Evelyn rinsed the surgical tools in the stream of water, brushing a sweaty curl off her forehead with the back of her wet hand. The surgical wards typically kept their windows shut for sanitation purposes, and though the rooms were located in the basement and therefore cooler than the wards upstairs, she still found the temperature too warm in her condition.
“Nurse Gray?” Dr. Dupont rubbed at his spectacles with a cloth as he approached her. She turned off the water. “You do excellent work.”
“Thank you. My father deserves the credit, though.” She began placing the tools on a clean towel beside the sink. “He let me assist him with a few emergency surgeries when I was in high school and whet my interest in helping that way. Still, it’s been some time since I’ve taken part in an operation.”
“Your skills have clearly returned. I am pleased to have you helping down here.”
A bit embarrassed at his effusive praise, she changed the subject. “How do you think that young man will fare, without his leg?”
The doctor placed his glasses back on his nose and frowned. “I cannot say for certain, but he is lucky the gangrene did not spread.”
“I imagine it will be some time before he feels lucky,” Evelyn murmured, more to herself than to the surgeon.
“You are probably right.” He took a step toward the door. “I am going up for a late lunch. Would you care to join me?”
She hesitated, though the man had been nothing but respectful toward her. He was at least twice her age and she did not know him at all. What would the other nurses say if they were to find the two of them eating and talking by themselves in the dining hall?
While the rules governing doctors and nurses were different than those of soldiers and nurses, she was still smarting over Joel’s rejection. Thankfully she hadn’t seen him since their disastrous conversation two days earlier.
“Thank you, but I think I’ll finish cleaning up first.”
He bowed his head in a gracious nod. “Some other time perhaps. We have no other surgeries scheduled for this afternoon, but I will find you should something arise. ”
“Yes, sir.” Evelyn almost wished there would be an influx of patients. The few surgeries she’d helped with had kept her mind occupied, leaving her little time to think about the uncertainty of her future.
At the door, Dr. Dupont paused. “You remind me very much of my daughter, Bridgette.” He leaned against the doorjamb, his gaze distant. “She and her husband live near Sedan, under German occupation. Right before the Germans invaded, she was pregnant with their first child.”
A ripple of fear walked up Evelyn’s spine. Had the man already guessed her secret, and after only one day of working together? Would the sisters know before much longer?
“We have had no contact with them since. I still do not know if I have a grandson or a granddaughter.” He removed his glasses again and wiped at his glistening eyes with his thumb. “When this war is over, I suppose we will know then.”
Evelyn’s alarm faded into relief. He wasn’t telling her he knew her secret; he was simply talking about his daughter, whom he missed. The sadness on his lined face tugged at Evelyn’s heart, bringing memories of her own father. “She must be equally devastated to be separated from you.”
Dr. Dupont replaced his glasses. “I held out hope she and my son-in-law were together, but I have heard some of the Frenchmen in the occupied villages have been sent away by the Germans. I pray to God every night that He is watching over them.”
Is that what her grandparents hoped and prayed for, too—that God would watch over Evelyn? If only He were, if only she hadn’t been left on her own. “Do you have any other children?”
“A son. He is serving in the French army. I haven’t heard anything from him in two months. I tell myself he must be fine and it is just our sporadic mail.” For his sake, Evelyn hoped it was the slow mail system, too, and that the kind surgeon wouldn’t receive the same devastating news she had about Ralph. “At least my wife is safe in our village. With both our children gone and encountering who knows what at the hands of our enemies, she has turned our home into a refuge for children. Those who have lost one or both parents. They help with the garden and chores and, in turn, receive meals or a bed, whatever they need.”
Instinctively her hand rose to rest against her stomach. Her own child had already lost a parent. What would happen to the baby if something were to befall her, too? Her grandparents would only be around for so much longer. Then who would provide her child with all the love and security she’d experienced growing up, however isolated Evelyn might have felt at times?
With slightly trembling hands, she dried the tools and placed them in the nearby cupboard. She couldn’t bear the thought of her child being alone in the world, relying on the kindness of strangers.
Desperate for something else to think about, to talk about, she noticed the half-empty supply shelves and seized on their existence as a new topic of conversation. “It appears you have about the same number of supplies as we do upstairs.” She locked the cupboard with the keys the doctor had entrusted to her.
“We are going to need more soon, if we are to continue performing surgeries. Even our supply of bandages is growing frightfully low.” Dr. Dupont released a heavy sigh and straightened. “I will bid you good day, Nurse Gray. Thank you for indulging a father’s ramblings.”
