Guarding Hearts

by Jaycie Morrison

  “Yes, Rain,” Bett answered softly, turning toward her. “I’m here.” She kissed Rain’s neck three times. “And I’m sorry about earlier tonight. Can you forgive me?”

  Rain hadn’t moved. Bett thought she might have gone back to sleep. Then she heard the same drifting voice, saying, “My…fault. So…sorry.”

  “Rain. I love you.” Bett thought she felt a murmur in Rain’s chest. “Beloved, can you please wake up? I need to talk to you.”

  Rain said something unintelligible. She shifted a bit but then fell still again. Bett would have worried, but it was very early in the morning, and Rain hadn’t been expecting her.

  “Rain?” Bett tried again.

  “Bett?” Rain’s eyes were still closed, but her voice sounded more normal. “Is everything all right? Why are you here now?”

  “Yes, it’s all right, Rain. Would you like some water?” She wanted her completely awake before they talked any further.

  “Uh-huh.” Rain groaned a bit as she sat up. Her eyes seemed unfocused, but at least they were open. Bett helped her hold the glass; she drank deeply, then lay back down. “I was dreaming of my brother,” she murmured.

  “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Bett said. “About Luna.”

  “Yes, my brother Thomas, your Luna.” Rain closed her eyes again and then seemed to come a little more awake. She sat up again and looked at Bett. “Is he all right? In my dream he was cold.”

  Bett was astonished. “Yes, he’s all right for now. You already know my contact Luna is your brother?”

  “Yes.” Rain sounded infuriatingly calm. “My brother is Thomas New Moon; he told me just before he shipped overseas that his code name would be Luna. He told me in case he didn’t come back but wasn’t officially listed as dead. When he first reported to basic training with three other men from our tribe, they were all offered the option of participating in a special communications program. Two of the men didn’t speak enough Lakota to qualify, but Thomas and David Watching Clouds were accepted.”

  Bett nodded. “But why didn’t you say anything about him to me?” she asked wonderingly. “When I started working in cryptography?”

  “I wanted to, but that first night when you talked about wanting to work with him, you specifically asked me not to speak of it to you again. My security clearance, yes? So I didn’t. Only listened for the times you brought him up.”

  Rain noted the fire was low and rose to put another log on. Bett was still sitting, stunned, with the blanket draped around her. “Rain, I don’t know what to say. I feel very foolish, for the second time tonight.”

  “As long as you are not mad,” Rain said, looking away as she sat back down.

  “Oh Rain, oh my God.” Bett threw the blanket around them both and pushed Rain onto her back, sitting on Rain’s stomach. “I’m such an idiot. You should be mad at me.”

  “No,” Rain said, brushing Bett’s hair back away from her face. “I pushed you and I made you uncomfortable. And I think you are still upset about this other trouble between us. So if it suits you, I’m going to tell Kathleen that I won’t see her for a while.”

  As much as Bett wanted to agree, she knew this would be a mistake. It would be like telling someone not to think about the color blue, and then being angry when they couldn’t get the hue out of their minds. She kissed Rain lightly on the mouth. “No, Beloved. Please don’t. I was being silly, I know.”

  Rain kissed her back, a little more firmly. “You must believe there will never be anyone else, Bett. I want only you riding with me when we go to South Dakota. But it’s okay if you don’t want to.” She ran her hands along Bett’s thighs and smiled. “Let’s see if your great speed can match my horse’s stamina.”

  Bett warmed at the memory of the race she’d won during basic training. She stretched out, putting her head on Rain’s chest. “I’ll just need you to coach me, like you did before the meet. I trust you with my heart, my mind, and my body. So if you promise to give me the smallest, sweetest horse there is, I promise to try riding again.”

  The feel of Bett’s naked body on top of her was so amazing that Rain could only nod. They fell silent for a time. Finally, she asked, “Thomas is where the fighting is very bad?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you believe he is wounded?”

  “Yes, but not critically.”

  “In the left arm?”

  “I don’t know, exactly. Is that what you saw in your dream?” Bett asked.

  “No, but my left arm has been sore for two days for no reason, so I thought maybe…” Rain trailed off. “How did you figure it out? That Luna was Thomas?”

