Tracie Peterson (40 page)

Clara awoke the next morning to Darlene excitedly calling her to the telephone. “It’s Michael!” her friend announced.

Clara hurried into her robe and went down the hall to answer the phone. “Michael!” she exclaimed as she picked up the receiver.

“I thought I’d never get through,” Michael declared. “Look, I’ve only got a minute. I’m in General Blevins’ office and he’s been gracious enough to let me call you. I need to see you. We need to go forward with the ceremony right away. Are you ready?”

Clara thought of the desperation from the night before. “I’m ready, Michael. Dress or no dress, I’ll marry you when you give the word.”

“Great! I’m arranging leave for tomorrow—day after at the latest. Be ready. I love you.”

“I love you too, my darling,” Clara countered. “I’ll see you hopefully tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow!” he replied and then the line went dead.

Clara held the receiver for another few seconds before slowly hanging it up. A part of her rejoiced in knowing that Michael would soon be with her and they would be married. But another part of her began a mourning process that would surely take her through the war. He was leaving. She could hear it in his voice. She could feel it in her heart. There was no doubt about it, especially given the most recent push. They needed more men to repulse the German offensive and get the war back on track for an Allied victory.

Clara immediately turned and knocked on Anna Nelson’s door. Her superior opened the door with a rather exhausted expression. “Oh, Clara. You’re just the one I wanted to speak with. Come in.”

Clara tightened the sash on her robe and stepped into Anna’s room. “I need to make a request.”

“So do I,” Anna said rather sternly. “You go ahead and tell me what you have in mind.”

“I’d like leave for tomorrow and maybe even the next day.”

“Christmas?”

Clara nodded. “Michael is coming tomorrow and we’re to be married.” She frowned and bit at her lower lip to keep from crying. The sudden burst of emotion startled Clara. She hadn’t anticipated that this would be difficult. “They’re shipping out soon,” she added in a barely audible voice.

Anna put her arm around Clara’s shoulders. “I know. I’m sorry.”

Clara let the tears come, and when Anna guided her to a chair, she buried her face in her hands and sobbed. After a couple of minutes, she regained her composure. “I’m sorry,” she said, sniffing loudly. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“I think I do. It’s this war and everything about it. I heard what happened last night. I was going to be rather harsh with you for taking the Hillman without permission, but the major in charge of that particular convoy sent a note praising the Red Cross’s devotion to sending girls out in the middle of the night to encourage embarking troops. I suppose since things worked out rather well, I shall let it go this time. However, there mustn’t be another incident like this one.”

“I understand. I just felt desperate to get to Michael and marry him. I’ve been so silly, fretting over a wedding dress and all the trimmings of a home-style wedding. I just wanted things special,” Clara said, looking up at Anna as if to receive absolution for her feelings. “My mother always told me what a regret her elopement had been. She missed out on the parties and the dress and the church. She missed out on the all the fun of the wedding and found herself rather suddenly settled into the marriage. She wanted it better for me, but—”

“But the war came along and changed everything,” Anna interrupted.

“Just like it had with the Great War,” Clara replied. “That was the very reason my mother missed out, and I promised her I would do whatever I could to keep from having the same thing happen to me. Michael and I were going to marry before he left for duty, but several things conspired against us and we decided to wait. We were going to have a wedding when he came home on leave. I was going to
have everything ready and waiting, but then I joined the Red Cross and one thing led to another.” She sighed heavily. “I can’t wait any longer. Michael is soon to be shipped out. He’s coming here tomorrow and whether we have much of a wedding or not, we’re getting married.”

Anna smiled. “We’ll do what we can to make it special, Clara. Of course you may have the day off. However, I need for you to take the trucks out today. There will be no time for breaks. You’ll need to leave immediately and you will no doubt be gone until late. There are thousands of men lined up on the docks and in loading sheds. You go with Madeline.”

Clara nodded. So much for making any last-minute provisions for her upcoming nuptials. “Would you get word to Sylvia Clarke?” Clara questioned. “I’d like her to be at the wedding. It would mean a lot to me.”

Anna smiled. “Why don’t you run on over and tell her yourself. I’m sure she’ll be just as charmed. We’ve got things covered for the moment. I think it would do you good to spend a bit of time with her.”

Clara got up and wiped her eyes with the sleeves of her robe. “I have a feeling I may be spending a lot of time visiting Sylvia once Michael has shipped out.”

“A wedding!” Sylvia exclaimed. “How lovely. Why, it’s just the thing to lift your spirits. Why don’t you come inside and tell me all about your plans.”

Clara shook her head. “I can’t stay. Miss Nelson let me come and tell you, but I have to get right back.” She smiled at the older woman. “I’ve really appreciated your friendship. I hope in the time to come that we can become true friends.”

Sylvia nodded and reached out to squeeze Clara’s hands. “Oh, I would very much like that.”

Clara glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to go. Maybe I can tell you more about the plans tonight. I have a full day and probably won’t be back until evening, but Anna promises me I can have tomorrow and the next day off. We have to be ready to go at a moment’s notice.”

“I completely understand,” Sylvia answered. “Until tonight.”

Clara worked all day at dispensing doughnuts, coffee, and American charm. Her feet hurt and her back ached, but she worked on faithfully. Driven by sheer willpower and a desire to send the men off to war with a memory of a sweet smile and a kind word, Clara refused to let despair overrun her.

