Everything will be fine, and I know I am more than prepared for what comes next. Like I mentioned last week, I can see muscles in my arms that I didn’t know existed. Surely, that means I’m strong enough to handle whatever lies ahead. Of course, I don’t quite stare at my reflection like some others do here, but the training has prepared me for a good old-fashioned arm-wrestling match. You owe me one when I see you. I’m sitting here like a fool, laughing at the words I’m writing. The other girls already think I’m a little wacky for the number of times I write you letters, but I also think they are jealous by the amount of mail I receive from the famous Everett Anderson. Besides, when I write to you, it feels almost like I’m speaking directly to your soul. I suppose that might be one good thing for all the talking I’ve done during our relationship. It’s not completely abnormal for me to go on and on without hearing a response. At least when you write me letters, I can’t interrupt you. That must be something, huh?
Thank you for making me feel better in my last few minutes here at Fort Devens. Hopefully, you are laughing at my words by this point, but that only means I’ve caused you to smile—the smile you said you reserved only for me.
I hope your paratroopers passed their tests this week. Of course, with you as their guide, I expect nothing less.
I miss you with all my heart, Everett.
Thinking of you always.
Love,
Lizzie
I pull out my small bottle of perfume and pump a small mist onto the paper and leave a crisp lipstick-stained kiss on the back before sealing my words into the envelope.
“Gosh, you are going to be sick of each other by the time you get to see one another again,” Beverly yammers. “Is that your third letter this week?”
“So, what if it is?” I reply with a shrug. Beverly seems sour every time I am writing a letter or receiving one because Johnny has made little of an effort to respond to her love letters. She’s convinced he’s busy, but I worry about the heartache he might end up causing her. He doesn’t seem like the most loyal man, especially after the one time he came to visit. He was enjoying the attention from the other nurses rather than his fiancée, who spent the evening pawing at him like a hungry puppy. It’s not my place or any of the other girls’ places to involve ourselves in her relationship, but we all feel the same about Johnny. I assumed she would have spotted someone better on base by now, but I came to find her wandering eyes are just a show. She is madly in love with Johnny and has no desire to look elsewhere.
“Now that I’m going to be near New York, I’ll be able to see my Johnny again. I can’t wait to call him and tell him the news later,” Beverly gushes.
“How far away is Long Island from Camp Kilmer?” Isabel asks, taking a seat on my cot.
“With traffic, it might take him a couple hours, but it beats the six-hour ride it took him to visit me here. I’m sure he will be absolutely thrilled to find out how close I will be,” Beverly continues.
Isabel offers me a side glance with a quick lift of her brow. I can only imagine how this will turn out for Beverly.
My bags are all set, and I peer around to see if any of the others need help with their belongings. Everyone is securing their bags or refreshing coats of lipstick except for Margaret, or “Maggie” as she goes by. She’s usually the last of us to be ready, but not because she’s slow. Her nerves get the best of her all too often. I walk down to her bed where she’s huffing and sighing while trying to fit her hygiene products into her duffle bag.
“Here, let me help,” I offer.
“I can never get this right. I must be a complete dummy,” she says, pushing a fallen strand of her blonde hair off her forehead.
“Don’t talk about yourself like that, Maggie. The pockets are in the same shapes as the containers, but I didn’t realize this right away either. But now that you know, I bet you’ll never forget.”
Maggie straightens her jacket as if correcting her unsteady disposition. “Why are you so kind to me when I’ve done nothing to help you throughout all of our training?” She takes a hold of my elbow and twists me around to face her. “You’re the only one who has been so sweet to me. I appreciate your patience with my lack of abilities.”
“You are perfectly capable of all tasks, just as the rest of us are, Maggie. When you own your confidence, you will feel it too,” I tell her.
I worry about her a lot, and it isn’t because she shows her nerves at everyday challenges, but more for when we aren’t only practicing medicine; for when we face the unimaginable horrors of war. Our jobs require a bedside manner to comfort patients, and if we are nervous nellies, it can do more harm than good for the ones we are helping. We’ve practiced emergency procedures until we were weak in the knees, but it’s different in real-life catastrophes. The attack on Pearl was an experience I wouldn’t wish on anyone, even if it gave me an advantage in knowing how to deal with severe injuries and death. I don’t want to share the tragedy and misfortune I had to witness. It’s unnecessary to scare the others, but there is no time to hesitate or become weak. I can only hope Maggie will find her strength in a time of need like I did. I suppose no one truly knows how tough they are until it’s time to prove it to themselves.
“I certainly hope so,” Maggie says, wrapping her arms around me for a hug. “I feel better knowing you don’t seem nervous in the slightest bit.”
* * *
A long day of travel has led us to a damp little ocean lined town. The camp looks like Fort Devens, a bit drab but brand new and still under some construction. Regardless, there is no shortage of activity.
“Lizzie, wait up.” Isabel is running along to catch up. “Is it true we’re only here to prepare for leaving again?”
Once the others from my barrack block at Fort Devens found out I was a military brat, the questions became endless. I will always answer everything to the best of my knowledge, but I’m not sure they understand I know as little as they do. Living life on a Naval base didn’t offer me secret insights to the inner workings of how operations roll out. I believe this might be the reason Dad was always so quiet after a long day. The less he talked, the less he would have to avoid topics he couldn’t discuss. Or at least, it’s what I assume after the little time I’ve spent on this side of the Army for the last six months.
“I know just as little as you do, sweetie. We won’t know anything until it happens.”
“But what else would be the point of sending us to New Jersey of all places if we weren’t preparing for something.”
It’s obvious we are preparing for a deployment, but no matter how much we find out, we will not have any in-depth details of what our mission will be. The higher-ranking nurses have explained this many times, but it seems hard for some to wrap their heads around.
“We’re always preparing for something, aren’t we?” I respond.
