InsaneJournal

A letter, several years old, written in a tidy but playful hand.

15 September 1939

Dearest Bee,

I'm afraid you're going to hate me very much after you receive this letter. I would have come to you myself, but I don't know if you've been evacuated or not and I know that this letter will reach you wherever you are. Knowing you, you're probably hanging on the door frame not wanting to leave your flat, refusing to be frightened out of your home by German planes and bombs. You've always been the most stubborn girl woman I've known and I doubt even the largest of wars will change that.

I'm really just delaying the inevitable: the reason why I'm writing you. Although you're quite intelligent and I'm sure you've figured it out by now. We're at war, as I'm sure you're aware -- as I'm sure the entire world's aware -- and you're doing your duty as one of the Times' top reporters. And so I asked myself, what is my duty? What is it that James is supposed to do in this mess? Well, Bumblebee, I enlisted in the British Army.

I can feel your scathing gaze, hear your shrill proclamations, feel you grabbing at my wrist, and see your half-frightened, half-angry face (after all, I have known you these 25 years and know your manners by heart). Don't hate me, my darling sister. Don't be angry. There's no use telling you this, because you will do what you please as you always have and that is one of the reasons I love you as much as I do. My only regret is that I can't see you before I leave. As I'm sure you expect, Mum is in a right state, and I'm sure Dad doesn't want me to go either but he would never say so, at least not to me. Write to them. If you can, go home for a few days.

I really do love you, Lucy. You're my baby sister and my closest friend. Don't you worry one bit about me, just take care of yourself and remain strong as you have always been. When this war is over, we'll go on a holiday round the world together.

All my love,
J