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“From that day on, we knew that we were meant to be together and that we wanted a life as Mr. and Mrs. My parents approved of Samuel, but they were worried about his lack of college education. He came from a good family, but he didn’t have a skill and he had determined that college wasn’t right for him. So my parents insisted that we hold off on an engagement until I graduated the following year.” Hattie let out an agonized groan. “You have no idea how hard it was to go back to school after Christmas break without Samuel. But, he was true to his word. He came to visit on weekends as often as he could. Whenever I needed an escort for a school dance, he was right there by my side. And he wrote me letters…soaring, sweeping, romantic letters. And I wrote him similar letters…full of hopes and dreams of forever.”
“Love letters. How romantic,” Callie gushed. The words had practically slipped out of her mouth. She hadn’t meant to say them out loud, but she was so impressed with the fact that Miss Hattie and her beau had written old-fashioned, snail-mail love letters. She imagined that if someone ever took the time to write her a love letter she would tumble head over heels in love with him.
“It was romantic. For almost a full year we lived a dream,” Hattie said in a wistful tone. “Until the bottom fell out of our world.”
“A year?” Jax asked with a frown. “1941? World War II? The timing would be right.”
“Oh no,” Callie said, putting her hand over her mouth. For her, World War II seemed so removed from the here and now, but based on Miss Hattie’s age, she must have lived through it. Callie shuddered. She had learned about the horrors of World War II when she was in school. Hitler’s persecution of the Jews. Genocide. Bombings.
“The bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941 changed everything. Suddenly, the United States of America was pulled into the war. Without warning, all of our lives came to a crashing halt. Samuel—brave, sweet Samuel—did what every other patriotic, brave young man back then did. He enlisted within days of the Pearl Harbor attack.”
“Bless him,” Pearl said. “He was a brave soul.”
Callie licked her lips. She had a funny feeling in her gut that Miss Hattie was about to say something awful. Tears slid down Miss Hattie’s face. Callie felt the hot splash of tears on her own face. She knew before Miss Hattie said the words that Samuel hadn’t made it through the war.
“Saddest day of my life was when I received the telegram from his parents. Samuel had been killed in action in France. He hadn’t even reached his twenty-fifth birthday.”
“Oh Miss Hattie,” Callie said, her voice cracking as she spoke. “I’m so sorry that you lost Samuel in the war.” Callie reached for the napkin in her lap and dabbed it at her eyes.
“It’s so unfair,” Jax muttered. Callie looked over at him. An angry expression was etched on his face. “To find a love like that and then lose it…it just seems so wrong.”
Miss Hattie reached across the table and patted Callie’s hand. “Life brings unimaginable pain sometimes. The only way I can wrap my head around it is to thank the Lord for bringing Samuel into my life. We only had a year together, but that love has sustained me for a lifetime. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of him. And I know someday we’ll be together again in heaven.” She looked back and forth between Callie and Jax. “Never forget to live in love. Take chances. Reach out and grab ahold of love. Don’t be afraid if love comes calling.”
Callie felt as if God was trying to tell her something. First Mac and now Miss Hattie. Love one another. As I have loved you. Wasn’t that God’s command? She felt a sudden chill sweep over her. Suddenly it felt as if God was using the people in her life to move her to action.
She shook her head. Was she being fanciful?
“You said that you had two great loves. Who was the other?” Jax asked.
“That’s a story for another day.” Miss Hattie bowed her head. Her breathing seemed a little labored. She opened her mouth, then shut it. Words seemed to elude her.
“I think it might be time for Miss Hattie to rest,” Pearl said, a look of concern etched on her face. “She’s been getting tuckered out lately.”
“Pearl is right. I’m sorry to be a party pooper, but these old bones of mine are weary.”
“It’s fine,” Callie reassured her. “You entertained us for quite some time. Thank you for sharing such precious memories with us.”
Jax got up from his seat and stoo
d behind Miss Hattie’s chair. “May I?” he asked, holding out his hand so he could help her up from her seat. He reached out and gently hoisted her up from her chair. Miss Hattie clung to his arm like an anchor.
“Why thank you, Jax. You’ve always had such beautiful manners. I remember telling your mother that when you were a young boy.”
Jax let out a deep-throated chuckle. “Callie might challenge you regarding that notion. I used to leave frogs in her backpack and cubby at school.”
Pearl chuckled, then raised a hand to her mouth to cover it. “Sorry, Callie. It’s not funny but it is.” Her body shook with laughter.
Callie rolled her eyes. “My eight-year-old self didn’t find it so funny. I kept wondering why he was picking on me.”
“Did you ever find out?” Pearl asked, mischief flashing in her deep brown eyes.
Callie glanced over at Jax. She raised an eyebrow at him. “He never would tell me.”
“Go on and tell her Jax. She’s waited almost twenty years to find out,” Miss Hattie said in a breathy voice.
“Truth is, I singled out the prettiest girl in the whole class for my hijinks. And that was you, Callie.” Jax smirked at her, as if daring her to challenge what he’d just said.
She felt her cheeks blushing at the idea that he’d had a crush on her back in grade school. Back then it had felt as if he was bullying her, not trying to win her affection. But what did eight year old girls know about eight year old boys? Truth to be told, she was still clueless about the opposite sex.
