Chapter 8

Later in the summer, Patton had breached the Siegfried Line and was well into Germany. The American Army formed the Red Ball Express which Negro soldiers were enlisted to get food and ammunition to Patton's surge against the enemy. Field Marshall Montgomery was also given some of this support as he brought up his army on Patton's left flank. Gone were the days of tactical surprise. The Allied Armies had the Germans in their vice like grip and were putting pressure on the nazis. On the Eastern Front, the Soviet Armie liberated one of the death camps in Poland. It was a shock even to the Soviet Communists that such horrid deaths were taking place there. The Germans running those camps abandoned it just hours before the Russians entered. Stalin had several dozens of his best photographers and some translators flown out of Moscow for still films and movies while the translators asked those who were still alive what caused all of this. Soon the entire world would know as Patton soon liberated some of these camps in the west.

Armes died in the early fall. Right after Ian's seventeenth birthday. Carol just turned sixteen. Once more the couple walked into town for the undertaker. It cost 100 quid to bury her. Both were heart broken. Ian sold the Maggie and the cow plus all the hay. They had over four hundred pounds between them. Carol took a few trinkets of Armes that she liked while Ian needed nothing. They took a train to Wrexham where Carol bought a flattering news dress, womens under garments, a nice pair of three inch high heels. A lovely hat came with the dress. Ian bought a new suit, shirt and tie, new wingtip shoes, socks and underwear.

The handsome couple boarded a train for London. They were going to Carol's home first then out to the country mansion where his mother stayed. Also they wanted to visit Patricia to see how she was doing and if she learned anything about Emily. Carol bought some meat, bread and a spread for sandwiches. Plus she purchased some cold coca-cola neither had tasted in ages.

Miriam was tired but exhilarated when she, five year old Victoria and two year old Penny arrived home. And doubly happy as she read the long letter from her son. Gregory was a bit peeved at Ian for dressing as a girl and not communicating with his mother.

"I don't want you to show any anger or animousity toward our son," she told her husband forcefully. "The fault was mine. I put him on the wrong train. What happened after that is anyone's guess. Let him explain himself before we go off on him for some bloody mistake I made."

"Maybe I should just leave this damn army the day the war is over," Gregory felt disgusted. I'm getting it from Brads and I'm getting it from you."

"Brads isn't giving you all that kind of shit," Miriam argued. "In fact, you're his pet. He's not sacked or demoted you. He thinks too highly of you."

Gregorgy walked to the window with his hands behind his back and stared out. He was wearing his military uniform with the insignia of a brigadier general plus a few combat ribbons. The trees were losing their leaves quicky. The crisp air of fall was coming. The rains already made their appearance but this day the sun was out.

"Quit the pity on yourself," Miriam scolded. "This fucking war is bringing out the worst in all of us. We've got it better than most of the population. You've got a job to do and I'll be damned if you're going to sit around and mope feeling sorry for yourself. I think you should pack up and go back to London to bring this war to an end."

Gregory turned and stared at his wife. The look of her face told him she wasn't about to put up with any of his nonsense at that moment. She had her hands full with Victoria and Penelope. Plus there was a chance she might have to return to Pinewood for some other shots to be taken indoors of the upcoming movie.

"Right!" Gregory stated and walked out of the room. Instead of feeling bad about her outburst, Miriam deep down was satisfied to get him out of the house. She didn't want to bring up the fact that with this letter, Ian was foremost in her mind. She read it again as Penelope rested in her lap and Victoria's voice from another room was singing a nursery rhyme.

"The house is gone," Carol exclaimed as they turned the corner to the street she lived on for the first eleven years of her life. "It was right here," she motioned at the empty lot cleared of the rubble.

"We've got to find your parents," Ian said. They were holding hands. There was a chill in the air but both bought coats as soon as the train arrived in London.

"There's Mrs. Piper," Carol broke free of his grip and ran to the old woman. "Hi, Mrs. Piper, do you remember me?"

The woman looked the young lady up and down, then a spark of recognition hit her eyes. "Carol? Is that you? You are so grown up, dearie."

"Where's Mum?"

"Oh, dearie. I hate to be the one to tell you but your mother's been dead these past two years. Cancer, I think."

