Emily's Story
Morning came to Emily very early after a restless night's sleep. She had tossed and turned all night. She kept waking up thinking about Charlie.
She could no longer lie in her bed. Emily dressed and quietly left the dormitory room. It was so early the receptionist hadn't reported for duty yet. She heated some water for tea. When she had finished it, she decided to take a walk. She was too antsy to sit.
On her walk Emily saw the city of London begin to wake up. The buses had started their morning routes; men were arriving at foundry for the early morning shift. Vendors had set up tables in the plaza. Several were covered with different kinds of flowers. Women were sitting on stools making bouquets to sell. And several men left a drinking establishment where they had spent the night drinking. Their rowdy voices interrupted the serene scene.
Emily continued to walk back to the motor pool building. The receptionist had arrived and spoke to her.
"Sheila's was looking for you. You're needed to be a fourth for Bridge."
"Do you expect many requests for drivers today?"
"I doubt it. There are only a few officers still here in London."
"I suppose that's a good way to pass the time."
Emily found the others waiting for her around a card table in one of the corners of the dormitory room. She was asked.
"Where did you go so early this morning?"
"Just for a walk."
Emily wasn't about to tell them she was worried about Charlie. She took the empty chair across from Sheila. She dealt the cards; Emily placed the first bid.
They had such a good time, the receptionist came to the room to remind them it was lunch time. They cleared the table and walked to the nearby restaurant which provided their meals. Afterwards they went their separate ways. Sheila needed some things from the apothecary shop. The other two went to visit friends who lived in the city.
Emily walked back the motor pool building. She began to think about Charlie again. She wondered where he was and what he was doing. And all those thoughts caused her eerie feeling to grow stronger.
In the dorm room she took off her shoes; fluffed her pillow so she could read. That only made her drowsy. She succumbed to sleep. After all she hadn't had a good night's sleep.
It was the other girls' chatter which woke her. Emily couldn't believe she had slept until dinner time.
When they returned from the restaurant, the others went on to the dormitory room. Emily stayed behind to read the evening newspaper.
Emily thought it was strange there was no news about the invasion. She turned to the society page. There she read about all the babies who were born last week. She put the paper down as she smiled.
She was remembering Charlie's words. I hope you do get pregnant, and her thoughts about him. He'll make a good daddy.
Emily was about ready to return to the dormitory room when she heard the receptionist.
"Emily, Admiral Magneson's yeoman called for a driver. He specifically asked for you. You must have impressed him."
"I certainly don't know how; he only said hello when I was introduced to him."
"It doesn't matter; you need to fulfill his request. He's at the Wellington Hotel."
"I'll be ready in a moment."
She drove there wondering why he had requested her and where he needed to go. She parked and went inside.
"I'm here for Admiral Magneson."
"I'll ring his yeoman, Miss Barham."
Emily heard the hotel clerk tell him she was here. She stepped away from the desk to wait for him. They walked out to her car together. She opened his door. Before getting in the back seat, the Admiral spoke to her.
"Miss Barham, I'm so glad you were available. I wanted to be the first to tell you the invasion was postponed last night. Clouds covered the moon; it was going to give enough light for the aircraft to provide protection for the marines and the soldiers landing on the beach. The plan is to attempt the invasion tonight. Charlie is going to be gone a few more days."
Now Emily knew why there was nothing in the paper about D-Day. And now her eerie feeling was frightening her. She hoped her response wouldn't express her fear.
She calmly said. "I thank you for telling me."
He then took his seat and Emily closed his door. She hurried to get in the car. They rode in silence.
His destination wasn't far, only four city blocks. "We're here Admiral, the Allies Combined Military Headquarters."
A sailor opened the car's door for the Admiral. "No need to wait, Miss Barham. I'll be here until morning."
Emily wanted to ask why he would be staying all night but thought it wasn't her place to inquire. But she did ask the sailor; sailors knew everything.
"Miss Barham, he wants to know if the first person to die on Omaha Beach is a navy man."
"In God's name, why?"
"They want to build a tomb there after the war is over to honor him. Commander Madison and his crew are going to film the entire landing."
"Are you telling me, my Charlie is going to land on Omaha Beach with all the marines and soldiers?"
"I'm not lying; he is. I thought he might have told you."
"Sailor, this is awful. He told me he was only an adviser. Charlie's a dog-robber not a real navy man. He may die there. Now I know why I have feel so frightened. Where can I go to listen to the news wires?"
"You can do that right here in the headquarters. I'll take you to a room with a radio and put it on the proper frequency for you; but I can't stay with you."
"I understand. Let me park the car around the corner."
Emily then hurried back to the front door. The sailor led her to a small room with a window; it was necessary for the antenna to hang out of it so a good signal could be picked up.
At first Emily heard nothing but static. The sailor slowly turned the dial and they both heard.
Reporting from the lead ship in Portland. The weather report is good. The cloud cover which kept the aircraft grounded last night is totally gone; the moon seems twice as bright as usual.
"Sailor, do you know the scheduled time for the first ships to leave?"
"Twenty-one thirty hours."
Emily looked at her watch. "That's less than thirty minutes from now."
"And I need to return to duty; others may be arriving to sit with the Admiral."
"Thank you for your help. I have no idea how long I'll stay. I'll turn the radio off before I leave."
The sailor departed and Emily was too fidgety to sit. But she did listen. At first it was the multitude of all the men's voices she heard.
Then the reporter announced. The battleships have left the port. Other transport ships will be launched every few minutes. It will take several hours for all 1000 of the ships to make it into the channel. They will join another 1000 leaving Southampton. Their destination is Omaha Beach.
The radio broadcast went silent; all that could be heard was the engine noise and a few muted voices. Then there was this.
Men listen up. I want to read you a message from our Supreme Commander. Soldiers, sailors, airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force, you are about to embark on a great crusade toward which we have striven these many months. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere go with you.
There was another pause and then Emily heard what she knew was Bus's voice.
All right, Charlie, here's the camera. I'll be back with your battery pack.
"Oh my, he really is on one of the ships."
There was quiet again. Emily didn't know most of the men were trying to sleep. Before too long she heard.
I think I'm going to be sick.
The reporter turned off his microphone; she didn't hear the sailor wretch. Soon she did hear.
It's going to be a long night. The demolition experts won't be in the water until zero three hundred hours. My transmission will end now. Pray for us.
Emily looked at her watch. It was now midnight. She knew all she could do was pray for Charlie and all the men. She turned off the radio and returned to the motor pool dormitory room.
There she changed into her nightgown and knelt by her bed and prayed silently. Her prayers caused her to weep.
She was glad there were very few girls in the room who might hear her; Sheila, whose bed was next to hers was sound to sleep. Finally she crawled into bed and wept herself asleep.
