Every Storm

by Lori Wick

  Every Storm

  Lori Wick

  Carson Point, Australia April 1945

  "Miss Josie," the little girl said, tugging at the hem of her teacher's dress. Josephine Archer looked down, her face patient and calm.

  "Yes, Norma?"

  "I finished my picture."

  Josie suppressed a sigh. Her sister, Lorraine, who taught with her, had just given the assignment before leaving to run an errand. Josie knew that if she looked at eight-year-old Norma's paper right now, it would be a mass of scribbles that went far beyond the bounds of the page.

  "Thank you for telling me, Norma. Go back to your seat, andI'll'come "and see your picture in a moment."

  The little girl started away, but Josie's voice stopped her.

  "Norma."

  The little girl turned.

  "If you used only one color, I want you to add at least two more colors before you show the picture to me. Can you do that for me?"

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  "Yes, Miss Josie."

  "Do your best," Josie encouraged with a gentle smile that the little girl returned.

  After making sure that Norma headed in the direction of her desk, Josie returned to the large desk that sat at the front of the room and sat down to look at the papers piled there. She was just beginning to read, when Lorraine-Lorri-slipped into the room and came directly toward her.

  "Mail," she said quietly, her excitement showing in her eyes and nowhere else. Josie's gaze scanned the room to see that all was in order and then followed her younger sister out the door.

  Stationing themselves by the window so they could still see their students, they each took one letter.

  "Mine's from Mother," Lorri said.

  "Then mine must be from Max."

  Silence

  fell and smiles emerged as the two women read the words that came from so very far away.

  Dear Jo and Raine,Maxine's letter began. Ihope this gets there soon, or there won't be any use in sending it. Ihavea huge test coming up in chemistry. I've studied until my brain is soggy, but I still fear failing. You've got to pray for my brain! It's preoccupied these days with acute boy who sits two rows over. In church, he'salways behind me, but in chemistry, he's in view the whole time. Isn't that rotten luck?

  Well, enough about me. How are the kids doing these days? Is Philip still biting? I think I'd be tempted to bite back. Tell Norma I received the picture she drew formed. I couldn't tell what it was, but I guess she doesn't need to know that.

  Josie's shoulders shook with laughter as she read this fan letter from her youngest sister. Max had been slightly boy crazy from the time she was three years old. She didn't do anything to encourage

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  the boys-their mother and grandfather would never have allowed that-but her dreamy, romantic heart was often smitten -with someone new.

  Wanting to laugh much louder than she should, Josie glanced up to find students moving around the room. She poked her head back through the door long enough to tell two boys to sit back down in their seats. Waiting only for them to obey, she returned to her letter.

  Lorri, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth, completely missed her sister's reprimand of the children. Fully ensconced in the letter from her mother, her heart was thousands of miles away.

  I've decided to put hostas on the north side of the house,Ruth Archer wrote.They do well in shade, and that flower bed has needed some sprucing up for too many years. Also, I can weed over there when the weather gets warm and makes the backyard unbearable. I could go with ferns but thought hostas would be more fun.

  Max wants to repaint her room. The admiral was amenable to the suggestion, butVm still thinkingabout it. With thetwoofyougone, your grandfather has no one to spoil but your sister. He didn't even blink when she suggested purple walls and a lavender ceiling. Ym still discussing it with her and telling her not to get her hopes very high.

  "Oh,"no!" Josie suddenly said, bringing Lorri's head up. The women looked through the window to see that a fight had broken out between two little girls. For the moment letters were put away. It was time to return to work.

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  Because of a family connection, the Archer sisters had landed wonderful jobs as governesses. They had good hours, long holidays, decent pay, and the respect of their employer. The only drawback was the location: Burra Hills, in Carson Point, Australia, was over 7500 miles from their home in southern California.

  Ian Colins, a successful cattle rancher in a remote area of the country, had set up a school for his children and the children of his employees. He had hired the Archer sisters in the fall of 1940, and they had come to Australia in late January of 1941 to begin teaching.

  They hadn't been home to see their mother and sister since they arrived. Their grandfather, a U.S. naval officer, had been to see them about six months after they arrived. He had stayed for three days, but it hadn't taken long for that visit to feel like a long-ago dream. Letters and boxes were wonderful, but sometimes the girls wondered if it was worth it, especially after news of the attack reached them.

  It had been horrible to be so far from home when Pearl Harbor was bombed. As with most Americans, the women were in shock for many days. Then fear set in, fear they knew they must fight. God was working His plan for their family-they were sure of this-but trust came hard.

  Then months turned into years, and at times news of the war, ashamed as they were to admit it, became routine. They corresponded as much as possible through the mail, and even though information was delayed at times, it was always a relief to know all was well at home. Letters that spoke of new paint in a bedrctom, flower gardens, and upcoming tests, helped them to feel as though some portion of their world was normal.

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  For the most part, life on the ranch was insulated from the fighting going on around them, but the radio and weekly newspaper delivery helped to keep them informed of the situation. Both girls would have given much for a visit home, but such trips were very expensive and simply not an option.

