“You’re always in such a rush. I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages.”
“I guess it’s been a while.” When Michael left for training, he considered getting together with Mary again. But the minute he returned, he discovered that he still had a chance with Cathy. The kiss in the shower stall was a clear message that Cathy wanted him as much as he wanted her. And he wasn’t about to let her slip away from him.
“Where’ve you been?”
“Um. More training exercises. We had an exercise off-base that lasted almost a week. It was pretty grueling.” Michael stopped walking when he reached his destination.
“I’d like to hear all about it,” Mary said. “I’m free for lunch. We can eat together.”
From the corner of his eye, Michael saw Louis leave the administrative building. “Gee, I can’t today. I’m really sorry.”
“Okay then, how about dinner?”
Michael looked toward the doors to the administrative offices and he knew the clock was ticking. Louis might have gone to have lunch, or just to the latrine. There was no telling how much time Michael had, just that he needed to hurry. He faced Mary and took her hands. “Maybe. Listen Mary, I actually do need to talk to you. I need to tell you something.”
“You do? What is it Michael? I’m willing to listen to anything you have to tell me.” Her eyes were so wide and hopeful as she looked at him.
“I ... I’m sorry, but I just can’t talk right now. Soon, okay?”
“Sure. Whenever you want. I’ll be around.”
“Great. See you Mary.” Michael darted into the administrative building and Mary walked back toward the hospital.
Sal, David, and the nurses were heading toward the Commissary and David motioned for Mary to join them. When they entered the mess hall, Sal went to sit with Louis, and David and Mary queued up for food.
Meanwhile, in Louis’s office, Michael headed straight for the control panel. He had operated the base’s public address system before, so this should be a snap. He just hadn’t decided exactly what he was going to say, but he threw caution to the wind and flipped the public address system to the “on” position. He’d just have to wing it.
“Attention please,” he said into the microphone as his voice reverberated throughout camp.
Chapter 49
“I like a man who grins when he fights.”
-- Prime Minister Winston Churchill
Back in the Commissary, right after Michael left, Suze confronted Cathy wanting to know what was going on. “Was Michael Zacharius just in here? I thought I just saw him leaving.”
“Not sure what you’re talking about, Suze.” Cathy tried to ignore Suze. Speaking to her never led to anything good.
“Don’t play coy, Granny. Didn’t I tell you he was out of your league?”
“No, Freak Face, you said Dr. Mason was out of my league.” Cathy immediately wished she didn’t take Suze’s bait, but Suze was sooo good at getting Cathy’s goat.
“Well it goes double for Michael. You’re so not his type.”
“Oh really, bitch?” Cathy learned how to fight dirty in the orphanage and didn’t hesitate to strike out if she needed to. “And how do you know this? Because you are his type?”
“That’s exactly right, little orphan Annie.”
“And that’s a load of baloney. Why do you even care, Suze? You’re seeing Ned.”
“No I’m not,” Suze bristled at the suggestion that she was dating the ambulance driver. “And even if I was ... I saw Michael first, when he first arrived on base. In fact, you should know that I had him first --- and yes, I’m talking about making love. I’ll bet he hasn’t made love to you, has he, Cathy?”
Cathy felt herself flush with anger. She lunged at Suze and the two women fell to the ground, rolling on the floor and pulling at each other’s hair and clothes.
“Girls! Stop it,” Maggie yelled. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Ray walked in and perused the scene, a smile crossing his lips. “Go Cathy!”
Maggie looked at Ray incredulously. “Don’t just stand there! Do something!”
“What do you want me to do?”
“I want you to break up the fight. Now!”
“Yes ma’am,” Ray answered sarcastically, but he did what Maggie asked. He pulled Cathy up off the floor and away from Suze. Suze got up and slapped Cathy’s face. Cathy tried to get away from Ray so she could fight back, but Ray held her back, and Maggie pulled Suze away.
“Stop it! Both of you, just stop it this instant!” Maggie was in full Mom mode now. “You’re young ladies and you shouldn’t be fighting like a couple of hooligans. Do you understand? Answer me! Do you understand, Susan?”
Suze nodded but continued giving Cathy the evil eye.
“And you. Cathy. Pull yourself together. The lunch crowd will be here any minute and they don’t need to know you’ve been in a fight. Now go wash up!”
Cathy snarled at Suze and went to the sink to clean herself up. Then she went out to the cafeteria line and started plating up the food as the soldiers streamed in.
A voice came over the loudspeaker and the crowd grew quiet to listen to the announcement. “Attention please.”
Chapter 50
“I never worry about action, only inaction.”
-- Winston Churchill
“Attention please,” Michael said into the microphone as his voice reverberated throughout camp.
