Part 3

PMDSXXX

Paradise Cove Bar & Lounge

A group of the USS Solace nurses spent time in the restaurant while others took a leisurely walk around the island to see if it offered movie theaters, gaming halls, and cocktail bars. Gertie and Della, along with some of their fellow nurses, took refuge in the restaurant to have dinner before they explored the island. When he was on shore leave, Lt. Mason never let his guard down and kept a watchful eye although the military police were only a radio call away and would not tolerate disorderly conduct while the soldiers were on land. While a group of sailors followed them, Lt. Mason and C.P.O. Drake walked into a cocktail bar and took their seats at the bar before he ordered them two Rum cocktails.

Perry had his back turned away from the door when Lieutenant Frank Lawton entered and spotted his comrade at the bar before he walked over and patted him on the shoulder. After he joined him at the bar took a seat and ordered a cold beer, he turned on his stool and looked around the room. Nothing was out of the ordinary until a ruckus started with two rowdy drunks and finally ended in a brawl that led onto the street.

While on shore leave, the sailors gambled, sang, and mingled with the local ladies. Suddenly, Perry noticed the nurses had entered and saw the chestnut, curly haired nurse, Lt. Street. Now was his chance to spark up a conversation with her. He did not waste any time since he kept his eyes on her every move because he knew other men were interested in the women, he needed to act quickly. Lt. Mason would make his presence known whether the other man liked it or not.

As he watched them, he noticed that she had sat down at a table in a corner. After the waiter took their orders, Lt. Street scanned the room full rowdy sailors and soldiers. The table beside theirs ordered drinks for them and tipped their drinks to them out of respect. A young soldier kept his eye on Betty, the red headed nurse, until a young, dark-haired marine escorted onto the dance floor. Gertie and Della were the last ones at their table since they were still drinking their cocktails but Lt. Mason needed to act fast, or his plan to talk to Lt. Street would be ruined.

"Send a Blue Hawaiian Cocktail over to that table with those ladies, and ask for Lt. Street." Lt. Mason consumed his drink and looked in her direction.

"Your name, Sir?" The bartender asked him as he grabbed a napkin for the drink.

"Compliments of Lt. Mason." He slipped him a bill before the waiter walked over to the table of where the nurses sat.

"You find a girl, Lieutenant Mason?" Frank drank his beer and turned to look at his comrade.

"Well, not exactly. I have not formally spoken to her yet, and she is the most beautiful girl with the curly, chestnut colored hair and soft smile that I have ever laid my eyes on." Perry nodded in her direction as Frank looked at the intended table.

"Yes, she is extremely attractive, Perry. If you hadn't placed interest in her, I would have. She is all yours, and she will be one lucky woman if you capture her heart. You better treat her right, or someone else will." Frank said as he drank his beer and wiped his mouth with his hand.

"Believe me, Frank. She is going to be treated with the utmost respect. She is a nurse on the USS Solace, and we met when one of our sailors was injured. Once I saw her, she was the only person on my mind, and I wondered if she was married or currently dating." Perry finished his rum and kept an eye on Della's table.

"You will not know until you speak with her, Perry, and I wouldn't wait if I were you." Frank informed him and ordered another beer.

More men entered the club as the waiter hurried to Lt. Street's table. The ladies became surrounded by Army soldiers who casually chatted with the two blondes that had recently sat down at her table.

"Lt. Street? This is for you compliments of Lt. Mason." The waiter sat her glass down on the table, and she could not believe that Lt. Mason was already there and looked in the direction of the bar. She spotted him on the stool chatting with a handsome, dark-haired fellow while the blonde-haired man chatted with the lady on his left. She smiled and accepted his drink. As Perry watched her, she enjoyed herself, and finished her drink. When he decided to approach her table, a rowdy young, Air Force pilot came to the table and sat close to Della, who was uncomfortable.

"We are going to have a good time tonight, doll. Another round for these pin-ups!" He drunkenly shouted to the waiters. Two of the nurses escaped his drunken act while Della and Gertie were stuck beside him after he draped his arm over their shoulders. He was having a good time around the island, but when he walked into this bar, it spelled trouble for him.

"Sir, it looks like trouble is brewing over there." Paul consumed his drink and tipped his cap with his hand.

"Perry, it sure does look like trouble is brewing, and I've got you covered." Frank gulped the last remnants of his beer from his mug as he glanced over at Perry.

