I put away my pen and notebook and closed my eyes. It was for the best. I was spending the next two years in a tropical dream, and I was determined to soak up every moment. The fact that Ruby’s brother might be nearby meant nothing.
Ruby
November 21, 1941
I stepped into the waiting room of the San Gerardo Medical Clinic and glanced around at the small, brown faces looking up at me expectantly. The clinic was nothing more than a ramshackle house that was in the process of being converted into a medical facility, one tiny room at a time. The waiting room had only needed a bit of furniture, so it didn’t show the same signs of ongoing repair as the rest of the house.
“Frances Mercado?” I called.
Frances weaved her way from the front window through the crowded room toward me, offering a bashful smile as she neared. She’d been in to see the doctor a few times in the year I’d been working as a nurse at the clinic. I led her down the hallway to what had once been a bedroom. In the next room, Mrs. Vega’s baby was still screaming. The doctor had given him a start when he’d tried to examine the baby’s nasal cavity, and he hadn’t stopped crying since. I closed the door to muffle the wailing as Frances took a seat on the bamboo chair beside the exam table.
“How are you today?” I asked, getting my notepad ready.
She tucked her legs beneath her and squeezed up her shoulders. “I am okay,” she said in a thick Tagalog accent.
I took a seat opposite her. “How is your family doing?”
“They are okay.”
“How about your sisters?”
“They are okay.”
She wouldn’t look me in the eye for long. That wasn’t unusual. She was only fifteen, and even though she’d warmed up to me a little more each time she came in, she still kept her eyes glued to the floor.
“Can you tell me why you’re here today?” I asked.
She squeezed her shoulders up again and shook her head. “I told Father I was not feeling good this morning. He sent me here.”
I offered my warmest smile, even though my blood was heating up. “Same as before?”
She nodded.
“All right, then. I’ll check a few things, and Dr. Grant will come examine you.”
I checked her blood pressure and heart rate, which seemed fine. I made a mental note of the bruising around her upper arm. Then I excused myself and went across the hall to the other exam room, where the Vega baby had finally stopped crying. I poked my head around the door.
“Frances Mercado is ready for you next.”
Mrs. Vega had gathered her things, so I pushed the door open wider to let her out. She kissed my cheek as she passed. “Dear Miss Grace. You are too thin. Come to my house and let me cook for you.”
I couldn’t help reaching out for the baby on her shoulder, rubbing his back gently. “How about Tuesday?” I said.
“Oh, that is wonderful! Come after your work is done. And bring your doctor friend. He needs a good meal too, no? You both work too hard.” She continued patting the baby on the back as she walked down the hallway. “I see you both on Tuesday.”
I turned back into the empty exam room as Dr. Joseph Grant looked up from his notes. His dark eyes seemed troubled. “Frances is next? How is she?”
“She seems all right,” I said. “A few bruises on her upper arm. And she says she has the same thing again.”
He sighed and ran a hand through his thick black hair. Then he stood, towering over me, and gathered his notes and pen. I followed him into the room with Frances and stood near the door as he took the seat across from her, rattling off questions in Tagalog. I knew enough of the words to understand that she was suffering with another bout of venereal disease.
Frances covered her face while Joseph gave her a thorough exam. I thought I saw a tear escape from under her arm, but she said nothing. Afterward, she sat on the side of the table, her arms wrapped around her stomach. She asked how long she would have to wait to be well enough to work.
He handed her several sulfa tabs and lowered himself to her eye level. “You have to give it at least two weeks. Three is better.”
She nodded, but I knew she’d be lucky to have two days before she had to work again. She slid the sulfa tabs into the pocket of her filthy dress. “Thank you,” she said, standing.
He nodded, met my gaze briefly, and then stepped out again. I knew it wouldn’t do any good to say anything to Frances, but I just couldn’t help myself.
“Why do you do this?” I asked. “You don’t have to.”
She shook her head. “You do not understand, Miss Grace. I must get money for family to eat.”
