We went back to the house for the reception and there was beer, rum, a table laden with roasts, rolls, salads and sausages; another with cake, biscuits, slices and boxes of chocolates from Roy and his friends. There were at least ten other Americans Roy worked with, most of them junior officers, and then all of the neighbours, Fred’s friends, the girls from the typing pool. After the food was cleared away we put on the record player and even Mum and Dad danced, Mum’s cheeks flushed red from her single glass of beer. In the window seat Fred was getting close with a girl I worked with, and Roy was laughing about something with Bob and we had one night until he left—a single night—and I’d had too much to drink and there was nothing I wanted more than to be out of there, for it to just be the two of us together on our own. That—after all—was why we’d gone through all this. I slid under his arm and he looked at me with a grin: ‘What a party! What do you say, wife?’

Would I get used to him saying that? It sounded so queer. I stood on my toes to whisper in his ear. ‘It’s getting late. I might go change out of this dress. Will we leave soon?’

‘Swell idea, sweetheart. These guys might catch a ride into town with us, if that’s okay? Still early for them.’

I nodded, for I didn’t want to look mean. I went into the front bedroom and shut the door, struggling to undo the wedding dress on my own. Ten minutes later I re-emerged in the two-piece navy suit with the pillbox hat, red lippie reapplied, carrying my overnight bag. Everyone rushed over to say goodbye—though it was silly, really, because it wasn’t me leaving tomorrow, just Roy.

Mum hugged and kissed him, and Dad and Fred shook his hand, and finally we were out in the cool night air, stars peeking from behind light grey clouds. There were five of us, including the army boys, and they were drunk, their voices carrying in the quiet after the loud party. To tell the truth, I enjoyed being the only woman among these tall, smartly dressed, boisterous men. At Broadway we caught a cab into the city, and we dropped them off on George Street near the pubs and then continued on to our hotel, a tiny, tidy place in Woolloomooloo so Roy wouldn’t have to go far to board his ship at noon the next day.