She was absolutely beautiful. She drew the attention of everyone in the room, and rightfully so. She was radiant with confidence and charm. Her long, blonde hair quite literally looked like a halo and those perfect cupid bow lips were painted a sumptuous red. She was even wearing real, silky stockings. Where in the hell did she get those, Virginia thought. And of out of all the guys in the room why was she sitting with Chuck?
Sure, Chuck was handsome in that sturdy all-American way. But Virginia had a realistic view of her best friend; he wasn't the most charming, nor the most outgoing or flirtatious. He was quiet, polite, and thoughtful. Those were some of the many wonderful things about him and reasons why Virginia knew she was falling in love with him. However, they weren't traits that she thought a bombshell like Adrienne would have picked out of a crowd of dashing young soldiers.
Adrienne was the type of girl that George Luz or Skinny Sisk drooled over, the type of girl Floyd Talbert would sneak away to a corner of the bar.
Of course any guy would have love to have her on his arm, she was perfect. But Chuck was not the obvious choice.
Adrienne was like all the girls Virginia and Chuck had grown up around; California beauties that had never seemed to tempt Chuck before. Chuck wasn't one to ogle girls on the beach or take them out in his car every weekend. Whenever he had had free time between school or work, he just hung out with Virginia and their other friends.
Their friend Mary got engaged the same month Chuck and the other guys enlisted. There was nothing in California for Virginia once all her friends left so she decided to join the Women's Army Corp. as a switchboard operator.
Chuck had been so proud of her when she finally qualified. She had walked over to his house only days before he was due to ship out to show him her letter of certification. Right there in his yard, he had picked her up and spun her around.
"I'm so proud of you, Ginny! And now you'll be able to come with me!"
Butterflies fluttered around her stomach, he wanted her to be with him. "We don't know where I'll be stationed or where you'll be!"
"They have to put us together, I just know they will. I have a feeling."
He had been wrong, then he had been right. Virginia worked her way up the eastern seaboard while Chuck trained in Georgia. Their letters were constant exchanges between good friends sharing the stresses and challenges of their burgeoning military careers.
Where do you think they'll send you next?
North Carolina.
I've been in New York for a while now.
Big city girl.
Definitely not California.
Where will you go after the war?
California.
Me too.
What will you do after the war?
Wouldn't it be nice to have a house by the beach?
Very.
We could get houses by each other.
Maybe.
I'll get a good job, a nice wife, and you'll find a nice guy.
I've already met lots of nice guys.
Not a husband though.
Virginia and Chuck had always been especially close, but Virginia had fallen in love with him through those letters. He was her home and her adventure all in one.
Eventually, he had been right. They were reunited on a troopship destined for England. They had been on the ship for a week before they realized.
I'm on a boat destined for England.
So am I!
The moment she received the letter with his shipment details she had run into the soldiers bunk room to whoops and hollers and shouts of "nurse!".
"Charles Grant? Officer Grant?" she asked as she forced her way past men throwing baseballs and stretching. They all pointed her in the same direction until she reached his bunk.
"Ginny?" he dropped his cards in shock as she threw herself on his bunk.
"I can't believe we're on the same ship!" she squealed. He wrapped his arms around her in a warm hug.
A voice cleared above where they lay unceremoniously embracing, "who's your friend there Grant?"
A handsome young man with dark brown eyes propped his arm against the steal pole of the bunk.
Virginia quickly got up from Chuck's cot, smoothing her skirt. Chuck swung his legs around so he sat to face the new arrival.
"Floyd Talbert, meet Virginia Wilson."
Floyd offered his hand, "nice to meet you."
Floyd Talbert was a flirt and everyone knew it. But Virginia liked him a lot, they clicked from the very start, which made sense since he was a good friend of Chuck's. Just like Chuck, Floyd was very polite, and always made a point of introducing his girlfriends to Virginia - at least the girls he would see more than once.
He would sneak down to the switchboard room to say hi or to the officers building where they would rendezvous for a cup of coffee. So would Chuck, and Virginia always looked forward to those surprise chats. Occasionally, Chuck and Virginia would find themselves on breaks at the same time and would go for walks around the base. The rolling English hills made them both homesick and it was nice to have each other to reminisce with.
