Where or When: A Pearl Harbor Romance

by Bretton, Barbara

  "I want to help," Eden said simply, heart on her sleeve.

  A complex series of emotions passed across the woman's face. Eden waited, expecting to be told it was a case of too little, too late.

  "Welcome aboard," the nurse said finally. "We're glad to have you.” She gave Eden a sidelong smile. "Again."

  And at the center of everything was Rick. She knew most transfers from Pearl, no matter the reason, had been put on hold. Although she wouldn't admit it to a soul, in her heart of hearts she found herself praying the hold would last indefinitely. She knew it was selfish but she couldn't help it. The feel of his arms around her made her believe anything was possible, that she could somehow make sense out of her father's death and learn to live with the pain.

  As they'd stood together at the baptismal font and promised to stand guard over that small soul, she loved knowing that their lives now were intertwined far into the future. He hadn't said those magical words "I love you" since the morning of Patty's birth but, then, they hadn't been alone together--truly alone--in weeks. There was so much she wanted to say to him, so many things she wanted to share, that she ached for those afternoons they'd spent at their secluded cove. It seemed like another lifetime, as if she'd been another person, younger and happier and so painfully oblivious to the ways in which the world was changing.

  The only thing that hadn't changed was the way she felt about Rick. Her father's St. Christopher medal rested atop her dressing table, broken chain and all. She wanted Rick to have it. She could think of no better way to tell him how important he was to her, how deeply she loved him, but the right moment simply wouldn't come.

  But they had time. She took comfort from that thought. The military was in high gear, working around the clock to rebuild America's shattered line of defense. Rick had told her it would be many months before they could spare him to go to school. He seemed resigned to the situation, almost complacent, and Eden had been unable to hide her relief. Sooner or later the war would take him far away, but the longer that moment could be delayed, the more grateful she would be.

  #

  A few days before Christmas Eden decided to face a task she'd been dreading. Lilly had tackled Owen's closets, packing away uniforms and casual clothes until their final destination could be decided. Tony had asked for his father's ribbons and awards, while Eden kept his watch and wedding ring and cufflinks. She still had the St. Christopher medal tucked away for Rick but they hadn't managed more than five minutes together since the funeral. All that remained was the contents of her father's study.

  "I'd be glad to help you," said Lilly over lunch on the afternoon of the twenty-second. "It might be less painful that way."

  Eden shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, but this is something I have to do myself.” She needed to do this one last thing for her father before she could let him go.

  Lilly poured them each some iced tea. "Rick called while you were at the hospital."

  Eden's spirits immediately perked up. "Is he coming for dinner tonight?"

  "I'm afraid not. He pulled another eight hour shift."

  She drooped over her chicken sandwich. "At this rate it will be 1942 before I see him again."

  "Not necessarily."

  "That's quite a smile on your face, Lilly. What gives?”

  Lilly hesitated. "He wanted to tell you himself."

  "Please," Eden insisted, grabbing Lilly's hand. "If it's good news, tell me. I could use a lift."

  "He has Christmas Eve day off."

  Eden leaped to her feet. "Really?"

  Lilly started to laugh. "Really. From six a.m. until midnight, he's a free man."

  "Oh, no, he's not," said Eden as a burst of energy and enthusiasm rocketed through her. "We're going to have a Christmas to remember."

  Lilly looked at her, and then over at the infant asleep in the dresser drawer they'd turned into a makeshift crib. "This will be Patty's first," she said softly. "Despite everything, we have so much to be grateful for."

  "That's right," said Eden. "Nobody loved Christmas like Daddy did.” Their attic was crowded with decorations accumulated through the years from all the places they'd called home. Owen would complain about moving Eden's collection of dolls or her stuffed animals but when questioned about his Christmas tree ornaments he always said, "Some things are sacred.” She met Lilly's eyes. "He'd hate it if we cheated Patty out of her first Christmas."

