Regrets

Chapter Three-1

Chapter Three

Julia and I stayed in the little office until almost midnight. Eventually, we decided that we should go to our respective rooms and get some sleep. As I was getting ready for bed, I heard someone coming up the stairs. I cracked my door and looked down the hallway. It was Mr. Major. He was having a little difficulty maintaining his balance which signaled to me that he was slightly inebriated. I quietly closed my bedroom door, got into bed and fell into a deep sleep.

Once again, I awaken at around 0600 hours. I took my morning shower, got dressed and went down to the dining room for breakfast. As I sat down, the maid entered and poured me some coffee. She said that breakfast would be served in about fifteen minutes. I picked up a new copy of the Raleigh Post and began to take note of the stories on the front page.

The news was blanketed about Germany with its cleanup operations in France, and the Japanese taking several Atolls in the Pacific. It appeared that war was inevitable. About halfway thru my reading this depressing news, the front door slammed. Seconds later, John entered the dining room. He walked around the table and sat across from me. After a moment, I asked, “Is Lauren with you?”

“No, he replied. I dropped her off this morning at her place of work.” After he poured himself a cup of coffee, he said, “Lauren and I had a long talk last night about our futures. We decided that as soon as I graduate, we are going to get married and settle down in Raleigh.” He took a long pause before he continued. “You probably noticed at dinner last night, my mother doesn’t approve of Lauren. She doesn’t think she’s a good match for me because of her lack of formal education. But I don’t care what she or my father thinks. I’m going to do what is best for me.”

The maid entered the room and served us eggs and bacon with a side order of toast. As she was serving us, Julia entered the room and sat down beside me. The maid took note of her and said, “I’ll be back with your breakfast in a moment, Ms. Julia.” as she left the room.

Julia looked over at John. “Where did Lauren and you go last night,” she inquired.

“We sat in the car and talked for about an hour. And then we went to a motel so we could make love undisturbed. This morning, we rose early, took showers together and I drove her to her place of work. It wasn’t open. So we sat in the car for about fifteen minutes until we saw the curtains in the windows of the store go up. I kissed her goodbye; she went to work and I drove home. Those are the specific details.”

Julia had blushed as John poured forth the graphic details of his night with Lauren. After a few quiet moments, Julia once again addressed John. “I suspect that all you want to do now is go to bed.” She took a slight pause and then said, “Would you mind terribly if Robert and I took your car and spent the day in Raleigh?”

As John continued to eat his breakfast, he said, “Not at all. Here are the keys.” He placed the car keys in the center of the table. Julia reached out and moved the keys alongside her coffee cup.

The maid returned and placed a plate of breakfast in front of Julia. Before she began to eat, she leaned into me and whispered, “I enjoyed the time we spent together last night. Let’s do it again soon.”

After we finished our breakfast, the three of us made some small talk about the subjects we were taking at our respective Universities and the anticipation of the upcoming final exams. John was the first to leave the table. His appearance indicated that he didn’t get a lot of sleep the night before. The maid entered and brought us another pot of coffee. For the next half hour, we spent drinking coffee and telling each other our future plans once we finish our studies.

Julia and I spent the day in Raleigh sightseeing, walking the streets, having lunch and dinner in two very upscale restaurants. When we arrived back at the house, it was after 2000 hours. We took a bottle of expensive wine and two glasses into the little office. We sat on the sofa and spent the time making out, drinking wine and asking questions about one another. It was pretty much a repeat of the night before.

The next morning, John and I were scheduled to return to the university about mid-morning. We had breakfast; I said my goodbyes to the Major’s and of course to Julia. Julia whispered in my ear as I was leaving, “I can’t wait until the Christmas holidays to see you again.” We kissed. John and I got into the car and sped off toward the university.

When I returned to the university and walked into my dorm room, the phone on the desk was blinking. I had a message from my brother Adam. He was five years older than me and worked in an office that manufactured parts for aircraft. The message was that he was getting married over the Christmas holiday. He wanted me to be his best man. The wedding was being planned to be held in Columbia on Christmas Eve. Since I had been planning to spend the holidays with the family, I could kill two birds with one stone. Then the next day, Christmas, I would take a bus to Raleigh; meet up with John and go up to his parents’ house. And then, I could spend the rest of the week with Julia.

I spent the next several days going to class and studying for exams. It was important for me to continue keeping my grade point average a perfect 4.0. I was feeling pretty confident. I was going to maintain my goal and graduate at the top of my class. I spoke to Julia a few times on the phone over the next week. I gave her my itinerary for the holidays and assured her that I was looking forward to spending some quality time with her.

On the 7th of December, there was a revival football game being broadcast nationwide. The game was the annual contest between Army and Navy. The Student Union was having a party and students had gathered to listen to the game. Since I was in the Army OCS program, I was required to listen to the game along with my fellow cadets and root for Army to win. At around 1600 hours there was halftime. The announcers were discussing the first half of the game when they were interrupted by a special news bulletin. It was announced that Japan had attacked Peril Harbor. There was a hush that came over the crowd of spectators. America was undoubtedly going to war.