Adrienne worked as an officers secretary and they would pass her every time they left the officers building. It didn't occur to Virginia until later that every time Chuck came to see her, he would have passed Adrienne too.
On one autumn evening out, Chuck invited Virginia out to get drinks with him and some of his friends. She knew it wasn't a date but she let herself get more excited than she should have. She gave herself extra time to bathe, to pin up her hair, and even took the time to apply red lipstick and to draw thin brown lines down the back of her legs. She had the army regulation stockings but the dark line down the back of her calves gave them a more alluring look.
"So who you dressing up for?" Floyd asked over his beer. He and Virginia were the only ones remaining at their table after Chuck got pulled into a game of darts.
Virginia flushed, "who say's I'm dressing up for anyone?"
Floyd just looked at her, waiting for her to cave.
"I just wanted to look nice, I haven't been out in a while."
Floyd just nodded, his eyes searching hers before she broke eye contact.
"Ya know," Floyd cleared his throat, "he's been seeing Adrienne."
The blood ran cold in Virginia's veins. She knew exactly who he was talking about, but technically he hadn't said who so maybe it wasn't Chuck. She did her best to sound nonchalant, "who's seeing Adrienne?"
"Your boy," Floyd nodded his head at Chuck, "Chuckie."
Virginia swallowed hard to keep the lump from growing in her throat, "that's exciting!" and she did her best to sound excited.
Floyd shrugged, "sure." He paused, "exciting for him I guess," Floyd sighed.
If Virginia said anything else she would've broke, so she stayed silent. She took a sip of her beer to keep her eyes from welling up with tears.
Suddenly, Adrienne was thrust into her life. Adrienne was sweet and said hi to her every time they passed at work. She was out with them every time that Virginia joined the soldiers for drinks. All the guys loved her because there was nothing not to love! Adrienne was like their own personal movie star; a kind and busty blonde always dressed in a neat suit working for the officers.
At the bars it took all of Virginia's power not to stare at Adrienne. Her fingers were long and thin, like a porcelain dolls. Somehow, her finger nails were always perfectly manicured with cherry red paint. Was that even regulation? Maybe the secretaries didn't have to follow WAC standards. Virginia hadn't painted her nails any color since she left California. The red looked so beautiful curled around the olive drab of Chuck's arm. Every now and then Virginia would catch Chuck and Adrienne leaving the bar alone together. It was a punch to the stomach just imaging what they might be doing or where they might be going alone like that.
"I don't know how I got so lucky," Chuck confessed to her once on one of their walks. He wasn't one to talk about his feelings too much, he was always so mellow. Virginia knew that this confession was the rawest, most surface level expression of what he may actually be feeling.
"How long have you known her though, Chuck?" she asked gently.
"I know, not very long, I'm not rushing into anything," he smiled his little half smile at her, "trust me."
For the first time ever she didn't trust him, not regarding Adrienne.
"Hey, drink," Floyd placed a full beer in front of Virginia, breaking her out of her trance. He took a long drink of his own beer, surveying the room. He had yet to date any of the women in the bar at the moment, which was huge for him. This was his night to find someone new without breaking any hearts.
"Where's Lucy?" Floyd asked.
"She's up at the bar." Virginia gestured to where her friend and co-worker was chatting with Buck Compton.
"Will you be good on your own here? If I socialize?" Floyd asked right as George Luz sat down. "All good with George here!" Virginia reassured him.
"Good, ol' dependable George," George slurred slightly. However, things were not all good with George Luz, depending on who you asked, because the night quickly took another turn. While the company was divided between the dart board and flocking around Adrienne, George Luz bought Virginia shots of gin.
"Fuckin' disgusting," George shuddered as he threw down his third shot.
"I don't know how they drink it," Virginia added, recovering from her second.
"Okay, something to wash it down," George gestured to the bartender.
They drank their beers at the bar and Virginia felt the warm, creeping feeling of the liquor start to take hold on her body.
George finished his beer, leaving only the froth at the bottom, "another?" he asked, his eyes only slightly crossed. Virginia nodded solemnly.
"No more of that gin shit. Two whiskeys neat barkeep!" The bartender raised a suspicious eyebrow at Luz but served them anyways.
