by Ella Carey
Eva felt her shoulders collapse with relief. “Thank you. I am extremely grateful to hear those words.”
The woman had her back to her. “You may go on in,” she said without turning around. “Please sign the visitor log on the desk, and you can stay fifteen minutes.”
Eva moved past the reception area into the first long room, lined with cast-iron beds. A couple of men lay sleeping, and another trainee lay with his leg raised in a white plaster cast.
She spotted Nina’s familiar shape in the farthest bed, her brown hair splayed around her on the white pillow. Eva came closer and saw her pale face against the white pillowcase, her eyelids flickering slightly as she slept. She sat down and held Nina’s hand awhile.
“Evie!”
Eva turned to see a familiar figure coming her way.
“Oh, thank goodness. Helena.” Eva reached forward, holding the tall girl in her arms.
“They told me at the administration building that Nina was in the infirmary, and I thought you’d be fast asleep and exhausted, so I came here.” Helena frowned down at the little shape in the bed. She took off her gloves and hat, laying them on her kit bag and standing there in her unbuttoned camel-colored coat. “What on this earth went wrong?”
“A fever caused by influenza.” Eva had hardly uttered the words when a silhouette appeared at the door. “Oh!”
Walter marched down toward the bed. “Nurse told me I’m visiting the most popular patient in the ward.” He spoke in a whisper and held out a hand to introduce himself to Helena.
“Walter Rivers. I’m pleased to meet you. I take it you’re Helena?”
Helena gave him her most gorgeous smile. She turned to Eva, eyebrows raised.
“It was a long four-day journey,” Eva said. “Walter helped look after Nina the whole way here.”
“Oh . . .”
Eva suddenly realized she had a lot to tell Helena. She smiled at her as Walter leaned down over Nina, running his hand over her forehead.
“There now, she’s looking calmer than she was on the train. I do think she is cooler too. What do you think, Eva?”
Eva laid a hand on Nina’s forehead. “She’s not as hot as she was during the journey. But still, I so want to sit with her today. I can’t bear going up flying and leaving her alone here.”
“Ah, she wouldn’t want you to be not doin’ your duty, Eva,” Walter said. He stood up straight, adjusting his training uniform. “Let’s hope she makes a super quick recovery. Once she does, we’ll all do something together. Go out.”
Eva glanced out the window. Gray dawn was unfolding on the base. The facades of the wooden buildings stared back at them in the bleak landscape. “I hope we can find something fun to do out here.”
“Oh, don’t you worry about that,” Walter said. “When we get some time off, we’ll make sure to enjoy it. Now. Since my friend Nina here is sleeping again, I’m going off to breakfast. I’ve never known a girl to sleep so much!” He winked at Eva and Helena and went out.
“Oh my, who is he?” Helena whispered.
“I’ll tell you at breakfast. We need to be in the mess hall by six fifteen.”
“Well, in that case, they’ll have to put up with my kit bag as well as me,” Helena said. “After my journey, I’m not missing breakfast, and if they’re putting me up in an airplane this morning, I’m not going unless I’ve had a good cup of coffee, imitation or otherwise.”
Eva linked her arm through Helena’s.
“And how was your leave?” Helena said.
They made their way to the front entrance. “So much to tell you,” Eva said.
At breakfast, Eva scanned the newspapers for any news of Harry’s squadron. There was nothing in any of the papers yet, and she only wished she could go off base into one of the local towns to sit in a theater and watch the three newsreels a day that informed folks of what was going on in the war. She’d written to Harry early this morning, using the V-mail system, knowing that her letters would be read in Washington and then sent on a microfiche reel to the front. All she needed was one word from him to say he was fine, but could she expect such a thing after their last encounter, and would he keep writing to her now that he was formally engaged to Lucille?
After Helena had changed into flight gear and put her things in their bay, Eva took her friend to the WASP anteroom. Now that she’d eaten and Helena was here, the base seemed a little less bleak.
