She twisted the fake wedding band on her left hand—it felt strange but in a good way. How she wished it was the real thing. She and Madison had gone to Montgomery Ward to purchase a cheap, gold-plated band. She wanted to make the adventure appear authentic. Now, the ring brought a smile to her face. Why had she worried so much? The hotel clerk never even questioned her marital status.

“What are you smiling about?” Alex asked as he stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.

Jorden lifted her ring finger. “I’ll keep wearing this to keep us looking honest.”

“We’d best put it to good use.” A sly grin spread across Alex’s face.

Saturday flew by. They had a late lunch and drove around the island. Jorden was determined to hold onto every minute and not let time slip away.

On Sunday, their second day, Jorden was surprised Alex never suggested going to church. Pre-Cana classes hadn’t been brought up nor the subject of birth control. She was glad she was now on the pill—taking control of her life. They spent part of Sunday at a large shopping mall. Jorden lost herself in all the unique pieces of art work. She purchased wooden salad bowls for her mother and a hand-blown glass vase for Bobbette. She couldn’t forget Madison or her roommates and selected small, hand-carved wooden jewelry boxes for each of them.

Monday morning, before seven, Jorden and Alex went for a long walk on the beach. She wore shorts, soaking up the sun’s rays while the waves lapped at her feet. Few people were out, making it a peaceful time. The tide was low as they searched for shells. Jorden looked up and saw the morning mist lift. It reminded her of the church steeple at Fort Benning and the basketball game they had attended last December. The mist had swept in and surrounded the steeple. The moment was surreal. It was one not to be forgotten—like this morning.

On Tuesday, clouds formed over the horizon. The ocean’s waves grew in strength as they pounded the shoreline. Alex led Jorden to breakfast at the hotel’s glass-enclosed terrace restaurant. The aroma of coffee filled the air, accompanied with crisp bacon, eggs, fresh fruits, and pastries spread out on the buffet table. Jorden and Alex helped themselves to the assortment of island delicacies.

“Two days left,” Jorden said softly as she sipped her coffee.

Alex held her hand as he reached out to comfort her.

“What’s it like over there? You haven’t said one word about this war.”