The Write Place

Under the Fruiting Tree: Chapter 21 – The Write Place
Under the Fruiting Tree: Novella Table of Contents – The Write Place

“Well we were wrong about that weren’t we?” asked William as he buttoned his black suit jacket. He stood under the now bare tree standing against the gray winter sky.  Night had come.  “Can’t believe they caught us so by surprise.  Or that they planned something this big.  I’m sure my leave will be done.” 

“I wonder if the pastor will say something about it,” Ruth said. “He hasn’t had much time but how do you avoid it?  This morning’s sermon he had no time. Now he’s had only hours to figure out how to talk about this,” Ruth said.  Her face was a soft red from the beating of the cold winter air.  She pulled up her white sweater with one hand, then pulled down her woolen winter hat with the other.  William put an arm around her, affectionately keeping her warm.

“You really can’t.  Of all things.  Pearl Harbor.  I wasn’t sold they couldn’t, but who’d have thought for sure they would?” William asked, scrunching one side of his face deep in  thought and disbelief.  “I’m betting the Germans will follow soon.”  He looked towards the church where he saw his parents holding his infant son.  They stood, his father in a black suit and hat, his mother in a floral patterned blue dress talking to the other elderly couples.  Almost certainly everyone was speaking of the same thing.

“Not in a million years.  Not in a million years would I have thought of it.  The Germans sure, but Japan.  And they caught  us completely off guard,” Ruth said looking up to her husband.  “What now?  Where will you go?  We can live with  Daniel and Marie on their farm but, where will you go?”

“First thing, know that I’ll write to you. I’m sure of that.  I don’t know where from.  Europe, will be my guess if Germany comes in.  The Marines are going to the Pacific.  Wherever I go, I’ll write.  The Military is really good at handling the mail,” William said with worry appearing on his face.  “You won’t be alone.  The fight needs to happen and it’s certain I’ll go.”  William pulled his wife closer as the words left his mouth.  Their breath ascended like smoke out of their warm bodies.  The cold of the world surrounded them all the while.

“Take care out there, promise me,” Ruth said, wiping a tear from her eye with her white glove.  “Only you would be crazy enough to jump out of a perfectly good plane.  Just land all right,” Ruth said in a voice laden with frustration.

“Well, me and several thousand other guys are crazy enough.  For $3 more a month it’s not so crazy,” William smiled nervously.  Reading his wife’s face, he knew he couldn’t cut the tension.  William sighed, returning to the seriousness at hand.  “I’ll make it back.”

“Remember the time we were on the porch?  I held little Billy and you took a picture of us.  I was in my blue floral dress, his little body sitting up for the first time.  Us in that rocking chair, the fresh lemonade on the table beside us,” Ruth said as she put an arm around William.  “Those are the memories I want you to hold onto.  I want you to hold onto that one. Take it with you.”  A small, sad smile appeared on William’s face as he remembered it for himself.

“I’ll keep it close. Wherever I go it’ll be the farthest from home I’ve ever been.  Never shot a man. Groundhogs and squirrels are one thing.  And they don’t shoot back.  I don’t know how I’ll do it,” William mused aloud.  His face peered into distant memories.  “I did shoot a wolf once.  Lots of wolves out in the world right now.  No, I don’t fear that I will manage when the time comes.  Whatever comes has its purpose.  Nothing is out of God’s hands.  That includes me, that includes you,” William said, looking his wife in the eyes.  William held her at the waist as both looked back towards the church.  “We need to get inside.  My parents gave us a moment, but they’ll need one too.  You know I miss their farm already.  When I get back, I’ll start that auto body shop I’ve been saving up for.  Start that something new like we talked about. Think my dad forgave us yet?” William said as he looked to his parents, still holding his son.

“I think he will.” Ruth said “Just come home.  That’s all I ask.  Just come home,” Ruth added, wiping another tear from her eye.  William looked her in the eyes once more and nodded while holding back tears of his own.  They headed over to his parents hand in hand.  Ruth took little Billy in her arms as William put an arm back around her shoulders. They stood with their families, on a dark and dreary day.