“If only we were both that lucky.”
Genie rounded on her friend. “What is your problem with him? He’s been nothing but good to the both of us since the day we met.”
Lavinia’s gaze dropped back to her lunch box. “I can’t explain it.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
She glanced up, her blue eyes intense as they met Genie’s. “Can you just trust me on this? You know your friendship means the world to me. I would give my life for you, if I had to.”
Genie huffed in frustration. “Wonderful. You would risk your life, but not the truth. Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?”
Lavinia slapped the table with both palms. “Darn it, Genie. You want truth? Fine. Try this one on for size: for all his charm, his generosity, has he ever, even once, said, ‘I love you’?”
“Well, no. But I can tell—”
“That he has a reputation as a ladies’ man?” Lavinia said sharply. “Because he does. And I would think you should at least think twice about having a man undress you who doesn’t at least love you.”
Genie stared at her friend, temples throbbing with anger. “Who said he was a ladies’ man?”
“Does it matter?” Lavinia exhaled in frustration. “Genie, you’re out of your league with Dick. Trust me on this. If you keep seeing him, you’re going to get hurt.”
“Trust you? Oh, that’s rich, given all your secret agreements with people. First Kitty, and now Dick. Is there anyone else I should know about?”
Lavinia glanced at the wall clock. “Shoot, I’ve got to go, Genie. The bus will be here any minute.”
“So catch our normal one,” Genie said coldly, not missing that her friend hadn’t answered her question. “Why are you going in early, anyway?”
“Because I said I would.” Lavinia grabbed her box. “Remember about me being late tonight.”
“We’re not done discussing this,” Genie said as her friend opened the door. “I’m getting fed up with all your prevarications.”
Lavinia tossed a wave over her shoulder as she left. The door closed with a decided thump.
“Coward,” Genie groused, but there was only the soft ticking of the clock to hear her. Since she still had a half hour before her bus came, she returned to the bathroom to give her snood another go. Standing in front of the sink, she rubbed her temples. Her earlier headache was back in spades, thanks to her argument with Lavinia. She also noticed in the mirror that one of the buttons on her blouse had gone missing, too.
“Lovely.” She sighed and put her brush and snood down. Given the way her day was starting, maybe she should call in sick. Then she considered the effect on her pocketbook, which was already a little light thanks to the money she had squirreled away for future expenditures and the more immediate expense of flight lessons.
A quick search of the bedroom floor resulted in finding the lost button as well as several bobby pins and a dime. If she hurried, she could have it sewn back on and do her hair. All she needed was a needle and thread. She sat back on her heels and thought. It seemed to her Lavinia had been repairing a seam not too many days ago, and that she had pulled her sewing kit from one of her drawers in the tallboy by the window.
She hesitated and then went over to the piece of furniture in question and opened the fourth drawer, which, along with the next two drawers down, was Lavinia’s domain. Her skin burned with nervous guilt as she gingerly sorted through her friend’s things. Genie had never before violated her friend’s privacy, and she hated that she was doing so now. Only this was an emergency, since she didn’t have any other clean clothes, and she couldn’t face Skip with a button missing.
Not finding the sewing kit in that drawer, she moved on to the next one, past the folded sweaters and extra socks. Feeling like a thief in her own apartment, she opened the last drawer and stopped short. It was like a memory box from a different world. Carefully she picked up the folded floral blouse, a vivid image of Lavinia in Calcutta coming to life. Here, too, was the skirt as well as a leather-bound Bible with water stains on the cover. There was also a small journal and a dog-eared black-and-white photograph of four somber-looking missionaries standing in front of a tropical landscape. Thailand, perhaps. She recognized Lavinia and Marcus right away, but not the gaunt man with his arm around Lavinia, nor the young woman standing to the side—near but not quite with the group.
