Darkest Before Dawn Episode 05
On the evening of the day war was declared, Isobel met her boyfriend, John, at the end of the road.
It felt odd that life was going on as normal.
She’d expected something momentous to happen, but apart from the testing of the air-aid siren, things were just the same.
As she reached John’s side, she realised he was on edge and twitchy.
“You’re late,” he said, and she felt deflated.
“Well, there is a war on,” she replied flippantly.
“Don’t joke, Isobel,” John said soberly. “I’m joining the Navy.”
“You’re what?”
“I’m choosing my path before I get conscripted,” he explained. “Before I go, I want us to get married.”
“Married?” It had never crossed Isobel’s mind that he would ask her to marry him.
“Say yes,” John pleaded.
“Well, I don’t . . .”
“I might not come home.”
She felt a jolt in her heart. Things were getting very real.
He grasped her hand in his and she felt dizzy as he pulled her down the back lane to her house.
“We’ll ask your dad’s permission right now,” he announced.
Maud was out looking for Sidney, and Alf was sitting alone with his pipe, staring into space with that haunted look he’d taken on in recent weeks.
“What’s all this?” he asked when they came in.
“I’d like your permission to ask Isobel to marry me,” John declared.
“Well, you haven’t got it,” Alf replied, getting to his feet. “Absolutely not.”
“I’m going away, sir,” John explained.
“Isobel’s too young,” Alf declared with a glance in his daughter’s direction.
She couldn’t meet his gaze, terrified he’d see the relief in her eyes.
“You’re letting Edward get married,” John pointed out.
“I’ve given you my decision,” Alf said sternly.
John turned and stormed out.
“You going after him?” Alf asked.
“I think I’ll leave him to cool off a bit,” Isobel said awkwardly. “He’s upset.”
“How about you? Not too heartbroken?” Alf asked. “I’ll make tea. That’s what your mother would do.”
He came back with a tray and poured Isobel a cup.
She felt like crying. This wasn’t how she imagined things would be.
“I’m afraid for the boys,” he said. “All the young men with the righteousness of youth burning in their chests.
“You go away singing and come back broken.”
“Oh, Dad.”
“Or you don’t come back at all,” Alf whispered. “I was lucky. I only got gassed.”
Isobel wouldn’t have called that lucky, but it hadn’t seemed to cause any lasting harm.
“I know how hard it was for those at home,” he went on.
“Wives who lost husbands, children who lost fathers and parents who lost sons, not to mention the women left with a baby to raise on their own.”
He gave Isobel a meaningful look.
“John’s a nice enough lad,” Alf reasoned. “Perhaps he should ask me again when this is all over.”