Alex unpacked while they chatted, and then Lizzie went to shower and put on her uniform to go back on duty. By the time she left the room, she felt like she had a new friend. She liked the new arrival. Alex waved when she left, and Lizzie hurried down the stairs, and then walked the short distance to the hospital, thinking that she’d have to write to Audrey to tell her about her new roommate. Lizzie missed Audrey more than ever, but at least Alex seemed friendly and pleasant, and she had the feeling they’d get along. They had nursing in common and apparently parents who weren’t happy when they enlisted in the army. It was a start.

The sun was shining and she had her workday ahead of her. It was never boring here, and so far she had met a lot of women she enjoyed working with and would never have met otherwise. It confirmed her belief that she had made the right decision enlisting in the army. As Alex watched her from the window, she was thinking the same thing. Becoming an army nurse had been the right answer for her too. Lizzie Hatton looked like she’d make a good friend. They were young, they were in a safe place. It was a plum assignment, compared to other bases. And despite the war, there were good people around them. The doctors were excellent, the nurses were happy to be there, and they were making a difference to the men they took care of, while serving their country. What more could they want? It was more than enough for Lizzie and Alex. And if they couldn’t heal all the broken bodies and minds, they were doing all they could. Lizzie realized that maybe for the first time in her life, she felt fully alive. And for once, just being a nurse seemed like enough. This was her life now, and everything she wanted.

Chapter 6

While Lizzie and Alex explored the delights of San Francisco when they had days off together, Audrey was steadfastly caring for her mother. She loved hearing about their exploits in San Francisco, exotic dinners in Chinatown, walking on the beaches in Marin, although there were gun emplacements there now, and men assigned to watch for planes, after Pearl Harbor. An attack on the West Coast was always a possibility, but hadn’t happened so far. The two young women had borrowed a car and driven as far south as Big Sur, and they reveled in its spectacular natural beauty. They drove north to Lake Tahoe in the mountains, where people skied in winter, and they had dinner in the restaurants of the Italian district in North Beach, in the city.