  This Christmas wouldn't be about presents under the tree. It would be a celebration of life.

  #

  Christmas Eve morning dawned clear and breezy. Lilly and Mali were busy in the kitchen fussing over what seemed to be the biggest ham in Honolulu while the baby gurgled happily in her makeshift crib.

  "Are you sure I look all right?" she asked, standing in the doorway. She wore a pale blue sundress with matching sandals and a nervous smile on her face.

  Mali and Lilly exchanged amused looks.

  "That's the fourth time you've asked," Lilly said.

  "Fifth," said Mali with a knowing smile.

  "You look stunning," Lilly said as she sliced into an onion. "You'll knock him off his feet."

  "I can't believe it's only eight-thirty," said Eden, checking her watch. She knew Rick was running on sheer will power and she'd convinced him to let her pick him up at the base around ten-thirty.

  "You're as nervous as a cat," said Lilly. "Good heavens, Eden, this is Rick we're talking about. Not some stranger."

  Eden cast a baleful look in her sister-in-law's direction then drifted into the living room. Truth was she knew she'd be less nervous if she were meeting a stranger. These past two weeks she and Rick had been limited to telephone calls. The sound of his voice only made her miss him more. Her heart was filled with emotion; there were so many things she wanted to say to him that she worried words would fail her once they finally were together.

  She had the day planned down to the last detail. A picnic basket waited near the front door. While the cheese sandwiches and pineapple juice were far from gourmet fare, she had put them together herself. The days of asking Mali to do her every bidding were gone forever. After she picked Rick up, they would drive to their secret cove and after lunch, she'd give him her dad's St. Christopher medal and tell him everything that was in her heart.

  "There's nothing to be nervous about," she told her reflection in the hall mirror as she checked her lipstick for the hundredth time. Maybe the thing to do was leave now before she lost her nerve entirely. She'd be better off sitting in front of the barracks waiting for Rick than twiddling her thumbs at home.

  "I'm off!" she called out to the women in the kitchen. "We'll see you later."

  Grabbing the picnic basket and her purse, she was halfway to her car when she saw a staff car turning onto her street. Her heart slammed into her ribcage. Rick, she thought, hands starting to tremble. Who else could it be?

  "Admiral Shea," she said in surprise as he pulled his auto next to her. "What a surprise."

  The admiral unfolded his lean frame from the De Soto. "Eden.” He kissed her cheek. "You're looking pretty today."

  She smiled cautiously. "Have I forgotten an appointment?"

  "Lilly told me you have some of Owen's files boxed up. I thought I'd save you the trouble and come to fetch them myself."

  "You're joking.” They both knew admirals didn't fetch anything themselves.

  "Truth?" he asked, with a sheepish look on his weathered face. "I wanted to see the baby."

  "I thought so.” She gestured toward the house. "They're in the kitchen."

  Admiral Shea smiled broadly. "Say hello to Patrick for me."

  She blushed redder than her hair. "You know about Rick and me?"

  Shea nodded. "Your father and I were good friends, Eden. To tell you the truth, I think you've made a fine choice.” His paused. "Even if his choice was less than perfect."

  She stared at him. "Excuse me?"

  Shea laughed out loud. "Not you, Eden. He couldn't have done better for hi
mself. I'm talking about his other decision."

  Her breath caught in her throat. "What decision?"

  "To forget Norfolk. Rick’s going to remain an enlisted man after all.” The admiral gave her a searching look. “And I have the strong feeling that you’re the reason why.” Admiral Shea went on about how hard her father had worked to point Rick in the right direction and what a shame it was that he’d given it all up, but she scarcely heard a word he said after “Norfolk.”

  Somehow she managed to mumble the right things and remember to wish him a Merry Christmas before she climbed behind the wheel of her car, almost as if he hadn’t turned her world upside down.

  The world was so much bigger than she had ever realized and their place in it, so fragile.

