Her heart squeezed, hearing his pain. “You’ll be okay. I’m with you now.”
Sassy returned to the table with coffee and a plate, which she set between them on the table. “They had some groovy-looking butter cakes up at the counter, so I got us each a slice. Go ahead, Daniel. I want to hear how it is. You first.”
His mouth turned in a way that suggested he felt awkward taking the first one, but he was clearly hungry. Marion turned to Sassy, giving him privacy, and from the corner of her eye she saw him practically inhale the cake. She held her friend’s gaze, and a silent solution was agreed upon.
“That looks so good,” Marion said, reaching for a slice. “Thanks, Sassy. Are you okay? I hate that you had to go through what you did. How awful.” She took a bite, and her lips twisted. “Do you like this, Daniel? I’m sorry, Sassy. It was nice of you to buy it, but this is too sweet… I don’t like it.”
She held it out to Daniel.
“You sure?” he asked, then the slice disappeared.
Sassy happily passed hers to him as well.
“When’s the last time you ate?” Marion asked gently.
“Yesterday? The day before? I don’t remember. Doesn’t matter.”
“Of course it does,” Marion said, hurting for him. “You matter.”
“More coffee, please!” Sassy said, holding up a finger for the waitress. “And maybe some apple pie? Oh, yes. Three big slices. With ice cream, if you have it. Thank you.”
Daniel dropped his gaze, clearly embarrassed.
“I just came from Chez Monique,” Sassy said, keeping the conversation off Daniel. “I went to see Davey at work.”
“You haven’t mentioned him in a while,” Marion noted.
“No, I… I had an idea I wanted to ask him about.”
“Sassy’s been having a tough time lately.” She glanced at her friend. “Do you want to tell him?”
Sassy bit her lower lip. “My brother’s missing in Vietnam.”
Daniel straightened. “Missing? Recently? Where was he last?”
“Somewhere around Nha Trang. I’m not good at geography,” she admitted, “but I don’t think that’s a great place to be.”
He leaned back in his chair. “No, it isn’t. Who is he with?”
“He’s a marine. First Battalion, Third Marines.”
The change that came over Daniel’s expression was immediate. His whole face opened up, seeking information. “What’s his name?”
“Joey. Joey Rankin.”
Daniel froze in place, his mouth slightly open.
Marion couldn’t look away. “Daniel? What is it?”
“First Battalion, Third Marines. That’s my unit.” He swallowed and looked directly at Marion. His eye shone with a new light. “Joey’s one of my boys.”
Nobody moved, then Sassy looked directly at Marion, willing her to ask the obvious. Marion couldn’t believe what she was about to say.
“Daniel, I have something to tell you.”
He waited, staying perfectly still. In contrast, Marion was suddenly vibrating inside.
“I am going with the Red Cross to Vietnam.”
