CHOICES…CH. 2
Evelyn had just given birth to her new son Daniel John and lay exhausted. Rafe stood beside her his face anxious clutching her hand. He had not quibbled over her choice of name for her son. Even he acknowledged it was right that the little boy be named after his father and the second name for Evelyn's late father. He merely smiled and commented that their next son would be named after him. Evelyn merely nodded mutely her throat suddenly constricted. She could not help but remember their conversation they had before Rafe flew out for the Doolittle raid. When she had told him that all she ever wanted was for them to have a family and grow old together. Now that looked like happening and Evelyn knew she should be happy. But she wasn't and there was only one likely explanation, she missed Danny.
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A week later Evelyn came home from the hospital to the small house Rafe had leased for them. It was a cosy bungalow with two bedrooms, a perfect first home for a perfect new family. Evelyn kept repeating this phrase over in her mind. She thought if she repeated it enough times it would become true.
She had received the letter from Danny the day before. He told her he was thrilled about the baby and would visit soon. Evelyn and Rafe's wedding was scheduled for a month's time. Danny had promised he would be Rafe's best man and would meet his new son then. Evelyn thought back to how she felt when she read the lines telling her that Danny was dating his high school sweetheart again. Her name was Jamie Lyn and as Evelyn gazed at the photo of the happy couple she felt her heart clench in pain. It would seem Danny had moved on. Did she expect him to pine for her forever? Evelyn knew she should be happy for him so why did she feel angry?
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Danny finished stowing the last case in the trunk of the car. He wondered why women needed so many bags. He and Jamie Lyn were travelling to Hawaii for Evelyn and Rafe's wedding. Danny had already rehearsed his best man speech, telling everyone present how happy he was for his best friend and his new bride. He would smile and show he was thrilled. He would hold his infant son at his baptism. He would stand beside pretty blond Jamie Lyn as he watched Evelyn pledge her life to Rafe. And he would pretend that he was not dying inside.
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Evelyn sat in front of her dressing table applying the finishing touches to her makeup. Her gown was simple, a soft ivory linen, flowing in gentle folds over her curves. She dropped her lipstick for the third time, her palms were clammy. She kept telling herself she had the normal nerves every bride felt on her wedding day. But her mind kept focussing on the face of the bubbly blond Jamie Lyn, the girl who was everything she was not. She could just picture Jamie Lyn in a cheerleaders outfit waving pompoms as she performed a complex routine. She kept telling herself that Danny had found the perfect girl for him. She kept telling herself the flash of pain she had seen in Danny's beautiful brown eyes had nothing to do with her wedding.
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A few minutes later Evelyn walked slowly down the aisle of the small chapel attached to the naval base. The organ played the familiar strains of the bridal march and the guests assembled had turned to watch her passage down the aisle. She saw Rafe looking so handsome in his dark suit a wide smile on his handsome face. Evelyn knew this should be the happiest day of her life. But her eyes kept drifting to the man standing beside Rafe, to his soft dark hair falling over his brow, to his tall lean frame that she remembered pressed against hers. She could feel colour flooding her face, surely it was not appropriate to be fantasizing about another man on her wedding day. Even if it had been a night she would treasure for the rest of her life. Even if the memory of that night sustained her when Rafe's caresses left her cold. Part of Evelyn knew she was making the right decision, Rafe loved her and he loved her son. It was pointless wondering what would have happened if she had stopped Danny when he left to return to Tennessee. It was pointless wondering what would have happened if she had poured out what was in her heart, if he would have stayed.
To be continued…