blouse too tight and her makeup too thick and inappropriate for the workplace. “Let’s go over everything again. You’ll catch on.”
When Claudia finally managed to close out her register, Celeste walked upstairs with her to turn in the money to Mr. Thomas. “You’re not from around here, are you?”
“Oh, no. I’m from Brownwood. My boyfriend is out at the airfield.”
“Is he part of the bombardier class? They’re going to graduate and leave soon.”
“I know, but I just had to come be with him.”
Celeste had a feeling she didn’t want to know what with him meant.
“We’ve been together since we were in high school.”
“And you’re not married yet?” slipped out before Celeste could bite her tongue.
“I thought we would be, but, well, he wants to wait.”
Wait for what? To get older? For the war to be over?
“But we’ll get married before he goes overseas, I’m sure.”
“That’s nice.” Does Kent want us to get married before he leaves? Does he want to be sure I’m waiting for him, or does he just want to… Celeste fought the feelings that threatened to take over her body. What’s wrong with me? I didn’t used to think about things like this.
“Kenny’s wonderful. I’d wait for him forever.”
****
Relief washed over Celeste when Kent showed up at the Canteen just after it opened that night. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come,” she said, when he’d maneuvered her to a table in the back and sat down across from her.
“To be honest, I wasn’t sure you’d want me to.”
“It was my fault as much as yours.”
He shrugged. “How was your week?”
“Busy. I worked the floor this afternoon, trying to break in Paula’s second replacement. But she’ll leave, too. Her boyfriend’s out at the field with you, and she only came to San Angelo to be close to him.”
“What’s his name?”
“Claudia just called him Kenny.”
“Claudia? Her name is Claudia?”
“From Brownwood, like you. Do you know her?”
“Bleached blonde?” His brows came together in a scowl.
Celeste nodded.
“Yeah. Yeah, I know her.” He rose so hastily that he almost overturned the chair. “Come on, let’s dance.”
****
When the evening ended, Mrs. Lowe caught Celeste at the door and pulled her aside. “I know you meet your young man at the corner every Saturday night,” she said.
“He walks me home when he can get another ride to the field besides the bus he comes in on.”
“It’s not really… It’s bending the rules a little.”
“I don’t leave with him.”
“I know you don’t. I’m not criticizing you, Celeste. He seems like a nice boy, and the fact that he comes to church with you every Sunday speaks well for him.” She hesitated. “It’s just that a few of the other ladies have noticed.”
“I can tell him not to wait for me anymore.”
“You’d do that?”
“I wouldn’t like it, but he’ll be leaving in a few weeks anyway, and I want to keep helping out at the Canteen.”
“He seems like a nice young man.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The older woman patted Celeste’s cheek. “I’ll explain things to Ina and Pauline. They’ll understand. We just don’t want anything to upset all the hard work we’ve all put in to get this up and running.”
“No, ma’am, I don’t want that either.”
Mrs. Lowe nodded. “Run on then.”
****
Kent kept his arm around Celeste’s shoulders as they walked through the light mist. “I guess I ought to tell you about Claudia.”
Celeste stiffened. “Are you Kenny? Her boyfriend? Is she here because of you?”
“She won’t leave me alone.” He pulled her closer. “We need to find somewhere to talk.”
“I didn’t bring the key to the store, and I wouldn’t use it if I had it.” Anger—or was it fear—made her not want to hear what he had to say.
“I didn’t mean that,” he snapped.
She bit her lip as the rebuke drilled into her. “We could go sit in the lobby at the Cactus Hotel, I
When Claudia finally managed to close out her register, Celeste walked upstairs with her to turn in the money to Mr. Thomas. “You’re not from around here, are you?”
“Oh, no. I’m from Brownwood. My boyfriend is out at the airfield.”
“Is he part of the bombardier class? They’re going to graduate and leave soon.”
“I know, but I just had to come be with him.”
Celeste had a feeling she didn’t want to know what with him meant.
“We’ve been together since we were in high school.”
“And you’re not married yet?” slipped out before Celeste could bite her tongue.
“I thought we would be, but, well, he wants to wait.”
Wait for what? To get older? For the war to be over?
“But we’ll get married before he goes overseas, I’m sure.”
“That’s nice.” Does Kent want us to get married before he leaves? Does he want to be sure I’m waiting for him, or does he just want to… Celeste fought the feelings that threatened to take over her body. What’s wrong with me? I didn’t used to think about things like this.
“Kenny’s wonderful. I’d wait for him forever.”
****
Relief washed over Celeste when Kent showed up at the Canteen just after it opened that night. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come,” she said, when he’d maneuvered her to a table in the back and sat down across from her.
“To be honest, I wasn’t sure you’d want me to.”
“It was my fault as much as yours.”
He shrugged. “How was your week?”
“Busy. I worked the floor this afternoon, trying to break in Paula’s second replacement. But she’ll leave, too. Her boyfriend’s out at the field with you, and she only came to San Angelo to be close to him.”
“What’s his name?”
“Claudia just called him Kenny.”
“Claudia? Her name is Claudia?”
“From Brownwood, like you. Do you know her?”
“Bleached blonde?” His brows came together in a scowl.
Celeste nodded.
“Yeah. Yeah, I know her.” He rose so hastily that he almost overturned the chair. “Come on, let’s dance.”
****
When the evening ended, Mrs. Lowe caught Celeste at the door and pulled her aside. “I know you meet your young man at the corner every Saturday night,” she said.
“He walks me home when he can get another ride to the field besides the bus he comes in on.”
“It’s not really… It’s bending the rules a little.”
“I don’t leave with him.”
“I know you don’t. I’m not criticizing you, Celeste. He seems like a nice boy, and the fact that he comes to church with you every Sunday speaks well for him.” She hesitated. “It’s just that a few of the other ladies have noticed.”
“I can tell him not to wait for me anymore.”
“You’d do that?”
“I wouldn’t like it, but he’ll be leaving in a few weeks anyway, and I want to keep helping out at the Canteen.”
“He seems like a nice young man.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The older woman patted Celeste’s cheek. “I’ll explain things to Ina and Pauline. They’ll understand. We just don’t want anything to upset all the hard work we’ve all put in to get this up and running.”
“No, ma’am, I don’t want that either.”
Mrs. Lowe nodded. “Run on then.”
****
Kent kept his arm around Celeste’s shoulders as they walked through the light mist. “I guess I ought to tell you about Claudia.”
Celeste stiffened. “Are you Kenny? Her boyfriend? Is she here because of you?”
“She won’t leave me alone.” He pulled her closer. “We need to find somewhere to talk.”
“I didn’t bring the key to the store, and I wouldn’t use it if I had it.” Anger—or was it fear—made her not want to hear what he had to say.
“I didn’t mean that,” he snapped.
She bit her lip as the rebuke drilled into her. “We could go sit in the lobby at the Cactus Hotel, I
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