I'll return to Back to the Beginning very soon. As I was thinking about the next chapter, I reread the beginning of the Pearl Harbor book. I noticed there was very little detail about Rafe and Evelyn's courtship between the eye exam and their evening at the nightclub though Randall Wallace did add the scene in front of the hospital for the movie. Expanding on what he wrote, this is my version of what happened. Please review and let me know if you'd like more chapters.

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Evelyn stood in the shelter of the doorway. She looked at her watch and wondered for the hundredth time why she'd agreed to have coffee with that cocky pilot. She also wondered if he was in possession of a watch because he was ten minutes late. She'd not bothered to change out of her nurse's uniform because they'd agreed to meet when her shift was over. Nevertheless, she'd made sure she had fixed her hair and put on fresh lipstick. All for that flyboy and she didn't know why. Maybe it was because he reminded her of her father.

It had turned chilly and Evelyn pulled her wool cloak closer around her body. It was early December after all and she stood outside and waited.

She looked at her watch again, even though it had barely been a minute since the last time she looked. She sighed and seriously considered going home. She'd not told the nurses she was going to be late and did not want them to worry.

She hadn't told them about the bottle of champagne in front of the hospital or that she'd kissed him. Evelyn was not in the habit of kissing a complete stranger and was still trying to understand why she'd done it. Maybe that's why he was late, because he wasn't going to come and she wouldn't blame him. But the kiss itself was something that made her flush just thinking about it, even in the cold autumn evening.

It was soft and gentle and it had stopped her heart, if only for a moment. There was something she'd felt in the kiss and had a sudden feeling the Lieutenant was not going to go away.

"Hey." She heard. Evelyn turned to see Lieutenant McCawley standing there. "I'm sorry I'm late ma'am. Trainin' went later than usual today."

"That's all right Lieutenant. I was actually beginning to think you were going to stand me up." She admitted.

"Never ma'am." He grinned. "You must be freezin', let's get inside." And he put his hand on her back to usher her into the coffee shop.

They found a table and Rafe helped her off with her cloak before she sat down. She watched him as he took off his overcoat and cap before he, too, sat down.

"Have you eaten?" He asked Evelyn. "I didn't consider that you might not have had supper yet."

"Yes, I did eat already. The girls and I usually eat if our shifts are going into the evening."

She sat across from him, feeling a little awkward.

He seemed to feel the same because he suddenly laughed. "I've never had trouble talkin' to a girl before. Why can't I talk to you?"

"I thought I was the only one feeling like that. Lieutenant..." She started.

"Ma'am, if it's the other evening your worried about, please don't be."

"I just don't want you thinking I make a habit of kissing men I don't know." She couldn't look at him as she told him that.

"Well then, I'm very flattered. I don't usually take a bottle of champagne to a woman I hardly know."

"That was different." And she looked up at him. "You were thanking me for passing you."

"I was. But I wouldn't do that for just any nurse. I wanted to do it for you."

They sat there and looked into each other's eyes and Evelyn suddenly felt her whole body flush. The way he looked at her made her feel as though they were the only two people in the room. Only the waitress asking them if they were ready to order broke their gaze.

Rafe ordered their coffee and asked her if she wanted a piece of pie. She agreed and the waitress told them that there was still pumpkin, if they wanted it. Evelyn nodded. "That would be a treat."

When the waitress had left with their orders, they were again quiet. "You never told me where you were from, Lieutenant."

"Shelby, Tennessee ma'am."

"Are your parents still there?"

"Yes, ma'am. Where are you from?" He grinned at her and Evelyn realized why. He seemed to understand her effort in trying to keep the conversation going.

She smiled at him. "I come from Philadelphia."

"Did you like growin' up there?"

"I did. Dad was away a lot, but my mother was always there. I can't remember a time when she wasn't."

"I know what you mean. Mama and Daddy were always there when I was growin' up."

"How did they feel when you told them you wanted to be a pilot?"

At that moment the waitress came back with their coffee and pie. Evelyn felt as though her timing couldn't have been worse because it ruined the moment, or so she thought. She watched as Rafe poured cream into his coffee, but added no sugar. Evelyn added cream and sugar to hers and as she cut a piece of the pie with the side of her fork, Rafe picked up the conversation as though there had been no interruption. "When I told them I wanted to join the Air Corps to fly Daddy was real happy, but it made Mama cry. It was the first time in my whole life I'd seen her cry." Rafe frowned slightly at the memory.

"She was worried about you." Evelyn stated matter of factly.

"She still does. Daddy wrote me not long ago and told me he reads my letters to Mama and skips the parts about trainin' so she won't have to hear about it."

"Your mother sounds like a wonderful woman."

The look on Rafe's face was not the cocky grin Evelyn had gotten used to so quickly, but the look of a son who was devoted to his mother. "She is." Was all he said.

"You surprise me, Lieutenant."

"How's that, ma'am?" He looked puzzled.

"You can turn on the charm when you want something, but when it comes to talking about your mother you're very serious."

That comment got Rafe to smile. "Haven't you heard about how southern boys feel about their mamas? I'm no different."

That seemed to break the tension they both felt because they laughed and the pair suddenly found that words started to come easier. Rafe told her about growing up in Tennessee and how his father had taken him up in his biplane when he was small. He told her about his best friend Danny and how he'd helped him not only get through school, but through flight training as well.

"He was the one who stood behind you and whispered, wasn't he?"

"That was Danny. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have gotten as far as I have."

"I don't know about that Lieutenant. You're ranked number one in your class, so it was your ability to fly that got you there."

"Flyin' is the only thing I've ever wanted to do. When I told you I was never goin' to be an English teacher, I was serious. Danny is the one who should a teacher."

"You're very lucky to have had such a good friend your whole life. I was an Army brat and we moved a lot, so I never made a lot of friends."

"An Army brat who joined the Navy, I'll bet your Daddy wasn't too happy." He grinned.

"Dad wasn't career Army, so he didn't really mind. Are you going to make the Army your career Lieutenant?"

"I hadn't really thought about it. But don't you think it's time you stop callin' me Lieutenant?"

She could feel her face grow warm. "Only if you stop calling me ma'am."

He nodded in agreement before he extended a hand across the table. "I'm Rafe."

She took his hand and as he shook it, squeezed it very gently. The warmth she'd felt in her cheeks grew warmer and she knew she was blushing. He was too handsome for his own good. "I'm Evelyn. It's very nice to meet you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you too...ma'am." And he grinned.