…The plane to Hawaii took ages…or maybe it was just the anticipation of seeing Danny again. I did still love him, but I felt so betrayed-what if he didn't love me anymore? My mind kept wanderin to the night we first kissed, the night we first made love. He had made me feel so safe in his arms, and I had wanted it stay that way forever. But now, the future seemed so uncertain…
I gazed out the tiny window at the water. Five minutes until landing, just five minutes until I came face to face with Danny. As we landed, I smoothed my dress out and put on some more lipstick, making sure that everything was in place. As I stepped off the plane, I put on my sunglasses and tried to find Danny through the glare. Suddenly, he was right in front of, picking me up and twirling me around. I couldn't help laughing with joy.
"Oh Susie I missed you!" he exclaimed, setting me down but keeping hold of my arms.
"I'm sure you were preoccupied, Danny," I cooed venomously.
"You hate me, don't you?"
"Well, let me think…hmmm…you only broke my heart and dishonored my brother's memory. Nope, no hate at all. Only love an' happiness here."
"Please don't be so angry. We couldn't help it."
"We? So now you talk for her? Speaking of her, where is that conniving little bitch?"
"Suze, keep it down…I'll take you out for a drink and we'll sit on the beach. There's some rocks where we can go talk."
"Fine. But don't expect me to care about anything you have to say."
Resentfully, I followed him to the bar where he got us two bottles of beer. We walked along the water in silence until we got to the rocks overlooking the sunset.
"I love you so much Danny," I blurted out before he could say anything.
"I love you too baby, but I'm so confused right now…"He sighed watching me as I looked at the waves.
"How could you do this to me? To Rafe? You meant everything to the both of us. And now that Rafe is gone, you're leaving me too!"
"I'm always gonna be here for you Suze. You know that."
"Yea, you're always gonna be here for me so I can sit and watch you and your darlin' Evelynn fall madly in love with each other."
"That's not true! I can't tell what's best for me right now. It's always been you in the back of my mind, but if I leave Evelynn she'll lose something else, like she lost Rafe."
"So this is all a charade, huh? All because you want to spare her her feelings?"
"In a way…I mean, I care about her-just not like I care a bout you. She's one of my best friends, but you're my love."
"Then kiss me again, like you used to, and maybe I'll believe you."
Danny stood up and pulled me to my feet. As the sun set behind us, he kissed my forehead gently and then, as I had done nearly two years ago, he traced his lips over my face and finally kissed me strongly and deeply. I felt the same warmth that I had felt on Stanley Drive, and I nearly collapsed in his arms. As he held me and continued to kiss me, I felt the tears fall from his eyes onto my face. We lay down on the rock, lips still connected, and stayed there in an unbreakable kiss that lasted for hours. When we pulled apart, Danny pointed to the stars that had filled the sky.
"Suze," he said quietly into my ear, his warm breath tickling my neck, "I'll still hold your hand so you don't have to worry…"
"I'd like that," I whispered a lone tear rolling down my cheek as he grasped for my hand. In the background, the waves crashed roughly against the rocks and the breeze blew softly against my skin.
…I stayed away from Evelynn that week, because I knew I'd hit her if I ever got the chance. But now that I knew Danny's motives, my heart was at ease. He loved me more than anything else and that was what mattered. And then it happened, something that would send all of us into the eye of the storm…
I sat alone on the beach, knowing that in about a day I would be back in Tennessee, alone. There was something in the air that screamed of change; something big was going to happen. A cough behind me startled me.
"Baby girl?" I turned around at this hauntingly familiar voice.
It was Rafe. And he wasn't dead, he was very much alive and well-and standing behind me.
"Rafe!!!" I screamed, jumping up and pouncing on him. I couldn't hold back my tears as I held my big brother tight.
"Suzie Q, it's alright now. I'm ok, and I'm here with you," he sobbed as held me to him. I felt so tiny compared to him. My hero. He was back.
"What happened Rafe? Are you ok? Oh Lord, I thought you were dead!"
"My ship was sunk but I got out alright. I was bruised, but more 'an anything I was freezing. So I held on to some debris and a French ship picked me up, and here I am."
"Just don't go away again, Rafe. I can't lose you again."
We sat there for an hour or so, just crying on each other. I told him about Danny, and he said he knew. He saw them sitting together. Rafe was angrier about that than I had ever seen him before.
"He promised me in the beginning that he wouldn't hurt you. Hurtin' me was one thing, hurtin' you is the final straw," Rafe drawled coldly.
Finally, he stood up and walked me back to where I was staying.
"You go to sleep now Suze, you're plane leaves the ground at 7:30 tomorrow morning, don't forget," he said warmly as he tucked me in.
"I love you Rafe. I missed you so much," I yawned gazing up at hi m through sleep-clouded eyes.
He kissed my forehead and left to go to the bar and have some rinks with his buddies, who had missed him terribly.
The next day, at 7:15, I waited on board my plane. Danny was nowhere to be found, his friends said that he and Rafe had fought and drove off somewhere in the middle of the night. I left him a letter, and one for Rafe, and knew that everything was going to be alright. Evelynn could have Rafe back now, and Danny would be completely mine again. At 7:45 we took off.
