The Longest Journey - Chapter 2
-----Two hours later-----
"I don't believe it you come straight home and you get a date and I go out to the so called "dance hall", it's more like a cattle market and there isn't one decent guy, life is so unfair," Martha said giving her a gentle push as she sat on Jill's bed.
Jill smiled and pulled her bed covers over her.
"I just walked home and then he wanted to walk me home," Jill explained, "he's really nice and he just seemed so easy to talk to."
"Plus he's so handsome," Martha replied pretending to be in a huff.
Betty lay across her bed and stared dreamily at Jill, "I'm so jealous, why can't I find a guy like that,"
"Betty, honey, you are so pretty I think we are going to have to fight them off you," Martha informed her.
"And toots that's my job," Barbara interrupted sticking her head through the door, "Hey M, are you coming to bed or gonna spend the whole night yapping with these two?"
"I'm coming," Martha smiled as she stood up from Jill's and then began to tuck both Jill and Betty in.
"Hey Mom, you don't need to do that," Jill teased her.
"I just can't help myself," Martha laughed, "it's the training if I see a bed I gotta make sure it's all tucked in,"
Martha left the room and Jill switched off her light.
"Betty, why are you staring at me?"
"Did you kiss him?"
"What? I just met him, no I didn't," Jill replied
"Did you want to?"
"Betty, I'm going to sleep," Jill replied again pulling her cover up to her head.
Jill could hear Betty laughing and she knew that she was being teased.
-----Next Morning-----
Jill yawned as she slowly made her way to the kitchen. The apartment was quiet and she silently thanked the lord she was not working today.
"Hey Ev," she said as she noticed her friend sitting at the table drinking orange juice and flicking through a magazine.
"Morning sleepy head." Evelyn replied as she noticed Jill's heavy eyes and spectacular bed hair.
"I'm so pleased to be off today." Jill said sitting at the table and reaching for some juice.
"So am i." Evelyn replied with a huge grin.
"Why are you so happy at this ungodly hour?" Jill asked.
"It's a beautiful day, I have the day off and I'm going out." Evelyn replied and she stood up and placed her dishes at the sink.
"Has this got anything to do with a certain pilot that you met yesterday?" Jill asked again rolling her eyes as Evelyn almost floated about the room.
Evelyn turned to look at her, the grin still fixed on her face and she eagerly sat down once more. "Yes, we're meeting at the coffee shop this afternoon, "Evelyn paused slightly to check if anyone was outside the room, "He's so nice Jill and such a gentleman, I really like him."
Jill smiled back finding it hard to avoid the infectious happiness radiating off her friend. "I'm so pleased for you and as you know he does have a very fine butt."
Evelyn almost choked at Jill's statement, "Jill."
"I'm teasing you." Jill replied almost in hysterics.
"Anyway, how was your night?" Evelyn asked once she had managed to compose herself.
"I ended up coming straight home." Jill replied.
"You didn't meet the girls?"
"No, I was tired and after all the trouble of yesterday I just wanted to sleep and forget about it all." Jill explained as she began to cut up an apple.
"You worry too much," Evelyn tried to assure her, "anyway what was this I was hearing about you picking up a guy on the way home."
"What?" Jill immediately looked up at her stunned.
"My turn to tease you now," Evelyn smiled," Tell all."
"I was just walking home and I can assure you that I did not pick him up. Anyway I had just left you and there was a group of the pilots that we had seen earlier,"
"Yes." Evelyn grinning at Jill and encouraging her to continue.
"I was actually quite short with them when they first tried to speak to me. After everything that Martha and Barbara had drilled into me plus I was tired. They were just winding this one guy up and I didn't want any hassle," Jill explained, "Anyway he followed me and caught me up and we just got talking."
"Yes,"
"Evelyn, that's was all that happened." Jill replied.
"What was his name?" Evelyn asked exasperated.
"Oh, he's called Danny and he was one of the pilots from earlier today."
"And his surname?"
"Walker." Jill said not looking at Evelyn.
"Danny Walker, I think he's the one that was helping Rafe with his eye exam." Evelyn realised. "He's handsome Jill but obviously not as handsome as Rafe."
"Right I'm leaving now; you have a nice time with Rafe." Jill said her cheeks reddened with embarrassment.
"Jill, I'm teasing you."
"That's all everybody seems to do to me lately."
"Okay, I'm being serious now," Evelyn said as she stood up and moved in front of Jill taking her hands in her own, "Danny seems to be a nice guy Jill, I know I've only really spoken to Rafe once at length but he speaks of Danny a lot. You know I'm here for you at any time if you ever need to speak to me about anything."
Jill looked up at her, "I'm sorry Ev for taking things to heart, it's just I haven't even been on a date and everyone seems to think it's this great love affair."
"Jill, you don't listen to anyone else but yourself," Evelyn said gently brushing the hair away from Jill's eyes, "now what are you and the girls doing today?"
"I'm not sure I think we were going out for lunch." Jill replied the smile once again returning.
"You have a nice time."
"Thanks Ev for everything." Jill said as she went to get ready.
