The Widow's Choice (27 page)

He gunned the engine, and ten minutes later dropped his bomb right on target. He held it until the last possible moment, pulled out with a screaming of engines, and felt the lightness of his head as he was pulled back into the seat. He resumed his formation, and he saw Hack Odom give him a thumbs-up.

“How did he do, Hack?”

“Why, there was nothin’ to it. He got in that airplane and stayed right with us as we went through some pretty rough formations. And then when we dropped the bombs, he was right on target.”

“Did you talk to him?”

“Sure did. As soon as we landed. I never saw a fellow so happy. He kept saying that he wasn’t afraid. I think he’s some kind of religious nut. He said God took away all his fear.”

“He’s probably right.”

“Maybe so. Anyway, I checked him out every way I can think of. He may be the best pilot I’ve got right now.”

“Good. We’re going to need him.”

“You think it’ll be soon?”

“I think the Japs will move across the Pacific with everything they’ve got, and we’re all this country’s got to stop them.”

****

When Alona picked up the phone and said hello, the person on the other end didn’t bother with greetings.

“Alona, it worked! I can fly!”

“Jason, that’s wonderful!” she exclaimed. “Tell me all about it.”

She listened as the words tumbled out of him. He could hardly speak fast enough. “It was all your prayers that did it. I know it was.”

“And others were praying for you too, Jason.”

“But you were the first. You were the one who talked me into it. I’m so happy, Alona. Everything’s different now.”

She felt a sudden twinge. “What will happen now, Jason?”

“Well, since I’ve already had my training, I won’t be here at the base very long.”

“You’ll be . . . you’ll be leaving?”

“Oh, sure. But don’t worry. I’m with a good squadron. Got a good squadron leader. There are good men here. It’s exactly what I needed to do. I don’t think I’ll ever be the same again.”

Fear gripped Alona as she realized she had put him in harm’s way.
If something should happen . . .”
Be careful, Jason. Please promise that you will.”

He laughed. “Okay. I promise. Now, tell me what’s going on at home.”

She told him about the boys. “Tim painted a picture of Helen on her filly. It’s very good. Mrs. Arnette has entered it into a national contest. She thinks it has a good chance to win.”

“I hope so. What about . . . what about Oscar?”

“Well, he’s doing all right. His heart is still not very strong, and he got a huge order from the army for the foundry. They’ve started working double shifts now and may put on a third.”

“Oscar never knew how to do anything halfway. Try to make him take care of himself.”

“I try, but you know your brother.”

“Alona, I’m going to write him a letter and tell him again how much I appreciate him. He’s done a lot for me. Do you think it’ll be all right if I write to you?”

She hesitated. “I don’t know, Jason.”

“I just thought it would be nice to tell somebody what’s happening to me, and I’d like to hear about the boys.”

“I . . .I suppose that would be all right.”

“Alona, I know I shouldn’t have told you how I felt about you. I wasn’t thinking. But I don’t want it to be a burden to you. I’ll never mention it again.”

“No, you mustn’t, Jason.”

“I promise. But do write to me and tell me all about what’s happening.”

There was a moment of silence then, both of them very much aware of the dangerous world into which Jason Moran was moving.

“I’ll pray for you every day,” she said quietly.

“Thank you, Alona. Good-bye for now.”

“Good-bye.” She hung up the phone, and a heavy spirit settled on her. She realized it was not going to leave until the war was over and Jason was safely back home.

CHAPTER TWENTY

“I Never Gave Death a Thought”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Moran. You don’t have enough coupons left to get all of your groceries.”

Alona picked up her ration book and frantically thumbed through it. “I was sure I had enough.”

The grocer shook his head regretfully. “I’d like to help you out, but you know how it is with the government these days. They’re watching over these ration stamps like they were money.”

Alona had not yet become accustomed to the new rationing system the government had imposed. Each person in a household was given a book with stamps in it, and now it was necessary at the grocery store not only to have money, but also the stamps. She was fortunate with her three boys to have enough of the stamps, as a rule, but she had left two of the books at home.

“Couldn’t you let me give you the stamps the next time I come?”