"Mum's dead?" Tear flowed down Carol's cheeks.

"Yes, she was so worried about you. You stopped writing to her."

"I know. I should have written but the circumstances we were in didn't allow me to."

"We?"

Carol pulled the reluctant Ian to her. "My fianee' Ian Frost."

"Happy to meet you, my lady," Ian bowed his head.

"Oh, so young, such a handsome boy!" Mrs. Piper exclaimed.

"What about my Mum?" Carol asked.

"Would you like to come in for a cup of tea? I can tell you all about it where it's warm."

"Yes, that would be nice," the young girl and Ian followed the older lady into her home.

Two hours later, a much more composed Carol left Mrs. Piper's home knowing all about what went wrong in her five year absence. Her eyes were still red from crying. During the height of the Blitz, Carol's mother Monica was injured by a flying piece of shrapnel from one of the German bombs. Taken into the hospital for the wound, a young doctor noticed a lump in the side of her neck. Suspicious, he took a biopsy. She had an aggressive type of cancer that had already had spread through her body. She died within a month. Word was her father was killed at Dunkirk. Monica never told Carol in her letters. Mrs. Piper took charge of Monica in her waning days. She had a little over two hundred pounds for her daughter which the old lady handed Carol her mother's bank book. It was late afternoon but the bank was still open. They hurried to get in just in time. After being able to identify herself, she was given the two hundred and forty three pounds.

"I'm knackered," Ian complained. "Let's get something to eat and find a room somewhere."

Carol nodded in agreement. They found a small pub that served decent food. After having some kind of meat that neither could identify and potatoes, the couple found a room in an old part of town. Once inside, Carol broke down. The loss of her mother finally overtook her. Ian undressed her and himself. He got her into bed and comforted her as she wept bitter tears. He stroked her silky hair with one hand and caressed her about the waist with the other. He cried with her. Finally she was able to fall into a troubled slumber. Ian stayed awake for as long as he could finally nodding off in a sitting upright position while holding onto his love. Three deaths they suffered in so short a time brought the realization home that life was not to be taken for granted.

"So the good news is, the boy is still alive," Field Marshall Brads stated to Gregory as he broke the news to his superior.

"Yes sir, Miriam has the letter. Masters was right. Ian did dress as a small girl. He did it to avoid going to the boys compounds. The girl who he's with is still having a profound influence upon him."

"Must be some young lady," Brads smiled. "Usually women don't take over until after marriage. During courtship, she makes the man feel superior to her. However we know that it's the other way around."

"Isn't that the truth," Gregory grinned, with the picture of Miriam ordering him back to get him out of her hair.

"I'd love to meet that young lady and find out how she got him to dress as a girl."

"Ian was very shy but accommodating at that age. I can't picture him passing as a small girl although his face made him look like his mother at the time."

"He didn't fool Masters but that Mrs. Miller threw gasoline on the fire as far as getting him home is concerned."

"Did she get sacked?" Gregory asked.

"Certainly. She ran a poor ship." Brads replied.

"I hope he turns up someday."

The next morning Carol awoke in the arms of a sleeping Ian. She had a headache from all her crying from the night before. Plus she had to go to the loo badly. She slowly slid from his grasp so as not to awaken him. She pulled her new coat over her slip and left the room to relieve herself. She felt fortunate that the loo was available.

"Oh my," she looked into the mirror after flushing the crapper. Her eyes were all red and hair in much disarray. She washed her face in the cold water. Having no soap, she splashed it over and over until she felt satisfied. She needed some aspirin badly. Even her neck was stiff. She considered the way she slept on Ian's abdomen to be the cause of that.

She returned to the room. It was cold but the coat made her feel comfortable. Ian was still sleeping soundly as she sneaked back in. She searched her purse and found the small tin containing the aspirin. She hurried back to the loo to take them with water from the sink. Once more she crept in quietly. Ian hadn't even known she was gone. She looked at her cheap watch that belonged to Armes. Seven o'clock. Enough time to let him sleep some more. She threw her coat onto a chair and managed to get Ian to shift his position into a prone one. She got back in and cuddled him. Closing her eyes due to the pain in her head, Carol soon was sound asleep again.