  Bett explained about her message to Luna with the words stay strong, and Luna’s reply with wind and rain in the text.

  “In your next message to him, could you put in the word thaŋkšítku? I’ll write it out for you. It means ‘his younger sister.’ If it’s in there anywhere, he’ll see it. That way he’ll figure out that you know me, and he won’t think he’s going crazy.”

  Bett nodded. “I’ll try to do it tonight but it might be another day, depending on what traffic we have.”

  Rain frowned slightly. “When did I say ‘stay strong’ to you?”

  “After you were released from the hospital that morning with your leg wound. You’d had the injury cleaned and they’d given you a shot. When I heard you mumbling something as you tried to walk, you translated it for me as ‘stay strong.’”

  “I have no memory of saying that,” Rain said, rubbing her eyes. She recalled only the overwhelming relief that Bett hadn’t been hurt or, worse, lost to her forever. She’d known then that she could no longer fight what was between them.

  “Well, that’s understandable, considering your condition at the time.” Bett shifted alongside Rain, who turned to face her. Bett traced the contours of Rain’s face. “I remember making up my mind that day that no matter how long I had to wait, I was absolutely going to have you in my bed.”

  Rain remembered setting aside the hot, jolting rage at the crazed MP who was trying to punish her by harming Bett, and giving in instead to the desperate need she’d had to stay near that night in the hospital, simply to reassure herself by listening to Bett’s breathing and inhaling her scent. The way she was doing right now. There had been no going back for her heart after that night. A slow smile stretched across Rain’s face. “Well, maybe you’ve waited long enough.”

  * * *

  It wasn’t any easier to leave the warmth of Bett’s sleeping body the following morning, but Bett’s good news about Thomas made Rain’s heart much lighter. She wrote Bett a note: Thank you for all that you are doing for your country at work. Thank you for all that you do for me at home. I love you. Rain

  On her way out, she picked up the mystery box, which had contained only engine parts. It wasn’t anything she had bought, but probably a delayed order that her MP friend Harold Lutz had put in before he sold her the motorcycle she now called Red Cloud. She made a mental note to check his schedule for the week and find him to ask.

  Chapter Eleven

  Helen Tucker and the rest of the girls shushed each other at the familiar sound of their lieutenant’s voice greeting her secretary, PFC Sharon West. After a brief exchange, they heard Sharon say, “Delores said all departments at 0900.”

  The order had been delivered yesterday evening, after Lieutenant Rains had left for the day. Helen knew Sharon would have called Rains if she thought it was an emergency, because she’d seen it happen before—for her. It was also true that normally Sharon wouldn’t have let the whole motor pool know anything about Lieutenant Rains’s business, but she’d said she had a surprise and she’d wanted everyone to be in on it. Since there was no telling how long the meeting would go, they’d all come in a little early, something Rains would usually have noticed. But as Rains started making the rounds, Helen thought she looked tired, or perhaps she was just a bit distracted about the meeting. And she might be right to worry.

&nbs
p; Everyone knew Sharon regularly ate lunch with secretaries from other departments, and she was especially friendly with Delores Gilbert, who worked for Colonel Issacson, the base commander. Delores ruled her domain with an iron hand, and while she would rarely gossip, she apparently slipped Sharon a little advance notice about meetings or upcoming directives from time to time, so the motor pool was always on top of things. Evidently, Delores had been very tight lipped this time, and her tone as she delivered the message must have made Sharon understand not to ask for any details. They all knew their lieutenant disliked spending time on administrative matters, but at least it was all departments, meaning there wasn’t a problem with the motor pool specifically, which was a relief.

  Helen poured herself a cup of joe from the pot that was usually going in Bay One, wondering why it was that her lieutenant didn’t care for coffee. Through an offhand comment by one of her former squad mates who worked in the mess hall, Helen had learned that Rains drank hot tea instead. Helen recalled teasing her squad leader Bett Smythe about drinking that Limey stuff during their basic training, but she couldn’t imagine anyone teasing Lieutenant Rains about anything. When she’d mentioned Rains’s preference to Sharon, they decided their lieutenant had as much right to her tea as any of the other officers had to their coffee, so Sharon had requisitioned a hot plate weeks ago. It had finally come in yesterday, and today Sharon had bought the little teakettle that had been her mother’s and Helen grabbed a handful of tea bags from the mess hall on her way in. Everyone was excited about being in on the surprise, especially since their lieutenant made the motor pool such a great place to work.

