Battle Cry - Leon Uris [88]
He propped himself against the wall and she rested in his arms. He studied the rickety, dusty, crumbling one-room shack. “Not much of a wedding. No church, no flowers, no presents. I’ve cheated you already.”
She took his hand, kissed it, and placed it on her breast. “I’ve got you. And I’ve had a honeymoon that no girl ever had.”
“Kathy?”
“What?”
“Did I hurt you?”
“Not much. I…I talked to Doctor Abrams. He told me about a lot of things. I’m shameless, I suppose.”
“You rat. You never gave me a fighting chance.”
“I knew what I wanted. Oh, Danny, I’m so happy. You were so understanding.”
“Royal suite, Waldorf, for Mr. and Mrs. Forrester.”
“And breakfast in bed.”
“Of course, breakfast in bed.”
“Danny.”
“What?”
“I’m hungry.”
They dressed, unwillingly, and walked slowly to the car. She cuddled in his free arm, closed her eyes, and they took off up the road.
“I’m going to make you happy,” she said.
“Be quiet, woman.”
“Am I any good, Danny?”
“What kind of talk is that from you?”
“Am I any good? I want to be, for you.”
“Will you shut up?”
“Tell me, I want to know.”
“Well, I suppose you’d bring three bucks in a joint.”
“Danny!”
“I shouldn’t have said that. Anybody can see you’re a five-buck piece.”
“Danny?”
“What do you want now?”
“Am I really beautiful? Look at my hair. It’s all wet and stringy. I want to look nice for you all the time.”
“Go to sleep, will you?”
“Danny?”
“What?”
“Am I as good as that girl in San Diego?”
He almost veered the car into a light pole. Kathy smiled like a little kitten. “I knew all the time. I knew when you didn’t write. I don’t care…I’ve got you now.”
“There’ll never be another girl, Kathy…never anyone but you.”
At a drive-in on the outskirts of the city they ate a sizzling plate of bacon and eggs, and had coffee. As they reached the city limits, the magic spell of the night turned into a cold reality of what lay before them.
“Kathy.”
“Yes, darling?”
“We’re in for a rough time.”
“I know.”
“Are you frightened?”
“A little.”
“Stick by me.”
“They can’t stop us, Danny, they can’t.”
He stopped before her home and slowly emerged from the car. Taking her hand and squeezing it tightly, he winked at her as they trudged up the steps. She smiled and winked back and opened the door.
The four parents were there. Sybil Walker sat sobbing, as did Martha Forrester. The two men were upright and haggard from the all-night vigil. As they entered the room, there was an instant of electric silence.
“Kathy, darling…are you all right?”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Oh, thank God!” Martha cried. “We were afraid you’d been in an accident.”
Another period of silence as they studied their children.
“Where the hell have you been?” Marvin Walker finally roared.
“My goodness, look at you, Kathy.”
“We can explain,” Danny said softly.
“You’re damned right you’re going to explain!” The young lovers backed up a step, still holding hands tightly. “We almost lost our minds.”
“What have you done, Kathleen?” her mother said, now assured her daughter was alive and safe.
“If we’ll all lower our voices,” Henry Forrester offered, “I think we can get to the bottom of this much better, Marvin.”
“Lower my voice, hell! It’s my daughter, Henry—don’t forget that. It’s my daughter!”
“Kathleen, did…did you?”
There was no answer. Martha Forrester wailed. “Oh, Danny, shame, shame, shame. How could you?” she wept.
“You son of a bitch!” Her red-faced father in anger shook his fist beneath Danny’s nose.
“What have you done, son?”
“Wait a minute. Wait a minute all of you,” Kathy said. “Mother, don’t you understand. I love him…Dad, please.”
“Go to your room, Kathleen!”
“No!”
“Young lady, you’re going to be punished so you’ll never forget it. As for you—I’ll see that the military authorities take care of you!”
“How could you do this to us, Kathleen?”
“Hang on, dammit!” Danny ended his silence. “We love each other. We want to get married.”
“Married! You bastard, you! And you…this is what I raised you for—to spend the night in the bushes!”
“Danny, they don’t understand—they don’t want to listen.”