“Okay, I told you I was going to prove how I feel about you, and I meant it. This is how I’m going to prove it, by admitting it in front of the entire base. This is Private Michael Zacharius and I want everyone here to know ... hell, I want everyone in the entire world to know that I love you.”
The Commissary grew very quiet while everyone stopped what they were doing to listen to the announcement.
David looked at Mary who was standing on the food line, agape. “I knew it,” Mary said quietly to him. “He loves me. He couldn’t tell me in person, but it’s the truth. He really does love me!” David put an arm around Mary’s shoulder and gave her a squeeze, but he wasn’t convinced she was the one Michael was talking about. The doctor glanced over at Cathy behind the counter.
Seated at a table across from Sal, Louis fumed. “He’s at it again. That little twerp is at it again.”
“Louis, calm down,” Sal spoke softly. “Your blood pressure is rising.”
“Quit diagnosing me!” he snapped back.
“Well, what do you expect me to do, Lou?” Sal took Louis’s hand and tried to soothe him. “It doesn’t take a nurse to see that you’re turning beet red and the vein in your forehead is throbbing. And your pulse ....”
Louis pulled his hand away from Sal and rose from his chair quickly. “Well I know one sure way to let off some steam.” Louis shook a finger at Sal. “He’s not gonna get away this, not this time!” Louis stormed out of the Commissary.
In Louis’s office, Michael continued his monologue. “I know you’re modest, sweetie, and you don’t think you’re anything special, but you are so wrong. I know that because I’m one of the few people you’ve allowed to get close to you.”
Cathy’s eyes blurred with tears as she listened to Michael speaking about her.
Now seated at a table with her medical colleagues, Mary couldn’t conceal her broad smile.
“And I’m grateful for that,” Michael continued. “I’m grateful to know you. I know how hard you try to hide behind that mask you put on for the world, but I can see through it, and I know who you are. You’re the smartest, sweetest, funniest, most beautiful girl I’ve ever known. And I know this isn’t how you planned for things to go, but I can’t help it. I can’t help it that I’ve fallen in love with you. ... Uh oh.”
Louis burst into his office and his voice could be heard over the loudspeaker, along with Michael’s. “Give me that!”
“No, wait. I’m not finished.”
“Oh yes you are, in more ways than one.”
The mi
crophone was still open and the voices were heard everywhere on base.
“Just give me one more minute, Sarge, please.”
“We’re done here,” Louis shouted. And then there was nothing but white noise coming over the loudspeaker.
The people in the Commissary started to talk again, a giggle here, a shout there. Cathy wondered how much trouble Michael was in. And Mary wondered what Michael meant when he said this isn’t how she planned for things to go.
Chapter 51
Mary left the Commissary and ran to the administrative office where Michael made the announcement over the loudspeaker. Michael was sitting in a chair with his back to the door and Louis was nowhere in sight. She tiptoed behind Michael’s chair and put her hands over his eyes. “Guess who,” she giggled.
“What?” Michael was startled. “Who’s that?”
Mary went to the other side of the chair, sat on his lap, put her arms around him and kissed him hard. “That was the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me.”
Michael didn’t say anything and Mary wondered why he just sat there with a dumb look on his face. “Um, Mary, Sergeant Richards is gonna be back any minute and you shouldn’t be here.”
“Then come on. Let’s get out of here.” She got up off his lap and held her hand out to him.
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Why was he talking to her this way, Mary wondered. Just a few minutes before, he spoke the most beautiful words of love for everyone to hear. “But ....”
Michael pointed to his ankle which was handcuffed to the chair he was sitting in. “As you can see, I can’t go anywhere with you.”
Mary’s lips parted. “Oh my gosh!”
“Right,” Michael said, somewhat sarcastically. “My thoughts exactly. ‘Oh my gosh’.”
“Shhh, I need to think. There has to be a way to get you out of here.” Mary went around to the front of Louis’s desk and started opening and closing drawers.
“If you could get me out of here, I’d be forever grateful.”
Mary pulled a key out of a desk drawer and held it upright. “Pay dirt! Let’s see how well these two go together ... your lock and my key.” Mary kneeled down and inserted the key into the ankle cuff, turned it and voila! “It worked! You’re free.”
Thrilled to be free of the chair, Michael got up and hugged Mary, lifting her in the air and twirling her around. “Wow, you never cease to amaze me.”
“Come on,” she said, catching her breath, but never losing sight of the goal. “Let’s get you out of here before the Sergeant gets back.” She took Michael’s hand and led him out of the office. They ran to the wooded area behind the administrative buildings and dropped onto the grass between two rows of apple trees.
Mary snuggled up to Michael and pulled his arm around her. Looking into his eyes, she touched his cheek and leaned over to kiss him. He moved away from her and stood up.
“Um. Mary, we need to talk.”
Mary got up off the ground too. “What’s wrong, Michael?”
