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Elizabeth was running late. She had planned on wearing one dress to the dance, but found a hole and instead of stitching it the moment she had found it, she decided she could do it the day of the dance. Now, her finger had more than enough pin pokes in it and she was ready, but running late. She was supposed to meet Grace and Alex at Grace's. She checked her clock above her mantle, practically sprinting out of her apartment when she saw that she was almost an hour late.
Meanwhile, Grace, Alex, and Tommy, the soldier that was going to escort Elizabeth, were sitting in Grace's living room, waiting for the Irish woman to show up. Alex checked his watch, sighing when he saw that she was almost an hour behind. It wasn't like her. Alex pushed off the couch, ready to leave the apartment.
"I'm going to look for her, this isn't like her." Grace sighed, pulling Alex back down. "Grace, this isn't like her, what if some drunk soldier decided-"
"She'll be fine. She got a letter from home yesterday. Damien shipped out to his station and she's upset about it. She probably wrote back trying to figure out where in France he is so she can write him?"
"Damien? Who the fuck is Damien?"
"Her boyfriend, Alex, now sit down and just wait. I'm sorry, Tommy, she's not usually like this. Alex is usually the late one." Alex barely heard Grace. Boyfriend? Elizabeth had a boyfriend and didn't think to tell Alex? He knew that he was engaged, but Elizabeth knew that going into the affair. Why wouldn't Elizabeth tell him that she was seeing someone? "Alex, hey, she's here." Alex snapped out of his thoughts, and looked towards his fiance, seeing Elizabeth now standing there, smiling at both Alex and the other soldier, Tommy.
"I'm so sorry, I lost track of time today. I'm not usually this late. You must be Tommy." She went towards the other soldier, shaking his head. "I'm Elizabeth."
"Nice to meet you. Grace tells me you work at the local hospital as a nurse."
"Yes, I just came from Ireland and I heard they needed some extra help. I had no job waiting so I jumped at the opportunity."
"They're good, aren't they?" Alex jumped at how close his fiance was, as he glanced down at her, seeing that she was right next to him again. "Tommy needs a friend and so does Elizabeth. Tommy always sits alone at the cafe, I thought I'd give him at least one friend."
"Did he know that Elizabeth had a poor man back home? Or did he just figure that out as well?"
"I thought you knew about Damien. I ask about him every time we go out to lunch. Besides, Tommy's shipping out soon, he's not looking for a relationship. Elizabeth needs someone at our outings, she's tired of seeing us two together while she's the odd one out. I thought I'd do them both a favor."
"Does she know that?" Grace just smiled, grabbing Alex's hand.
"Time to go! C'mon, before all the men drink the booze." She dragged Alex out to the cobblestone street, leading the group towards the dance hall. Alex glanced behind him, seeing that Tommy and Elizabeth were just watching as Grace pulled Alex along, as they walked at a slow pace towards the dance hall. Alex felt sick seeing Elizabeth laugh at something the other soldier said. It should've been him. "C'mon, Alex, leave them be. You're like a protective older brother."
"Brother. Yeah."
~~
"So, have you been here for long?"
"I came to England a few months back, London actually, with my boyfriend, Damien. When he went home for the last few months, I decided to stay, but he told me that it was too dangerous in London, so here I am. I had planned on going back to Ireland before he shipped out, but it was so quick."
"It must be difficult without him. Not saying you aren't completely capable of being reliant on yourself, I just meant that it must be difficult knowing that he's in France now and you never got a real proper goodbye and you didn't get to send him off."
"I suppose. I haven't really had time to let it sink in. Grace is always needing me for something about her wedding and when I'm not busy with Grace, I'm at the hospital. Truly, I think Grace is trying to keep me busy because she knows I wouldn't handle the thought of Damien dying and she knows if I'm alone, that is all I would think about."
"Is that why you were late?"
"Hm?"
"She said you may have been writing to him."
"Oh, no. My dress had a slight tear and I decided to keep it ripped until today, even though I have not a clue how to properly sew." Tommy smiled at her as she laughed. "C'mon, Alex will come back any second assuming the worst about us two." She looped her arm in Tommy's and pulled him along.
The dance was in full swing, Alex and Grace were still on the dance floor, but Elizabeth and Tommy both had two left feet, so they opted to just sit at a table and talk. Elizabeth learned that Tommy has never left Dover, working in the bakery that his neighbor owns. He planned on going to university in London, but with the war looming, he was drafted. Now he's in a uniform with no idea when he was coming home.
"Why'd you choose London? I mean, why'd you and Damien choose to come to London?"
"Damien had a friend here who needed help with figuring some things out. Damien knows London better than him, so he decided that it was a good idea for a vacation for the both of us. He always wanted to show me London. He said that it may be his last chance." Elizabeth found herself choking up on the last few words, the idea that one of the men she truly loved may never come back to her. "Sorry, I just need some air. I'll be right back." Elizabeth got up, taking her hand out of Tommy's and walking out the door, letting the cold air hit her cheeks. She found herself up against a building, taking shallow breaths as she let herself cry.
"Betty? Shit, Betty are you okay? What the hell did that man do to you?"
"N-Nothing. He was so kind, Alex."
"Then why are you crying? I'm going to fucking-"
"No! It's not him! Damien's gone to France and he may never get to come home. He may be fucking killed and all the while I'm breaking his trust by sleeping with you! My soldier is fighting for me to keep the life I have, and I'm thanking him by sleeping with another man."
"Sh. Fuck, Grace may come out looking for us." Elizabeth scoffed. "What?"
"I told myself I could stop. I could stop whatever we have whenever I wanted, but fuck, Alex, you just said that Grace may see us and you know what I thought? I thought fuck Grace, because I don't give a damn. You got me so ensnared I don't care if my best friend sees me with her fiance or that I'm betraying the man I love. I'm a horrible person."
"Sh, Betty, you're one of the best people I know. Don't say that about yourself. Blame me. Blame the war. Blame the fact that I was here and Damon or whatever the fuck his name is, wasn't. It's not just you. I'm engaged and I'm willingly risking it all for you. It takes two of us, Elizabeth."
"Men get away with a lot of shit, Alex." Alex sighed, taking her head in his hands, leaning his forehead against hers.
"We'll be alright, Betty. We'll be alright."
"We have to stop this."
"Okay." Elizabeth knew that he wasn't going to let it go that easily, but right now, his reassurance brought her comfort.
