December 22, 1941
“I’m home.” Audrey rushed through the house to the kitchen, but found it empty. She wanted to dance around the kitchen and celebrate. School was closed for two weeks for the Christmas break. “Mama? Where are you?”
“Back here, hon.”
Audrey followed the voice to the dining room, shaking snowflakes out of her curls as she walked.
“How was your day?” Mama stood beside a chair, folding laundry with quick hands.
“Well, I managed to keep Petey Sedlacek out of the principal’s office, so that’s an improvement.”
“That’s good.” Her mother looked up and smiled at Audrey. “Looks like you found a blizzard on the walk home.”
“It’s a lazy snow. It trickles out of the clouds. I love days like today.” She gave one last shake to her curls and then kissed Mama on her smooth cheek. “I don’t suppose you have any hot water ready?”
“The tea bags are next to the kettle. Are you going to the Canteen meeting tonight?”
“Yes, ma’am. ‘Let’s do something and do it in a hurry!’ Rae hasn’t wasted any time, has she?” Audrey watched her mother work for a minute, then plopped a tea bag in a mug before filling it with hot water. As Audrey leaned against the table, she considered all the practical experience her mother could add to the Canteen. The love and cookies she would dispense to every soldier who walked through its doors. “I wish you’d joined us Wednesday night. Seeing those boys in uniform was inspiring. We’re really at war, and think of all the servicemen who will travel by UP trains.”
“I think a canteen’s a great idea, hon.” Mama stilled Audrey’s hands where they picked at crumbs left on the tablecloth. “I wish I could come tonight. Be sure to tell Rae and the others that I’ll help however they need.”
“Yes, Mama.” Audrey squeezed her mother’s hand. “It will be nice to look at all those uniforms.”
“A nice change from second graders.” Mama raised her eyebrows as she looked over the neat stacks at Audrey. “Well, before you swoon too much, you can carry this pile up to your brothers’ room. Your tea should be ready when you get back downstairs.”
Willard filled her thoughts as she carried the clothes upstairs. Did the snow make life on the ranch harder? They might live in the same county, but in many ways they existed worlds apart. She’d always experienced the convenience of town. Would life on a ranch isolate her, or would she find the open space liberating? Of course, it depended on who explored the fields with her. If a certain rancher with eyes the color of rich chocolate rode beside her, she couldn’t imagine anything else she’d need. A blush crept up her face as she realized the implications of her thoughts.
“What’s got you looking like a tomato, sis?” Robert grinned like the Cheshire cat as he watched her from his bed.
“It’s nothing. Get back to your homework, troublemaker.” It couldn’t be anything. Her stomach twisted because she had no right to imagine any kind of future with Willard. Whenever her dreams about the future took over, reality whispered from the corner of her mind who she was. The daughter of a railroad employee held no hope of keeping the attention of the son of a prosperous rancher.
“For nothing you sure look like you’ve gone far away.” John grabbed the clothes from her hands.
Audrey shook her head as she left the boys’ room. “You still have a thing or two to learn about women.”
A knock pounded the front door. She flew down the stairs. “I’ve got it, Mama.” She took a moment to catch her breath and then opened the door. She stilled at the sight of Willard slumped against the doorframe. “Come in. Let’s get you something to drink. Are you all right?” Her words rushed in a flood.
He pushed through the doorway and she took his arm and eased him toward the kitchen. “The Navy visited the ranch today.” He sighed and ran a hand across the top of his head. “I’m sorry to stop without calling, Audrey, but I had to see you.”
Audrey froze and turned toward him. “I don’t know what to say, other than I am so sorry. Here, let’s sit in the parlor for a minute.” She took his hand and led him toward the couch.
He cluthed her hand like he couldn’t let go. Slowly, he sank onto the couch, her fingers dwarfed in his grip, but she didn’t mind. Instead, it warmed her even as her heart broke for him. She sank next to him wishing she knew how to comfort him.
“I’ve never seen my Father broken like that. He is the strongest man I know. But it’s like his most precious possession was taken. And I can’t fix this.”
“I know.”
“How can this be God’s will?”
“I don’t know, Willard. I’m so sorry.”
He leaned his head against the back of the couch and then looked at his watch. “I have to get back to the ranch.”
“You’re welcome to stay for supper, Willard.”
“No. I need to get home, see how I can help.” He let go of her then rubbed his face. “I needed to see you. See that there are still good things in my life.” He lurched to his feet and offered her a hand.
They walked to the door, and Audrey searched her mind for something to say that would matter, that would help ease his pain.
Willard stared into her eyes for a long moment. “Thank you for the haven, sweet Audrey.”
“I’ll be praying for you.”
He nodded, then ducked out the door, back into the snow.
