Page 15 of The Girls of Pearl Harbor
The next day, Poppy finished her shift and darted into the restroom to check her face, quickly powdering her nose and dabbing on some blush. She carefully applied her lipstick and patted her hair down, wishing she’d had time to go back to her quarters. Teddy was being released, and he had until nightfall to make it back to his base, which meant that for the next two hours, she had him all to herself.
She rushed back out to the ward, looking around but not seeing him. The bed he’d occupied was already made up with fresh sheets, and she couldn’t see him standing waiting anywhere.
‘Looking for lover boy?’ April asked, touching her arm as she passed.
‘Maybe.’
‘He’s just coming out of the kitchen,’ her friend said, gesturing over her shoulder. ‘I think he’s trying to make it up to you.’
Poppy grinned. What on earth was that man of hers up to, and in the kitchen of all places? She hurried over to find him, waving at Don as she passed. He gave her a wink, and she gave him one right back, both keeping a secret about the fun poker night the evening before. He was one hell of a laugh, and she’d noticed him looking at Grace every time he’d dealt a hand. She made a mental note to try to set them up, smiling to herself as she imagined what a cute couple they’d make. A boyfriend was just what Grace needed to give her a confidence boost.
‘There’s my beautiful girl.’
Poppy stopped in her tracks, eyeing the bag Teddy was carrying and trying not to giggle at his bare feet. His ankle was bandaged for the sprain, and he was using a single crutch, but his grin was as broad as the sun, and he couldn’t have been more handsome if he’d tried.
‘What’s in there?’ she asked, planting her hands on her hips and trying to look cross with him. She’d well intended on staying mad with him for days, but every time he smiled at her, she seemed to melt.
‘A picnic,’ he said, as if it were the most logical thing in the world, to be walking out of a hospital kitchen with a picnic lunch in hand. ‘It’s my way of saying sorry.’
She shook her head, every last inch of resistance disappearing as she closed the distance between them and scooped her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his.
‘You might be a fool,’ she whispered against his mouth. ‘But you’remyfool.’
It took half an hour for them to reach the beach, going slowly for Teddy, and she talked nonstop about their illicit card game the night before and peppered him with questions about the football game he’d been watching and what the other guys were like at his barracks. When they were finally there, she took off her shoes, rolled up her socks, and pushed them into her shoes. The sand was heavenly between her toes, soft and warm, and she lifted her face to the sky, loving the warmth, almost accustomed to the tropical weather on the island now.
‘Thank God for the beach. I never thought you were going to stop talking.’
Poppy laughed, punching him in the arm and stealing the bag of food from him, which he’d insisted on carrying the entire way.
‘Give me that; I’m starving,’ she said, avoiding him when he leaned in and tried to steal a kiss.
‘I could be sent off to war any day, Pops. Don’t deny me a kiss.’ He blinked at her, and she rolled her eyes, sitting down on the sand and looking in the bag.
‘Don’t give me that,’ she said. ‘There’s no way we’re joining this war. We’ll be here for months and months, having the time of our lives, and then the war will be over, and we’ll go back to our normal boring ones.’
She was surprised by the serious look on his face as he reached for her hand. ‘Make no mistake: America will join this war, Poppy. There’s no way we can stay out of it forever; it’s only a matter of time.’
‘But the other night, in the car on the way to the party, you said ...’
He frowned. ‘I know what I said—I didn’t want to worry you all—but there’s more going on. I have a feeling that we’re going to be wading into the conflict faster than we think.’
She bit her tongue, wanting to tell him that she wasn’t going to start worrying just because he hada feeling, but not wanting to ruin their afternoon.
‘Poppy, some of the guys have been talking about how many of us might not make it if we end up in the thick of it.’
‘Teddy, stop!’ She didn’t want to be having this kind of conversation with him.
‘No, listen to me, Poppy. I just want you to know that if something did happen to me, if I didn’t come back, I’d want you to be happy. I couldn’t stand the thought of you wasting years mourning for me when you could meet someone else and have a wonderful life.’
She bit her lip, trying not to cry. ‘Teddy, please,’ she whispered.
‘I won’t say it again, but I just want you to know. Okay?’
‘Okay,’ she repeated, clearing her throat. ‘But come on—let’s not waste time talking about the war. What did the cook rustle up for you?’
Teddy’s devilish grin was firmly back in place as he reached into the bag and pulled out sandwiches, boiled eggs, and even a couple of slices of cheese.
‘She seems to like you,’ he said, passing her a sandwich. ‘The moment I told her who I was taking out for a late lunch, she gave me a wink and set to work.’