  In the room the sisters shared, family photos were always in sight. They kept a basket with the latest letters available and did everything they could to make their space feel like home. It wasn't the home they were accustomed to, but they had each other and knew that someday they would be back in California again.

  Josephine Archer was in love. First Lieutenant Kenneth Showers of the United States Army was stationed in England. He had asked Josie to marry him before she had left for Australia. A ring didn't follow for almost a year, and a date for the wedding was contingent on the war, but their love was very real.

  Josie stretched out on her bed that night, a stack of Ken's letters in her hand. It had been wonderful to hear from Mother and Max but Josie naturally yearned for a recent letter from the man she loved. She reread his last one, trying to imagine him in combat and then deciding it was best not to think about it. In the midst of these speculations, Lorri returned from the bathroom.

  "Let me guess. You're reading Ken's letters."

  Josie only smiled.

  "I can't think why you need to do that," Lorri teased her, hairbrush in hand, "when I'm such charming company."

  A pillow flew through the air. Lorri settled on her own bed, her eyes on the ceiling. If the truth be told, she envied her sister.

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  Hard as it would be to be separated, Lorri thought it would be wonderful to have someone like Ken Showers love you enough to ask for your hand. She sighed a little just thinking about it.

  "What was that sigh for?" Josie asked.

  "Did you hear that?" Lorri asked, surprised.

  "Yes."

  The younger woman was silent.

  "Are you going to tell me?" Josie prodded

  "I was just thinking about Ken."
>
  "You're not supposed to be sighing over my fiance"," her sister teased.

  "It wasn't specifically about him-just about being in love and knowing someone is waiting for you."

  The yearning she heard in her sister's voice brought Josie up on one elbow to look across at the other bed.

  "I didn't know you felt that way, Lorri. You've never given any hint of wanting a man in your life right now."

  "Really, Josie!" Lord's voice held a measure of mild disgust. "Just because I don't swoon and carry on the way Max does, doesn't mean I don't have any interest."

  "What type of man would you want?" Josie asked, her voice tender, which was her way.

  "Someone like Ken." Lorri's eyes were still on the ceiling. "Someone who shared our faith and was so sweet and capable all at the same time. It also wouldn't hurt if he was as dreamy as Ken."

  "He is good-looking, isn't he?"

  "Um hm. Is that the first thing you noticed, Jo?" Lorri finally looked at her sister.

  "It probably was, but it didn't take long for that to be of little importance."

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  "What did you notice in its place?"

  "Just what you said: his sweetness. He's the kindest man I know. When he goes out to fight, he has to be tough and brave, but he couldn't be more gentle with me."

  "How often do you think about him fighting?"

  "Not very much. I wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything else."

  For a time the room was quiet. Both women lay looking at the ceiling. It didn't matter that it was a Friday night and at home there would have been countless things to do. They lived in a small cabin on a cattle ranch, and most evenings of the year there was next to nothing going on.

  It certainly helped that they enjoyed each other's company and never ran out of things to talk about, but on Friday nights, when they dreamed of going for a drive on the California coast or popping corn and listening to records at home, it was especially difficult to be away from family. ;

  "Who's going to start tonight?" Josie asked.

  "I will," Lorri volunteered.^

  And with that, she began to pray. They had made a commitment to pray together every night before they fell asleep in their room. And so far, they had kept their word. This night-even being a Friday and a little bit disappointing-would be no different.

  Admiral Dean Archer was headed to see his oldest granddaughters. They didn't know of his arrival, but that made it all the more fun.

  Their father-his son* Tom Archer-had been dead for more than 12 years, but Dean still thought about him often and knew

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  that he would really come to mind when he saw Josie. They didn't look alike, but her mannerisms were most like his.

  All three girls took after their mother with their dark hair and skin like fresh cream, but Josie always reminded him of Tom. Not that she wasn't attractive-she was really quite lovely-^-but he never looked at her hazel eyes without seeing his son.

  Lorrie was the most like Ruth. Slightly more petite, she was swift to smile, and her eyes were large and deep brown. Max looked like a younger version of Josie, but for some reason, never reminded Dean of his son.

  Dean thought about how different Josie and Lorri would look. He tried to prepare himself for anything, but his mind wandered to the years apart. What a time it had been! Seeing his granddaughters had been almost impossible, and he knew their mother and sister missed them terribly. They might have surprised the girls with money for a trip home, but not after the war started. It was all too long and unpredictable.

  For the moment Dean forced such thoughts from his mind. He would be seeing his granddaughters in less than an hour, and he wanted this to be a happy visit. Only God knew when he would see them again, and he had very little time-less than 48 hours- to spend time with them.

  He made himself a little more comfortable in the staff car and thought about how surprised they were going to be.

  "All right, children," Lorri said with a laugh in her voice. "We've been silly long enough, and now we need to get back to our studies. Paul," she called on a boy whose hand was in the air.

  "Miss Lorri, I can't remember the last continent."

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  13

  Lorri handled the request in short order and drew the children back to the statement she'd written on the board up front. She could tell that the day was almost over because they were all getting antsy.

