Page 5 of The Girls of Pearl Harbor
They walked over to get some punch, and then Eva led the way, walking outside and stopping only when they reached the sand.
Grace bent to slip her shoes off, loving the sensation of sand beneath her feet as she wiggled her toes and let it slide across her skin. She’d been so excited about going to a party and meeting boys, but suddenly the best feeling in the world was hearing the music behind her and facing the water twinkling beneath the moonlight. Maybe she wasn’t as confident as she liked to think she was, or perhaps it was that the atmosphere was different here, the boys in uniforms more like grown men than the young guys back home she’d flirted with. At home, dances had been strictly supervised, and she would never have talked to men so openly, let alone danced and had a drink with them, but here? It was like a different world from the one she’d grown up in, shielded from anything sinister.
‘So how does a girl manage to bark orders at an officer so confidently?’ Grace asked, taking a sip of her drink. ‘I think I might need to take lessons if I’m going to survive here.’
‘Try having two big brothers and an ex–sergeant major for a father.’
Grace felt her eyes widen. ‘Ahh, right. Now it makes sense.’
‘I learned fast that the only way anyone ever got my brothers and their friends to do anything was by being assertive.’ Eva smiled. ‘If it doesn’t sound like an order, they don’t bother listening.’
‘Have you just gotten here as well?’ Grace asked, intrigued by her new companion. ‘I arrived early this morning. My sister’s here with me too.’
‘Fresh meat,’ Eva said with a grin, tipping her head back slightly. ‘That’s what all those boys in there will be calling you. No wonder he put his hands where they don’t belong.’
Grace was starting to realize just how little she knew about dealing with men. Now here she was, with no one but her sister and her own wits to rely on, surrounded by a bunch of men who’d probably had one too many drinks before she’d even arrived. She was going to have to be more careful; not everyone was as polite and friendly as Teddy.
‘I’ve been here a few months already. I’m a Navy Corps nurse stationed on the USSSolace.’
‘Where is it moored?’ Grace asked, staring out at the ocean.
‘Over that way in the stream,’ Eva said. ‘We’ll be heading back soon, but we all wanted to come have a couple hours of fun first. It’s boring as hell being on that boat all the time with nothing much to do.’
‘Please, don’t let me stop you. Head back in to dance if you’d like,’ Grace said, embarrassed that a stranger had been forced to rescue her and then sit out the party. ‘I’ll be fine.’
‘Don’t be sorry; this is nice,’ Eva said. And Grace believed her. ‘The boat gives me cabin fever, and the heat and music in there are enough to give anyone a pounding headache, so this is perfect. My fiancé wasn’t allowed leave tonight, so it’s nice to have someone to talk to.’
‘He’s based here too?’ Grace asked.
‘Yes. He’s air force, but he’s being reprimanded for something, and he isn’t allowed to leave his barracks. He’s pushing the boundaries, and I think he’s pushed his luck too far this time.’
Grace smiled over at her new friend, pleased she’d met her. She sat down, her legs curled up beneath her, the sand cool against the tops of her feet. She sipped her drink and glanced at Eva, straightening her shoulders as she noticed the perfect, almost dancer-like way the other woman sat, so elegant and tall.
‘So where did you do your training? What made you go into nursing?’ Eva asked.
Grace often wondered why she’d decided to train, but she knew why. No matter how often she told people that she’d always wanted to be a nurse and she liked taking care of people, the truth was far removed from her perfect little story. She wasn’t lying—she did love people, and she’d always help someone if she could—but nursing wasn’t something she loved the idea of, and she doubted it ever would be.
‘Promise you won’t hate me?’ she asked.
Eva frowned. ‘Hate you? Why?’
‘When I admit that the only reason I’m here is because I didn’t want to be left home while my sister and best friend went on the adventure of a lifetime,’ she confessed. ‘I’ve never told anyone that before, but the truth is, I’m squeamish around blood. I wasn’t about to sit at home, though, and let them do this without me.’
Eva stared at her, her eyes wide, before she erupted into laughter, spilling her drink as she reached for Grace’s wrist. Grace knew her cheeks would be bright red, the burn making her entire body flush as she went to stand up.
‘Stop! Don’t go!’ Eva pleaded as she wiped tears from her cheeks. ‘I’m sorry, but that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard! You can’t be a nurse if you’re scared of blood—you do realize that, don’t you?’
‘I didn’t sayscared,’ Grace corrected.
‘Grace, if you’re funny around blood, you need to get out now. What happens if we end up at war? What will you do if you’re dealing with amputations and surgeries and—’
‘Stop!’ Grace begged, her stomach turning just thinking about it all. ‘Everyone back home seems so certain we won’t join the war, and I’m fine with needles, so I can do the injections when they’re needed and bandaging, all that sort of thing. It’s just full-on blood that makes me feel sick.’
Eva leaned in closer to her, her smile kind. ‘I’m sorry I laughed at you; it wasn’t fair, but I’m serious. Maybe you should consider volunteering in another way if you’re not sure about nursing? Before it gets worse, I mean.’
Grace shook her head. ‘I’m fine. Honestly, I shouldn’t have even said anything.’
‘I understand why you wanted to stay with your sister, though,’ Eva said. ‘And itisan amazing adventure here. In fact if we don’t end up at war, it’ll be the adventure of a lifetime. But we need to remember what we’re here for if things change. We could be sent anywhere if we enter the war.’
