**The Return**
“Emily! Where are you? Emily!”—Katie rushed into the house, scanned the empty room, and darted back onto the porch, her heels clicking, the doors slamming behind her. “Where could she be?” Frustration and impatience boiled over, and she stamped her foot.
From around the corner of the house appeared a petite girl carrying a plastic basin.
“Finally! I’ve been shouting for ages…” Katie hurried down the steps to meet her friend.
“Was hanging the laundry in the garden. What’s happened?”—Emily set the basin on the porch.
“Oh, something has.” Katie’s dark eyes gleamed beneath her thick, black fringe.
She wanted to tease her, to drag out the news, but she couldn’t hold back.
“Tom’s back.”
“Really?” Disbelief flickered in Emily’s eyes, then joy, confusion, then disbelief again.
“Would I lie? Saw him myself. Doubt his mum will let him out of her sight—she’s missed him too.”
“Come on!” Emily laughed, already sprinting ahead.
The sun bathed the village in golden warmth, the river twisted lazily between reedy banks, and the world felt impossibly beautiful. But Emily saw none of it. Her heart drummed a single name: *Tom, Tom!*
“There he is!” Katie grabbed Emily’s arm.
Walking toward them was Thomas in his military uniform. He spotted the girls and broke into a run.
Joy surged through Emily. She dashed forward, flung herself into his arms, trembling against him.
Katie lingered, watching the reunion with a pang of envy. She’d fancied Thomas too, but he’d never looked at anyone but Emily. He’d left school early to help his parents on their farm, selling produce, milk, and meat before being called up for service.
*What does he see in her? I’m prettier. Why does she get everything?* Biting her lip, she blinked back tears and fled home, throwing herself onto her bed, muffling sobs in the pillow.
“What’s wrong?” Her mum peered in from the kitchen.
“Nothing,” Katie snapped.
“Mm. Jealous, are we? Think there aren’t other lads? Take Alex—he’s always watching you, earns well, handsome too, owns his place.”
“Mum!” Katie wailed louder. “I’m leaving. As soon as I finish school. I’m going to the city.”
“Don’t be daft. What’s there for you? Stay where you’re wanted.”
*No. I’m better looking. She’ll go to seed after kids. I’ll think of something. Just keep them apart.* The tears dried.
“That’s more like it,” her mum said, returning to the kitchen.
Emily arrived later, glowing. Katie forced a smile.
“Didn’t last long, did you?” she sneered.
“Family’s throwing a welcome party. He’s coming to the dance tonight. Oh, Kate, I’m so happy! Why the face?”
“Didn’t want to intrude. Besides, nothing to wear. You know Mum won’t spring for a new dress.”
“Take mine—the one you loved. I’ve outgrown it, but it’ll fit you perfectly.”
Katie barely contained her glee, twirling before the mirror in Emily’s room.
“You sure?”
“Of course!” Emily hugged her. “Keep it. I’ve got supper to make.”
“See you tonight!” Katie kissed her cheek and dashed off.
At the village hall, music pulsed from the brick building. A few girls danced in the center; lads played pool in the corner. Emily scanned the room—no Thomas.
“He’s not here. Dance with me.” Katie spun into the crowd, glancing at the door.
When the music stopped, she stepped outside, fanning her flushed face. Early June evenings still held a chill. Alex leaned against the wall, smoking.
Then she spotted Thomas in the dusk. Without hesitation, she slipped her arms around Alex’s neck—her pale dress stark against the shadows.
“Kate?” Alex blinked.
She kissed him hard. He kissed back. When she pulled away, Thomas was gone.
“Piss off!” She shoved Alex and ran inside.
*Perfect. He thinks it was Emily. No wedding now.*
“Seen Thomas?” Emily asked when Katie returned.
“Turned up, then left. Dance with me.”
“What?” Emily bolted outside.
Katie joined the dancers, humming.
Emily caught Thomas at his gate.
“Wait! Why did you leave?” She grabbed his arm.
“So you waited for me, picked out a dress? Save it for whoever you were kissing.” He shook free and vanished inside.
Confused, Emily trudged home. The next morning, she went to his house.
“Morning, Aunt Grace.”
His mother glared. “Don’t know what you did, but he’s called off the wedding.”
Emily ran to Katie, sobbing out the story.
“Let’s see Madam Martha. She reads folks like books. Maybe he’s got a girl back at base?”
“No.” Emily shook her head. “I’d know. I *feel* it.”
At the tumbledown cottage on the edge of the village, the porch groaned underfoot. Emily stopped.
“I’m not going in.”
“What?” Katie grabbed for her hand, but Emily yanked away and fled.
Katie turned—a low voice spoke behind her.
“Changed your mind?”
A stout woman filled the doorway, apron taut over her belly, wild grey hair escaping her headscarf. Her black eyes bored into Katie.
“Come in, then.”
Inside, herbs and incense thickened the air.
“Sit.”
Katie perched on a chair. The woman loomed across the table.
“Your friend ran. Scared?”
“I—”
“Quiet. I see it all. Jealous, are you? Thought you’d steal her joy? Won’t bring you happiness. You’ll die in ten years, and they’ll be together. But you can still fix this.”
Katie bolted.
Emily waited outside. “What did she say? You’re shaking.”
“Nothing! It’s fine!” Katie’s smile was more a snarl.
Thomas stayed away. Emily wasted to shadows.
“Ring Aunt Rose in Manchester,” her mum said. “Go after your exams. You’ll fade away here.”
So Emily left. She didn’t return, though she ached to. Her mum called with news: Thomas and Katie married.
Emily worked as a salon receptionist, learning hairdressing in her spare time.
Katie had a daughter, then a son. Thomas strayed—village gossip never lies.
Years later, Emily returned. The midday bus dropped her on the dusty lane. The silence, the clean air—she breathed it in, smiling.
Her mum rushed out. “Look at you! Magazine-cover pretty.”
Emily had changed—sleek haircut, subtle makeup. Men noticed, but her heart stayed fixed.
They talked for hours.
“Enough, Mum. I’ll walk to the river.”
“Mind the midges.”
By the water, footsteps crunched behind her. She turned—*Thomas.*
“I waited for you.” His hair had thinned, but his eyes were the same. “City suits you. Staying long?”
“Just visiting. You?”
“Miserable. I dream of you. In that white dress with flowers.”
“*That* dress? I gave it to Katie years ago.”
Thomas stiffened. “*Katie?* When?”
“The day you came back. It didn’t fit me anymore.”
His face darkened. “So it was *her* I saw that night. Kissing Alex. I thought—Christ, I’m a fool. She set it up.” He cupped Emily’s face. “Forgive me.”
She melted into his hands.
“Knew you’d run to her.”
They jerked apart. Katie stood with a tea towel, eyes blazing.
“He’s *mine.* We’ve kids. Leave!”
Thomas stepped toward her. “Kate—”
“Don’t touch me!” She backed away, then spun, sprinting toward the old fortune-teller’s cottage where a ladder leaned against the roof repairs.
“People! Look! She’s stealing my husband!”
Villagers spilled into the street. Katie climbed, the ladder shuddering.
“Get down, you mad cow!” Thomas chased her.
The ladder slipped—
She lay broken, blood bubbling at her lips.
Emily left before the funeral. Whispers blamed her for the widow’s death, the orphaned kids.
Two months later, Thomas found her.
“Forgive us. I can’t live without you.”
He’d aged, reeked of drink. She took him in.
They married a year later. Love smoothed the scars.
Katie died in ten years, as foretold.
But Thomas and Emily? They built a life. A son of their own.
Some wounds heal. Some loves do, too.
