Claire Gulliver #04 - Cruisin' for a Bruisin' (9 page)

The music was loud and the dancers enthusiastic. The women who volunteered came to support their men, albeit, everyone’s men. They were from all walks of life, some with loved ones of their own overseas. Some just liked to dance. Some only served the refreshments and some just listened to the lonely men talk.

She noticed too many of the men hanging around the punch bowl were wistfully watching the dancers, because there weren’t enough women. Her reinforcements wouldn’t be arriving for a few minutes so she headed for the ladies room, intending to shoo anyone sneaking a cigarette under the guise of fixing their lipstick back out to the dance floor. This wasn’t the right time for primping, she thought.

“Dance?”

She veered around the man blocking her way and then realized he had been talking to her. She looked at him, momentarily stunned by his piercing eyes. He was tall and muscular. Mature, not old and he had a weathered face, the laugh lines framed the blue of his eyes.

She smiled at him. “Thank you, Captain, but I’m not one of the dance hostesses. I’m sure you’ll find someone who will be a better dancer over there.” She nodded her chin towards the punch table.

He shook his head. “Nope, I’ve already found someone who suits my tastes. There is no one here who compares with you. Surely you have time for one dance with a lonely flier lad before he’s shipped off to fight for you and your country.” The smile was lazy but the glint in his eyes was pure devilment.

She laughed, unable to refuse his outrageous flattery and so found herself in his arms and on the dance floor. There, in spite of him being more than a foot taller than her and almost twice her weight, they seemed to float to music as if they were one entity. So of course they danced another one. She was very tempted to follow him for a third song, but fortunately she remembered the rules in time.

“Sorry, Captain, but we’re only allowed two dances with the same person before changing partners.” She smiled with regret, explaining, “It’s so everyone gets a chance to dance, you see.”

“But can you dance with me after a break?”

She nodded, suddenly wanting another dance very badly.

He slipped his arm through hers and steered her toward the punch bowl. “Let’s have a drink and you can tell me all about yourself.”

Flo actually blushed, responding to his charm as she hadn’t to anyone else. Later they both admitted they suspected even then they were going to be seriously connected.

“Oh, that sounds so romantic.”

Mrs. Bernbaum nodded. A dreamy smile touched her lips. “It was, but it wasn’t easy. There were rules you know. Women in the USO weren’t supposed to date men they met at the functions. It was a good rule. It was to keep the activities wholesome, entertaining and not a dating service. Oh, I know, many people ignored the rules. I couldn’t, you see, because I was in charge. I had to set an example. But suddenly I found those rules very depressing even though Nate understood.”

“But how did you get together?”

“Nate. He took care of it. He found someone who knew someone, who knew someone else and somehow got invited to a charity benefit I was attending the next night. He was introduced to me properly, in front of many witnesses, completely away from any USO activity and the rest was history. He only had five days before shipping out again and we took advantage of every minute. We would have married before he left, but we just didn’t have enough time. So we decided as soon as we were together again it would be the first item on our agenda. And he promised me he would return.”

Mrs. Bernbaum clasped Millie’s wrist tightly, so she couldn’t leave before she finished what she wanted to say. She leaned her head forward. “I had been married before, but I didn’t know love until I met Nate. I thought I had been happy. I thought I was heartbroken when my first husband died, but it was as if I had been living protected from real life by a gauze screen. When I met Nate everything was so intense. The sun was brighter, the clouds were darker; my love could barely be contained.

“Oh, and I worried so. He was going to England to fly missions over Europe. It was so dangerous. I didn’t know how I would live with him gone, but there was no choice. He had to go. I had to be brave for him. We all had to do what we had to do. It was expected in those times.

“We hoped he would get leave again, but he didn’t. Thank God, when the war ended he was still alive. But even then he wasn’t released immediately. And we waited. He wrote me the most beautiful letters. I still have every one of them. It seemed like our lives were on hold forever.

“Do you remember those years?” she asked peering into Millie’s eyes.

Millie shook her head. “I was a toddler. What I remember were the books and movies of that time, but written later, and of course the stories I heard.”

