To finish out this story, I used dialogue during the nurses train trip to New York at the end of the chapter.

The upstairs of the nurses quarters was a virtual beehive of activity because it was Saturday night and they had an overnight pass. They were going to New York City and Evelyn was finally going to introduce Barbara and the other nurses to Rafe. He in turn was going to introduce her to his best friend Danny.

They were all in their best dresses, helping each other take curlers out of their hair, applying make up and packing their overnight bags. Their train was leaving the station in less than an hour and Barbara was trying to get them to hurry. "Come on ladies, we've got pilots waiting for us. Shake a leg! "

She stopped at Evelyn's door and saw her staring at herself in her dresser mirror. "You all right?" Was all she said.

"I'm a little nervous. I want you to like him."

"Ev, I like him because he makes you happier than I've ever seen you. And I'll bet you do the same for him."

"Thanks Barbara, I needed to hear that."

"Are you ready to go?"

Evelyn nodded. "I'm all packed. I'll be ready in a minute."

Barbara shook her head. "I wish the other girls were as ready as you are."

Sandra stopped on her way downstairs. "I'll have you know I've been ready for the last half-hour." She said indignantly. "Honestly Barbara, you'd think you were the only one that wanted to go to New York." And she headed down the stairs.

Barbara made a face. "She's so sensitive."

"You shouldn't be so rough on her. She's really nervous about this trip."

"What's to be nervous about? We're meeting a bunch of pilots, not marrying them."

"Sandra's a little shy around men, you know that."

"Well if these boys are anything like your pilot, she better stop being shy real fast." And she walked down the hall to the stairs.

Evelyn smiled to herself and grabbed her overnight bag off the foot of the bed and turned off the bedside lamp. She headed down the hall toward the stairs and understood Sandra's nervousness. There had been a sense of comfort keeping her relationship with Rafe a secret and now that comfort was gone. She was going to tell the girls all about him and how their relationship had started.

Martha had called earlier for a cab to take them to the train station and by the time Evelyn got downstairs, the front door was open and the cab driver was taking Barbara and Sandra's bags outside. She put hers down by the door and got her coat and scarf out of the closet. As she bundled up, the driver picked up her bag and Evelyn called up the stairs, "Martha, Betty the cab is here."

"Oh my gosh!" She heard Betty say. "Don't leave without me!" And she heard the thump of footsteps as Betty ran down the hall and Evelyn saw her come down the stairs with her overnight bag in one hand and her shoes in the other. It was a wonder she didn't trip on the hem of her dress as she pelted down the stairs.

Barbara had come back in to see what the hold up was only to see Betty running down the stairs. "Where's Martha?" She asked her.

"She's coming." Betty said breathlessly and ran out to the cab.

"Martha you're the one that called this cab, hurry up."

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" And she appeared at the top of the stairs with her bag. "Geez Barbara, calm down. We've got time." And she walked down the stairs. A little slowly for Barbara's liking, but Martha was not going to be rushed. She got her coat and hat out of the closet and followed Evelyn and Barbara out the door. She closed it and caught up with the group.

The ride wasn't long and they talked the whole way. The excitement was building because they were going to New York City on a Saturday night. Their usual routine was to spend the evening at home relaxing or going to a movie. This was a real treat.

Before they knew it, they were there and the driver got out and retrieved the luggage from the trunk and handed each of the girls their bags. They walked through the station and down to the platform where their train was due. It wasn't long before they heard the whistle of the approaching locomotive and Evelyn's stomach started to knot. She was really nervous even though she knew it was the right thing to do. The nurses were good friends and they deserved to know.

The train came to a screeching stop and the conductor called, "All aboard for New York City, all aboard!"

The nurses looked at each other and smiled as they boarded the passenger car and found their seats. It was a beautiful late afternoon and the sun was just beginning to go down. Lights inside the coach started to blink on as they took off their coats and the conductor came around to collect their tickets.

It was a beautiful coach. The plush red velvet seats were comfortable and the floors were covered with soft carpeting. The setting sun was coming in through the window and Evelyn stared out that window not knowing where she would begin. She got something of a reprieve when Martha, Sandra, Betty and the other nurses decided to take a tour of the train. They asked if Evelyn or Barbara wanted to come along, but they both declined. Barbara knew her friend was nervous and stayed with her to encourage her.

"It'll be all right, Ev. You've gotten so used to keeping this a secret that you don't know how happy they're going to be for you."

"They'll be hurt when they find out you've known this whole time."

"But you never really told me anything, I figured it out."

"That may be true but we've talked about it since then. And I haven't talked to them."

"Honey, give them a chance. But it's not just telling the girls that's making you nervous is it? You're worried we may not like him."

Evelyn nodded. "I want so much for all of you to like him because he makes me really happy."

"Ev, if he makes you happy that's all that matters. It shouldn't matter what any of us think."

She smiled. "It shouldn't, but it does. We've all been through so much together and have never really kept secrets from each other until now."

Barbara reached over and took her hand. "It'll be all right, you'll see."

They sat quietly as Evelyn looked out the window again thinking about Rafe and how quickly the last weeks had passed. She had met the man she knew in her heart she wanted to spend her life with and smiled at how all that had come about. An eye exam and two needle sticks in his backside. It wasn't the usual way a courtship started, but for Rafe and Evelyn it had worked.

The girls talking excitedly about their coming evening in the city brought her back to the present. They were also talking about the previous day's examinations of Army pilots.

"If the call of duty means seeing a hundred and fifty men in their underwear everyday, we are hear to serve." Barbara joked.

"I can't believe it," Betty said. "Saturday night in New York City. Do you know what they're doing where I come from?" The other girls shook their heads. She told them, "Nothing. Cow tipping." And they all laughed.

"That's why you joined the Navy, hon. To get out of that dusty little town and see the world." Barbara told her.

"May I remind you Barbara we're Navy nurses, not tourists." Sandra shook her head in disgust and went back to reading her magazine.

"I joined to do my patriotic duty and... to meet guys." Martha smiled and powdered her nose.

Betty giggled. "Me too."

Evelyn smiled at her friends. "Girls, we're going to have so much fun tonight in the city."

Barbara saw an opening and decided to give Evelyn a push. " You've got to tell them the story Evelyn."

Martha looked at Evelyn. "What?"

Betty also looked at Evelyn. "Oh come on, tell us."

"Oh, it's such a long story."

Martha smiled. "We've got time."

"I saw it happen." Barbara told them.

Evelyn smiled and felt her face flush as she began, "Well, it was about four weeks ago..."

And she finally told them about how she met Rafe.