“I think I’ll join you after all,” she said on impulse. The poor man had to be as lonely as she. “Everything is clean down here and I’m starving.” She meant it, too. Her usual nausea had ebbed away by midmorning and now she felt hungry enough to eat the kitchen clean.
“I would enjoy that.” The man’s dark eyes crinkled with a smile as he motioned for her to lead the way up the stairs.
Evelyn entered the dining room first and found several sisters and nurses still eating. She needn’t have worried about being alone with the doctor after all, though after hearing the sad tale of his daughter, she no longer cared what others thought. The man simply needed someone—especially someone who reminded him of his daughter—to talk with.
After collecting their food, Evelyn followed Dr. Dupont to one of the occupied tables, where they sat across from each other. He reminisced as they ate, regaling Evelyn with stories about his son and daughter’s childhood days. She listened with interest, but there were moments when her mind caught hold of the happy image of family he created and she no longer heard his words. A life with a mother and a father, and hopefully siblings, had been what she desired most for her child. To have the family setting she hadn’t really experienced but longed for.
“Are you all right, Nurse Gray?” The doctor’s kind gaze watched her closely from behind his glasses.
Evelyn forced a light laugh. “Yes, I’m fine. I was only thinking how idyllic life sounds in your French village.”
Dr. Dupont tore a piece from his bread. “It may sound that way now, especially given all the horrors we have seen in recent years. But there were struggles, too. No life is without them.”
And I’m going through the worst of them now.
How she longed to unburden her secret to someone. Someone who would listen and help. Someone unlike Joel.
As she tried to think of a suitable response, Evelyn glanced up to see Alice frantically waving at her from one of the dining room’s doorways.
“If you’ll excuse me, Doctor.” She stood and hefted her tray. “Thank you for sharing your stories. I thoroughly enjoyed them. And I sincerely hope things work out with your daughter and her family.”
“God willing, it is the way we would like,” he said with a soft smile. “But I am able to sleep at night because I trust He is caring for her.”
A feeling of loneliness enveloped Evelyn as she made her way toward the kitchen to deposit her dishes. She envied the doctor’s peace of mind, especially given the uncertainty of the world at present. At one time, she’d felt confident and peaceful about her life and God’s hand in it. When had that disappeared, and would she ever find it again?
Forcing such disheartening thoughts from her mind, Evelyn went to find Alice. Her roommate paced the hallway outside the dining room with agitated steps. “Alice, what’s the matter?” Evelyn had never seen her in such a frenzy.
“I need your help, Evelyn.” Alice stopped pacing, her expression grave. “I went to find you in the surgery ward, but it was empty.”
“We just finished up. What’s wrong?”
Alice kneaded her hands together. “Sergeant Dennis and a few others were moved to the recovery ward this morning.”
Evelyn waited for her to elaborate, unsure why that fact would upset Alice. If anything, she would have thought her roommate overjoyed to have the gregarious sergeant out of her regular ward.
“Sister Marcelle came to find me,” Alice continued in a rush of words, “right after they were moved, and asked if I would move to the recovery ward and work with those learning to walk again. Just like you’ll be doing.”
“It’ll be nice to work together again,” Evelyn offered. She liked working with Alice and had missed the opportunity they had to talk when they were on the same schedule or serving in the same ward.
Alice looked near tears, though. “Yes, but guess who the sister in the recovery ward assigned me to help today?”
“Sergeant Dennis?”
Alice gave a vigorous nod.
“Why should that matter?” Alice’s strong reaction wasn’t making any sense. “You’ve never worried about handling yourself around him before. Did something happen?”
“He said something yesterday that got me thinking.” She wouldn’t meet Evelyn’s eyes as she added, “Maybe he isn’t such an oaf after all.”
Evelyn frowned. It was bad enough the sergeant had taken such an interest in Alice, but if Alice was warming up to him…Better to keep the two of them away from one another. “Would you like me to walk with him instead?”
“Yes.” Alice’s face brightened. “I think Sister Giselle was going to have you help Corporal Campbell, but you don’t mind switching, do you?”
A victorious smile lifted Evelyn’s lips. “Not at all.” Now she could keep an eye on Sergeant Dennis and continue to avoid Joel, too. It was the perfect solution.
Alice linked her arm through Evelyn’s. “Thank you. I just need a little more time before I talk to him again.”
“Be careful, Alice.”
She couldn’t help the repeated warning. Alice reminded Evelyn of herself. The way she’d been before meeting Ralph—idealistic and naïve. Though she wouldn’t trade meeting Ralph, she was beginning to wish she’d stopped and considered things more carefully during their short time together, instead of allowing her emotions to dictate her decisions.
