Page 99 of All We Thought We Knew
Karl chuckled, then cringed, obviously in pain. “Might as well try to straighten it.” He gripped the edge of the examination table where he sat. “Go ahead.”
Dr. Sonnenberg skillfully pushed the bone into place so quickly, Karl barely had time to let out a yelp. The doctor packed it with gauze, with instructions to remove it once Karl was back in his room and flat on his back.
“You will need to keep ice on it to help with the swelling.” Gunther took a bottle of aspirin from a cabinet and poured six tablets into a small envelope. “Take a couple of these to help you sleep tonight,” he said, handing the packet to Karl. “Aspirin can cause the blood to thin, so we don’t want you to take too many.”
“Thank you, both of you,” Karl said, a nasal tone to his words. His nose had almost doubled in size. “I don’t know why those men are so upset about me teaching English. I am as grateful for my German heritage as they are, but I can’t pretend to be proud of our country and its leaders.” He looked at Dr. Sonnenberg. “I don’t agree with what they are doing to Jews.”
Dr. Sonnenberg placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “Thank you, son.”
They bid Karl good night. Gunther disposed of the soiled cloths while Dr. Sonnenberg sterilized the instruments he’d used. It was dark when they made their way back to the dormitory, chatting quietly about the incident.
Neither of them saw the men in the shadows until it was too late.
THIRTY:AVA
CAMP FORREST, TENNESSEE
JULY 1944
I tidied my desk and prepared to leave for the day. A big celebration was planned on base tomorrow, commemorating the independence and freedom we enjoyed in this country. Families of soldiers and staff were invited to enjoy food, games, a parade at noon, and fireworks as soon as the sun went down. While the hospital administration office would be closed, I planned to arrive bright and early and get some work done while it was quiet.
I stifled a yawn and dug in my purse for my car keys.
Now that the hospital received a regular flow of incoming wounded from overseas, my days started early and ended late. Letters and official documents must be typed. Mounds of paperwork needed to be filed. Colonel Foster’s schedule kept him on the run, which in turn kept me on the run too. A few weeks ago, herequested I accompany him to meetings throughout the base so I could take notes, declaring it an invaluable help to him. Sometimes the meetings took place after normal work hours, making the days especially long. When that happened, he always insisted we stop at the PX for a sandwich or hamburger before I headed home.
“I can’t have you fainting from hunger while you drive back to the farm,” he said after the first meeting ended well after dark.
From then on we made a habit of grabbing a bite together and enjoying conversation that had nothing to do with the hospital. He asked questions about the farm and horses, and I learned more about his personal life, including his hope to open a private medical practice after the war. His time in the military was satisfying, but he was ready to settle down somewhere.
I didn’t mind the extra hours of work—and the extra pay—but Bren and the other girls teased me about “dates” with my boss. I reminded them I wasn’t romantically involved with anyone and had no plans to do so. I’d never mentioned my correspondence with Gunther. His letters were too infrequent, and their lack of emotion convinced me he wanted nothing more than friendship. I’d resigned myself to being a widow for the rest of my life.
“Mrs. Delaney,” Colonel Foster said as he came from his office. He looked smart in his dress uniform and spit-shined shoes. “I hate to ask this at such a late hour, but are you free tonight?”
I hoped he didn’t have extra work for me to do. A long soak in a hot bath sounded divine. “I was planning to stop at the PX before going home. Gertrude wants to bake an apple pie for tomorrow, but she used her last sugar ration card last week to make Ivy Lee’s birthday cake. I thought I’d surprise her.”
He nodded. “The reason I ask is, I was to escort Mrs. Isbell to a dinner tonight at Hotel King, but she’s feeling under the weather. I would prefer not to arrive alone, considering they’ve planned for a certain number of guests at the table.”
Mrs. Isbell, Tullahoma’s wealthiest widow. The older womanheld a vast fortune, inherited from her late husband’s thoroughbred horse enterprises, and was known for her philanthropic endeavors. She’d chosen the hospital at Camp Forrest as one of her projects. While the hospital couldn’t officially accept financial donations, she’d worked with Colonel Foster over the past year and found many ways to help the patients and staff without bending rules.
“I hear they’re serving prime rib,” he grinned, obviously trying to bribe me.
My mouth watered just thinking about it. We hadn’t had beef in ages, let alone prime rib.
“I’m not exactly dressed for a dinner party.” I glanced down at my pencil skirt and plain white blouse. There wouldn’t be time to go all the way out to the farm and change.
A sheepish look crossed his face. “When Mrs. Isbell called to cancel, she suggested I take you in her stead. She even offered to let us stop by her home on the way into town so you could borrow one of her daughter’s evening gowns.”
I blinked. “My goodness, that was generous of her.”
“If you’d rather not go, I’ll understand.”
I heard disappointment in his voice. I knew he didn’t attend dinner parties often. Bren speculated it was because he didn’t like to go alone and was too much of a gentleman to ask a woman he wasn’t interested in romantically to attend with him. The only reason he asked me now was because he’d already accepted the invitation and it would be rude to cancel.
“I’d be happy to attend the dinner with you,” I finally said. “Let me call Gertrude and tell her I won’t be home until later.”
A smile lit his eyes. “Thank you, Mrs. Delaney. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”
We drove to town in Colonel Foster’s military sedan. I’d been to the Isbell estate a handful of times, but the white-columned mansion never ceased to impress.
