Guarding Hearts

by Jaycie Morrison

  “Thank you, Sharon. That’s a good idea. We’re pretty slow right now.”

  Rain went back to her office and retrieved the package. For the first time since she’d taken over the motor pool, she locked her office door. Returning to Sharon’s desk, she asked, “Should I get presents for the staff?”

  “Nothing big. Candy. Warm socks. It should be the same for everyone. You might need to appoint a Santa.”

  “Would you?”

  “No, someone funny or silly. Janet, maybe, or—”

  They looked at each other and said together, “Angie!”

  And something extra for you, Sharon, Rain thought.

  As she rode toward town, she thought about Kathleen. Did she need to tell Bett about their visit? She felt bad for even questioning it, but she also knew that Bett had been feeling anxious about her friendship with Hartley. Would that, combined with her worry about the situation at work, make her likely to jump to the wrong conclusion and lose her temper before Rain could explain that their conversation had been largely about Rain and Bett’s relationship? She was sure that not telling Bett would be worse, but the subject would have to be approached with more caution than a possibly dangerous package.

  * * *

  She rode slowly along the downtown shops, checking signs on the windows until she saw the jewelry store. She stopped, pulling out the card Kathleen had given her to check the name. One light turned off inside as Rain entered and the bell on the door jangled. A man’s head came up from under the counter and looked her over briefly. “We’re closed.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.” Rain didn’t want to inconvenience the man, but she also didn’t want to waste the little time she had. “Could I just look for a moment?”

  The man looked at his watch and sighed. “What are you looking for?” he asked impatiently.

  “I don’t know,” Rain answered, gaping at the glittering jewelry around her, feeling more than a little overwhelmed.

  “Of course not.” The man seemed more annoyed. “Are we talking something for yourself, your mother, your daughter, your sister—what?”

  Rain wasn’t ready for this line of questioning. She turned to go back out. “Never mind. I’ll try again some other time.” She started to put the card in her pocket.

  “Wait. Where did you get that card?” he asked.

  “From a friend, Kathleen Hartley.” Rain held it up. “Are you Mr. Anthony? She said you would help me.”

  The man came out from behind the counter. He was quite tall, almost a foot taller than Rain, and very slim. “I’m sorry. It’s been a long day, and I have spent the last hour with three giggling WACs who insisted on seeing every pair of earrings in the store, even though they clearly had no intention of buying anything. Forgive me for assuming you were another one of those.” He brought Rain over to the counter and offered her a seat. His voice gentled. “Tell me about the lady you are buying for.”

  Surprised yet relieved by his question, Rain took a breath and looked around. “There’s nothing in here she couldn’t buy for herself and may even already have. I, on the other hand, am on a budget. I’ve never bought a Christmas present in my life, but she is very special to me and I wanted to…to find something equally special for her.”

  “Hmm,” Mr. Anthony looked around. “An estate piece, then. Or custom, perhaps.” He pointed in the direction of a glass case. “Let’s start here.”

  Chapter Ten

  Rain could smell cooking meat before she opened the door. Bett was in the kitchen with an apron on over her uniform. The sight of her made Rain’s heart warm. “What, no spaghetti?”

  Bett threatened her with a greasy spatula. “This is my second attempt at this dish, Gale Rains, so don’t you say another word about it.”

  Rain disarmed her easily and threw the spatula in the sink. She put her arms around Bett and let everything else in the world fall far away. She felt Bett relax into her. They breathed together.

  “God, you feel good,” Bett said, loving the strength in Rain’s arms.

  “Mmm.” Rain exhaled again. “It’s amazing that I don’t love you for your body alone.”

  “Is it my mind, then?” Bett asked.

  “Your cooking,” Rain replied. “Which is burning, I think.”

  “Bloody hell!” Bett grabbed the spatula, flipping the frying pieces, which were already quite dark. Rain lowered the fire underneath the skillet. Bett slapped playfully at her hand. “Stop messing with it. This is my recipe.” She ordered. “Go change your clothes and come right back. It’s ready.”

  While they ate, Rain told Bett about the package she’d received.

  “And you have it here?” Bett asked nervously.