"I'm afraid you're both correct. If I do not intervene, it's going to get worse for the ladies at the table." Perry finished his drink and got up from the bar stool and left a tip before he went over to Lt. Street's table.

"Hey, another round for the ladies here at the table!" The drunk pilot yelled to the waiter who passed by them with an empty serving tray.

"Thank you anyway…We don't need another drink …" Della awkwardly said to the drunk, but he was not taking no for an answer with a frown upon his lips.

"A beautiful lady such as yourself and a Lt. by all means deserve another round for your dutiful deeds." He slurred his words and finished his beer. When he waved his hand in the air to get a waiter's attention back over to him, a large shadow blocked out the light. He narrowed his eyes, focused on a large figure, and leaned back into his chair.

"You heard the Lieutenant. She does not need your company, and you better leave now if you know what's good for you." Lt. Mason's baritone voice startled the drunken pilot, and his eyes widened as he was talking to a high rank officer.

"Who do you think you are to tell me ….." He slurred his speech and swung at Lt. Mason. Perry ducked in time and held the arm of the drunken pilot before he twisted his arm behind his back and shoved him away from the table. Perry thought that his presence would be enough to deal with the pilot, but the pilot had other ideas and sprung into attack mode due to his drunkenness.

Although he was in a drunken stupor, the pilot would not go down without a fight since he didn't know who he was dealing with. As Lt. Mason wrestled with the drunken man to remove him from her table, it was inevitable that a brawl was brewing. With only one option left, Lt. Mason swung at him with his right fist before he picked him up and tossed him out of the bar. The other service men roared with laughter while others toasted the Lieutenant.

Lieutenant Mason did not want the military police showing up on the premises. He walked back inside over to the nurse's table where Lt. Street and her companions sat. When he was about to speak, the pilot's hand landed on Perry's broad shoulders and pulled him back before he surprised him with a hearty shove. The drunk pilot was not done with Lieutenant Mason by any means. Lt. Street could not believe what was happening in front of her as a brawl started in the middle of the room. She knew the brawl was over her, but there wasn't anything she could do about it.

Another patron started another brawl over a card game, and it would be a matter of time before the military police came for the trouble makers. Della picked up Perry's officer's cap when it landed on the floor. Perry was in full combat mode and would teach this guy a lesson.

Fists flew before Perry took a blow to the jaw and busted his lip open. When he got the upper hand on the pilot, Perry swung with an upper cut to the pilot's jaw which caused him to fall to the floor. C.P.O. Drake and Frank wanted in on the action and came to the aide of their Lieutenant and stood beside him as two pilots bumped into Perry. They swung their fists in defense of their comrade and received a beating in the process, but they were not about to go down without a fight. He punched another then another right after left until he finally emerged with a toothy grin on his lips and stood over the knocked-out men.

"What is all the fuss? Can't a man buy a lady a drink?" The older pilot confronted Lt. Mason.

"This pilot does not deserve to buy these ladies a drink. Look at him. This fool is too drunk to even stand up." Drake replied and extended his hand out to Gertie and escorted her out of the bar.

Della was not surprised at all by the situation and waited for another fist to fly, which happened after Paul left and returned to his lieutenant's side. As Gertie waited anxiously out on the boardwalk, the ruckus spilled outside. Lt. Mason would not deal with disrespectful officers in his presence as long as women were present. After the incident, the injured pilot laid on the ground, rubbed his jaw, and shook his head. As he looked over at Lt. Street, the fallen pilot spat blood out of his mouth from a knocked a tooth out.

"Next time you come in here; you better have your manners in check when you are in the presence of these fine, young ladies. They might save your life one day." Lt. Mason's voice was deep and struck fear into the young pilot.

Perry walked out of the bar and down the boardwalk before the Military Police arrived and inspected the incident. With his cap in her hand, Della followed him and closed the distance between them before she reached for his elbow, which startled him.

"Forget something, Lieutenant?" Della asked him as she presented his cap to him.

He spun around in surprise and saw her lovely face for the first time. Now that she is right in front of him, what would he say to her? Would he ask her out to dinner or go for a walk around the island? Since she was at liberty, she could do anything she wanted with anyone she chose if she was not promised to someone else. This thought was in the back of his mind.

"Thank you. I am sorry if I ruined your evening, Lt. Street. I do not tolerate mischief, especially in front of the ladies. These men can get out of hand regardless of what branch they serve. I should have let the military police handle the situation." Lt. Mason told her as he touched his lip with his tongue and tasted fresh blood. Without doing a full exam, Della ran her hands through his unruly hair and checked for abrasions before she noticed his busted lip. She touched his ribs, and he flinched under her touch.

