The snow had stopped falling by the time Evelyn's shift was over. She said her goodbyes to Lena and Viola and headed home. The roads were slippery after the wet snow, and the cold wind bit at Evelyn's ankles through her thick grey stockings.
The house was warm and a sweet smell was coming from the kitchen. Evelyn hung her coat and scarf on the peg by the door and made her way to the stairs. As she passed the living room, she saw the scene within: Gran was awake and knitting furiously on the sofa, Martha was beside her with the youngest Russo boy, Frank; they were winding balls of yarn. Evelyn's oldest brother, George junior and his heavily pregnant wife, Helen were sitting on the opposite sofa with Penny, reading a book and giggling. The two other brothers, Charlie and Edward were playing checkers at the side table by the bay window. Margaret and her sons, four year old Robert and baby James, had not yet arrived and George senior was away in his study. The whole room was bathed in the warm orange light from the fireplace. Evelyn stood leaning against the doorframe for a few minutes before Martha noticed she was there. For a moment Evelyn expected her mother to call her over to sit with her by the fire.
"Go and set the table, will you, Margaret should be here any minute."
Evelyn was only slightly surprised at her mother as she walked into the kitchen. She shook her head chuckling quietly to herself, remembering Lena's words of "tell that old bat off" as she took plates out of the hutch. As Evelyn set the plates around the table, Penny came in from the living room.
"Do you need some help, Evie?"
"Sure, why don't you come get the forks and I'll get the knives." Evelyn said, leading Penny back to the dish hutch for utensils.
Just as they finished setting the table, the front door opened and muffled shouting could be heard throughout the house.
"Margaret's here." Penny stated.
Evelyn groaned and made her way out of the dining room. George was already being tackled by Robert and Martha had baby James in her arms, cooing about how she'd never seen such a perfect baby. Before anyone could see her, Evelyn slipped upstairs to change out of her uniform and still wet stockings. She put on the slippers Gran had made her the Christmas before and marched back downstairs. The family had gone back to the living room, although they were joined now by George senior who was having his wiry grey moustache yanked by James.
"Dinner's ready now, why don't we all sit down and eat." Martha said loudly, clapping her hands.
The Russo family filed noisily into the dining room; leaving Evelyn to help Gran walk slowly behind them.
"You're such a nice girl." Gran commented, pinching Evelyn's cheek as she helped her to her seat at the end of the table.
Once Evie was seated, George senior began grace.
"Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts which we are about to receive from your bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen"
Amen's were scattered around the table as everyone crossed themselves and grabbed at their napkins. There was a clamour of noise as everyone served themselves and each other, passing salt, pepper and butter as asked around the table. After a few moments, quiet settled as everyone began to eat, the only noise coming from cutlery against plates and glasses chinking against the table. Penny nudged Evelyn's foot under the table and the two winked at each other, like they always did. Robert stuck a string bean in his nose.
Only when dinner was close to being finished did conversation really pick up again. George senior turned to his oldest son.
"So, Georgie, when does your train leave?" He asked, wiping his moustache with his napkin.
"Not until 15 hundred." Georgie replied, pushing his empty plate forward.
"I'll drive you and Helen to the train station. Too bad you couldn't all leave at the same time, save your old man a trip or two." George senior said, clapping his hand on the back of Edward's neck. "This one's leaving at six in the morning, and we get Charlie for another couple of days."
"Far be it from me to tell the Army how to do their job." Charlie replied, still shoveling potatoes into his mouth.
"Yeah coming from a Private they might not take that very well." Georgie scoffed at his younger brother.
Charlie threw a chunk of dinner roll at George junior, who picked it up and ate it, grinning.
"After you boys go, we'll only have these girls to keep us company." George senior said jokingly.
"Hey! I'm not a girl!" Frank piped up from beside Charlie.
Everyone laughed at Frank, except Evelyn and Gran, the elder having dozed off again.
"Eve, why don't you get out of that hospital. Go work at the munitions factory with Margaret and do some good?" Edward suggested as Martha and Margaret began clearing plates.
Evelyn tapped her heel on the leg of her chair, a nervous habit.
"I can't," she said as Martha took her plate away.
"Oh? Why's that? Did they get rid of Carrigan and make you head surgeon?" Edward teased.
Evelyn took a deep breath.
"I joined the Marines." She stated.
There was a crash from the kitchen, utensils scattered across the floor and Martha marched back into the dining room.
"You did what?" She asked evenly, one hand on her hip, the other on the back of her husband's chair. She didn't shout, and that's how Evelyn knew the situation was serious.
All eyes were on Evelyn waiting for her to reply. Even Gran had woken up again. Eve opened her mouth to speak.
"No I heard you. My question is why would you go and do that?" Martha asked, putting her hand up to stop Evelyn.
"A Major came in and asked for volunteers; said we'd be doing a great service to our country in this time of war." Evelyn began her argument.
"And if this Major told you to jump off a bridge, would you? Martha spat.
"She probably would," Margaret added, sitting back down in her chair. Evelyn's cheeks flushed. "Oh look, now she's going to cry."
"Look, I joined up to do something good. The Marines are opening a hospital in Australia and they need nurses to staff it. I volunteered along with Lena and a handful of other girls who want to be useful, not just sitting at home waiting for their sweethearts to come home." Evelyn managed to get out around the angry lump forming in her throat.
