Danny had been right.
He'd been razzed terribly by his fellow pilots the day he had returned to Wheeler Field. And his best friend, one Captain Rafe Thomas McCawley led the way.
But he knew that it had all been in fun.
When their shift was finished, Rafe invited Danny and Red over to the house for dinner. Evelyn had given him the okay earlier in the day because the house was still in some semblance of order. Sandra had been at the house all day to help Evelyn with the children while she began to pack and they had both gotten very hungry.
The three friends walked out to the parking lot of the airfield and Danny offered Red a lift to the house because he didn't have his own car. Before the pilots had gone on the raid to Tokyo Anthony had made Red promise to take his beloved car if he didn't return. When he hadn't come back with them, Red didn't have the heart to drive it but he couldn't sell it either. It had belonged to his friend and he'd made a promise, so he had put it in storage.
Danny followed Rafe back to the house and that gave he and Red a chance to talk.
"We gave you a rough time today." Red said with a grin.
Danny grinned back. "Yea, but you had a hell of a good time doin' it."
"I won't argue with that." And they both laughed. "How is Rafe doing with this move back to Tennessee?"
"He don't like to talk about it because every time we do, I get this feelin' that he wants to stay. But knowin' Rafe like I do, he'd never admit it."
"Have you tried talking him into staying?"
"Not exactly talkin' him into stayin' but questionin' why he wants to leave. But he gets more upset every time we talk about it, so I try not to mention it anymore." Danny admitted.
"We need him here Danny. He's a hell of a good pilot and he saw more combat than we did."
"I know Red, but somethin' inside him wants to go home more than he wants to stay and nothin' I say can change that."
Red sighed. "It's been awfully strange with Gooz and the girls not here anymore, but you four were still here. Now Rafe, Evelyn and the kids are going. It's going to be pretty quiet around here."
"Sandra's pretty upset about it. We waited all this time to get married and she was hopin' that they'd stay around."
"I'm glad that you decided to stay. I was thinking the other day that you and Sandra are going to be the only ones left from the whole gang that was here."
Danny glanced over for a moment and could see the look that Red always got when he began to think about Betty. "Are you all right Red?"
"I'm sorry Danny, I don't mean to turn into a wet blanket. I've just gotten so used to everyone being here and it never really crossed my mind that any of us would leave."
"I know what you mean. Rafe has been my best friend since we were kids and it never crossed my mind that we would ever live more than a stone's throw from each other."
"Did you ever consider going back to Tennessee?"
Danny shook his head. "Not really. Rafe and his folks were the only family I had before I married Sandra. But the longer we were here and the longer Sandra and I kept seein' each other I began to realize that there were worse places to settle down."
Red nodded. "When you think about it Danny, this is where your life really began because you decided to court Sandra. And even through all of the weeks and months that we were gone she stayed with you. She's a hell of a girl."
He glanced at his friend for a moment and smiled before he turned his attention back to the road. "Don't I know it."
It didn't seem to be any time at all before Danny pulled his car in behind Rafe's and shut down the motor. Rafe walked back to them and grinned. "You boys want a beer?"
"Lead the way." Danny told him as he got out of the car. He followed his friend up the walk and his heart nearly stopped when he saw Sandra step out onto the front porch. It had been almost nine hours since he's seen her and that was the longest they'd been apart since they had gotten married. He saw her face flush and guessed that she felt the same thing. "Hi honey."
Her face had bloomed into a deep red and she smiled as he stepped up on the porch and put his arms around her.
"I've really missed you." He told her before he pulled her to him and kissed her.
He felt her arms wind around his neck and pull him closer to her. He had no idea how long they stood there and he didn't really give a damn. Then he heard Rafe behind him as he laughed. "Come on Danny, break it up. You've got time for that later."
"Rafe McCawley, hush." He heard Evelyn gently admonish her husband and he reluctantly let go of his bride.
"I hope I didn't embarrass you." He looked at her because her face looked the same way it did after she'd gotten sunburned on their honeymoon.
"I've missed you too." She said quietly and smiled.
"Rafe, why don't you take the boys out to the back porch while we finish dinner." Evelyn suggested.
"All right honey." He smiled and kissed her cheek and led the way into the house. Sandra followed Evelyn into the kitchen and Danny and Red followed Rafe to the back. Before the screen door had a chance to close, Evelyn was there and had the beers in her hands. She gave them to Rafe and smiled before she turned around and headed back into the house.
Danny took his usual spot against the porch rail while Rafe took his spot on the sofa and Red sat in the overstuffed chair in the corner. "Do you realize this is the first time we've been together since Danny and Sandra got married?" Red observed.
Danny looked over at him and smiled. "Things are a little different now."
"And when you and Sandra decide to have kids, it'll be even more different." Rafe grinned.
"What's the rush? We've got time."
"Because the closest I'll ever be to an uncle is when you start havin' kids and I want to be an uncle."
"Well Sandra and I ain't quite ready to be parents yet. We want to have some time to ourselves before we have to start raisin' kids." Danny shot back.
Red began to laugh. "You guys never change. Always arguing about something."
"That's what we do best Red." Rafe's grin got wider. "I thought you knew that by now."
"And before you boys start throwing punches, it's time for dinner." Evelyn told them from the doorway.
"I'd never hit Rafe, Evelyn. At least not until after supper." He grinned as his best friend got up from the sofa and led the pilots into the house to eat.