Cannon laughed but not in the way Em knew meant that it was genuine. Something was wrong with Jeff, and Em really wanted to know what. Another mystery to solve. Sergeant Cannon wrapped up his conversation with them by informing them that he and Jack would be breaking camp. He and Jeff took off over the hill and turned and waved before they disappeared.
Jack became his arrogant self as soon as they were alone. “Tonight! Tonight! I am going to see her tonight! Come on, hillbilly, let’s get this done.”
Two hours later, both of them were showered, and Em had actually had to shave. He didn’t remember exactly when his whiskers had begun growing on a daily basis, but he quickly decided that he was not a fan of shaving.
Jack was strutting around with a towel wrapped around himself. He was trying to sing. It was not one of his strong points. His arrogance was taking over. “Meredith is waiting on me,” he said this and puffed up a little bigger.
“Calm down, Romeo. How do you know she still wants to see you?” Em was quite certain that Meredith was somewhere on this island counting down the moments until she was with Jack again. He remembered the way she looked at him back in Texas. He felt certain that her feelings for Jack had intensified. Jack was sure of himself. He anticipated spending time alone with her. Em thought Jack was kidding himself. Meredith’s mother was never going to let her alone with Jack. She didn’t even know him.
Jack turned around and smiled even bigger and said, “Oh, she still wants Jackson. Look at these guns.” Jack flexed his muscles and posed in his most provocative way. Em snickered and threw a towel at him.
“Get dressed and let’s go.” Em walked out of the barracks latrine and went to his bunk. He thought he had time to write a couple of pages to Irene before they had to meet Sergeant Cannon. He felt strange dressed in his civilian clothes. It was the first time he had worn anything but his military fatigues in over three months. The shirts that Sergeant Cannon had given him and Jack to wear were hideous. He wanted to toss it into the garbage, but Sergeant Cannon told them that he expected them to wear it tonight at the engagement ceremony. Sergeant Cannon had given the boys two hours to rest and get showered. Neither one of them was feeling the effects of their three-day trek through the mountains. The adrenaline rush of actually going to a party was fueling both of their energy levels. Jack emerged from the latrine dressed in the colorful shirt that mirrored the one Em was wearing. If he looked as ridiculous as Jack did, he knew a few laughs would be directed at them tonight.
As Em and Jack made their way to the barracks where the sergeants were staying, Em’s mind drifted directly to Irene. How she would enjoy this celebration tonight, he thought. He missed her and thought of her almost all the time. He was certain of his love for her and promised himself once again that he would do anything he had to do to make sure he went home to her. He awoke from his daydream and ran a little to catch up with Jack.
Chapter 4
Mission 1
The next two weeks were the fastest two weeks Em could ever remember in his entire life. He and Jack spent almost every day with Meredith and Katherine. He honestly felt for a few brief moments during that two weeks that the war could not be happening anywhere. The peace and serenity offered here in paradise was unmistakable. It could have been the slow lifestyle of the people or the absolute perfect weather or perhaps a combination of both. All he knew was that he really felt relaxed for the first time in a long time. He continued to write to Irene every day. He told her about Katherine. Captain Murphy’s daughter was the same age as Meredith and had spent most of her life here in Hawaii. She did not have Meredith’s looks. Her Irish heritage kept her from enjoying the sun too much. Her red hair was frizzy most of the time. She was really smart and had an amazing sense of humor. Em knew that Irene would be jealous. He could not blame her, but she did not have anything to worry about. Em had spent a lot of time with Katherine, but he told himself that he was only doing it so Jack could be with Meredith. Ms. Kay, Meredith’s mother, and Betty Ruth, Katherine’s mother, who had insisted that they call her Betty Ruth, had spent most of their time catching up. Their husbands had been flying together for over twenty years, but they had only lived in the same place for a couple of years. Both of them seemed quite eager to get reacquainted. Katherine knew the island like the back of her hand and was quick to share her geographical knowledge. Em was fascinated by the volcanic history and could not see and learn enough.
It was already September 30. He and Jack, along with Captain Murphy and Sergeant Barnes, were to board the USS Indianapolis tomorrow. The navy cruiser was scheduled to be overhauled in California in only a few weeks, but the new captain was an old friend of Colonel Roth’s. He had agreed to do him this favor before he officially took over the helm and took her home to be overhauled.
Before Colonel Roth had taken off with Sergeant Cannon and Sergeant Jefferson two weeks ago, he had given them the orders to board with Captain McVay and the rest of the crew after their shore leave. The Indianapolis had had a busy summer. After liberating Saipan and assisting throughout the entire region, the Indianapolis deserved a little attention. She would be travelling back to California for some dry dock work. Captain McVay had agreed to transport the four of them far into the eastern Pacific. The rendezvous point with the small fishing boat that would be carrying the rest of their team would be a literal speck in the ocean. The navigator of the USS Indianapolis said he could find that little “Jap” boat in the middle of a typhoon if they wanted him to. Em awaited his first voyage aboard the cruiser with trepidation. He was more nervous about this than when he first climbed into the back of the flying warehouse. He supposed that he would get used to the ship and become accustomed to it rather quickly.
Now, however, all he could think about was Jack. He and Meredith had been gone for over two hours. Em had an idea of what they were up to. Ever since the night of the engagement celebration, Em had been in close proximity to the two of them. Not once had they been alone for more than a few minutes at a time. Jack had been trying everything he could think of to find a place to be alone with Meredith. Today was the last day they would be together. Jack had finally succeeded with his plan. Katherine had assisted greatly. She knew places where the local teenagers went to get away from authority. Jack did not have to persuade Meredith at all. As a matter of fact, she had been the first one to insist that Katherine and Em “take a walk.” Em only hoped that Jack knew how to be careful. If Colonel Roth had any knowledge of the two of them being together alone, Em thought the consequences would not be pleasant. As he and Katherine ended their conversation about pineapples, Jack and Meredith came walking through the small gap in the shrubs. The first thing that Em noticed were the guilty looks on their faces and their clothes in disarray. He and Katherine exchanged a look of knowing.
“What are you two doing?” Jack had a suggestive tone in his voice.
“We are behaving ourselves. I should be the one asking, but by the looks of you two, there is really no need to ask,” Katherine said as she started to straighten Meredith’s clothes.
Meredith, looking embarrassed, blushed wildly and ran back into the trees. Katherine followed her.
“Do you even know what you are getting into?” Em looked at his friend and smiled and told him to get that silly grin off his face.
“You have no idea. I have truly been to paradise now. She is amazing.” The look on Jack’s face said it all. Em assumed this was his “in love” look.
“I just hope you know what you’re doing,” Em said as he turned to look for the girls. He could see them just beyond the clearing where he and Katherine had been waiting. They looked very deep in conversation. “What are you going to do now, Romeo? Did you remember we are leaving tomorrow? You are going to mess with that girl’s head. She thinks she’s in some kind of movie or something. You have to be careful. If Colonel Roth finds out you have been with his daughter this whole time, he’s not going to be happy.” Em said all this as if he were talking to a three-year-old, and Jack noticed.
“Really, Storybook, grow up. Believe me, she knew exactly what she was doing. As a matter of fact, she showed me a couple of things. Besides, her dad likes me. I mean, what’s not to like? I got it going on. In a couple of days, I am going to go and save her dad. Fish