Wednesday, 9th April 19:38 BDST: Smethwick, England

Doreen sits on the sofa gazing intently at the cover of a magazine. Laurence Oliver and his wife Vivian Leigh smile out at the world as a black and white cat sits unmoved in Olivier’s arms. “Laurence Oliver is joining the Fleet Air Arm mom,” shouts Doreen, lost in thought, wishing she was the cat until she remembers she’s getting married in a couple of weeks. On the wireless, she hears an announcer introduce Living the Christian Life: “A series of four talks by the Reverend Jack Winslow”, the announcer continues. Doreen sighs and slumps down into the sofa. It’s only then that she realises how late it is. 

“Mom, mom! Oh, sugar, it’s getting dark out, what about the shelter mom!”, Doreen shouts, following up, “we never finished bailing it out did we?” 

“It’ll be alright love, stay at home with your mom tonight eh love?”, Amy shouts back, almost pleading, walking in from the kitchen, and wiping her hands on a tea towel. “I’ll do us a spot of supper eh, that’ll do us alright that will,” she says, standing there smiling. 

“OK mom, I’ll stay home tonight,” Doreen says grudgingly as she tries to smile as she shouts back, “but only if I can turn off the wireless and put the gramophone on!”