Geri Krotow - Navy Christmas

The Jonas she’d met appeared genuinely apologetic for his harsh words to Dr. Franklin. She’d glimpsed compassion in his eyes as he’d checked Pepé in for his examination.

He knew she was a lawyer, but hadn’t pressed the point. His brother Paul had indicated he’d hire her when she was ready to practice law again. Had he told Jonas?

Serena loved the law and had applied for her Washington State license, which would take another month or so to come through. She still wasn’t certain if she’d seek a job with Paul Scott’s firm, though.

She’d taken the job at the physical-therapy clinic as a distraction when she and Pepé had first moved to Whidbey. She hadn’t been ready to commit to full-time work yet, and she had several months of transitioning her legal license from Texas to Washington, which included exams.

She’d come west to get to know the other half of her biological family, a family she’d never even known about until after Phil’s death. She wanted to keep her focus on that, rather than her law career.

Phil’s death had hit her mother hard. Serena had been surprised and then shocked when Juanita showed up at her door after Phil’s burial, with the announcement that she did indeed know who Serena’s biological father was, and that he, too, had died within the past year. It had been a bitter pill at the time, but now that she’d had the chance to know Dottie and find out about her family, her resentment toward her mother had lessened.

Serena couldn’t let any other people die before she had a chance to get to know them. What had started as a short trip west to meet Dottie and find out about her biological father had turned into an entrée to a new life.

Dottie had died before they’d had a chance to go through Dottie’s entire life history, but she’d recounted a lot about her stepsons, especially Jonas, over dinners and picnics. Even better, the bond Dottie and Pepé shared had been immediate. Dottie said that Pepé looked just like his grandfather, Dottie’s brother, Todd.

Serena’s biological father.

“Hey, Mom, can we go swimming on Thanksgiving?” Pepé stood next to her at the computer desk, dressed in his Frozen pajamas.

“I don’t know, honey. It’s too cold if you ask me.”

“But they heat the pool at Beyond the Stars.” His eyes were big as he questioned her logic. She giggled.

“Yes, but it’s wintertime, sweetie. It’ll probably be too chilly, so don’t get your hopes up. Besides, you’ll be too busy eating the gobble-gobble! ” She tickled his tummy and he shrieked with glee, snuggling into her.

At almost seven years old, his snuggle time with her was limited. Yet it was hard to imagine a day when her little boy would reject her hugs.

She gave his head a kiss and patted his back. “Go brush your teeth and I’ll be right in to read with you.”

“Okay, Mom.”

He darted out of the office and she stared at the computer screen.

BTS, or Beyond the Stars, was the special resort for military Gold Star families to find peace and rediscover themselves after the initial shock and grief of losing a loved one to war had passed.

She and Pepé had been to BTS for a week almost two years ago and it had made a world of difference for both of them. She’d only just found Dottie, and Pepé was still struggling with the fact he’d never see his dad again. The staff of counselors and social workers had been so compassionate with Pepé, and Serena had left with her own batteries recharged. It was where she and Pepé had found the courage to live life on life’s terms.

They were going back for Thanksgiving at the invitation of the owner and director, Val Di Paola, and her husband, Lucas. Located on San Juan Island in the middle of Puget Sound, the resort was magical in its setting.

What it had done for her and Pepé was nothing short of a miracle. The staff had become good friends, almost like an extended family, to them.

Thanksgiving at BTS was going to be wonderful.

CHAPTER FOUR

Moffett Field, California August 1941

“HENRY!”

Sarah yelled as loudly as she could, knowing that her voice could never carry over the marching band and cheer of the crowd as the aviation graduates marched in front of them to the center of the field.

“Momma, where’s Daddy?” Dottie’s face was screwed up in a scowl. It was hard for her to tell one man from another when they all had crew cuts and wore the same uniform.

Sarah took her little white-gloved hand.

“Here, honey, I’ll help you point to him. He’s in the first row, third over—the tall one.”

“I see him, Momma!” Dottie giggled, and Sarah’s heart swelled at how cute she looked with her blond curls and the red, white and blue beret she’d knitted for her. Shirley Temple didn’t have anything on almost-six-year-old Dottie Forsyth.

“I’m sure you do, sweetie.” Sarah didn’t think Dottie could actually see her father but she wasn’t going to question her now. They hadn’t seen him since he’d left in January, and the day was going to be special; Sarah knew it in her gut.

Her mind drifted as the man in charge of the ceremony talked about courage and honor and duty, and handed out diplomas to each aviator. Henry had told her she’d be the one to pin his wings on, and she couldn’t wait. She also expected that he was going to announce that she and Dottie could travel with him. Move with him and live on an Army post wherever he got sent. He hadn’t said it but she’d read in the paper at the library that a pilot’s family could move as far as here in California or even Hawaii.

Sarah smiled. Henry thought she’d never be willing to leave Whidbey Island again, not after his brief time in Texas in the army, and then his flight training here in California. But she’d realized during their separation that being anywhere with Henry, together as a family, was more important than being in the house she’d grown up in. The house would wait for them. They wouldn’t be gone forever. Henry had missed flying and surely it couldn’t take very long to get it out of his system. Not considering how often the Army had him up in the air.

“Second Lieutenant Henry Forsyth.”

“That’s your daddy!” she whispered in Dottie’s ear while squeezing her hand.

She watched him walk smartly across the small platform and salute the commanding officer before he reached out to receive his diploma. Pride roared in her ears and she couldn’t keep the widest grin of all time off her face.

“Just look at your daddy, Dottie girl.”

“Go, Daddy!” Dottie whisper-shouted the words, always mindful of her manners. Except when she wasn’t, like the day she’d snuck out of the house and played in the puddles left by a storm last week. It’d taken three tubs of water for Sarah to get the dirt out of Dottie’s mud-soaked skirts.

Henry turned toward the audience and Sarah waved. It felt as though her heart would pound right out of her ribs, and it wasn’t because of her tight dress. As soon as he saw them he waved back, his teeth white in the afternoon sun. The day couldn’t be more beautiful.

It passed in a blur: Sarah and Dottie standing next to Henry, Sarah pinning his wings to his uniform, the lovely reception afterward where she met other wives who’d come to see their husbands get their wings, the walk back to the quarters where they had a small room together as a family. Henry didn’t have to stay in the barracks any longer—he was under orders to go to his next duty station.

Which was why, after they’d ensured that Dottie was sound asleep and they made tender, hello-again love, Sarah was puzzled to hear Henry announce that he was resigning from the Army.

“I don’t understand. How can you? You owe them time.”