A STORY IN PARTS.

PART 1. GRACE AND THE LOST BOYS.

‘Will I see you again?’

‘Don’t know, do I?’

She dragged her knickers up and pulled the thick coat around her.

God it was cold.

‘Why did we have to do it out here?’ she said, ‘should have gone to your place.’

He lit a cigarette.

‘Urge I s’pose.’

‘You flyboys are all the same. Out with the machine gun and in and out before we girls know what’s hit us.’

He took a deep drag on the cigarette and the smoke, when he finally exhaled it, almost froze.

‘Could be dead tomorrow,’ he said.

And he was.

IVY OCTOBER: 1944

‘I love you Blondie,’ he said, ‘you must know that.’

Hugh rolled off the bed.

‘Then why won’t you marry me?’ said Ivy.

‘Because, you silly thing, it’s war-time, in case you hadn’t noticed.’

‘So…’

‘So- I don’t want to leave a widow behind. Find someone who has a less dangerous job than I do…’

‘But Hugh. We’ve been going together for almost twelve months.’

‘It’s not about marriage.’

‘So what is it about then?’

‘Look I’m a pilot right? I never know if I’ll come home.’

Hugh threw his clothes on and walked to the door.

‘Only yesterday Jonesy went down with his plane. Tomorrow it could be me.’

And it was.

THE MESSAGE.

Ivy opened the door. A young airman stood there.

‘Your name Ivy Cooper?

‘Yes,’ said Ivy. Who are you?’

The young man shuffled his feet nervously.

‘My name’s Peter Scooner. I’m a friend of Hugh’s.’

‘Is he alright?’

‘No Ivy. He got shot down over the channel yesterday...’

‘But he was rescued right?’ Ivy interrupted.

‘I’m so sorry Miss. He’s dead.’

Ivy tried to close the door but the young man put his foot against it.

‘He said that if anything happened to him I was to give you this.’

Peter Scooner took a cameo brooch from his jacket pocket, placed it gently in Ivy’s palm and closed her fingers over it.

Then he turned and walked away.