performed his comedic slapstick routines, loosely knitted together in a story, Julia roared with laughter, as did her fellow cinema-goers. She was sad when the film came to an end. As the credits were rolling, she looked at her wristwatch and through the dark could just make out the time. She sighed; she needed to get home. But it had been light relief for a couple of hours without the concern of her mother-in-law, the guilt about her children, or the worry about her husband away, who knew where.
As the lights came up, she quickly made her way to the end of the aisle. Hurrying outside, she stood on the street to get her bearings and work out where her closest bus stop was.
Suddenly, there was a hand upon her arm. She twirled around and noticed two women in front of her. One was tall, well-groomed, and dark-haired, the other short with a thatch of red hair. She realized the redhead had been next to her in the row. It was she that spoke, and Julia noticed she had a strong Scottish accent.
‘Excuse me,’ she said, ‘I believe you may have taken my scarf by mistake. Normally I wouldn’t mind, but I’ve spent all week knitting it. And I only finished it this morning. I would hate for you to take it home with you as it’s the only one I’ve got that goes with my uniform.’
Julia looked down at her arm, where she’d gathered up her coat from the chair and noticed, with surprise, the blue woollen scarf wrapped around it.
‘I’m so sorry,’ she said, untangling it from her coat and handing it to the young woman. ‘I don’t normally steal people’s clothing.’
The three of them laughed politely.
‘Not to worry,’ said the young woman, beaming. ‘It’s not so cold down here. Where I come from, I need a scarf even in the summer. And I wanted to wear it out tonight because I just finished it, you know.’
‘I take it you’re from the Highlands,’ said Julia with a smile.
‘Oh, what gave me away?’ enquired the girl with a cheeky grin.
‘You’re a long way from home.’
‘My name’s Lizzie Mackenzie,’ she said, ‘and this is my friend Diana Downes. We’re both down here in London, training at the RAF station in West Drayton to do our bit for our country, if we ever make it to the end of the training. We are going to work for the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. We thought we’d do something brave and mighty for our country. But all we’ve done so far is march up and down in lines and shine our shoes. So, we’re beginning to wonder if we made a big mistake.’
Julia laughed.
‘I thought I was coming to London for adventure, and to see the city,’ added Diana. ‘This is the first time I’ve been into town since we got here. We’ve only seen the RAF station so far.’
‘Do you know anywhere where we can get a cup of tea or coffee?’
Julia nodded. ‘Just down here.’ She indicated a cafeteria she sometimes passed on her way to and from work. Its steamed-up windows always seemed to be full of people, even when she came home late in the evening. ‘Let me buy you a cup of tea to say sorry for stealing your scarf and to celebrate your first time in London.’
‘Only if you will join us,’ encouraged Lizzie.
Julia thought about it; she might as well put it off a little longer. Agnes wasn’t going anywhere, and it was nice to chat with somebody new. The girls seemed friendly, and she was happy to help them, as they were new to the city.
Making their way further down the road, Julia ushered them into the tea shop that was now packed with locals coming out of the cinema. But still, Diana managed to secure them a table as Lizzie and Julia went to the counter to order a pot of tea.
Once they settled themselves down around the little grey Formica table, they huddled together to be heard over the crowd, many of whom were retelling funny lines and laughing about the film they had all just seen. Diana told them about her family back home. And Lizzie described how beautiful the Highlands were.
‘You married? Do you have children?’ asked Lizzie as she sipped away at her tea.
Julia looked down at her steaming drink.
‘I do,’ she said. ‘They’re away in the countryside right now, with so many of our other children from the city