“Here goes,” Helena said. She climbed up the steps to the anteroom, laughing at the comical sign on the front door: WASP NEST! DRONES KEEP OUT OR SUFFER THE WRATH OF THE QUEEN! “We might be on a base with one hundred thousand boys, but we girls are going to make sure we have our space.”
“Oh, we certainly are,” Eva said.
She pushed open the door. A girl she hadn’t met in the mess hall yet was examining the flight schedule that was pinned up on the wall above the tables dotted around for the WASP to wait.
“Wendy Turnbull.” The girl held out a hand and shook Eva’s and Helena’s when they introduced themselves. “Welcome to Dismal Swamp.”
“Oh, I already have a thing about that swamp,” Helena said, shrugging off her jacket and putting it on the back of a chair. “Any plane would sink into it and never be seen again.”
“Happened to the last two girls in your bay,” Wendy said.
Eva stopped in alarm. The atmosphere in their bay had been icy when she first got there, but the WASP before them had gone down in the swamp?
“Rumor has it that someone had messed with their engines, and that caused them to go down,” Wendy went on. She glanced at the other girls sitting around at tables and waiting for their turns to go up. “We’re not allowed to complain, though, although Jackie knows, and I think she will do something. I hope.”
“You are kidding me.” Eva sighed.
Helena remained silent by her side.
“You need to carry out your own inspections out here, girls. It’s nothing like as friendly as Sweetwater,” Wendy said.
“I’ve gathered,” Eva said.
“The mechanics are hopelessly understocked with parts. We girls just have to be aware of it, and we have to look out for each other.” Wendy patted Helena on the back. “But we all don’t want to let Jacqueline down. We don’t complain ourselves, or we’ll likely prove our commanding officers right and be sent off base.”
“Great,” Helena said. “Thank you for bringing us up to date, Wendy.”
A group of five other WASP came bursting in from the cold, cheeks pink, chatting animatedly. Eva and Helena introduced themselves.
Helena looked up at the schedule. “At least there is plenty of flying here, Evie, even if it is in circles.”
“As long as we’re in the air,” Eva said. “And as for any foul play when it comes to our aircraft, I know my way around a plane, and so does Nina. Helena, if you ever want either of us to check your aircraft with you, then just call on us.”
One of the girls, a short, dark-haired girl who reminded Eva of Bea, went to the door. “Time for us to go out,” she said.
“Come on Helena and Eva,” Wendy said. She held the door open for the group. “Looking forward to introducing you to our commanding officer.” She snickered.
Eva picked up her helmet and goggles and followed the other girls out the door.
A short man with iron-gray hair under his military cap was out on the tarmac, head up, shoulders back, and wearing only a short-sleeved shirt in spite of the wintry morning. Behind him, the forest glistened green. A burst of sunlight threw a streak of light through the clouds.
Eva took in the sorry roundup of drab demilitarized planes that they’d be flying. The commanding officer glared at the small group of WASP who stood up straight on the edge of the airfield. The girls formed a line in front of him. Eva wanted to huddle in her leather flying jacket. She’d gotten too used to her beloved Californian sun again.
“I understand we have two new pilots.” The officer scanned the group. “Identi
fy yourselves on the double.”
Eva stepped forward. “Eva Scott, sir,” she said.
“Helena Cartwright, sir.”
“Back in line.”
Eva kept her eyes ahead.
“I’ll keep this brief. For those of you who’ve heard this before, it won’t do you any harm to hear it again.” The tone of his voice was harsh.
“I’m your commanding officer. My name is Officer Grant. Now, here are some things that I tell every woman who’s come to work at this military base. You are no different.”
Eva heard Wendy’s sigh.
“The men’s squadrons don’t need any help.”
Eva felt her lips tighten.
“They appreciate being released for better jobs elsewhere. The only positive thing about having you here is that some of the WASP end up with beaux, and our men need a bit of comfort. Any women in that position will find themselves with consistent flying partners. I suppose you women have your uses, even in war.”
On her other side, Eva sensed Helena tensing up like a tight coil.
“No time for messing around with hair curlers or lipsticks. I emphasize that particularly when it comes to you two new girls, given your obvious . . . attractions.”
Eva forced herself to focus on the slight movements in the distant trees.
