“I don’t mean to imply anything bad about Bobby, I don’t,” Anne said. “But Harry’s so thoughtful. And even though he’s such a success, he’s not pompous like some men. And you should have heard how cute he was! He said, ‘Unless you can sneak something into my coat pocket, I’m running out of excuses to see you again’!”

“He did know about the glove, then!” Linda said.

“I don’t know,” Anne said, smiling. “Maybe he suspected a little.”

“Anne,” Linda said. “I think this is wonderful. Bobby would have wanted you to be happy.”

“I suppose,” Anne sighed. “Though there’s a part of me that can’t help but feel unfaithful.”

“Don’t be silly, Anne,” Janice said. “He’s been gone six months. I’ve read about girls out in California who didn’t even wait two months after getting the telegram to marry someone else.”

“Anne,” Linda said, “you were grade-A faithful to Bobby the entire time he was away, and now for six months after—Well, he’d want you to be happy.”

“I just don’t want to rush into anything,” Anne said. “I don’t know why I dropped my glove. It was like I just couldn’t bear not to see him again. It’s the strangest thing.”

“Oh, no!” Linda assured her, and Janice added, “I think it’s terribly romantic.”

Anne smiled.

“Now, come on,” Linda said, patting her hand. “We have to get your outfit ready.”

Before long, Linda’s bed was piled high with dresses from all the girls’ closets, and Janice was rushing in and out of the room, pulling selections from Anne’s closet and her own for Anne to try on. They finally chose a navy-blue dress of Anne’s that had a sleek, fitted long-sleeved V-necked top and a knee-length gored skirt. “Perfect!” Linda declared. “Glamorous but—practical, too!”

Once the dress had been selected, there were the matters of jewelry, shoes, a hat. It had been so long since Anne’s last date—even an old-hat date with Bobby, much less a first date—that the flurried debate of choices, combinations, and potential consequences nearly overwhelmed her. But when they had selected the final ensemble, Janice and Linda agreed: She would be stunning. Gazing at her reflection in Linda’s mirror, Anne thought they might be right, and hoped so.

At five after seven, Anne was in her room in front of her mirror, adding a dab of perfume behind her ear, when she heard the knock at the door.

“He’s here!” Linda shrieked. She ran past Anne’s room and down the stairs—she had insisted on answering the door so Anne could make an entrance—while Janice poked her head in. “Are you all set?”

“I think so,” Anne said. Janice grinned, gestured V for Victory, and scooted back to Linda’s room so she would remain out of sight.