by M. L. Maki
“I don’t know. I’ll find out.”
BOEING FIELD, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
1230, 16 December, 1942
Commander Samantha Hunt finishes her speech about the C-2 and EC-2 built by Boeing. She showcases the exploits of Lieutenant Commander Gloria Houlihan. “My favorite Houlihan moment was during the first combat with the Germans over England. Her aircraft was hit and she lost an engine. Commander Houlihan wasn’t going to lose her plane. She was determined. She and her RIO did not bail out. She held it together and they found a straight road between two farms.
“Commander Houlihan brought her bird in low and slow, bringing the nose up and touching down on her main gear. She held the nose up until she could safely bring it down and not have the nose gear break off…in the gravel. She told me that her first thought when her aircraft had come to a safe and complete stop was, “Well, I’m not doing that again.”
Hunt waits for the laughter to die down. “Commander Houlihan is a hell of pilot. And by the way, she’s the one who flew that jet out of there. She, and all of us cannot do the job we do, cannot win this war without your help. Without you, our team in the US, behind us. Thank you for all you do every day. We deeply appreciate it. And, oh yes, please buy bonds.”
She waves to the crowd as she and Seattle mayor, William Devin, walk off the platform. “So, you know Commander Houlihan well?”
“Yes. We’ve served together for three years.” When Sam gets to the foot of the stairs, Captain Scott Richardson, Commander Shawn Hughes, and Lieutenant Commander Oscar Hammond are waiting for her. She salutes Richardson, and the other two salute her. “Hello, gentlemen. Thank you again, Hamm. You’re my perpetual hero. Look guys, I have to make my second speech for the day.” She smiles, “Captain, may I give you a ride? Shawn, Hamm, I’ll see you in a bit.” She and Richardson get into a car and Cooper shuts the door and gets in to drive.
When they are well away, she turns to Richardson, “How are you, Captain?”
Scott smiles, “So formal? I’m well.”
“I’m still tired from yesterday. Sorry.”
Scott, “Happy Birthday. I know it was yesterday. Your first birthday back in time.”
“Yeah. I almost forgot. Of course, Cooper never forgets anything. Thank you. You’re a captain. How cool.”
“I feel like an imposter, when I’m in uniform.”
“I so get that.”
“Look, I understand why they promoted me. I have almost 100,000 people working for me at five different sites. That’s like ten carrier groups. That said, it’s coming together.”
Sam nods, “In England, I damn near had that. It’s both terrifying and damn exciting. Over all, it’s exhausting.”
“It is. How are you doing now?”
“Well, I sort of have a squadron of about thirty people.”
“And you lost your star.”
“I’m dealing with it. Scott, I really don’t want to talk about it. I’m still processing.”
“Okay. I know what’s going on. All I could do for Severn is acting captain. Changing the subject. Are you aware that Hughes is headers for you?”
“Yes.” She sighs. “I wish…I don’t want that relationship with him.”
Scott, “Not my battle to fight. I just wanted to be sure you knew.”
“Thank you. I like him. He’s a good friend, but he isn’t for me.” She looks at him, “Please keep this close, Scott, but I have a boyfriend in California. He’s a SEAL.”
“Wow. Good for you. That makes me happy.”
“What about you, Scott?”
He shakes his head, “No time. That, and I’m not interested in anything casual.”
“Get that.”
“Why the secrecy?”
“He’s a SEAL JG.”
“Oh. I see. He can’t serve in your chain, so what’s the big deal?”
“It just is. Big Navy would not approve.”
“I’d say, screw them, but I see your point.” He looks out the window, “And, we’re here.”
She grins, “So, we are.”
Cooper gets out and opens the door, “Corporal Lance will show you the way, ma’am.”
“Thank you, Chief.”
Another car rolls up and Hughes and Hammond get out, “The other two officers, ma’am?”
“They’re welcome to join us backstage.” She leaves with the corporal and goes to the dressing room, meeting up with the actresses.
The women gather around Sam. Rita Hayworth asks, “Samantha, who’s the cute blonde officer you were riding with?”
“Captain Richardson. He’s a friend.”
