Silver Wings

by H. P. Munro

  Nodding over towards a small group of women huddled together, Lily removed her leather helmet and ran a hand through her sweat damp hair. “What's going on over there?” she asked.

  They shrugged as Lucy slapped her thighs and stood up, “Might as well go be nosey while we're waiting,”

  Helen sat down in her place to wait. Lucy returned to them moments later a sad look on her face, “A newbie is late back from her first PT solo.”

  “How long’s she been out?” Marjorie asked, pulling her leather jacket onto her lap to make space for her sister.

  “Forty minutes or so,” Lucy replied sitting down.

  They waited in a nervous silence for twenty minutes until the still of the afternoon was broken by the sound of engines approaching. Marjorie squinted into the sky.

  “That's a BT,” she said sadly.

  They dropped their hopeful eyes and sat quietly again as the plane came into land. Lily reached for Helen's hand, feeling the need for her comforting touch.

  Ten minutes later another engine hummed in the distance. “That's an AT engine,” Lily said standing up.

  The others joined her quickly as they waited for the plane to come into view. As soon as the plane bounced along the runway, the four women started to run. The plane had barely stopped in the stand when they climbed up the wing and flung the canopy back. A startled Adrienne looked up in surprise.

  “Well that's what I call a welcome!”

  “Where the hell have you been? We've been worried sick,” Helen yelled.

  Adrienne gave a sheepish look, “I'm not that late.”

  “Almost an hour,” Lucy yelled from her spot on the ground behind the wing. Adrienne raised herself up and peered out of the cockpit to glare at Lucy.

  “Thank you,” she said sarcastically, standing up onto the bucket seat of the plane.

  “So where have you been?” Lily asked her face scrunching as she caught a whiff of something from the cockpit. “What's that smell?”

  Adrienne frowned waving them away so she could climb out. “I got caught short,” she admitted. “I had to use the pilot relief tube.”

  “How the hell did that make you late?” Marjorie asked her jumping down to stand beside Lucy.

  “Firstly no judging, I got knocked off course,” Adrienne held a finger up to stop them responding as she climbed out and walked down the walkway on the wing before jumping down to the ground. “Secondly, I had to strip,” her eyes widened for emphasis. “And I mean strip. I was flying the damn thing wearing only my bra. Apparently undressing, and dressing, while flying will cause you to veer drastically off course!” she exclaimed. “Once I got the leather off, then the zoot suit as well as my uniform pants, I remembered the damn long johns, so the shirt had to go, then the long johns and finally my underwear,” Adrienne ticked each item off on her fingers as she listed them, “Aaaand the damn relief tube is tiny so…” she paused.

  Lily's eyes widened, “The smell, it was pee!”

  “You peed in the cockpit,” Marjorie asked incredulously.

  “No,” Adrienne clarified with a shake of her head. “I peed in the tube, only it's not built for women,” she finished quietly looking at the faces of her friends. Finally realizing they were missing someone she looked puzzled, “Where's Adele?”

  ***

  Darkness had fallen and the five women sat huddled together on the bench, their hands plunged into the pockets of their flight leathers trying to ward off the drop in temperature that night had brought.

  Foster watched the five of them from a distance, their body language a mix of hope and despair. Heads rested against the hangar behind them, eyes stared into the distance no doubt not seeing anything, heels of their heavy boots kicked against the ground disconsolately. She took a breath then approached them.

  “You should try and get some sleep,” she said kindly.

  Lucy was the only one who turned to look at the officer, the others still lost to their thoughts.

  “Thank you Ma'am we're good,” Lucy replied before returning her head to rest against the hangar with a quiet thud.

  “You'll freeze,” Foster tried again. “You should come in.”

  Adrienne still starting straight ahead set her jaw determinedly.

  “We always wait,” she swallowed hard and turned to look at Foster with eyes red from the tears she refused to shed. “We go out as one, we come in as one,” she nodded to emphasis her point. Helen took her hand gripping it tightly. “We're not going anywhere until Adele is home,” she added in a tone that left Foster in no doubt that the discussion was over.

