August 11, 1943
Lainie strolled across the highway to the main section of Robinson, keeping one eye on the sky.
“Miss Gardner, a word with you?” The voice chased her back across the highway.
She turned and found herself face-to-face with Colonel Carr. “Yes, sir.”
“It’s my understanding you’re trained as a nurse.”
“Yes, though I haven’t used those skills for a while.”
“I’ve heard they’re hard to forget. Tomorrow we’ll need your services with the maneuvers. The hospital is already engaged with the airmen injured when their gliders crashed.”
“Yes, sir.” Lainie wanted to tell him that she hadn’t enlisted so she couldn’t be forced to nurse. However, she could tell by the glint in his eye that he expected his orders to be followed. He walked to his Jeep, and she determined to stay on her side of the highway as much as possible. It was far safer.
The next morning she rose after a restless night. She searched for any argument that she couldn’t nurse. The doctors in Kentucky had told her she’d never have the strength to nurse. Her last attempt had ended in disaster when she couldn’t keep up with the demands of the doctors. An orderly had physically removed her from the room as her roommate, Roxie, rushed in to fill her place. Her chest tightened and her fingers went numb at the thought of serving as a nurse.
No matter how hard she thought, there was no way around it. She might be a civilian, but she’d received orders. Lainie slipped beside her bed and prayed for strength to make it through the day. She got up and pulled on a pair of trim denim slacks, button-front shirt, and saddle shoes, wishing she’d brought her nurse’s outfit to Crawford.
Concern edged Esther’s expression as she handed a bag breakfast and lunch to Lainie. “Take it easy, you’re still recovering from this last bout.”
“Esther, you know I love you. It’s been two months. I’ll be careful, I promise. But I really am doing better.”
Esther harrumphed, a touch of worry clouding her expression. “I suppose you’re right. Don’t overdo.”
“I’ll probably sit on a chair the whole time.” Lainie inhaled the aroma of lemon poppy seed muffins. “Thanks for this. I have to run before the colonel sends someone after me.”
Lainie kept glancing at the sky as she dashed to the shuttle pick-up. The large planes and parachutes filled the sky. Would many men be hurt when landing? She eyed the road, tapping her toes as she waited for the bus. She couldn’t do any good here.
Once she reached Fort Robinson, she climbed into a waiting Jeep and was zipped to a staging area. She thanked the soldier for the ride and hopped to the ground. Soldiers hurried in all directions, purpose filling their strides, but none of the men looked familiar. Their patches indicated they weren’t from Robinson. Scanning the scene, Lainie headed toward a tent with a painted white circle and red cross.
She pushed the flap aside and stepped in, giving her eyes a moment to adjust to the dim interior. A nurse slowed down.
“I’m Lainie Gardner. Colonel Carr ordered me to report here.”
The woman relaxed and nodded. “We’re expecting you, but you’re supposed to be a nurse.”
“I’m trained as one.”
“I’m Nola Grable. Over there are supplies to organize before the rush of today’s injuries.”
Lainie did as instructed, delighted to work with familiar instruments. “Were there many yesterday?”
“I don’t think many of those boys had flown a glider before. Most crashed. And who would think a hay field is a good place to hold maneuvers?”
“Only the Army?”
Nola laughed and shook her head. “You guessed it. Let’s just say I hope these jumpers have more experience.”
The first couple of hours were uneventful, so Lainie stayed in the background familiarizing herself with the set-up. A doctor sat, while two nurses readied twelve cots that lined the back in two orderly rows. Nola restocked the pharmaceuticals and then joined the doctor. An occasional solider hobbled into the tent, mainly with sprained ankles or twisted knees. Then two soldiers were carted in on stretchers. One had impaled his leg on a small tree, and the other had landed on some rocks and might have internal injuries.
The doctor barked orders at the nurses. One calmed the man who’d hit the tree, while the other three worked furiously on the second man.
Lainie moved to the front of the tent, praying God would guide the doctor’s hands. Pounding feet hurried toward the tent, and she braced for whatever caused the race. Lainie jumped back when Tom rushed in.
“Lainie, we need the doctor quick.” His breathing pulsed at a rapid pace, and he looked around the tent almost frantically.
“He’s working right over there on someone else. What is it? Are you okay?” She reached for his arm, but he brushed past her. A sting of pain stabbed Lainie at his snub.
“It’s John Tyler. He was attacked by one of the dogs who got too aggressive with a treed parachuter.”
“Where is he?”
