Free Come Home Soon by Emily Sharratt Page A

must be feeling, and her heart went out to him.
    â€œRight, thanks, doctor,” Joe muttered, still without looking up. “Come along, lad.”
    Ellie watched them go, observing how, as soon as he thought they were out of sight, Joe became helpless again, leaning against his son for support.
    She thought about Jack. Here she was complaining about all her responsibilities since her father went away, but Jack had been looking after his dad and the rest of his family for years. Everyone thought he was such a joker – Ellie’s mother perhaps most of all – but there was a lot more to him than that.

Ten
    Ellie glanced anxiously through the window of the village store. She could see Anna talking to her mother. She took a deep breath and puffed out her cheeks. She couldn’t avoid Jack’s sister for ever. Endstone just wasn’t big enough. She pushed against the door with her back, making the bell tinkle as she reversed in with Charlie’s pram. She parked him in the corner, cooing happily to himself, and walked up to the counter.
    Mrs Scott turned round as she approached and Ellie was shocked by her appearance. She was grey and drawn, and barely managed a smile as she greeted Ellie. “Hello, Ellie, love. How are you?”
    â€œI’m well, thank you, Mrs Scott. How . . . how are you?”
    â€œOh fine, fine, thank you, my dear,” she replied distractedly. “It’s nice to see you.” She paused and turned to her daughter. “Anna, I just have to bring some more flour through from the back. Will you help Ellie?”
    Ellie looked nervously at Anna, but the other girl grinned back at her a little sheepishly, pulling at the end of her braid. Ellie wondered if her helping Jack with their father the other day was responsible for this change. Whatever the reason, she was glad of it. She and Anna had never been especially close, but Ellie didn’t like to feel there was animosity between them.
    â€œHello, Ellie!” Anna said brightly. “What are you after?”
    â€œJust a loaf of bread, please.”
    Anna reached up to one of the shelves behind her, pulling down a floury loaf and putting it into a paper bag. “How are things at school? I miss it, you know.” The admission felt like a small peace-offering to Ellie.
    â€œDo you?” Ellie grinned back. “I’m sick of the place! We’re still knitting.”
    â€œOh dear, any improvement?”
    â€œI’m afraid not. I thought I’d try a pair of gloves, and they seemed to be going well until I got to the end and realized they were both completely different sizes. I think Charlie’s probably a better knitter than me!”
    â€œI don’t doubt it!” The girls both laughed and Charlie joined in, without the slightest understanding why, which only made them laugh harder. Ellie felt herself relaxing.
    Mabel returned from the storeroom and, at the same time, the bell jangled again as Mrs Baxter and Mrs Dorling – widowed sisters both in their seventies – marched in purposefully.
    â€œGood afternoon, ladies,” Mabel said. “What can I get for you?”
    â€œOh, my dear,” began Mrs Baxter, “we came to see if you’d heard the terrible news?”
    â€œTerrible!” echoed Mrs Dorling.
    â€œWhat’s happened?” Ellie asked.
    â€œWell, it’s poor Billie Farrow,” Mrs Baxter went on, shaking her head.
    â€œJust terrible,” her sister agreed.
    â€œWhat about him?” Anna snapped impatiently, earning a scowl from her mother.
    â€œKilled, my dear! Killed in action! His family received the telegram this afternoon.”
    â€œThey did,” Mrs Dorling confirmed.
    Ellie felt as though she’d been punched in the gut. A glance at Mabel and Anna suggested they felt the same way. She thought of Billie giving up his Saturdays to coach the Endstone boy’s football team, and how much