Home of Her Heart (Hearts of the War Book 2) Read online

  The second accomplishment was evident around them every day. American morale had been at an all-time low before the raid, but dropping those bombs had imbued the nation with hope, a renewed purpose, and a determination to win the war. News of the raid fanned the embers of patriotism into a bright flame that was spectacular to witness. However, she fretted the boost in morale came at a very high price, at least for the men on Klayne’s mission.

  Sage Hills Ranch was no different from the rest of the country. Although they’d done their part before America entered the conflict, Dill, Butch, Duffy, and Delaney worked doubly hard to do all they could to help the war effort. Butch saved boxes of tin cans, labels removed and smashed flat, that Dill delivered to a collection center. Those bits of tin would eventually be turned into ammunition. The old cowboy also saved every bit of fat to take to the butcher. From there, it was collected then processed into glycerin, needed for medical and surgical treatments. Every one of them was mindful of doing their part to help with the cause, but perhaps none as much as Delaney.

  Each ounce of fat collected, each tin can recycled, and every war bond purchased made her feel like they were helping Klayne.

  Despite all the work to keep her busy, Delaney continued to suffer from some unknown malady. She’d tried to hide her illness from her father, and did a good job of it, or so she thought.

  One evening he gave her a knowing look and scowled. “If you don’t haul yourself into Pendleton to the doctor tomorrow, I’ll take you there myself. You don’t do me any good when you spend half the day sick and the other half trying to hide the fact you are. Go find out what’s wrong.”

  “Fine!” she hollered. “I’ll go tomorrow.”

  “Fine!” he yelled, storming outside to finish a few chores. As spring progressed and they fell further behind on the farm work, the shorter all their tempers grew.

  Butch had snapped at Duffy for not cleaning the mud off his boots before coming in for supper. Dill groused at Butch that the biscuits could be used as bricks.

  Tired of their surliness, Delaney had called them all uncivilized brutes and marched back to the house. That’s where her father caught up to her, demanding she seek the advice of their family physician.

  The following morning, she waited for the sickness to pass before she bathed, styled her hair, and slipped into a nice dress. She felt feminine and pretty, instead of just another dirt-covered farmhand.

  After gathering a few things to take into town with her, she waved at Butch as he sat outside on the bunkhouse porch, oiling bridles and harnesses. She climbed behind the wheel of her pickup and headed to Pendleton.

  Delaney drove straight to the office of the doctor who had cared for her family since before she was born. As she walked inside, a Philco radio sitting on a cabinet behind the receptionist desk emitted the sounds of Artie Shaw playing “Begin the Beguine” while the scent of furniture polish blended with the odor of antiseptic.

  “Hey, Dee. What are you doing here?” the receptionist asked, giving her a friendly smile.

  “Hi, Susie. How’s your mother doing? I heard she’d had quite a time of it with her arthritis this spring.” Delaney truly did care about her neighbors and friends, but she wasn’t in the mood for polite conversation. She wanted to see the doctor, find out what was wrong, and fix it as quickly as possible.

  “Oh, Mama is much better. Doc has her doing some exercises that help, and being watchful about what she eats.” Susie motioned to the empty waiting area. “If you’re here to see the Doc, he’s in with a patient right now, but it shouldn’t be long.”

  “Thank you.” Delaney was saved from making any further comments when the telephone jangled. Susie hurried to answer it while Delaney sat down on a wooden chair to wait.

  She glanced around the office, taking in the robin’s egg blue walls that appeared freshly painted. The walnut chair rail gleamed from a recent polish and the framed paintings on the walls all sparkled.

  Doctor Nik Nash ran a tidy office, that was for certain. Unlike some children who were terrified of visiting the doctor, she’d always liked to see Doc Nik because he gave her Tootsie Rolls and told funny stories. His wife was as loopy about horses as Delaney and he had many photographs on the walls of his family with their horses.

