Navy Girl


Chapter Seven

Danny didn't get his retaliation until weeks later, since things kept coming up. It was the third Sunday of August when he met Miranda at the dock of the Oklahoma. She had kept her hair down, for a change, and it whipped around her face in the wind. Danny took her hand and led her down to his barracks, where a bucket full of water sat outside the door. Miranda put her hand in and shivered.
          "Icy cold!" said Danny happily, lifting the bucket. Miranda pushed open the door and stuck her head in. The cabin was silent except for the snores of ten sleeping pilots. "Gooz is in the fourth bed on the right, next to Billy," Danny whispered hoarsely. Miranda nodded and pulled the door open the rest of the way, slipping off her shoes so that her feet made no noise. Danny crept in beside her. "Leave the door open," he hissed, "so we can get out quick. It won't be good to get in trouble with our commanding officer," he said knowingly. Miranda stayed by the door as a guard as Danny walked over to Gooz's cot.

          He tossed a mischievous smile at Miranda as he tipped the faded yellow bucket over. Water spilled out over Gooz's pillow, and the poor man sputtered and shook his head as Danny dropped the bucket onto the floor and sped out of the room. Pilots raised their heads as Miranda slammed the door shut and ran with Danny across the vacant field and into the grass, carrying her shoes in her hand. The two crouched in the tall weeds, stifling their laughter as Gooz burst out of the barracks, shaking the water off his hair and waving his fist. Danny snorted and took Miranda's hand, and they snuck away behind the hangar.

          "That was priceless," Miranda whispered, watching Gooz go back inside, defeated.

          "He's going to have my head tomorrow," Danny said, laughing still. "Let's go somewhere, I can't go in now. Gooz'll kill me!"

          "Well, where do you want to go?" Miranda said, turning her head to look at Danny. Danny smiled.

          "Let's go swimming."

          They went down to their secret place. Miranda dove in, stopping to take her shoes off. Her dress billowed around her in the water. Danny dove in and surfaced next to her, running his fingers through her hair. Miranda smiled and ran her hand down his cheek, lopping her arms around his neck and pressing closer to him. His skin was warm even in the cold water.

          "I love you, Miranda," he whispered. Miranda tilted her head so that her lips were next to Danny's ear.

          "I love you too, Danny," she said.

***

          September went slowly, since Danny and Miranda's duties kept them from seeing each other except on Sundays. Then they would spend the whole day together, going swimming or surfing or bringing a picnic to a field. Then they would go eat together, and then maybe go see a movie with Danny's pilot friends and a couple sailors from the Oklahoma. October brought cooler weather, and the water turned gray. The hibiscus flowers planted around the harbor drooped, although the Hawaiian climate kept them from dying completely. By the end of November, the streets of Honolulu were draped with Christmas lights.

          "It's beautiful!" Miranda said, looking down the main street of the city. Danny took her hand and let Miranda rest her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah," he agreed softly. "But it feels too warm to be Christmas already."

"I know," Miranda said. "It's probably snowing already at my parents house." Gooz walked out of the store that they were standing next to, and cast them a wary look.

"He still hasn't forgiven me," Danny said to Miranda, laughing. "Hey, Gooz!" he said, waving his arm. "Want to catch a movie with me and Miranda and Red? It's a Charlie Chaplin!" he called in a wheedling voice. Gooz smiled and walked over, holding a box of donuts under his arm.

          "Donuts, this late?" said Miranda, looking questionably at the box.

          "What's wrong with that?" asked Gooz in a hurt tone. Miranda grinned.

          "Can I have one?" she asked. Gooz held the box open and she took a glazed one. He offered the box to Danny, who took a chocolate one. Then they walked down the street towards the theater, hiding the donuts from the ushers as they sat down in the middle of one of the front rows. Red joined them a minute later. The news brief came on. Pictures of planes crashing filled the screen. Danny tensed, and Miranda took his hand, squeezing it for reassurance. He relaxed once the movie started. Miranda thought about how Rafe's death had changed Danny. He must still have an empty spot inside that even she couldn't fill.

          When the movie was over, the four went to the Black Cat. They sat in a booth and ordered drinks. Miranda stirred her wine with her straw as she contentedly listened to the men talk about war and their planes and things. Their voices became a comforting background lullaby as Miranda gazed lovingly at Danny. Every once in a while Danny would turn and smile at her, and Miranda found herself rethinking her views on marriage.

          Ever since she was little Miranda found the idea of marriage appalling and scary. It frightened her to think about spending the rest of her life with just one person. What if she married someone who abused her, or didn't love her? What if she made a mistake?

          But there in the diner Miranda found herself wishing that Danny would propose to her because Danny was the only thing that she was sure of.

***

          A week later Danny sprinted down the road and up to the deck of the Oklahoma, running past a group of sailors exercising and jumping over a bucket of soapy mopping water. The sailor holding the mop itself shouted and cursed at Danny for ruining his mopping job. His apology was thrown into the wind as he ran down into the ship. He knew that this would get him punished if he was caught, but this was too important to worry about that.

          He shoved the cafeteria doors open with his shoulder and slammed his hands down onto the table were Miranda sat, startling her and Steve and the rest of their companions and almost upsetting their lunch trays. "Miranda," Danny said, breathing heavily, "come with me!"

          "Danny, you know I can't do that!" Miranda hissed, looking around frantically. "If anyone sees you"-

          "Just come on!" he said, pulling her up from the table and around into a vacant corridor.

          "What the hell's going on, Danny?" Miranda said. "You could get us both thrown out"-

          "Miranda," Danny interrupted, "Rafe's alive."    

          Miranda shut up instantly and stared at Danny disbelievingly. Danny drew a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and shoved it into Miranda's hand. She looked at it curiously. Two words stared up at her from the paper:

I'm alive.