Beyond the Shadow of War (16 page)

His father pulled off his glasses with a loud sigh and gave his face a rub. “Son, I know how much Sophie means to you. I’ve known that from the first night you brought her home after she showed up behind Chaney’s grocery store. She was nothing but skin and bones. And you took real good care of her. I was real proud of the way you took responsibility for her.” He put his glasses back on. “But what you don’t know is how much that dog means to
me
.”

He waited, curious at his father’s remark.

“You remember me telling you about the dog I had when I was a kid?”

“Yes, sir. His name was Barney, right?”

“That’s right.”

“You said he was a beagle mix like Sophie.”

“He was. Looked so much alike she could’ve been from the same litter of pups.”

Danny realized the connection. “Barney was hit by a car.”

Dad nodded. “That’s right. Hit by a neighbor who was speeding down our street.”

Danny shook his head. Quite a coincidence, even decades apart. “So you understand.”

“I do. Barney was killed instantly. I was so upset, I punched Mr. Winkler’s nose and broke it.” He clucked his cheek against his teeth. “I got a whipping for it later, but I didn’t care. I loved that dog. I know it sounds silly, but he was the only friend I had as a kid.” He sniffed hard and shook his head. “You never met my father. He died before you were born. But your grandfather was a mean ol’ cuss. He’d take his belt off and beat me just for something to do. Didn’t need a reason. And I learned early on how to stay out of his way.

“Then one Christmas, my mother gave me a puppy. Had to do it when Dad was out of the house, and she made me promise to take care of it and keep it out of sight. Best Christmas I ever had as a kid. I loved that silly ol’ dog from the minute I laid eyes on him. He followed me everywhere. Smart, too. Real smart. I trained him to hide under my bed whenever Dad was home, quiet as a church mouse. Hard to believe, but he’d slink under there and never make a sound.

“That dog was my best friend …” He looked up and offered a sad smile. “Fact is, he was my
only
friend.”

Danny struggled to imagine what that must have been like. He never knew about his grandfather or why he was so mean, but it sure explained a lot about his dad. He felt sorry for him; sorry for the lonely kid with a dog named Barney.

“Then you brought home this scrawny little pooch you named Sophie. And when you went off to college, she took a liking toward me. Can’t say as I minded. We got used to each other, I guess you could say.”

“I remember,” Danny said with an easy smile. “I was pretty jealous the first time I came home and noticed how you two had bonded in my absence.”

“We sure did. Truth be known, kind of seemed like I was getting a second chance after losing Barney all those years ago. Didn’t realize it at the time, but looking back, I can see the connection. Then after I got mugged behind the theater and spent all those months recovering once I came home, she started sticking to me like Elmer’s glue. Rarely let me out of her sight, except when you were home.

“Then you went overseas, and Sophie kept me company. Especially on those long nights when you were missing in action‌—‌” He snorted this time and winced at the sound, turning his head away as he cleared his throat.

Staring out the window, he continued. “Sometimes, late at night when I couldn’t sleep, worrying about what had happened to you … wondering if you were still … I’d go downstairs to the basement and sit in my easy chair for hours. Sophie would climb up my lap and rest her head on my chest, looking up at me with those big brown eyes. And it helped. It helped having her there, knowing I didn’t have to say anything. I’ve never been good at … I mean, sometimes … well, I couldn’t let your mother see me like that. All torn up.”

Danny slowly moved to the seat next to his father and rested his arm across his shoulders. Frank sniffed a couple more times and nodded. Moments passed.

“So you see, Sophie means a lot to me too, son. And that’s why we’ll do whatever it takes to make her walk again.”

This time, it was Danny who couldn’t find his voice. He squeezed his father’s shoulder and nodded. His father patted his knee and nodded in return.

Like father, like son.

17

5 August 1945 

Framlingham, England 

With each passing day, Anya grew more restless. She fought the clouds of depression all day, every day, and well into the night. Danny had been gone six long weeks, and the distance between them felt like a chasm growing wider by the hour. Their letters traveled at a snail’s pace which only made it worse.

Most days, she could rally her spirits enough to put on a good face, though the underlying angst rendered even the simplest task exhausting. But Anya was a fighter. Even as a young girl she’d never been afraid to stand up for herself, no matter the situation. She’d always prided herself for never backing down from a challenge. Such an attitude proved indispensable while working for the Dutch Resistance. But when the war finally ended, it seemed as if all her defenses came crumbling down, often leaving her in another puddle of tears. And nothing aggravated her more than those tears.

Three days ago, they’d gathered at Wickham Market Station to see the ground crews and headquarter staff of the 390th depart for Southampton where they would board a ship for America. For Charlie, the departure of his remaining squadron was cause for celebration. He and Sophie cheered the giddy Americans finally on their way home, hugging and shouting as the last crew mates crammed onto the railway cars, hanging on for dear life.

For Anya, the scene was bittersweet. With members of Danny’s squadron still in town, she’d felt a kindred spirit with those who’d served alongside him. Most likely, few of them actually knew Danny by name or had so much as a single conversation with him, but nonetheless, their presence had comforted Anya.

And then there was Cosmos.

Not long after Danny left, the young stump of a sergeant visited the pub late one afternoon and asked if he might have a word with her. Since the usual evening crowd had not yet gathered, she agreed and took a seat on the chair he pulled out for her.

With a nervous smile, he put a fist to his mouth and coughed politely, before folding his hands on the table. “Mrs. Lieutenant, I know it must be most difficult for you, remaining here in this small English village with your husband so far away. I know also that Lieutenant Janssen and the lovely Mrs. Janssen have taken you under their wings until such a time as you will make your way to America to be reunited with your betrothed.”

Anya pressed her lips together as she listened to Cosmos’s generous dose of flattery. “Yes, Charlie and Sophie have been wonderful.”

“But you see, I too feel a particularly strong bond with Lieutenant McClain, for he served as co-pilot on my inaugural flight just a few months ago when those of us who comprise the ground echelons were invited to fly on the Chowhound missions.”

Anya brightened. “Yes, I remember meeting you just after Danny and I were married. You mentioned the Chowhound mission that day. Did you know I’m from Utrecht? I was there that day when‌—‌”

“Utrecht?!” he cried, reaching his hands across the table to clasp over hers. “Oh bless the Lord! My dear, precious friend‌—‌do you
realize
what this
means
? While you were below, no doubt gazing up into the sky at the flock of Fortresses dropping off their payloads of food and medicine‌—‌and dare I say, hope? ‌—‌I, Cosmos Francis Benedetto, was above you, in the belly of a mighty Fort, awestruck at the sight of such an unforgettable mission of mercy.”

He paused, unable to continue as tears pooled in his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. He blew his nose, a great honk echoing against the low ceiling of the quiet pub, then wiped his eyes.

Anya wasn’t quite sure how to handle the display of emotion, but was moved by his tender heart. “How very kind of you to care so deeply, Sergeant. It was such a difficult time for all of us in The Netherlands, and those food drops
did
give us hope. We were so tired and so very hungry
.
” Anya shook her head with the memory. “I will never forget that day. The planes coming one after another, flying so low to the ground, then dropping those pallets on the white crosses marked for them. I still remember the smiles and the sound of laughter. It had been such a long time since we laughed.”

He gripped her hands. “Oh, Mrs. Lieutenant‌—‌”

“Please, you must call me Anya. I insist.”

“Anya.” He smiled so warmly she thought he might choke up again. “Such a beautiful name for a truly beautiful young woman. But it is I who must insist upon calling you
Mrs. Lieutenant
so that all will know I am fully aware of your marital status, thereby dismissing any possible misconception by those who might see us together. It would literally break my Italian heart if word got back to Lieutenant McClain that his lovely bride was seen in the company of Cosmos Benedetto and thereby raising suspicion of a duplicitous encounter.”

Anya stared at him. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

He patted her hand then refolded his hands on the table again with a chuckle. “My apologies. My mother always says I have a propensity toward literary expression when I speak, and I suppose she’s right. But what I am trying to say is, due to my utmost respect for your husband, I shall practice the most chivalrous methods by which our friendship may be seen as aboveboard, honest, and completely platonic.”

Anya fought the urge to snicker as he sat back, finished and quite pleased with his declaration. She knew Cosmos was sincere and appreciated his respect, but couldn’t help thinking how Danny would react to such a declaration.

“As I was saying, Mrs. Lieutenant, knowing what I know now, that we shared a truly historic moment that day in Utrecht, I am honored to extend my promise to keep an eye out for you, assisting Lieutenant and Mrs. Janssen as they take care of you in the absence of your husband. And I shall do so with the utmost humility.”

“Thank you, Sergeant. That means a lot to me,” she said, meaning it.

True to his word, he checked on her every night, always close by but never hovering. On more than one occasion, he came to her rescue when a drunken soldier crossed the line. Anya could take care of herself, but she rather enjoyed having Cosmos handle the difficult patrons. Afterward, she would shake his hand and offer a pint on the house. Of course, he’d never accept.

On the last night before his squadron left Framlingham, Cosmos went through a pocketful of handkerchiefs. In a constant state of emotion, he made the rounds to say his goodbyes to the locals and especially the staff at Quincy’s. Later in the evening, he stepped up on the pub’s hearth and asked for everyone’s attention. Not an easy task as the crowd was fairly tanked by then, but eventually the place quietened.

“My friends, my friends, as we share this our last evening together, though happy at the prospect of heading home, we must also thank our dear friends here at Quincy’s. We thank you for your many kindnesses and unmatched hospitality toward us these past few years. I cannot imagine how we would have survived without you through the darkest days and bleakest nights of this war‌—‌”

“Oh brother, here we go,” Charlie groaned under his breath, earning an elbow planted in his ribs and a glare from his wife.

“And with that in mind, I would like to play for you a song of farewell. May you remember us kindly, and may the good Lord bless you for every pint of ale, every morsel of each and every meal, every kind deed, and every listening ear.”

He placed his worn fiddle beneath his chin and raised the bow. The tune was not one Anya recognized, though all the Americans immediately joined in.

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

And old lang syne?

The voices grew stronger as everyone draped their arms on those beside them, then swayed in rhythm to the chorus.

For auld lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne,

We’ll take a cup of kindess yet,

For auld lang syne.

Anya smiled, enjoying the camaraderie of those around her, knowing she would miss them all, good and bad alike. When the song ended, the noisy chatter returned, but only for a moment.

“My friends! My friends! If I might play for you just one more song?” His eyes found Anya’s as he pointed his bow in her direction. “This one’s for you, Mrs. Lieutenant.”

Charlie groaned again, silenced immediately by Sophie’s glare.

Heads turned as Cosmos played the first notes of a song that evoked a surprising sadness in Anya’s soul. The crowd hushed again, yielding attention to Cosmos whose eyes closed, his expression reflecting the emotion drawn by his bow across the strings. Then, once again, the richness of the men’s voices filled the room as Sophie slipped her arm around Anya’s waist.

Oh, Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling,

From glen to glen, and down the mountain side,

The summer's gone, and all the roses falling,

It's you, it's you must go and I must bide,

But come ye back when summer's in the meadow,

Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow,

‘Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow,

Oh, Danny Boy, oh Danny Boy, I love you so!

Anya thought she’d never heard anything so beautiful in all her life. Her tears flowed freely as they continued to sing. When the song ended and the cheers began to subside, she made her way to Cosmos and gave him a heartfelt hug, thanking him over and over.

The next morning, as they gathered to say their goodbyes at Wickham Station, she spotted Cosmos weaving his way through the crowd toward her. She was surprised at the lump in her throat as he neared, her eyes stinging.

“Mrs. Lieutenant, there’s one more thing I must ask of you.”

“What is it, Sergeant?”

“I cannot bear to think I will never see you or Lieutenant McClain again, and to that end, I wonder if you would be so kind as to write down the address in Chicago where I might find him when I return to the United States of America. If that meets your approval, of course.”

She smiled at the thought. “Why, Cosmos, that would be wonderful. I know Danny would love to see you if you’re ever in Chicago. Here, let me write it down for you.”

Naturally, he had an index card at the ready and a pen which he extended toward her. She jotted down the address which she’d known by heart for years. “Here you go.”

He pressed the card against his heart. “Eternal thanks, Mrs. Lieutenant. And if I might be so bold, I too have prepared a card for you with my own address and telephone number, in case you or the lieutenant are ever in New Jersey.”

“That’s very kind. Thank you.”

“ALL ABOARD!”

“Well, that’s my call,” he said, his chin trembling as he held out his hand. “So I shall say goodbye until we meet again.”

Anya looked at his hand for only a second before giving Cosmos Francis Benedetto a hug instead. “Take care. And thank you for being my friend.”

He stepped back and nodded as his tears continued to fall. “Goodbye, Mrs. Lieutenant.” Then, straightening, he offered a salute, snapped his arm down, turned sharply on his heel, and walked away.

At that precise moment, Anya had an idea. As she watched him jostle through the crowd until he was out of sight, she tried to imagine the look on Danny’s face when he opened his door to find the Italian standing there.

“What’s with your loopy smile?” Charlie asked, coming to her side. “What was that all about?”

She shook her head and pressed her lips together again. “Oh, nothing. Just a little surprise for Danny.”

“Huh?”

She chuckled. “Never mind.”

Moments later, as the final car disappeared down the tracks, the crowd who’d gathered to see them off reluctantly dispersed.

Then three days later, they gathered one more time to see off the last of the 390th crew members. This time, as they watched the train pull away, the resulting silence enveloped them with an immediate sadness so deep, Anya could physically feel it. Charlie wrapped his arm around his wife, his other around Anya’s shoulders, and held them firm in his grasp.

“Am I the only one who feels like we’re the only three people left in all the world?”

“I feel it too,” Sophie said, leaning her head on his shoulder.

“Me too,” Anya added quietly.

“Well, I don’t know about you, but it’s nothing a good Sunday roast can’t comfort,” he said, turning them to go. “Shall we?”