“You know our motto—the Red Cross is at your side. In this case, it was pure joy.” Mrs. Bellamy sipped a cup of coffee. “President Roosevelt was most obliging, putting an end to coffee rationing last week.”

A little blonde girl hid behind Mrs. Bellamy, peeking at Clay with a mischievous smile.

Clay returned it full force. He missed Mama’s big Ramirez clan and all the little cousins. “The cake is delicious.”

“Thank you.” Mrs. Bellamy giggled. “You should have heard the ladies at church grumble when I asked them to give up their sugar rations for yet another wedding here at Camp Forrest. Then I told them Leah was an orphan and didn’t have a mama to bake for her. Well, you should have seen those sugar crocks fly open.”

“Thank them from me. Leah hasn’t had a lot of nice things in life.” He glanced behind him. The Rangers flirted with the boardinghouse girls, especially with Darlene, who worked at the PX nearest the Rangers’ barracks.

Leah sat at a table chatting with Gene and his girlfriend—no, his wife, Betty Jo.

Good to see that Leah was sitting down and had cleaned her plate. She looked pretty in that creamy suit and hat, with her hair pinned up in rolls and curls and things. Real grown up.

“She’s a sweet girl,” Mrs. Bellamy said.

“She sure is.” He felt tiny arms around his knees. The little girl sat on his foot and grinned up at him, a yellow bow around her ringlets.

“Sally Bellamy!” her mother said.

“I don’t mind.” Clay lifted his leg with the giggling child attached. “I need my daily calisthenics.”

Mrs. Bellamy sipped her coffee and smiled at her daughter and then at Clay. “You take good care of Miss Leah, you hear?”

“Yes, ma’am. That’s why I married her.”

“Mm-hmm. It’s time for you to spirit your bride away.”

His bride? Yes, Leah. She was laughing at something Betty Jo said, color in her cheeks again, thank goodness.

Mrs. Bellamy whisked Sally onto her hip. “Private Paxton has to leave now, sugar pie.”

“Bye, Pwivate Paxton.” Sally pressed a hand to her forehead in a salute.

Clay snapped up his best salute for her. “Good day, Miss Bellamy. And Mrs. Bellamy, thank you again for everything you’ve done.”

“My pleasure.”

The Red Cross had even secured dinner and room reservations at the swanky King Hotel in Tullahoma. Clay would sleep on the floor, but he wanted to give folks every reason to believe that he was the father of Leah’s child.

Clay crossed the room and offered Leah his hand. “Ready to leave, Mrs. Paxton?”

She looked pleasantly surprised, and she laid her hand in his. “I am.”

G. M. stood and cupped his hand around his mouth. “All right, everyone. Time to send off the newlyweds.”