“Your flight suits are ridiculous,” he said. “You look like a pack of clowns.”
Eva resisted the urge to show him exactly how she’d tried to adapt her suit with safety pins and stitches, to show him just how ridiculous it was being forced to do her job day after day in such a thing.
“Today, you’ll be testing artillery level tracking. You’ll be flying back and forth and round and round for several hours at a time over the camp. You’ll be in the little L-5s. Just remember, these planes are dispensable, and you are dispensable.”
A couple of male ground crew came to stand with Officer Grant.
“You’ll be towing sleeves behind your plane while our trainees shoot live ammunition at you. Occasionally, you’ll see smoke and explosions on the sides of your aircraft. That will be the men hitting ahead of target. Some of you will come down with bullet holes in your planes. The men are playing for real. It’s a dirty assignment, and we need you to keep your wits up there. Your ground crew are here. Off you go.”
The women stepped out of line. Eva walked alongside Helena to the ground crew. Her friend let out a long sigh.
“Heaven help us,” Wendy said. “Welcome to Camp Davis, girls.”
The following night, Eva lay alone in the cold bay. After two days of flying for six hours straight while the trainees tracked them with artillery, followed by ground school and further training, training that would go on for another six weeks, the strain of the long journey and the new routine was finally catching up with her. She had a half hour before dinner, and she lay back in the bare room, her eyes falling closed.
A few minutes later, the sound of Helena coming in woke her. “I’ve been into Wilmington. Evie, I’ve been to the stores.”
Eva sat up, rubbing her tired eyes.
“I’ve bought some real nice decorations for Nina, for when she gets well.”
Helena pulled out a couple of lace doilies.
Eva felt herself soften. “That’s kind of you,” she said. “I know how much Nina will appreciate those little touches. If we can make her feel at all at home here, that will only help her recovery.”
Helena busied about, placing a small decorative piece of lace on Nina’s chest of drawers. She lifted a photograph of Nina’s mom, Jean, in her backyard at Burbank that Eva had placed there for her and put it gently atop the doily.
Next, she pulled a colorful throw rug out of her bag and lay it next to Nina’s standard GI cot.
“That is gorgeous. Look at all the colors in it. Someone’s put a lot of effort into that.”
“It looks a whole bunch better to me, Evie.” Helena straightened her pile of textbooks on weather, flying, and artillery and placed a couple of her own modern novels next to Nina’s bed. “At least we’re allowed a few more decorative touches out here than we were at Sweetwater.”
“Thank you, Helena.” Eva caught the girl’s eye. “You know, I’m real glad you’re here. I’m glad there’s three of us out here at Camp Davis.”
The next morning, Eva went to the infirmary extra early. Last night, she’d hardly slept. The nurse told her that Nina was stabilizing, and Eva found herself wakeful and wanting to see Nina sitting up for herself. During the night, she’d been plagued with memories of Meg’s illness and the up-and-down reports they’d received from medical staff. In the end, she’d gotten out of bed, sneaked into the bathroom, and written a letter home to her mom and dad, telling them news of Camp Davis, reassuring them that everything was fine with her. Then, her writing paper pressed to the wall and the door shut so as not to wake Helena, she’d written to Harry’s parents, asking them if they could relay any news of his safety, knowing they could not mention locations or battles, troop movements, or direct locations in the mail. She just needed to hear he was alive.
So far, in the constant scramble for news of loved ones, brothers, beaux, and cousins at war, she’d only found a few scant details of his squadron’s battle at Rabaul in the newspapers on base, that on takeoff, one bomber pilot had gone into the water, and that there had been a prolonged dogfight in the air, but that ultimately, a Japanese destroyer had been hit and burned while two other warships were also hit. Eva had to force herself not to let her imagination or her worries run wild. The government had started releasing more graphic details of the war, and images that had been strictly censored of boys being hurt were now more readily released. Eva had no idea what she would do if she actually saw anything on a screen or in a paper, an image of someone she knew or loved.
