Emma woke to the birds singing outside the shed. She felt no different, until she remembered she was a married woman. Blinking herself fully awake, she realised that she was resting on Ben's chest, and that he was staring down at her with a smirk and his loving blue eyes.
"Morning, Em. I'm surprised you're up. You had a very late night last night." He flirted, kissing her head tenderly. Emma flushed.
"Mm. Well, I never sleep in." She sat up, put her feet on the cold floor, and slipped into her nightgown. It was a strange sensation to have Ben in the bed beside her. "I have to go help with breakfast."
"No you don't. Mama doesn't expect you to." Ben protested, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm sure it's fine, Ben." Emma folded her arms and opened the door, walking in her bare feet onto the porch, then into the house. Olivia was the only one up so far, and even she looked tired. "Morning."
Olivia jumped, and rested her gaze on Emma. "Oh, mornin' honey!" She instantly crossed the floor and wrapped the young woman in a hug. "How do you feel?"
Emma laughed awkwardly. How was she supposed to feel? "Fine, I guess?" She ran a hand through her hair before sitting shakily down on the bench.
Mary Ellen walked down to the kitchen, a sad look on her face, and John Curtis on her hip. "Curt left before you came down, mama." Emma wrapped her sister in a hug. John Curtis wriggled out of his mama's arms and toddled around the kitchen floor. Just watching him made Emma want to have children of her own.
Emma settled into married life as easily as she could. Everyone was worried for Curt even more, as he was away in Pearl Harbour, but it seemed safe enough. Although Ben and her had has a few fights, Mary Ellen said they were nothing compared to her and Curt's.
Corabeth ran into the house on December 7th, sobbing and dabbing at her eyes. Mary Ellen and Emma turned to state at her. "Turn on the radio! Quick! It's being repeated!" As Emma did so, her heart beat faster at the news.
"Hello, NBC. Hello, NBC. This is KTU in Honolulu, Hawaii. I am speaking from the roof of the Advertiser Publishing Company Building. We have witnessed this morning the distant view a brief full battle of Pearl Harbor and the severe bombing of Pearl Harbor by enemy planes, undoubtedly Japanese. The city of Honolulu has also been attacked and considerable damage done. This battle has been going on for nearly three hours. One of the bombs dropped within fifty feet of KTU tower. It is no joke. It is a real war. The public of Honolulu has been advised to keep in their homes and away from the Army and Navy. There has been serious fighting going on in the air and in the sea. The heavy shooting seems to be . . . a little interruption. We cannot estimate just how much damage has been done, but it has been a very severe attack. The Navy and Army appear now to have the air and the sea under control."
Mary Ellen let out a cry of pain, meeting Emma's eyes. Taking her sister's hand, Emma swallowed her fears about Curt. But she couldn't not forgot those chilling words.
It is no joke. It is real war.