  This was good news, the news she had been praying for. The thought of saying goodbye to Rick had filled her with a powerful combination of sorrow and fear. Shouldn’t she be buoyant with joy and relief now that she’d found out he wasn’t going to leave her alone on Pearl?

  She had lived a life filled with privilege and love, but his selfless gesture took her breath away. She knew how ambitious he was, how desperately he wanted to become more than his family believed he could be. Being chosen for the school in Norfolk was just the beginning of all the wonderful things he would accomplish.

  And now he had thrown it all away to stay there at Pearl with her.

  If this had been one of the Hollywood movies she adored, Eden would have swooned in her seat, swept away by the romantic sacrifice worthy of a Clark Gable hero. Clark would pull Lana Turner into his arms and the music would swell around them as he claimed her with a kiss to applause and cheers from the audience.

  The perfect ending to the perfect romance.

  Except that it wasn’t.

  Not any more.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Eden was an hour and fifteen minutes late. Not that Rick was counting or anything.

  She'd said ten-thirty and now it was quarter to noon and there was still no sign of her. The sun was at the midpoint, beating down on his head like fire as he paced in front of the barracks, listening for the sound of her little red car whipping down the road.

  Something was wrong. He could feel it. Pearl was still reeling from the attack seventeen days ago. She could be on the road somewhere sick. Or maybe she'd fallen asleep behind the wheel and –

  He cut the thought off before it had a chance to take root.

  Five more minutes.

  He’d give her five minutes and then he was going to borrow a bike from one of the guards and set out on the road to look for her.

  And then he heard the familiar sound

  He heard the familiar sound of an engine as Eden's shiny red car rounded the bend and headed straight for him. At least, it seemed that way when the bumper nicked his shin.

  "What the hell's the matter with you?” he yelped.

  "If you have a problem with my driving, then you get behind the wheel."

  "That's better than under the wheel," he muttered as she slid over to the passenger seat to make room for him. What had happened to the romantic reunion he'd been dreaming about? He shifted into drive, uncomfortably reminded of the first day he'd met her. "Now what, princess?”

  Her stubborn little jaw was set in cement. Oh yeah, the princess was definitely back. "I thought we'd have a picnic." She made it sound like a life sentence in hell.

  "In the car or do you have some place else in mind?"

  The look she gave him could have melted metal. "The cove."

  They rode in silence. She had a strange sense of humor, dragging him back to the place where they'd fallen in love. Or maybe they hadn't fallen in love. All along he'd been so damn certain she felt the same way that he had never even considered the fact that it might have been a passing fancy to her.

  "Last stop," he said, when they reached the beach. "Everybody out.” He didn't bother to grab the picnic basket from the back seat. Who were they kidding anyway? They weren't here to eat. They were here to break up. The small jewelry box tucked in his back pocket dug into his butt, reminding him of exactly what a jerk he was to think they had a chance for a future together.

  He strode off toward the shore with Eden close behind. Vivid images of those lazy afternoons rose up from the sand, heated visions that seemed to laugh at his hopes and dreams. Little more than a month ago it had been so easy to believe anything was possible.

  "I have to hand it to you," he said when he stopped at the water's edge. "This is the classiest kiss-off in history."

  Those beautiful blue eyes flashed fire and for an instant he felt a glimmer of hope. "Is that what you think this is?"

  "What the hell else would I think, princess? First you try to kill me, then you give me the deep freeze. Add up the clues."

  "You're way off base this time."

  "Yeah," he said. "Sure I am." He turned to walk away.

  She grabbed him by the arm. "You're going to stay here and listen to what I have to say."

  "I wouldn't push too hard if I were you."

  Damned if she didn't meet his stare with one of her own. Pound for pound, he had the feeling he'd finally met his match.

  "You don’t scare me, Byrne. Not now that I know you're a quitter."

  "I never quit one damn thing in my life."

  "Admiral Shea told me you turned down Norfolk."

  He'd have to remember to thank Shea next time he saw him. "I have my reasons."

