Page 49 of The Singing Trees
Two days before her graduation, Annalisa was lost in her world of painting on the front porch, Elvis singing to her through the windows, when she heard the familiar purr of Thomas’s Beetle. The sound made her heart stumble like a horse who had clipped a hurdle with her hoof.
She expected Thomas to put up a fight and had been surprised she hadn’t seen him since their breakup weeks before. At times, she’d even been sad that he hadn’t fought for her. When she’d reminded herself of the determination in Sharon Maxwell’s silver eyes, though, she found renewed faith in her decision to move on and was grateful that he was letting her go as she’d asked.
Until now. What was he doing here?
She went to the top of the steps and watched him climb out of the car, suddenly feeling like a rope in a deadly contest of tug of war: love on one side, their separate dreams and opportunities on the other.
A taxi appeared and parked behind Thomas’s car, making Annalisa’s brow furrow in confusion. Thomas waved to her and then went to say something to the driver. When he finally came her way, she was perplexed.
“What’s going on?” she asked, looking past him to the taxi. Late May had brought warmer weather, and she was in short sleeves for the first time that year.
He didn’t respond until he was standing right below her, looking at her. “Hi.”
All the emptiness she’d felt lately went away as a smile rose on her face. “Hi.” It was like he’d just plugged into her and charged her soul.
He bit his lip, then: “I wanted to see if you’d take care of my car. I’m going away for a while.”
“What? Where are you...?” Even though she’d ended it, she couldn’t imagine him leaving.
He pinched his chin, not breaking eye contact. Whatever it was, it was hard for him to tell her. “I’m shipping off to basic training in the morning.”
She felt her chest caving in as she shook her head. “What are you talking about?”
He shuffled his feet, his arms dangling at his sides. “I got drafted, Anna.”
She couldn’t believe it and waited for a smile to show that he was telling a terrible joke. No smile came.
“What happened to the deferment?” she asked, descending the steps to meet him. He was drafted? He was going to Vietnam? He looked like he hadn’t eaten in days, as if he had been stranded at sea and needed vitamins.
“My grades slipped a little lately,” he said, avoiding her gaze. “Listen, I didn’t come here for any sympathy, just to see your face and to ask if you’d take care of my car. It’s not going to do me any good for the next two years.”
A pit grew in her stomach. She was right back in the diner when they’d drawn his number, sharing a booth with Emma and him. “Is that how long it is?”
He nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” She felt incredibly selfish to have abandoned him when he’d needed her most. “I would have been there for you.”
“I know you would have,” he said, excusing her with the brush of his hand. “But I didn’t want to make you worry. Besides, I thought I could appeal or that my dad could get me out of it. He knows one of the guys on the board. Turns out even a case of Johnnie Walker Blue Label can’t get you out of a two-year stint once you’ve gotten your notice.”
She crossed her arms, wishing she could hug him but feeling like she didn’t have the right. “What happened to your grades?”
He shook off her question.
Ah, she got it. The answer showed in his eyes. He’d let them slide because of the whole thing with Emma—and, of course, between Annalisa and him. Fresh waves of guilt hit her hard.
“It’s been a long month, and I missed a few tests.”
Seeing him this way wrecked her heart, and she was sure that all of this was her damn fault. Had she not let the two of them happen in the first place, he wouldn’t be standing here with his sights on Vietnam.
“You’ve done everything?” she asked, feeling his fate like it was her own.
“I’m shipping off to Fort Dix in the morning. It’s done.” He had a certain resolve about him, as if he’d accepted his path with the same grace he seemed to do everything.
“Will you definitely go to Vietnam?” She’d seen the countless body bags being carried off planes, and her heart burned at the idea of his body being among them.
He shrugged. “No way to know. It took Mitch nine months to get there. After boot camp, I’ll have advanced training and then who knows. Maybe the war will be over by then. Or I could get lucky and get shipped to a base in Germany or somewhere safer.”
“Oh God, Thomas,” she said, her eyes letting loose agonizing tears. She opened her arms to him, and they embraced. She’d hoped their connection had waned some, but touching him, feeling his protective arms wrap around her, was like returning home after years gone.