  An hour later Foster returned with another officer, bringing a tray of hot coffees and blankets, which the women gratefully received.

  The sound of the first notes of reveille roused them, hands rubbed tired eyes, necks twisted back and forth to alleviate the pain from the awkward position that sleep had forced upon them. They looked up at the sound of footsteps as an ashen-faced Foster approached. Adrienne leapt up as she watched Foster's progress towards them. Helen stood slowly, standing next to Adrienne and looping her arm through the taller woman's.

  “We just got a call from a farmer twenty miles east of Abilene, he went out to his fields this morning, and…”

  “No,” Adrienne yelled. “Adele is a damn good flyer, the conditions were perfect. You've made a mistake!”

  Foster blinked back tears as she shook her head. “He gave us the plane and her dog tag numbers, I'm sorry,” she gulped down the lump in her throat. “It looks like she and the newbie who was soloing yesterday collided,” she swallowed hard before adding another useless apology.

  Adrienne crumpled to the ground. “No,” she cried into her hands as Marjorie and Lucy held each other and sobbed, each trying to comprehend the blow they'd been dealt.

  Helen looked down at Adrienne, balled tightly against herself and lost in her grief. Feeling hot tears flowing down her cheeks, she turned her head towards Lily who was standing frozen to the spot, stricken by the fate of their friend. Helen pulled her by her leathers into a hug as sobs broke free and wracked both their bodies.

  ***

  “Permission denied,” Captain Hardy said, looking up sadly at the women standing opposite his desk, their faces carrying the scars of their nighttime vigil and the grief that followed in the day.

  “She was our friend Sir,” Lily pleaded.

  “I know and I'm sorry for your loss, but you graduate in a few weeks and we can't allow you time you don't have.”

  “I don’t care about the God-dammed graduation,” Adrienne spat. “Sir,” she added as an afterthought.

  Hardy stood up, “Given the circumstances, I'm going to ignore that outburst cadet. Permission not granted. Dismissed.”

  The women saluted and marched out of the office.

  “I'm sick of this,” Adrienne raged. “Why won't they let us take her home!” she smacked her palm against the wall in frustration.

  Marjorie rubbed Adrienne's back, “I know, we'll see what the funeral home say, when we go.”

  “She was our friend,” Lucy said quietly. “We should get to escort her.”

  They walked out into the parade ground ignoring the pitying looks from the class doing drill there as they returned to their bay. Entering, they immediately noticed the difference in the room they had left. Adele's bed had been stripped and her locker emptied of her belongings.

  “What the hell!” Adrienne yelled, spinning and leaving the room, stomping off in search of Foster.

  Lily gave her friends a quick glance. They seemed rooted to the spot, still looking at the living space that Adele had occupied.

  “I'll go,” Lily said simply and set off in pursuit of Adrienne. She found the red-haired woman pointing her finger and yelling in Foster's face.

  “How dare you!”

  Lily grabbed Adrienne's arm and tried to pull her away.

  “You had no right, she's not even gone twenty-four hours, and you clean out her stuff.”


  “I was trying to help,” Foster said helplessly, “to spare you.” Her eyes pleaded with Lily who nodded her acknowledgement.

  Adrienne put her face close to Foster's and snarled, “Well you had no damn right,” before storming off back to the bay.

  “She's hurting,” Lily offered an explanation. “We all are,” she bit her trembling lip and left Foster, who was looking hopelessly at the ground.

  ***

  The five women stepped into the Sweetwater funeral home, a somber older woman greeted them and asked which of the WASP they were here to see. They looked momentarily confused until they remembered the newbie, whose name they hadn't heard until just now. They were led into a room where a simple pine box with no adornment lay.

  “We're waiting on her family contacting us to tell us what they want to do,” the women said.

  “What's that?” Helen asked. “That's not Adele?” she looked at the faces around her in confusion. “When it’s a military death there’s a proper coffin, and a flag,” her voice broke. “She should have a flag.”