It took about eight minutes until we were completely up in the air. As we left the island, two lanes whizzed past us. Only they weren't American planes, they were Japanese. Nervously, I stared out window and was horrified at what I saw. Bombs were being dropped on Pearl Harbor, guns being fired everywhere.
"No!!!!!!" I screamed helplessly, "Danny and Rafe are there! NO!"
I couldn't lose either of them again, yet what could I do? I couldn't get out of the plane, and there was no way the pilot would go back.
Anxiously, I ran off the plane as it landed in Texas and sat at home, listening for news of the attack on the radio. It had lasted only three or four minutes, but we lost thousands. The phone didn't ring, the doorbell didn't buzz. I had no news of Rafe or of Danny and I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Finally, the next morning, the phone rang.
"Susie? It's Danny."
"Danny!" I breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank God you're okay! Is Rafe alright?"
"He's fine, darlin', but I've got somewhat bad news. Doolittle wants us to go with him to raid Tokyo."
"But you can't! Danny, please don't go!"
"I don't want to go Suze, but it's my duty. Now, if anythin' happens to me…"
"Stop it! I don't want to hear this…"
"You have to, because I love you. If anything happens I want you to remember me always. I want you to go on with your life, okay?"
"Danny, I can't…"
"Promise me!"
"I promise. I love you so much, Danny! Is Rafe there?"
"He couldn't talk over the phone, got to choked up. So he wrote to you instead, about 5 pages, haha. He loves you little Susie, a whole ton."
"Tell him I love him too, tell him I'll be waiting for you both when you get home."
"Bye baby, I love you."
"I love you too, be careful!"
…The Doolittle Raid was a disaster. At first, the US reined victorious and bombed Tokyo with merciless force. However, when they landed in China they were ambushed by a group of Japanese soldiers. Rafe almost died but Danny saved him. My Danny came through for Rafe and saved him. Then, when everything seemed to be okay again, the Japanese captured Danny and tied him up, leaving Rafe for dead. Rafe tried to save Danny, but the Japanese saw his plan. They killed my Danny, killed him right there. He had no chance to fight back, he was tied up. When Rafe got home he tried to hide the fact that Danny was gone from me. This succeed'. But only for five minutes. I saw it in his eyes. Rafe and Evelynn got married, and had a baby, Danny's with Evelynn. They named him Danny Jr., and buried Danny in our backyard in Tennessee. I never did fall in love again the same way that I loved Danny. Evelynn tried to find me someone, and eventually it worked. I got married an' tried to move on. But Danny will always be my truest love. And even now, as I remember that fateful July night on Stanley Drive, I know that he's still holdin' my hand so I don't have to worry.
I gazed out the tiny window at the water. Five minutes until landing, just five minutes until I came face to face with Danny. As we landed, I smoothed my dress out and put on some more lipstick, making sure that everything was in place. As I stepped off the plane, I put on my sunglasses and tried to find Danny through the glare. Suddenly, he was right in front of, picking me up and twirling me around. I couldn't help laughing with joy.
"Oh Susie I missed you!" he exclaimed, setting me down but keeping hold of my arms.
"I'm sure you were preoccupied, Danny," I cooed venomously.
"You hate me, don't you?"
"Well, let me think…hmmm…you only broke my heart and dishonored my brother's memory. Nope, no hate at all. Only love an' happiness here."
"Please don't be so angry. We couldn't help it."
"We? So now you talk for her? Speaking of her, where is that conniving little bitch?"
"Suze, keep it down…I'll take you out for a drink and we'll sit on the beach. There's some rocks where we can go talk."
"Fine. But don't expect me to care about anything you have to say."
Resentfully, I followed him to the bar where he got us two bottles of beer. We walked along the water in silence until we got to the rocks overlooking the sunset.
"I love you so much Danny," I blurted out before he could say anything.
"I love you too baby, but I'm so confused right now…"He sighed watching me as I looked at the waves.
"How could you do this to me? To Rafe? You meant everything to the both of us. And now that Rafe is gone, you're leaving me too!"
"I'm always gonna be here for you Suze. You know that."
"Yea, you're always gonna be here for me so I can sit and watch you and your darlin' Evelynn fall madly in love with each other."
"That's not true! I can't tell what's best for me right now. It's always been you in the back of my mind, but if I leave Evelynn she'll lose something else, like she lost Rafe."
"So this is all a charade, huh? All because you want to spare her her feelings?"
"In a way…I mean, I care about her-just not like I care a bout you. She's one of my best friends, but you're my love."
"Then kiss me again, like you used to, and maybe I'll believe you."
Danny stood up and pulled me to my feet. As the sun set behind us, he kissed my forehead gently and then, as I had done nearly two years ago, he traced his lips over my face and finally kissed me strongly and deeply. I felt the same warmth that I had felt on Stanley Drive, and I nearly collapsed in his arms. As he held me and continued to kiss me, I felt the tears fall from his eyes onto my face. We lay down on the rock, lips still connected, and stayed there in an unbreakable kiss that lasted for hours. When we pulled apart, Danny pointed to the stars that had filled the sky.