  Helen was one of the few remaining WACs who knew what the motor pool had been like when Lieutenant Yarborough had been in charge. A shudder of disgust ran through her at the memory. Even so, the other drivers, the mechanics, and even Sharon all agreed that Lieutenant Rains was probably the best boss a girl could ask for. It was true she didn’t joke around much—well, at all, really—but she was fair and even tempered. She didn’t believe in rules for rules sake, but she believed in discipline and in everyone working together toward their cause of winning the war. Most of all, she genuinely cared about everyone who worked for her. Helen knew this was true from her own experience as a former member of Rains’s last squad. Rains knew things about her and Tee that not even their families knew, and if anyone else had been their drill instructor, they’d both be out on the street or possibly even cooling their heels in the stockade.

  She saluted, keeping her smile to herself as the lieutenant nodded at her before walking back toward her desk. Once Rains was busy in her office, Sharon set the water on to boil and put a tea bag in one of the coffee mugs. The girls gathered around, watching as the steaming liquid turned almost as dark as black coffee. Gesturing for everyone to stay quiet, Sharon picked up the cup and knocked on the doorframe.

  “I thought you might need this before your meeting,” she said, carrying the mug into the room and placing it on Lieutenant Rains’s desk.

  They could hear the confusion in Rains’s voice. “I don’t—” she began. There was a pause and a sniff. “Is this tea?” she asked. Sharon must have nodded, because Rains asked, “But how—?”

  Sharon cleared her throat, which was the prearranged signal, and the girls began crowding through the doorway, singing, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” Helen had made her way toward the front of the group, but she wasn’t singing, partly because she didn’t have that great a voice and partly because she wanted to watch Rains’s reaction. The lieutenant’s jaw tightened and she lowered her gaze until the song was over. Helen couldn’t tell for sure if she a bit emotional, embarrassed, or if she was just uncomfortable with the gesture. When they’d finished and clapped, she stood. “PFC West, shall I assume you are responsible for this unexpected offering?”

  Even though Rains’s voice sounded professional as always, Sharon smiled as she gestured toward Helen—although her motion could have included others as well. “Several of us were involved, ma’am. And it’s not truly a gift. The hot plate belongs to the Army and the kettle is on loan from me.” When Rains’s eyes flicked toward her, Helen’s instinct was to duck away as if she were in trouble, as had often been the case in her childhood. This time, though, she was glad to have played a small part in doing something for their officer who never asked for anything for herself, only that each of them give their best effort at all times.

  “I see.” Rains nodded, and several of the girls giggled with nervous excitement. “You know our official Christmas party isn’t until next week.”

  “Yes, but it’s more fun when it’s truly a surprise,” Sharon explained, her round face still flushed with excitement.

  “In that case, I thank you, Corporal West.” Sharon blinked in confusion at the difference in rank and Rains added, “And that is your early Christmas present.”

  The group cheered again, as Sharon protested, “But I didn’t ask—”

  Rains waved her hand, cutting her off. “I know you didn’t. I put in for this promotion on your behalf. You deserve it for keeping us running smoothly.” She lowered her voice, even though most of the others were chattering excitedly to each other. “And for your handling of our earlier incident.”

  Helen knew Rains was referring to the black-market scandal from last month. In the end it had turned out well, but for a time Helen wasn’t sure anything in her life would be right again. Whatever the secretary knew or didn’t know about her role in that whole mess, Helen appreciated that Sharon always had a smile for her. Rains lifted her teacup in salute, adding, “And for a hundred other little things I probably don’t even know about.”

  “Thank you, ma’am,” Sharon said, straightening to attention. “It’s a pleasure to serve with you.”

