gave her a small smile then returned her attention back to the screen.
Helen took the handkerchief with a look of embarrassment; she daubed her eyes and gripped the material in her hand. As the film ended, the lights came on and the six women blinked at the brightness. Lily sat forward in her seat looking down the row at the line of red-eyed women, her eyes widened slightly in surprise.
“All of you? Really? You all cried?”
They stood up and shuffled out behind the other patrons. Marjorie was still dabbing at her eyes as she walked.
“You didn't find it sad?” she asked Lily's back incredulously.
Lily shrugged without turning round.
“You don't think it was romantic that they were in love but couldn't be together?” Lucy asked. Her brow furrowed as she projected her own sadness at being apart from her husband onto the images they had just watched.
Lucy's comment hit a nerve somewhere in Lily and her mind suddenly raced towards Helen who was inches in front of her as they waited for the crowd to ease their way through the exit doors.
“You can't always get what you want,” Lily said quietly, her eyes still trained on the blonde curls in front of her.
***
They checked their leather A2 jackets, hats, and purses in and straightened their uniform blouses out. Grinning they entered the Abilene USO, the swing music from the live band filled the large room, the dance floor was filled with a mix of uniformed men from the nearby Camp Berkeley and girls in short summer dresses. The WASP women looked at each other slightly unsure of themselves in their uniform white shirts and beige skirts.
A young GI approached Adrienne, “Do you wanna dance?” She turned and raised her eyebrows at her friends.
“I would love to,” she smiled, taking his hand and allowing herself to be led towards the dance floor, where they immediately started to dance energetically.
The others headed to grab a table, losing Adele and Lucy to the dance floor on the way. Helen opened her mouth to speak when a young GI came up behind her and whispered in her ear, she laughed and turned following him onto the dance floor.
“Looks like it's just me and you,” Marjorie sighed, as Lily watched Helen dance with the young dark haired man, her brown eyes darkening as she watched him grip Helen by her waist and throw her into the air.
“Looks like it,” Lily replied, tearing her gaze from Helen and her dance partner and slipping onto one of the seats.
“You girls from Avenger Field?” the waitress asked coming to take their drinks order.
Lily smiled proudly, “Yes we are.”
“I think it's just wonderful what y'all are doin’,” the waitress smiled. “What can I get’cha?”
Marjorie and Lily ordered on behalf of the rest of their friends and settled in to enjoy the music; laughing as Adele's dance partner tossed her high in the air bringing her legs down to his side. Grabbing them under his arm and holding them tight to his body, he released her upper body using her momentum to spin her round his back and flip her back into his arms. They clapped wildly at the dance move as their drinks were placed in front of them.
Moments later, an out of breath Adrienne collapsed into one of the chairs. “Did you see Adele being tossed like a doll? One of the benefits of being tall is that they don't do that to you,” she grinned, taking a long drink from a glass.
The occupants of the table changed during the next hour as each woman was asked to dance; there was particular excitement when Marjorie brought back a GI who had whiskey in his possession, which was subtly added to their glasses. During all the coming, and goings, Helen still had not returned to the table, she was still dancing with the GI that had grabbed her on her arrival.
“He's cute,” Adele remarked, puffing slightly from her last exertion on the dance floor.
“Hmm?” Lily responded absently her eyes still following Helen's every move.
“Helen's pick up, he's cute,”
Helen took the handkerchief with a look of embarrassment; she daubed her eyes and gripped the material in her hand. As the film ended, the lights came on and the six women blinked at the brightness. Lily sat forward in her seat looking down the row at the line of red-eyed women, her eyes widened slightly in surprise.
“All of you? Really? You all cried?”
They stood up and shuffled out behind the other patrons. Marjorie was still dabbing at her eyes as she walked.
“You didn't find it sad?” she asked Lily's back incredulously.
Lily shrugged without turning round.
“You don't think it was romantic that they were in love but couldn't be together?” Lucy asked. Her brow furrowed as she projected her own sadness at being apart from her husband onto the images they had just watched.
Lucy's comment hit a nerve somewhere in Lily and her mind suddenly raced towards Helen who was inches in front of her as they waited for the crowd to ease their way through the exit doors.
“You can't always get what you want,” Lily said quietly, her eyes still trained on the blonde curls in front of her.
***
They checked their leather A2 jackets, hats, and purses in and straightened their uniform blouses out. Grinning they entered the Abilene USO, the swing music from the live band filled the large room, the dance floor was filled with a mix of uniformed men from the nearby Camp Berkeley and girls in short summer dresses. The WASP women looked at each other slightly unsure of themselves in their uniform white shirts and beige skirts.
A young GI approached Adrienne, “Do you wanna dance?” She turned and raised her eyebrows at her friends.
“I would love to,” she smiled, taking his hand and allowing herself to be led towards the dance floor, where they immediately started to dance energetically.
The others headed to grab a table, losing Adele and Lucy to the dance floor on the way. Helen opened her mouth to speak when a young GI came up behind her and whispered in her ear, she laughed and turned following him onto the dance floor.
“Looks like it's just me and you,” Marjorie sighed, as Lily watched Helen dance with the young dark haired man, her brown eyes darkening as she watched him grip Helen by her waist and throw her into the air.
“Looks like it,” Lily replied, tearing her gaze from Helen and her dance partner and slipping onto one of the seats.
“You girls from Avenger Field?” the waitress asked coming to take their drinks order.
Lily smiled proudly, “Yes we are.”
“I think it's just wonderful what y'all are doin’,” the waitress smiled. “What can I get’cha?”
Marjorie and Lily ordered on behalf of the rest of their friends and settled in to enjoy the music; laughing as Adele's dance partner tossed her high in the air bringing her legs down to his side. Grabbing them under his arm and holding them tight to his body, he released her upper body using her momentum to spin her round his back and flip her back into his arms. They clapped wildly at the dance move as their drinks were placed in front of them.
Moments later, an out of breath Adrienne collapsed into one of the chairs. “Did you see Adele being tossed like a doll? One of the benefits of being tall is that they don't do that to you,” she grinned, taking a long drink from a glass.
The occupants of the table changed during the next hour as each woman was asked to dance; there was particular excitement when Marjorie brought back a GI who had whiskey in his possession, which was subtly added to their glasses. During all the coming, and goings, Helen still had not returned to the table, she was still dancing with the GI that had grabbed her on her arrival.
“He's cute,” Adele remarked, puffing slightly from her last exertion on the dance floor.
“Hmm?” Lily responded absently her eyes still following Helen's every move.
“Helen's pick up, he's cute,”
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