Hello, sweetheart, I was sure sorry you couldn’t come down, it said, his handwriting a narrow scrawl. I hope you don’t mind me saying so, but ever since you got on that train, I’ve been missing you. If it’s all right with you, and your family, I would like to come see you next weekend. I could come Sat. A.M. (the 27th) and leave Sun. P.M. We’re going up to Michigan on maneuvers in March, so if I don’t come now it will be some time before I am able to. Or if you don’t want me to come, just say so, and I won’t. But I would sure like to look in those pretty blue eyes again. Maybe we could even go dancing again, if you don’t mind me stepping all over your toes! Ha ha. Just let me know. Yours, Nick.

“He wants to come visit!” Elissa whispered, wide-eyed, to Muriel.

The battle that evening had all the earmarks of a family legend in the making.

Finally, all rational arguments failing, Elissa burst into tears and sobbed for what must have been an hour. And her parents, seeing there was no other way to stop her tears, relented—if grudgingly.

“Well,” Jack grumbled finally, leaning back in his chair, picking up the newspaper. He always had to at least act as though he had gotten the last word, so he added, “As long as he’s in the Second, I suppose it’s all right.” Jack and his brother Chase had been Marines with the 2nd Division in the Great War when it was first formed for service in France, composed of one brigade each of Marines, U.S. Infantry, and artillery. “See what he’s made of, anyhow. See what his intentions are,” he muttered, rustling the newspaper open. “Although I don’t like it one bit, you know,” he said, more loudly, peering around the paper to flash his eyes at his wife. “The way she went behind our back. And him being in the Army—I know what those guys are like.”

“I know, Jack, and I don’t like it, either,” Mary said, “but you’ll be here to keep an eye on him.” Elissa’s mother was next to Elissa on the sofa, rubbing her back while she hiccuped. “Besides, it looks like it’s too late for us to stop it. And she’ll hate us if we try. Chances are, it will burn out on its own.”

Elissa hiccuped again. “Just wait until you meet him! You’ll see.”

There was no response from behind the newspaper; a warning glance from her mother.