  Helen tamped down her envy as she imagined what she would do with the extra income that a corporal made. Oh, well. Money couldn’t buy everything she wanted. She’d learned that lesson the hard way. She’d finally come to understand that real value was found in things that lasted beyond a week or two. The excitement from the article in the paper had pretty much died away, but the motor pool girls still walked a little taller. The important thing wasn’t being celebrities in the eyes of others, it was in the pride they each felt inside for being part of such a great outfit. Smiling as she climbed into the truck, Helen reminded herself that at least she could tell Tee that Lieutenant Rains would have a merry Christmas.

  * * *

  When Rains arrived at the meeting, the room was already half full. She found a seat on the second row and saw that Sergeant Nash of ordnance, Boudreaux’s second in command, was beside her. She supposed the presence of a non-com was acceptable if their officer wasn’t available, but Boudreaux usually managed to get herself to this kind of meeting. When Nash glanced at her, Rains nodded, but Nash quickly looked away.

  “Do you know what this is about?” Laura Bridges, the loud, cheerful captain who ran the mess hall, was seating herself on the other side of Nash. The sergeant gave a barely perceptible shrug of her shoulders that almost looked like a shudder. Bridges looked beyond Nash and spoke to Rains. “How’s everyone’s favorite grease monkey?”

  Rains didn’t mind Bridges’s teasing. They’d become acquainted during Rains’s basic training when, as Private Rains, she had peeled more than her share of potatoes as punishment from her drill instructor for various infractions—real or imagined. Bridges often took pity on her, making sure she had something to eat and occasionally, Rains thought, making the pile of potatoes a little smaller than it could have been. She held up her hands. “Keeping it clean today, Captain.” Oddly, she though Nash might have flinched a bit. Bridges laughed and turned to the person on her other side.

  Exactly at 0859, Colonel Issacson entered the room and conversation stopped immediately as everyone jumped to their feet, saluting. Janet Issacson had been in charge of Fort Des Moines since the WAAC had first been created, and respect for her was universal, as far as Rains knew. Pers
onally, Rains gave the colonel every credit as the primary reason she was sitting here in a lieutenant’s uniform instead of doing time in the stockade or back home with an OTH—Other than Honorable Discharge. Early on, it had been all she could do not to go AWOL or come to blows with her drill instructor, Sergeant Moore, but during a meeting in which she expected Issacson to dismiss her from the service, she’d found an elder she respected and a mentor for her days as a WAC.

  Issacson motioned everyone to be seated and cleared her throat. “I’ve been made aware a situation here at Fort Des Moines that threatens the core beliefs of what we represent as officers and who we are as the Women’s Army Corps.”

  In the absolute stillness that followed those words, Rains was aware of two things: a churning inside her not unlike what she’d felt when she’d awoken from her nightmare, and Janie Nash’s leg jittering wildly beside her.

  * * *

  “So, check the schedule on the board outside to see when each of you will meet with me individually.” The colonel was wrapping up. She was sure everyone was equally relieved. They’d all heard enough, and the restlessness in the room was almost palpable. “I want to emphasize that your primary task here is to assure those under your command that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated in the WAC, and that they can feel safe here.”

  The question of feeling safe depends, Rains thought, on what is meant by “this kind of behavior.” Because if her commanding officer was speaking of actions in which the powerful preyed on the unsuspecting, or when those in charge took advantage of those who were not, then she totally agreed. But she had a bad feeling that Issacson assumed that such conduct was automatically associated with people like her, and Bett, and their friends. The colonel dismissed them and Rains joined the crowd checking the board. Nash was first, confirming what she already suspected: This was about Miriam Boudreaux. She saw Kathleen Hartley working her way through the group and noted her name was listed about midway down. Hers was last. She wondered how the order had been chosen. Was there some message here or were names pulled from a hat? Knowing the military, she doubted the latter but walked away, deciding to ponder on the possible implication at home tonight, when she could clear her mind and consult with Bett about it. The only good thing she could discern was that Miriam apparently hadn’t started naming anyone yet. If she had, Rains would probably have been relieved of her duties already. She looked around, double-checking that no MPs were approaching, and was surprised to note how quickly the area had emptied. Normally the officers stood around and talked to each other for several minutes after a meeting, but that was not the case today. Was it worry for their troops or worry for themselves, she wondered.