Page 63 of Sisters Under The Rising Sun

When it’s time to trade, the six designated shoppers are enthusiastically assisted by the women, who gather to view the goods on offer.

‘Oh, my goodness, Betty! Look at this, he has lipstick. Can you imagine if we all put some on, even the children? What would Lipstick Larry do then?’ Vivian says.

‘He would have a heart attack,’ Nesta laughs. ‘He wouldn’t know who to wallop first.’

‘I think we stick to buying food,’ a woman interjects wryly.

Norah appears at Betty’s side. ‘Are there any bananas?’

‘Yes, and we’re taking all he’s got.’

‘If I could just have one, for June. We don’t need anything else. Just one banana.’

Betty plucks a single banana from a bunch and hands it to Norah.

‘How good a cook are you?’ Betty asks.

‘Very good actually. I did all the cooking for our dinner parties. Why d’you ask?’

‘We’re having a cookery class tonight in our house for some of the ladies from Singapore; they want to learn how to cook English style. They’re paying too. Would you like to be one of our chefs? We’ll split the money with you.’

Norah hugs Betty, careful not to squash her precious fruit.

‘What time?’ she asks with a wink.

‘I know there’s been a lot of talk about us having a ceremony to acknowledge the anniversary of our leaving Singapore. But for Vivian, it’s all about surviving what happened on Radji Beach. We should talk to her,’ Nesta says to Jean.

Nesta has noticed that Vivian is not socialising or joining in their card games. She has always been the first to volunteer for the dirtiest of jobs or to attend a sick child in the middle of the night. Now, she spends most of each day sitting quietly on her own.

They find Vivian sitting under a tree at the back of the garden; she seems oblivious to the downpour that has soaked right through her thin dress to her skin.

‘Can we join you?’ Nesta asks.

‘If you want to. You do know it’s raining, don’t you?’ Vivian says.

‘Well, I’m glad thatyouknow it’s raining; I wasn’t sure when we came outside. You seem so far away these days,’ Jean says.

‘Where I come from, we can go months without seeing the rain, so I don’t mind it.’

‘We’ve been talking,’ Nesta says. ‘We don’t think we should do anything big to mark the year since we left Singapore, but what if we share stories of those who are no longer with us, but especially the ones who were with you on the beach?’

Jean picks up on Nesta’s thread. ‘We would like you to lead a service. That’s if you feel up to it.’

Vivian looks at both women, sniffing as she wipes away a tear.

‘I can’t believe it’s been a year; I can still see their faces. We walked into the water, and we looked at each other and I remember we were all smiling. We knew what was going to happen, that this was the end, but it didn’t matter, we were together.’

‘This is exactly what I mean,’ Nesta says gently. ‘We want you to share their stories, hear Matron Drummond’s last words again.’

‘I’m sure the girls would love to share their stories about the women too. There are so many funny, lovely memories we have talked about since we left home. What do you say?’ Jean asks.

‘I say, thank you, I’d like that,’ Vivian replies with a small smile.

Now on her feet, Vivian holds out her hands to help Nesta and Jean up.

‘Let’s get out of this rain,’ she says.

Word of the nurses’ planned remembrance day spreads through the camp. Nesta and Jean are approached by many wanting to join them, particularly Norah, Ena and other survivors from theVyner Brooke.