‘Can we get you a drink?’ asked Harry.
‘I’ll have a G and T, thanks very much,’ said Fitz, ignoring the warning look Marjorie shot her way. After the news Fitz had received today, she very much felt like letting her hair down.
‘Ladies?’ asked Harry.
Elsie and Marjorie politely accepted the offer and while Elsie struck up conversation with Reg, who it turned out came from the same neck of the woods as her, Marjorie sat next to Fitz.
It was like having a chaperone, which only made Fitz act up more than usual. She felt a deep anger at the loss of her friends. She didn’t want to be angry but the other option was to cry and she couldn’t do that, either. Not here in the pub, anyway. ‘So, Harry, what brought you to the ATA?’ she asked the young pilot.
Harry grimaced. ‘Dodgy leg. I had Polio as a child. So whilst I might not be fit for active duty, I can damn well do my bit in the ATA.’
‘Good stuff,’ said Fitz. ‘I mean, I’m sorry about the Polio but it’s good you haven’t let it hold you back. That really would be a waste.’
‘Indeed,’ replied Harry. ‘And what made you want to fly planes?’
‘I don’t like to be outdone by the boys,’ said Fitz, taking a sip of her drink. ‘That would also be a waste.’
‘Anything the boys can do, the girls can do, too?’ suggested Harry.
‘Girls can do better, I think the term is,’ said Fitz.
‘Is that right?’
‘Absolutely.’ Fitz downed the remainder of her G and T.
‘Now that sounds like a challenge to me,’ said Harry, his gaze fixed on her.
Fitz felt a sharp kick in the back of her leg. It was Marjorie. ‘Take no notice of Fitz,’ said Marjorie. ‘She’s teasing you. She does this all the time.’
‘Who wants another drink?’ asked Fitz, getting to her feet. ‘My round.’
She went to the bar and Marjorie appeared at her side. ‘Go easy, Fitz.’
‘You’re not my chaperone,’ replied Fitz and immediately regretted sounding so terse with her friend. ‘Sorry. I’m being mean. I’m in a bad mood. I don’t even know what I’m doing chatting to that chap.’ She didn’t want to mention to Marjorie that her thoughts had regularly strayed to Sam Carter in the past few weeks, and she’d found herself daydreaming about the pilot rather excessively. It was somewhat unsettling that had been the case when she’d been having a bit of fun chatting to Harry.
‘You’re grieving for your friend. You’re sad and you’re a little angry,’ said Marjorie.
‘I should also go home,’ said Fitz. She didn’t know if Marjorie was right but coming to terms with the loss of Betty and Johnny, whilst simultaneously having pleasant thoughts about Sam, was confusing to say the least. She took out a few coins and slid them along the bar to her friend. ‘Drinks are on me.’
With that she headed for the door and out of the pub. She felt bad about walking out on Harry like that but Marjorie was a good stick and she’d smooth it over for her. Fitz would make it up to her friend.
When she got home, Fitz made herself a cup of warm cocoa and took herself up to bed. An hour or so later she was still awakebut pretended to be asleep when Marjorie and Elsie crept into the room. She didn’t want to talk tonight. Her emotions were all over the place and she didn’t know how she felt about anything, least of all how she even felt about herself.
The following morning when Fitz woke, she only felt slightly better than she had after the pub.
She rolled over and Marjorie was already dressed. She was always the first one up. Elsie’s bed was empty and Fitz assumed she was in the bathroom.
‘Sorry about last night,’ said Fitz, pushing her hands under her pillow.
‘You don’t have to apologise to me,’ said Marjorie, checking her reflection in the dressing-table mirror.
Fitz sighed and pulled the blanket over her head for a moment, before shoving it back down. ‘It wasn’t very gracious of me to run out on Harry like that,’ she said, remembering with clarity what had happened.
‘He was somewhat perplexed.’ Marjorie slid another pin into her hair. ‘I explained you’d had bad news and he was all right in the end. In fact, he said next time he was here, be sure to catch up with him again.’
‘Sorry about dumping that on you,’ said Fitz, sitting up as Elsie came into the room.
‘Oh, our resident heartbreaker is awake.’ Elsie dropped her wash bag on to the bed. ‘Another casualty you notched up last night.’
