Chapter 10: Telling of a Story

Tears running down her face and into the counter she tried her best to stop, but it did no good. Looking down Vivien found the paper still lying on the counter. Picking it up, she began reading it.

Dear Vivien;

I know I’ve only known you a day, but I feel as if I’ve known you my entire life. Leaving you is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I shall be back in a few months time. Until then I will continue to write to you, as if I’ve never left your side.

Yours,
Larry 

Finding more tears rolling down her face, Vivien laid her head on the counter and continued crying, as rain began to fall from heaven above. What an awful day for him to depart. Stepping from the back room the sister’s found Vivien in tears. Walking forward Anna put her arms around Vivien’s shaking shoulders. Lifting her head Vivien threw her arms around Anna’s neck and cried until it hurt. Thunder could be heard in the distance while rain and lighting came thereafter. 

“Who was that girl you were talking to back in the bakery?” Tommy Thor asked as he lit a cigarette.

Looking off into the distance Larry found himself thinking of Vivien. He was such in thought he barely heard Tommy’s question. “The girl is.” 

Tommy and Andrew looked at each other with concern on their faces. “Lar!” Andrew Kent, Larry’s older brother, yelled as he waved his hand in front of Larry’s face.

Looking over at them he realized that he hadn’t answer Tommy’s question. “Sorry Tom, I met her yesterday while I was at the underground.” 

Andrew smiled. “It sounds to me that you might be in love with her.” Andrew pointed out as Tommy began to agree with him. 

Larry could be in love with her. After all, the letter that he gave her told all. Looking at the bakery until it was too hard to see as it grew small and smaller in the distance. In a few months he would be coming back and coming back to the woman he loved. 

That afternoon the rain still fell as sirens could be heard throughout the streets. The rain dripped off the large windows as people came and went from the bakery. Couples could be seen walking the streets as they passed the bakery window. Sighing deeply Vivien could feel her lower lip quivering as she could feel her own heart breaking. While she wiped down some of the tables Sally came into the room. 

“Vivien, what’s wrong?” Sally asked as she came and sat on one of the chairs. Putting her elbows on the table top and her hands to her cheeks she waited for an answer. 

“Sally, I've got work to do and I think you do to. Don’t you have school work to do?” Vivien asked as she cleaned out the cloth.

“Yes, but I want to know what’s going on. My sister’s say I’m too young to understand what is happening.” 

“Alright, but if you don’t get your homework done I will have to tell your sisters and they will tell the reverend mother.”

Nodding yes, that she understood, while her eyes went wide; she didn’t want her sister’s telling the reverend mother that she wasn’t doing her homework. She was a good girl, a very good girl.

That night while Vivien wrote a letter to Larry a knock came on her door. “Come in.” Vivien said as she looked up from the small piece of paper. 

Opening the door Sally stood in the doorway. “What is it sweetie?” Vivien asked as she put the thin pen down. 

“Will you read me a story?” Sally asked as she held onto her big book of fairy tales. “My sister’s are busy for the big festival this weekend.” 

“Alright, but just one quick story,” Vivien agreed as she sat the letter aside. Sitting Sally on her lap Vivien opened the big book of fairy tales. 

“Once upon a time in a far away kingdom there lived a prince and princess who were madly in love.”

“What’s love?” Sally asked as she tried to understand what Vivien was talking about.

“When two people meet that are meant to be together, their eyes lock with one another and their hearts begin to beat fast and they feel as if they are the only two in the world.” 

“Go on,” Sally said as she looked up at Vivien with excitement. This was much better than any old fairy tale her sister’s had told her. 
“After a little while they began to fall in love. Before long got married and lived happily ever after,” Vivien smiled down at Sally who by now was about to jump out of her lap. 

“Are you in love with Mr. Laurence?” Sally asked hoping it would be yes. 

“Yes, very much,” Vivien answered with a smile. 

Clapping her hands together she began to giggle. “Do you plan on marrying him?” For her to be only seven she sure asked a lot of questions. But then again children her age always asked many questions. 

“When he comes back from the war we might.” Vivien said hoping this would please the seven year olds curiosity. “Then we will share in true loves kiss.” 

“Yuck!” Sally answered back sticking her tongue out with a nasty look on her face. 

Vivien laughed at this. “In all of those stories your sisters tell you don’t they kiss in the end and live happily ever after?” 

Nodding her head yes she agreed with Vivien. “Well you see that’s what’s going to happen if we marry.” 

“Oh,” Sally said with her mouth going in the shape of an O. So that’s how that worked. 

A feeling of sadness washed over Vivien as she thought of this. Would he come home? Would they get to marry? That was something she couldn’t answer. How she wished she could answer those questions. “Sally, it’s time for bed,” Vivien told the little girl as she played with her lovely golden hair. 

Getting off of Vivien’s lap Sally yawned and made her way to her bedroom. Hearing what Vivien had to say made Sally understand it much, much more. Just like the prince and princess in those fairy tales Vivien and Larry were going to live happily ever after. 
Crawling into bed Vivien tucked in the little girl and gave her a kiss on the forehead. 

“Good night Sally,” Vivien said as she headed toward the door. 

“Good night Vivien,” Sally called back as she snuggled down into the sheets and shut her eyes. 

Vivien smiled at the little girl. Maybe once Larry and her got married they could have children of their own and she could tell them stories just as she had done for Sally. Walking back to her room Vivien began to think. Hearing Sally ask questions about love made her wonder if happily ever after was around the corner or if it was a long way off.