“Dodge, Kansas. Training Command,” she said quietly, her tone full of sadness.
Foster smiled, sensing Helen’s reticence. “Dodge is a good one; you'll probably get to fly all sorts of planes there.”
Helen gave her a half-hearted smile as she thrust her order papers into the pocket of her jacket.
As they walked towards their bay Lily and Helen hung back.
“We don't have to report until January, and we're done here in two days,” Lily said trying to make both of them feel better. “We have almost two weeks leave, we could go somewhere together, New York maybe?”
Helen smiled looping her arm through Lily's, “Christmas in New York sounds perfect.”
***
The day of their graduation dawned, the women rose and instead of their usual beige slacks they donned their blue skirts, each of them stood a little taller in their official uniform. For almost the first time since their first morning, they queued in front of the mirror conscious of their appearance. Lily reached up to fix Adrienne's tie.
“You got anyone coming today?”
Adrienne gave a small laugh, “You know what with everything I forgot to invite anyone, you?”
Lily shook her head, “Nope, I forgot too.” She looked at the others, “Has anyone got family coming today?”
Helen gave a quick headshake, Marjorie nudged Lucy with her hip, “I have my sister, but I didn't invite her, she just showed up.”
Lucy laughed and nudged back harder. “Well I guess it's just us then!” she laughed as Marjorie stumbled.
There was a knock at the door and Foster opened it poking her head round the door.
“Morning Ladies, I hope you don't mind but you have a visitor,” she pulled back and guided a small woman into the bay.
The women gave quick glances at each other, wondering who the woman was here for. Adrienne finally made a small noise as she recognized the woman, the features on her face so familiar but strange to see on another's face.
“Mrs. Stott?” Adrienne said moving forward.
“You'll be Adrienne?” she replied, her accent thicker than her daughter’s but her voice holding the same mischievous undercurrent.
“Yes Ma'am,” Adrienne smiled taking the small woman's hand in her own.
“She said you was tall and she wasn’t kiddin’,” Mrs Stott said with a sad smile, garnering a laugh from the women. “You’re Lily?” she asked looking at Lily.
Lily nodded, “I am.”
“She said you was tall too but not like a beanpole, no offence,” she said to Adrienne.
“None taken,” Adrienne shrugged smiling.
“She also said your skin was the color of our Maisie.” Seeing the look of confusion on the Lily’s face she moved to clarify her comment, “Maisie’s our prize milker.”
Laughing, Lily replied, “In that case, I’m honored.”
“I can see a family resemblance so you’ll be Marjorie and Lucy?” she asked, nodding her head towards the two women.
“We are,” they replied in unison then indicated who was who.
“Which leaves Hollywood,” she smiled towards Helen. “You’re as pretty as she said.”
“Thank you.”
“She wrote about you all, an’ she loved being with y'all. I just had to come say thank you for what'n you did for her.”
Adrienne gulped back the lump in her throat and gave a small cough.
Adele’s mother patted Adrienne’s forearm, “I hope you don't mind, but I wanted to tell you ‘bout somethin’, cause I don't want your parents to go through what we have.” She opened her purse pulling out a dog-eared telegram and opened it, “I received this from the War Department.” She held out the paper toward Adrienne.
The red-haired woman read the contents, a look of disgust and anger flashed on her face.
“I'm sorry that you found out that way.”
She passed the paper to Lily who gasped in astonishment as she read the telegram, typed in capitals were the words
‘YOUR DAUGHTER WAS KILLED THIS MORNING.
WHERE DO YOU WANT US TO SHIP THE BODY TO?’
Adrienne shook her head in disbelief, “She deserved more than that. She was a good friend and one of a kind.”
Mrs Stott gave a small nod, “An’ by all accounts a lousy baseball player.”
The bay laughed at the woman's comment.
Lily moved forward to shake the woman's hand, “Yes she was.”
They led Adele's mother in and gave her a small tour of the bay punctuating it with stories of her daughter. Mrs Stott filled with pride as she listened to the descriptions the woman gave her.
“We would be honored if you'd stay as our guest, we graduate today,” Helen asked hesitantly.
