Dottie was already five rows in, compared to Margaret’s two, amazingly unencumbered by the pillow she’d set across her lap to hide her gently expanding waist. “But won’t that be easy for people to read? It seems like your letters would be quite visible that way.”

Gladys grinned. “That’s why you save all the lovey-dovey mush for the regular letters. But if you have to say something faster, give the Victory Mail a try.”

“You sound like an advertisement for them,” said Dottie.

“Is that the kind of thanks I get for good information like that?”

Margaret was grateful to have the sheets. They provided a lot less space to write on, but for shorter letters she could definitely send these to William. Another tiny way to do her part. Posters plastered all over New York reminded her that every little bit helped. Some of them were quite clever. Such as Knock the “Heil” out of Hitler! And Let’s catch him with his “Panzers” down!

When the war was over, would they return to the kind of regular life that took small things for granted, or would they forevermore use every piece of a chicken, save every bit of scrap metal, and make a cup of coffee by counting out the exact number of beans that would make the stash last a week?

She hoped not. And yet, it did bring about a sense of appreciation for things that had previously gone unnoticed.

Gladys turned the radio on in time to hear Perry Como croon out the popular songs of the day. Christmas tunes abounded, and though they were mere days past Thanksgiving, it was a cheery thing in these trying times to usher in the favorite holiday as early as possible. Wreaths and boughs were already adorning the front doors of Brooklyn, to Margaret’s delight. That the radio hosts were also in on the sentiment was a welcome surprise.

The girls sang out the familiar words of “Joy to the World” and “O Tannenbaum.” Gladys had a sparkling voice that could have found a place onstage if she cared to make a career out of it, but as yet she’d declined the chance to entertain the troops at the Canteen. Margaret and Dottie could keep a tune, but with less pizzazz. However, the merriment ended when the radio announcer began a live address across the country: