Stage Door Canteen by Maggie Davis

Author:Maggie Davis [Davis, Maggie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2014-04-01T00:00:00+00:00

“Lack of weapons is no excuse for defeat.”

—Lt. General Renya Mutaguchi,

commanding general, Japanese 15th Army.

THIRTEEN

Jenny saw him coming down the train platform at the Washington station, so wonderful-looking in his spick and span Army Air Force major’s uniform that she wanted to scream out his name.

Instead, she started to run, the suitcase banging against her leg. She was sure he saw her. No, he seemed to be looking into the windows of the coaches. She couldn’t stand it any longer, she dropped the suitcase on the concrete and ran the last few steps.

He had seen her. He let her fling herself on him, grab him around the neck and slam her mouth against his. At the same time he threw his arms around her and kissed her back so passionately his uniform hat fell off. The train passengers steering around them smiled. Someone bent and picked up his hat and handed it to him.

He put it back on and they stared at each other, breathless. He said, seeing the huge orchid corsage, “Christ, you’re getting married. Or engaged.”

She giggled. “It’s well wishes from my senior hostess committee at the canteen. They know I’m going to Washington to get laid.”

“God willing,” he said fervently, kissing her again. “Great snakes, woman, but you are beautiful. I married the most beautiful woman in the New York theater, I’m reminded of it all over again every time I see you.” He picked up her suitcase and steered her toward the stairs. “I have bad dreams that one of these days you’ll stay in New York to become an even bigger Broadway star. And never come to see me when I’m stuck in some forgotten dungeon of the Pentagon.”

“I’m not even a small Broadway star,” she reminded him, “especially with this show. Dear Brad, would you believe Richard Rodgers is holding the whole thing together? He may be arrogant and overbearing, but this month he’s been like a rock, calming Reuben and Agnes and the others, and telling us don’t despair, everything is going to work out. Still, there are bets all over town that we’ll never see opening night.”

He didn’t comment, so she went on, “Darling, I heard some wonderful news on the train, that we have a secret weapon that’s going to end the war! I swear to you, we saw it from the Washington train, rolling by on freight cars. There were a group of us standing in the train vestibule because there weren’t any seats, a sergeant and some Navy officers, and they described it as an invisible ray that seeks out enemy weapons like submarines and airplanes. It’s called radar. And the enemy can’t hide from it because it goes through buildings and trees and whatever happens to be in the way. Isn’t that wonderful? It sounds like Buck Rogers!”

He turned his head to smile down at her. “Radio Detecting and Ranging. It’s been around since the Twenties.”

“The Twenties?” She slowed, deflated. She’d wanted to believe the war was going to end quickly.

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