The autumn air was crisp as she stood on the platform. She inhaled again on the cigarette letting the smoke fill her lungs before exhaling a large puff of smoke. She knew it was only a matter of minutes that she had to decide... well that wasn't entirely true, but she liked to think she had a choice. It was her motto, afterall, to do as she pleased, and to think that she didn't have a choice was more of a reason to rebel and turn back.
"All aboard!" she heard the conductor announce. She turned back for one last look at the small town before her. It was time to go, time to say goodbye to those memories. She took a final drag on her cigarette, and reluctantly picked up her bags. Slowly she climbed the steps of the train and found a seat by the window. A smile crept over her lips as she watched her home roll past the window, and she knew that she had made the right decision.
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"Yes, thats right," her voice seemed small as she finally answered the question.
"Okay, Miss O'Brien, come this way," The officer said leading her from the small desk where she had sat for twenty minutes answering questions about Gail O'Brien, her mother. They exited the office and found a table where the uniforms were separated by sizes.
"Your size, miss?" asked the elderly woman who sat on the other side of the table.
"An eleven should do fine," the girl replied as she was handed her uniform, "thank you." Once again she found herself following the man through hallways upon hallways. Finally they stopped outside a larger room where a number of women waited on seats set up facing a screen.
"Just find a seat, and someone will be in soon to get the show going," the man said as he showed her in.
"Thank you, Sir." Slowly she scanned the crowd for an empty seat seeing as how the room was filled. She scoped out a seat by a group of girls who were all chatting, "May I sit here?"
"Oh of course!" answered a rather young looking girl, "I'm Betty Anderson." She stuck out a hand as the girl took a seat.
"Gail. Gail O'Brien," she said as she shook Betty's hand, "So do you girls all know each other?"
"Oh no we just met earlier today... Oh gee I'm so rude. Gail this is Barbara, Evelyn, Sue, and Jean."
"Hello," they all greeted the new girl.
"So Gail, where are you from?" asked Evelyn.
"Haydenville, Pennyslvania... its just a small farm town. What about you girls?"
"New York City here," replied Barbara and Sue added, "Me too."
"I'm from Baltimore," Evelyn answered smiling.
"Well I came down from Boston," commented Jean.
Suddenly all eyes were on Betty who had yet to answer, "Um.. I..." she stammered. "I'm just from a small town.. You would have never heard of it."
"Well, maybe we have family there, or near there," Evelyn continued trying to get the girl to answer.
"Oh I doubt it... um.. its Deep Creek, Virginia." The group of girls smiled and Gail was beginning to think that she and Betty might have a lot in common, but before anyone could say anything more a group of men entered with three elderly nurses following them. They stood in front of the screen where our chairs were all facing. The room fell silent to hear what the group had to say, as one of the men began to speak.
"Hello ladies," he began in which he received a response of 'hello's in return from the crowd, "It brings me much pride to see the number of young women here today. As you all know we need women like you who are willing to support and fight with their country..."His speech went on for another five minutes or so expressing his gratitude for the volunteers. He ended it with a "Ladies, welcome to the Army Nurses Corps." There came an applause from the group of women who were joining the fight.
"Okay girls, we are going to be showing you a ten minute flick on what you will be doing and what to expect," and with that there came some clicking and crackling sounds as the projector started.
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"MAIL CALL!" A man announced as he walked through the doorway to the barracks bunk house of army flyers. Soon he was surrounded by a group of fifteen men awaiting to hear their names called. "Henry... Thopmsan... Walker... McCawley...Fusco..." The man went on calling out names. Danny and Rafe looked at each surprised to hear their names. They retreived their letters and found their way to the bunk they shared. Quietly, they each opened and read the letter... twice absorbing the information.
"Janet..." they said in unision and shook their heads.
"What was she thinking?" Rafe asked as he began to pace the floor. He always acted like the older brother who had to look out for his younger friends.
"I don't know..." Danny simply replied in disbelief.
"Danny, you know what could happen to..." Rafe looked around and then lowered himself down beside his friend on the bed. He checked to make sure no one was in ear shot before he continued, "She could get herself killed if they find out."
"You think I haven't already thought of that. Look, Rafe, there isn't much we can do about it now. All we can do is pray that no one finds out." Rafe sighed heavily as he agreed with his best friend.
"Are you guys coming?" Questioned Red as he walked by heading towards the door, "We got them physicals today." Rafe lowered his head as he remembered that small detail that he had forgotten momentarily.
"Come on, I'll get you through this," Danny said as he put a hand on his friend's shoulder to reassure him that everything would be fine.
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The auditorium that had been reassembled into nurses' stations was packed with all the young men waiting to get vaccinations and physical examinations. Evelyn sat behind a desk giving the recruits their eye exams. She noticed the one boy who was waiting for his turn. He seemed to be fidgeting as he impatiently stood behind two boys in line. Finally she waited for him to come up to her and hand her his charts.
"Hello," she said coyly from her seat below, "can you read the las..."Rafe was quick to cut her off and ramble off the last line that he had memorized. "Cool your jets flyboy. Read the top two lines followed by the last line but read them all right to left."
Rafe stammered over the letters as he tried to copy the hushed whisper from Danny behind him, but Evelyn only gave him a doubtful look. "I know this looks bad, but please, miss."
"I'm sorry Mr. McCawley, but if you don't have perfect vision..."
"It's not that I can't see... I just get my letters confused sometimes," he pleaded with her. Still she looked skeptical of him, but she did think he was cute. It wasn't until he begged her, "please, miss, don't take my wings." A small smile grew upon her face as she slowly picked up the stamp, and approved him for the Army Flyers.
"Oh, thank ya miss! How may I make it up to you?" He asked grinning from ear to ear.
"Just move along, Mr. McCawley before I am forced to change my mind," He turned away smiling and Danny joined him as they walked to the next station.
"Evelyn?" Gail called out as she walked over from the vaccination area, "We are to switch to the next station... Evelyn?"
"Huh? Oh what were you saying?" she asked.
"Well, what happened to you? Or should I say who happened to you?" Gail asked smiling at her friends giddy expression.
"Just another flyboy," she responded as she stood to walk to her next destination. Gail smiled as she thought of her own flyboys. It had been months since her two best friends, Danny and Rafe, had left for the Army. She was sent into a memory of when they were young...
FLASHBACK
"Rafe? Danny?" a seven-year olrd girl called out as she walked through the barn doors. The boys chuckled quietly as they hid in the old plane that sat in the back of the barn. The young girl knew when they weren't at the lake that they'd be in the barn working on "their" plane. They insisted that one day they would fix it up and be crop dusters like Rafe's daddy. She walked up beside it and quietly climbed on the hay bale beside it, so that she could look inside the plane at her two friends.
"Why weren't you two at the lake. I wanted to go swimming today?" she asked ageitated
"Oh man!" Rafe complained, "How did you know we were in there?"
"You always hide in there!" She fought as they climbed out.
"Well, we were busy today. The plane needs fixing, and we don't always have time to play," Rafe remarked as he walked over to the tools his dad had left out for him.
"I'm sorry we didn't meet ya today," Danny said suddenly feeling bad for the trick they had played on her.
"Oh you two and your dumb planes!" She exclaimed exasperated.
Gail was pulled out of the memory as she heard the sound of something or someone hitting the floor in the nurses station beside her. She laughed lightly at her childhood memory and went on with her work. But she continued to think to herself, 'How in the world did you fall for Rafe McCawley?' -
One month later
The girls all chatted quietly as they rode the train bound for New York City. Barbara and Sue had went on and on about how they were so excited to be back in their hometown. The group of girls had become very close after living together for about a month. They had discovered Betty's little secret which led to Gail explaining her own story. It turned out that Betty was only sixteen and had run away from her home after her parents' death. She used her mother's maiden name and went unnoticed through the system. Gail explained that she too had lied about her age, being only seventeen. She used her mother's name, Gail O'Brien, to get into the Nurses Army Corps. Her real name was Janet Leigh Dunne, and left because 'she wanted to see the world.' But that wasn't really true, yet she didn't want to tell the girls about her real reason for leaving. The girls were now gossiping over Evelyn's new interest.
"Alright, alright... if you're going to insist on talking about it at least get the facts straight," Evelyn then went into recalling how she met her new beau. Janet had only listened to parts of the story as she allowed her mind to roam her past...
FLASHBACK
Danny and Janet walked quietly together down the path from the main road that lead back to their neighboring farms. Just before they reached the group of willow trees up ahead, the sky opened up and the rain poured down. The two looked up at the sky as the drops continued to fall onto their skin, and together ran to the safety of the trees. Janet's worn dress was completely soaked by the time they had reached the trees. Danny looked at her, now being thirteen, and smiled as he noticed that she had been wearing that same dress for a whole two summers, and before that he could have sworn her older sister had worn it.
"Here," Danny offered as he took off his shirt and handed it to her. It was wet too, but not nearly as soaked as her dress. Janet smiled graciously at him, and slipped the shirt on over her head. The two sat there for a little while waiting for the rain to calm. They had sat down beside each other and hadn't realized they had fallen asleep under the protection of the drooping branches of the willows. The sound of hollering woke them a little later.