“What does he do?”
“He runs a massive production facility for the Navy. I really can’t go into it.”
Veronica, “What’s he like?”
Sam sighs, “Ladies, he’s very, very intelligent, kind, and even tempered. He’s also very private.”
Rita, “So, you two are not an item.”
“Nope.” Sam changes into her dress blues.
When she gets out of the dressing room, she sees Shawn Hughes. “Hi, Shawn.”
“Hi. Do we have time to talk?”
“I’ve a speech in a couple of minutes and the receiving line gauntlet after that. Then, it’s dinner. I should have an hour or two before dinner. You have a car?”
“I do.”
She turns to Cooper, “Commander Hughes will give me a ride to the hotel.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Sam looks at Shawn, “I’ll be so glad when this is over.”
Thirty minutes later, she steps up to the microphone and talks about the aviation industry and the importance of quality and precision workmanship. “A small mistake. A slight oversight, can cost the lives of an aircrew. Vigilance in manufacturing is vital.” She talks about Senior Chief Geller and his dedication to excellence and his determined defense of their airfield in England. Shawn stands behind her as she shakes hand after hand, and fields date request after date request, “Thank you so much. I’m sorry, but no. I cannot.”
Finally, the ordeal is over and Shawn walks her out to his car, a green roadster with black fenders and top. “What’s this?”
Shawn smiles with pride, “It’s a 1930 Doble Steam Car.”
“Not gas?”
“It uses gas, turpentine, alcohol, anything liquid that burns.” He pumps the water pump and pushes the button. First, the fan starts, then there’s a woosh, as the fire starts.
“Where on earth did you find it?”
“A guy who worked at Weyerhaeuser sold it to me. Okay, it’s warm.” He signals and pulls out.
“No clutch?”
“Nope. No gear box. Direct drive. That’s partly why it’s so quiet.”
“Wow.” She takes a breath, “Abrupt change of conversation. I believe I owe you an explanation.”
“Liz and John told me you have a boyfriend.”
“I see. I’m sorry. I should have told you earlier.”
“Look, I’m disappointed. I don’t understand why we don’t work. Is it the enlisted thing?”
“No, Shawn. Definitely not that. You…it seems like you want it so badly. God, I’m screwing this up. It feels like you’re treating me like I’m a porcelain goddess. That I’m not a real person. It feels like you aren’t actually seeing me.”
“I don’t understand. I do want to help and protect you.”
“Would you discourage me…try to keep me from flying combat.”
He takes a breath, “I recognize that is a hard ‘no.’ I would hate it, though. The whole time you were in England, I was terrified.”
“But you think nothing about the dangerous shit you do?”
“That’s true. Who is he?” He pulls up to the Olympic Hotel.
Sam, “I doubt the valet can figure out how to drive this thing. Why don’t you park it, and we can walk?”
“Okay.” He pulls out, “Who is he?”
“Shawn, do you really want to torture yourself like this?�
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“I need to know.”
“Why?”
He parks the car and looks at her, “So, I know why I’m not enough.”
“Damn it, Shawn. It’s not that you’re not enough. It’s…you put me up on a pedestal. I’m not a statue to be protected and admired. I’m a woman…and, I’m not perfect.” She gets out of the car and waits while he retrieves his bag. “Shawn, you don’t see me. You see some ideal. I can’t do that.”
“What did he do?”
“He saved my life in England. He saw me. The real me. I don’t know if we’ll even work. Fuck, Shawn, I doubt anyone can put up with who I am. I chose to give him a chance because we’re so alike. We’re both warriors. Look, you deserve happiness with someone who is real. I don’t think I’m that person.”
“You don’t know what I need.”
“But, Shawn, do you?”
“I know what I want.”
“What, not who. I can’t be your statue. I’m a warrior and a woman. I’m not made of marble.”
Shawn takes her hand, “Samantha, I know. It’s…just.” He looks away, “Fuck this is hard. You never, not even once, gave me a hint that we were anything but friends. This one is on me, not on you. I built this whole dream…now, it’s crumbling like a surf washed sand castle.”
“Shawn, I’m so sorry. If you need me to leave you completely alone, I understand.”