  When she was older, Delaney learned the doctor had been born into poverty to parents who worked as sheepherders in the southeastern corner of Oregon. They died in a blizzard, leaving him alone when he was just a boy. He eventually made his way to Pendleton where he was hired by Aundy Nash to watch over a herd of sheep she’d just purchased. Eventually, Aundy and her husband, Garrett, adopted Nik, sent him to college, and encouraged him to become a doctor. He returned to Pendleton back in 1910, armed with the latest medical knowledge and a desire to help the community with his skills. He’d been doing so ever since.

  Now, as she impatiently sat in the waiting area, pondering what could possibly be wrong with her, the song playing on the radio drew her full attention. She listened as Glenn Miller played “Speaking of Heaven.”

  Pain stabbed her heart as she thought about Klayne singing it to her as she fell asleep in his arms. Memories of that night were better left tucked in the far reaches of her mind than explored. Goodness only knew when, or even if, she’d see him again.

  Annoyed with herself for not thinking positively, she picked up a copy of Woman’s Day magazine, admiring the image of five fuzzy yellow chicks against a background of blue on the cover. The lower corner of the magazine featured a scaled down version of a war bond poster. Delaney made a mental note to purchase more bonds while she was in town before opening the magazine and mindlessly flipping through the pages.

  She’d tried three times to read an article before she gave up and slapped the magazine down on a piecrust-edged table.

  Nervous and unsettled, she felt like life was spiraling out of control. Mac had sent a note that he was shipping out and didn’t know when he’d be able to write again. Carol had sent an emotion-filled letter begging them to say prayers for Mac and asking if Delaney would like to spend the summer with her.

  No matter how much Delaney might like to see her sister-in-law and nephew, she couldn’t leave her father another hand short at the ranch. At least school would be out in two more weeks, and then they’d have extra help full-time instead of just on the weekends. The high school boys they’d hired couldn’t get there a moment too soon.

  A tangled jumble of thoughts cascaded through her head as she waited and worried. Finally, the doctor appeared at the doorway and grinned at her.

  “Well, if it isn’t Delaney Danvers, trick rider extraordinaire,” Nik Nash said as he walked over to her and held out a hand.

  She took it and rose to her feet. “Hi, Doc. I’d say if anyone has extraordinary talent at riding, it’s your wife and daughter.”

  Nik laughed. “They are quite good at it, but Dally about twisted off my fingers in her excitement as we watched you perform at the Round-Up last fall.”

  Delaney smiled. “I’d be happy to share what I know with her, anytime.”

  “I’ll pass that on.” Nik motioned to the hallway. “Shall we figure out what’s got you looking so pale-faced today?”

  The doctor ran a series of tests, performed an examination, and asked what Delaney was sure had to be a hundred questions, several of which she found particularly embarrassing. He asked her to wait for him in his office then soon joined her, sitting across the desk from her as he delivered news that left her utterly dumbfounded.

  She gaped at him, shocked. “I’m sure I misunderstood you. What… what did you just say?”

  A laugh rolled out of him. “I said you’re pregnant. If I estimate your due date correctly, you’ll welcome a bundle of joy around the beginning of November.”

  “How could this happen?” she asked, glaring at the doctor, annoyed by the amused grin on his face as he sat across from her.

  “I’m fairly certain you know exactly how it happened, Dee, but if you real
ly want me to explain the birds and bees to you, I can.” Nik’s grin broadened as he leaned back in his chair. “You start with…”

  Indignant, she huffed, cutting him off. “I’m well aware of the technicalities involved,” she fumed. “I’m … it’s just that…” A sigh escaped her. “How can I be pregnant, Doc? I was only married for one day!”

  Nik chuckled. “Apparently, it was quite a day, at that.”

  Heat burned up her neck and stained her cheeks bright pink as she narrowed her gaze and rose to her feet. “I don’t see a single humorous thing about this, Doc. Not a single one. What am I supposed to do with a baby? We’re down to just Duffy and Butch for hired help. Dad needs me able to work. Besides, I’m not sure a girl like me is cut out for motherhood. I hate staying in the house, can only sew a straight stitch under duress, and cook out of necessity, not pleasure.”

