We'll Meet Again
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A Captain America Story
Rated: T (For Sadness)
By: Laliel
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It was August 15th, 1945 and the world was exploding into motion. Across the Allied nations impromptu celebrations sprang up. Confetti kept over years was brought out and thrown, people danced in the streets, strangers hugged strangers, and carefully saved sweets from rationing were brought out and shared.
That same night "Peggy" Margaret Carter sat on a beautifully polished wooden chair in the Stork Club. Around her life was moving vivaciously on, the background chatter was louder than usual as people began to plan for a future that actually existed. The Nazis were defeated, Japan had surrendered, and all the boys would be coming back home now! Or so they said.
In her own corner she watched the door and then glanced at the old clock ticking away on the wall. Through the haze of cigarette smoke that drifted up the ceiling and lingered there, Peggy saw man uniformed men walk past, crisp, clean, smiling but not him.
The old brass band was back in its usual spot and a lovely young lady stood with them. Her red lipstick and pin curls delighted the single soldiers, as did her smart green velvet dress. She was there to serenade the night away, sing the old favorites and perhaps illuminate some new ones.
A few men, their hair slicked back and freshly shaven, glanced her way. But Peggy had purposefully pushed away the second chair to another table; she wanted solitude in the midst of the crowd. She had also dressed up for the occasion. That beautiful red dress that had hung in the back of the wardrobe for years, red nail lacquer and lipstick and real silk stockings, a long ago present from Mr. H. Stark graced her hourglass figured self.
In front of her was an Aviation cocktail with one sip taken from it. Slowly Peggy stood and made her way to the girl with her crowd of fellas. She slipped her a note, wrapped around some money before making her way back to her solitary seat. She saw those long fingers undo the ribbon and glance over it, then at her. She nodded, the movement slight but understanding.
She stepped back and within a couple of moments the band had struck up the tune, slow and as memorable as when Vera Lynn sung it in 1940. The girl stepped up to her stand and took a breath…at 8:00 P.M., she began to sing.
"Let's say goodbye with a smile, dear.
Just for a while dear, we must part.
Don't let this parting upset you
I'll not forget you, sweetheart.
We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when,
but I know we'll meet again some sunny day.
Keep smiling through, just like you always do
'till the blue skies chase those dark clouds far away.
And I will just say "Hello" to the folks that you know,
tell them you won't be long.
They'll be happy to know, that as I saw you go,
you were singing this song...
We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when,
but I know we'll meet again some sunny day.
And I will just say "Hello" to the folks that you know,
tell them you won't be long.
They'll be happy to know that as I saw you go, you were singing this song.
We'll meet again, don't know where, don't when..."
Everyone in the room had stopped by those last quavering notes. Several women and a few men had tears trickling down their cheeks. Whole tables were lost in thought, eyes staring distantly as lost loved ones rose before them like ghosts of the memory. Peggy had finished her drink, the bare glass looking as empty as her heart. She stood and pulled on a long brown overcoat, far too large for her petite frame. One of his.
She delicately opened her slim black evening clutch and pulled out a small tip, paused, then put it on the table. She reached into the coat's pockets for her dark lace gloves and as she pulled them out a single red paper poppy flower rested on top. She laid it beside the money, a lone tear trailing its way down to her quavering lips.
Slowly she made her way through the standing figures to the door, head held high, and used her check for her matching red velvet hat with black net. The men who had just come through the doors doffed their caps in respect and held them open for her. She stepped through and began to walk down 3 East 53rd Street of New York City, just a short distance from Fifth Avenue, still alive with parties and dancing. Confetti showered around like snow and joyful laughter filled the air. From lit apartments and stores came the sounds of victory. It all seemed so close and yet…it was a world away.
The lone figure continued on, illuminated now and then by a street lamp, high-heels clicking on the sidewalk pavement. Just as Peggy reached her apartment, she saw that fireworks were now going off, bright explosions of color dotting the night sky. So quietly that no-one but she could hear she spoke those lines now engraved on her heart:
"Let's say goodbye with a smile, dear.
Just for a while dear, we must part.
Don't let this parting upset you
I'll not forget you, sweetheart.
We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when,
but I know we'll meet again some sunny day…"
A brief wind stirred up and blew against her coat. She gathered the collar together with her gloved hands, continuing to stare up as a red, white and blue firework burst over head. The light reflected in the unshed tears collected in her brown eyes.
"We'll meet again, Steve, I promise, some sunny day…"
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AUTHOR'S NOTE:
If you are interested in hearing this song, look up We'll Meet Again by Vera Lynn, 1940 version on Youtube. There are other versions of her singing this song, but that is my favorite and hence, the one I used for this story.