THE CHRISTMAS PARTY WAS IN FULL SWING WHEN THE six nurses, Wade, and Dr. Johnny arrived at Laurel House, the Sunday before Christmas. The gymnasium had been transformed with fir boughs, and red and green decorations. In the center of the floor a Christmas tree towered almost to the ceiling, laden with dolls and toys from the workshops, with more dolls and toys spread under its sweeping branches. At one end of the crowded gym was the longest table Cherry had even seen, crammed with delicious foods and presided over by beaming, neighborhood hosts and hostesses. At the far end of the room, an orchestra of young people played at intervals. Evelyn Stanley, in her emerald-green dress and a glittering star in her hair, seemed to be everywhere at once.
She ran over to welcome the nurses and their visitors.
“We’ve been waiting for you! Miss Ames, the international food table is a wild success! And you’ll never guess who’s here! Mary Gregory.”
“You’re joking.”
“I’m not joking. Look over there, in that crowd of children.”
Cherry and Wade, the entire interested Spencer Club, turned. Across the room sat Mary Gregory, with young Louise Carewe at her side. Playing with the other children was Jimmy Terrell, now as good as new. Emily Culver, followed by Mr. Long’s approving glance, was showing the Sergeyevskys the paintings that filled one big wall.
It seemed to Cherry that her entire district had come to the party—and many more, besides. Cherry spoke to the people she knew, sampled the goodies, with Wade attended a boxing contest between “under-weights,” helped run a game of musical chairs.
Then Cherry and Wade and the nurses adjourned with the others to the auditorium. There were so many guests that Mr. Twiddy’s play had to be performed twice this afternoon, for two audiences. It was hilariously funny and the amateur players acted it with dash—except when a prop, a pretended wall safe, refused to open and deadpan Mr. Twiddy accidentally popped out from the wings clutching a hammer.
“It was a fine party,” everybody agreed. “Let’s have more parties at Laurel House. Especially with those delicious foods!” Cherry saw neighborhood people scribbling recipes and writing down one another’s addresses, new acquaintances arranging to meet again. She felt warmly satisfied.
After that, it seemed to Cherry, Village characters, Wade, Christmas shopping, the Jenkinses, her packed suitcase, kaleidoscoped and whirled about her. She never quite understood how she managed to get safely to Grand Central Station. But here she was on the platform, heading midwest for her Christmas holiday, and Wade with his suitcase heading southwest. Their trains waited on either side of the long platform.
“Good-bye, honey,” Wade said, surrounded by the Spencer Club. “Have a good birthday and Christmas. We’ll get together soon again.”
“Good luck, Wade!” Cherry glowed. “Thanks for the most wonderful time! So long, Gwen, Vivi. Mai Lee, make Vivian eat enough. Josie, Bertha, so long. Merry Christmas. Have fun!”
Wade put her aboard, finding her seat for her. She stood at the train window, looking out at the girls, and then at Wade waving and making faces from his window. The girls were motioning, trying to tell her something through the window, laughing helplessly. Then, simultaneously, the trains were moving.
Wade and Cherry waved to each other from their windows. The trains were slowly sliding along. The girls ran alongside, waving, slipping away one by one as the train picked up speed. Cherry waved frantically. Then Wade’s train branched away, and he, too, was gone.
Cherry sat down in her Pullman seat and had to blow her nose, to her own surprise.
“I don’t like saying good-bye, even for a little while.” She tossed back her black curls. “But it’ll be wonderful to see Mother and Dad and Charlie and home and everyone. And anyhow, I have lots and lots more nursing ahead of me!”