I rushed back to my room. John was already on the phone talking to his father. “Yes dad, I will sign up for OCS as soon as I graduate. Yes, sir, yes sir,” he said.

I whispered to John not to hang up when he finished and to put Julia on the phone. John continued listening to his father for the next few minutes. And then, with a break in the conversation, he said, “Yes dad, I will. Now please put Julia on the phone. Robert would like to speak with her.”

After a few more minutes listening to his father, he finally said, “Yes dad, I promise.” He handed the phone to me. “Hello, Julia? I guess you heard the news. (Pause) No, I don’t know what this means, but I would bet money we will be in a formal war with Japan within the next few hours. (Pause) Things are crazy here and a lot of the students at the university have their futures up in the air. (Pause) Yes, I still plan to come to your house and celebrate Christmas. (Pause) I’m sure that I will be allowed to remain in school until I graduate, but it’s anyone’s guess what is going to happen now. (Pause) Yes, I’m missing you too. I’m going to be taking exams in a few weeks and my time now will be going to class and studying. (Pause) My brother is getting married on Christmas Eve. I’m going to be his best man. (Pause) The wedding is in the morning. There is a reception at 1300 hours. I suspect it will be over by 1500 hours or 1600 hours. Why do you ask? (Pause) That’s very kind of you, but it’s a long distance from your house to Columbia. (Pause) Let’s not make a decision now; we have a couple of weeks to finalize plans. (Pause) I should really go now; I have some work to do before classes tomorrow. (Pause) I miss you too. I’ll try to call you tomorrow. (Pause) Goodbye.”

I hung up the phone. I was having a feeling that I never experienced before. I was missing Julia and was having this deep desire to be with her. I knew for the moment, I had to get her out of my mind and concentrate on my studies. I was getting close to the end of my academic career. It was important to me and all the people that backed me. I spent the next few hours preparing for the next day’s classes and thinking about my military future. Serving in the military during a world peace was one thing, but now that we are at war is something completely different. I had been hoping that I would be spending my four-year obligation in the United States. It was almost certain that I would be sent overseas to fight the enemy. I became exhausted having these thoughts. Before long, depression set in, so I went to bed.

The next day at class everyone was talking about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. When I reported to my OCS class, the cadets were given a stern overview by an army colonial on our responsibilities for the coming future. He painted a pretty bleak picture. There was talk that we would be commissioned early and complete our degrees after the war. That was the only rumor, but sometimes rumors have a basis for truth. At the end of the day, I was more depressed than I was yesterday when I heard the news reports.

The next few weeks were spent getting ready for my final exams. I took time out to go down to the University Store, purchase some Christmas presents and a wedding present for Adam and his intended bride. I purchased a watch for John. He was always asking me the time. For Mr. and Mrs. Major, I bought an Oriental Vase. For my mother and father, I got a variety box of tea and coffee. The wedding present for Adam and Cathleen was the easiest of all. I got them a set of bathroom towels and wash clothes. And finally for Julia a beautiful broach with a red stone in its center. Now, I thought, I was all ready to celebrate the holidays.

Later that day, I did, however, have an opportunity to briefly speak with Julia when she called me from her university. She told me that all of her female friends who had boyfriends or were engaged were frightened that all the men in the country were going to be called to arms and to fight in a war that could last for years. What they didn’t know at the time was they were pretty much on the mark.

The week before my exams was to begin, my brother Adam drove up to the university and picked me up. He wanted to take me down to the formal wear store to have my measurements taken for a tux that I would be wearing in his wedding. He said he would pick it up the day before and give it to me when I arrived at the wedding rehearsal. On the drive down to store, we had time to catch up on family matters. I shared with him my meeting Julia. Since I had never shown an interest in meeting girls because of my dedication to my studies, he was curious as to what put me on a different track. “Julia is different, I said. She is like no other girl or woman I have ever met. She just seems right for me.”

For the rest of the trip, Adam talked incessantly about his intended wife, Cathleen. He met her at work. “It was love at first sight,” he said. If he would have told me that a month ago, I would have thought he had lost his mind. That kind of thing just cannot happen, I would have thought. But now the exact same thing has happened to me. It can and it does happen.

After we got our measurements taken at the tuxedo rental store, we had lunch at an upscale restaurant. Then Adam drove me back to the university. When I arrived, I had a message to call my OCS Unit Commander. After three unsuccessful tries, I finally was able to reach him. He informed me that all of the senior OCS cadets were going to be commissioned the first week in January. Before the Christmas break, we would be given our orders. The Army Bases where we were going to report would be in those orders. We would report for active duty right after our commissioning. For all practical purposes, my university career was going to be put on hold until the conclusion of the war.