"Don't the Australians have nurses to staff this hospital?" Edward asked, still eating.
"Working in the munitions factory is just as much a help, and it's a hell of a lot safer too." Georgie added softly, trying to ease tensions around the table.
"How is handling explosives safer than staying in a guarded hospital?" Evelyn asked, leaning forward on her arm.
"Well for one thing you would be at home." Martha said, hands on hips again.
"Yes, where I am so welcome and loved." Evelyn said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
The dining room was silent. Penny pushed her chair back and ran up to her room.
"Now look what you've done." Margaret got up and threw her napkin on the table before following Penny up the stairs.
"If you think you can just leave while the rest of us are working for this family, you can forget about ever coming home." Martha declared.
She stormed back into the kitchen wondering under her breath how she was cursed with a child so spiteful with her husband right behind her. Helen escorted Robert out of the dining room and George followed her with James. One by one the remaining members of the Russo family left Evelyn sitting at the dining room table.
"You're such a nice girl." Gran spoke up, still sitting at the head of the table. Her cloudy green eyes were filled with tears, but she had a sweet, understanding smile upon her lips.
Evelyn only nodded, afraid that she really would cry now if she opened her mouth again. She sat with Gran at the kitchen table in silence for a long time. The sounds of Martha furiously cleaning in the kitchen and the ticking of the grandfather clock in the hall were the only sounds in the house.
It was after nine when George and Helen left, coming in to say goodbye to Gran. Helen gave Eve an apologetic smile and a small wave before George escorted her outside to his Ford in the driveway. Gran then slowly pushed herself up from her chair and slowly limped back to her spot by the fire, which was still roaring thanks to the occasional prods from George senior, who now sat in his armchair with his pipe in his mouth. Evelyn sat alone for a few moments more before making her way up to the room she shared with Penny.
Margaret was sitting on the edge of Penny's bed, stroking the child's hair. Penny was asleep, but still hiccupping from crying, her face still splotchy. When Evelyn got to the doorway Margaret jumped to her feet.
"You've got some nerve, you know." She hissed, her eyes following Evelyn's every move as she walked into the room. "How dare you do that to Ma; to Penny!"
Evelyn sighed as she reached her bed and turned to face her older sister.
"You know what, Margaret? Fuck you."
Margaret gasped, but thankfully couldn't reply as their father came into the room just then, carrying a sleeping Robert in his arms.
"Margie, John's here. It's time to take your boys home." He said, handing the sleeping toddler over to his mother.
Margaret left the room, but not before glaring at Evelyn one last time.
Oh if looks could kill, Evie thought.
George senior came into Evelyn and Penny's room, closing the door behind him. He seemed to struggle for a moment or two before he moved closer to Evelyn, so as not to wake Penny.
"Why, Evie?" He whispered, the look in his eyes a mixture of sadness and hurt; his green eyes, the same as his mothers, the same as Evelyn's.
"I told you why downstairs." Evelyn said quietly, sitting down on the edge of her bed.
"No, not why did you sign up. Why didn't you come and talk to your mother and I about it first?"
"Because I knew you'd say no." Evelyn replied.
"Of course we would!" George said a little louder than he meant to. Penny rolled over, but stayed asleep. "I just don't want anything bad to happen to you, that's all. Don't tell the others, but you're my favorite." He added in a whisper Evelyn could barely hear.
She offered her father a small smile.
"I won't," She said "and I won't get hurt. It's not like I'm going to be traipsing around the jungle with a rifle."
"Well, it's a small comfort, but I'll take it. When do you leave and where are you going?"
"I'll have to leave early to go to New York in the morning. Church Street. From there Parris Island for training then off to Australia, I suppose." Eve replied.
"Your mother won't let me take you to the station, so take this instead," George reached into his trouser pocket and took out twenty dollars. Evelyn stared at him wide eyed. "It'll get you a ticket on the commuter line to New York, and you'll have plenty left over for whatever else you'll need."
George pressed the money into Evelyn's hand, and held it for a moment.
"I got you this, too," George whispered suddenly as if only remembering, and brought out a small parcel from his cardigan pocket.
Evelyn took the package and opened it. Inside was a medallion of a saint on a long silver chain.
"She's Saint Catherine of Siena, patron saint of nurses. I was going to save it for your birthday, but you'll be away then. I pray that God keep you safe and bring you back home quickly," he said, eyes beginning to fill with tears. He quickly kissed her on the cheek, the wiry grey bristles of his moustache scratching Evelyn's skin, and swiftly went to the door. "You'll want to leave before seven, that's when your mother wakes up."
"Thank you, Dad."
George nodded and left the room, closing to door behind him.
Evelyn wiped at her suddenly damp eyes and shook her head. Now was not the time for tears. She stood up from her bed and went to her closet. As quietly as possible, she retrieved her small suitcase from the back and filled it with what she thought was necessary. She didn't bring much for clothes, realizing the Marines would outfit her with everything she could possibly need. She did, however, pack the slippers Gran had made her, along with her lipstick and hair pins. Eve thought it best to wear her nurse's uniform into town, so she laid it out on the little chair in the corner of the room. It only took her a few minutes to pack up. When she was done, Evelyn changed into her nightdress and grabbed Lucy the cat from the windowsill and slipped into bed with Penny, who snuggled into Evelyn's side in her sleep.