Page 3 of The Girls of Pearl Harbor
Grace nudged shoulders with her sister. ‘Ridiculously!’ She’d never lived anywhere but home before, and now here they were, miles from Oregon and about to have the time of their lives. She still felt guilty that they’d left their father behind and worried how he’d be coping on his own, even though he’d happily pushed them out the door and told them to enjoy themselves.
‘We might not be so enthusiastic when we have our first shift tomorrow,’ April cautioned.
‘I’ve heard it’s a cakewalk. It’s just cuts and little injuries, nothing difficult,’ Poppy said, collecting both their hands as she came between them and dragged them with her toward the door. ‘Now come on—Teddy said he’d pick us up in a car to save us walking!’
Grace swallowed away a shiver of nerves, wishing Teddy weren’t stationed at the exact same place as they were. He’d been away for months now, and she knew Poppy was insanely excited about being with her man again, but still. It would have been easier without having to see him at every turn so she wouldn’t have to worry that someone might figure out how she felt about him. She’d tried to tell herself it was just a crush, but seeing him again made her wonder if she’d ever get over her infatuation with him.
‘Teddy!’ Poppy called as they stepped out of their quarters, a handful of cars all lined up and waiting nearby.
And there he was. Teddy was leaning against the car, a cigarette dangling from his lips, wearing his olive-green uniform, long legs crossed at the ankles like there was nothing else in the world he had to do but wait for them. His dark-brown hair was pushed off his face and to the side with Brylcreem, making him look even more handsome than usual, especially with his tanned Hawaii skin. He looked up then, his eyes crinkling as he smiled, dropping his cigarette and then crushing it beneath his boot. Poppy leaped down the steps to him, running until her body collided with his, her arms circling his neck as he bent to kiss her. Grace and April stood, side by side, the space where Poppy had been the only thing separating them. They swapped glances before erupting into embarrassed laughter.
‘I think they need some privacy,’ April muttered. ‘I’m blushing just watching them.’
‘Come on, ladies,’ Teddy called out, one arm still tucking Poppy to his side as he opened the car door for them.
‘Thanks,’ Grace said as she quickly passed him, climbing in and scooting over to make room for April.
Poppy sat up front beside Teddy, pressed beside him, his arm around her shoulders as they drove. They’d been sweethearts for more than a year now, but Grace could still vividly recall the night they’d met him, at a party, when he’d walked straight over to the three of them, his smile wide. She’d opened her mouth to talk to him, his eyes on her, the anticipation flooding her as this handsome man she’d never seen before stood in front of them; she was excited to tell the others that she had dibs on him. And then Poppy had dazzled him with her larger-than-life smile and batted her lashes, holding out her hand and telling him she was ready to dance. And suddenly the new guy in town was smitten with her best friend and not her.
‘All the guys will be so jealous when I arrive with the three most beautiful nurses in the Pacific on my arm,’ Teddy teased, glancing back at them.
Grace felt her cheeks heat, but she quickly looked out the window.
‘Well, don’t go thinking you have the three of us all to yourself,’ April teased right back. Her sister might make fun of her crush, but she’d never let on to anyone else, and she always covered for her, although Grace wondered if even April knew how she truly felt about him. ‘You’re not the only handsome pilot in town,Theodore.’
They all laughed, and Grace gave her sister a grateful smile.
‘So what do you make of all this peace talk, Teddy?’ April asked.
‘Let’s not ruin a fun night by talking about politics and war,’ he said as he drove. ‘The Pacific will stay as peaceful as can be—mark my words. Everyone knows we’re as safe as could be here.’
Grace looked at April and saw the serious look on her face, the tight set of her jaw giving her away. She didn’t know when her sister had become so interested in politics or what was going on, but she seemed all twisted in knots about things today. Did she know more about the threat of war than she’d let on?
‘Why are you so concerned about the peace talks anyway?’ Grace asked. ‘I don’t even know what you’re talking about. Did you hear about it on the radio?’
‘It’s nothing,’ April said, before frowning and leaning closer. ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin the mood—it’s just something I overheard the other day about the peace negotiations with the Japanese, and it’s made me nervous that there’s more going on. I don’t know; maybe I’m overthinking things. I just keep worrying that we’re not as safe as we think we are.’
‘April, just enjoy being here,’ Teddy said. ‘This island is heaven, and the longer we get to spend here, the better. I want you to forget all about war for tonight, okay?’
Grace watched her sister as she sat back and frowned, clearly still lost in thought. Grace had always been the fun one, the risk-taker, whereas April was more serious and always quick to come to her little sister’s rescue. She wished April could loosen up and just relax sometimes like the rest of them could, but she recognized that worried frown. It had started when their mom had died, and it always reminded her just how much had always fallen to her older sister to deal with.
They drove in silence, bumping along, her elbow colliding with April’s every so often, until Teddy cheerfully announced they were there.
‘Here we go, ladies,’ he said. He got out and opened a door for them. ‘Don’t forget to behave.’
Grace smiled up at him as she got out, before grabbing her sister’s hand as they surveyed the beautiful house in front of them, music filtering out and drawing them in, young men in uniform swarming everywhere, and about half as many women in pretty summer frocks filling up the rest of the space. She’d never seen anything like it in her life.
‘I feel like I’m finally all grown up,’ Grace whispered as they walked up the steps into the house. ‘This place is amazing.’
‘Youareall grown up,’ April said with a laugh, looking more relaxed again as she slung an arm around Grace’s shoulders. ‘Now come—let’s go find us some handsome men to dance with!’
Grace glanced down at her pretty powder-blue skirt as it twirled out around her and then happily followed her sister, her arm looped around her waist. She could hear Poppy and Teddy behind her, but she didn’t turn, happy to leave them to themselves. What she needed was to meet some soldiers, because when she found the right man, she was certain she’d forget all about her crush on Teddy.
‘We probably should have brought our gas masks,’ April muttered. ‘Imagine if something happened so far from our quarters?’
Grace groaned. ‘You’re such an old lady sometimes. No one’s going to tell us off for not having them. Just enjoy the night!’
‘Evening, ladies,’ a few navy officers said as they passed.
