Hannah's Moon (American Journey Book 5)

by John A. Heldt

  "I have asked Ron and Claire to host another reunion, in Griffin, Indiana, in the summer of 2020. I hope you can attend. I know I will try. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to address this group as a healthy man. Thank you for giving Jeanette and me the gift of your company this week. Take care, God bless you, and good night."

  For the first time since stepping to the mike, Geoffrey Bell showed emotion. He wiped away a tear, hugged his wife, and warmly greeted each member of his extended family. Then he led Jeanette through a gauntlet of guests to an exit sixty feet away.

  Through it all, the time travelers applauded. They did not stop until long after the Bells had passed through the door and into the night.

  CHAPTER 80: CLAIRE

  Monday, January 1, 2018

  Standing near the rail of a redwood deck that stood between the beach house and the beach, Claire Rasmussen beheld three breathtaking sights. Each inspired in different ways.

  The first, the noisy, churning Pacific Ocean, needed no introduction. For six days, it had soothed, mesmerized, and lulled. At five thirty, shortly after a bright orange sun had slipped below the western horizon, it simply enchanted.

  The second sight simply amused. One hundred yards away, on a beach with no name, a man dropped to a knee, held out a small box, and waited for a woman to respond. When she did with a hug and a kiss, Claire knew that her family had expanded by one.

  The third sight uplifted and heartened. Hovering high in the twilight sky, a luminous full moon — Hannah's Moon — smiled at Santa Barbara like a welcoming friend. It was a sign, Claire thought, that the new year was going to be a good year.

  Claire waved to David and Margaret as they walked slowly, hand in hand, toward the deck, the house, and their new life together. She wondered if her brother had promised the world and decided he probably had. David was a man who left nothing to chance.

  Claire gazed at the lovebirds until she heard a sliding door open and close. When she turned around, she saw two more inspiring sights: a grinning husband holding a bottle of bubbly and four champagne glasses and a grinning daughter holding a sippy cup.

  "You didn't . . . did you?" Claire asked.

  "I gave her the choice of Dom Pérignon or sparking apple cider — and she went with the fruit juice," Ron said. He shrugged. "Go figure."

  Claire put her hands on her hips.

  "You're incorrigible."

  Ron laughed.

  "I suppose I am."

  "What's with the champagne?" Claire asked. "Did Geoffrey give you a bottle?"

  "He did, as a matter of fact. He gave it to me Saturday night and asked me to save it for a special occasion. So I did. I saved it for David and Margaret's engagement."

  "How did you know that was tonight? It just happened."

  "Nothing just happens, Claire. David has been planning this for weeks. He told me this morning he was going to propose on the beach before dinner."

  "That figures. He didn't say a thing to me."

  "Don't feel bad," Ron said. He put the bottle on a table and poured the first of four glasses. "The only reason he came to me is because he wanted advice."

  "What did you tell him?"

  "I told him to promise Margaret the world."

  Claire laughed.

  "That's a lot to deliver on a teacher's salary."

  "He'll get it done," Ron said. He looked over his wife's shoulder. "In fact, I think he already has. She's wearing a smile as big as her ring."

  Claire turned around just as David and Margaret ascended the weathered steps from the beach to the deck. She smiled when they reached the top.

  "Did Cupid shoot an arrow tonight?"

  "Did you watch?" David asked.

  "I watched and listened. I listened to your co-conspirator," Claire said. "Ron filled in the blanks. Congratulations! I'm happy for both of you."

  David grinned.

  "I'm happy for us too."

  Claire stepped forward and hugged her brother.

  "You're such a pill."

  "That's what she thinks," David said.

  Claire released her sibling, shook her head, and then gazed at the bride-to-be, who wore a green knee-length dress that would look good in any decade. She embraced her future sister-in-law and spoke softly in her ear.

  "I wish you every happiness."

  "Thank you," Margaret said.

  A moment later, Ron hugged Margaret, shook David's hand, and returned to the table, where four full glasses of bubbly awaited. He distributed the drinks and then picked up Hannah, who had followed him around the deck like a baby duck.

  "I think we have a daddy's girl," Claire said.

  Ron smiled.

