Battle Hymns (3 page)

Charlotte stood upright. “I’m sorry. I know I should
be more concerned with the attack, and I am. But I’m also scared
senseless that we’ll join the war and you’ll go off and fight.”

Nick didn’t respond.

“And is it so bad for me to want a swell engagement
party?”

He rubbed her bare arms. “No. You shouldn’t blame
everyone here, though. An attack on our country happened mere hours
ago. Until we know more, we’re going to speculate on the next move.
Of course it’s the main topic of conversation.”

“Well, when will we know more?”

Nick shrugged. “Soon, I guess.”

***

C
harlotte was writing her
history exam early Monday afternoon when another professor rushed
into the classroom and spoke to her professor in a soft voice.
Everyone looked up to see what the commotion was about. Charlotte
looked at Natalie, her eyebrows knit in confusion. Natalie
shrugged.

Their professor cleared his throat. “There will be a
short break from your examination. Please stay in your seats.” He
turned on the radio in the corner of the classroom and settled on a
station introducing President Roosevelt’s address to Congress.

Charlotte placed her pencil onto the desk and
strained to hear the details through the static on the radio.

“
Yesterday, December seventh, 1941, a date which
will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and
deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of
Japan.”

The Japanese had been deceptive in their diplomacy,
the President said. In addition to Pearl Harbor, they assailed
Guam, Hong Kong, and other islands in the area that Charlotte had
never heard of before. But most importantly, many American lives
had been lost both in Pearl Harbor and on torpedoed ships in the
Pacific Ocean.

“
No matter how long it may take us to overcome
this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous
might will win through to absolute victory. I believe that I
interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert
that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will
make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again
endanger us. Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact
that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave
danger. With confidence in our armed forces—with the unbounding
determination of our people—we will gain the inevitable triumph, so
help us God.”

Loud applause echoed throughout the chamber.

“
I ask that the Congress declare that, since the
unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December
seventh, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States
and the Japanese empire.”

The professor switched off the radio. “Continue with
your examination, please.”

Charlotte picked up her pencil and stared at the
exam, but it was futile. She couldn’t think about the essay topic.
All she could think was that it’d finally happened.

They were at war.

The rest of the week revolved around the radio as the
young women of Trinity College listened to the evening news in the
common room for any further developments.

The United States and several countries, including
Great Britain and New Zealand, had declared war on Japan on Monday.
By Tuesday, China and Australia also declared war on Japan. By
Thursday, Germany and Italy declared war against the United States,
and the U.S. reciprocated by declaring war against them only hours
later.

By the time Charlotte finished her last exam on
Friday, the United States was deeply embroiled in the international
conflict.

The college was closed over the holiday break, and
Natalie had left a day earlier to spend the holidays with her
family in Grand Rapids. So Charlotte spent the afternoon alone in
her room, packing some clothes to bring home.

She hadn’t seen Nick since Sunday night. He was in
the middle of his exams as well, and both of them needed to study.
Tonight, though, she’d see him again. And after tonight, they would
be free to see each other every single day. There would be no
classes or early curfews to keep them apart. She couldn’t wait.

Charlotte was wedging an extra pair of shoes into her
valise when someone rapped on the door. She opened it. Nick stood
in the empty hallway. She grabbed his hand and yanked him inside
before anyone could see. Men weren’t allowed inside the dormitories
without permission from the dean, and they were certainly forbidden
from her bedroom.

“How did you get in? How did you find me?”

“Evelyn exited through the back door, and I convinced
her to let me inside. She gave me directions to your room. Sneaking
past reception was easy, as the old broad was immersed in her
fashion magazine. I promise no one saw me except Evelyn.” Nick
scratched his head. “Anyway, I have some news. Why don’t you take a
seat?”

Charlotte stepped away from him. If he wanted her to
take a seat, it couldn’t be good news. She shook her head. “I don’t
need to take a seat. Just tell me, Nick.”