-----Later that afternoon-----
"Well I don't think I could eat another mouthful." Jill said as she pushed her plate away from her.
"I know I'm going to get so fat if we keep eating like this." Betty added patting her stomach.
"Now that's the most ridiculous thing I've heard from you." Martha replied, "there isn't one ounce of fat on you."
"Hey girls I really need to be going I'm working tonight," Sandra said.
"Me too," Barbara quickly added.
"We'll walk you back." Jill said.
"You don't have to."
"Yes we do or I'm gonna get some of that chocolate cake and I know I'll regret that later." Betty said eyeing the cake with great suspicion.
Jill laughed at her friend, "You are so funny."
"I'm being serious it's shouting at me to eat it."
"Quick toots, get your jacket on before it leaps on you." Barbara said holding out her jacket.
The group of girls left the café to the sound of laughter as they slowly started to make their way back to the nurse's residence.
"Jill, is that Danny?" Barbara asked as she saw two men in uniform walking in front of them turn and stop when they heard the sound of the laughter.
"With Rafe." Jill suddenly said.
"I finally get to meet the mystery men." Sandra exclaimed.
"You saw them at the inoculation station." Martha replied.
"Probably but I didn't know that they were the men that Evelyn and Jill have been going on about." Sandra explained lowering her voice as they approached them.
"That's your problem Sandra, always walking around all these men with your eyes shut." Barbara teased and Sandra pouted at her in return.
The girls stopped talking as soon as they were in hearing distance.
"Good afternoon ladies, we were just coming to see Evelyn and Jill," Rafe said, "and of course all you lovely ladies."
"Smoothy." Barbara whispered to Martha.
"I'm Rafe McCawley and this is Jill's good friend Daniel Walker."
Danny and Jill just stared at each other both fighting the redness that threatened to creep up their faces.
"Well Rafe, this is Sandra, Martha, Jill and Betty," Barbara said introducing her friends, "We were actually on our way back to the residence if you want to accompany us."
"That would be good." Rafe replied.
Danny and Jill just smiled at each other as they began to walk together as everybody else seemed to hurriedly walk away in front of them in a not so subtle way. Jill noticed that Betty would look back occasionally and smile in encouragement. Jill found it easy to talk to Danny but she noticed he did not give much away about himself instead he always seemed to redirect the conversation around to her.
"Here we are." Jill said as they reached the door of the residence.
"Well I have to be back at base so I better be going," Danny said, "it was so nice to see you again and I'll see you on Saturday."
"I'm looking forward to it." Jill replied noticing the grin appear on Danny's face, "and I promise we won't have everyone watching us on Saturday."
"See you later." Danny said as he watched her close the door.
----Saturday----
"I'm so nervous." Jill said as Betty helped her style her hair.
"You'll be fine and anyway he'll be the one with the nerves when he sees you in that dress." Betty said fixing the last piece of hair.
"You don't think it's too much." Jill asked looking down at the black dress.
"No, it's lovely plus it accentuates all the right places." Betty replied raising her eyebrow.
"Betty!" Jill said blushing furiously.
"Here, take my jacket it goes better with your dress and it'll keep you warm." Betty said passing over her jacket and throwing Jill's over her uniform.
"I don't know what I would do without you, you're my best friend." Jill said pulling Betty into a tight hug.
"Don't go creasing your dress, now you go out there and show him what's he's been missing his whole life." Barbara interrupted.
Jill smiled at Betty, "Wish me luck."
"Honey, you don't need luck," Barbara replied, "You have a great time tonight."
Jill felt herself taking a deep breath as she opened the door to the staff room. She gave a quick glance back to see Betty with an encouraging look on her face. Jill walked quickly towards the main entrance and she paused slightly when she Danny standing waiting for her. He was shuffling his feet and his hands were once again in his pockets, she felt herself relax when she saw the nervousness in his body language.
"Hey Danny." She said as she opened the entrance door.
Danny immediately took his hands out of his pockets and walked towards her.
"I'm sorry I'm a bit late." Jill added.
"You look lovely Jill." Danny replied smiling, "Are you still okay going to the dancehall?"
"Yes, if you are?"
"Let's go then." Danny replied holding out his arm for Jill.
Both were unaware that they were being watched for an upstairs window.
"Hey Betty, watch you don't fall out of that window." Barbara said as she noticed Betty inching further out of the window.
"They look so good together." Betty said coming back from the window.
"Who look good together?" Evelyn asked as she came into the staff room.
"Jill and Danny." Betty informed her.
"There out there just now." Evelyn said scampering to the window, "Oh I've missed them."
Barbara smiled at Betty, "Evelyn get back from the window, I don't want to have to tell that flyboy of yours that you fell out of the window."
"Very funny," Evelyn replied, "Is that you both finished for the night."
"Yes, we're going to the diner with Martha and Sandra if you want to come." Betty answered as she gathered up her belongings.
"I'd love to but I'm meeting Rafe tonight for something to eat." Evelyn said feeling slightly bad at the amount of time she was spending with Rafe and not the girls.
Barbara could see her reluctance, "Well, with what's going on at the moment with this whole war thing you're doing the right thing honey, make every moment count."
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