  “I left it in the sidecar. I’ll look at it after you go.”

  “No, Rain. I want to be here in case something goes wrong.”

  “That exactly why you shouldn’t be here,” Rain argued. Bett opened her mouth to reply but Rain said, “Tell me about your day.”

  Bett paused to reroute her thoughts. “Well, I got up about one o’clock because I had an appointment with Patrice Hollis at her office. I’m going to have her handle my divorce. I trust she’ll do a good job.” Rain’s face darkened and she nodded. Bett went on. “She said that Lilly wouldn’t stop talking about seeing you at the motor pool and asking about your pony. Do you really have a horse, Rain?”

  “Naturally. I’m Sioux, remember?”

  Bett rolled her eyes. She took another bite. “I don’t like horses. I’m afraid of them.”

  Rain was appalled. “Oh no, Bett. The horse is a wonderful creature. I’ll teach you to ride.”

  “I’ve had riding lessons. And jumping lessons. I honestly just don’t like horses.”

  “Jumping lessons? For you or the horse?” Rain was grinning now.

  “For both of us, if you must know.” Bett replied, tossing her head.

  “You would like my pony Sage. He is sweet and smart. Promise me you’ll ride him one time. He’ll change your mind about horses.”

  “Hmm.”

  The phone rang. Bett answered as she usually did. “Hello, Whit. How nice to hear from you.”

  Rain cleaned the kitchen while Bett talked. Then she built a fire.

  “They want us to come for New Year’s Eve. They understood when I told them we might not be able to confirm until the last minute,” Bett told Rain after hanging up.

  “Good. I still want to know Whit better.”

  “Well, that’s interesting, because she said to thank you.”

  Rain laughed, shaking her head. She could see Bett wanted to ask, so after they moved to the couch, she offered, “I saw Kathleen today. We went for a run.”

  “That must have been nice for you,” Bett answered, but Rain could hear the chill in her voice.

  “We mostly talked about you,” Rain went on quickly. “Well, about us—you and me.”

  “And I’m sure that was really nice for her,” Bett suggested sarcastically, but at the troubled look on her lover’s face, she relented. “Thank you for telling me.”

  Rain took her hand. “I wanted you to know not because you need to worry, but because you don’t.” Bett gave her a half smile and changed the subject. As the evening passed, they discussed having Bett help shop for Christmas presents for the motor pool staff. Rain practiced with Bett about how to explain to her mother that she was not coming for a visit after all.

  By 10:30, Rain was half asleep with her head on Bett’s lap. “How old were you?” she asked softly.

  “How old was I when, Beloved?” Bett had no idea what Rain was talking about.

  “When you took your riding lessons.”

  “Rain, has anyone ever told you that you have a one-track mind?” Bett couldn’t believe Rain was still thinking about horses.

  Rain sat up and stretched. “Has anyone ever told you that changing the subject doesn’t answer the question?”

  Unable to stop herself from smiling as she recalled saying something almost exactly
like that on the first day they’d met, Bett replied, “I believe that’s my line.”

  “How old, Bett?” Rain took Bett’s hand.

  Bett could see she wasn’t going to get out of this conversation. “I really don’t remember exactly. Six? Seven?”

  “So after your mother left?”

  Bett was struck by the thought. “Yes, I…” Suddenly she could see it all: the smelly stables, the huge animals snorting and shifting and clinking in all their tackle. And she felt…sad. “I remember it was the one activity my father let me quit. I must have thrown a huge tantrum or something…”

  “Or maybe he felt guilty,” Rain suggested.

  Bett looked at Rain. “My father doesn’t feel guilt.”

  “Not now, perhaps. But maybe he did then.”

  “Hmm.”

  “Now tell me a good story from when you were a little girl. Another time when you were with animals.”

  “With animals?” Bett found the memory of a time when she and her brother Kenneth and their dear friend Frank had gone to the zoo. She told Rain about it—how they had taken fruit to feed the animals and became very popular with them. How there was a cute baby monkey at the petting zoo who had climbed onto Frank and groomed him, and how it had screamed when the keepers pulled it away. They had teased Frank for the rest of the day, and then Bett got to ride the elephant.

  “You rode an elephant?” Rain asked excitedly. “What was that like?”

  Squinting, Bett tried to recall. “Hairy. Wrinkly. Smelly. Slow.”

  “Bigger than a horse,” Rain observed.

  “Yes, much.” Bett looked back at Rain again. “So what is your point, Dr. Freud?”

  Rain knew who that was from one of her NCO training classes, though she didn’t have a high opinion of him. She kissed Bett’s hand she had been holding. “I was only thinking that a person who likes animals and who is not afraid to ride an elephant might change her mind about horses if she tried them when she wasn’t sad about something else.”

  Bett felt a surge of anger. She stood, shaking off Rain’s hand. “I’ve got a better idea. I’m sure Kathleen Hartley would gladly go riding with you, even if it killed her.”

  “Bett—” Rain reached for her but Bett stepped away.

  “No. And now that we’ve solved that problem, please excuse me.”

  She walked down the hall, glancing back to see Rain staring into her empty palm as if she was trying to figure out what just happened. In the bedroom, Bett paced irritably. Rain sees everything as so bloody simple, including her friendship with that Hartley woman. And what is the big deal about the damned horses anyway? She looked at her watch. A bit early, but she could report in at any time, really. She freshened up and came back into the den. Rain was standing at the fireplace, watching the flames.

  “I’m going in now,” Bett said crisply, checking to see that her glasses were in her bag. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow evening whenever you get home, since I assume you won’t be able to go in late two days in a row.”

  Without turning, Rain said, “I didn’t mean to make you angry, and I apologize for whatever I said wrong. And no, I won’t be able to be here in the morning, as much as I would like to be.”

  “Right, then.” Bett put on her coat and started for the door.

  Rain turned. “Bett?”

  “What?” Bett was already in the hallway.

  “If you’re not going to kiss me good night, then will you at least tell me why not?”

  “Because I’m mad at you for—for bringing that Kathleen Hartley into every conversation except the ones where you seem to think I need a counseling session,” Bett said, reaching for the door. Rain said nothing and Bett turned back to her, even more irritated by her silence. “I’m sure you’ve never been to therapy, but I have. Entirely too many times, thank you. So excuse me if I don’t want to be treated like somebody with problems. I may have problems, Rain, but if I need help then I’ll find a bloody professional and not rely on someone in charge of the Fort Des Moines WAC motor pool to tell me what’s wrong.”

  Bett slammed the door. She turned the ignition key angrily and gunned the engine, vaguely satisfied when the tires screeched as she pulled away. Her anger lasted until she was almost through town. As it dissolved, only an ache was left, and it grew as she drove. Knowing she had time, she pulled the car over in a deserted parking lot and put her head down on the steering wheel. Already she felt terrible for what she had said to Rain. She knew she should go back and apologize. Why had she been so angry? Lack of sleep and worries about the battle in the Ardennes had to be factors, but what else? Because Rain was blind to the danger that Kathleen Hartley represented? Because she thought the stupid horses were important? Because Bett didn’t want a painful childhood memory tied up in a neat package, even if Rain was right?

  She drove on in to work. The news from Bastogne was worse. Even her contact Luna, whose messages were usually calm and even, sounded a bit desperate. He spoke of dwindling supplies, ammunition, and food, and lack of cold weather gear. Almost a third of them were suffering from some degree of frostbite. They were surrounded but determined to keep fighting. Although outnumbered, they had already repulsed several German attacks. When would reinforcements be there? While she waited for the reply to be formulated, Bett went into the break room to get some coffee; it tasted terrible, but it helped clear her head.

  Major Ervin came in. He wasn’t scheduled, but Bett had noticed the officers tended to rotate through at all hours. “How are you holding up, Smythe?”

  Stiff upper lip, Bett told herself. “Well enough, sir. Better than those poor men at Bastogne.”

  “Yes. Well, I came to tell you that your promotion came through. It’s not official until next week, but any good news is welcome right now. Congratulations. You deserve it. You’ve really gone above and beyond here. Everyone appreciates you taking this late shift. Especially Luna, I’m sure.”

  Bett felt a glow of pride and straightened to attention. “Thank you, Major.” She saluted. Ervin returned the salute, smiled vaguely, and left.