Alice laughed, drawing Evelyn’s attention back to her. “I didn’t say I wanted to elope with the man. But I have to figure out how to have an actual conversation with him, without one or both of us getting frustrated.”
Evelyn gently squeezed Alice’s arm, wishing she could tell her more. How one conversation—with a handsome, attentive soldier—could change the course of one’s life forever.
* * *
While the recovery ward looked exactly the same as the wards upstairs, Joel had been told he would have more opportunities to go outside now that he was downstairs. If he hadn’t been placed on the opposite side of the room from where he’d been before, with Sergeant Dennis on his right instead of his left, he could easily imagine he hadn’t moved floors at all.
He set his lunch tray on the bedside table, using his good arm. It was still tricky maneuvering with his left arm in a sling, but he was managing all right. Now if he could get his leg working properly again—and have a chance to talk to Evelyn—he would feel a lot better about his time at the hospital.
As though materializing from his thoughts, Evelyn pushed a wheelchair into the recovery room. Nurse Thornton wheeled in another chair behind her. They both headed toward Joel’s corner of the room.
He tamped down his disheveled hair with his hand, his heart beating double time at the sight of Evelyn. Joel told himself it was only because he needed to talk to her and not because he’d missed seeing her. Evelyn hadn’t shown up the past two nights with the other nurses on the night shift, nor had she appeared in his ward during the day. Wherever she’d been hiding, it didn’t matter. Not when he would finally get the chance to tell her he’d changed his mind about her proposal.
“Afternoon, Sergeant,” Evelyn said, somewhat smugly. “It’s time for me to help you outside.”
Sergeant Dennis looked downright glum at her announcement—the man had clearly been hoping to go outside with Nurse Thornton. Sharp disappointment lanced through Joel as well. He peered at Evelyn as she stepped to the other side of the sergeant’s bed, trying to catch her eye, but she didn’t spare him a glance.
She’s avoiding me again.
Could he blame her, though? He hadn’t been overly tactful with some of the things he’d said the other day.
“Let me help you into the wheelchair, Corporal.” Though a petite thing, Nurse Thornton always managed to assist him without aggravating his injuries.
“Will I be walking today?” he asked once he was seated.
“Yes.” Nurse Thornton slipped his shoes onto his feet and placed his cane across his lap.
“How did it go the other day?” She stepped behind his chair, but she didn’t move.
Joel watched as Evelyn pushed Sergeant Dennis out of the ward. He needed to figure out a way for them to switch nurses. “The walk went fine.” Fine until his conversation with Evelyn.
Nurse Thornton began wheeling him across the room, but she seemed perfectly content to maintain an unhurried pace. Joel gritted his teeth with impatience. Was she purposely trying to go slow? At this rate, Evelyn would be halfway across the lawn in no time and his chance to speak with her would be lost. He didn’t know how soon he’d see her again.
Once outside, Joel blinked in the bright afternoon sunlight. The air felt muggy against his skin. The few nurses and soldiers outdoors had retreated to the shade of the trees. Several walked the perimeter of the lawn, but they appeared to be sticking to the shadows to avoid the direct heat.
Joel spied Evelyn and Sergeant Dennis off to his left. Evelyn was helping the sergeant out of his wheelchair, a walking stick in her free hand. What should he say when they came alongside them? Before he could think of something, Joel found himself being steered in the opposite direction.
“This is where I walked the other day,” he blurted out, scrambling for any excuse to change course. “I’d like to try the other side.” He twisted around to look up at Nurse Thornton. “If you don’t mind,” he added with a smile.
She stopped pushing the chair, her gaze drifting over her shoulder to where Joel could see Evelyn and the sergeant walking slowly beside the tree line. “There’s more shade this way.”
“A little sun would probably do me good,” he offered.
Did he sound as desperate as he felt? Apparently. Nurse Thornton made no response, other than to continue pushing his chair away from Evelyn.
What else could he say to persuade her to turn around but not raise her suspicion as to the reason why? She’d seemed rather happy with Sergeant Dennis the other day, and yet now, she acted determined to get away from him.
That’s it.
“The sergeant isn’t so bad once you get to know him,” Joel said, glancing up at Nurse Thornton with what he hoped was a casual expression.
Her cheeks turned the same shade as her hair. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Corporal. I’m in charge of this chair and I say we’re going where you were the other day.”
Joel let her think she’d had the last word until she stopped the chair near the hospital corner he’d whacked with his cane two days earlier. She came around the chair to help him up, but he didn’t offer her his good arm.
“He only wants to talk with you,” he said quietly. “Be your friend. Nothing more. He’s even been reading the Bible.”