“There has to be another way. You could work as a lavandera—”
“No. Father says I must have a soldier boyfriend. I must do it. He will get angry. I must keep clean and make soldiers happy.”
“No, you don’t have to do that. God will provide for you and your family. You just have to trust Him.”
“Grace,” came Joseph’s deep voice from behind me. “We have patients waiting, and I’m sure Frances needs to get home to her family.”
I stepped aside and let Frances pass through the door, shaking my head. “There has to be something more we can do for her,” I said.
He stepped into the room and let the door close. “You know as well as I do there’s nothing more we can do. Her father is going to get every peso he can for her.”
“Why doesn’t she just leave?”
He looked at me over the top of his glasses. “She has a thirteen-year-old sister. She doesn’t want this life for her. She thinks if she brings in enough money, then her father won’t make her sister ‘get a boyfriend’ too.”
My stomach rolled, and I wiped my hand across my forehead. “How can a father do that to his own daughter?”
“Things are very different here than in the States, Grace. It’s accepted…even expected. It’s how they survive. We have to do the best we can to help them.”
I couldn’t see how giving out a few sulfa tablets and sending her back into the same life was helping at all. “What are we even doing here? How are we helping these people?”
His expression softened. “Listen, let’s do all we can for the people here today. Let tomorrow worry about itself. No more anguish over what you can’t control. In fact, why don’t you let me take you out tonight? You need to relax. We’ll go to that place you love, with the dancing.”
I let out a long sigh, trying to breathe out my frustration. He smiled down at me with an affection I’d been trying to discourage for months. “Dr. Grant—”
“Joseph.”
“Fine,” I said. “Joseph, I don’t think it’s such a good idea for us to go out together.”
“Yes, yes. I know. You’ve said all this before. But that didn’t stop you from having dinner with me until recently. What’s changed?”
“You changed. You’ve made it very clear how you feel, and I’ve made it very clear how I feel—”
“Then there’s no misunderstanding,” he said. “We’re just two friends getting dinner and having a nice evening.”
“I can’t tonight, anyway. Henry is coming into town, and I said I’d have dinner with him.”
“Great! The more the merrier. Let’s all go.”
My mouth fell open, and I stammered to think of an excuse. “I…I don’t…”
“Just say yes, Grace. Let’s just have a good time. We both need it. Come on.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and finally relented. “All right, fine. But I’m not dancing with you.”
Matthew
A perfect cloudless sky rested over Manila when we disembarked the ship and headed over to Fort Santiago to get our assignments. Manila was like nothing I’d ever seen before. I’d had no idea what to expect, but I was taken completely by surprise at the modern city before me. Traffic jammed the roads, and men in white suits bustled along sidewalks in every direction. We passed theaters, museums, clubs of all sorts, and upscale hotels.<
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Beside me, Doug pointed out the Manila Hotel, practically sparkling against the deep blue sky. “I heard that’s where MacArthur lives. Has a whole floor to himself.”
I didn’t much care where Douglas MacArthur was headquartered. Opinions on the general ran from admiration to downright disgust over his handling of the veterans back in the early thirties. I landed somewhere near disinterested respect. So I nodded and feigned a small amount of interest.
We arrived at Fort Santiago where we were informed we’d be heading north later in the afternoon to Clark Field. There was just enough time to grab some lunch at a nearby restaurant before we loaded our gear on a truck. Once again I was amazed at the high energy of the city. The streets were filled with the clip-clop of small ponies pulling coaches in and out among the honking taxicabs. And every few feet we passed a cart or wagon where we were bombarded with calls to “buy, buy, buy!” It all flew past me so quickly; I was barely able to comprehend what kind of strange place I’d landed on.
But not all of Manila was so modern, or so appealing. Once the truck crossed over the Pasig River, it was clear we were headed through the rougher side of the city. The streets were still crowded, but mostly with the smaller, darker-skinned Filipinos. The dilapidated buildings looked ready to fall in, and the entire place smelled like manure. I sat back in the truck and covered my nose, eager to get out of the city.
