Posted by hummingbird on 6/17/2014, 7:06 am VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
Chapter Twenty-Six
September 3, 1944
Department of War Correspondence United States Government
Mrs. Beaufort Buchanan,
We regret to inform you that GI Beaufort Buchanan was injured in the line of duty on August 28, 1944. GI Buchanan was treated at a mobile army hospital then transferred to England for further medical care. The nature of his injuries and the progress of his convalescence is unknown to this department...
Nora’s hands shook as she finished reading the letter. Her heart and mind were racing. Bo...Oh Dear God, no...
The letter was dated for early September and Bo was injured at the end of August. She looked at the calendar...This is the 24th. He was injured nearly a month ago! Shouldn't someone have reported his progress to me? Shouldn't I have heard from Bo? What if he was too badly injured to write? What if he wasn't improving? What if...
So many questions were swirling through her mind, and she couldn’t stop shaking. She wanted answers! She was pacing through her apartment and rolling her hands when she heard a knock on her door.
She rushed to open it and found her parents standing there. Nora immediately threw herself into Lenny Hanen’s arms. He held her tight thinking the worst.
“Nora, honey...what’s wrong?!” asked a worried Selma.
Nora was crying softly now. Lenny led her to the sofa and had her sit beside him. Selma got her a glass of water and sat on the other side.
“Take your time, honey,” Len comforted his daughter, “You can tell Dad when you’re ready…” He handed her his handkerchief. Nora wiped her nose.
She haltingly shared the news. “It’s Bo. I got a letter today...it says ...he was injured…there’s a letter on the table...you can read it…”
Len got up to retrieve the letter while Selma took over comforting Nora.
“Well...this doesn’t give much information, does it?” said Len after reading the letter. “But...it does confirm one thing, honey. Bo is alive and getting care. If it was anything worse...well, you would have been visited by military officers to convey the news.”
Nora’s mind went briefly back to that terrible day when they had received word about Sal.
Her father continued, “I know it must be hard, honey, but in a situation like this you need a positive outlook. You need to think the best, not the worst. That’s what Bo would want you to do if he was here, right?...” He waited a moment, then repeated, “Am I right, Nora?”
When she didn’t answer he asked, “You’re not giving up on him are you?”
At that question, Nora quickly stood to her feet and faced her father with a frown, “No! Of course not! How can you even ask me that question?”
“I asked you that question,” answered Len, “to see if the spirit of my Nora was still in there...and I see it is...the fight is still there.” He paused a moment then continued, “Honey, this is not good news...but, it’s not the worst news you could have gotten either. You need to continue doing what you have been doing...staying strong, keeping busy, writing letters...praying. You have to stay positive and take care of yourself...and the baby. Can you do that?”
“Yes...I’ll try…”
“You’ll try? Is that the best you can do for Bo?”
“No!...I will, Dad... I’ll do all of those things...for Bo.”
“That’s my girl! I knew the fight was still in you...the old ‘Hanen Spirit’...”
“Yes, Dad...the old ‘Hanen Spirit’ is still there...it just gets weary sometimes.” She wiped her eyes again and changed the subject, “Would you two like something to drink? I have juice and lemonade...or I can make you some tea…?”
“No thank you,” said Selma. “We had dinner out tonight since we came into town for some grocery items. We just thought we’d stop and say ‘hello’ while we were in town.”
“I’m glad you did,” Nora replied. “I needed your company...and the pep talk.”
They had a nice visit then, staying away from the topic of war and just discussing the normalcies of life...the weather, grocery prices, and of course, the baby. Nora showed them the box of baby clothes from Rita. Len just smiled as the ladies oohed and awed over the tiny garments.
“You should be feeling the baby moving soon,” Selma said smiling. “Maybe you already have and didn’t recognize it...it feels like fluttering at first...like tiny bubbles bursting,” she recalled fondly.
“I can’t wait...then it will seem more real,” Nora said as they folded the clothes and returned them to the box.
“Selma, you ready to go? Grandpa’s ready to go home and relax.”
“Yes, I’m ready,” she replied. She turned again to Nora.
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Selma asked. “Maybe you should come spend the night with us…”
“No, Mama. I’ll be fine. I’m going to take a warm bath...and write a letter to my husband,” she added looking at Len.
Len pulled her close for a hug. “That’s my girl.”
“Thanks, Daddy,” she murmured.
Selma hugged her also, then they were on their way.
After taking a warm bath, Nora sat down at the table with pen and paper.