“I appreciate you helping me today ....”
Something diverted Mary’s attention. “Oh look, Michael.” Mary fingered the carved initials on the apple tree. “Someone carved their initials on this tree. Isn’t that sweet?”
“Oh. Um. Yeah, it was me. I carved those initials,” Michael admitted hesitantly.
Mary knit her brows. “Okay, so you’re the ‘M,‘ but who’s the ‘C’? It should be another ‘M’ for Mary.”
“I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”
“No, no misunderstanding. I heard every word you said over the loudspeaker.” Mary wasn’t comprehending the situation yet.
“Oh man.” Michael ran his hand through his hair. “I’m sorry Mary, but I wasn’t talking about you. I was talking about ... someone else.”
She still wasn’t fully understanding. “Um. Someone whose name starts with ‘C’?”
“Yes.”
Yes? Mary heard Michael say yes. There was someone else? All this time, she’s had feelings for Michael, building a relationship in her mind, and all this time he’s been with someone else?
First, she felt like an idiot. Then she got angry. Mary’s breathing grew shallow and the blood boiled in her veins. She slapped Michael’s face as hard as she could. “Damn you Michael Zacharius!” She screamed at him. “How could you do this to me?”
“I didn’t do anything to you, Mary, but if it helps, I’m sorry.”
“No you’re not. No you’re not. You used me! You used me like every other boy I’ve ever known.”
“That’s not true.”
“Oh really? Have you forgotten what happened in the back of the truck?”
“No, of course I haven’t forgotten. But remember, that was your idea.”
“How dare you!” Mary lifted her hand to slap Michael again, but he blocked her arm before she could make contact with his face.
Mary turned around and headed back to the quad, walking as fast as she could and talking to herself. “That bastard. That rat bastard.” She was even angrier than she was the day of the shower stall prank. This time it was personal. In fact, it didn’t get more personal than this.
Michael ran after her, catching up. He walked backwards in front of her as she walked forward. “Mary, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to hurt you, I swear I wasn’t. I like you. You’re a great girl.”
“Get out of my way, you bastard.” He reached for her arm and she pulled it away and stopped walking. “After everything I did for you, helping you escape from the Sergeant’s office....”
Michael gave Mary a half-hearted smiled. “Yeah, thanks.”
“Thanks? Is that all you have to say? I could get into big trouble for saving you.”
“Well, that was also your idea.”
“Oh my God.” Mary looked up to the sky, then back at Michael. “Shut up. Just shut up and don’t say another word to me ever again. Do you understand me? You’ve screwed me for the last time, Michael Zacharius.” She shook her fist at him. “And you’d better pray you never end up in the infirmary again, because I know how to get even, remember? So if you think that tetanus shot hurt, you don’t know what real pain is.” Michael tried to get a word in edgewise, but Mary wasn’t finished. “I hope you don’t come down with something serious, because I just might let you die next time.”
Mary hurried away, out of Michael’s sight, past the hospital and into her barracks. She threw herself onto her cot and cried her eyes out.
Chapter 52
Mary threw herself onto her cot and cried her eyes out. She looked up when she heard a noise in the room. Sal was watching her.
“You okay?” Sal was clearly hoping for the short version of the story.
Mary sniffled. “I miss Kay.”
Sal was taken aback. “You’re crying because you miss Kay?”
“No, I just need to talk to someone.”
“Kay should be back in a few weeks,” Sal said. “I’ll see you later.” Sal made a beeline for the door.
“Wait.” There was a begging quality in Mary’s voice. “Could I maybe talk ... to you? Please?”
Sal sighed. She almost made it to the exit. Oh well, she supposed it wouldn’t kill her to be nice to her young protege. “Fine. What? What do you need?” She sat down on her own cot across from Mary.
“I need ... a friend. Did you hear that loudspeaker announcement during lunch today?”
“You mean the proclamation of love?” Everyone on base was calling it the proclamation. “Ha! Of course I heard it. Everyone did.”
Mary wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. “Major Bradley, what do you think of Michael? I mean ... Private Zacharius.”
“Louis ... I mean Sergeant Richards ... absolutely despises him. He’s Public Enemy Number 1. Louis says he’s even worse than the Nazis.”
“But what do you think of him?”
“I just told you,” Sal said.
“No, you told me what Sergeant
Richards thinks, not what you think.”
“Oh. I guess I did.” Sal knit her brow, annoyed that she parroted someone else’s opinion instead of giving her own. “Besides being the biggest practical joker on base, he’s alright, I guess. I don’t really know him personally. But I’ve seen him working hard around base, tuning up the military vehicles, checking artillery, that kind of thing. But you don’t need my approval. Why are you even asking what I think? After his big proclamation today, I’d think you’d be on Cloud 9.”
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