“Tommy has gone of to war,” said Iris, “they say he’ll be home by Christmas. I waved him off with a sense of pride in me, but a deeper sense of sadness that he’d be away from me and I’d have no one to cuddle up to in bed and have to sleep all alone. There were others of course who were in a similar situation, but it is only me that I can feel for at the moment and my Tommy going off like that in his uniform. The house were we work has given up most of its young men, and some of the girls have gone off for work in the towns and factories. Still it is only until Christmas; then I’ll have Tommy back again.
Looking back at my young days as a maid in London with the other three girls there, I feel a sense of sadness when I reflect that there is only two of us left now. Ada drowned herself in 1901 in the Thames after being rejected by our employer’s son Master David and May and her Mistress, Miss Ellen, went down with the Titanic in 1912. There is only me and Doris left now. She still writes to me regularly and keeps informed about matters we both can share about on our past employer and his family. Miss Ellen’s death hit both Sir Dashpot and his wife very hard, especially as they were parted on rather bad terms at the time when they found out that their daughter and May, their daughter’s maid, had gone off together and whose relationship they felt was not good. Doris said that Master David and his regiment are off to France. That will cause his parents worry, too. One child lost is one thing, but two would be tragic. The butler, Mr Toadbright is still with the Dashpots, bossing what staff they have left about and just as stern and mean as ever.
Doris’s husband Harry is now working for the government in some capacity, she didn’t say what exactly, but a bit of hush hush, she wrote. Her children are growing up now. The eldest son she said is very bright and takes after his father.
It’s fourteen years ago now when Master David had us lined up on the stairs to take our photograph. Us four maids standing there all shy and yet at the same time pleased to have our photograph taken for the first time. I have one of Tommy and me taken at our wedding and one Tommy had taken with his uniform on. I have that on my bedside cabinet so I can look at him at night before I go to bed. Doris sent me one of her and Harry and the children taken a year or so ago. She don’t half look ladylike now. And her Harry all posh in his suit and hat.
My employer and his wife are considerate people. They have less than a third of their staff left working since the war began. They don’t expect us who are left to do more than is possible. We do what we can and they have adapted to the new situation. It is not the same though. Some of the young girls that have come to replace those that have gone, are not used to this kind of work, and seem lazy and ill mannered.
I miss Tommy so much. I miss him near me. I look out of the window in the early morning and expect to see him down by the stables or at the front of the house by the car. But he’s not there of course. I hope he’s back soon. Safe and sound. My Tommy and me.
Doris said that May and Miss Ellen were very close and that they died together. Frozen in the water she said. They were found clutching each other in the frozen sea. She was a lovely girl was May. Full of life. Kind and friendly. I can’t believe she’s dead now. Her and Miss Ellen.
I wish I could have talked to Ada before she went and drowned herself. But she just went off and then the police and told Sir Dashpot her body had been found in the Thames. Suicide they reckoned. I was really shocked. Master David seemed untouched. We told her he was trouble but she wouldn’t listen. Doris said she thought she was pregnant at one time but that seemed to be just a rumour of something happened, I don’t know. She never said about it to me.
I wish I had children; but despite trying hard, nothing happened. I wanted children so much and so did Tommy. Sometimes when Doris writes about her children I get a little jealous and wish they were mine. Silly really, but that’s human nature I guess. Just one baby in my arms. One little baby to call my own. Its little hands and fingers in mine. Its little toes and tiny eyes looking at me. Nothing. No baby, no Tommy. All alone here.
I have had a tiring and depressing day. Up early doing all the duties that are mine making sure the new girls get on with their work and putting up with their moans and groans and backchat. Mrs Tope, the cook, is the only one who has the girls on their toes and rushing around. They are too frightened of her to do other wise. I like her. She and I get on well. The old sort, she says I am. The real down to earth type who knows what work is and my place in the order of things.
I am going to bed now and going to have a good look at my Tommy’s photograph. I kiss his image every night. Pretend I feel him in bed beside me. Feel his body next to mine. Feel his warmth. Roll on Christmas and Tommy’s return. Here by my side.
Short Stories 
“Tommy has gone of to war,” said Iris, “they say he’ll be home by Christmas. I waved him off with a sense of pride in me, but a deeper sense of sadness that he’d be away from me and I’d have no one to cuddle up to in bed and have to sleep all alone. There were others of course who were in a similar situation, but it is only me that I can feel for at the moment and my Tommy going off like that in his uniform. The house were we work has given up most of its young men, and some of the girls have gone off for work in the towns and factories. Still it is only until Christmas; then I’ll have Tommy back again.
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