The sun shone brightly on three beautiful girls as they walked together into the church. Crowds stood outside, waving and wishing them well. Once inside, Rosie would lead them up the aisle, with Sibbie next and then Marjie. They’d laughingly drawn lots among the family, when it was realized they wouldn’t be able to walk side-by-side.
All had long silk gowns on, the material having come from parachutes that were no longer in service. ‘Make a change from relying on one to get you safely to ground, eh, Marjie?’ Sibbie had said, with a sense of pride.
Sibbie had nudged Marjie as she’d teased her. And they’d laughed together, as they had never dreamed back then that they would ever be wearing a parachute. Sibbie glanced at Marjie and winked; her gown was so pretty and Marjie looked like a princess, as she’d chosen to have a flared skirt and the bodice was smothered in tiny pearl beads. They all wore long sleeves and short white gloves, and all carried red roses.
Rosie had chosen a straight skirt that had bands of lace around the bottom of it, and her bodice didn’t have any decoration. ‘Eeh, I don’t want to draw attention to me bust. It allus gets more looks than me,’ she’d said, and they’d all laughed. Her neckline went into a collar that was like a polo neck and made her look very regal. Betsy had lifted Rosie’s golden chestnut-curls on top of her head, and this added to the elegant effect.
Sibbie had chosen an empire-line that fitted under her bust, and she had a heart-shaped bodice that showed a tiny bit of her cleavage. Her gown was free of decoration too, but she wore her mother’s pearl necklace, which had been her grandmother’s, and to which she had attached a small pendant. It was a lovely oval shape, made of silver and painted by Montel for her – a likeness of her as a child. To Sibbie, it was the best thing about her outfit. She glanced up now at Rory, her stepfather, who looked magnificent in his kilt, and smiled at him, then turned to the other two and smiled. ‘Ready, girls?’
They giggled, then Rosie moved forward on the arm of a very proud Angus, who looked wonderful in his highland kilt, too. Billy had graciously refused to take Rosie up the aisle. He and Rosie had gone for a walk and were away for a very long time. It was obvious, when they came back, that both had broken their hearts with grief, but they had been smiling when they returned. Rosie told them that Billy had been honoured by her request, but felt that it was rightfully Angus’s job. ‘He said as how Angus had allus brought us up and been a good and loyal da to us,’ Rosie had said. ‘And though Billy understood that it was traditional for the eldest brother to do the honours, in place of an absent father, in their case it was different, as he couldn’t stand in for a man that wasn’t his father – Angus could, and should, as he’d taken responsibility for Rosie on behalf of her father.’
They’d all been amazed at this from Billy, and at the transformation in him. He was nothing like they remembered. Not now, after his walk with Ella. Now he was the brother they had always wanted, and although he was only a half-brother to them all, they loved and looked up to him.
Sibbie glanced at Billy and Roderick, looking wonderful in their suits – such handsome men, standing at the door greeting everyone.
‘Let’s do this, girls. Let’s shout to the world how much we love our men.’
Marjie and Rosie didn’t miss her meaning and both giggled again, as they had done out of earshot of Betsy, who was telling them they didn’t know what they were in for, but they’d be very happy when they found out. They’d thought it the most hilarious teaching about the birds and the bees they’d ever heard, but were reassured that they had kept their secret trysts just that – secret.
‘Aye, we’ll do that. Follow me, girls.’
There the frivolity ended for a while as the organ struck up the wedding march, and the handsome men at the altar turned around to smile at them. Sibbie swallowed the lump in her throat to see Paulo standing there proudly. It had taken a long time to receive his false leg, but once it had arrived, he’d worked day and night to master it, sometimes making his stump bleed, until her mum had made him a soft, cushioned sock for it, which had stopped it chafing him. Next to him stood Freddy, Marjie’s brother and her own cousin, whom Paulo had chosen to be his best man. Sibbie loved Freddy. He was a gentle person, who she remembered always had his head in a music book or sat playing the piano. It had been difficult to imagine him fighting in the army, but he’d become a hero and had received the George Cross. She was so proud of him.
Then there was William – Wills – handsome in a debonair way, every inch the aristocrat, but so very nice. His parents were here, under duress. It was unheard of that one of their family should be married anywhere but in a cathedral! For all that, they were a nice old couple.
And, finally, Walter. They all loved Walter. Another gentle soul, he coped so well with his false leg that you would never believe he had one, and his mother was a hoot. Sibbie didn’t think she’d seen her without a cigarette dangling from her mouth. And the swearing – well! But she and Betsy had hit it off as though they’d been mates forever, which was lovely to see. Mrs Feller, the lady who had taken Walter under her wing, was here, too. She was much more at home with William’s parents, and they with her, which relieved William from having to pander to them all the time. Walter had a friend as best man, another doctor, who had brought along his wife and two girls, aged seven and six. Lonia had taken them under her wing and now walked proudly with the girls, as all three were bridesmaids in lovely red velvet dresses that matched the roses.
The church was packed, and Sibbie hoped against hope that Randie had made it. After waiting for everyone for so long, and finally knowing they were all coming, it would be so disappointing for Marjie – well, for her, too – if Randie didn’t make it. But she had no time to look around the church, as they were soon at the aisle and her Paulo had his hand out towards her. Taking it, she experienced a moment of extreme happiness as she looked into his eyes.
For Rosie, the moment Walter extended his hand and she touched his fingers was a moment when all past demons left her. She’d never forgotten Albie and had at times longed for him. Not that she had loved him more than Walter, but his memory burned within her and she couldn’t erase it.