Willard lingered in her thoughts through dinner and as Audrey pulled on her coat and stepped outside. The flakes that trickled from the sky stacked half a foot high as she hiked through the drifts. She had eight blocks to walk before she reached the Sedlaceks’ home and Canteen meeting. As her breath curled in the air in front of her, she decided she should have accepted Lainie’s offer of a ride. Silence marred only by the crunch of her footsteps surrounded her as she hopped from foot to foot through the drifts.
Fifteen minutes later she stomped her feet in the doorway of Mrs. Sedlacek’s home.
“Come in out of the cold.” Mrs. Sedlacek reached for Audrey’s coat as Audrey shrugged out of it. “Your cheeks look all rosy. There’s a fire stoked in the parlor. You’ll find the other ladies there enjoying the heat.”
Audrey followed her hostess and waved at Petey when he stuck his head around the kitchen door. She stepped into the parlor and marveled at the group of women. Did she belong in a meeting populated by doctors’ wives, pastors’ wives, and other established women? She was completely out of her element. Lainie waved frantically at her, and Audrey smiled. No atmosphere could stifle Lainie.
After walking across the room, nodding at Mrs. Evans and Dr. Edwards’ wife, Audrey joined Lainie on a piano bench in the corner. “What on earth are we doing here?”
“Exactly what you’ve bellyached about. We’ll get involved in the war effort. Isn’t this exciting?” Lainie threw her arm around Audrey’s shoulder and squeezed.
“Pinch me to let me know this is real. I really don’t belong here, you know.” Audrey jumped and rubbed her arm when Lainie pinched it. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Just doing what my best friend asked.” The twinkle in her eyes warned Audrey not to push back. “The fact your dad works for Union Pacific instead of a bank or a school doesn’t mean anything. And if I know you, you’ll work harder than any three women put together.”
Hearing the words, Audrey vowed she would. She might not have extra money, but she could contribute energy and time to the effort.
The two settled down when Rae Wilson called the meeting to order.
“Thanks for coming, everyone, and to Mrs. Sedlacek for making her home available to us. The women of North Platte can contribute something big to the war if we work together. We saw the need Wednesday when we met the train filled with Kansas boys. A canteen’ll make the community proud and boost the morale of our boys in uniform.”
Mrs. Edwards raised her gloved hand. “How often do you plan to operate the canteen? Do you plan on certain days each week?”
“Why limit ourselves? Let’s open it every day. Each soldier who stops in our town should be greeted by a friendly face and warm cup of coffee.”
Audrey’s mind flooded with the image of serving coffee to troops as the discussion flowed around her. A glow of excitement flooded her at the scene. She could play a role! Ideas pinged back and forth across the room, the speakers talking on top of each other in their enthusiasm.
In short order, Rae organized the chaos into small committees to tackle the concerns. One group huddled on a small Victorian couch and plotted how to spread the word and get donations of food and money. Another group clustered at the fireplace on straight-back chairs to discuss locating volunteers. A third group gathered in the dining room to discuss the logistics. After wandering among the groups, Audrey settled with the fireplace group when she saw Lainie in the thick of it.
“Let’s meet the trains on Christmas.” Lainie bounced up and down on the chair, wound tight with nervous focus. “The boys shouldn’t be alone on a holiday.”
“Can we be ready in time?” Audrey ticked off the days on her fingers and wagged them in front of Lainie.
“Of course. It’s not like we’ll have a full meal for them. But we can have baskets of candy and apples to pass on the trains.”
“I bet I can even talk the Cody Hotel into loaning us coffee cups so we can pass out something warm.” Mrs. Evans made a note on her pad of paper. “And I’ll talk to someone at the station about how to get electricity to make the coffee.”
“We can do this, Audrey. You’ll see. There’s no time like the present to start.”
“Well, what can I do?” Audrey tried to keep her hands still in her lap.
“Have your dad talk to the Union Pacific bigwigs and see if we can get someplace to store our things between trains. We can work on everything else as we get started.”
Audrey smiled. Surely Dad would be happy to help with that little part.
An hour later, Audrey and Lainie walked out arm in arm, Audrey almost as excited as Lainie. “We’re really going to do it. I can’t believe we start in three days. We have so much work to do.”
“We’ll start slow. Nobody expects anything yet, but wait till they see it.” They chatted about all the details on the drive home.
“Here we are. See you tomorrow, Audrey.”
“Thanks for the ride, Lainie. Night.” Audrey plowed up the sidewalk, her mind racing with everything that had to happen. If it was in her power, the Canteen would open for the first trainload of soldiers on Christmas.
She raised her arms to the sky and turned a stumbling circle on the sidewalk. Thank You, Father, for a role to play.