Page 36 of The Flyboy's Girl
“Thank you, but if it’s okay with you I would rather be here. It helps if I keep busy instead of sitting around waiting on word to come in from Hawaii.”
“Of course. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Thank you, I will.”
* * *
Wednesday eveningafter dinner with my parents, as I began clearing the table, Dad said, “We received a list of damages today. Four battleships were sunk and we lost more than one-hundred-fifty aircraft.” Dad clears his throat of the emotion, so he can finish what he needs to say. “Four of the men we sent for training last month were killed during the attack.”
“Oh Edgar I’m so sorry,” my mother says as she squeezes my father’s hand. “Do you know who they were?”
“Jenkins, Carver, Simmons, and Babcock.”
The plates I had been carrying to the sink slipped from my hands, shattering on the kitchen floor at my father’s words. Both of my parents turned their focus to me as I felt the blood drain from my face and tears fill my eyes. “P-Paul Babcock?”
“Yes, why?”
“No,” I say as I begin shaking my head while sinking to the floor among the broken plates. “No, not Paul,” I repeated as I began to cry hysterically. Lifting me from the floor, my father places me in a chair as my mother wraps me in her arms and tries to comfort me, unaware that I just lost the man I love.
“Oh sweetheart,” she whispers. “I’m so sorry.” She continues whispering soothing words as she holds me, allowing me to cry. When I finally run out of tears, she asks, “Do you want to tell us about him?”
Drying my tears on the handkerchief Dad hands me, I tell them how I met Paul, and had been secretly seeing him. How after he returned from his training, we were going to tell them. As tears once again begin to run down my cheeks, through my sobs I say, “But now you won’t get the chance to know how wonderful he was or find out how I could have fallen in love with him after such a short time. Now someone will have to break the news to his parents that he won’t be coming home.”
The worry that has been present in Dad’s eyes is now gone and sadness takes its place. Sadness for the loss of men under his command. Sadness for the loss of the man I love. Sadness that there will be many more lost before it’s over.
“Daddy, do you know if Don White was told about Paul? They were best friends.”
Reaching over he squeezes my hand, “I’ll make sure he knows.”
“Thank you. If you don’t mind, I think I’m going to go to my room now.”
Giving me a tight hug, Mom says, “Of course sweetheart.”
Walking into my room and closing the door, I lie on my bed and before I cry myself to sleep, I ask God to look after Paul until I see him again.
* * *
Two daysafter receiving the news about Paul, while eating dinner, there was a knock on the door. Rising from his seat, Dad leaves the table to answer it.
Opening the door, I hear Dad say, “Seaman Apprentice White. What can I do for you?”
“Good evening Admiral. I was wondering if I might have a moment with your daughter, sir.”
“Of course. Please come in and have a seat, I’ll let Ruby know you’re here.”
“Thank you sir,” I hear Don reply.
When Dad walks back into the kitchen, he clears his throat. “Ruby, Seaman Apprentice White is here to see you.”
Grief and sorrow grip my heart as I rise from my seat to go speak to Paul’s best friend.
Don rises as I step into the living room. “Ruby,” he says and that along with the sadness I see in his eyes is all it takes to send me into tears once again.
Wrapping me in his arms, Don holds me as I cry, and whispers, “I am so sorry Ruby. He loved you so much.”
“I loved him too,” I say around my sobs.
“I know,” he says as he directs me to sit on the sofa. “Ruby, I know Paul was trying to get home to spend Christmas with you. But in case he didn’t get back, he wanted me to give this to you to open Christmas Day.”