  “Well, maybe you should have thought about what might happen before you had that one memorable day with your husband.” Nik teased, waggling eyebrows that were still surprisingly dark for his age. “You’ll be a fine mother, Delaney. My wife worried the whole time she was expecting our first baby that she wouldn’t do the job right. Like you, she’s always preferred to ride and rope over cooking and sewing. However, she’s a wonderful mother and I know you will be, too. You’ve got a loving spirit, a big heart, and a kind way about you.”

  Delaney absorbed his words. “Thank you.”

  Nik gave her an observant glance. “This husband of yours that I had no idea existed — who is he? Are you still married to him? Will I get to meet him someday?”

  Tears stung Delaney’s eyes. “My husband, whom only a handful of people have met, may not even be alive.”

  Nik’s humor dissipated and he stood. “What do you mean, Dee? Did something happen?”

  “I don’t know anything for a fact, but I have reason to believe he was among the men who raided Tokyo. I’ve had this horrible feeling something happened to him over there.” Delaney sank back down in the chair and fished a handkerchief from her handbag. She’d never been a girl who cried often, but the last few weeks, she felt like she might burst into tears every time she turned around. In light of the doctor’s news, it made sense.

  “Well, gosh, Dee, he’s a real hero, then, if he was on that mission.” Nik walked back around his desk and took a pamphlet from a filing cabinet then handed it to her. “I know you don’t have any one close to give you advice about your condition or share ideas on what to expect, so read this booklet. I’ve found through the years, the information proves helpful in preparing mothers-to-be for their little arrival. My mother, wife, mother-in-law, and my aunts all contributed their thoughts on what was important for expectant women to know.”

  Delaney dabbed her tears, tucked the pamphlet into her handbag, and stood. “Thank you, Doc, for everything.” She took a step toward the door then glanced back at him. “I didn’t mean to sound like I don’t want this baby. The shock of the news caught me by surprise, but I do want it. It might be the only thing I have left of Klayne.” Her hand settled on her abdomen, as though she sheltered the tiny life growing there. “I’d appreciate it, though, if you didn’t mention my marriage or this baby to anyone. I can’t bear to have people ask me about him, not until I know what’s become of him.”

  “I understand, Delaney. I wouldn’t have said anything, anyway. I owe it to my patients to keep all their medical information private and confidential.”

  She nodded. “I appreciate that, Doc, and your help today.” A small smile lifted the corners of her mouth. “Please give Mrs. Nash my regards.”

  “I will, Dee. Take good care of yourself. Get plenty of rest, drink lots of water, and eat as much fresh produce and lean meat as you can. This sickness you’ve been experiencing should go away soon. Some women suffer all nine months, others not at all. It’s different for everyone, but many notice an improvement in the way they feel around the fourth month. Hang in there. And for goodness sakes, don’t overdo on the ranch. You can’t put in a day’s work like a field hand. If you refuse to listen to me, I’ll talk to Dill about what you can and can’t do.”

  “I’ll be careful,” she said, hurrying to reassure him she took his advice to heart.

  “Good,” he said, pleased she listened to his warnings. “I also recommend you not ride, but if you are anything like my wife, you won’t be able to follow that suggestion. I’ll just tell you to stay away from anything that might buck you off.”

  “Understood,” Delaney said, wondering who she could get to break the horses she’d started training. Butch could barely get a foot up in the stirrup and Duffy wasn’t much better. Her dad had proclaimed himself too old to break horses a few years ago. Delaney had eagerly taken over the job, but now she’d have to put the training on hold or find someone willing to ride for her.

  She turned back to Nik. “Say, you don’t happen to know anyone who’d like a job training some three-year-old horses, do you?”

  Nik lifted an eyebrow. “I might. What do you need?”

  “Someone to come out and work with the horses I’ve started training. Maybe two or three times a week?”

  “I’ll see if I can round someone up and send them out.”

  “That would be wonderful, Doc. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, Dee. Tell Dill I send my regards.” Nik walked her to his office door and opened it. “And know that I’ll be praying for your young man to make it home alive and well.”

  Emotion obliterated her ability to speak, so Delaney merely nodded her head and hurried out the door.

