It’s humorous to think I spend my late days watching soap operas. The beloved pastime of listening to these dramas on the radio was the thing to do as a woman in the forties, but it wasn’t for me because I did not want to adhere to the ways of a housewife. It was the last thing on my mind, but being swept off my feet by a dreamboat—that’s another story. Those are the memories I enjoy replaying in my mind’s eye over and over.
13
July 1941
It’s beena full week since the evening I spent with Everett. My delusion of stumbling upon him somewhere on base hasn’t happened. There was no way I could give him my phone number, knowing the likelihood of Dad answering the call. I was in such a fog that night; I assumed we would just find each other again. However, I do not know where he might be during any hour of the day. I’m sure his schedule is much like James and Lewis’s, moving from location to location tending to different tasks and duties throughout the day. Of course, I should be thankful he hasn’t shown up at the hospital since I don’t wish to see him in those circumstances again. However, being the nurse who sutured the wound on Everett’s temple, I know it’s been a week’s time and he needs to have the sutures removed. Of course, I’m not a nurse on staff and for all I know he could have been here, had them removed and I wouldn’t be any wiser of his visit.
“Your face is going to get stuck like that if you don’t start blinking again,” Audrey whispers from the seat next to mine. “Plus, you’ll have a red splotch on your cheek all day from leaning on your hand. What could be so important to make you look like a tired ghoul?”
“It’s been a long week,” I say.
Audrey intertwines her fingers, folding them on top of her open book. “Lizzie, I warned you he was a bad idea.”
“If you’d please open your textbooks to page two-forty, we’ll begin there,” Nurse Jones instructs us.
Audrey and I both flip through the pages of our book. “He is not a bad idea. He’s indeed quite a wonderful idea,” I argue.
“We have three months left, Lizzie. You must keep your head from floating in the clouds. He’s a soldier with the Army Air Corps of all jobs. There is no way he has time to track you down.” I know she’s correct in what she’s saying, but no one can stop me from daydreaming.
The remaining hours of the day crawl by and I become dizzy while I stare at the red second hand on the clock. The last three months of our training comprise of nothing more than reviews on everything we’ve learned over the last few years. I’m certain I haven’t forgotten a thing, and I’m bored silly listening to the rookie topics.
“Okay, ladies, I will see you bright and early tomorrow. Don’t forget to review the chart on seizure and symptoms. I will quiz you tomorrow.”
I toss my bookmark between the pages we left off on and slap the cover shut.
“Do you have somewhere to be?” Audrey asks as I drop my book and notepad into my satchel.
“No, not at all, why do you ask?”
She spends a moment longer, making room in her bag for her belongings. “I haven’t seen you move this fast in a while.”
“I just need some fresh air, is all.” Being cooped up in this room all day causes me to crave the warmth of the sun on my shoulders and a chance to breathe in the scent of flowers rather than cleaning agents.
I stand from my seat, tapping my toe with eagerness while waiting for Audrey to follow. It’s almost as if she’s trying to slow me down.
“Are you feeling okay?” she asks.
“Yes, yes, why?”
“My goodness. You’re making me feel like I need air.” Audrey says, rising from her seat and draping her satchel over her shoulder.
I take the lead out into the corridor, keeping my eyes set on the sun shining through the front entrance. The moment I step outside, the fresh air calms my nerves. “It’s so stuffy in there sometimes,” I say to Audrey.
“I don’t know if I would call the air inside stuffy with the amount of ammonia the cleaning staff uses, but I can see how you might enjoy the outdoors more.”
Anytime I’m outside, I can’t help myself from glancing around the area, looking for a glimpse of Everett. I think I’m going bonkers. A man has never gotten me all worked up before. This isn’t like me. “I was thinking of stopping at the dress shop on the way home. Are you interested in joining me?” I ask Audrey.
She peers down at her wristwatch. “Sure, I have about an hour to spare. Are you shopping for anything special or do you just want to peruse the racks?”
“Yes, that,” I say, still searching the area.
“Lizzie, come over here for a moment.” Audrey lifts her satchel from her shoulder and takes a seat on the short stone wall to the side of the walkway.
I take the few steps over to her and lower my satchel to place beside hers. “What is it you want to talk about?”
Her eyes speak before her mouth. Her brows curl in toward one another and her lips twist to the side. “Sweetie, I’m worried about you. I can see the sparkles glistening in your eyes, even after an entire week has gone by, and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“You have goals and dreams of joining the Army Nurse Corps and you know we can’t do so unless we’re unmarried. I’m just wondering what the point to all of this is if it can’t go any further?”
