The ride is short, and the rows of cars are endless when we arrive. “I didn’t realize this was such a big commencement ceremony today. Is this only our base?”
“It is, but we’ve accomplished a lot over the last few years, and it’s important to recognize our efforts,” Dad says.
I’m able to find Audrey rather quickly, giving me a friend to stand with as we melt in our uniforms underneath the unforgiving sun.
Speeches are never short with the military, but they are always enlightening. Today, though, I’m having trouble focusing on much else other than finding a way to track Everett down. There must be more contact information for him somewhere.
“We have several medals we would like to award today. The efforts over the last four years have been anything but easy, especially after rebounding from such a horrific catastrophe right here in our backyards. On behalf of the United States Army and Navy, we are deeply grateful for every one of you who have served and dedicated yourselves to our country.”
The list of names is long, and my legs threaten to fall asleep. I feel the need to rest my head on Audrey’s shoulder, but I know well it will cause us both to fall into a fit of laughter that will get us in trouble. “Has it always been this hot here?” I whisper.
“Yes,” she mutters in response. “Shh.”
“There is one medal we are awarding here on our base for an outstanding accomplishment on the battlefield and here at home. This person has gone above and beyond their call of duty to save innocent beings from the cruelties of war. Never, have we given out this achievement award, and I am privileged to present one out of the twenty-one of these medals that we are handing out across the country. Captain, if you would please do the honors.”
A plane whizzes through the sky, distracting me from the recognition speech, but Audrey pinches my underarm to bring me back to the moment. “Ouch,” I shout through a quiet whisper.
“This United States Army nurse deserves more than a medal for her heroic actions, but it is my honor to present First Lieutenant Elizabeth Salzburg with this Bronze Star Medal.”
I squint toward the podium, shocked at hearing my name called, and telling myself to move, but also taking a second to inspect the hands holding the medal.
My legs move of their own accord, one foot in front of the other, as I wish on every cloud in the sky that I’m not hallucinating from dehydration beneath this hot sun. When I’m only a few feet away, I cup my gloved hands around my mouth and pause in place because even though I’m melting, I’m frozen. I can’t go any further. I can’t endure another moment of hope if it’s not real.
“Before I present you with this medal, I would like to ask you a question, if you wouldn’t mind … doll-face?”
He steps down from the platform, walking with slow, long strides toward me like a man in armor rather than a man in uniform. With a struggle, he kneels and holds out the medal in the palm of his white glove. Next to the medal is a ring.
“Elizabeth Salzburg, not only have you saved my life in more ways than a man should ever have to be saved, but you have taught me the true meaning of home and offered me a chance to feel undying love and devotion. You gave me hope, a reason to keep going, and a sense of normal when all I knew was turmoil and heartache. For you, I kept my head up day after day and refused to succumb to the hands pulling me away from a life, I knew I wanted and needed. I don’t want to be apart from you again, and I want to spend every minute of the rest of my life making you as proud of me as I am of you. So please, sweetheart, do me this honor, and marry me?”
I fall to my knees because the rush of emotions is too much to bear. Everett is home. He’s walking, speaking, and alive. The man I love more than anything in this world is alive, and he wants to be with me. I feel undeserving of everything in his hands and all that he is offering but after being selfless for so long, I might be okay with this one selfish act. I throw my arms around him, knocking him off his knee while acting completely and utterly inappropriate for a military celebration, but I don’t hear a peep. I don’t see another soul. It’s just him and me, and I’m kissing the lips I feared I would never get to touch again.
“I want to see all the world’s wonders with you and even fly you up through those clouds we adore. Will you marry me?” Everett asks again, mumbling against my lips.
“Yes,” I say, gasping for air while I try to speak. “Yes, Everett, yes—you’re alive. You’re alive. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
“You’re probably killing the poor guy, Elizabeth,” Dad says from behind me, pulling me off Everett. Dad reaches down to help him up to his feet, and I watch the struggle he endures, but all I see is the mountain he has climbed and conquered. “I want you two to have a long happy life together. So please, be careful with my future son-in-law, will you?”
Dad wraps his arms around us both and kisses my forehead. “You knew he was here?” I ask Dad.
“No, not until last night. That’s why I left right after dinner. Everett made his way home and wanted to make sure he requested my permission before asking for your hand today.”
“I received your Dad’s telegram, the phone calls from my former Colonel, and my current captain,” Everett says, reaching out to pinch my cheek.
Lewis makes his way over and places his hand down on Everett’s shoulder. “Congratulations to the both of you,” he says.
“Lewis, I could never thank you enough for what you did back there in France.” Everett takes in a shaky breath and stares off into the distance. “I don’t know how you knew—”
Dad slaps his hands down on my shoulders. “It was because of this chatterbox here who wanted to break every communication regulation the military has ever put into place. But thank God, my little girl knows how to talk as much as she does because she was cautious, yet precise on what she thought might have happened to you and the others. We tried to get to you sooner, but it was hard to track down your unit.”
Everett reaches for my necklace and places it on the outside of my collar. “You will never need to hide this beautiful star again.”
“I’m so proud of you for receiving this medal, Elizabeth,” Dad says. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think you could achieve something so significant in a day when women have had to prove they are just as strong, if not stronger than the men on the battlefield—what an honor for our family.”
“May I?” Everett asks.
“Yes, please,” I respond, feeling fireworks explode through the inside of my chest as he secures the medal, and then reaches for my hand. He slips my glove off, one finger at a time, and then slides the ring down into place. “Thank you for always being the sun in my sky; a map that led me to the place I belong—my home.”
51
