Sandra didn't know what to make of it.
Since Rafe had been shot down, Danny had been spending a lot of time with Evelyn. She kept telling herself she didn't need to be jealous, but she was. She felt badly because of it because she trusted Danny, but grief did strange things to people and Evelyn seemed to seek him out.
She'd had to break their date for the movie they'd been planning on seeing that evening. She'd tried to talk him into going anyway, but Danny felt funny about going by himself. But it was a movie they had been waiting to see and she didn't want him to miss it on her account. "They're shorthanded tonight at the hospital and I wasn't given much of a choice. Please go, otherwise you'll go back to the barracks and sit by yourself."
He grinned at that because he knew she was right. The other pilots had dates for dinner and he wasn't going to be a third wheel but going to the movie by himself was not something he really wanted to do. "I'd rather wait until we can go together."
"Just go. You can tell me if you like it or not."
"I'm doin' this under protest."
"It's been duly noted Lieutenant Walker."
It was late he knew because when he looked at his watch it read 10:20. He hadn't told Sandra he was coming because he hadn't planned on it, but he needed to talk to her. After being spotted with Evelyn at the cafe by Barbara and the others, he didn't want Sandra to get the wrong idea. He looked at his watch again, "What am I doin'?" and he knocked on the screen door.
Evelyn was the first one there and she was in her nightgown. Damn! She's already gone to bed.
"Danny?"
The other girls came out, Sandra not far behind. They all wondered why he was there and Sandra's hand went to her hair, she'd already rolled it up for the night and she was embarrassed to have him see her like this.
He could see Sandra was not real happy to see him. What did they tell her?
Evelyn was the first to usher the other girls back inside to leave Danny and Sandra alone.
He was looking at her through the screen door and she didn't move from where she was standing. "I'm sorry it's so late. I was goin' to wait to talk to you tomorrow, but I couldn't sleep."
"A guilty conscience will do that." She regretted it the minute it came out because Danny looked hurt.
"I've got nothin' to feel guilty about Sandra. You should know that by now."
She couldn't help it. "Barbara said you two looked pretty cozy."
"Barbara doesn't know what she's talkin' about." And he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "We spent the whole time talkin' about Rafe. She misses him somethin' fierce and all she wanted to do was talk about him, only him."
Sandra stood there listening and as much as she wanted to believe him, she couldn't help but wonder if there was anything else to it. "She said you looked happy being with her."
Danny sighed. "I was tellin' her a story about Rafe and me when we were kids. Sandra, Rafe was my best friend and he really loved Evelyn."
"I want to believe you."
"Then do."
It was Sandra's turn to sigh. "You've been spending a lot of time with her."
He nodded. "That's true, I have. But she needs to talk about Rafe and I listen because I know him," He paused. "Knew him."
"You really miss him don't you?"
"Yea. And that's why we talk. I need to talk about him too and because he meant so much to the both of us, she understands. Besides, it's not like I haven't talked to you." She wasn't budging. "Sandra, I haven't been keepin' anything from you."
"I want to believe you." She said a second time.
"You can. Honey, I'm lookin' after Evelyn for a while 'cause I feel it's what Rafe would want me to do. There's nothin' more to it than that, I swear."
He'd called her Honey.
In the months that they'd been seeing each other he'd never used any kind of endearment with her, until tonight. And whatever reluctant doubts Sandra may have had up until that point was gone. She felt relieved and for the first time since he'd come to the door stopped frowning. "I'm sorry for doubting you."
He didn't know what he'd said, but she wasn't looking so displeased with him anymore. "I gave you cause."
"I shouldn't have let the girls egg me on the way they did. Evelyn told me there was nothing to it, but I guess part of me didn't want to believe her."
"Why?"
She looked incredulous. "All you have to do is take a look at Evelyn and take a look at me. She is so much prettier."
"I don't think so."
That got her to smile. "Even when I look so terrible."
"Well, I wasn't goin' to say anything." He joked. "Is everything all right now?"
"Everything is fine."
"So I can go back to the barracks and get a good night's sleep?"
She nodded. "And I can go back in there and do the same."
"I'm sorry for the misunderstandin' tonight."
Sandra walked to the screen door, but did not open it. "How did you end up at the Black Cat?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "I was watchin' the newsreels and they were showin' planes gettin' shot down. It made me think of Rafe and I had to get out of there. As it turns out, Evelyn was there and the newsreels were too much for her too. She knew she wouldn't hear the end of it if the other girls got home and she was there, so we went to the cafe until the movie was over. We never expected them to see us there."
"You have been very good to her."
"It's like I said, I'm only doin' what I thought Rafe would want me to do. Nothin' more than that."
"I know."
"Are we still goin' to have breakfast together?"
She nodded. "It's going to be hospital food, I'm afraid."
"That's all right. Can't be much worse than what they feed us at Wheeler." He stepped up to the screen to get close to her. "So everything's all right now?" He asked her again.
"Everything is fine." She told him for a second time. "Goodnight Danny."
"Goodnight Sandra." And he turned around and walked away.
She stood there a moment and watched him go. Sandra didn't know Evelyn had come out until she noticed her standing next to her. "Is everything all right Sandra?"
"Everything is fine Ev. Just a misunderstanding." And they went back inside.