“All right . . . I enlisted in the
Army,” he muttered.

Her hands tightened into fists. “You did what?
When?”

“This morning.” Nick touched her shoulder. She
shrugged away, and he scowled. “Charlotte, don’t be like this.”

“How did you expect me to react, Nick?” The room was
suddenly unsteady. She should’ve taken a seat after all. But she
couldn’t look weak, not now, so she folded her arms instead. “Why
didn’t we discuss this beforehand?”

Nick shrugged. “What was there to discuss? You
weren’t going to change my mind.”

Charlotte glared at him. “We’re going to be married!
Your decision affects us both. I shouldn’t find out after the
fact.” Her voice cracked. She squeezed her eyes shut. “You
should’ve told me your plans, at the very least.”

“Sweetheart, I’m sorry.”

She opened her eyes. Nick was perched on the edge of
her bed. He patted the section of quilt next to him, and she sat
beside him. She wiped away the moisture from the corners of her
eyes as he rubbed her back through her wool sweater.

“Charlotte, I need to fight to protect my country. I
need to fight so I can protect you and our future together. You can
understand that, right?”

She nodded. What future would they have together if
the Japanese bombed D.C. to smithereens? What future would their
children have if the Nazi regime continued to overtake the world?
Of course she understood. It was only her selfishness that wanted
Nick to remain safely within her reach.

“Do you have your orders?”

Nick nodded. “John and I ship out on the twenty-sixth
for basic training.”

“In two weeks? When will we get married?”

He lifted her chin. “We’ll get married when all this
is over. It’ll give me something to look forward to. Heck, the war
might be won next year, now that we’re getting involved. In the
meantime, you can continue your studies here and plan an
extravagant wedding.”

She nodded, but her mind entertained dangerous
thoughts. Her father sometimes brought home foreign newspapers with
the descriptions of battles and how many men had been killed. Nick
would be shipped off to Europe or the Pacific, and she had to
accept that he might not survive.

Nick stood. “I need to go home and share the news
with my parents. I'll see you at dinner tonight, okay?”

“Okay.” Charlotte escorted him to the door. “Will you
be able to sneak out?”

Nick nodded and placed his hands on her shoulders. “I
love you, sweetheart.”

“I love you, too.”

Nick crashed his lips to hers. The kiss was urgent
and desperate, as though both of them knew forever was no longer
guaranteed for them. Moments later, they breathlessly separated. He
opened the door and disappeared down the hallway, leaving her
behind to fret and dwell on what she had just learned.

Charlotte’s mind raced with ideas on how she could
get him to stay. But her chances looked bleak.

She couldn’t speculate on what the future held for
their relationship. All she knew for certain was that her plans for
them had taken a drastic turn.

Three

T
he Adlers invited
Charlotte to spend Christmas night at their home so she could
partake in the family celebrations and join them early the next
morning to see off Nick at the train station. Though Charlotte
expected her father to protest an overnight stay, both of her
parents were surprisingly willing to let her spend as much
remaining time with her fiancé as possible.

After she spent Christmas morning with her family,
Nick picked her up and drove her down to the Adlers’ house in
Arlington. Nick’s father worked for the Federal Reserve Bank. His
high-ranking government position afforded the family a large,
colonial-style house with a yard that backed up to the Potomac
River. They also hired a staff that included a butler, a
housekeeper, and a cook. Whenever Charlotte visited, she needn’t
lift a finger.

Despite the Adlers’ staff, it was Mrs. Adler who
greeted them at the door. Nick’s mother was a beautiful woman with
light blond hair and Nick’s blue eyes. She was always kind to
Charlotte, and Charlotte eagerly looked forward to having her as a
mother-in-law.

Mrs. Adler embraced Charlotte and wished her Merry
Christmas. “I’m so glad you could join us. I told Nick, now that
you’re engaged you should be included in the family traditions. Of
course I said that before he enlisted.” She patted her son’s cheek.
“Hopefully he’ll be back for next year’s celebrations.”