  Back in her pickup, she sat staring into space, trying to come to terms with the fact that by Thanksgiving, she’d be a mother. She and Klayne would have a baby. Would he be excited by the news? Somehow, she knew he would be.

  A vision of the two of them sitting on the porch with a dark-haired toddler playing by their feet cast her fears aside. Instead, she decided to focus on her hope for the future.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Klayne took a deep breath of salty air as he walked around the wooden flight deck of the carrier. He’d heard some of the sailors joke about the warship resembling a bathtub with a barn door on top, from the appearance the flight deck gave the boat.

  The wind battered the rigging on the carrier island while waves slapped against the ship. Adding to the symphony of the sea were the bass notes of the warship pounding across the water with unrelenting determination.

  He glanced up at the ship’s stack where someone had painted “Remember Pearl Harbor” in big block letters.

  Pearl Harbor was a horrific event he’d never forget. Even if he wasn’t stationed there, he knew men who were. Men who’d gone to a watery grave when they were trapped inside one of the sinking ships. No red-blooded American would ever fail to remember that day.

  After all the weeks of wondering and speculating where the mission he’d volunteered for would take him, now Klayne knew. When the colonel finally announced their destination, Klayne wasn’t surprised they were headed right to the heart of the enemy. He and seventy-nine other men would fly to Tokyo, and other cities in the area, drop two thousand pounds of bombs from each plane, then do their best to keep from getting shot. If they survived, they were to fly to China and land on friendly airfields, refuel, then be on their way. They’d spent hours studying maps and charts, plotting routes, gauging instruments, attending lectures, and mentally preparing for the task before them.

  The day of their planned take off quickly approached and Klayne wondered what he’d gotten himself into. Part of him felt a driving, almost primitive need to wreak as much devastation on Japan as they’d done to Pearl Harbor. The more rational part of him questioned if he’d make it out alive. He’d first volunteered to go because he didn’t have anyone who cared if he lived or died. But now… now he had Delaney. Even Bob had become a close friend, one who would mourn Klayne’s passing if something should happen to him. Klayne also knew the colonel leading the raid cared about each o
ne of the men on the crews.

  Klayne watched as a fleet oiler came alongside the carrier, topping off the tanks with more than two hundred thousand gallons of fuel. In addition to the carrier on which he rode, cruisers, destroyers, another carrier, and loaded fleet oilers accompanied them.

  He’d marveled at the warship carrying the planes that was similar to a floating city. From the moment he’d boarded, he’d been treated well and lived better than he had most of his life.

  A desalination plant on the ship made ocean water drinkable and provided fresh water for showers, galleys, and the boilers. Freezers, refrigerators, and pantries held an assortment of food. Many of the men in his group had gained weight, feasting three times a day on meals that included steak, chicken, fresh eggs, and green vegetables. A so-called mechanical cow churned dehydrated milk into ice cream, a treat Klayne certainly enjoyed.

  The ship offered a team of doctors and corpsmen who could treat everything from a runny nose to an emergency surgery. Laundry services, a barbershop, and even a library were available for them to use. Sailors could pick up stamps and mail letters at the post office. The ship’s store offered cigarettes, razors, toothpaste, or candy bars for purchase.

  As he stood on the deck in the early morning light, Klayne took out the photo of Delaney he kept in his wallet and studied it. His index finger lightly traced across the dimple in her cheek.

  “So, it is a girl,” Bob said from beside him, startling Klayne so badly, he jumped nearly a foot straight up in the air.

  “Dang it, Bob! You could get your scrawny neck wrung doing something like that,” Klayne fumed. His heart settled back into its rightful place and slowed from a frenetic beat.

  Bob laughed and snagged the photo from Klayne’s fingers. He gave it a thorough glance then handed it back. “Who is she?”

  Klayne wouldn’t lie to his friend. “My wife.”

  Bob’s jaw dropped and he gaped at Klayne. “Your wife!” He stared at him a long moment, hardly blinking. Finally, a smile broke out on his face and he thumped Klayne on the back. “How did an ugly ol’ cuss like you convince a pretty girl like that to get married?”