At that moment, something happened. Albie faded. He seemed to settle somewhere deep in her heart, but at the same time left the whole of it for Walter. As she looked into Walter’s lovely soft grey eyes, Rosie gave to him all the love she could give. Walter’s eyes filled with tears, and yet he was smiling – a lovely gentle smile full of love. Her last words to Albie’s spirit were said in her mind: ‘Goodbye, Albie. Rest easy. I will keep my promise to take your letter to your mother. I’ll take my Walter with me. You’d love Walter. I do, with all my heart.’
For Marjie, the moment that Wills put out his hand to her was the most wonderful moment. Yes, they’d joined many times in a giving and receiving of love, but as she held his hand, she wasn’t loving him with just her body. Everything that she was she gave to him. His lovely eyes glistened as they looked into hers. His whispered ‘I love you’ touched every part of her.
‘Wills, my Wills.’
As they came out of the church, and the excitement of all the congratulations was over, a voice called out, ‘Marjie!’
They all looked round. There was a silence that held anticipation. It was as if everyone was in on a secret. Marjie looked over to where the sound had come from, and then at Sibbie, who seemed mystified.
Marjie asked, ‘Did you call, Papa?’ As it was, he and Mama were standing where the sound had come from. Both had wide grins on their faces as they parted. Marjie stared, not believing what she was seeing, and then a scream of delight came from her and at the same time from Sibbie, and they both ran towards Randie . . . and, unbelievably, Gisele.
‘Oh, Randie. Randie, it’s so good to see you. And Gisele – how? I mean, are you all right? I can’t believe it – it’s so good to see you. Thank you, dear brother, for being here and for bringing Gisele to me.’
With this, Marjie enclosed them both in a big hug, laughing and crying tears of joy. At last they were back together. For a moment she felt a lump in her throat as memories threatened to overwhelm her, but she swallowed hard. Today was for happiness only.
As she came out of the hug, a little boy stepped forward and offered her his wooden toy soldier. ‘Papa.’
Marjie knew immediately that he was Monty’s son. The boy was so like him. She looked at the lovely Gisele. ‘Oh, Gisele, what a beautiful gift on my wedding day.’
As she bent down, her little nephew put his arms up to her. Again, as she picked him up, he showed her his toy. ‘Papa.’
‘Yes. That is Papa – that is Monty.’
‘No. Me Monty.’
Marjie looked at Gisele. Gisele spoke in French, her eyes pleading. ‘Yes, he is called Monty. I – I told him about his father being a brave soldier.’
Marjie took a deep breath. This was so much to cope with, and she wondered at her mama and papa even thinking that she could. But then Wills was by her side. ‘It’s so lovely to meet you, Gisele. I know all about you and your very courageous work. And so this is Monty – how lovely to meet you, Monty. You are something really wonderful to come out of such pain.’
‘Yes, yes, you are, little one.’ Marjie had recovered. ‘You’re beautiful, Monty. I’m a very proud aunty.’
‘Marjie – Gisele and I, we’re in love, we’re going to marry.’
Suddenly Marjie understood. There was nowhere better to have heard all this news, or to have met her little nephew, Monty’s son. If she’d been told and had had it to look forward to, she would have suffered agonies of guilt. But now that the initial shock was over, all she felt was love for this little one, and for Gisele and her brother Randie.
‘You’ve made my wedding day: seeing you, Gisele, holding little Monty, and having you with me, dear Randie. I’m so happy for you. But you will wait until we come back from our honeymoon, won’t you? This is one wedding I’m not going to miss.’
Wills touched her arm. ‘There’s one more task for us, darling. Be brave, for Sibbie and Rosie.’
‘I will.’
With this, the wedding party, led by Betsy, Rosie, Billy, Roderick and Angus marching proudly in front of them, walked towards the sea.
Once there, Betsy spoke. ‘There’s sommat as Rosie wanted to do. Now, this ain’t to put a dampener on the wedding, but as we’re all together, Rosie wanted to include her sisters, Daisy and Florrie. On the wall of our shop over there is a plaque dedicated to them, which Rosie had made for this day – her special day. She wanted to share the loveliness of today with them . . . Rosie, love.’ Betsy gestured towards Rosie.
Rosie stepped forward and threw her bouquet into the sea. ‘These are for the two flowers – my sisters – who the sea claimed. They go to them with my love. I miss you, Daisy and Florrie. I miss you.’
Through the silence that followed, Sibbie heard many sniffles. She went forward and held Rosie, then threw her roses, too. Marjie did the same. And the three girls stood together, watching the roses bob up and down on the waves, their hands joined, their job well done. Three girls who’d come through hell, saying goodbye to two of their number, whom they loved and missed so much.
As they turned, Rosie smiled through her tears. ‘Thank you, everyone. We honour all those who lost their lives, and thank them for ours. Now we’re to go forward, with their blessing.’
Someone said, ‘Aye, aye.’
Then Betsy, lovely Betsy, lifted the mood and set the scene for a happy day. ‘Right, I speak for our Daisy, and our Florrie, when I say it’s time to celebrate our Rosie’s and Sibbie’s and Marjella’s wedding. And for them as don’t knaw, me old man’s called Angus and he’s a Scot; and they’re known for looking after their pennies, and he’s saved many of them for today and put his hand deep into his pockets. The first round of drinks is on him.’
A cheer went up and was followed by happy chatter. Walter had Rosie in his arms. Sibbie was held by Paulo. And Marjie snuggled into Wills.
As Marjie looked up, she saw her mama, Flors, with Mags and Ella, holding hands, and her heart swelled. These three courageous women had fought their war valiantly and had given their children the same courage to fight theirs. She ran to them, closely followed by Sibbie and Rosie, who took Betsy’s hand and brought her into the group.
As they stood in a circle after hugging each other, it was Flors who spoke. ‘Our brave daughters, we love you.’