“I’d like to, ma’am, but they’re pretty strict. There’s a war on, you know.”

Alona gave Stevens a hard look. “Yes, I know,” she said curtly. “But somehow I don’t think it’s going to make a great difference in the outcome if you let me bring you the stamps next time.”

“But if I let you get by, I’d have to let everybody else. I’m sure sorry, but rules are rules.”

“Very well. Take all the groceries out that I don’t have
stamps for,” Alona said in a resigned tone. She watched as the clerk removed several items. “Will that make you happy?”

“Really it ain’t me, Mrs. Moran.”

“Oh, I know it. I’m sorry. I guess the war news has made me gloomy.”

“It ain’t good, is it? I thought our boys would do better.”

“Well, you have to remember that we weren’t prepared for this. Our troops were ill armed and not ready for what the Japanese are throwing at them.”

Gathering her purchases, Alona left the store. She put the groceries in the car, then drove directly to the church. When she got there, she went inside and found Pastor Sandifer in his office.

When he looked up, his eyes grew bright, and he got to his feet. “Alona, I’m glad to see you. Come in and sit down. I was going to come by and visit with you later today.”

“As you know, I’ve been directing the choir now that Brother Paul has joined the army,” she said as she sat down. “I was wondering if you’ve had any success in finding a permanent replacement for him.”

“I’ve got a lead on a young woman who might do very well for us, although she’s reluctant to leave the church where she directs now until the end of the school year.”

“She’s probably right that April isn’t a good time to take a new position. I’d be happy to work with the choir until we go on break for the summer.”

“That would be excellent, Alona. I appreciate your willingness to do that.”

The two chatted about the affairs of the church, and eventually their conversation turned to the war. “Things look pretty grim in the Pacific,” Brother Byron said. “Have you heard from Jason?”

“Yes, I have. Just a V-mail. You can’t say much on that little sheet of paper. Several of his sentences were scratched out by the censor.”

“He wrote me too. Thanked me for what the church had
meant to him. He sure sounds like a different man, doesn’t he?”

“I believe he
is
a different man. He was always so beaten down and cowed, and now when I read in the papers about all the fierce fighting that’s going on, I can’t help being afraid for him.”

“It is hard,” Sandifer said, nodding. “Nobody knows exactly what’s happening, but one thing for sure, there’s going to be a big battle someday when our carriers meet up with those Jap carriers.”

Alona stood up, not wanting to say more. Indeed, she had been burdened with concern for Jason and for several other young men from their town who had signed up to serve immediately after Pearl Harbor was bombed. Many of the others, however, were still in training camps, while she had the feeling that Jason was in the very heart of the battle.

“One other thing,” the pastor said as he got up as well. “Would you mind going by and seeing Julie Donaldson? She just got word yesterday that her husband was killed in Corregidor. She’s got two small children, and she’s pretty devastated.”

“I’d be glad to, although I don’t know what I can say.”

“There’s really not much that we can say. Nothing can ever heal the wound of losing a husband. She just needs someone to be with her, listen to her. I was there yesterday and again this morning, but women do this sort of thing much better than men, I think.”

“I’d be glad to go.”

“You know where she lives, don’t you?”

Alona nodded. “I’ll go straight there.”

****

Jason approached the carrier, and as always, experienced a moment of fear. To put a Dauntless dive bomber down on the heaving deck of a carrier that looked no bigger than a postage stamp from the air was always a challenge. Already
three pilots had misjudged their landing. One of them had been killed, and two others had been fished out of the sea. Jason had a natural gift for this sort of thing, however, and expertly came in with the nose high, and he felt the cable grab. The impact threw him forward as the plane was halted abruptly. He sat there for a moment while the men who cared for the planes swarmed over it. He undid his safety belt and climbed out, finding that his legs were so stiff they felt weak.

“You feeling okay, Lieutenant?” Jim Abraham was a neat young man from New Mexico. He took care of the plane as if it were his own private property and at times even scolded Jason for treating it roughly.

“I’m all right, Jimmy. Just stiff.”

“That was a long flight. You see anything?”

“Lots of ocean.”

“No carriers, huh?”

“Not yet.”

