We've been through the war together

Chapter 10

It seems like the last few weeks have flown by, James and I planned our wedding to be on Christmas eve everything was prepared and It was the eve of Christmas eve we had had the funeral for mama and everyone was starting to recover I woke up in the arms of James when suddenly I heard a knock on the door I was already dressed because we fell asleep in our clothes I opened up the door and music filled the room I looked out, no one was there, but when I looked down all the children that I assisted in the polio ward were standing in their braces, with crutches, or in wheelchairs singing we wish you a merry christmas when they saw who answered the door they all hobbled up as fast as they could and hugged me I suddenly remembered something I had read on my calendar “hey everyone guess what?” I said they all looked up at me with their large eyes “I am going to be working at the ward with you very, very soon” when we came back from holidays I would be transferred to the polio ward again because the midwives had hired another nurse. All the children beamed up at me, there was some new children among the crowd but some of the old crowd had cleared out, once little Edwin was among the crowd along with a few others I noticed Edwin was holding an upside down top hat with the words “March of dimes” sewn onto it the march of dimes was a charity to help polio patients, purchase new iron lungs, and create a cure or a vaccine for the horrible disease “James” I called upstairs “What?” he responded “come see who is at the door” he marched down the stairs and saw some of the children he had helped in the ward “Sally!” James said hugging a little girl with braces on her legs and arms “James!” she squealed then noticed the ring on my finger “James and Elizabeth getting married” she said in an adorable voice everyone looked to see if it was true then we gave them some money in their march of dimes then they continued to the next house, then the next “Awe I love that bunch” I said as James and I sat down on our couch a little Christmas tree was sitting across from it decorated with popcorn and beads with a little star at the top and a towel around it’s base it was pretty. Suddenly James kissed me and I started to kiss back “I never knew the joys of this before I fell in love” I smiled and continued to kiss him. 

I could always sleep easy not thinking about what was to come it was the same this night, all my dreams were filled with was James and the children I was going to work with the new year was going to be great, I never though we would live to see 1946 but all was good. In the morning James had disappeared and the dress sat on the end of my bed Nancy and Mary flew in and dragged me out of bed, I am still not sure if they tried to kick the door down or not ether way they shoved me into the wedding dress faster than I could imagine possible then did my hair and makeup I do have to say it was an advantage having a hair stylist and a makeup artist as friends I was beginning to get nervous just because of the speed that they were working at after 2 hours of them styling my hair (or taming it) they dragged me down stairs, just when I started to figure out where and what was happening papa stole me and dragged me down the isle then the priest started blabbing random things I was to exited to know what then when he finished James had kissed me so all was going fine, and I was starting to realize where I was so all was going well (at least I hope so) then James and I cut a white cake inside and all was well all of the kids who were in the polio ward ran up to me, I guess they were invited and hugged me one after another then we all danced to the most popular songs of the 1940s and had the time of our lives Ruth, Edwin, Mary, John, Nancy and Tom were all there and dancing even the kids from the ward were dancing, or trying to… a few were falling and the kids in the wheelchairs had developed a way of racing about then rolling in circles they were better at driving the chairs than most people driving cars James and I looked at them and laughed the whole night was great but the one thing no one could forget was the absence of mama rambling at everyone, it would have only made the night better but we were all sure she was watching over us when for some reason Nancy ended up with a frosting covered spoon in the face this would be the best year of my life, I was sure of it no war, working with the kids in the polio ward, and a loving husband at my side. 

When the wedding was over and everyone had left James picked me up and carried me up to our room and we closed it without a second thought and sooner than later we started kissing. 

The next morning I ran down the stairs and sneakily placed a gift I had stealthily hidden in the fridge under the tree then took the gifts that had come by mail under the tree with mine then hid when James walked down the stairs and put his under suddenly I jumped out and yelled Merry Christmas and hugged him we both fell down and started to laugh then he handed his gift to me I never expected what jumped out at me, a small grey kitten was now resting on the top of my head and in the box with it was a bowl of milk “awe” I said picking it off the top of my head and cradling it in my arms it meowed and pawed at some of my hair that was dangling over it’s tiny pink nose I flew over to James and kissed him “thank you so much” I squealed as the little grey cat rubbed against my leg “so what are we going to name her?” James said scratching between it’s ears causing it to purr softly “how about Annie” I said in response the cat purred then let out a little squeak “if you like it, I love it” James said petting Annie then I handed him his gift he opened it up and pulled out a record player and some of his favourite records he gasped at the beautiful record player and couldn't take it all in that I had found all his favourite records, he flew over to my side and started kissing me just as the kiss started to deepen I pulled him off me “James we have more gifts to open lets save best for last” I laughed causing him to laugh as well we got several different supplies for our house and we both got a pair of roller-skates from Nancy and Tom. Finally when all the gift wrap was thrown out and all the thank you cards were sent James and I met each other in the middle of the hallway and started kissing, things begun to escalate and sooner than later both of us were without a shirt we both fell into bed and continued kissing, it was quite a Christmas to remember that year. 

The day after new years I went back to work I missed the feeling of working in the polio ward because the first thing that happened when I walked in was Mr. Anderson greeted and congratulated me then sent me off Ruth had since been moved elsewhere in the hospital so I would be working all day I walked in and was greeted by all the children who were carolling the other day “How much did you guys earn?” I asked bending down to hug each and every one of them “It was about $39.57” one of the newer kids said, she wore large horn rim glasses and braces “Oh thats almost enough for the hospital to buy two more iron lungs” Edwin said “We only needed one more dollar” Henry, one of the new people there said then I bent over the hat and popped one more dollar into the hat “There you go” I laughed then helped each and every one back into bed placing the hot towels around their legs then I washed them off and let them talk about their day, I had missed out on so much in my 5 years of midwifery instead of helping the children even if I made 3 times more I earned 15 times more in heart and soul here I loved all these children and learned all of the new ones’ names Edwin, Paul, Margret, Carol, Gary, and Joan were the only ones I knew already but there was a bunch of new ones suddenly Joan ran up to me “Mrs. Um… what do I call you now?” she started “Mrs. Smith” I laughed “I am getting discharged today look at how well I can walk” she said spinning in a circle “I’ll let you see Mr. Anderson to find out if you really can” I laughed taking her hand and letting her knock on Mr. Anderson’s door who when opened it handed her a cookie and let her sit down in one of the big comfy chairs he had replaced the old uncomfortable ones with. I walked back to the ward and took care of some of the others until the day was over then I ran home to see that James was only home a few minutes before me and he greeted me with a kiss and a hug.