She sat down next to him. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, sorry. How are you?” He smiled.
“Wonderful. It’s a beautiful day outside, and I’ve been looking forward to seeing you.” Charlotte’s heart beat fast and her cheeks flushed as she attempted to be more forthcoming with her feelings. She fanned her face with her pocketbook. “It’s too hot out here. Let’s go inside.”
“Sure.” Will stood from the bench and picked up his cane. He only needed it when walking for an extended amount of time, but he despised it. On one of their dates earlier in the summer, he’d insisted on forgoing the cane on their visit to the newly constructed Thomas Jefferson Memorial. Only an hour later he confessed that walking was painful without the support.
Charlotte and Will entered the neoclassical building and purchased tickets to see the exhibits. “Have you been to this museum before?” Will asked as they strolled through the rotunda filled with sculptures and fine art.
“My parents brought me here a few times as a kid. It’s been quite some time since my last visit. Where would you like to start?”
Will studied the small map they were handed at the entrance. “I suppose we can start with the marine exhibit and work our way around to paleontology. It looks like a good enough route.”
They took their time meandering through the museum, admiring the various artifacts and wondering what it would be like to travel the world in search of exotic species. By the time they entered the paleontology hall and surveyed the excavated dinosaur bones, Will’s hand trembled as he put more and more pressure on the cane.
“Let’s sit,” said Charlotte. “I feel terrible about keeping you on your feet for so long. You should’ve said something.”
“It’s nothing,” Will replied, though he readily accepted her offer to take a break.
They found a bench and sat down. Charlotte took Will’s strained hand and gently massaged it. “Is walking getting any easier?”
“Yeah, it’s improving. Not as quickly as I’d like, though.” Will enclosed her hand in his and brought it to his lips. “Let’s not talk about this. Tell me about your week.”
Charlotte fought back a grin and kept her hand still. “Let’s see . . . I talked to Natalie on the phone earlier this afternoon. She says hello. Did you read about the Sicily invasion this morning?”
Will nodded.
“Well, her beau, John Cartwright, was part of the invasion. She was understandably upset about it. Oh, and do you remember Rachel? I saw her today. She’s joining the Cadet Nurse Corps and thinks I should sign up. The program will pay for an accelerated program of nursing school and then place graduates in federal hospitals. I told her I couldn’t do it this year—I want to finish my degree—but I was thinking maybe I could join next year. I’m pretty excited about the opportunity. What do you think?”
Will didn’t answer. He stared forward, his eyes glazed over.
“Will?” She pulled her hand from his and nudged his arm until he startled. “What’s wrong? You’re scaring me.”
“I’m sorry. What were you saying?”
She was on the verge of tears. He was supposed to be excited by her news, not oblivious to it. This kind of behavior was uncharacteristic for him, and she was afraid of the change, especially when he pretended as though nothing were different. The museum air was suffocating, and the bones on display suddenly seemed morbid. She stood to leave, to find some fresh air.
Will grabbed her hand. “Please don’t go. I’m sorry, darling. I’ll try to explain.”
She returned to her seat and frowned. “What’s happening to you?”
Will stared at his feet as he answered. “I haven’t been sleeping well lately. I didn’t sleep at all last night and only a few hours the night before. I find myself unable to focus sometimes. It’s nothing you did or said, I promise.”
Charlotte rubbed his shoulder. “Do you know the cause? Could it be the house you’re living in? Or maybe you’re too busy at work?”
“It’s not that.” He raked a hand through his hair. “I’ve been having nightmares.”
“Oh . . . What happens in these nightmares?”
Will rested his elbows on his knees and closed his eyes. “I’m in England, and we’re about to leave on a bombing mission. Each time, someone tells me that everyone is counting on me. Sometimes it’s you or one of my fellow officers, or even my sister.”
He reopened his eyes and fidgeted with his wristwatch.
“My plane takes off, and the weather changes from bright and sunny to dark and stormy. I can tell we’ve made it to our destination as the bombs start falling. All the other planes vanish. Mine is the only one left. And then my plane disappears from around me, and I start to fall. Then I wake up.” He shrugged.
“How terrible.”
“I dread them.”
“How often do you have them? When did they start? I don’t remember you mentioning any nightmares when you were in the hospital.”
“I didn’t have them until a few weeks ago, but since then, about two or three times a week.”
Charlotte pursed her lips. There’d been a number of soldiers at the Army Medical Center who suffered from war nightmares, but those men had just returned from the front lines. Will had been in the crash almost nine months ago.
“Maybe you should go to the VA hospital and talk to a doctor about it.”
Will shook his head. “It’s probably normal. Besides, I rarely have the time outside of work. There’s always a plane to fix and send back to the war.”
“Do you think you’re remembering what happened before the crash?”
He spread his fingers across his knees and sat up. “I don’t know. Let’s stop talking about it. I feel like I’ve already ruined your afternoon.”
She shook her head. “You didn’t ruin my afternoon. I love spending time with you, no matter what we discuss.”
“I love spending time with you, too.”
