Page 52 of Right Place, Right Time
‘I’m not really sure.’
‘Some say it’s because we didn’t have many big factories or major transport links back then,’ Luca says to my surprise. ‘But there’s another theory, that Britain and Germany made a pact – the Germans wouldn’t bomb Cambridge or Oxford, if we spared two of their big university cities in exchange.’
‘Really? That’s incredible if it’s true,’ Ed says.
‘There was only one major bomb dropped on the city,’ Luca continues keenly. He really seems to be enjoying sharing his knowledge with us. ‘That was on Vicarage Terrace in 1940. They think the bomber mistook the light on a nearby church for the lights on a control tower. Nine people died that night.’
We all go quiet.
‘You guys suffered a lot in that war,’ Annie says softly. ‘It was the Blitz, wasn’t it, when you were most hit?’
‘I believe so, yes,’ I reply. ‘London in particular, but all the big cities suffered a lot of damage.’ I turn to Luca – he seems to be the expert in all this. I had no idea beforenow he was interested in any type of history other than that of vintage clothes.
Luca nods. ‘Yes, there was huge loss of life during the Blitz. Whole cites were decimated and people’s lives torn apart.’
‘Unimaginable for us, isn’t it?’ Annie says. ‘Imagine one day just going about your daily life and then, boom, just like that, your house and your whole life are gone in an instant.’
We all nod sombrely.
‘I’ve studied quite a lot about the Second World War,’ Luca says. ‘It’s a bit of a hobby of mine. I’ve read accounts of people who were trapped for days under the wreckage of their houses. And there are amazing stories of people and animals just about giving up hope of ever being rescued, when someone randomly heard them calling out. Sometimes it took days to get people out safely.’
While we all think about this, I hear Adam ask, ‘Another drink, anyone?’
I turn to him and frown.
‘No?’ he asks when no one responds. ‘Well, I need another one.’ He finishes off the last of his pint and slams the empty glass onto the table. ‘Back in a bit.’
‘Did we say something wrong?’ Annie asks, looking concerned as Adam strides across the little beer garden.
‘I don’t think so.’ I turn back from watching Adam stomp back towards the pub. ‘He isn’t usually abrupt like that.’
‘Does he have trouble hearing in busy environments like this?’ Annie asks gently.
‘No, I don’t think so …’ I reply, thinking that was a strange thing to say.
‘It’s just that I noticed he has a hearing device in his right ear.’
I stare blankly at Annie.
‘Most people wouldn’t notice it; they can make them so tiny these days. But I have one.’ She taps her left ear. ‘And sometimes I have trouble hearing in busy places. I often go back to old-fashioned lip-reading if it’s really bad.’
‘I … I didn’t know he had anything in his ear,’ I say, as a few things suddenly begin to make sense. The times I thought Adam was staring intently at me when we first met … was he lip-reading? Then there had been a couple of times when I spoke to him when his back was turned and he didn’t hear me properly, even though I was quite close to him – and just now in the busy pub …
‘I have to admit I hadn’t it noticed either,’ Luca says. ‘And I notice everything about a person’s appearance.’
‘I’m sure Adam would be pleased to know it,’ Annie says, smiling kindly. ‘No one who wears a hearing aid particularly wants people to notice. But we often notice each other.’
I feel awful. Adam and I have spent a lot of time together since we met in February – how can I not have noticed he had a problem with his hearing?
‘Do you think it’s to do with him spending so many years in loud environments?’ Luca asks. ‘You know, at rock concerts and things.’
‘Maybe, I don’t really know,’ I say, shaking my head as I try to process this news. ‘I think I’m going to pop to the ladies. Back in a bit. I won’t be long.’
I head quickly across the garden to the pub, but instead of turning in the direction of the toilets, I walk towards the bar with the intention of finding Adam.
But he doesn’t seem to be anywhere at the bar, so I take a quick tour around the rest of the building, eventuallyreturning to the toilets. But when Adam does not appear after a couple of minutes, I pull my phone from my bag. I’m about to call him to see where he is, when I notice I have a new text message. It’s from Adam.
Sorry, had to go. Please pass on my apologies. A x