Gently putting the photograph down, she shifted the clothes to the side, still hoping to find the kit. Instead, she found an envelope underneath everything. It was addressed in a spidery, weak hand to a Reverend Jacob Krauss in Pennsylvania. A chill ghosted up her spine as she stared at the unfamiliar handwriting. Marcus had threatened Lavinia with a letter that day in Calcutta, in the hotel lobby. Genie could still remember the instantaneous change in Lavinia’s demeanor, from defiant to vacant. Was this that letter? It had to be, but where had Lavinia gotten it from? Somehow Genie doubted Marcus would have just given it to his sister.
Nathan. That was who Marcus would have given it to, because who else would need it to keep Lavinia in line? Something dark and furious twisted inside of her. All those weeks aboard ship, had Nathan been holding it over Lavinia, the stick to reinforce the carrot? Love me or else? It made her sick just thinking about it, because of course he had. The Nathan she knew was insecure and petty enough to use any advantage he could find. It was enough to make her want to toss his grave plaque into the closest garbage bin.
It would also explain why Lavinia had gone straight to Nathan’s cabin after his death. Not to grab Genie’s passport, as she had first thought, but to find the one thing that would set Lavinia free of her brother’s blackmail. And Nathan’s.
Renewed questions surrounding his unexpected death pricked her.
I didn’t push him, Genie. Nor did Kitty. Nor did anyone. He fell . . .
She bit her lip as Lavinia’s words echoed in her head. If ever her friend had told the truth, Genie would’ve sworn it was in that moment. And yet . . . She stared down at the envelope, the malevolent power of the thing almost pulsing in the still air. No one would ever know she had opened it, not if she was careful. Maybe if she read it, she would finally learn Lavinia’s secrets. It wasn’t like she would learn them any other way. And maybe, once she knew what haunted her friend, she could actually help her.
No. She shoved the envelope under the clothes and slammed the drawer shut. As much as she hated secrets, whatever was in that letter had caused Lavinia enough pain.
Returning to the bathroom, she dug through her toiletry bag and found a safety pin. The button and her curiosity would have to wait until Lavinia returned.
Forty minutes later the bus dropped her off outside the plant. While she waited at the traffic signal with the hundred or so other workers, her gaze drifted to the sky. Except for a few clouds off to the east, it was a beautiful morning. The wind was light, and the temperature cool. A perfect day for flying, if she hadn’t had to work. However, if she didn’t work, she wouldn’t have the money to fly. So work it was.
The light turned green, and Genie forgot the sky. She let herself be caught up in the swell of humanity surging across the street, finding that little thrill she always felt as part of this massive effort—all these people, men and women, from all walks of life, united by a common cause—to stop the enemy in its tracks. It gave her hope that, despite the depressing news she read every day in the paper, the war would soon be over, and her father and Zhenzhu safe.
“Genie, over here!” Charity called out excitedly from near the entrance. Genie waved and began cutting her way through the tide of people between them. She quashed a twinge of envy on the way. Her friend looked stunning in yet another new outfit she had likely sewn. Genie felt the presence of the safety pin on her borrowed blouse all the more keenly. Maybe this weekend she should take up Charity’s offer and let her friend teach her how to sew. She would have to put off a few flight lessons to buy the fabric, but she was getting so heartily sick of the few hand-me-downs th
e girls in the office pool had given her, it would be worth it.
“Hiya, Genie!” Charity eyes sparkled as she practically danced in her low-heeled pumps. “Guess what I found out last night?”
“That the blond pilot you met over the weekend has a thing for you?”
“No, silly! Though that would be lovely. Something much more exciting—the Flying Tigers are back in the States, at least some of them. And at least one is right here in LA!”
An image of Ted, handsome as ever in his uniform as he backed away, flashed in front of her eyes. She rubbed at the sudden ache beneath her breastbone. “Yeah, I know.”
Charity frowned. “You know? How? Did you talk to Flo last night, too? And why aren’t you more excited? I thought you liked the Tigers.”
“I do, it’s just . . .”
“Genie, Miss Baker.” The familiar male voice came from behind her. Caught between joy and dread, she spun around to see Dick striding up the sidewalk. Her heart beat unevenly as she drank in the sight of him. He was impeccably dressed, as always, but it was also clear from the dark circles under his eyes that he had slept no better than she had last night.