Now she pushed the infirmary door open. She bustled into the nurses’ reception area, and from the ward, the sounds of Nina’s giggles sent Eva’s spirits soaring into the air.
“Good morning, Eva.” The nurse looked up from her station. She’d become accustomed to Eva, Helena, and Walter these past few days. “Our patient is well on the way to a full recovery.”
Eva wanted to punch the air with her fist. “Thank you, ma’am, you have no idea how relieved that makes me feel. I was so hoping to hear that things had improved even more this morning.”
“Go on in so you’re not late for breakfast.” The nurse gave her a genuine smile.
Eva stepped into the now-familiar long room.
“Well, hello there.” Walter was right by Nina’s side. He turned to face Eva, his brown eyes lighting up into a smile. “We’re on the mend. Much better.”
“Evie!” Nina held out both her arms, and Eva leaned in to give her friend a gentle hug. Her freckled face was still pale, but her eyes had lost that awful dull edge.
“I’ve managed a whole egg this morning. Powdered, but at this point, who cares about that?” Nina patted the bed next to her. “Come on, sit with me here. I can’t wait to get up in the sky again. I’m bursting to get back in the cockpit. You showing the flyboys here how things are done?”
Eva slid up on the bed next to Nina. “The commanding officer is something brutal, and the boys are too busy shooting at us to see our skills in the air, so all we can do is fly in circles, or in straight lines up and down the beach. There’s no chance to show off. The noise from the gunfire is something else, but we girls are staying focused. The good thing is there is plenty of flying. Soon, you will be up there too.”
“Well, sounds like you need a break. I hear you and Helena haven’t been out for an evening yet. So Walter here and I have been makin’ some plans.” Nina’s gaiety was infectious.
“That didn’t take you long. I like your attitude, Walter!” Eva threw Walter a glance.
The smile on his face was a little bashful. “Well, you see, I’d like to take you three girls to the officers’ club. Maybe tomorrow evening. The nurse thinks Nina could do well with a little chee
ring up. Thought we’d come pick her up in a jeep and drive her there. It’s only a ten-minute walk from here around the camp, but I’m not riskin’ getting her out in that cold.”
“Sounds fun.” Eva couldn’t help nudging Nina with her elbow. “Doesn’t it, Nina?”
“The nurse tells me Walter here’s been visiting me daily.” Nina shot a glance at him under her eyelashes.
“He held you all the way from Arizona to North Carolina,” Eva said. She was better. Eva couldn’t contain the smile that wanted to burst out.
There was a silence.
Walter coughed and looked down at his boots.
Eva fought the urge to giggle.
“Well, I’d best be getting to breakfast.” Eva eased herself off the bed. As she did so, she squeezed Nina’s hand. And her friend squeezed her hand right back.
Two hours later, Officer Grant addressed the WASP on the freezing tarmac. “Today, you’ll be taking out A-24s, our two-seater dive-bombers, to ten thousand feet. That’s as high as you can go without oxygen. A conk out, a loss of speed, or a sudden up- or downdraft and you’ll be in the soup. Our gunners are testing radar tracking. You girls need to keep your wits about you. You hear me?”
“Yes, sir,” the girls answered.
“I don’t want to lose any of you.” He turned around for a moment, standing with his legs wide apart. When he turned back, his expression was more thoughtful. “It’s a dangerous mission.”
He indicated for them to go to their aircraft.
“You know the rumors?” Helena kept pace next to Eva. “Exposure to radar can make you sterile.”
Eva kept her pace steady next to Helena. “I don’t fancy complaining to Officer Grant about that.” She stopped at her assigned A-24. Her plane’s tires had been replaced with standard truck tires. She sighed and made her way around the plane.
“Helena, you call on me if you have any concerns at all about your aircraft.”
“Oh, perfect. Thanks, Evie. I’ll holler if I need you.” Helena glanced at Eva’s sorry aircraft and marched on to her plane.
Eva began carrying out a thorough preflight inspection, Harry’s words of warning echoing in her mind. She’d be spending four hours in this dark-green-painted baby, so she checked everything three times before climbing up on the wing, slipping into the cockpit, and sliding the canopy closed.