Mrs. Bernbaum relaxed, letting go of Millie’s arm, and sat back in her chair. “You know, my dear, the worst thing about getting old is finding you can’t share your memories with anyone. Suddenly it is as if you were the only person alive who remembers certain times. It’s very sad.”

Millie felt a shiver, realizing longevity had a price.

“But look at me? I’m starting to get maudlin. I’m sure you have better things to do with your time than listen to me.”

“Oh, no Mrs. Bernbaum, I enjoy talking to you and hearing about your life. I hope you’ll tell me the rest of the story.”

“I will, of course I will. Another day perhaps.”

“Ruth and I are going to take a taxi into the city to the Empress Hotel to meet Claire and Lucy for tea. Would you like to join us?”

Mrs. Bernbaum’s smile was tremulous. “Me? You’re inviting me to join you?”

“Of course, we’d love to have your company. It will only be for a couple of hours and I hear it’s very fancy.”

“My dear, thank you for asking, but I must decline. I need to take my nap.” She smiled ruefully. “The penalty for having the late seating for dinner is an afternoon nap, so I don’t doze off during the main course.” She struggled to get out of the chair, then stood a moment as if to test her legs before heading for the elevator. “See you at dinner tonight. I’ll look forward to hearing all about the tea.”

She tottered with determination across the lobby toward the elevators while Millie tried to picture her as she was when she met her Nate.

“Oh, you didn’t wait for us?” Ruth was clearly disappointed.

“Yes, we did. We didn’t order anything to eat even though we were tempted. We had to have some tea to warm us up. Don’t worry, we’ll order it all again.”

“Did you both get soaked? I hope you’re not going to come down with a cold.” Millie took off her jacket and settled in a chair facing her daughter.

“It was cold and damp, but it was wonderful. I think it was even better in the rain. And actually, except for our feet, we stayed pretty dry.”

Ruth was busily examining the menu, but Millie took the time to gaze around the elegant room where the Empress Hotel was serving tea.

“Oh my gosh. Look at these prices.” Ruth looked up. “Are we sure we want to eat here?”

“Those are Canadian dollars, Ruth,” Lucy said. “And besides we deserve to treat ourselves.”

“It is very nice here, Ruth.” Millie was taken with the ornate Victorian décor, the heavy velvet draperies, the rich carpets on the polished wood floors, while the subtle clink of silver sounded through the room and the crystal stemware gleamed richly in the dim light. The hotel itself was old and elegant, similar to the St. Francis in San Francisco.

“Lucy is right. The price is not the object. This is a treat,” Millie told Ruth.

“Well, in that case we’d better do the whole thing and go for the High Tea. It’s the most expensive, so it must be the best. What kind of tea should we order?”

“We have Earl Grey and will probably stick with that. So order whatever appeals to you and Mom.”

“I like Earl Grey, or perhaps Oolong. Either of those okay with you, Millie?”

The waitress took their order and left them to catch up on the activities of the day.

“Mom, the Rose Garden was outstanding. I took a picture of the most beautiful rose I’ve ever seen. I hope it comes out because you’re going to drool over it. It was crimson, but as the petals unfolded it was white inside with crimson only on the edges of each petal. It was just too perfect!”

“The last of the summer flowers were still in bloom and the fall flowers were just starting to bloom. So we got to see two seasons,” Lucy added.

“We bought seeds, oodles of seeds. I got some for you too. I’d show them to you, but they’re sealed with an agriculture sticker so we can get them through customs. I thought I might plant some of the wildflowers in that weed patch behind the book shop. And I’m hoping some will take to the planters on my porch at home.” Claire always regretted she didn’t have the time to do much with her yard, either at home or at the store. And so far she only had a service in to mow the weeds into some semblance of a lawn so her neighbors wouldn’t complain. But after seeing these gardens she was convinced she needed to pay attention to the yard behind the store. She could envision a nice patio with flowers and shaded places for customers to sit amongst the flowers to read while deciding which books to buy.

Just then the waitress wheeled out a tea trolley laden with plates and pots. She transferred everything to their table while they sat dazzled by the variety. Lucy said she would pour, so the waitress left them to it.

“No wonder it’s so expensive. Who could eat all this?” Ruth muttered.