  The funeral director looked sadly towards Helen, “I'm sorry dear, but your friend wasn't military. We don't get paid for a casket or for the transportation, so…” she left the rest of the sentence hanging.

  “Get her a proper casket,” Adrienne said, her eyes fixed on the wooden box. “I'll pay for it. Just put her in a proper casket.”

  “We'll pay,” Marjorie corrected. “We'll all pay.”

  The Bay Four women each added their contribution and selected a casket for their friend, as they stood to leave Lily whispered, “Can we?” She cleared her throat, “Can we go see her again?”

  The woman nodded and led them back to the room. They walked over to the coffin, each laying a hand on the smoothed wood.

  “We live in the wind and the sand, and our eyes are on the stars,” Lily said softly, reciting the WASP motto. “Happy landings Adele,” she added, tears falling down her face splashing onto her hand.

  “Happy landings,” the others repeated their voices thick with emotion.

  ***

  Foster watched the five remaining Bay Four women leave the memorial service in the Sweetwater church.

  “How are they?”

  She turned to the source of the enquiry, flashing a quick smile at Captain Hardy.

  “It's only been a couple of days, they're holding up Sir,” she replied, watching as the women huddled together, their blank faces masking their emotions.

  “Do you think they'll walk?” Hardy asked, returning the salutes from women walking past.

  Foster tipped her head to the side and frowned, “What? Leave the program?”

  Hardy rested his gaze on the slight woman, “They're civilians, they're free to go anytime. What I'm asking you is do you think that their friend’s death is enough to make them walk from the program?”

  Frowning Foster looked over towards the five women and regarded each one of them. Playing through her head what she knew of each, slowly she shook her head, “No. No, I don't think they'll walk.”

  Taking a deep breath Hardy nodded, “Good, their training cost twenty thousand dollars and that bay has some of the most talented flyers we've had through the program. I've already lost one brilliant pilot in this accident, I don't want to lose more because of it,” he looked over towards the women. “Do whatever you need to do to make sure that they come back from this,” he gave a solemn nod of the head then turned and walked to his waiting car.

  Foster watched his departure. “You're all heart Captain Hardy, all heart,” she said to herself, before moving to round up the women to return to the base.

  ***

  The bay was quiet as they lay on their beds staring at the ceiling, lost in their own thoughts. In the days that had passed no one had much energy to speak, their focus had been solely on putting one foot in front of the other and supporting each other during the period. Lily rose from her cot and walked wordlessly to the bathroom, waiting a few moments Helen rose and followed her.

  “You okay?” she asked as she closed the door behind her.

  Lily looked up from the edge of the tub where she had perched herself and nodded slowly.

  Helen walked over and positioned herself between Lily's legs, looping her arms loosely around her lover’s neck. Lily gave a sad smile at the action and wound her arms around Helen's waist pulling the other woman close to her. She snuggled against Helen's chest, listening to her steady heartbeat.

  “I just keep thinking that could have been any of us and it just seems so random so…” she brought her shoulders up taking a breath as she struggled to find the words.

  “Such a waste?” Helen said, expressing her own thoughts on Adele's death.

  Lily moved her head, resting her chin on Helen so she could see her face.

  “Such a horrible waste,” she agreed. Helen nodded and lowered her head pressing her lips against Lily's for a slow comforting kiss.

  Despite her grief Lily felt her body start to respond to the kiss, worried that someone might come in and find them kissing, she reluctantly pulled away. “I feel a bit better now,” she smiled, a hint of life sparkling in her eyes.

  Taking a deep breath Helen looked down at Lily’s lap. “I love you,” she said quietly. “I don’t need you to say it back. I just needed to tell you so you knew in case…”

  “Nothing is going to happen to you,” Lily interrupted. She smiled and ducked her head so that she could see into Helen’s eyes, “I love you too.”

  Lily felt a weight lift at the admission, she had known for a while that the depth of her feelings went beyond friendship but finally saying it out loud, suddenly she felt like throwing open the window and yelling it across the base.

  Helen grinned briefly before her features returned to a somber expression, “I feel bad that I’m so happy right now.”

