‘Ahh, that was nice of him. I’m not sure it’s safe for you to stay here though. More bombs could be dropped at any time.’

‘We don’t care,’ snapped Queenie. ‘No way are we being sent away again.’

‘Is Dad OK, Mum?’ asked Viv.

‘Erm, yes. I didn’t want to worry you two, but Dad got called up not long after you left. He was in North Africa, last I heard. He’s OK though.’

‘When will he come home?’ asked Viv.

‘I don’t know, lovey. But fingers crossed it won’t be too long.’

‘We got a shock when we saw the state of the area. When did the row of shops where the butcher’s is get blown up?’ asked Queenie.

‘Around Christmas time. Lots of people you know have lost their lives too. Joe Brown was killed in action, so was Tim Lewis. Your school friend Linda Ruttle perished with the rest of her family when a bomb fell, Viv.’

Tears pricked Vivian’s eyes. ‘I don’t think Nelly knows her brother is dead. She never mentioned it in her letters.’

‘Mabel isn’t going to tell the girls until they come home. She wants to be there to comfort them. She’s been in a terrible state has Mabel, bless her. There’s other families you know that have been wiped out, but let’s not talk about that today. Let’s celebrate you being home. Shall we go and surprise, Aunt Edna?’ smiled Molly.

‘Not yet. I want to know who has died first. You should have told us by letter,’ snapped Queenie. ‘I need to visit Mrs O’Leary too. We have her to thank for getting us away from that hellhole of a farmhouse. If it wasn’t for Mary, we’d still be stuck there.’

‘It wasn’t that bad, Queenie. I know it was boring, but at least the people were nice,’ Viv replied.

‘I thought you were happy there,’ Molly said dismally.

‘I wasn’t. But then, I begged you not to send me away in the first place, didn’t I?’ Queenie reminded her mother. ‘It’s just a shame you didn’t bloody listen.’

CHAPTER FIVE

I tried to put what had happened to the back of my mind, but it was nigh on impossible. The nights were the worst. That monster would appear in my dreams, lunging towards me, and I would wake up terrified.

I went back to school and did my best to act normal. But the East End had changed beyond recognition and I was no longer that happy carefree girl I’d once been. I was irritable, snappy, bitter and downright rude at times, especially to Mum. Though I knew what had happened wasn’t her fault, I couldn’t help but blame her for sending me away.

Both Mum and Aunt Edna had heart-to-hearts with me, tried to get me to open up, but I couldn’t. I blamed my period, how I thought I was dying at the time, and had ruined Betty’s lovely mattress. ‘I’ve never felt so embarrassed in my life,’ I told them.