Posted by hummingbird on 5/7/2014, 9:17 am VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
Chapter Five
It was two weeks before Bo’s troop had another weekend furlough. He rode back into town with his buddies Mick and Sal. Sal’s real name was Anthony Salvadore, but everybody called him Sal. Sal and his wife, Rita, owned a little Italian restaurant called Salvadore's. The restaurant was in a two-story building housing the restaurant downstairs and four apartments upstairs. Sal and Rita lived in one apartment and rented the other four. Mick and Bo had decided to rent one of the apartments that had recently been vacated.
“So...what are your plans this weekend, my friend?” asked Mick. “You going to see that girl again? What was her name?”
“Nora,” Bo reminded him. “And, yes, we’re going out tonight.”
“I’m seeing Lena too...why don’t we double? We could go dancing or play some pool or cards?”
“Well, I really just want to get to know Nora better. I need to spend some time with just her...maybe we can double some other time…”
Mick gave him a leering grin, “Alone time eh? Yeah...sure...I understand…you wanna ‘get to know her better’...not a problem, man. I understand.”
Bo shook his head. There was no talking to Mick. He was a loyal friend, but seemed to have a one-track mind.
“By the way,” Bo began. “I’d like to use the car tonight. You can use it tomorrow. Will that work for you?”
“Yeah, no problem,” Mick replied. He and Bo had split the cost of the car, a 1939 black Ford Deluxe. It wasn’t fancy or sporty, but it was a warmer method of transportation than walking on windy Chicago days.
Bo didn’t waste any time getting ready for his date. Then he made a trip to the florist and picked up a mixed bouquet. At 6:00, he was pulling into the drive at Nora’s house. He felt a bit nervous knowing he would be meeting her parents.
When he rang the bell, the door was opened by Lenny Hanen, Nora’s father. Bo held out his hand, “Mr. Hanen? Nice meeting you. I’m Bo Buchanan.”
Mr. Hanen shook Bo’s hand. “Come in and have a seat. Nora should be down soon.” They sat down in the parlor.
“So...Nora tells me you’re a military man,” said Mr. Hanen.
“Yes, sir. Training at Camp Ellis, sir.”
“Do you have any idea when you will be deployed?”
“No sir. We continue our training until we get word that we are being sent out. They have told us when the call comes, it will come quickly.”
“I see,” said Mr. Hanen. “And...are you ready for that?”
“I’m willing to serve, sir. I want to do my part,” Bo answered.
At that point, Nora came down the stairs. Bo stood as she entered the room. She looked beautiful in a green and white sprigged dress, pearls, green hat and carrying gloves to match.
“Hi Bo. It’s good to see you,” she said with a smile. So you met Daddy, I see.”
“Yes, we’ve been talking,” Bo replied.
Nora motioned to the woman beside her, “This is my Mother, Selma Hanen. Mama, this is Bo Buchanan.”
“It’s certainly nice to meet you, Bo,” said Mrs. Hanen.
“And you also, Ma’am,” Bo replied. “And these are for you, he said handing the bouquet to Nora.”
“They’re beautiful...thank you!” Nora said looking at her bouquet.
After a few more minutes of small talk, Bo said, “Well...I hate to rush, but we have reservations.”
Selma told Nora she would put her flowers in a vase while Bo helped her with her coat.
“Back by eleven please,” Mr. Hanen said as Bo opened the door.
“Yes, sir,” Bo replied shaking his hand once again.
* * * * * * *
Twenty minutes later, they were perusing the menu at Jane's, a small, quiet restaurant on Main Street.
After placing their orders, Nora said, “I’m so glad you chose this place...it’s very quaint.”
“Someone recommended it to me,” said Bo. “I hope we like the food as well as the atmosphere.”
They were not disappointed. Their meals were delicious. Then they shared a dessert of Cherries Jubilee. Nora’s face lit up when it was flambeed at the table.
“Oh...that was so good!” Nora exclaimed. “I’m truly miserable.”
“Hope you’re not too full to share popcorn at the movie,” Bo remarked. “The movie won’t be the same without popcorn, Sh-weetheart.”
Nora laughed. “So you do impersonations too? You are a man of many talents, Bo Buchanan.”
“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” Bo joked. “Speaking of the movie, we need to go if we’re going to make it on time.”
They went to see To Have and Have Not with Bogie and Bacall; then after the movie, they decided to take a walk through the park. They were walking along talking when Nora felt a splash on her face.
“I think it’s starting to sprinkle,” Nora commented.
“Wouldn’t surprise me. They were predicting some rain for tonight,” Bo replied.
No sooner had he spoken than it started peppering rain.
“Looks like they were right. We better start back to the car.”
They turned around and started walking in the direction of the car when suddenly, it was as if a cloud burst open. The rain started coming in torrents, blowing sideways and pouring like water out of a bucket.
“Come on!” he shouted.
He grabbed Nora’s hand and they ran as quickly as they could with Nora in heels. The rain was running down both of their faces and dripping off the brim of Bo’s hat. Nora’s energy was being sapped by her laughing as he towed her along. Finally, Bo pulled her under a large tree and held his overcoat above their heads like an umbrella. He tried to remove his hat to share it with Nora, but the water held in the hat’s brim poured into her face as he removed it.
