“But sometime soon,” she said, matter-of-factly, “you won’t be needing me no more.” John and Wilma found out that they would not be able to bring Chase’s body home, at least not for some time. The area where he had been buried was too close to the fighting, still.

But they started to bring flowers once a week to his Pine Rapids grave, where they’d put a simple marker. John would stand awkwardly towering over Wilma, who crouched to pull stray weeds, to replace last week’s flowers with fresh ones. Harry and Jinny would stand off to the side a little, Harry kicking at the ground, Jinny complaining, “This is dumb! I don’t see why we’re here! He ain’t here!”

“John,” Wilma said one day, gazing up at him over her shoulder with such fathoms of emptiness in her eyes that his heart stopped a moment, and then out flooded his whole love for her, his desire to protect her, care for her, love her with all his heart as he always had, truly. “Do you suppose that he’s really dead? All this time I can’t help but think we’re—just going through motions. Do you suppose he’s really dead?”

John found he couldn’t speak. A moment passed. She turned from him, and went back to pulling the weeds.

Chapter 63

THE MICKELSON HOUSE
502 W. First Street, Pine Rapids
Thursday, November 22, 1945

Jack was relieved when Harry came into their father’s office and pulled him out of what was turning into a nightmarish stalemate. With a panicked look, Harry explained that Elissa had broken off her engagement with Ty and gone chasing after Nick.

Jack nodded. “I guess I’m not surprised,” he said, though he felt sorry for Ty. Getting dumped the minute you got back was almost worse than getting a “Dear John” letter while you were gone.

“But we’ve got to stop her!” Harry said.

“What’s the matter with you, Harry?”

“Let’s talk in the car,” Harry said. “Come on, hurry. Get your coat.”

“I’d like to tell Mary if I’m leaving,” Jack said.

“We don’t have time,” Harry said. “Come on.”

Puzzled, Jack followed along. He couldn’t remember ever seeing his brother look so grim, but he couldn’t imagine what Harry’s concern could be. They went out the back door, Harry calling out to Wilma and Anne that they would be back soon.

“Now, what is it, Harry?” Jack said, once he was behind the wheel and had the car in gear. “What’s all this fuss you’re raising? You hardly met Nick.” He turned on the wipers to combat the rain. “Where to, by the way?”