"DANIEL!" Mr. Walker drunkenly hollered out. It carried out over the fields to the two who were still wrapped in each others arms under the tree from their nap. Soon there came another hollering, but this time it was worn and tired, "JANET!" The two looked at each other both smiling slightly as they knew what they had coming. "Well," Danny began. "Yeah," Janet finished. They walked through the crops to as far as they could together. Once again Mrs. Dunne hollered, "JANET!"
"Well, I really got to be going. See you tomorrow, Danny?"
"DANIEL WALKER! GIT YER ASS HOME NOW!" Mr. Walker's voice interrupted.
"Tomorrow," Danny replied with a small smile.
"I'M COMIN MAMA!" Janet hollered as she ran towards her house. Danny didn't answer his father, he knew that it wouldn't make a difference if he answered him now or five minutes from now, the outcome would be the same. Before Janet got too far she remembered his shirt, and turned back to holler his name...
"Rafe..." Evelyn finished. Janet's head jerked around from the window to look at the girls. She thought to herself for a moment, 'Did I just say Rafe? It was Danny... not Rafe...'
"Wait, Evelyn, what did..." Janet was about to ask her to repeat what she had just said but the sudden rush of them pulling into the station interrupted. Suddenly there was a herd of people shuffling to get off the train. Janet tried to get through to Evelyn but with the mass of people they were momentarily separated. The girls all formed a group outside on the platform as they exited the train. Janet reached them just as she noticed a group of young soldiers standing before them. Janet looked them over and had to look more than once to make sure she wasn't seeing things.
"RAFE!" She hollered but her voice was not heard over the loud train whistle. She moved towards him and he moved towards her. Just as she was about to go into his arms she realized that those outstretched arms were filled with Evelyn. She stopped dead in her tracks and stared in disbelief. She didn't even notice Danny in the back of the group, but it didn't take long for him to notice her.
"JANET?" He hollered over the group of men. His words caught Rafe off guard and he looked over to see Janet standing only two feet from him. "Jan?" he asked amazed as Danny reached his side.
She smiled in spite of the nauseating feeling growing inside her. "What can I say?"
Rafe quickly hugged her and looked at her with a disapproving look. "You know you're in trouble right?"
"Oh, I knew you'd have something to say, but that can wait until later," She commented as she saw the all the eyes staring at them.
"Alright, but only because this is supposed to be a relaxing evening," he replied as he took a step back and wrapped his arm around Evelyn.
"Janet," Danny said again, pulling her attention back to him. He hugged her tightly as if he was afraid she'd slip away if he let go.
"Danny," she said lightly as the rest of the group slipped past them and found their way to the main street, "If we don't hurry we are bound to get left behind." The two walked together with their arms around each other to the lounge where there was a dance being held. Janet sighed as they entered to see Rafe and Evelyn dancing to 'Cheek to Cheek' by Fred Astaire. Her heart ached a little as she heard the familiar song. It was the one song that they, Rafe and Jan, had danced to at the spring dance. Rafe had went with Danny's younger sister, Collene, and Danny had taken Janet for their senior dance. Janet had held onto that memory, and was now about ready to cry when she saw Rafe making a new memory to their song with Evelyn.
"Janet?" Danny asked for the third time, "Janet, do you want to dance?" She pulled her gaze from Rafe and reluctantly allowed Danny to take her out on the dance floor. Danny knew what Janet had been focussed on, the same thing she was always focussed on... Rafe. Danny had cared about Janet since they were kids, and he hoped that she would see that by now, but she continued to crush on Rafe. Danny could never figure it out. All through their childhood it was Rafe who liked to play nasty tricks on her, and when they reached their teens he only thought of her as one of the guys. To Rafe they were all three 'brothers.' But Danny had never felt that way. Even as a young boy he liked being around Janet, and found it difficult to believe that she never knew how he felt. More than anything Danny had wanted to tell her, but until she decided to let go of Rafe he thought it was pointless.
Janet had been so caught up in the thought of Rafe being with someone else she almost didn't notice Danny. She felt horrible knowing that it wasn't right to ignore him just because she was being so childish over Rafe. She did her best to focus on Danny, and not give Rafe another look. She allowed herself to move freely with him and she was even enjoying herself so much that she had pratically forgotten Rafe. After what seemed like hours of dancing they took a seat at the bar to get some refreshments.
"Oh that was so much fun, wasn't it Danny?" Janet sighed gleefully as she sat down.
"Yeah, I can't believe we actually danced that entire time. I'm glad your enjoying yourself," he added as he handed her a drink.
"Why wouldn't I be? I am with you afterall."
"Oh, I don't know. You just seemed like something was eatting at you earlier," he said glancing over at her and then away again.