“No.” He straightens his back, “Friends it is. Look, tomorrow, if you have the time, I’d like you to come to Bremerton to sort out your finances. I’d also you like to give you a tour of our company. Tomorrow, okay.”
“I have tomorrow off. We can do that. Dinner is in a couple of hours. You can get a room and we can talk. If you want, of course.”
OLYMPIC HOTEL BAR, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
Sam drinks a cup of coffee and waits for Shawn. At another table close by, Pettigrew is drinking a whiskey and watching. Shawn walks in and sees her in a corner booth. He orders a drink and sits down across from her. “Hey.”
“Hey. How’s the Columbia doing?”
“I’m the XO of the Long Beach now.”
“Oh, wow. That’s amazing. Good for you. Tenzar still captain?”
“Yeah. You wouldn’t recognize the old girl. The huge box is gone and it has three six-inch triple turrets.”
“Any chance I can see it tomorrow?”
“Yes. I can make that happen.”
Richardson and Hammond walk in and join them. Scott motions to a waiter and they order their drinks. “Good speeches, Sam. Good speeches. I understand that this is a very successful bond tour.”
Sam smiles, “So, I’ve been told.” She grins at Hamm across the table, “Thank you again for last night. You saved us.”
“Just lucky. My insecurity was your blessing. I was familiarizing myself with combat. So…”
Rita Hayworth enters the bar and every head turns watching her progress toward Sam’s booth. She stops and tilts her head, “Well, dear. Are you going to introduce me to these gentlemen?” She looks pointedly at Hammond and he gets up and lets her in. She smiles at Shawn.
Sam laughs as the guys recover their wits. “Miss Hayworth, may I introduce you to Captain Scott Richardson, Commander Shawn Hughes, and Lieutenant Commander Oscar Hammond. Gentlemen, Miss Rita Hayworth.”
Hammond recovers first, “A pleasure to meet you, Miss Hayworth.” He offers his hand.
Then Veronica Lake arrives and Richardson gets up and offers her a seat. Sam introduces her stunned friends to her as well. Scott smiles, “She’s Jessica Rabbit.”
Sam laughs, “Wow. You’re right.”
Veronica, “Who’s Jessica Rabbit.”
Scott, “A cartoon character from our time.”
Sam, “What was her famous line?”
Scott turns red and Shawn asks, “Who’s Jessica Rabbit?”
Scott, “Oh my.”
Veronica, “Well?”
Scott sighs, “Okay. Jessica Rabbit was married to Roger Rabbit. They’re both toons. In the movie, cartoon characters are real and work like any other actor. She was drawn to look like you.”
Veronica, “She was a rabbit?”
Scott, “No. She was a cartoon woman married to a rabbit, which is innuendo enough. Her line was…”
Sam affects a sultry voice, “I’m not bad. I’m just drawn that way.”
Shawn looks at Sam in shock while everyone is laughing.
Veronica, “Oh, my God. I’ll have to try that excuse.”
Rita, “There has to be thousands of movies all of you know about, but they haven’t happened yet.”
Sam, “Many probably will never happen. Everything has changed.”
Veronica, “Captain Richardson, what is your favorite movie I’ve never heard of?”
Scott, “That’s a hard one.”
Veronica, “Start with a romantic drama.”
Scott, “The King and I. It’s set in Thailand in the 1800’s.”
Rita, “Okay, best comedy.”
Scott, “Anything by Mel Brooks. Monty Python, too.”
Veronica, “Movie.”
“Blazing Saddles. A western.”
Rita, “Military film.”
“Into Harm’s Way. World War II. John Wayne.”
Veronica, “Did you like a movie I was in?”
Scott smiles, “The Blue Dahlia with Alan Ladd.”
Veronica smiles, gazing into Scott’s eyes.
Sam notices, “Okay, ladies, we need to change. Guys, may I get out?”
They all get up and Sam, Veronica, and Rita head for the elevators. Veronica, “Sam, I’m getting the impression that you don’t want me flirting with your friend.”