Several times during the day, she and Madeline loaded up and moved to other areas. They stopped only long enough to restock on doughnuts and coffee before moving out to yet another troop of men. By the time evening came, and Clara received the word to return to her billet, the clock was edging toward seven-thirty.

“Clara,” Jeanine said conspiratorially, after issuing the word to return, “I have some interesting news.”

Clara pulled away from her tasks at hand and went behind the truck with Jeanine. “What is it?”

“Well,” Jeanine said, her eyes lit up with excitement. “I found you some parachute silk.”

“What! That’s wonderful! Where?” Clara could hardly contain her excitement.

“Well, there’s a base not too far from here where some of the parachute troops are temporarily being stationed. I have a feeling it’s part of this big push we keep hearing about. Anyway, I met up with this one grungy-looking misfit of a sergeant who said he could get you as much parachute silk as you needed.”

“What does he want in return?” Clara asked.

“A Christmas feast,” Jeanine replied with a shrug. “They’re shipping out before Christmas—of course, he isn’t supposed to know that. But he’s all miffed and they’re going to miss out on the planned turkey and dressing. He said if you’ll bring him the fixings for any dinner that isn’t K-rations or C-rations, he’ll give you the parachute.”

“Well, we can do that,” Clara said, her tone becoming animated. “I mean, I’ve been promised just about any kind of food I want from those nice navy officers we met a couple of weeks ago. I’ll bet if I were to go to them right now and beg for some food, they’d be more than happy to help.”

“Sure,” Jeanine said, nodding. “You go ahead and I’ll tell Anna you and Madeline are still busy with the Clubmobile. It won’t take
you long to get the food. Then just come back to the hotel and get me. I’ll arrange for us to borrow the Hillman.”

“Okay,” Clara said, licking her lips against the cold. “I’ll be as quick as I can.” Her heart soared with the anticipation of a gown. It seemed that God had heard her prayers.
Maybe letting go of my needs or demands
, Clara mused,
was necessary before God could work. Maybe my heart still wasn’t right
. She fairly danced back to the cab of the truck. Madeline was already seated inside waiting.

“What’s going on?”

“We need to take a little detour,” Clara said, starting the engine. “I need to see a couple of friends about some food.”

Nearly an hour later, Clara lugged a big pillowcase full of food back to the Clubmobile. She had T-bone steaks, potatoes, pie, and all kinds of trimmings carefully loaded in her Santa-style pack. She felt a little like the mythical fat man all bundled against the winter chill, lugging her bag full of goodies back to her sleigh.

“Did you get it?” Madeline questioned.

“Yes,” Clara nodded. “They’re a good lot, our boys. Gave me everything they could spare.”

“So now where?”

“Back to the hotel. Jeanine is borrowing the Hillman and she knows where we’re going.”

“I want to come too,” Madeline said, “but I suppose someone has to remain behind.”

“I’ll need your help to make the dress when I get back with the parachute silk,” Clara said, swinging the truck onto the road. “I know you’re probably the best seamstress among us.”

“If we all work on a piece,” Madeline said, considering the situation, “we can have it ready by morning.”

“Yeah, if we work all night,” Clara laughed. “I may sleep through my own wedding, but at least I’ll have a dress.”

She parked the Clubmobile in its regular place, then grabbed up her pack. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Will do,” Madeline said. “I’ll start cutting out a pattern for the dress.”

Clara was fairly singing as she jumped from the truck. Jeanine appeared within moments of their arrival, motioning her toward the Hillman.

“Anna said this was a one-time thing. She didn’t want us thinking we could use Red Cross property for personal needs on a fulltime basis.”

“She’s got a good heart,” Clara said, jumping into the passenger side of the Hillman. Jeanine climbed in the driver’s side and fired up the engine. “It’s pretty cold, so we’re going to have to wait a few minutes.”

“It’s been terribly cold here lately. Cold and damp,” Clara said, hugging the pack protectively. “It reminds me of home.”

Jeanine finally eased the Hillman out from behind the hotel and made her way to the main highway. “It’s only eight, but it feels like ten or eleven,” she said. “At least we should have plenty of time to get there and back, even if they need us for a midnight run.”

Clara sighed, feeling a bit nervous. Here she thought she’d let go of her concern about the dress and now her desires were working against her. “Oh, I just hope this works out. Madeline said if we all work on the dress together, we can have it finished by morning.”

“Well, there’s only one sewing machine. Thank goodness it’s foot powered,” Jeanine said, grinning. “I’m sure we’d never get clearance to run it otherwise. You know how everyone is about waste.”

“Yes, but this isn’t waste,” Clara replied. “This is important.” But in her heart, Clara was gradually beginning to feel guilty. She’d given this matter to God, and now it seemed she was taking it back.

It’s not because of the dress
, she reasoned.
I just want a nice wedding for Michael’s sake, as well as my own. If he has to go off to war, he should at least get to go off with the pleasant memory of a decent wedding
. But even as she thought this, Clara knew the ceremony meant very little to Michael. He simply wanted to be her husband. He didn’t care about the gown or the other trappings. He only wanted her.

“Oh, look there,” Jeanine said as she crept the Hillman through the narrow streets. “Those children shouldn’t be out on such a cold night.”

“I wonder what they’re doing,” Clara questioned, craning her neck to see.

“Probably begging,” Jeanine replied. “Sometimes I think they should have sent all of the children away. Children shouldn’t have to live like this. I mean, it’s nearly Christmas and these kids are out here begging for their very existence.”