Smiling a smile that was hauntingly similar to her daughter’s Mrs. Stott accepted their invitation.
***
They paraded with pride and stood to attention as the General inspected their lines. They never wavered during each speech and their excitement grew as they got closer to the part of the ceremony when they would be given their wings.
Finally the visiting General stood with Jackie Cochran with the list of names to be called. They watched as the other members of their class marched up to collect their wings as their names were called.
As Marjorie’s name was announced the rest of her bay mates felt the satisfaction of having completed their training wash over them. They watched as Marjorie marched back towards the line with a broad grin on her face.
When Helen’s name was called, she stepped out of line, marched towards the podium and climbed the stairs. She shook hands with the General who spoke fondly about her father. She moved on to shake the hand of their founder and the very woman who had interviewed her all those months ago.
“Congratulations,” Jackie smiled, pinning the silver wings onto Helen's uniform. Stepping down from the podium Helen caught Lily’s gaze, she marched back to her place, a large grin plastered on her face.
Lily smiled as Helen stepped back in line. Her stomach churning as it got closer to her time. She swallowed back a lump in her throat as her name was said and she stepped up to receive her coveted wings. The sound of clapping around her disappeared and Lily was only aware of her heartbeat as she marched quickly towards the stage. She accepted her wings with a deep breath, almost unwilling to believe that it had finally happened. She had done it.
She was a fully trained WASP with the silver wings to prove it.
Chapter Ten
December 1943 – New York
So are you two with TWA?” the female cabbie asked in a thick Jersey accent as she pulled out of LaGuardia Airport, checking the uniforms of the two women in the back seat.
Helen and Lily exchanged a quick smile before the blonde responded on their behalf, “No…we're WASP”
“We're not hostesses. We're pilots. We fly military planes,” Lily added.
The cab driver's eyes widened in surprise, “You're pilots? Well I'll be! It's a real pleasure then ladies.” She grinned into the rear view mirror as she drove them towards the address in Greenwich Village that Lily had given her.
It had been almost two days since their graduation and despite being allowed to forgo their uniform due to their length of leave, neither had been willing to travel in civilian wear on their flight to New York. It had been hard saying goodbye to their classmates in particular the other Bay Four women. Many tears were shed and hugs were plentiful in the hours after graduation.
Marjorie and Lucy had been first to go, the prospect of their long drive back to Oregon urged them to leave almost as soon as the graduation supper had finished and they were released officially. The other three women had stood under the archway that had greeted them on their first day and waved until the white car was a dot on the horizon. Turning back, they had looked towards the base, each of their minds returning them to the first time they had driven underneath the airfields welcome sign adorned with Fifinella. Small smiles grew larger as they looked across the planes standing in rows; the planes that they could now fly as well as they could sign their own names. They weren't sure who started it but the smiles developed into giggles which then transformed into gales of laughter, they held onto each other as the stress and strains of the previous weeks drained from them finally as they walked haphazardly, wiping tears of laughter from their faces, back up the long drive towards the base.
The next morning had seen yet another tearful farewell to Adrienne, as Helen and Lily set off on Helen's motorcycle up to Amarillo to catch a plane to New York.
The journey turned out to be rather an uncomfortable one. Lily's previous experience of the bike had been limited to excursions into Sweetwater, which had not really been sufficient to prepare her for the long journey from Avenger Field with their luggage perched on the bike with them. However, they'd had a pleasant flight east, enjoying the novelty of not wearing leathers and parachutes while up in the air.
Helen had never been to New York before and she felt as though she was in sensory overload. After months of wide-open expanse, the sky now looked very small, squashed between the tops of the tall buildings. The streets were filled with a variety of uniforms; people wrapped up against the bitter cold weather, going about their business, oblivious to the awed face staring out of the cab window absorbing everything as they drove through the city.
Lily smiled watching Helen's head swivel back and forth, every now and again she would lunge across the expanse of the seat to see something out of Lily's window, her face was flushed with excitement at the sights of the city. They pulled into the tree-lined street where Lily's apartment building was. Lily paid the cab driver and walked, grinning, up to Helen who was staring straight up, one hand keeping her uniform beret on her head.
