Separation Anxiety
Charlie really didn't like Bus naming him his buddy. His best buddy was Jimmy. When Charlie was a young boy he had rescued him from the deep water of a pond before he had learned to swim very well. He doubted Bus would ever be this kind of buddy.
Charlie had no idea how Bus would react if Charlie's coward traits caused him to want to abort this mission when the gun battle began and the bombs fell.
Charlie knew there was one person who would one day become the very best buddy a man could have. That day was his wedding day. His face held a smile as he walked to the building that housed the motor pool to find Emily.
Emily had changed into her uniform and was all alone in the waiting room; she was waiting for an assignment. She had no idea that most of the officers had already left for Portsmouth or Portland.
She was very surprised when she saw Charlie enter the room. She immediately rose from her chair and went to him.
"Why are you here? I thought you would need to make preparations to leave for Portland."
"Bus has it all planned. So he suggested I take you out to lunch and then later you can drive us to the airport."
"I was hoping I would see you before you left. Shall we go to that café we like?"
"Yes, I'm sure we can have our private cubicle."
Emily drove but Charlie sat in the front seat. She had driven a short distance on an almost deserted street.
"Charlie, where is everyone?"
"They're on their way to either Portland or Southampton. Our café is probably almost empty."
When they arrived there, they discovered it was completely void of customers. The hostess recognized them; she escorted them to their favorite cubicle and asked.
"Do you want your usual selection?"
"I know I do. What about you Emily?"
"Yes, I'll have it too."
"Okay, I'll bring two, hot out of the oven, oatmeal and cheese crusted vegetable pies. Coffee or tea to go with them?"
Emily looked at Charlie. Together they said. "Tea please."
The waitress smiled. "So she's turned you in to a Brit, Commander."
"I suppose she has Mildred. I don't care. Some day she'll adopt some American ways. That's the way it is in a good marriage."
Mildred smiled internally; her suspicion they were lovers had been verified. She returned in a few minutes with their tea and pies.
Emily and Charlie both poked holes in the crust to let the steam escape. They prepared their cups of tea by adding a little sugar and enough milk to turn it a light shade of tan.
They clicked their cups together and gave a toast. "To a successful mission, Charlie."
"To Emily, my love, for her understanding."
They took a sip and then took that first mouthful of the now eatable pie. By the time they finished, not a morsel of pie remained and they had drunk all the tea. And Charlie knew it was time for him to pack for this dubious mission.
It had begun to rain when the couple left the café. They hurried to the car. Both opened their own door so neither got very wet. Emily drove back to the hotel. There she heard.
"Emily, don't get out. I can open my own door. You need to be come back here by seven o'clock. The hotel's doorman will come to you with an umbrella so you can come inside. I want to be able to give you a proper goodbye."
"I want that too."
Emily watched from the car as Charlie ran from the car to the hotel's front door. He turned and waived; she did the same. All the while she was thinking. Why do I have such an eerie feeling about all of this?
And Charlie was in an elevator to the floor where his room was located. He paused outside Bus's room and put his ear to the door. So he's entertaining a woman as his last activity before this plan of his begins. He said to himself.
His face now held a smile as he thought of Emily. She will be waiting for me when I return, of that I'm certain.
He went on to his room to pack an overnight bag and to change into his dress uniform. He and Bus were going from the airport straight to the office of the port commander.
It was six-forty-five when he knocked on Bus's door; he didn't wait for a response. He barged in.
"I'm going down to see Emily. We don't need to leave for the airport until eight."
"Yes, I know. I'll be down before that."
Emily saw her beau. "My, don't you look all official in you dress uniform and so handsome all at the same time."
"I thought I should. After all, Bus and I are meeting with a three star Admiral."
The couple found a private corner to sit in; there they hugged and kissed for long time. Finally Emily asked the question she needed answered.
"Charlie, are you sure you'll be back in a day or two?"
"Positive, honey, I'm just there to see that a movie is made that the admiral can show to the President."
"The President! How did he learn about it?"
"It must have been in the admiral's report to him."
"Tell me, why do I have such an eerie feeling about all of this?"
"It's war time, Em. Everyone gets those feelings. Believe me; even our Supreme Commander has them."
"Hold me one more time before Bus comes down."
They were still in an embrace when Bus arrived. "It's time to leave, Charlie."
Charlie and Emily didn't really break their embrace; they walked that way. The doorman held an umbrella for Emily to go to the car without getting wet. Both officers donned their overcoats and made a mad dash for the back doors.
She heard Bus say one thing. "I hope this weather clears."
Charlie didn't respond. It didn't occur to him that D-Day might be postponed if it didn't.
Emily drove onto the tarmac. The airplane was waiting. As Bus got out of the car, he told Charlie.
"You have a few minutes to say goodbye."
Charlie took his suggestion.
"Honey, try not to worry."
"Let me get out and hold you one more time."
"It's raining."
"I don't care."
They stood there, in the pouring rain, for several seconds and hugged. It was Bus's words which forced them apart.
"Time to go, Charlie."
Charlie broke away and hurried up the stairs to the airplane. Emily stood there and watched him enter it.
It was the signalman who told her. "Miss, you need to move your car."
Reluctantly she did. She drove to a spot where she could see the plane take off. Her eyes followed it for as long as it was in view. Her eerie feeling was even stronger.
She drove back to the motor pool dormitory room. Emily was glad there were very few women in the motor pool now. She didn't want anyone to see her tear streaked face. She got ready for bed and lay there a long time before she fell asleep.
When the plane arrived in Portland, Charlie and Bus were greeted by an angry admiral. They heard him loud and clear.
"What's wrong with the both of you? The demolition units left two hours ago. The invasion has already begun."
"We didn't know, sir." Bus calmly told him.
The none too pleased admiral gave orders to find them somewhere to sleep. And Charlie held in his laugh. Bus's error had caused them to miss the invasion. He thought he was he was never going to be involved in landing on Omaha Beach to make a movie of the first dead sailor. They both slept in a storeroom on a cot.
Charlie had slept well despite inadequate sleeping quarters. He woke up without a care in the world. That was until he stepped outside. The place was bustling with activity.
He heard. "The invasion was called off; the moon never came out. All the ships are back in port. They're going to try again tonight."
Charlie now knew this plan of Bus's had backfired. And now the Annapolis Lieutenant was in his glory. He was bound and determined to make this movie; he wanted the recognition. But all Charlie wanted to do was to drink himself into oblivion.
Charlie was almost there when Bus busted into the room, where Charlie and two others had been drinking, with gear for them to put on. They somehow managed to put on a pair of water-proof pants, a matching jacket and a black knitted cap.
Bus retrieved the hard hats he had thrown at them in disgust. They were so drunk that he had to find a creative way to get them on board the ship.
They were hoisted on board in a net attached to a crane. They were lowered onto the ship and sat with all the other soldiers as the ship continued into the channel.
And morning came for Emily.