“We’ll see ’em one day, and when we do, you and
The Daisy
here will sink one of them carriers.” Jimmy had called the aircraft
The Daisy
ever since he had started working on it. The two men worked closely together, and nobody knew better than Jason how important it was that the airplane be in tip-top shape. He knew it would be, as Jimmy always took care of it.

Jason joined Tommy Edwards and the other pilots who were walking wearily across to the island.

“I’m gonna give you some more lessons on landing on a carrier,” Tommy told Jason teasingly.

“Why, I’d appreciate that, Tommy.” In fact, Tommy had wrecked two planes already and was the most inept pilot in the squadron at landing a plane. He was, however, an expert at everything else. It was only the landings that gave him problems.

Captain Hack Odom, the squadron leader, overheard the two and said, “We’re gonna run out of airplanes if you don’t stop crashing them, Edwards.”

“Oh, I reckon I’ve broken the habit, Captain. When are you going to find us some of them Jap carriers? I want to get a medal. Plan to sink two or three by myself.”

Odom liked to see cockiness in a pilot and possessed some of that quality himself. “I’ll see what I can do. I don’t guess the rest of us even need to bother going if you’re going to handle it all.”

“That’s all right. You fellows can come along,” Edwards said airily, waving his hand in an eloquent gesture. “You can confirm all my kills.”

A laugh went up from the other pilots. Everybody liked Tommy, even though he wasn’t the best pilot.

The men made their way to the mess hall, joking all the way. Jason grinned at the tall black man who was putting food on the plates. “What do you have for us today, Tall Boy?” Jason asked. “Something fit to eat, I hope.”

“Now, Lieutenant, don’t you be bad mouthin’ my cookin’.”

“I won’t. You’re a great cook. When I get rich and famous, I’m going to hire you to cook for me.”

“Didn’t know you was that rich, Lieutenant.” Tall Boy grinned.

“Well, I’m not yet, but I may be someday. When the war is over, then I’ll get rich.”

A great deal of howling and gyration arose from Jeff Tombs. “I bet you own one of them big cotton plantations, Moran. Have folks waitin’ on you hand and foot.”

“That’s me. Just like
Gone With the Wind.
”

“You got a Miss Scarlett waitin’ for you back there on that plantation?” Tombs asked.

Jason’s face suddenly lost its grin. “No, not me.” A silence fell on the room, for at one time or another, all of them had tried to find out what kind of life Jason had led. Most of the others had been willing to talk about their family and their background, but Jason had said almost nothing. He was the crack flier of the squadron, surpassing even Hack Odom, which many had sworn could never be done.

Jason ate methodically. He had almost become a machine. Eat, sleep, get up, fly. Come back, eat, sleep, get up, fly. So far the men had seen absolutely no action, but still every flight was a nerve-wracking experience. They flew long sweeps, and fuel consumption became a problem. Finding a carrier in the middle of a trackless ocean was a feat that was difficult for most people to conceive. On each flight the men were wary, for rumors were circulating that the Japanese were on the prowl in the Pacific. They had some huge carriers, and their pilots were good. The Americans knew this much.

When Jason finished his meal, he complimented Tall Boy and then went to his bunk, which he shared with Tommy Edwards and Jimmy Abraham. They had stayed at the mess hall to play poker, but that particular vice had little appeal for Jason. He lay down, picked up his Bible, and began to read. Something had happened to him when he had completely given himself to God back in Jonesboro. Before that time, the Bible had been pretty much a dead book to him, but now it was living indeed! He was finding the book of John and the Psalms to be his favorite books. He began reading now in the Psalms. He read aloud in a soft whisper and after a time put the Bible down and turned his heart to prayer. He prayed for the members of his squadron, for Alona and her boys, and finally for Oscar. . . .

****

Alona heard the boys shouting and went outside. They had gathered a wagonload of what appeared to be junk. “What on earth have you boys got?”

“Aluminum, Mom. Haven’t you heard about the aluminum drive? It’s to build airplanes with,” Zac said. His eyes were bright as he added, “Look at all we got!”

“Yeah, we need some of your pans, Mom,” Carl said.