going out last year before the Blitz,’ he explained. ‘But I don’t know if anything will come of it. Who knows where any of us will be by the time
this war is over.’ He shook his head slowly and for the first time looked away. ‘What upset me was the weight of those coffins, which meant what was in them was . . .’ He cleared
his throat. ‘Just don’t seem right a whole family is gone in a matter of seconds.’
    Kay nodded. ‘Yes, I think we all feel the same, Paul.’
    Kay found herself wondering why a compassionate and warm-hearted man like Paul had never married. He had a nice way with him and couldn’t be badly off as he’d always been in work at
the steelyard. Vi had told her that Paul had had several serious relationships but he’d never settled down. He was close to his father and had been since Mrs Butt had died when Paul was
fifteen.
    ‘Thanks to Alan arranging the funeral, the Suttons had a decent send-off,’ Paul said quietly, then glanced at the door and smiled. ‘Here he is, an’ all, the man
himself.’
    ‘Sorry I’m late, love.’ Alan kissed Kay on the cheek. ‘Call of duty I’m afraid, an emergency at work.’
    ‘Dunno what we’d do without you rescue boys,’ shouted Eddie, a comment with which everyone loudly agreed. Alan made conversation and Kay went out to the kitchen, taking with
her the dirty crocks to pile on the draining board. She knew what Alan had told her wasn’t true.
    A few minutes later he was beside her. ‘How’s my girl?’ he asked softly.
    She looked up at him. ‘Have you really been to the post?’
    He frowned. ‘Course I have.’
    Just at that moment Babs and Eddie walked into the kitchen. ‘We’ve got to go now,’ Babs said. ‘But thanks for the lovely spread. I wish I’d been able to bring
something meself.’
    Kay hugged her friend. ‘Don’t worry about that. When will we see you next?’
    Babs looked tearful. Eddie slipped his arm round her as she got out her hanky again. ‘Don’t know,’ Eddie said. ‘I’m still working in the docks, but that will change
when we’re evacuated. I’ll have to start all over again.’
    ‘Eddie, have you thought about trying private landlords instead of the council?’ Alan suggested. ‘Some might be willing to let out their places again.’
    ‘No, I never thought about that,’ admitted Eddie with a frown.
    ‘Oh, could we try, Eddie? Before they send us away.’ Babs looked up at her husband with hope in her eyes. ‘Even if we had to pay more rent, I could give up me cleaning and get
a better-paid job. There’s lots of factory work going. Then we could bring the kids back.’
    ‘You and the kids are what’s important to me, Babs,’ Eddie told her sharply. ‘If we brought the kids home, I wouldn’t want you working all hours on an assembly
line. You’ve been through enough already and deserve time with the kids. But