“You live here?” she asked, looking up at the tall red building, laundry hung from wrought iron balconies and the fire escape which zigzagged up the height of the building.
Lily followed her gaze upwards. “Yup, I live here. I should warn you my roommate can be gnarly,” she smiled, walking up the steps towards the door of the building. Her fingers circled keys that she had not held in her hand for months; their familiarity linking her with her life pre WASP.
She pushed the door open and waited for Helen to join her before they climbed the stairs toward her apartment. The staircase was filled with the familiar sound of a screaming child. “That'll be three B. Her children scream all
the time,” Lily smiled, feeling comforted that although she may be different and forever changed by what she experienced in Texas, her home had not altered.
There was a clatter of footsteps above them. Lily paused recognizing the scampering sound of children. She had been barreled out of the way too many times not to heed the oncoming approach. She looked around and pulled Helen to the side of the stair, placing her arm protectively in front of her as three children of various ages, dressed in warm coats, scarves, hats and gloves piled down the steps at a rapid pace, their momentum carrying them quickly past the two women. The youngest and slowest child came running down picking up his small legs as he attempted two steps at a time in the same manner as his older siblings. His slower pace meant that he was able to take in the women waiting their passing.
“Sorry Mrs M,” he said, pushing his flat cap out of his eyes with the heel of this hand so that her could look at Lily, before dropping his head down to concentrate on his descent.
“Robbie, be careful,” Lily called after the small child.
“I will, don't worry,” his voice drifted up the staircase.
Turning, Lily shrugged, “Five A, they run riot, come on.” She indicated with her head towards the stairs. Helen followed Lily up the steps; they walked along the short hallway pausing at a green door. Putting the key into the deadlock Lily took a deep breath, wondering what would greet her on the other side. She swung the door open and walked through the small hall, putting her case and violin down on the floor and indicated for Helen to do the same.
She pushed open a door revealing a small living space; the room had a dark red carpet with a soft blue sofa. A bookcase filled with an assortment of books and a music stand stood in front of window dressed with lime green curtains that matched the flower patterned wallpaper on the wall. Beside the window and complementing the soft yellow paint on the other walls, a yellow lamp sat on top of the dark radio-phonograph.
“It's lovely,” Helen said taking in the neat room.
Lily smiled proudly. “Let me show you the kitchen,” she said pulling at Helen excitedly. She opened a door off the living room and entered a square room lined with patterned linoleum. A small red table sat at the side with two seats pushed in, the large white refrigerator dominated the space along with the pristine white cooker.
Lily shrugged, “So this is home.” She pulled her beret off, threw it on the table, and started to undo the belt on her blue blazer. Following her lead Helen put her hat onto the table.
“Lily Rivera, as I live and breathe. Girl I thought we were getting robbed. What you doing sneaking in at this time of the day?”
Lily looked up, a wide smile on her face as she regarded the small woman standing in the kitchen doorway wielding an umbrella as she rubbed her eyes sleepily. She gave the tiny woman a quick once over.
“Eva Wilson, is that my robe you're wearing?” she asked pointedly, taking in the red silk robe pulled tightly around Eva.
Eva narrowed her eyes and smirked. “Was you here? ‘cause the whole war effort is about not wastin' stuff, an’ a beautiful thing like this laying in your drawer, well that's a God-dammed travesty,” she grinned, holding her arms out for a hug, which Lily quickly provided.
“Helen Richmond, this is my roommate Eva Wilson.”
The small black woman regarded Helen and sucked air in through her teeth. “Well I doubt you could have brought a whiter woman home for Christmas Rivera,” she laughed, holding out her hand for Helen to shake.
Immediately liking the woman and her humor Helen shook her hand energetically, “It's lovely to meet you.”
“So back to my other question. What you doing sneakin’ around at this time of the day?” Eva said pulling one of the kitchen chairs out and plonking down onto it. She picked up Lily's beret and put it onto her head at a jaunty angle. Lily busied herself around filling the kettle with water before placing it on the stove.