  "I know your reasons," she said through gritted teeth. "You want to take care of me."

  "You make that sound like a crime."

  “Or course it’s not,” she said. “It’s everything I ever wanted.”

  “Then what’s the problem? You wanted me to stay and I’m staying. I’m not going to leave you here alone.”

  Her father was dead. Her brother was stateside and Lilly and the baby would be joining him at the beginning of the year. Her friends were scattered from one end of the mainland to the other. It was a daunting prospect, but apparently not enough to sway her.

  “I’ve changed,” she said finally. “I’m not the same girl you met that night at the Royal Hawaiian.”

  He made to argue the point, but he suddenly knew that what she said was true. That beautiful Sunday morning less than three weeks ago had changed everything and everyone and there was no turning back.

  A heavy silence fell between them. He could feel her slipping away. He wanted to grab her and hold on tight, but something held him back. Their argument on the night of the football game had been ugly and painfully honest. He had been ambitious as hell and not above using her to make points with her old man. But love had changed it all in the blink of an eye.

  “Your father would want me to take care of you,” he said. “You meant everything to him.”

  “My father moved heaven and earth to secure that spot for you and he wouldn’t want you to throw it away." She looked up at him, her face the most luminous combination of beauty and strength that he'd ever encountered. “Not even for his spoiled daughter.”

  "He was the best," he managed, his eyes burning. "There won't be another one like him.” He owed Owen Forrester a debt of gratitude he could never repay.

  “Hold out your hand,” she whispered, pulling something from her pocket.

  The Admiral’s St. Christopher medal was warm, the silver dark around the edges. The memory of the last time he'd seen it was still fresh in his mind.

  She closed his fingers around it, pressing its shape into the palm of his hand. “Go to Virginia, Rick. Do the right thing for all of us.”

  In the distance a steamship chugged its way toward the open sea, puffing clouds of smoke into the clear morning air, almost as if the terrible attack on Pearl had never happened. Hope was a hell of a lot like love. It could wrap itself around your heart when you least expected it and make you wish for things your head knew were impossible.

  And yet sometimes even the most impossible wishes came true.

&
nbsp; "I love you, Eden.” He reached into his back pocket and withdrew a tiny black jewelry box. "It's not much now, but I promise one day you'll have the biggest engagement ring on the block."

  She threw her arms around his neck. "It's the most beautiful ring I've ever seen and if you say one more word about replacing it, so help me I'll--” Her words dissolved in happy tears.

  Her old dreams had been replaced by new ones when she wasn’t looking, dreams that wouldn’t have the chance to come true if they didn’t stand and fight for them.

  "It won’t be easy," he warned. "Nobody knows how long the war is going to last.”

  “Life doesn’t come with guarantees,” she said. “I think we all learned that a few weeks ago.”

  “You’ve never wanted for anything in your entire life. I can’t take care of you the way your father did.”

  “All you have to do is love me,” she said. “The rest will fall into place.”

  "I wonder what the Admiral would say about us," he said, drawing her close. "Think he'd be surprised?"

  "Not one bit," she said, as she gave herself up to their future. "After all, Daddy always said I'd marry well."

  Epilogue

  Honolulu Dispatch

  December 7, 1991

  Acclaimed artist Eden Forrester Byrne unveiled a portrait of her father, the late Admiral Owen Forrester, this morning during a breakfast ceremony at Schofield Barracks. The portrait was the fourth addition to the Faces of Courage Memorial Exhibit on permanent display.

  Mrs. Byrne was joined by her husband Rear Admiral Richard T. Byrne (USN-Ret), their four children and nine grandchildren. Also attending the ceremony was Mrs. Byrne’s sister-in-law, Doctor Lilly Aoki Forrester Warren and five of her six daughters.

  Mrs. Byrne and her husband currently live on the Big Island where they will be celebrating their fiftieth anniversary on New Year’s Eve.