Clark Field, which was situated in a huge plain in the Pampanga Province, was only about an hour northwest of Manila. Piling out of the truck, I got my first full view of the airstrip and surrounding base. Bungalows lined the runway, and what looked like part of a golf course spread out west of the airfield. Surrounding the vast plain lay several mountain ranges just begging to be explored. The place looked more like a vacation spot than a military base.
Our group gathered near the main runway to meet our direct supervisor, Major William Hart. He was an imposing man, well over six feet tall, but his baby-faced features undermined his gruff exterior. We gave him a proper salute, and he got right down to business.
“Gentleman, you are here to facilitate the construction of barracks, as well as to maintain the newly built runways for the B-17s. As you can see, we are in the process of a steady build-up of planes and airmen here. You’ll be assigned to houses nearby, but things may be crowded for the time being. I suggest storing any of your nonessential items in Manila if you return soon. Do your job, keep your nose clean, and you should enjoy your time here.”
After pointing out the mess hall, the theatre, and a few other essential buildings, we were assigned housing. Doug, Cam, and I grabbed our bags and made our way across the runway toward the bungalows.
“Want to head into the city this weekend?” Cam asked.
“I’m in,” Doug said.
“Maybe,” I said. “Let’s see how things go.”
Doug huffed. “That means it will just be the two of us. The Monk here doesn’t go for anything fun.”
I ignored the nickname and kept walking.
“What?” Cam said. “You don’t even want to go out for a few drinks? Maybe meet a few pretty girls?”
“Nah,” Doug said. “He’ll work extra shifts before he’ll head out to have some fun.”
We came to the bungalow where I would be staying. I wasn’t eager to continue the conversation, so I bid them goodbye and walked up the steps into the screened-in front porch. There were two bamboo chairs on each side, with a small bamboo table between them. I knocked on the door and pushed it open. “Hello?” I called.
I stepped into a common room that contained a larger bamboo table and six chairs, a sofa, and a small coffee table with a radio. Voices came from upstairs, and within a few seconds, three men were jogging down them toward me. The first to reach me was a tall redheaded guy who looked like he’d been attacked by freckles. He stuck out his hand and gave me a firm handshake.
“How’s it going? I’m Jim Harris.”
“Matthew Doyle.”
Another guy stepped around him with a pockmarked face, but a friendly smile. “Gene Wallinksi.”
The third guy down the stairs shook my hand, but he took a moment to look me over. He was of average height, but quite muscular. “Albert Frost. You just get in?”
“Fresh off the boat,” I said.
“You a pilot?” Albert asked.
“Engineer.”
“That’s perfect,” Jim said. “Maybe you can rig something up to keep the geckos out of my stuff.”
“Geckos?” I looked around more closely, and sure enough, geckos were all over the place. A few hung from the ceiling; more were crawling along the baseboards. I gave an involuntary shudder.
“Don’t worry,” Albert said. “We’ve tried to convince him that the geckos are good, but he’s still freaked out by them. They eat the mosquitos and other critters, so most of us don’t mind having them around.” He pointed up the stairs. “You can take the empty cot upstairs. We’re heading over to the golf course. Want to come?”
“No thanks. Maybe next time.” I wanted to get settled and spend some time gathering my thoughts about what lay ahead.
Albert shrugged. “All right. Suit yourself. Supper’s at eighteen hundred. Oh, and don’t mind the little brown people. They all work here. You can chip in a few pesos every week to hire them. Two houseboys: Basa and Dima something-or-other. They’ll keep your shoes and room looking ship-shape and bring you drinks or whatever else you need. Then there are two ladies who do the washing: Miss Halina and Miss Una. Very friendly. Just leave your laundry at the end of your cot, and they’ll take care of it for you. Oh, and Roberto does all the cooking. He’s amazing. Just don’t watch him cook it. You’ll never eat again.”