Nick wore a bemused smile. “I’m sure I will,
Mom.”

“Thank you for inviting me.” Charlotte held out two
gift boxes wrapped in green and red paper. “These are for you and
Mr. Adler, and Nick.”

Mrs. Adler took the boxes. “I’ll put these under the
tree with the other presents. Nick, why don’t you show Charlotte
around while dinner finishes up? We’ll be eating at three o’clock.”
Mrs. Adler strolled into the parlor, leaving Charlotte and Nick
alone once again.

Nick stuffed his hands into his trouser pockets.
“Well, you’ve been here dozens of times. I don’t really need to
show you around, do I?”

“On the contrary,” said Charlotte. “I haven’t been
upstairs. I haven’t seen your room.”

Nick’s lips curled upward. “We’ll fix that.”

He took her hand, and she followed him upstairs. The
second floor of the Adlers’ house consisted of one long hallway
with hardwood floors and framed landscape paintings on the walls.
Nick opened the first door on the right. It was a spacious
guestroom with a double bed centered against the far wall. Two
windows overlooked the front driveway. Charlotte’s hand luggage was
already set neatly beside the bed.

“Is this my room for the night?” she asked.

“Perhaps.”

They continued down the hallway and he pointed out
his parents’ bedroom, a bathroom, and a second guestroom. The last
room at the end of the hall was Nick’s.

He ushered her inside and closed the door behind
them. The walls were painted a hunter green. Posters of famous
baseball players were plastered on the walls, and trophies
decorated the wooden desk in the corner. Centered against the wall
was a double bed with plaid bedding.

“This is such a boy’s room,” Charlotte said as she
glanced out the window. She could see the river through the
trees.

Nick sat at the edge of his bed. “What will you do
when we have all sons?”

Charlotte laughed and leaned against the dresser. “I
wouldn’t be too sure about that.” She arched her brow. “What will
you do if we have all daughters?”

“It’s a good excuse to keep trying.”

He reached for her hand and pulled her toward him
until she stood between his legs. He rested his head against the
flat of her stomach, his arms encircling her hips. She cradled his
head and combed her fingers through his hair. Tears pricked her
eyes. Tomorrow he would leave for basic training. How long would he
be gone? Nick was confident his absence wouldn’t be extensive.
They’d win the war within a year. That was the popular opinion.
Still, a year was too long to be without Nick, without his voice
and touches.

His fingers grazed the backs of her knees.
Charlotte’s involuntary giggle and Nick’s playful grin lightened
the moment.

“Let’s go back downstairs. We’ll be eating soon.”

Christmas dinner with the Adlers consisted of roasted
chicken, potatoes, green beans, and a cherry pie for dessert.
Afterward, they retired to the sitting room where they sat around
the fireplace, sipped eggnog, turned on the radio, and opened their
gifts.

Nick handed Charlotte a large, flat box. “This is for
you. It’s not much, but I think you’ll like it.”

She tore off the thin gold wrapping paper and lifted
the lid of the dark leather box. It was a stationery set. In one
section were dozens of cream-colored sheets with a monogram of her
initials embossed in the corner. The set also included matching
envelopes, a new set of ink pens, and a small book of stamps.

“It’s perfect. Now I have everything I need to write
to you.” She kissed him lightly on his lips. “And now you can open
my gift.”

Charlotte pulled out a small, wrapped box from
beneath the tree and handed it to Nick. He tore through the red
paper and opened the lid. It was a thin leather necklace with a
gold ring for a pendant.

“It’d be more appropriate to give this to you on our
wedding day. But I didn’t think it was fair I had something to
remember you by”—she glanced at the engagement ring on her
hand—“when you didn’t have a token by which to remember me.” Nick
unfastened the leather necklace, slid off the ring, and placed it
on his ring finger of his left hand. It seemed to fit well. “I put
it on the necklace because I didn’t know how you’d rather wear it.
What do you think?”