JUNE 1943
I lingered over my tea for a long time reluctant to go anywhere else as I watched Mum going through the motions of tidying and cleaning the kitchen. I don"t think she ate a single morsel herself that particular teatime but just relaxed slowly over a mug of strong tea. She cleared my plate away and asked me in a flat monotone if I would like some tinned fruit and custard. I said yes, please because I thought she would want to keep moving, keep doing something useful.
As she brought it to the table I told her Paula had decided to go to bed early and told me she didn"t want any pudding. Mother just nodded a brief understanding and carried on washing up dishes in the sink. She must have become disturbed by the unusual sight of me sitting at table long after I finished eating and sh