Joel nearly wished the words back when a look of hopefulness flitted across Nurse Thornton’s face. Was he orchestrating something wrong, all for the chance to talk to Evelyn? He quickly dismissed the thought. He believed Sergeant Dennis’s intentions were honorable when it came to Nurse Thornton.
She released a sigh, her gaze wandering to the other side of the lawn. “I don’t know what to say to him now. Not after I’ve disliked him so much.” A faint smile lifted her mouth. “It’s easier to yell at him.”
“He may still need it.”
Her smile turned full. “I would agree. But is it wrong to want to be his friend?”
Joel studied the cane resting across his knees. Could an injured soldier and a nurse strike up a friendship? If not, then the course he was about to take with Evelyn—if she agreed—would also be wrong. And yet he wasn’t convinced either one of them were violating the rules.
“I don’t think it’s wrong. Not here, at least.” Joel met Nurse Thornton’s earnest look. “Once he leaves the hospital, that’s a different story. It could be a long time before you see each other again. Is that something you can live with?”
She hesitated, her mouth twisting with indecision. Joel admired her all the more for it. She wasn’t about to rush into anything. If only Evelyn had been a bit more that way, but he couldn’t judge.
“I can do that,” Nurse Thornton said at last, her tone firm with self-assurance.
“Then I say we get you over there.”
She laughed before her demeanor grew somber once more. “I’m the one helping you today, Corporal. So I will decide which side of the lawn we use.” The twinkle in her green eyes belied her no-nonsense tone. “We will be heading to the other side,” she announced as she marched to her place behind his chair.
Nurse Thornton pushed him across the lawn at a much faster stride this time. Joel gripped the chair arm with his free hand and tried to keep his cane from sliding off his lap. When she made up her mind, Nurse Thornton certainly put all her energies into it—no halfheartedness with her. Other than a passing thought about falling out of the chair and reinjuring his arm or leg, he was pleased, too. He’d figured out a way to talk to Evelyn.
After stopping his wheelchair beside the other one, Nurse Thornton helped Joel to his feet. Evelyn and Sergeant Dennis had walked a good ways down the lawn already, but Joel was determined to catch up. He moved as quickly as his leg and cane would allow, ignoring the pain that began after his first hurried steps.
“Slow down,” Nurse Thornton said with a chuckle. “You don’t need to move so fast on my account. We can catch up to them when they turn around.”
Joel didn’t want to ease his speed, but he did so to keep her from suspecting the real reason for his urgency. The slower steps also meant a reprieve from the ache in the lower half of his body. He willed himself to be patient. Evelyn wouldn’t be able to avoid him much longer.
It wasn’t long before she and Sergeant Dennis turned around and began moving back in Joel’s direction. He knew the instant Evelyn saw him. A frown pulled at her mouth and she promptly glanced at the grass, the trees, the sky. Anything but him. Clearly she meant to pretend he wasn’t there, walking toward her.
With less than twenty feet between them, Nurse Thornton finally spoke up. “Nurse Gray? I forgot I promised Sergeant Dennis that I would help him today. And I never break a promise.” She shot a look at Joel as she voiced the last few words. He guessed at what she couldn’t say out loud—she would pursue a friendship with Sergeant Dennis but nothing else.
The surprise on Evelyn’s face matched that on the sergeant’s. “Are you sure? We’re almost done.”
Nurse Thornton waved away her excuse. “I know, but I told Sergeant Dennis the other day that if he behaved, I would be the one to help him with his first attempt at walking.”
Evelyn glanced at Sergeant Dennis. “I apologize, Sergeant. I didn’t realize you’d made prior arrangements.” She gave him a pointed glare, then shot a similar one at Nurse Thornton. Joel wasn’t sure whom she appeared to be more annoyed with—the other nurse, the sergeant, or himself. Or all three equally.
“She did promise.” Sergeant Dennis sounded fairly contrite, though he kept his head up, his gaze riveted on Nurse Thornton.
“Then I suppose I will have to acquiesce.” Evelyn motioned the sergeant forward.
Dennis didn’t spare Joel a word or a glance as he passed by. Joel chuckled. Perhaps he’d tell his friend later that the true thanks went to Joel for orchestrating the opportunity for the sergeant and the red-headed nurse to talk. Nurse Thornton fell into step beside Sergeant Dennis, but Evelyn remained where she stood, her hard stare boring holes into a nearby tree.
Irritation rolled off her like a heat wave, encompassing Joel within its fury. She had every right to be angry with him. He only hoped she’d stick around long enough to hear what he had to say. With the aid of his cane, he shuffled toward her.