“I bet we can do a pretty good job of it, I’m starved after all our walking today.” Claire used the silver tongs to help herself to a collection of tiny sandwiches and little savories.

“I skipped lunch just so I could do justice to it.” Millie heaped her plate.

“Well, I swam, so I’m hungry,” admitted Ruth.

“I hope we won’t have to ask for more. It would be a little embarrassing,” Lucy said and the others laughed. “I know for sure I’m saving room for the sweets.”

The four-tiered plate laden with scones, cakes, petite fours and chocolate dipped strawberries looked almost too pretty to disturb, but they knew they would.

“Yummy. Ruth, did you try this? It tastes like that little crab puff your group served as an appetizer in Tuscany,” Millie said between bites.

Ruth picked one up and took a bite, then nodded at Millie as she finished it off. “It could easily be the same recipe.”

“Did you see any of our table mates at the gardens?”

“No, but I did see a couple of people from the ship. That couple we sat next to at the races and another couple I met in the internet café. Did you see anyone from the table Lucy?”

“No, but maybe they went other places or even wandered around the shops here in town. Isn’t this a pretty town with all the flower baskets hanging from the light stanchions? Claire, you should talk to your Merchant’s Association and get them to do that in Bayside. It would really perk up the downtown district.”

Claire nodded, then admitted, “They’re pretty tight with their dollars. They don’t like to spend money on anything, and I can just hear them complaining about how flowers are apt to die.”

Lucy grinned, nodding. She knew Bayside was such a pokey little town because the city fathers were loath to spend the money to compete with the fashionable cities of Burlingame and San Mateo which neighbored them.

She changed the subject. “So Millie, what did you do today while Ruth was swimming her laps?”

“I fully intended to work on my menus. But when I went for coffee I found Mrs. Bernbaum sitting up there all alone, so I ended up talking to her until it was time to meet Ruth. She was telling me about how she met her husband, not Mr. Bernbaum, her one true love, you know? She’s very interesting.”

“Did she grab your arm so you couldn’t get away?” Claire wanted to know.

“Yes, as a matter of fact she did, but I didn’t mind. You know it must be very hard to want to tell people things when they’re all too busy or too disinterested to listen. She told me one of the hardest things about getting old was finding there was no one to share her memories with.” Millie shuddered. “I kind of hope I don’t live that long.”

“How old is she?”

“I don’t know, but she was in her thirties when she met her husband in the forties so that would make her ninety something now, wouldn’t it?” She looked around to verify her math and seeing them nod she continued. “Really, she’s in pretty good shape for her age, wouldn’t you say?”

“I guess so!”

“I invited her to join us for tea, but she said she had to nap. She says if she doesn’t nap she’ll fall asleep in her soup.” Millie laughed. “Apparently her caregiver and her nephew scheduled her for the early sitting and she wasn’t going to have that.”

Claire nodded. “Every time I’ve seen her caregiver she’s made some comment about Mrs. Bernbaum staying up too late. One time she said it would take more than a shot of pep from Dr. Feelgood to keep her going.”

“What did she mean by that, dear?”

“Well, Mom, I’m assuming she calls Dr. Walmer that. I got the impression she didn’t much like him or the shots he gives Mrs. Bernbaum to give her enough energy for this trip.”

“He’s giving her shots? What kind of shots? Is that dangerous?” Millie couldn’t contain her alarm.

“He specializes in longevity. I’ve heard of physicians who do that. They use all the newest discoveries to make sure their aging clients get the most out of their life. Believe me, when I start slowing down I’ll be getting me a doctor like that.” Ruth shook her head as she helped herself to more goodies. “Forget all the doctors who do face lifts, I’d rather be able to do things, to be mobile, to have the energy to do what I want.”

“I’m with you on that, Ruth. And Mrs. Bernbaum told me she was on a life quest. She has something she feels she needs to do on this trip to Alaska and Richard made it possible for her to do it, so she’s very grateful for his help.” Then Claire admitted sheepishly, “I was concerned when I first met her, because she’s so old. But really, I do like her. And from the little I know about her I’m sure she’s led a very interesting life.”