All the doubts Lavinia had planted burned away. Dick had to be in love with her, even if he hadn’t gotten around to saying as much. It was so obvious.
“I was hoping to catch you. I . . .” He stopped in front of her, his gaze touching lightly everywhere on her face, as if trying to memorize her. She noted the deep, unhappy grooves around his mouth and unconsciously reached up to smooth them away. Catching her hand, he glanced at Charity. “May I have a word with your friend? In private?”
Charity’s eyebrows lifted. She looked questioningly at Genie. “Um . . . sure?”
“It’s fine,” Genie said, forcing herself to smile through her sudden nervousness. “This is Mr. Pelton, my landlord, of sorts.”
Charity’s eyes widened as she noted their clasped hands. She turned back to Dick with new appreciation in her eyes. “You’re Uncle Fred’s friend? I’m Charity Newcombe. It’s so nice to meet you.”
Dick hesitated and then released Genie to shake her hand. “Nice to meet you, too. But I’m sure you girls are in a hurry, and I don’t want Genie to be late.”
“Oh, right.” Charity turned to Genie. “Do you want me to wait for you?”
“No, I’ll be right there. Cover for me if I’m not.”
“All right,” Charity said, backing away, “but you know how Skip gets if we’re late.”
Genie shooed her friend away. “Five minutes and I’ll be in.”
She jumped as Dick’s fingers closed around her elbow. It took everything she had not to turn and throw herself into his arms, but Charity was still watching. Still, she was desperate for Dick to hold her, to reassure her that the ugly things Lavinia had said weren’t true.
“I had to see you, Genie,” he said in her ear, sending chills up and down her spine. His voice was rough, raw. “Please tell me you aren’t mad at me.”
“Mad?” She gave a little laugh as she turned to face him, Lavinia’s words echoing in her ears: He crossed a line last night, and he knows it . . . “Why would I be mad?”
Instead of answering, his gaze dropped to her lips. His eyes turned a mesmerizing green. “You have the most gorgeous mouth.”
Surprised, she touched her lips. “Really? I was teased as a child. I was told it was too big, like a monkey’s.”
“Then they were wrong, because it’s perfect. So kissable. If I could, I would spend all day kissing you.”
A wave of heat suffused her blood, and her breath came a little faster as her body remembered a lot more than just kisses. “While I would like that, I’m pretty sure our bosses wouldn’t. Because they’d want us to work. At some point.”
“Likely.” His lips quirked. Then to her dismay, he shifted back, increasing the distance between them. “Which is why I’m here. I came to tell you I won’t be able to see you again for a while. I’m heading back out on assignment. But when I get back, I’d like to take you out again. If that’s all right with you.”
“Of course,” she said, her heart sinking. “How long will you be gone?”
“They haven’t told me. But don’t worry about the rent. I’ll take care of it before I go.”
She shook her head. “Dick, Lavinia and I can’t keep living off your kindness. It’s not right, especially now we can afford to help out.”
“I’m not going to charge you rent,” he said flatly. Then he brushed her cheek tenderly with his knuckles. “Let me do this for you, Genie. Knowing you’re there, safe, gives me peace when I’m out on assignment. Something to look forward to when I get home.”
She shivered under his touch, her resolve scattering like dandelion seeds in the wind.
Lavinia just didn’t understand. Dick did love her. His wanting to take care of her proved it. If Nathan had been in Dick’s position, he would never have charged Lavinia rent. Or her, for that matter.
In China, women went to stay with their future in-laws all the time.
Yes, but are you engaged to Dick? a voice whispered in her head. Has he ever said he loves you?
She started to frown, her doubts starting to gather again. “Dick . . .”
“No time for arguments, sweetheart. I’ve got to go.” He gave her a sad smile that momentarily squeezed her heart. Then to her dismay, he began backing away from her. “Take care of yourself.”
