Peggy stood next to Harvey, not allowing a speck of dust to float between them. Somerset West Train Station was a busy hive of activity, full of soldiers leaving and families saying goodbye. Harvey was traveling by train to Johannesburg to spend a week at the Bernard Price Institute and then flying back to New Zealand for the last section of his assignment.
With all the added people at the train station in the height of the Cape Town summer, the heat was unbearably stifling. The coughing of the trains and the heat rising from the black coals and metal wheels unpleasantly added to the temperatures.
Harvey found his compartment, and as soon as his bags rested on his seat, he returned to the platform where Peggy waited. She did not wear gloves and wore simple sandals with low oxford heels. Her summer halter neck dress brightly colored in red florals did not, however, brighten her sad mood. As much as Harvey loved her hair hanging loose and natural, it was too hot to wear completely down, so Peggy clipped the front ends of her hair behind her head and lifted the rest of her hair up neatly, all clipped together with a bow-style hairclip.
“My darling, write often and tell me everything about how our baby is growing. How you are feeling if you’re feeling ill. Please tell me every detail.” Harvey tilted Peggy’s head upward, so she faced him, her face showed her sadness, but her eyelashes hid her thoughts. His arm held her waist at the back joining their bodies together. With one hand he pressed the bow-style clip releasing her hair and admired how it fell limply down her back and shoulders. He smiled and held the clip to his heart, “Mine to keep?” and clipped it into the inner pocket of his jacket.
Peggy smiled at the dedicated love that Harvey expressed toward her and his developing child. “There will not be much to tell for now. By the time you get back, I will only be about three months pregnant. You won’t miss much my darling.”
“I will miss being with you, my darling. I love you dearly.” He bent his head and kissed Peggy till her knees buckled and his hand holding her waist had to support her.
Harvey brushed away a tear that ran down Peggy’s cheek leaving a trail of despair in its wake. “I will be back in a month, don’t despair my darling.”
Peggy looked at the clock that hung on the station office wall behind them, it ticked and tocked and counted down the seconds until they were separated again.
Her tears fell without her consent. “I’m sorry my darling. I should not behave so silly; you will be back soon enough, but I can’t help knowing how much I will miss you. I love you don’t ever forget that.” She smiled through her trembling lips. “Even when I’m old, all gray, wrinkled and ugly I will still be madly in love with you.” Peggy kissed Harvey with just enough passion for ensuring he would never forget how much she loved him.
“My darling you’re too beautiful to grow old.” Harvey hugged her one last time. The Train Station officer was yelling “All aboard.” and did not seem to have any tolerance for stragglers.
Harvey relinquished his arms from around Peggy, kissed her a final goodbye and got onto the train. Peggy waved to Harvey until the train was no longer in sight and all that was visible was the thick black tower of smoke polluting the air.
Peggy and Harvey decided to keep the news of their expecting child silent until Harvey returned for the last time from New Zealand. Peggy was itching so badly to let her beloved friends in on their wonderful news. But she’d promised Harvey, and to him, she was always true.