“Ohhhhh…” she sputtered.
He laughed at her surprised expression. “I’m sorry...I was trying to help,” he shouted above the sound of the rain.
“Some help you are!” she shouted back. Then glancing up at him, she started laughing again. “You should see yourself,” she giggled. “You have water pouring off your nose...and your hair…it’s a mess!”
“Really? Well...you wouldn’t be laughing if you could see yourself…”
Suddenly Nora left the shelter of the tree and his umbrella coat. She stood with her face lifted to the pouring rain for a few seconds then hurried to remove her heels. She looked at Bo and motioned to him with her arms.
“Come dance with me,” she shouted.
“What? Are you crazy?” he asked smiling at her.
“Maybe,” she shrugged. “We’re already soaked...what difference will it make? Dance with me…” she said batting her eyes against the raindrops and smiling at him. She went back under the tree, hung his coat across a lower branch and pulled him by the hands.
“Have you ever danced in the rain?” she asked with sparkling eyes.
“No,” he answered shaking his head.
“Well, I have and it’s fun. Come on,” she said encouraging him and tugging him by the hands.
She started the jitterbug, but he ended it quickly by pulling her close. “Oh no,” he murmured, “If I’m going to dance in the rain, I get to hold you close. You have to make it worth my while.”
She smiled as she drew closer to him. “We need some music,” she said quietly before humming the first line of Sentimental Journey. He twirled her and they fell into the rhythm of the song as they hummed along. The rain fell into a steady rhythm also. She continued to let Bo hum along while she lowered her head into the crook of his neck. Nora had never felt so at peace in anyone’s arms….so warm and safe and comfortable...
A moment later, she realized Bo had stopped humming. They were just clinging to each other’s wet bodies as the rain continued it’s dance around them. She drew her head back to look at him. They stared into each other’s eyes for a few moments before Bo placed his hands along the sides of her face and pulled her closer for a kiss. He started with a soft kiss...then another...just feeling the softness of her mouth beneath his. The rain continued to pour down around them and down their faces as their lips explored one another’s. He felt her wrap her arms around his waist inviting him to kiss her again. He tilted his head and did so, longer and firmer this time, still holding himself back from too much intimacy. He ended the kiss reluctantly, knowing he wanted more but also knowing it was too soon.
“It’s getting late,” he said huskily, “I need to get you home.”
He released her slowly, and she slipped from his arms to retrieve her shoes.
Looking at the muddy condition of her stockings, Nora said, “How will I ever explain this to my mother?”
“Well...I don’t think you should tell her we were dancing in the rain. How about telling her you removed your shoes to run faster when it started raining…?”
“Good plan, Buchanan,” she smiled.
He grabbed his coat from the tree and extended a hand to her. She enfolded her hand in his warm one and they made their way back to the car.
The drive to her house was short and quiet, each lost in their own thoughts. When he pulled into her drive, he shut the car lights off. She caught a glimpse of her soaked self in his mirror.
“My word, I’m a mess,” she said removing her hat.
“You want me to ring that hat out?” he asked her jokingly.
She laughed with him, then their eyes met. “Thank you for the evening,” she said quietly, “I had a really nice time.”
“Me too...and...I’m glad you made me dance in the rain…”
“It was fun, wasn’t it? I told you so…” she said smiling at him.
Their eyes met again. Bo stretched his arm across the seat behind her shoulders hoping to collect a goodnight kiss when, all of a sudden, the porch light came on and they could see her Dad’s silhouette as he looked out the front window. Bo’s outstretched arm instantly recoiled as he said, “I better walk you to the door. But...quickly, before I do, I need to ask you...are you busy tomorrow night? Sal and his wife are making some pasta. We’ve been invited over for dinner and cards. Would you like to go with me?”
She hesitated. “I’d love to, but I have to work until eight.”
“No problem...I’ll pick you up there.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it,” she said with a smile.
They made their way slowly up the walk. When they stepped across the threshold, her father looked them up and down.
“What happened to you?” he asked taking in their soaked appearance.
“We got caught in a downpour, Sir,” Bo said apologetically.
Selma, viewing the scene from the parlor, laughed. “Looks like us, Len. Remember the night we fell in the creek on our way home from that pie supper?”
Mr. Hanen shook his head grinning, “Yes, I guess you’re right.” Then to Nora, “Looks like you better get some dry clothes on, young lady, before you catch your death.”
“And I’ll be going,” said Bo. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow night, Nora,” and to her parents, “Again, it was nice meeting you both.”
After Bo left, Nora went upstairs for a hot bath. Lenny joined Selma in the parlor pacing the floor a bit.
“He seems like a nice young man,” Selma began.
“Young? How old do you think he is? He is definitely older than our Nora...maybe too old.”
“Lenny, Nora’s not a child any more. She’s a young woman of twenty…”
“Still,” Lenny continued, “why would a man his age want to be with a young girl like Nora?”
“Because she’s smart and witty...like her father...not to mention beautiful. You need to take that worry off your face. Let’s trust him until he gives us a reason not to, dear.”