  Bett pondered over the last of her coffee. Maybe life really was that simple. Work hard and you got rewarded. Sad childhood memories could get confused and make you believe you were afraid. Fall in love and stay together forever. After checking that the reply message wasn’t yet ready, Bett called home. The phone rang and rang. She knew even Rain couldn’t ignore that much noise. She must have unplugged the line. Surely she hadn’t gone out in the middle of the night. Who can blame her for not wanting to talk to you? Bett told herself.

  Bett heard the reply message come in. Orders were to hold Bastogne at all costs. Thinking of Luna, Bett mused how people giving such orders were never the ones actually paying those costs. But various reinforcements, including Patton’s Third Army, were on the move. Wishing she could offer more encouragement, Bett thought of the words Rain had said when they’d left the hospital together on the morning after Bett had been accosted by Nathan Crowley, the disturbed MP. During the rescue, Rain’s leg had been grazed by a bullet and she was limping from the treatment. She’d murmured a phrase in her native Lakota, and when Bett asked, she’d translated it as “stay strong.” Even though it was strictly forbidden to send anything other than the official message, Bett added those words at the end of her transmission.

  The next two hours passed slowly. Then Luna transmitted again, asking for confirmation of her transmission. She confirmed. Another hour. Another message from Luna, this one somewhat garbled, making several references to the weather. Bett frowned as she considered it. Everyone knew that the low-hanging fog and the zero visibility clouds, along with incredibly cold temperatures, were among the reasons why the situation at Bastogne was so bad. With the current conditions, there was no way the superior US air support could reach them with supplies or attack the Germans. Bett was trying to decide what to do when a phrase right in the middle of the message jumped out at her like a shout: wind and rain—her lover’s family n
ame. Rain had spoken several times about Thomas, her older brother, who was also in the Army. And what had she said at Kathleen and Whit’s party? He’d been selected for special duty? It couldn’t be. Her heart pounding, Bett went to find Major Ervin.

  Tapping the doorframe as she entered, she asked, “Sir, what can you tell me about Luna?” She hoped she didn’t sound too anxious.

  “What is it, Smythe? What do you want to know?” Ervin sounded a bit groggy. He’d probably fallen asleep at his desk.

  “Can you tell me any details about him personally? Where is he from?”

  Ervin wasn’t one to give anything away. “Why? Is there a problem?”

  Bett tried to sound professional. “No sir. There’s no problem. Just some linguistic phrasing that had me wondering.”

  Ervin must have thought the late nights were making her a little punchy. She could imagine him deciding to humor her a bit. “Actually, Luna is one of those men we call our Indian code-talkers. That’s why his transmissions sometimes take a little longer to come in. They have to be decoded twice.”

  Bett took a breath. “Does he speak Lakota?”

  “Does he what?”

  “His language. Is he Sioux?”

  Ervin clearly thought enough was enough. “I don’t know, Smythe. And I’m sure you don’t need to know.”

  Bett knew that was all she was getting. “Thank you, sir. Would it be possible for me to take a short break? I need to check on something at home.”

  Ervin looked at the clock. It was 4:30 a.m. “Are you expecting more activity tonight?”

  “No sir. But I could be back within the hour, if you need me to.”

  “I’ll call you if a message comes in.” Ervin waved her off. “But plan to be back again tomorrow at midnight.”

  * * *

  Bett drove home as carefully as she could. She entered the house quietly. The fire was low but she could see Rain’s body on the floor, wrapped like a mummy. She didn’t even have a pillow; her head was on her arm and her long dark hair flowed loosely around her head. Bett went into the bedroom, took her clothes off, and got two pillows. She lifted Rain’s head and slid a pillow under it. Then she got a glass of water from the kitchen. She heard Rain’s breathing change as she unwrapped the blanket and slid in beside her. Bett took Rain’s arm and put it around her, moving as close in as she could. She watched Rain’s brows knit as she breathed in. Her eyes didn’t open. Rain usually woke quickly, so Bett knew she must be deeply asleep. In a voice that seemed to drift in and out, she asked, “Bett? Are you really here?”