Will leaned toward her. Her breathing slowed as she anticipated his next move. The moment was perfect for a kiss. His lips parted . . . and abruptly closed as a small group of children ran past them, giggling.
He shifted in his seat. “Let’s go outside.”
Charlotte smothered her disappointment and agreed. They went outside and walked the pathway that ran between the museum and the National Mall, their arms linked.
“What were you telling me earlier?” Will asked.
“I might go to nursing school next year. There’s a new government program that pays for it, and they desperately need new nurses.”
“I knew you’d become a nurse. That’s great, Charlotte.”
She grinned. Will’s endorsement was all she needed. She shielded the sun from her eyes with her hand. “Do you have any ideas on what we can do next Sunday?”
“How about a day trip? I’d like to take the train up to Stamford and see if my plane is still in the hangar. After that, maybe we can go into Manhattan for dinner and then catch the evening train. I promise to have you home at a decent hour.”
She smiled. “I’d love to go. I’ve never been to Manhattan.”
Will’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? Then it’ll be my turn to show you around for once.”
They reached the bus stop. Charlotte didn’t want her time with Will to end. Waiting a full week to see him again was torture, and it only grew worse the closer they became. They unlinked their arms and stood before each other.
“I’ll see you next Sunday then,” she said.
“I’ll give you call later in the week with details. We’ll need to leave early.”
“That’s fine. I’ll be counting the days until I see you again.”
Will looked at her with such intensity that Charlotte felt she should avert her gaze. Before she could, he pulled her into an embrace and pressed his lips to her head. She closed her eyes and savored their growing intimacy.
“Sundays are my favorite day of the week,” she whispered into his collar.
&n
bsp; Will sighed. “Mine, too. I wish they’d never end.”
Twenty-Seven
By the time Charlotte arrived at Union Station the following Sunday, Will was waiting for her on the platform with two muffins in hand. The light from the rising sun streamed through the windows and illuminated his profile. His hat was tipped to the side, and the sleeves of his white shirt were rolled to the elbow, exposing his forearms, tanned and muscular from work.
With a wide smile, she hurried over to him. “Good morning.”
They embraced just long enough for her to smell the mint scent of his soap. When they parted, Will gestured toward the express train that would take them to Connecticut. “We can get some coffee onboard if you’d like. I already bought your ticket.”
They boarded the train and sat at a small table in the dining car. After ordering two cups of coffee, Will placed one of the muffins in front of Charlotte. “It’s a homemade blueberry muffin. My landlady gave them to me on my way out this morning.”
Charlotte removed her gloves and set the muffin on her napkin. “She’s kind.”
The waitress returned with their coffee. As Charlotte took her first sip, she studied Will’s face, searching for a vacant look in his eyes or lines of exhaustion to see if his nightmares still plagued him. This morning, however, he looked as lively as she’d ever seen him.
“How was your week?”
“Not bad.” He took a sip of his coffee.
“Did you have any more nightmares?”
“Monday night. Since then I’ve been able to sleep pretty well, though.”
Charlotte nodded. “That’s good to hear.”
“I’m feeling great right now.” Will leaned forward and reached for her hand. “I’m also looking forward to spending the day with you, so that might have something to do with it.”
She smiled and squeezed his hand in return. “Well, I’m glad you’ve been sleeping.”
As they finished their breakfast, the streamliner departed Union Station. Will and Charlotte gave up their seats to another couple waiting for an available table and headed for the passenger cars. Though the morning train was crowded, they were able to find a bench near the back. She scooted toward the window and he settled in next to her.
She’d been looking forward to this day all week. Multiple scenarios had unfolded in her mind, and she longed for the one in which she and Will would finally kiss. Even if it didn’t happen, this trip was a significant step forward in their relationship. Will trusted her enough to include her in finding what he loved the most—his airplane. She’d also get to see both cities where he’d lived.
Charlotte interrupted his newspaper reading with a light touch to his arm. “Will?”
“Hmm?”
“Are you sure you want to go to Manhattan? You once told me you wanted to avoid it because of your father. I don’t want you to feel like you need to visit because of me, just to show me around.”
Will folded the newspaper and set it on his lap. “It’s a big city, Charlotte. I don’t want to live there because of my father, but visiting for a few hours won’t be a problem.” He smiled and placed his hand over hers. “You shouldn’t worry about it.”
She dropped her voice to a whisper. “Will you tell me what happened between you and your father?”
Will frowned. “Do you really want to know?”
“It’s an important part of your life and the only thing I don’t know about you. But if you don’t want to tell me, I promise not to ask about it again.”
He sighed. “I don’t want to keep any secrets from you.”
Charlotte shook her head. “Me, neither.”
“All right . . . I have no complaints about my childhood. My father was good to my sister and me. We never wanted for anything, and he was instrumental in helping me achieve my dream of becoming a pilot. We were a happy family, the three of us . . . until Margaret became engaged.”
“The man she moved to London with, right?”
Will nodded. “Not until wedding preparations were underway did Margaret mention to my father that her fiancé was Jewish. My father’s not a religious man, so she assumed their differences in faith wouldn’t matter to him. It shouldn’t have. But his prejudices ran deeper than religion. He forbade Margaret from seeing her fiancé again. When they eloped and moved to London, he disowned her.
