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1934 - 1941
Grace gets a job in the village cafe earning her a bit of money whereas Jonathon joined his father’s business and took over as the manager of the local garage. Things were going great between Grace and Jonathon and they had even mentioned of getting a house together and they had both started looking at a small cottage that overlooked part of the river bank where they first met. Soon after Jonathon surprised Grace and bought the house for them both, Jonathon helped move the few items Grace owned out the house and when they left her mother didn’t even look up as Grace said goodbye. They made the home their own and it wasn’t long when World War Two had broken out and some men in the village left around 1939 to go fight. Jonathon had toyed with the idea of helping his country but his father would have none of it and made him stay behind. Grace was secretly pleased with this as she didn’t want Jonathon off at war. However Britain didn’t have enough soldiers to help fight the war and the war itself was getting much worse two years ago when men were first asked to volunteer and men began to be called up into the army.
Jonathon walked into the kitchen and closes the door behind him, Grace is chopping some vegetables in her apron that was tied twice around her middle as it was too small for her. Grace turns and smiles and goes back to chopping but then turns back around after seeing Jonathon’s face.
“What's wrong?” Grace asks.
“Grace sit down” He gestures his hand towards their kitchen table and chairs, Grace sits and wipes her hands dry on the apron. She looks into Jonathon’s eyes and she can tell she isn’t going to like what she hears.
“I'm going to join the army Grace” Grace says nothing and just stares at him “I know you and my father aren’t keen on what’s going on but I want to make the world right for us and our children”.
“Children?” Grace questions. Jonathon gets off of his chair and kneels down on the floor on one knee,
“Grace Elizabeth Fummel, you are the most incredible woman I have ever met and it would make me the happiest man alive if you would marry me” Jonathon pulls out a box and opens it up and inside is the biggest ring that Grace has ever seen ever. Graces mouth is wide open and she takes the ring into her hand but remains silent “Well... Grace?” Grace blinks and comes back into the room from a distant place.
“Yes... Yes, Yes I will” Jonathon stands up and kisses Grace with force and she pushes back into his mouth. Grace then feels his touch on her body and his soft fingers undoing her apron. They both stand up still kissing passionately and the apron drops to the floor. Grace begins to grab at Jonathon’s shirt and he then sweeps her off of her feet. Grace lets out a little squeal and then begins to giggle and he carries her upstairs.
That summer Grace and Jonathon got married in the local church but instead of having a massive party afterwards just Jonathon and Grace spent the evening down by the river bank together under the summers sky watching as each star slowly appeared and Grace had never felt happier and knew she had gone through that awful childhood for a reason.
But then a few months later it was time for Jonathon to leave and a big army truck had arrived in the village to take the men away. Grace walked down with her husband to the truck with a few belongings. Graces hands were all sweaty and she could barely walk and needed Jonathon’s support to walk into the village. Although it was Jonathon going to the real war Grace knew she was about to start her war with worry for her husband out at war. An army office crowded everyone up and stood on a box so the crowd could see. All around were different men some she had never seen before all ready to go leaving wives or just family behind. Some looked far too young to be here and Grace shook her head in shame at what was going on. All the names were slowly called as they joined the men that were clearly from the next village into the truck. Then it was called “Jonathon Vincent Barrington” the words of the army office echoed all around and Grace began to feel her legs become weak.
“Don’t go please don’t go” Grace began to beg holding onto both his arms more so for support than to stop him leaving.
“Grace please be strong I will be back in no time and I will write all the time” Jonathon’s mother a tall slender woman with dark brown hair walks over and turns her son away from Grace and hugs him tears flowing down her face. After their embrace Jonathon’s father shakes his sons hand and gives it a firm shake.
“Be Safe” is all his father says to him and then he comforts his mother. Jonathon turns back to me and he kisses me so firmly that melt into him. Jonathon then pulls away and Grace just wishes that he could stay forever. Jonathon turns and walks over to the truck saluting to the captain. The captain returns the salute and points to the truck. As Jonathon gets in he turns back one last time and catches Graces eye and mouths to her,
“I love you”. Grace can see Jonathon inside the truck talking to another villager and she just wishes he would look back. Jonathon’s father Walter touches Grace on the shoulder and says to her
“You are always welcome to come stay at ours if you get lonely” Grace looks back and touches his hand and smiles back holding back the tears.
“Thank you ever so much but I'm sure I will be okay” The office salutes to the crowd and the truck starts up. Grace spins back round and pushes her way to the front of the crowd. The captain jumps in the front and the truck begins to drive off. Grace kicks off her shoes and drops her back as she runs after the truck, she manages to get beside it and Jonathon leans out and shouts,
“GRACE I WILL BE BACK SOON TRUST ME, I LOVE YOU” Grace tries to shout it back but her words can’t come out as her face fills with tears as she runs out of steam and the truck travels out of the village and into the distance. Grace slowly walks back to where the rest of the villagers are talking amongst themselves and Grace picks up her shoes and bag. As she stands up one of the girls she went to school with is stood in front of her. She looks at Grace with a disgusted look and says
“Its not an easy life waiting for that travelling solider you know you saw how the other wives were when their husbands died. If I was you I wouldn’t of married him all that’s going to happen is you will become a widow” Grace walks past the girl and back towards the house but she calls after her “Or it won’t be long before you stop loving him and fall in love with someone else” Grace stops turns around and walks back. The young girl looks worried for a second and the rest of her group stand around her for support. Grace looks the girl in the face and says “I will never love another, Jonathon is my one and only love and I will never betray him” Grace turns as she feels her lip tremble and walks away with her head held high towards the river bank.
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All content (image and text) copyright Michael Sweeney Photography.
Thats part four all done and I know I have been posting this series rather quick but I can't resist because I keep getting so excited and I am enjoying writing. I hope you are all enjoying them as much as I am writing and thank you again for coming back each time. I know they are getting rather long but thanks for sticking with me through all the stories. Remember post it to all your friends or re-tweet my links and spread the word for Lonely Girl.
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