“I love you.” Mary snuggled in closer.

“I love you too. How about if we start right now?”

They sat down with the Raymond Chandler book, and Nora read the first paragraph out loud. Then she handed the book to Mary and asked her to do the same. She watched her struggle with word recognition.

“Let’s break it down into the sound each letter makes and see if that helps.”

It took a while and more than a few stops and starts, but they fell into a rhythm, and, after some trial and error, they discovered a system of explanation and practice that worked for them.

“You know, I might even learn to enjoy reading.”

Nora loved seeing the light dawn in Mary’s eyes when a concept or word clicked for her. “You know, I might even enjoy reading with you.” She winked and pulled Mary to her. “I need you to know, there isn’t anything you can’t tell me. You never need to be embarrassed or afraid where I’m concerned. I love you, Mary. Nothing changes that.”

“Can we always stay this way?”

“You mean together as a couple?”

“Yes.”

“I’d like that very much.”

“Me too.”

“Right now, I’d like to take you to bed and get some sleep.”

“Count me in.”

They got ready for bed, crawled under the covers, and Nora turned out the light.

“Thank you,” Mary mumbled as she began to doze.

“For what?”

“For loving me, believing in me, and putting up with my flaws.”

“We all have flaws. That’s what makes us human. Goodnight, sweet Mary.”

“Goodnight, sweet Nora.”

March – April, 1945

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Mary pretended not to notice Nora passing by her D unit with several men she didn’t recognize. She’d seemed in an unusual hurry this morning when she left for work, and more scattered than Mary ever could remember her being. Is this why you’ve been so distracted, sweetheart?

After a year of living together, she could easily read her. Something was afoot. She would never ask who these men were, nor what they were doing here. Mary long ago had learned to respect Nora’s position and the need for them to keep their work and personal lives separate. They managed to work around the unusual nature of their jobs and the secrets between them this place required.

Still, Mary couldn’t help but be observant. Nora was spending significantly more time at the plant, at all hours of the day and night. It was hard for her to watch, as day by day Nora became more and more focused on work and spent less and less time at home.