“I was livid when I discovered what had happened. I told him that if my sister was disinherited for something so unreasonable then so was I. In his stubbornness, my father agreed. He cut off my college tuition and my allowances, and I was forced to abandon my degree at Yale. I hadn’t spoken to him in five years until he showed up at the hospital a few months ago with an apology.” Will shook his head. “He didn’t mean it.”
Charlotte rested her chin on Will’s shoulder. “Thank you for sharing that with me. I can’t imagine how hard it must’ve been for you, how hard it must still be.”
Will shook out the newspaper. “And now you know. My father’s bigotry set off a chain of events that later killed my sister and sent me to war.”
She leaned back into her seat. “Not that it condones his actions, but it also led you to me.”
“True,” he muttered.
***
A few minutes past noon, the train pulled into Stamford. Charlotte and Will grabbed a quick bite to eat at the station cafeteria and then hailed a taxi cab to take them to the airfield near Long Island Sound.
As they turned onto an unpaved country road, Charlotte peered out the car window at the fields of wheat and livestock. “Did you grow up in this area?”
“No, we were closer to town. My father sold the house before the war. I used to ride my bicycle down this road to the airfield all the time. It hasn’t changed in years,” he said in a quiet voice.
They approached a small airfield with several white, metal hangars. Will told the driver to stop at the end of the lane and paid the fare. As the cab left, he took her hand. “Come with me.”
They walked toward a row of hangars lining the runway.
Charlotte shielded her eyes from the sun and looked to the sky. “Will we get to see any planes take off?”
“Maybe.” Will gestured to the second hangar on their left. The massive door closest to them was open. Charlotte followed him inside.
A middle-aged gentleman washing the propeller of his plane paused when they entered and eyed them suspiciously. “Can I help you two?”
“Don’t mind us.” Will tipped his cap and hurried their pace.
Charlotte tightened her grip on his arm. “Are we allowed to be in here?”
He chuckled. “Afraid to get into trouble? Don’t worry, we’ll be fine.”
Even though the other hangar doors were shut, the interior was illuminated by sunlight streaming in through the skylights. As they traversed the length of the hangar, they passed several types of aircraft of all different sizes. At the opposite end, Will stopped in front of the plane that was partially covered in white sheeting.
“I can’t believe it.” He let go of Charlotte, pulled back a corner of the sheet, and ran his hand along the yellow-painted body. “It’s still here, after all these years.”
She smiled. “This is your plane?”
Will squared his shoulders proudly. “It sure is. Can you help me with the cover?”
She nodded and hurried to the other side. Pulling down on the heavy sheet, she uncovered the body and wings of a biplane. She didn’t know enough about airplanes to determine whether it was in good condition, but after a brief inspection, Will looked more than pleased.
“You should take it out and fly. I wouldn’t mind watching you.”
He stepped up onto the lower wing and looked into the second cockpit. “If I were going to fly today, I’d take you with me.” He picked up a leather aviator helmet. “Exactly where I left it.”
Will returned to Charlotte, standing so close she had to tilt back her head to meet his eyes. He placed the helmet on her head.
“Wou
ld you like that?” His voice dropped to a deeper timbre.
Charlotte’s knees went weak. “Yes,” she whispered.
Will brought his hand to the back of her neck, his thumb caressing the sensitive skin below her ear. She kept her eyes locked on his, daring him to make the first move. Only a few seconds passed before she lost her patience. She threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. He drew her closer, his arms encircling her waist as his lips opened with hers. He kissed as well as Charlotte had imagined.
When they pulled away, she beamed. “Sorry.”
Will shook his head. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted that.” He removed the helmet from her head and tossed it back into the airplane. Twirling a lock of her hair around his finger, he said, “The crosswinds are strong today. Flying wouldn’t be safe.”
Footsteps echoed behind them, and there was a loud bang as the lights illuminated from above. Will stepped back, and Charlotte quickly smoothed down her curls and adjusted the front of her dress.
A tall bald man in blue coveralls strode toward them with a sprightly gait for someone his age. He squinted and then grinned widely, his teeth white against his dark skin. “Is that Will Kendrick? That guy was right about riffraff wandering around, causing trouble.”
Will laughed and approached the man. They shared a hearty handshake. “Well, if it isn’t Leon Chambers.” He turned to Charlotte. “Charlotte, this is the man who taught me how to fly. He also owns the airfield.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Chambers. You must’ve known Will for a long time. Was he always this enthusiastic about aviation?”
Leon nodded. “I couldn’t ever get him to leave. I think he spent more time here than he ever did at home. Even before his father bought his plane, he’d sit by the runway, sketching them as they took off and landed.”
“He never told me he could draw. What else are you hiding from me?” Charlotte tossed Will a teasing look.
Will chortled. “It was only a childhood hobby. And that’s enough with the stories, Leon.” He motioned to the airplane. “Why is she here? I haven’t been paying for this space.”
Battle Hymns Page 16