Posted by hummingbird on 5/28/2014, 8:44 am VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
Chapter Fifteen
It was the third week of May. After returning from their honeymoon, Bo and Nora had one night together in their new home before he, Mick, and Sal had to return to Camp Ellis.
Nora missed him incredibly, but she tried to keep herself occupied. The library had increased her hours so that she was now working there every weekday. Then Rita asked if she would like to help out at the restaurant two or three nights a week. She didn’t really need the money since Bo’s father was still paying Bo a stipend for working in the family business, but she wanted to stay busy, so she was happy to help.
It was the Thursday after Bo’s return to Camp. Nora was dishing servings onto plates when the kitchen door swung open. She heard Sal’s voice greeting Rita, and turned to see him kissing her neck.
“Ciao, Bellissimo!” (Hello, Gorgeous!) he spoke to his wife heartily. After greeting Rita, Sal spoke to Nora.
“Hello, Miss Nora...I mean Mrs. Buchanan,” Sal teased. “I’ll take your apron. Someone is waiting for you upstairs...some guy who has had his head in the clouds and a goofy grin on his face all week. What have you done to my war buddy?” he teased her.
Nora laughed. “I’m surprised to see you guys home this weekend...so soon!” she said handing Sal the apron. “Thanks, Sal, for taking over for me.”
“Glad to do it,” he grinned. “Have a good night.”
Nora swung through the kitchen door and up the back staircase as quickly as her legs would carry her. As she grabbed the knob to let herself in, the apartment door swung open. Bo was standing there, and she threw herself into his arms.
“Hey! I can’t believe you’re home so soon! I didn’t expect another furlough for a few weeks!”
Bo held her tight kissing her savagely along the neck until he made his way to her mouth where he continued his pursuit. When he finally pulled back, he looked at her with yearning eyes. “Man, I’ve missed you,” he murmured. “How long has it been? Seems like forever,” he whispered breathlessly as he picked her up and carried her to their bed.
“Mmmm...five days,” she whispered back. “Five incredibly long days…I’ve missed you too…” she murmured between kisses.
He tossed her onto the mattress and dropped himself upon her already fingering her buttons as he continued kissing her mouth, face, neck, and chest. They undressed quickly and made love with a fevered urgency. Bo seemed to be insatiable. Nora accounted it to being apart for a few days.
When they finally laid back in each other’s arms, she mentioned it.
“You seem...really happy to see me. Feel better?” she asked quietly her head on his chest.
“Much,” was his brief answer. He rubbed her back and pulled her even closer to him. He was quieter than usual.
“Sal said you were happy this week...he gave me credit for the perpetual smile on your face,” she said kissing his neck.
“Sal is right...just thinking about you puts a smile on my face.” He gave her a long, slow kiss, then lingered looking into her eyes.
“Did I tell you I love you?” he asked.
“Not with words,” she answered smiling.
“Well, I do, you know. I love you...so much,” he said pulling her close again. “Never forget it.”
“I love you too,” she breathed. “Bo...is everything alright? You seem…”
But before she could continue the conversation, the phone rang. Bo picked it up.
“Yes...it’s good to hear you too, Mrs. Hanen... I know, I know...I just can’t get used to calling you Mama Hanen or Selma….I’m working on it…yes, we have just a couple of days...I was surprised too...yes...do you want to talk to Nora? Yes, Ma’am, she’s right here…” He handed the phone to Nora and crawled out of bed.
“I know, Mama, I was surprised he had another weekend so soon too. I guess I won’t be there for dinner tonight…”
Bo turned to look at her as he headed for the shower. He nodded his head. “We can go if you want…”
“Just a minute, Mama.” She covered the phone. “Are you sure?” she asked Bo.
“Yeah, that’s fine,” he answered.
She was puzzled that he would want to spend one of their few evenings together at her parents’, but she said into the phone, “Mama, Bo and I will be over after all. Six o’clock as usual?...okay, we’ll see you then...Bye.”
* * * * * * *
Bo sat back in his chair and sighed. “Dinner was delicious, Mrs. Han...Selma,” Bo caught himself. “If I ate here too often, my uniforms wouldn’t fit.
Selma beamed at the compliment. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
Bo and Lenny Hanen went to the sitting room for an after dinner brandy while Nora helped her mother clean up the kitchen.
“Mr. Hanen...I wanted to talk with you before the ladies return,” Bo began.
“Oh? What about, Son?” Len asked.
“Well, sir. I haven’t talked to Nora about this yet, but...we are being deployed in just a few days...on Monday morning. I guess I just wanted to tell you so that...you could be there for Nora. I know you will be...I guess I just wanted to give you a heads up on the situation…”
“You know we’ll watch out for her…” Len nodded.
“But please don’t tell her I asked you,” Bo said quickly. “She wouldn’t like it if she thought I was worried about her…”
Len nodded his head. “Oh, you know that’s right. You know my daughter well for having known her so short a time.” They smiled thinking of Nora.
At that moment the ladies entered the room giggling.
“What’s so funny?” Bo asked Nora as she sat close beside him.
“Nothing,” she said with big eyes, “it’s ‘girl talk’.”
“We have no secrets,” Bo said feigning disappointment.
“No...but you’re not a girl,” Nora said grinning at her mother. Selma nodded in agreement. Since moving out, Nora’s relationship with Selma was beginning to change. It had been good for both of them.
After a nice visit, Bo and Nora stood to go home. The ladies went to the kitchen to retrieve a platter of leftovers that Selma insisted they take.
Mr. Hanen turned to Bo. “You know, I want to apologize to you. I gave you a pretty hard time when you asked to marry Nora. I feel better about things now...Nora seems happy, and I see that you love her very much. Can you forgive this father that just wanted to protect his little girl?”
“Of course,” Bo replied.
Then soberly Len added. “God be with you, Son.”
“Thank you, sir,” Bo said shaking his hand.
“Okay. I guess I’m ready,” Nora said entering with two plates of food.
“Selma,” Bo teased, “if my buttons pop off, I’m going to bring my shirts here so you can fix them!” She laughed as he gave her a hug.
“Thank you,” he added.
“You’re welcome, Bo. Hope you both can join us again soon,” Selma added.
“Thanks, Mama. Goodnight, Daddy,” Nora said giving her father a hug. “See you soon.”
As Bo and Nora drove away, Lenny put an arm around Selma’s shoulder.
“I think I was wrong about that boy,” he admitted. “He really is proving himself to be a fine young man.”
“I knew you’d come around,” Selma replied.
* * * * * * *
As Bo and Nora made their way up the back steps to their apartment, they ran into Sal coming from the kitchen with a bottle of wine.
“I miei amici (my friends)! We’re sharing some wine in our apartment with Lena and Mick. Why don’t you join us?”
Bo gave Nora a questioning look.
“Sure...we’ll be over as soon as we put this in the fridge,” Nora said.
“Buono! See you soon.”
Nora and Bo entered Sal and Rita’s apartment a few moments later carrying a plate of Jewish pastries her mother had given them.
“I’m not really sure that these go with wine,” Nora said, “but we’re sharing them anyway. Someone needs to help us eat them. My mother is trying to make us fat.”
As she uncovered them everyone gasped at how delicious they looked and did not hesitate to dig in.
They sat around the apartment snacking, talking, and sipping on wine...just relaxing with good friends. Sal was setting up a table to play some cards when the air raid siren sounded.
“Porca vacca!” Sal spouted.
“Sal! Watch your language...we have guests,” Rita scolded although none of their guests understood his Italian profanity.
“Will you get that light next to you, Bo?” Sal asked while he and Rita closed window blinds and turned off the other lamps.
After several silent moments, Sal’s voice broke through the darkness, “Everyone had better be fully clothed when the lights come back on.” Then he added mischieviously, “I’m talking to you, Nora.”
Nora’s mouth dropped open in the darkness as everyone laughed at Sal’s ludicrous remark.
“ME?!” Nora exclaimed incredulously.
“Yes, YOU” continued Sal, “Bo has told us all about how you are since discovering the joys of...marriage…” he teased.
They heard Nora slap Bo’s arm in the darkness.
“WHAAT?!” Bo exclaimed.
“You had better not be talking about...us...with anyone…” she whispered shoving his arm.
“I don’t, honey, he’s just teasing you. Sal, my Pal! What are you doing, man?”
They could hear Sal chuckling in the darkness and Rita scolding him.
Finally, the raid was over. As the sirens ended, they turned on the lights and Sal looked at Nora.
“Mrs. Buchanan...your cheeks look a little flushed. Did I embarrass you?” Sal teased.
A thrown couch pillow and furrowed brow was her response.
They spent the rest of the evening playing cards and sharing wine. Sal tuned in a radio station and they enjoyed the sounds of the Glenn Miller Orchestra and Les Brown’s Band of Reknown.
Bo was pouring another round of drinks when Les Brown’s band began playing Sentimental Journey. Bo’s eyes met Nora’s as they remembered the first time they danced to that song...the night they first met at the Aragon.
“Ahh...you’ll have to excuse us,” he said extending his hand to Nora inviting her to dance.
“Bo…not here…”
“Come on, honey. I love this song…come on...” he motioned with his head.
She couldn’t resist his eyes, so she stood to join him. He pulled her into his arms. As Doris Day’s sultry voice began singing, Bo and Nora got lost in each other.
The other couples sat for a few awkward moments before Sal spouted, “Che diavolo! (What the hell!) and grabbed Rita’s hand. Soon all three couples were wrapped in each others’ arms.
When the song ended, it was replaced by the much less romantic and not dance-inspiring I'm Looking Over A Four-Leaf Clover. Everyone sat down at the table quietly.
For some reason Nora sensed the mood had changed. She glanced around at her companions. Everyone was sober-faced and Rita was dabbing tears from her eyes. Finally, a very serious and out-of-character Sal raised his glass.
“I’d like to propose a toast,” he began. “To the best pals a guy could ask for...to our beautiful ladies...and to God’s mighty hand of protection on all of us in the days ahead…I love you guys…”
Glasses were raised and clinked together in toast to Sal’s words. After everyone drank the toast, they remained quiet.
Nora looked around, “What’s going on here? Am I missing something?...” she said quietly. “Bo?...”
Sal gave Bo a questioning look. Bo shook his head very slightly toward Sal telling him without words that he hadn’t told Nora yet. The exchange between the men was not missed by Nora.
“What’s going on?” she asked again.
“Honey...let’s go home...”
“Will someone please just tell me what’s going on? Obviously everyone else is privy to something that I’m unaware of…”
“We’ll talk about it at home...come on...” Bo took Nora’s hand. She pulled away from him and headed back to their apartment.”
“Sorry, Amico,” Sal said. “I thought you would have told her by now.”
“We just haven’t had time...we had dinner with her folks and then came here... Anyway, guess I’d better go. Thanks for the evening. Talk to you all soon," Bo said. Then he left for home.
Well I guess we knew that Bo would be deployed eventually. Too bad he hadn't had the chance to:tell Nora before she found out. Glad to see Len in his corner!!!