Trigger warning: Mentions of war.
December 7th, 1941
Oliver and Grace had just returned to the office after eating a delectable lunch which Mrs. Pugh had lovingly prepared for them. Their nineteen year old daughter Annie was out for the day so it was just the two of them having lunch together on this particular occasion. They loved their daughter very much but they had very much enjoyed dining together, just the two of them, sneaking kisses and holding hands underneath the table throughout their meal.
Eight years of marriage had done nothing to tamper the romance between them. In fact, the time together had only ignited their love for one another further.
Both were feeling quite amorous and gleeful as they returned to their work.
It was just after one o'clock and they had been seated back at Oliver's desk for not even two minutes when his telephone rang.
Oliver reached for it. It had been a long time since Grace had been expected to answer and field every call for him. "Warbucks here", he answered succinctly.
"Ah, Franklin - to what do I owe the pleasure", he rolled his eyes with a smirk, which Grace caught, shaking her head at him. The President had once helped their family and they were forever in his debt, however Oliver, as a die-hard Republican, had to at least put on the air that he found the man bothersome.
Oliver's smile was instantaneously wiped, his whole face going pale as President Roosevelt spoke to him.
Grace looked at her husband in great concern.
"What?!" Oliver hissed into the telephone. "When?"
Grace looked on in agonizing silence as Oliver listened to the President speak. She could see that something was terribly wrong.
Oliver stood up from the desk and pointed across the office to his large radio. "Turn on the radio, quickly", he said to Drake who was standing nearby and the butler, sensing his urgency, did so quickly.
"We interrupt this broadcast to bring you this important announcement from the United Press flash. The White House announces Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor."
Grace's eyes immediately cut to Oliver's, full of fear and distress.
The reporter's voice from the CBS radio station came on next. "This is CBS in America calling Honolulu. Go ahead, Honolulu."
There was a deafening silence in the room as the only response from the other side of the line was static. The announcer repeated himself three times, but with no success.
"We should now like to try to call in Manila, the Capital of the Philippine commonwealth, go ahead, Manila."
Again, the only sound that returned the announcer's call was static. "This is CBS in America calling Manila, go ahead."
Nothing but the same fear-inducing static met their ears again. Everyone in the room looked at each other in angst. Grace, who had gotten up to go and stand next to the radio in order to hear better, had to sit down in a nearby chair for fear of collapsing.
"We regret that we are unable to contact either Honolulu or Manila. We return you now to…"
"Yes, Sir?" Oliver spoke quickly into the telephone, the President still on the line with him. He looked up at Drake and snapped his fingers. "NBC…Try NBC."
Drake turned the dial until he found the NBC news channel.
"Hello, NBC. Hello, NBC. This is KTU in Honolulu, Hawaii. I am speaking from the roof of the Advertiser Publishing Company Building. We have witnessed this morning the distant view a brief full battle of Pearl Harbor and the severe bombing of Pearl Harbor by enemy planes, undoubtedly Japanese. The city of Honolulu has also been attacked and considerable damage done. This battle has been going on for nearly three hours. One of the bombs dropped within fifty feet of KTU tower. It is no joke. It is a real war…"
Members of the staff had trickled into the office upon hearing the radio announcement booming throughout the house. They all gasped in horror at the announcement.
The public of Honolulu has been advised to keep in their homes and away from the Army and Navy. There has been serious fighting going on in the air and in the sea. The heavy shooting seems to be…1,2,3,4…just a moment, a little interruption….We cannot estimate just how much damage has been done, but it has been a very severe attack. The Navy and Army appear now to have the air and the sea under control."
A wail echoed around the room as Grace cried out in shock and despair.
"Franklin, I must go", Oliver ended the call shortly, not even allowing the President to say another word before he slammed the receiver down on the base and ran to his wife, taking her into his arms.
Grace had family in Hawaii, and Philipipine heritage also, so it was even more crushing news for her than for those who were thinking of their countrymen who were over there working in the naval base and fleets of ships and aircraft, and had likely been killed or injured . Hearing the awful news about her ancestral homes made her feel physically unwell and very, very frightened for her people.
She grasped her husband tightly and sobbed out of sadness and fear. Several of the staff began to cry as well. Feeling for Grace and fearing what this attack would mean for their country,
It took several minutes for Grace to stop sobbing, and even then, her tears continued to fall. Oliver wiped them away and then abruptly stood, addressing the staff. "Annie", he said, looking panicked. "Will somebody find my daughter and bring her home?"
Despite her devastation, Grace stood up to protest Oliver's request. "Oh Oliver, she's at the Roxy with that nice young man Louie. You know how keen on each other they are. Let's not interrupt their date."
"This country is about to go to war, Grace. I need to know she's safe. I want her home now", Oliver said definitively. Nothing official had been released yet in terms of America's response to the attack, but Oliver knew FDR had been quietly campaigning for Americans to join the war effort for some time, and that his fellow Americans would not wish to sit idly by. He wanted justice, and knew they all would too.
Drake bowed his head solemnly at his boss. "Don't worry, Mr. Warbucks, I'll go and collect her myself."
Oliver bowed his head at Drake in return to thank him.
The following day, the Warbucks' and all their staff gathered in Oliver's office, all listening intently and anxiously as President Roosevelt addressed the nation.
"Mr. Vice President, and Mr. Speaker, and Members of the Senate and House of Representatives: Yesterday, December 7, 1941 a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan."
The entire staff had assembled to listen to the broadcast, packed tightly together in Oliver's office. Many of them stood holding each other in solidarity.
Annie sat with her arms around her Mother, offering as much comfort to the grieving woman as she could. Grace clung to her daughter tightly. So grateful to her and her Father for being such pillars of strength in her crumbling world.
Oliver sat at his desk, listening with a stern and concentrated look on his face.
"...I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire."
The President's speech concluded and the members of the Warbucks household all gasped or cried, many of them trembling in fear for what this meant for them and their loved ones.
"Everybody", Grace addressed the staff as she stood up from the chair, holding her daughter's hand tight. "I know this is all so dreadful and frightening to hear. But I promise you, we're going to get through this together. Come what may."
Annie squeezed her Mother's hand, looking up at her in admiration and love. Grace looked back at her and gave her a shaky but determined nod.
Oliver held his head high as he listened to the supportive words of his courageous wife. He reached out for his telephone and dialed the white house. When he was finally connected to the President, he spoke to the man with sincere intent. "Mr. President…tell me what you need from me."
A/N: I think it's so important to never forget history. I'm not American myself, but I thought this was an essential topic to cover. Even though Annie got the fairy tale ending at the end of the musical, there would have been a lot in her life left to face and I wanted to acknowledge that. Plus, the fact that Nicole Scherzinger who played Grace in Annie Live! was born in Hawaii and is of Hawaiian and Filipino descent, I felt compelled to write something about this.