  Not taking too much time with any one point, Lorri made herself clear and assigned homework for the next day. This was met with groans and long faces, but she stood firm.

  "I'm not happy with the way you're struggling with this, so we'll take a little time at home to get it settled in our minds."

  And that was the final word of the day. Lorri dismissed the children and worked with her sister to straighten the room, glad that the next day was Friday.

  "My feet hurt," Josie commented as the women exited the schoolroom.

  "Do they?" Lorri looked down. "Why did you wear those shoes?"

  "I always wear these shoes." "No, you don't. You wear the black ones." Josie looked at her own feet and giggled a little. She had been tired that morning but hadn't realized how much.

  Lorri laughed as she watched her, so neither woman was looking ahead. Dean had come around the corner of the building and simply stood, waiting to be noticed. Just seeing the girls had brought tears to his eyes, but he still knew the moment they saw him.

  "Grandpa!" Josie was first, running like a five-year-old, Lorri close behind her, to be caught in the arms of the man who had been both father and grandfather to them for more than ten years. "When did you get here?" "We had no idea!" "How's Mother?"

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  "How long can you stay?"

  The words tumbled from both women as their grandfather kissed them and hugged them again and again. Everyone cried, and after some moments they grew quiet and just looked at each other, drinking in every detail.

  "Where can we talk?" Dean asked as he finally found his voice, emotion still filling him.

  Josie led the way back to the schoolroom, and the three of them grew comfortable on the seats there, sitting close, needing to be near.

  "First of all, your mother and Max send their love."

  Lorri didn't think she would cry again, but tears flooded her eyes. Her little sister would be so grown up by now, and they had missed so much.

  "They miss you but love your lettersf

  "We love theirs too," Josie put in, her voice thick with tears.

  "You both look wonderful," Dean suddenly said. "Oh," he continued as he reached for his case. "I have a few things for you."

  The women took the small packages and letters but didn't open them. Such things could wait; getting to look at their grandfather could not.

  The admiral was older-very tan and fit-but a few extra lines had inched their way around his eyes. His mouth was a bit drawn when he wasn't smiling.

  "I spoke to Ian Colins when I arrived. I asked if I could steal you for the next day and a half, and he agreed."

  "He said we could cancel the children's lessons?"

  "Yes. Now what would you like to do?"

  "It doesn't matter" the women laughed and told him, "as long as we can be with you."

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  "In that case," Dean took delight in answering, "we're going into town."

  "We can't," Lorri said, her voice almost sad.

  "Why not?" Dean asked, both family members looking at her.

  "Josie's feet hurt."

  Both Dean and Josie laughed at this, just as Lorri hoped they would. Her brand of humor was always dry and subtle, and it set the tone for the next 36 hours. Dean, feeling like a king with his granddaughters at his side, took them away from the ranch, not willing to waste a single moment.

  "What looks good?" Dean asked, his menu open as the three of them sat in a restaurant that evening in downtown Carson Point.

  "The ch
icken," Josie decided. Lorri wanted the same.

  "I, on the other hand," Dean teased a little, "will have the beef, since I don't have the pleasure of living on a cattle ranch."

  "The' beef is good," Lorri agreed, gaining a wink from her grandfather that made her smile to herself at what joy one could have over simple things. They had not done anything special that afternoon-a little shopping and now a meal in a small cafe- but it was more than that. She had been with people that she loved and cherished, and every act made it the most special.

  "So tell me," Dean prompted when the order had been taken, "are you enjoying the job?"

  "Yes." Josie was the one to speak up. "The children are wonderful, and so are the parents. We are treated well."

  "Very well" Lorri added. "In fact, there's a birthday party tomorrow night, and we're invited. Just like family."

  Dean stared at them.

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  "You both have accents. Do you know that?"

  "We do not," Josie argued on a laugh.

  "Yes," he was adamant, "you do. It's subtle, but it's there."

  The girls exchanged a look, smiling in surprise.

  "Now tell me," Dean pressed, feeling the hours running fast, "when do you go to Hoyt for vacation?"

  "Next month."

  "Are you looking forward to it?"

  "Yes, we'll have almost a week to ourselves here and then follow the family in a separate plane."

  "We're both ready for the change. And the children need this as much as we do," Lorri offered.

  "Tell us more about Mother and Max," Josie suddenly put in.

  "I will, Jo, but you must understand that Ruth and Maxine are going to ask about you. I can't go home with no information."

  "When will you be home again?"

  "Possibly in July." He shrugged. "It all depends on this war."

  The very word caused silence to fall on their little table. The food was delivered to this silent group, but Dean was not going to let them be sad. As soon as he prayed, he began to tell them more about home.

  In short order the three were laughing and sharing, holding nothing back. If there was a feeling of desperation in each heart, well, that was to be expected. These few precious hours were to be treasured, and treasure them they did.

  The Saturday morning goodbye was one of the most painful they could remember. For a time after the admiral left, both Josie and Lorri were inconsolable with tears.