Janet felt a slight pang of guilt as she thought about Danny's comment. She shouldn't have acted that way over Rafe, "Oh Danny, I'm sorry. Everything is just fine now... thanks to you." Danny turned to her and saw how genuine her smile was and could not help but wish at that very moment that she was his. That moment was cut short as they both felt an arm being wrapped around their shoulders as Rafe came to stand between them.
"What's the matter you two? Can't ya keep up?"
"Just sat down for a drink is all," Janet answered, "Why don't you and Evelyn join us?" At that moment Janet didn't realize that those words would be her biggest regret. From that point on Rafe and Evelyn were never seen without Danny and Janet. At the movies, out to dinner, walking down the boulevard... everywhere they went they all went together.
One evening the typical foursome decided to join the rest of their friends at the local jazz club for a few drinks. It was the night before they were all to be shipped over to Pearl Harbor, but not everyone was going...
"Will ya tell her for me? I still have to talk to Evelyn and I want to take her somewhere special..."
"Yea, of course I'll tell her, but you know she's going to be pissed," Danny replied as he quietly talked with Rafe outside the club.
"I know but..." Rafe sighed. Just then Janet came out the door with a puzzled look on her face and not far behind her was Evelyn.
"You boys comin' in?"Janet asked.
"Evelyn," Rafe called to her, "I need to talk to ya. Walk with me?" The two turned from their friends, Rafe never saying a word to Janet.
"Danny?" She asked, but he couldn't even look her in the eyes. He walked past her into the club and found himself in the center of a crowd. Janet was right behind him though. "Danny, what is it?"
Slowly he turned towards her, and she could see in his eyes that something wasn't right. Her eyes begged with him to tell her, and he couldn't refuse her. He grabbed her hand and led her to a secluded spot in the corner of the room. "Janet," he started quiet and cautiously, "there's no easy way to tell you this so I'm just going to say it. Rafe isn't going with us tomorrow."
She refused to let the fear take over her, "Well, when is he coming?"
"I don't know if he ever will... Janet, he's been reassigned."
"To where then Danny? Where is he being assigned to?"
"He's going to..." Danny looked her straight in the eyes, appologizing for what he was about to say, "He's going to England to fight in the war."
"What?" Danny tried to take her in his arms, but she pushed him away, "No, he is in the United States military. He can't..." Her heart was pounding and her head was spinning. 'Rafe is going to fight?' she continued to think. She was starting to get dizzy, and leaned into Danny's arms. "I need a drink." But Janet didn't stop with one drink, no she kept drinking one right after the other.
"Come on, Jan, I think you've had enough," Danny announced as he pulled her from her chair.
"But Danny," she whined as she fell into him from not being able to stand on her own. She laughed as she wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up at him, "I don't want to go yet."
"No, we are going to go back to your place now." Danny didn't notice how the two of them must have looked towards everyone else in the room, and after his last comment the situation must have looked more than interesting. He was standing in the middle of a room with all of his fellow flyers around as Janet, who was more than obviously drunk, hung all over him.
"Looks like you've got your hands full, Walker," commented Billy as he and Jean strolled past hand in hand towards the door, "Just don't do anything I wouldn't do." Danny sighed as he let the thought cross his mind. He would never take advantage of Janet, but how he had imagined her wanting to be with him and how they would stay up all night making love. Oh he had definately thought about it, but knew it would never happen.
By the time the cab had reached the house where the girls were staying, Janet had fallen asleep on Danny's shoulder. He carefully lifted her from the car and carried her to her room. Somehow he managed getting in without waking her, but climbing the stairs was a little more challenging. As he laid her on her bed she slowly opened her eyes to stare up at him.
"Danny..."
"Shh, go back to bed," He said covering her with a blanket.
"No, please don't leave me," Her eyes begged with him.
"But I should really be getting back to the base, and you should get some sleep. You're going to feel awful tomorrow morning," As he stood to leave she grasped his hand and pulled him to her.
"Stay with me, I'm scared."
"What do you have to be scared of?" He asked as he sat beside her on the bed.
"Everything... this war, losing Rafe..." Janet saw the pang of jealousy in his eyes. He noticed her looking at him and turned his face away, but she reached up to him. Turning his face to look at her she finished, "Losing you." A small hint of surprise crossed his face as Janet's soft hand touched his cheek. He thought even if she was just talking drunk, it made him feel better.
"Well, that's all silly talk. You're not going to lose anyone or anything, but I'll sit here with you until you fall asleep okay?" She nodded in agreement and he bent down to kiss her forehead, "Goodnight, Janet."
"G'night, Danny," She said as she laid down comfortably still holding his hand.
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Okay so theres all that I have written so far.. I think its going pretty good but PLEASE REVIEW! I want to know what everyone else thinks and whether I should continue to write it or what needs to be changed. I know this is long, and I'll make the others more like chapters if I decide to continue it. SO PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!
xoxo B