Father did it. He did it. He demanded General Tempe transfer Patrick, and the general did it. I didn’t know until Patrick was gone. I went to the general and demanded to know why, and he said he had daughters and he understood my father’s love and concern. General Tempe seemed surprised when I laughed in scorn. I demanded to know where Patrick was. The general said he couldn’t tell me, but I was very young and Patrick was only my first love. There would be many more. I wanted to curse at him, and with great dignity, I declared I would never love another. I asked, rather cruelly, if he had found another to replace his beloved wife. He stirred uncomfortably then, said Patrick will probably survive the war and if it’s meant to be, we’ll be together. I wanted to pound him with my fists, to spit at him for his smug assurances. I didn’t, but my emotions, now released by love, hover close to the surface. As I turned away, he asked me if I spoke Japanese. I said yes, and that was the end of our conversation. I hope to never see the wretched villain again.

Patrick and I made promises to each other, promises we will always keep. But we never even got to say goodbye.

“It’s important to keep your promises, isn’t it?” Rae sat in the window seat, Luna’s head on her knee. She petted her dog and stared intently at Kellen.

Kellen picked her words carefully. “It is, as long as the promise was made freely and you know what you promised won’t harm anyone.”

Rae nodded. “Okay. I agree.” She leaned forward. “What happened to Ruby next?”

Today I got a letter! From Patrick! He writes me that he loves me, and that the transfer caught him completely by surprise and he begs my pardon for his abrupt departure. As if he was at fault! He says he can’t tell me where he is, but rather than fighting, the military has him writing dispatches from the front to be read by the public to reinforce civilian morale. He is allowed no byline, but it doesn’t matter—I hear his voice in his writing! I scoured the newspapers and found a story (in Father’s own paper!) and I knew it was his. He’s in Hawaii about to board a ship to the South Pacific. His descriptions of the port and the military roar and bustle raised hope in my heart that America will quickly win this war. Then he’ll be home and we’ll be together. What an inspiration my darling has become, to me and to others!