Don’t you dare let him get away, the voice prodded her, sounding a little panicked this time. And a lot like Zhenzhu’s. Make him say the words.
The voice was right. “Dick, wait—”
But he was already disappearing into the workday rush of people.
“Are you planning on working today, Miss Baker?” Skip’s voice made her jump.
She spun around, her pulse racing in alarm. “Mr. Winston, I didn’t see you there.”
“New boyfriend?” he asked coolly. “I thought you were too busy to date.”
“I am. My flight test isn’t for a couple of weeks yet. And Mr. Pelton isn’t my boyfriend. He’s my landlord.”
“A rather friendly one, I would say.” His gaze dipped to her breasts and then moved even lower. Her skin crawled as a slow smile curved his lips. “Maybe we should work on becoming better friends, Miss Baker.”
“I would prefer to keep our relationship professional, Mr. Winston. If you don’t mind.” To her relief, her voice sounded much steadier than she felt. She probably could have skipped adding that last part, because it was obvious he did mind. His smile had faded into a frown, turning her knees into gelatin.
Her heart pounded in terror as the seconds ticked past. If he fired her, she was sunk. She needed this job, especially when she was so close to getting her license. On the other hand, she was getting sick and tired of men rolling over her objections. Dick may have just gotten away with it, but not Skip.
This time, she would stand up against the wind, even if it cost her.
The little voice inside her head cheered.
Skip tilted his head toward the plant. “You’re late, Miss Baker. Let it happen again, and you’re fired.”
Chapter 35
“Guess what today is,” Charity said, sliding into the chair on the other side of Genie’s desk.
“Friday, August 7.” Genie wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. The office was positively sweltering this afternoon thanks to the bright sunshine pouring in the windows. “At least that’s what I’ve been typing all day.”
Her friend smirked. “I didn’t ask the date. I said guess the day.”
“I don’t know.” She racked her brain. “The day I hope to get my license? I’ve got my final flight exam”—she checked the wall clock, and her stomach lurched from nerves and the heat—“in two hours.”
Skin-prickling nausea had her grabbing the open Coca-Cola bottle near her typewriter and taking a hasty sip. Work . . . she needed to focus on work.
Charity’s forehead wrinkled slightly. “Are you fee
ling all right?”
“I’m fine. It’s just hotter than blazes in here.”
Her friend sat back. “If you’re worried about the flight test, don’t be. Just because the flight examiner is an old fuddy-duddy and a stickler for details.”
Another surge of nerves had Genie reaching for the Coke bottle. “You’re not helping.”
“Then try this: Today is your lucky day, because not only is that Flying Tiger still in town, but I did a little digging and found out he’s been asking around about you.”
“What?” The bottle almost slipped from her fingers. Hurriedly, she put it down. “Where did you hear that?”
“From Flo last night at the airfield, after my lesson.” Her friend grimaced. “And for the record, getting my commercial license is a lot harder than I thought.”
“Your instructor did warn you. And if you’ve known all day, why tell me now, right before my exam?”
Charity rolled her eyes. “Because I had to wait for Skip to leave. Don’t even think I didn’t see how he had you cornered in the mailroom earlier. Why do you think I sent Gloria in?”
“So she could witness my humiliation? I swear, if he gets any freer with his hands, I may have to slug him.” Genie defiantly yanked the last memo from her typewriter, but her fingers shook as she prepared its envelope. “Between you and me, I feel like he’s getting hungrier every day, and I’m what’s on the menu. He already uses every excuse he can think of to get me alone. To be honest, I’m not sure how much longer I can take it.”
“You’d leave me?” Charity looked stricken.
“I may not have a choice.” She gathered up the envelopes from her afternoon’s work and stood. “I just hope I pass my test today, because what I would really love is to find a job flying.”
“You’ll have to get your commercial license first,” Charity reminded her. “And it isn’t cheap.”
Genie inhaled deeply and placed a hand on her unsettled stomach. “I know. But first things first. If I don’t pass this test today, nothing else matters.”
“You can always take the test again.”
A Girl Divided Page 33