  Reaching up to brush blonde locks from her forehead Lily soothed, “Sssh, me too. But Adele wouldn't want us to mope around forever. She had too much life in that small body of hers to want us to waste ours. Come on, let’s go back in.”

  Helen pulled away from Lily, dropping her hand down and taking Lily's, leading her gently back into the main section of the bay. They dropped their hands as they walked in, surprised to see Foster standing in the doorway of the bay, their friends looking at her suspiciously.

  “Hi, I...” she made a small growl like noise. “I wanted to come make sure that you're okay, actually I wanted more than that.” She stepped in and closed the door behind her, “I'm part Irish and when we have a death, after the funeral there's usually a hoolie that goes on, where we stop mourning the death and celebrate the life.” She hesitated as she realized that her speech had sounded more rousing in her head when she had practiced it walking over and it was not having that effect now, “Anyway, I thought that maybe you should have a small wake in the bay and celebrate Adele's life.” She dug her hand into her leather jacket and pulled out a whiskey bottle, “Now I know that Nolan County is dry and we're not allowed alcohol on the base.” Adrienne avoided eye contact at that comment. “But given the circumstances I thought that you could use it. Although if you get caught with it at bay check, I'll deny knowledge,” she grinned.

  “Who's doing bay check tonight?” Lucy asked.

  Foster smiled broadly, “Me, but I'll still deny it.” She held the bottle out, there was a brief hesitancy before Adrienne rose from her bed and walked over.

  Taking the bottle, she saluted Foster. “Thank you,” she smiled. “And I'm sorry about what I said.”

  “I have no idea what you're taking about Rosecroft,” Foster smiled and gave the rest of the bay a quick nod before turning and leaving.

  Adrienne stood facing the door and let out an audible sigh. “Best go get some glasses girls,” she said turning round, a small smile on her face.

  An hour later and the mood in the bay had lifted, there were tears rolling down their faces. However, this time, it was tears of laughter as they each recounted th
eir favorite moment with Adele during their training.

  “Oh God, remember the time when she fell in, in the morning and she still was wearing slippers!” Adrienne laughed wiping a tear from her face. “I thought Foster's face on the first day with my high heels was a picture but when she caught sight of Adele's furry feet, I thought the vein in her head was going to pop,” she exploded with laughter at the memory. As the laughter died down Helen started to chuckle to herself.

  “What is it Hollywood?” Adrienne demanded.

  “I'm just thinking about the times that she would lift you up over the ‘chin up’ bar, I'm surprised Lt Latham didn't spot you suddenly shooting up in the air.”

  Adrienne picked up her towel and tossed it at Helen, who shot a hand up and plucked it from the air.

  Marjorie stood up and walked over to Lily's bed, the other woman looked up in surprise as Marjorie brought out Lily's violin.

  “Play something for us Lily. Something that Stotty taught you.”

  Lily placed her glass on the floor and took the violin from Marjorie's outstretched hands. She put the case down on her bed and opened the catches, picking the instrument out of its padding. She plucked the strings and twisted the pegs to tune the instrument before slipping it under her neck and picking her bow to check the tuning properly. She drew her bow across the A string checking the pitch before playing the other strings.

  “Y'all ready for this?” Lily said in her best approximation of Adele's Tennessee drawl. “Well get up and get ready to dance like she taught you.” She used her bow to poke Helen's leg, spurring her to get up.

  They quickly pushed their beds back out of the way to create more space then Adrienne, Marjorie, Lucy and Helen stood facing each other holding hands. Lily nestled her chin against the violin then started to pick out the fast notes of a song that Adele had taught her to play. The other women bowed and curtseyed to each other before setting off at lightning pace. Skipping sideways down the extended pathway between their beds, before returning up the length of the room. They performed a series of steps that Adele had tried to teach them; each correcting the other when they went wrong, laughing as they remembered Adele’s frustration as she had tried to co-ordinate them before eventually giving up exasperated, shouting that it was a miracle that they could fly, since none of them seemed to know their right from their left. As the song drew to a close they dropped laughing, and out of breath, onto the cots.