Aunt Cele Annie noticed as tea was poured seemed subdued quieter than usual. She didn’t fall into raptures over Annie’s new hat and she took just one sip of oolong and left the rest untouched.

“Is everything all right Aunt?”

Cele’s eyes welled up. “It’s my friend Hilda. Her grandson. Such a lovely boy a redhead lively and bright. And now…”

Annie steeled herself; she knew what was coming in these dark dreadful days.

Cele put an embroidered handkerchief to her eyes. “He was a navigator and he’s... his plane went down over the Pacific. He’s been listed as missing in action.”

This was even worse than she’d expected and Annie shivered. Of all the frightening nightmarish things that could — and did — happen to a soldier and his family this always seemed to her the worst.

How terrible not to know…

“I’m so sorry Aunt.”

“Yes and Hilda is taking it badly.”

Cele seemed the better for having shared the bad news; when she spoke her voice had its usual melodious lilt. “But dear let’s speak of happier things. How are the children doing?”

Annie described the events of the past few weeks.

“They seem quite a handful.”

“The girl Malka is a sweetheart but Artie is a very difficult child. Oh and Aunt you know how it was music that calmed him down that very first night…”

“Yes what a wise idea that was of yours my dear.”

“It wasn’t an idea as much as a memory.” Annie went on to describe the scene: the boy’s whimpers the girl’s bitter tears and the remembrance of consolation given so long ago.

“I think” Annie said hesitantly “that the person comforting me with a song was you. Could it be? Do you remember?”

Aunt Cele’s blue eyes seemed to soften with memory. “My dear I comforted you many times. After your mother’s untimely death I took great care of you. Until…”

“Until what?”

“Let’s not talk about it dear. It’s ancient history” Cele said with an affected laugh.

Ancient history? No because the hurt lingers. Oh Papa. Why did you take my mother’s sister away from us? Yes she wasn’t religious but couldn’t you have looked away a little?

But Aunt Cele was correct; now was not the time to pursue old feuds and past mistakes; the future was what counted.

Annie began to outline her dilemma half to her aunt half to herself. “Papa thinks the children need me near them and I believe he’s right.”

“So perhaps they could move in with you?”

“I don’t think so. These children need a lot of attention more than one person can give. And I would have to give up my work at the Yard which means so much to me.”

“True. Your father wants you to move to the boarding house?”

“Yes.” Annie chose her words carefully. She was a Freed and a Freed did not speak ill of others particularly of a father. “It would be… a little difficult… for me to get used to living there once again.” The two of them lapsed into silence and then Cele’s eyes lit up.

“Annie I have a wonderful and mad idea. Why don’t you and the children come and live here with me?”