"You can call me Della. Take this." She handed him her handkerchief. Your ribs are going to be sore tomorrow morning after those blows you received." Della informed him, but she knew he would be fine.

"Della, I do not tolerate rude behavior from anyone, especially towards the ladies that serve alongside my fellow countrymen. I hope I did not make the wrong impression on you when I started the brawl back there." He truthfully told her. His eyes never left hers, and she smiled at his chivalry.

"It is perfectly fine, Lieutenant Mason. Everybody has pent up emotions, and they must release them somehow. Don't they?" She looked back at the bar as he took her hand in his. As the military police restored order, they walked down the street away from the boardwalk.

"It is Perry. Will you do the honor of taking a walk with me, Della? If you don't mind, I need to ask you something personal." He told her while he placed his cap back on his head.

"Sure, I don't have anything better to do than stroll around the island with a true gentleman." She replied and walked with him down the street until they were two blocks from where their hotels were located.

"Why did you decide to fight for our country? Your family must be worried sick back home, and what did your husband think of you joining the military?" He bluntly asked and looked over at her as she looked ahead and thought about the questions. He wanted to be sure that he was not intruding on another man who was already in her life.

"My family did not want me joining the military at all, they were against it at first until they realized that I was not going to change my mind about helping with the war effort. I have no attachments back home other than my family. I'm single if that's what you are trying to find out. What about you? Why did you join? Your wife must be worried sick that you chose the military as a career?" Della questioned him with a sideways glance of suspicion to see if he was going to be truthful with her.

"My father and grandfather were in the military so it's in our blood, and here I am. My parents knew the rigors of the military life, and serving is a duty that I must do for our country. As for a wife back home, I never had time for dating and have been waiting for the right one to hook me. Being out here on the ocean, I do not see a plethora of beautiful women, unless we have shore leave, but none as gorgeous as you." Perry explained before he glanced in her direction with a smile on his lips. Della's cheeks blushed a little at his comment and thought he was playing her for a fool. A handsome man such as him could not be single and not married to a beautiful woman.

"You are kidding right? I find it hard to believe that a man like you isn't married." Della giggled as he furrowed his brow at her since she thought he lied to her.

"I assure you, Lt. Street, I am single. Do you want proof? Here is my wallet and pocket watch. Open them and tell me what you see in there. If you find a picture of a girl, you can call me a liar for all eternity." Perry handed her the items and insisted he was not involved with anyone.

Since she was curious, Della took his personal items and carefully opened the wallet. She only found his I.D. card and money in his wallet along with a picture of his mother and father. She knew he was being truthful with her, and for once in her life, she was glad that he did not have a woman in his life.

"And you? Why is a beautiful, young woman such as yourself not married? You should be. God knows your attractive in every possible way, and I cannot keep my eyes off you. Della, you must have a lucky guy back home or in another branch." Perry wanted to know more about her.

"Perry, I have been single for a long time. Of course, I have dated, but my nursing career came first. I pursued it and finished at the top of my class. Men are afraid when their wives or girlfriends are above them. I had to look out for myself, but if the right man comes along and swoops me off my feet, I am open to a relationship." Della confessed as she observed him from her peripheral vision. He patted her handkerchief against his lip and smelled her perfume before he spoke again.

"Since we are both on shore leave and unattached, would you mind if I escort you around the island tomorrow? If you have other plans, I will understand." He politely asked and waited for her answer.

"Is fraternizing with other officers against the rules?" She teased him since she knew it was unacceptable in the military.

"Yes. We are on shore leave, and you are on a different ship. We are Lieutenants and adults in this situation. So, how about it?" He respectively asked her, removed his cap out of respect.

"Perry, are you saying that on shore leave you could enjoy yourself with anyone, but you are asking me out, along with breaking the rules?" Della teased him while she studied his face.

"Nothing will happen to us as long as we keep it to ourselves. We're on shore leave, and what we do off duty is our business." Perry quietly told her while he watched her reaction since he was not afraid of his superiors.

"Okay. I'll go out with you tomorrow." Della smiled before she walked away from him. She looked over her shoulder and saw that he still had his eyes on her. He placed his cap on his head and walked away with a grin on his lips before he bumped into a few soldiers who gave him space to move freely through them.