This is War✔

Fourteen

Andrew Brooks woke up on Christmas morning to a knock on his bedroom door. He had been assigned to some obscure, God-forsaken airfield in Wales.
   They hadn't been flying missions or really doing anything noteworthy. To say he was frustrated was an understatement. The only upside was that all of the airmen assigned to the area we're staying in a comfortable hotel that had been commandeered by the British government.

    He opened the door to find his friend, Adrian Wells, grinning at him. "Happy Christmas, Brooks. You got a couple of letters." He gave the two envelopes to his friend, looking expectantly at him.

   "What?"

   "Well, the thing is, you haven't received any mail at all the entire time we've been here. Go on then. Open them."

   Andrew grinned and looked down at the first letter. It was from his mother, Ellie. He sat down on his bed and tore it open:

Dear Andrew,

Happy Christmas! I hope you've been doing well and are safe.

   "Not likely we would be in danger, would it?" Adrian waved around their comfortable lodgings. Andrew grinned and continued:

I have to inform you of something important. Cora is pregnant.

   "Congratulations, Brooks!" Adrian was ecstatic, but something was bothering Andrew. He read on:

Cora has known for weeks but chose not to tell you. I'm not sure why but I was sure it was right to tell you about your child. We are pretty well overall and are both working at The Royal London for the moment.

Keep on going, Mum

   "But Andrew, aren't you happy about your child?"

   "Yes. But why didn't Cora tell me?"

   "Don't know. Don't let it bother you. It's Christmas. What about the other letter?"

"Oh." He looked at it and froze. It was from Whitehall, the well-known, government-run covert operations base in London. His shaking hands carefully opened the letter.

For the eyes of Flying Officer Andrew Brooks ONLY.

   He looked up apologetically at his friend. "I understand Brooks. Come to breakfast after, alright?" Andrew nodded in ascent and Adrian left. Then:

To whom it may concern:

The government has determined that you would be put to better use elsewhere. Please report to Whitehall at approximately 9:30 A.M. next Thursday. You need not inform anyone of this change as your superiors have been notified.

Guy Cranston, Whitehall Operative

   Andrew put the letter down. What could they possibly want with him? Why was Cora determined to hide her pregnancy from her own husband? What a confusing Christmas.

                        _____

   Meanwhile, in Scotland, Tom was desperately trying to be the mediator between his brother and niece. Tony had caught Daisy trying to see Declan and they had had an enormous fight in which Daisy had threatened to run away with O'Connor and her father had threatened to kill him.

   In the end, Tony had locked himself in his study declaring himself as being the enemy in his own house and everyone had peace and quiet over Christmas. Declan and Daisy went on walks every morning.

   Tom didn't know what to do. He wanted to help his brother but he also wanted to help his niece. But most of all, he wanted to alleviate the recurring headaches he got whenever their voices loudly echoed throughout the house.

                         ____

   Ellie was frustrated. Her husband wasn't allowed to correspond with her, she has sent her son a letter about Cora that had felt secretive and manipulative, and her daughter-in-law would change the subject whenever she tried to bring up the baby.

   Christmastime seemed insufferable with her family apart. Why couldn't they go back to the old days? Every time she walk down the icy streets of London it seemed that all the joy of the holiday had been sucked out the air.

   Where was her husband and what was he doing? Did he miss her? This reel of thoughts constantly played through her mind and she felt they were selfish, but she couldn't help it: she missed him terribly.

   On Christmas morning, Cora was opening a gift from Ellie. She tore off the paper and stared for a moment at the gift. It was a baby blanket. Then she shoved it back toward Ellie.

   "Don't you like it Cora?"

   "I don't want to think about it. Please stop talking about the baby."

   "But why, Cora? It's your child. It's Andrew's child."

   "You don't understand. You can't! Leave me alone!" And she left the flat. Ellie sat back and considered for a moment. Why was Cora so intent on ignoring the fact that she was to become a mother?

   Ellie stared out of the window at the icy rain that pounded on the buildings of London. She desperately wished that there wasn't a war. She needed to talk to Tom.