Free Peggy's Letters by Jacqueline Halsey Page B

back in the morning. Sort things out then.” She turns to a short woman with bouncy chins. “Maud, can you take them along to St. Marks.
    â€œCourse I can,” says Maud, taking Mum firmly by the arm. She ushers her along, while I follow behind pushing Tommy in the pram.
    The church hall seems very bright after the blackness of the street. Maud sits us down at a long table and brings over soup and sandwiches. I swirl my soup into a whirlpool. Mum’s messing with hers too. Only Tommy tucks in.
    â€œYou enjoy your supper while I set up some beds,” says Maud. “Poor dears, you look tuckered out.”
    I’m not hungry, but we never waste food these days, so I start eating. I wish Maud would stop calling me a “poor dear.”
    â€œAll finished?” says Maud a bit later. “I’ll show you where I’ve put you for the night.” She leads us to a corner that smells of old hymnbooks and bustles off.
    â€œAs long as we are all together,” says Mum sitting on one of the beds. “That’s all that matters…” Her voice cracks and fades away. She pulls Tommy onto her knee and rocks him.
    I take out my notebook. It’s the only paper I have to write to Dad.
    Dear Dad
    I can’t believe everything’s gone. Not just the house and all the things we need but our special things too. Mum’s lost our photos, and I’ve lost my biscuit tin of your letters. It was my most treasured possession in the whole world.
    Tonight, home is a musty old church hall. There are other families living here too. Will this be our home until the war is over? The question sits inside me like a cold lump.
    Little kids are racing about, and a sing-a-longhas started round the piano. How can they act like everything’s normal?
    Love Peggy
    Tommy’s asleep at last. A queue forms for the lav. The lights dim. Mum and I lie down in our clothes. Perhaps if I close my eyes I can pretend I’m back in my own bedroom. I imagine the blue flowery bedspread with Old Bear sitting on my pillow. But it’s no use. The pictures in my head are of angry flames destroying everything. In the darkness I can hear people coughing and sniffing, wriggling and snoring. Someone near me is sobbing quietly. I suddenly realize it’s Mum.

3
    I’m awake. If I don’t open my eyes, yesterday may have been a bad dream.
    â€œMorning all,” says a cheery voice. “Looks like it’s going to turn out nice, bit chilly mind you.”
    No use pretending any longer. That’s Maud’s voice, and I’m lying on an uncomfortable camp bed in a drafty church hall.
    â€œHello, Maud. I didn’t see you there,” says Mum. Her voice is tired, and her eyes are puffy.
    Around us, the church hall bustles with people getting ready for the day. Bedsare being packed up, blankets folded. Tommy’s fussing.
    â€œWhat are we going to do, Mum?”
    â€œHave breakfast,” interrupts Maud. “Can’t go making decisions on an empty stomach. There’s toast and jam over there. You’ll get a nice cuppa tea too.” Maud moves on to the next family.
    â€œMum?”
    â€œI don’t know, luv. I really don’t know.”
    Tommy jumps into my arms.
    â€œOooo, he’s soaking wet.”
    â€œPeggy luv, everything we own is in the pram. There are no more nappies.” She buries her face in her hands.
    â€œWell, you can’t stay like this, Tommy. Hold your arms up. Let’s get all these soggy clothes off you.” I pat him dry with the pram sheet, fold it into a triangle and pin it round his bottom.
    â€œYou’ll have to wear your outdoor coat indoors today. It’s a let’s-be-silly day.”
    Tommy wriggles down on to the floor and scampers around.
    â€œWhat would Dad do?”
    â€œLet’s go and have breakfast,” says Mum, without answering my question.
    By the time we have finished eating, Tommy’s face,