When they get to their floor, Sam turns to Veronica, “Because, I don’t. I know your struggles with alcohol. It estranges you from your family. It’s what kills you. You are owned by the bottle and I…my friend does not need that in his life. You understand?”
Veronica looks at Sam, stunned. “You are brutally honest.”
“Life is too short for anything else.”
“I can stop.”
“Really? If you did, it would add years to your life. The thing is, I don’t know if you can. I believe you want to. I believe you are sincere. I do not believe you are able to do the work it takes to dry out and never touch a drink again.”
“If I do it, will you change your mind?”
“Veronica, if you are to succeed at this, it must be for your own reasons, not mine. No one can motivate you, but you.”
“But when I’m sober, I’m a bitch.”
“Yep. That is what withdrawal looks like. It’s very, very hard. Your life will seriously suck for months. And, once your sober, you’ll have to deal with all the damage you’ve caused, and all the demons that drove you to the bottle in the first place. Still, in time, it will get better. Eventually, you’ll learn to like and respect yourself. That’s what’s truly important. The motivation must come from within.”
“If I do it, will you…will you respect me?”
“Yes. I will. There are places you can go for rehabilitation. AA will be your biggest help. I don’t envy you your path.”
“You said my children hate me.”
“I don’t know that. My guess, they leave you for their own protection.”
“A mother who doesn’t care for her children. People would think I’m a monster.”
“Veronica, the monster is in the bottle. I’m sorry I’m being so harsh.”
“Sam, why didn’t you say something before this?”
The elevator doors open and a couple walk out. Sam opens her door, “Please. We’ll talk in here.”
When the door is closed behind them, “It is your life. I didn’t feel I had a right to interfere.”
Veronica shakes her head, “Ma’am, from now on, you have my permission to tell me every time I screw up.”
“Thank you for your trust.”
“We all trust you. We feel like we’re an accepted part of
your unit. When you said that line, ‘I’m not bad. I’m just drawn that way.’” She bits her lip, “It isn’t an excuse.”
Sam, “No, it isn’t. Look, we need to get ready. When we’re at dinner, have ginger ale with me. Okay?”
Veronica salutes, “Aye, Commander.”
Sam smiles and returns the salute, “Carry on.” Veronica leaves and Sam looks around her room. Cooper has put all her things away, as usual. She shakes her head, “The actors are my responsibility now, too.” She sighs, “Well, they said I was a role model, but I didn’t really get it until now.” She laughs, “Veronica needs to work on her salute.”
OLYMPIC HOTEL BAR
Pettigrew gets up as Sam, Veronica, and Rita leave. He walks over join to the three officers at the booth.
Richardson says, “Shawn, you’re welcome to crash in my room. I’ve got a double.”
Hughes, “Thanks. I’m fine. I was able to get a room.”
Pettigrew asks, “How do you all know Commander Hunt?”
The three officers turn to look at the intruder. Richardson says, “We served with her on the Carl Vinson when we came back in time. We’re old friends. Who are you?”
Pettigrew, “I’m managing her tour.”
Hammond, “Okay. What’s your angle?”
Pettigrew, “So, all of you are okay with women doing the fighting for you?”
Shawn turns red and Scott goes stone faced. Hamm laughs at Pettigrew. “Major, you’re a fool. An absolute fool. How dare a rear echelon mother fucker like yourself question the service of Commander Hunt. You hide behind her skirts like a child and have the nerve to question our service. Dumb ass. You know nothing. I had a ship sunk out from under me. Spike saved my life. Real sailors don’t brag, but we’ve been through it. So, get along, before you really piss us off.”
COMMANDER’S HUNT’S ROOM
Sam is squaring away her dinner dress uniform when there’s a knock on the door. She opens it to Miss Hayworth, “Please, come in.”
“Sorry to bother you, Sam.”
Samantha continues checking her uniform in the mirror, “What’s up?”
“Are you breaking up with Commander Hughes? It felt like a breaking up atmosphere.”
“Sort of. I’m dashing his hopes. He’s been trying to court me for nearly a year. He’s a good man and smart as hell, but he and I don’t work.” She turns to Rita, “Keep this quiet please. I have a boyfriend in San Diego.”