Page 48 of Sisters Under The Rising Sun

‘Unexpected, certainly, but good too. It means we can carry on; they clearly enjoyed it. I didn’t know what to do with my face when Miachi asked for an encore,’ Margaret says.

‘I could have a problem,’ Betty admits, looking sheepish.

‘A problem?’ Nesta asks.

‘Well, it’s like this, I’ve been working with some of the girls.’ She looks around the room at the others involved, all of whom are trying to suppress their laughter. ‘I – I mean we – have written and rehearsed a new version of a well-known song. They may not like some of the lyrics.’

‘I think they will definitely not like some of the lyrics,’ one of the nurses adds. ‘I’m sure that Ah Fat will translate everything we say.’

‘Do I want to know what they are?’ Nesta asks.

‘No, no. I think under the circumstances we might have to make some alterations,’ Betty says.

‘Well, I know the song you have submitted for the programme, I will trust you not to do or say anything to upset the officers,’ Margaret says.

‘Can we see the lyrics in advance?’ asks Norah. ‘Maybe everyone who’s performing at the next concert needs to run their acts past us.’

‘Sadly, I agree with you. It goes against the grain, censorship, but we can’t take any chances,’ Margaret adds.

When the nurses are alone again, Nesta notices their four ‘hostess’ colleagues sitting apart from everyone else. It has been two weeks since they began their nightly visits to the officers’ club.

‘Oh no!’ Nesta turns to Jean. ‘How must they be feeling with their violators in their house? I need to do something. I have to talk to them.’

‘Let’s do it in the garden,’ says Jean. ‘I’ll take them outside.’

The six women move to the rear of the garden. Nesta begins by apologising for not immediately realising how painful it must have been to find the Japanese soldiers at the concert.

‘How were you to know they’d turn up?’ one asks.

‘We weren’t, but it’s a big problem and we have to fix it.’

‘You could stay in our house next week, skip the whole thing,’ Jean suggests.

‘No way,’ says another. ‘Haven’t they taken enough from us? It’s our concert too. But I don’t want to perform for them.’

That night, sleep doesn’t come easily for Nesta. She continues to berate herself for the pain she has caused the four nurses who have made a sacrifice no woman should ever make. The self-doubt she has kept at bay over her ability to be a good leader to her colleagues, who have become her friends, and now her family, taunts her. Nothing in her training has prepared her for this role.

Chapter 10

Camp II, Irenelaan, Palembang

April 1942–October 1943

‘How are the rehearsals for Saturday coming along?’ Nesta asks Norah. They are walking through the camp, watching the children play.

‘I’ve censored Betty’s lyrics,’ says Norah. ‘But I think we’ll be fine. Ena’s been going over the other acts and, let’s say, a few changes have been made.’

‘Are you singing this Saturday, June?’ Nesta asks.

‘No, not this week. Oh, look, there’s Bonnie!’

‘Who’s Bonnie?’

‘She’s a stray dog June and some other children have befriended,’ Ena explains.

‘Bonnie! Bonnie, here, girl,’ June calls.

Dogs have found their way into the camp, and just like the women and children, they too are starving. Children befriend them by sharing their meagre rations. Mothers go without to give their children their share. Seeing the smiles on their sons’ and daughters’ faces outweighs the concern for any diseases the animals may bring. Young girls are seen singing to the dogs; boys do what boys do when they have a pet dog, throwing twigs and sticks for them to fetch. For the most part, the Japanese soldiers ignore them, and the children quickly learn which soldiers to avoid, coaxing the dogs away from the threat of a bayonet.