Darkest Before Dawn Episode 36
Maud looked at Isobel, sitting on a pile of wood on Alf’s allotment.
She was pulling idly at the grass that had grown around the woodpile and seemed listless and down.
She wasn’t alone. A lot of people had celebrated the end of the war in Europe only to find that now, weeks later, they were still waiting for loved ones to come home.
And, of course, it wasn’t over as far as the war with Japan was concerned.
The end had come – part of it, anyway – and surely it wouldn’t be long before the war was over for everyone.
There had been no word from Stefan. They didn’t know if he’d survived or been taken prisoner.
Perhaps he’d gone home to Czechoslovakia, to his family. He’d seemed so in love with Isobel, but he’d been gone for almost two years now.
“Isobel,” Maud began, and her daughter continued to pluck listlessly at the grass. “Isobel!”
She jerked out of her daydream.
“Sorry. I was miles away.”
“I thought we could go for a walk,” Maud suggested. “It’s a lovely day and I can’t remember when we last went for a walk together.”
Isobel jumped to her feet.
“Of course, Mum,” she agreed. “Are you all right? Is something wrong?”
Her forehead creased in concern and Maud felt an overwhelming wave of love for her daughter.
She’d been so lucky. Her family had come through the war virtually unscathed, and she was proud of each and every one of them.
Even Sidney, who instead of vexing her with his bad grammar, teased her about her lack of height now that he towered over her.
“My little mum,” he called her, the cheeky so and so.
She smiled at the thought.
“I thought it would be nice to walk around town and look at the sea.
“It’ll be lovely and blue today with such a clear sky,” Maud replied.
“We can look out without worrying about enemy ships on the horizon.
“It’s over, Isobel.”
Isobel linked her arm through Maud’s and they walked towards the sea.
“Life is getting back to normal, isn’t it?” Isobel asked.
“One day we won’t worry about rationing, and something new will be built on the bomb sites. Something better.”
“Well, I feel quite twitchy,” Maud admitted.
“Twitchy?” Isobel laughed.
“Restless. I might get a job. I’m not the same person I was when this all started.”
“If Dad will allow it,” Isobel pointed out, and they both had to stop walking because they were laughing so much.
“I’d like to see him try to stop me.” Maud grinned.
Maud was right about the weather.
The sea was as blue as the sky, and they sat down on a grassy bank to look over the water.
“It doesn’t seem long since ships were coming here with the Jewish children,” Isobel said, and Maud reached out and squeezed her hand.
“Those poor people,” she whispered, biting her lip.
Whatever they’d been through these past years was nothing in comparison to the horror suffered by so many others.
They sat in silence for a while, then got up and headed home.
Maud had hoped to cheer Isobel up, but she seemed gloomier than ever.
“I don’t think I’ll ever know what happened to Stefan, Mum,” Isobel stated. “I’ve given up.”
Maud wanted to tell her not to give up hope, but Isobel was echoing her own thoughts.
They turned into their street and Maud stopped in her tracks. She felt Isobel tense up beside her.
A tall man was standing a short distance away.
He tilted his head on one side when he saw them coming, and Maud recognised him from that single gesture.
“Stefan?” Isobel whispered.
Maud wondered if they’d somehow conjured him up, or if they were victims of wishful thinking, seeing a young man and imagining him to be someone else.
But it was Stefan. Maud knew as soon as he gave them a cheery wave.
He was no illusion.
“Go, Isobel,” Maud urged her daughter, and Isobel didn’t have to be told twice.
She let go of Maud’s arm and began to walk towards him, her feet moving faster and faster until she was running and crying and laughing all at once.
“Stefan!” she cried, and when she ran into his arms he swept her up and spun her round before kissing her.
“Oh, my,” Maud said, averting her eyes.
So much for being at a loose end. It looked as if she’d have another wedding to plan, and what a wedding it would be!
“I am here to stay, my love, if you want this, too? If you will have me?” she heard Stefan ask.
“Yes, I want this, too!” Isobel cried. “I’ve waited all this time. I love you, Stefan!”
Maud was overcome with joy.
The Pollards’ war was finally over.