"Suze," he said quietly into my ear, his warm breath tickling my neck, "I'll still hold your hand so you don't have to worry…"
"I'd like that," I whispered a lone tear rolling down my cheek as he grasped for my hand. In the background, the waves crashed roughly against the rocks and the breeze blew softly against my skin.
…I stayed away from Evelynn that week, because I knew I'd hit her if I ever got the chance. But now that I knew Danny's motives, my heart was at ease. He loved me more than anything else and that was what mattered. And then it happened, something that would send all of us into the eye of the storm…
I sat alone on the beach, knowing that in about a day I would be back in Tennessee, alone. There was something in the air that screamed of change; something big was going to happen. A cough behind me startled me.
"Baby girl?" I turned around at this hauntingly familiar voice.
It was Rafe. And he wasn't dead, he was very much alive and well-and standing behind me.
"Rafe!!!" I screamed, jumping up and pouncing on him. I couldn't hold back my tears as I held my big brother tight.
"Suzie Q, it's alright now. I'm ok, and I'm here with you," he sobbed as held me to him. I felt so tiny compared to him. My hero. He was back.
"What happened Rafe? Are you ok? Oh Lord, I thought you were dead!"
"My ship was sunk but I got out alright. I was bruised, but more 'an anything I was freezing. So I held on to some debris and a French ship picked me up, and here I am."
"Just don't go away again, Rafe. I can't lose you again."
We sat there for an hour or so, just crying on each other. I told him about Danny, and he said he knew. He saw them sitting together. Rafe was angrier about that than I had ever seen him before.
"He promised me in the beginning that he wouldn't hurt you. Hurtin' me was one thing, hurtin' you is the final straw," Rafe drawled coldly.
Finally, he stood up and walked me back to where I was staying.
"You go to sleep now Suze, you're plane leaves the ground at 7:30 tomorrow morning, don't forget," he said warmly as he tucked me in.
"I love you Rafe. I missed you so much," I yawned gazing up at hi m through sleep-clouded eyes.
He kissed my forehead and left to go to the bar and have some rinks with his buddies, who had missed him terribly.
The next day, at 7:15, I waited on board my plane. Danny was nowhere to be found, his friends said that he and Rafe had fought and drove off somewhere in the middle of the night. I left him a letter, and one for Rafe, and knew that everything was going to be alright. Evelynn could have Rafe back now, and Danny would be completely mine again. At 7:45 we took off.
It took about eight minutes until we were completely up in the air. As we left the island, two lanes whizzed past us. Only they weren't American planes, they were Japanese. Nervously, I stared out window and was horrified at what I saw. Bombs were being dropped on Pearl Harbor, guns being fired everywhere.
"No!!!!!!" I screamed helplessly, "Danny and Rafe are there! NO!"
I couldn't lose either of them again, yet what could I do? I couldn't get out of the plane, and there was no way the pilot would go back.
Anxiously, I ran off the plane as it landed in Texas and sat at home, listening for news of the attack on the radio. It had lasted only three or four minutes, but we lost thousands. The phone didn't ring, the doorbell didn't buzz. I had no news of Rafe or of Danny and I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Finally, the next morning, the phone rang.
"Susie? It's Danny."
"Danny!" I breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank God you're okay! Is Rafe alright?"
"He's fine, darlin', but I've got somewhat bad news. Doolittle wants us to go with him to raid Tokyo."
"But you can't! Danny, please don't go!"
"I don't want to go Suze, but it's my duty. Now, if anythin' happens to me…"
"Stop it! I don't want to hear this…"
"You have to, because I love you. If anything happens I want you to remember me always. I want you to go on with your life, okay?"
"Danny, I can't…"
"Promise me!"
"I promise. I love you so much, Danny! Is Rafe there?"
"He couldn't talk over the phone, got to choked up. So he wrote to you instead, about 5 pages, haha. He loves you little Susie, a whole ton."
"Tell him I love him too, tell him I'll be waiting for you both when you get home."
"Bye baby, I love you."
"I love you too, be careful!"
…The Doolittle Raid was a disaster. At first, the US reined victorious and bombed Tokyo with merciless force. However, when they landed in China they were ambushed by a group of Japanese soldiers. Rafe almost died but Danny saved him. My Danny came through for Rafe and saved him. Then, when everything seemed to be okay again, the Japanese captured Danny and tied him up, leaving Rafe for dead. Rafe tried to save Danny, but the Japanese saw his plan. They killed my Danny, killed him right there. He had no chance to fight back, he was tied up. When Rafe got home he tried to hide the fact that Danny was gone from me. This succeed'. But only for five minutes. I saw it in his eyes. Rafe and Evelynn got married, and had a baby, Danny's with Evelynn. They named him Danny Jr., and buried Danny in our backyard in Tennessee. I never did fall in love again the same way that I loved Danny. Evelynn tried to find me someone, and eventually it worked. I got married an' tried to move on. But Danny will always be my truest love. And even now, as I remember that fateful July night on Stanley Drive, I know that he's still holdin' my hand so I don't have to worry.