  "There's no 'think' about it."

  "I'm glad to see it," Margaret said. "Every girl should have a daddy to hug."

  Claire winced as she considered the statement. She thought it was sad that Margaret would never have what Hannah already had.

  "Where are Geoffrey and Jeanette?" David asked.

  "They drove back to the mansion," Ron said.

  "How come?"

  "I think they wanted some time alone."

  "Oh."

  Claire suspected Ron was right. Instead of escorting the Coelhos and the Townsends to the time tunnel in Los Angeles, Geoffrey and Jeanette had delegated the task to David and Margaret and spent the day beachcombing. It was just as well, Claire thought. The Bakers and the Rasmussens were the new sheriffs in town. It was time they learned how to shoot.

  "Does anyone want to make a toast?" Ron asked.

  "I do," Claire said. "I want to make three, in fact."

  "The floor is yours."

  "Thank you, dear."

  Ron chuckled.

  "You're welcome."

  Claire took a deep breath.

  "First of all, I would like to raise a glass to my baby brother and his beautiful bride-to-be. In all my years, I have never seen a better match. You two are really something. May you continue to grow as a couple, nurture your special friendship, and find the happiness you both deserve. To David and Margaret!"

  "To David and Margaret!" Ron said.

  The adults clinked their glasses and took a sip.

  "I would also like to make a toast to the uncle and aunt who have enriched our lives in so many ways. Because of them, we are all wiser, happier, and richer than we were a year ago. We are a family with a new lease on life. May our relatives find a cure for ALS and come back to us happy, healthy, and better than ever. To Geoffrey and Jeanette!"

  "To Geoffrey and Jeanette!" David said.

  The drinkers clinked and sipped.

  "Finally," Claire said, "I would like to raise a glass to us. All of us, including Hannah, have faced difficult trials in recent months, trials no one should have to confront. We have each lost someone we loved and gained someone we love. We have been tested to the limits of our endurance — in some cases, many times — and emerged as better people. I think that says a lot. If we can overcome the challenges of 1945, we can overcome anything. So here's to five survivors. Here's to five strong, resilient people and a better year for each."

  "To us!" Margaret said cheerfully.

  Claire smiled.

  "To us."

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Literary icon Gertrude Stein once said, "Silent gratitude isn't very much to anyone." As one who has written ten novels in five years, I could not agree more. That is why I not so silently thank my contributors at the end of each work. Without their vital assistance, I would not be able to bring quality literature to the reading public.

  Some of these contributors have helped with every book. Others are helping out for the first time. All offered guidance and expertise that I found indispensible.

  I am particularly grateful to Aaron Yost, who has edited every novel, and illustrator Laura Wright LaRoche, who has created or modified all but one of my covers. I would recommend both to any independent author looking for a helping hand.

  A special thank you goes to
Lieutenant Scott Austin, a retired U.S. Navy officer and an all-around good guy. He educated his civilian fraternity brother on the practices, history, and traditions of the nation's second-oldest military branch.

  I am also deeply indebted to my beta readers, who took time from their busy lives to put their stamp on a work in progress. They include Cheryl Heldt, Cathy Hundley, Jon Johnson, Leslie Teske Mills, and Christine Stinson, who read the early drafts, and Morgan Coyner, Mary Heldt, Esther Johnson, David Quast, and Carol Vance, who read the later ones. All helped to make Hannah's Moon a better book.

  Many others offered useful research assistance. They include staff members from the Chattanooga Public Library, Library of Congress, National Museum of the American Sailor, Naval History and Heritage Command, Navy Department Library, San Diego History Center, UCSD Library (San Diego), and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

  When researching this novel, I consulted two excellent books on the ill-fated USS Indianapolis: Doug Stanton's In Harm's Way and Richard F. Newcomb's Abandon Ship! I learned a lot about the primary setting of the book by reading Chattanooga's St. Elmo.

  I also learned much about the Navy, Tennessee, and the 1940s by reading All Hands Magazine and newspaper articles from the Chattanooga News-Free Press, Chattanooga Times, Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union, and Washington Post. I encourage readers to consult these and other sources when seeking information about a truly remarkable era.