Since You Went Away

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This is the moment I've dreaded...

coming back to our home...

alone.

Oh, Tim. Tim.

You've been gone only an hour,

and already the house

is empty without you.

Darling, forgive me.

I held myself together

through all our good-byes

and I've tried to understand,

but I still don't know why

you should risk your life...

you, the best-natured

and dearest person in the world.

I'll try to remember

what you said last night...

that years from now,

this will seem the greatest

adventure we ever had,

even though we had it separately.

But I have no courage, Tim.

You know I have no courage,

and I have no vision.

And already

I'm so very Ionely.

We've had at least today.

I'll try to keep all

the good things as they were.

I'll keep the past alive,

like a warm room for you

to come back to.

I promise.

I promise.

Mother!

Mother!

- Mother, where are you?

- Upstairs, dear.

Hello, Mother.

Hi, darlings.

Are you awfully wet?

Jane, such a nice, fresh cheek.

Better get your

wet things off, Brig.

Did Pop get off all right?

Was his train on time?

It was mean of Pop not to let us

go to the station with you.

Darling, you know

how much he loves you.

He didn't even want me there.

You know how he hates a fuss.

And Louisiana's not so far.

And he'll be home on leave

before he go...

He looked so swell in his cap

and uniform, didn't he?

I'll bet the others were all jealous.

I'd hate a squinchy little father.

Pop looks like a parade

all by himself.

- Did he have my present with him?

- Right in his pocket, Brig.

I hope he keeps all his money

in it and everything.

I hope he buys

those generals a drink,

and maybe he'll be a major

by the time he gets home on leave.

He can be a major

anytime he wants to.

Anyhow, he'd probably rather do

something else with it anyway,

like sending Mother

a present or...

- Or what, honey?

- I don't know.

Buy some magazines

or books maybe.

I wasn't really thinking.

I have an idea.

How would you like to play

gin rummy before dinner?

- Okay?

- Okay.

Let's not.

It won't be the same without Pop.

Not even gin rummy...

nothing!

Hello, Soda.

Brig, are you never going to get

out of this bathroom?

Go fly a kite. I wish you'd wait

till I get through!

If you don't get through soon,

you'll brush the enamel off your teeth.

You all stop that bickering.

It's time you girls

was getting to bed.

- Hi, Fidelia.

- Hello, Fidelia.

- Where have you been all day?

- Where's your mother?

I'm in here,

in Jane's room.

All right, princess,

the mirror's all yours now.

You can have a wonderful time

looking at yourself.

Evening, Miz Hilton.

Did Captain Hilton

get away all right this afternoon?

Yes, Fidelia. He said he'd send you

a postcard from New Orleans.

What about you?

How did things go?

I got that job this afternoon

with some lofty people uptown.

The wages is mighty fine.

I starts right away.

But I ain't gonna be contentment.

I ain't gonna be contentment like

I been right here all these years.

I'm afraid we're not going to be

very contentment either, Fidelia.

What's more, I don't know what

kind of housekeeper I'm going to make.

I can tell you something.

You ain't gonna be very good.

I've been figuring out this budget.

I don't see how we're going to make it.

I've already arranged

to sell the car.

I don't think the government

pays them officers enough.

I don't see why Mr. Hilton

ain't worth as much to Uncle Sam

as he was to that

advertising company.

You'll probably have

a much easier time

than you've had

taking care of all of us.

You're not leaving us?

Did we do something

to make you mad?

Honey, you couldn't do nothing

to make me mad, no matter what.

You're just like my own child.

Did I hear something

about Fidelia leaving?

Now, Jane, I'm just as unhappy

about it as you are.

We can't keep up the payments

on the house

just by cutting down

on your allowances.

Golly.

First Pop, and now Fidelia.

That's enough of that, Brig.

I don't want no mourning.

You say good night

to your sister and run along to bed.

You, too, Jane.

Tomorrow's a school day.

The Lord Himself will have to take

care of these calamities somehow.

You'll come to see us,

won't you, Fidelia?

Of course I will, child.

If you don't pick up your clothes,

you never will keep a husband.

Men don't fancy disorderment.

- Good night for now, Jane, honey.

- Good night, Fidelia.

Whee! I'm a commando!

This is all that's left

of Fidelia's last cake,

and I'm afraid it's pretty stale,

but cake is cake these days.

I don't care what they do

as long as they don't ration pickles.

Yes, I know.

You'll have chronic indigestion

by the time the war's over.

Hi, Gladys.

What on earth's

the matter with that child?

Gladys is afraid

of grownups, that's all.

I'd like to hear her say two words

just to be sure she can talk.

Who you talking about... Gladys?

I don't see how Brig can put up with it.

I don't think much of your friends.

They're all man-crazy just like you are.

It's too early

in the morning to argue.

Hurry up. You'll be late.

You tell Becky Anderson

the next time she tries to high-hat me...

- Good morning, Mr. Mahoney.

- Good morning, girls.

- Good morning.

- Good morning, Mrs. Hilton.

I thought I'd bring the groceries and see

if there was anything I could do.

That is nice of you. I think

I'll need all the help I can get.

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