When We Had Wings

by Ariel Lawhon

When you go home Tell them of us, and say For your tomorrow, We gave our today. —Patrick K. O’Donnell, Into the Rising Sun

a typical chiding from her oldest sister—make that all three of her sisters—echoed through her mind: “Daydreaming again? What a dillydallier you are. I swear, bunso, only you could make turtles seem quick.”

“There is someone back home, but he’s not actually mine to miss. Or love. He’s engaged.” Lita exchanged a look of surprise with Penny that quickly gained an overtone of sympathy, and asked, “Does he know how you feel about him?” Eleanor laughed. “Oh, he knows. I made the mistake of telling him when I thought he might have feelings for me too. What I took for the beginnings of romantic interest was just him being nice. Reverend John Olson is an extremely nice person.” She shook her head as tears sprang to her eyes. “What a fool I was.”

“The way life can get away from us? I’d say we make it a standing date. How about . . . the last Saturday of every month? Assuming our duty days allow. We’ll call it HAM Day!” Lita joined Eleanor in looking at her with a puzzled expression. “Hank and Marlene Day,” she explained, as if it couldn’t have been more obvious. All their smiles broadened as Penny raised her nearly empty glass. “Everyone in?” Eleanor held up her glass. “Absolutely.” They turned expectantly to Lita, and a notion dawned on her. She had been feeling pensive of late, a restlessness in her soul that everything about life as she knew it was about to change. But here, in this moment, she also sensed a solidifying bond in these newfound friendships. Warming at the thought, she lifted her drink. “To HAM Day,” she said, and their glasses clinked. The sealing of a pact.

Cry “Havoc” and let slip the dogs of war! —William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar