Beyond the Shadow of War (42 page)

Whistles and catcalls drowned her out.

“‌—‌then I’ll ask him to take me to Saks Fifth Avenue! Time for some new clothes. Wouldn’t you agree, girls?” she asked, tossing the question their direction.

The crowd of girls cheered again as the men guffawed. Anya and Kate shared another laugh.

“Will you look at them?” Kate shouted. “They’re practically eating out of her hand!”

“Tell us, doll, what’s your name?”

Gigi turned toward a handsome reporter as he pushed the brim of his hat up off his forehead. “It’s
MRS.
Williams. And don’t you forget it!”

“Where are you headed with Mr. Williams?” he asked, playing along.

“Wouldn’t
you
like to know!”

The banter continued as the reporters spread out to talk to others, the bulbs flashing one after another. Then, suddenly, a voice from the ship’s loudspeakers hushed them.

“Ladies, this is Captain Masterson speaking. It seems we have almost completed our journey, and it is my distinct honor to invite you to take a look off the port bow, where you will see the Statue of Liberty welcoming you to your new home.”

“That way!” someone shouted, pointing forward.

They all turned to look, crowding the rails for a chance to see her.

“LOOK!” someone else shouted. “There she is!”

“Oh Anya, look!” Kate cried, pointing across the rail. “Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?”

And there she was, aglow in the early-morning darkness, washed in spotlights from every direction. Lady Liberty, her torch raised high. Tears stung Anya’s eyes. She never expected such a reaction, but gladly let them fall. Gigi hooked her arms through Anya’s and Kate’s as the three stood in silence. All around them others whispered in hushed reverence as the cameras clicked away.

“If you would allow me,” the captain continued, “I would like to read to you Lady Liberty’s greeting. These verses, from a poem called ‘The New Colossus,’ were penned by a Jewish Portuguese immigrant named Emma Lazarus in 1883. They are engraved on a bronze plaque on the base of the statue.

“Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

‘Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!’ cries she

With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost, to me

I lift my lamp beside the golden door.’”

Anya knitted her brow and turned to find Kate and Gigi’s expressions reflecting her own.

“Did he just call us ‘a wretched refuse?’” Gigi whispered.

“I have no idea,” Kate answered, “but we’ve certainly been ‘tempest-tossed’‌—‌”

“And now, ladies, if you’ll listen closely as we draw closer, you should be able to hear a grand welcome by members of the United States Army Band, who wish to serenade you from the base of Lady Liberty.”

Smiles and laughter broke out as the brides recognized the melody of “Here Comes the Bride,” followed by “Sentimental Journey.”

“Oh, isn’t it wonderful!” Gigi cried. “We made it! We’re finally here!”

46

New York City 

After a hot breakfast, Danny and his mother took a cab to the New York Harbor, arriving just before 7:00 that morning. The Red Cross worker had said the
Wisteria
would arrive mid-morning, but he wanted to be there early. Even before they rounded the corner to the piers, they could hear a band playing John Phillip Sousa’s famous march, “Stars and Stripes Forever.”

“I don’t believe it! Mom, look‌—‌she’s already docked! The
Wisteria
is already here!”

Danny broke free and raced in the direction of the ship’s pier. He was twenty paces away before he remembered her and sprinted back to find her laughing.

“Sorry!” He smothered her in a bear hug then tugged her along beside him. “Guess I got carried a little away‌—‌”

“Oh Danny, isn’t it exciting?” she shouted over the music. “She’s here! Anya’s finally here!”

They hurried along, weaving their way through the huge crowd. A long line had already formed at the entrance to the pier alongside the ship. They took their place at the end, but Danny kept his eyes on the ship’s rails above.

The decks were lined with hundreds of young women, many with young children, all waving and cheering, though the music overpowered their voices. He scanned the faces and wondered how he would ever spot Anya from where they stood. Unless she was standing on the port bow, he couldn’t possibly see her.

“Can you tell if anyone’s come off the ship yet?” his mother asked.

The young man in front of them turned around. “They haven’t let any of them disembark yet. Apparently the Public Health people went aboard to give them another physical.”

“What?! Why? My wife said they had physicals back in England before they left. Several, in fact. Isn’t it kind of late to be doing that now?”

“Someone said it’s a final check for lice, but who knows. I’m just telling you what I heard. The Immigration and Customs folks also boarded once they docked. Who knows how long all that might take.”

An hour later, they were next in line to check in at the table beside the gangway. With that accomplished, they finally joined the growing group in a designated area. By 11:30, Danny was at his wit’s end. They’d been at the harbor for almost four hours. Four hours! The snow had stopped falling, but the blowing wind made the bone-chilling temperatures much too cold for his mother. She said she was fine, but seeing her teeth chatter, Danny insisted she go warm up in one of the coffee shops. When she returned half an hour later‌—‌and still no brides had come off the ship‌—‌Danny suggested she take a cab back to the hotel.

“Absolutely not. I came along to welcome Anya, and I’ll not let you get rid of me just because there’s a nip in the air.”

“I guess I know where I got my stubborn streak,” he teased. “All these years I assumed it came from Dad.”

With a chuckle, she said, “Yes, and don’t you forget it.”

The Red Cross folks continually made the rounds serving coffee and donuts, not unlike those offered by the Red Cross girls at the 390th in Framlingham. Now, as the lunch hour approached, they returned with wrapped sandwiches.

“Please tell me we won’t still be here for dinner,” Danny growled.

“Not a chance, son. We’ll be seated in a nice restaurant along with your bride. My treat.”

He wasn’t so optimistic.

Another hour and a half later, the first of the brides came down the ramp as a groundswell of cheers rose from those waiting. Others followed, each stopping at the table near the gangway to give their husband’s name which was then announced over the public address system. The band played quietly so the names could be heard, and with each one came a hearty shout from a waiting husband. The squeals and kisses of their reunions played much to the delight of the crowd.

The initial excitement began to taper off as the process crawled along at a snail’s pace. Danny realized this could take all day and into the night.

“Stop that.”

He looked at his mother. “Stop what?”

She touched a gloved finger to his jaw. “You’re grinding your teeth. I can tell by the twitching of your jaw‌—‌”

“Mrs. Anya McClain. Wife of Daniel McClain.”

“ANYA?!” He bolted from the crowd and rushed toward her.

“DANNY!”

“ANYA!”

And suddenly she dropped her bags and flew into his arms, kissing him and crying tears of joy. “Oh, Danny! You’re here! You’re here!”

“Oh sweetheart, I can’t believe it! You’re here!”

They kissed and laughed and cried, then kissed again.

She clung to him, her arms around his neck. “I thought they’d never let us off! I kept searching for you in the crowd, and couldn’t see you and then I worried that perhaps you didn’t‌—‌”

He silenced her with a kiss as he lifted her off the ground. “Oh Anya, it doesn’t matter now. None of it matters. You’re here in my arms, and I will never,
never
let you go.”

“Move along now,” one of the Red Cross workers said. He picked up the bags Anya had dropped and nudged them away from the congested desk area. “Here you go. Welcome to America,” he said with a smile before disappearing into the crowd again.

Danny gathered her back in his arms. “I honestly can’t believe it. You’re finally
home
. Well, almost, anyway.”

“I was beginning to think this day would never come. And yet, here you are‌—‌”

“Yes, here I am with you in my arms.” He kissed her again, oblivious to everyone else around them.

“Anya?”

Danny pulled back, allowing his mother to join them. “Oh, I almost forgot you, Mom! Anya, this is my‌—‌”

“Mrs. McClain? You came too?”

“Oh, Anya, dear, dear Anya.” Betty gathered her into her arms. “We’ve waited so long, and now you’re here. My dear sweet child, you’re finally home. I can’t possibly tell you how thrilled I am to finally meet you.”

Her eyes pooled with tears, Anya tried but couldn’t speak. Danny thought his heart would burst with joy. He wrapped his arms around both of them and couldn’t have stopped his own tears if he tried.

When Anya pulled back, his mother held her face in her gloved hands, brushing aside the tears on her cheeks. “Anya, there are a thousand things I want to ask you and say to you, but for now, I first and foremost want to thank God for bringing you through your long journey home. Welcome to America, sweetheart. Welcome home.”

Anya clung to her mother-in-law with such a profound sense of gratitude, she couldn’t speak. From the moment Betty embraced her, she felt something so familiar and safe, it nearly overwhelmed her. As if she’d met a long-lost friend ... but no, it was more than that. Something similar, but at the same time different.

And then she knew.

A mother’s love.

Familiar. Safe.

Oh, how I’ve missed it.

She couldn’t fully comprehend the depth of such thoughts, and now wasn’t the time. She pushed those emotions aside, and simply grasped the essence of meeting the woman who had prayed for her and loved her before they’d ever met. Without a word, Anya hugged her again, not quite ready to let go just yet.

“Anya!”

At the sound of her name, she dashed away her tears and turned.

“Here you are!” Gigi cried, pushing her way into Anya’s embrace.” Oh Anya, isn’t it wonderful? Isn’t it all glorious?!” She giggled and hugged her again before stepping back. “Anya, I want you to meet my husband, Paul.”

He leaned in for a hug then stood back, his arm wrapped around Gigi’s tiny waist. He was just as Anya imagined him from Gigi’s photograph. Tall and handsome with the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. They exchanged the introductions, sharing hugs and handshakes all around.

Kate joined them too, her husband Joe carrying little Jocelyn. The introductions were repeated, including quite a fuss about little Joss. At times, they were all talking at once, so excited to finally be reunited.

When the time came to part company, Anya was surprised at the ache in her heart as they said their goodbyes. They’d already exchanged addresses and telephone numbers, but it would never be the same. That was as it should be, of course. But Anya was surprised by the bittersweet longing already seeping through her heart. A moment later, they were gone.

Danny pulled her to his side, wrapping her snug against him. “Are you okay?”

“Yes.” She turned to look up at him. “I’m so glad you got to meet them, Danny.”

“I am too, sweetheart. You ready to go?”

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his lips. “I’ve never been so ready in all my life. Let’s go home.”