"Much better," Luz smacked his lips. Virginia's head was spinning now.
"How we feelin'?" Luz asked her. Virginia allowed a wide grin to spread across her face. "Feelin' good, George."
She linked arms with George and they traipsed around the bar sloppily greeting friends. They interrupted a game of darts before slumping into a corner booth with Joe Liebgott, Popeye, and Lucy. But George and Virginia were in their own world. They sat cozied up chatting, dumb to the jovial world around them. That's when Virginia found herself revealing everything to a very sympathetic George.
"I gotta girl like that too," George sighed.
"Like what? Like Adrienne?"
"I wish," George slumped in the booth, resting his cheek on Virginia's shoulder, "nah I gotta girl who doesn't notice me."
"Chuck notices me," Virginia pouted.
"Does he know you like him? Like love him like him?" George slurred.
Virginia considered this, "I don't think I told him." "Ever?" Virginia shook her head. That was a mistake, the world began to spin slightly. She sat up abruptly, trying to steady herself, and consequentially knocked George off her shoulder. Joe and Lucy eyed them cautiously.
The world settled again and Virginia leaned back into the worn leather of the booth. George shifted so that his legs were up on her lap and his head knocked against the corner of the booth.
"I think you should tell him."
"I don't know…"
"Just in case," George encouraged her.
Virginia glanced over to where Adrienne sat next to Chuck, her hand on his thigh. The alcohol had made her weak. Virginia felt the tears begin to prick at her eyes.
"No, no no," George caught her face in his hands, "no crying! Don't cry, not unless you're alone with the guy!"
Virginia sniffed and blinked her eyes rapidly, "okay, yeah, maybe I will say something to him."
"Okay, yeah, I'll come with you." George swung his legs off of her lap and they scooted out of the booth.
"Where are you guys goin'?" Joe called after them. George just waived his hand dismissively as he followed Virginia into the crowd towards Chuck.
Virginia reached Chuck with her heart thumping in her ears, this was it. She was going to tell him. But maybe she should do it in private? Would he come with her if she asked him for a private word? Or would he leave her standing there? Panic rose up in her just as Chuck noticed her presence.
"Hey, Ginny," he smiled sweetly up at her. Virginia tried to focus on him but she was distracted by the redness of Adrienne's full lips. The woman's face swam in perfect lines of red and black and blonde in Virginia's intoxicated vision.
"Chuck - I, could I -" she stammered. She lost all focus at the sight of Adrienne.
"Are you drunk, Ginny?" Chuck chuckled good naturedly.
"No, kinda, maybe- but actually I wanted-"
"Hey Virginia, I need ya over here." Virginia hadn't even noticed Floyd arrive at her side until suddenly he had an arm wrapped around her waist. "Sorry Chuck, just gonna steal her real quick." Floyd whisked her away, and Chuck didn't even seem to notice that anything was off. He turned right back to talking to Adrienne.
"Hey sweetheart," Floyd murmured, "come over here with me." Floyd sat her down at the back of the bar next to a disgruntled looking young woman. He reappeared in seconds with a large glass of water which he made Virginia drink.
"Let's get you home," Floyd said. He helped Virginia into her coat and led her outdoors. The cool air and water helped to sober her up.
"Shouldn't have left ya alone with Luz should I?" Floyd teased half-heartedly.
Virginia smiled, but the tears were coming again, "I'm sorry for ruining your night, Floyd."
"Hey, don't apologize," he put a comforting arm around her shoulders, "you don't need to be sorry."
"I just- with Chuck -"
"I know."
"I don't know what to do."
Floyd was quiet, the sound of gravel crunching beneath their feet filled their silence.
"I think you're going to have to get over him, Virginia."
Virginia let one tear drop down her cheek. It ran all the way down her face to the edge of her jaw, where it hung for a moment before she wiped it away with a gloved hand. She nodded.
"You're right."
"I know it won't be easy, but you're tough. And you've got friends, including Chuck. He'll always be your friend, and so will I. You've got me here until, and when, things are normal between you and Chuck again."
Virginia smiled and the tears flowed hot down her cheeks. The tears were no longer sad, they were bittersweet. She slung her arm around Floyd's waist and they continued down the quiet, dark English road back to base.