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Chapter 25
- Texas A&M University Press
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{Chapter 25} Finally, finally, I could say that I would see Lee “this month” and then “next week.” I had my tickets to fly to Honolulu on Sunday the twelfth and return late in the afternoon a week later, allowing me to arrive a day before Lee and depart a few hours after he did. My objective was not to miss a single minute with him. I now opened each letter from Lee more apprehensively than before, afraid of a change of plans, a delay of days, or a postponement until January . I checked the date as I opened every envelope and then scanned until I found “R&R.” Only after assurance that nothing had been altered did I read the rest of the letter. I still did not trust that gung-ho battalion commander. In one, Lee asked me to calculate the time difference between Hawaii and Texas and let his parents know when and where he would call them. I wrote the Lannings to ask them to be at a friend’s house at seven o’clock in the evening their time on the thirteenth. They were to wait an hour. If Lee didn’t call that night, he would the next. With so many uncertainties, it was the best I could do. I secured a prescription for diuretics from a less-than-attentive obstetrician and then popped up to see Bernie. He was sitting on the bed, still in casts but improved. “I can’t stay but a minute,” I said after our greetings. “I have a thousand things to do. I’m leaving for Hawaii in three days.” I just loved saying it! He smiled in reminiscence. “Hawaii’s wonderful. You’ll have a great time.” “Oh, I hope so,” I giggled. “I can hardly wait.” [176] chapter 25 Suddenly my face turned red and I bit my lip. Bernie laughed, “Your being pregnant is not going to make any difference, you know.” “You really don’t think so?” I was scarlet by now but strangely comfortable with his directness. “Trust me. What he really wants is just to be with you. Nothing else matters.” “I don’t know, Bernie. I didn’t look like this six months ago. He’s going to be shocked.” “Just hold him and tell him you love him. Everything else will take care of itself. Give him some credit. Besides, he’s lucky to have a woman like you.” I wasn’t sure if we were now talking about Lee and Linda or about Bernie and Jeannie. Maybe Bernie’s injuries had realigned his priorities like the surgeons had realigned his face. Maybe he hadn’t told Jeannie how important she was when he could have and he had almost lost the chance to ever let her know. Maybe he was just reading my need for reassurance. It didn’t matter. “You’re a very nice guy,” I said simply. “Have a good time and come see me when you get back.” • • • Susan’s mood was distant when she drove me to the airport the second Sunday morning in October. I worked to contain my excitement, knowing that my being with Lee all week would only exaggerate her loneliness. Too, I knew she was worried about me. Even in our sequestered life we had managed to hear dreadful stories about pregnant women who went to Hawaii for R&R only to find themselves rejected because their spouses or boyfriends couldn’t deal with their condition. Some men had refused to even look at their women; others had taken days to adjust. One soldier had even moved to a different hotel. Of course, there were also the rumors about the pregnant women being sick and unable to leave their rooms. In fact, I had not heard one single story that was encouraging. “He damned well better be nice to you,” she muttered. And then she laughed. “You tell him if I can live with his pregnant wife for six months, he can for a week.” [34.201.37.128] Project MUSE (2024-03-28 21:53 GMT) October 1969 [177] “I’ll tell him,” I promised, trying to quell my doubts. When she stopped at the curb, Susan faced me and said, “I’ll pick you up right here next Sunday. Tell Lee hello for me and have a good time.” She quickly turned her head but not before I saw her watering eyes. I was barely out of the car before she pulled away...