“Great,” I said. “Anything else I should know?”
“Just relax and have a good time. Duty here is light, and there’s plenty to keep you occupied afterward.” Jim glanced over at the other two and laughed. “Just stay away from the seedy side of Angeles and Manila. The hookers in that part of town will send you to the infirmary faster than you can say, ‘Thank you, ma’am.’”
They had a good laugh as they headed out the door. Once it closed behind them, I was completely alone. I threw my duffle bag over my shoulder and trudged up the stairs. There were two bedrooms, each with two cots inside. Each cot had a metal closet at the head and a footlocker at the foot of the bed.
I lugged my bag over to the empty cot and took in my new bedroom. It was nothing special, but the view of the mountains was something else. I made up my mind to go exploring the next few days after my duties were completed.
Taking a seat at the end of my cot, I reached into my duffle bag and pulled out my Bible. I set it on the small bamboo table near my cot. It was all I needed to make this little part of the world home. At least for now. I closed my eyes and dropped my head.
Lord, thank You for bringing me here to such a magnificent place. Grant me wisdom and courage. Teach me to have the kind of faith Ruby had. Help me to live out the life of service she should have. Please, forgive me for my doubts. I don’t deserve Your blessings, but I thank You for the love You’ve shown me. Thank You for Your mercy and Your grace.
Chapter Two
Ruby
November 21, 1941
I had come to particularly enjoy a little place on the roof of a quaint hotel near the bay. They had a beautiful view of the ships, and an orchestra that wasn’t so loud I couldn’t think straight. It was a perfect place for me to enjoy the evening. Not so much for Henry. He preferred a modern band with sounds to which he could swing his lady friends around.
“How ’bout we head over to the Jai Alai after this?” Henry said, setting his beer on the table and sliding his arm around Janine Langston’s neck. She was a nurse over at Sternberg, the base hospital, and she’d been sweet on Henry for nearly two months now. I wondered if Henry even realized what his flirtations were doing to her. She seemed like such a nice girl. I’d hate for her feelings to get hurt.
“That sounds like fun,” Janine said, her blue eyes lighting up. She looked over at Natalie Williams, another nurse whom I’d met only once before. “You game?”
Natalie, resting her chin in her hand and looking utterly bored, rolled her eyes. “Sure. Anything beats this dump.”
Natalie made me a little uncomfortable ’cause it seemed like every time I glanced her way, she was studying me, and I wasn’t overly eager to socialize with her.
“I think I’ll head home when we leave here,” I said. “I have to work tomorrow.”
Henry glanced over at Joseph, who was finishing his second beer. “Come on, Doc. She can stay out a little longer, right? I mean, it’s not like she needs to be there at the crack of dawn.”
Joseph shook his head and chuckled. “You’re talking to the wrong person. She has the day off tomorrow. Just can’t get her to actually take it.”
“You should’ve joined up with the army nurses,” Henry said. “They don’t work half as much as you do, and they actually get paid.”
Joseph worked his jaw muscles, but he didn’t say anything. I didn’t respond either. Henry knew exactly why I couldn’t be an army nurse. I’d barely been able to get away with faking a few unofficial documents to get on the boat to the Philippines. The army would have figured me out for sure.
It was no matter. Henry barely noticed my silence. He winked at Janine and invited her to dance. Together they jumped up and disappeared into the small crowd near the orchestra. When I turned back to the table, Natalie was scrutinizing me again. The hair on my neck prickled.
“You seem so familiar to me,” she said. “Have we met before? I mean, before I came to Manila.”
I shook my head, my stomach flipping. “I don’t believe so.”
She didn’t look convinced. “Where did you say you were from?”
“Georgia,” I answered quickly.
She shrugged and leaned back in her chair, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “I suppose you must favor someone then.”
Saving Grace: A Novel (Healing Ruby Book 3) Page 2