Tom pivoted and stumbled outdoors. Lainie rushed to catch up with him.
“Are you hurt?”
He ignored her and hobbled toward a group of men.
“Tom, look at me. What is wrong? Tom!” She pulled on his arm until he stopped and looked at her. She frantically inspected him but could not see blood.
“I twisted my leg when I pulled John away from the dog.” He set his chin and looked away. “We’re wasting time. John’s that way.”
Lainie waited a moment, then hurried ahead. Tom would only relax when John had the attention he needed. When she reached the cluster of men, she knelt beside John. He lay on his back, blood soaking the front of his shirt and covering his neck.
“What happened?”
Sid started to speak, then cleared his throat. “He got between an attacking dog and a soldier. The dog didn’t stop and went for his throat. Tom separated them, but he’d already been bit.”
Lainie felt a thready pulse on John’s neck. “Grab that stretcher over there. We’ll get him on it and move him to the tent.” She jumped up and didn’t wait to see whether they followed. She pulled the blankets off a cot and pulled a cart of supplies toward it. “Put the stretcher there.”
She immediately bent over John’s still form. “Stay with me, John.” She grabbed bandages and started cleaning the blood so she could see the injuries.
“What have you got, Miss Gardner?” The doctor called from the table where he worked on a patient.
“A war dog trainer mauled by a dog. Looks like he was bit primarily on the neck, near the jugular.”
The doctor whistled. “I’m stuck here, but I’ll talk you through it. Have that man beside you apply pressure to the wound.”
Lainie looked up to find Tom next to her.
“You didn’t think I’d leave him.” Tom reached for the gauze she’d ripped open.
Lainie turned her attention to John. “What next, doctor?”
“Is the vein intact?”
Lainie ran her hands through a basin of water and then doused them in alcohol. “Lift up for a second, Tom.” As soon as he did, she probed the wounds. “I think it’s intact.”
“You think or you know?” The doctor barked.
Lainie closed her eyes and focused on what she could feel. “I’m certain.”
“Okay, apply more pressure and clean the wound. When you’re sure it’s clean, call. One of us will suture him.”
John moaned and began to thrash.
“Can I sedate him?”
“Give him a shot of morphine and get him closed up.”
Lainie tried to still her trembling hands as she gave John a shot of morphine. She cleansed the wound and then called the doctor.
The doctor looked up. “I can’t leave this man. You’ll have to suture him.”
Lainie nodded and took a deep breath. She threaded the needle. Her stomach clenched as she knelt beside John and the cot. “I’ll be gentle.” She nodded at Tom. “Lift off unless I ask you to add more pressure.”
The metallic smell of the blood overwhelmed Lainie as she worked to stitch the wound together. John and Naomi deserved the best she could give. She tied off the last stitch and leaned back on her heels. She rolled the tension from her neck.
“How’s he doing?”
Lainie jumped at Nola’s voice. “Okay, I think.”
“Good thing you were here. Looks like he’s stabilized. Good work.” She patted Lainie on the shoulder. “We’ll take over.”
Lainie looked up and found Tom staring at her, a strange look in his eyes. She tried to stand, but felt drained. Tom struggled to his feet and then helped her stand. He walked her to the basin where they both washed up.
“Let’s get a breath of air.”
Lainie gladly accepted his arm and followed him outside, feeling the after effects of adrenaline rippling through her. She tipped her face toward the sun and soaked in its warmth. The tremors slowly stopped. “Nothing I did in Kentucky felt like that.”
“You saved John’s life.” Tom turned her toward him and pulled her into his arms. “Thank you.”
“You saved him first, by getting the dog off him. And he’s lucky. Since it wasn’t his artery, he would have been okay without me.” Lainie decided she wanted to spend the rest of the day like this, wrapped inside the shelter of Tom’s embrace. Far from the stuffy hospital tent and the scent of blood. “John will be okay, you know.”
Tom nodded, his chin tapping the top of her head. “I’m glad I could be there for John when he needed me today. Mason helped, too.”
“She is a good dog.” Lainie leaned into Tom’s embrace for another moment, then pushed back. “Time to get inside. And we need to check your knee out.”
Tom’s eyebrows came together, and he grimaced at her.
She laughed and pulled him toward the tent. Her heart sang with the realization her training hadn’t been wasted after all. If she’d shipped to Europe as planned, she wouldn’t be here right now. And she couldn’t think of anywhere else she’d rather be. Or anyone else she wanted to be with.