From the Ashes of War Read online

  Of late, Joey had taken over the day-to-day management of the theater, allowing his father to semi-retire, though Frank would never admit to it. He still made daily visits, stopping by to check the ledger and make sure the place was tidy and running smoothly. He also stepped in on occasion to keep an eye on the place if Joey needed time off. Which is what Frank was doing on that Saturday afternoon so that Joey could join Millie, Danny, and Anya for Opening Day at Wrigley.

  Now, just two days later at the gathering in their home following Frank’s funeral, Danny still couldn’t believe his father was gone. Even after the service, standing graveside at Mt. Greenwood Cemetery, he couldn’t fully grasp that his father’s body was inside the rose-covered oak casket.

  So many things he wished he’d said to his dad, a steady stream of them drifting in and out of his thoughts. Theirs had never been a warm or particularly loving relationship, though Frank had mellowed a bit over the years. He wasn’t a religious man, but when Joey survived Pearl Harbor, Frank acknowledged it was surely his wife’s answered prayers that had protected his son that day. He was relieved to watch Joey grow stronger every day, and he liked the girl named Millie who’d won Joey’s heart. He was pleased when they married and didn’t even mind having the newlyweds living under the same roof. In fact, it was the birth of his first grandchild that gently sanded away the gruff and curmudgeonly edges surrounding Frank’s heart. Little Jimmy changed everything.

  Yes, life indeed has a peculiar way of intervening.

  Danny looked across their crowded living room for Anya, and couldn’t help wondering how her presence might have softened his father’s edges even more, had he lived. Before she arrived from England, Anya had been terrified of the mean, demanding father Danny had so often described in his letters to her over the years. But even Danny could trace the slow warming of Anya’s heart toward his father. Little by little, she eased the taut hold on her emotions, relaxing through their many conversations. Frank seemed spellbound by her life story. Growing up in a land so different from America; her work in the Dutch Resistance; the heavy losses she’d experienced, including her brother, mother, and father. He admired her strength of character, even though he recognized the familiar signs of trauma still lingering in her spirit.

  Danny watched Anya as she helped Millie and Mrs. Zankowski care for their guests with plenty of food and coffee. Despite Mom’s protestations, they insisted she leave the hospitality chores to them, freeing her to visit with the steady flow of friends and neighbors who’d come to pay their respects.

  He couldn’t help smiling, watching his wife now as she helped these people, many she had never met.

  “I shall never forget that day for as long as I live.”

  Danny blinked at the interruption, wincing at the tight grasp of the hand now clutching his wrist. Ouch.

  “Oh, hello, Cosmos. I’m sorry, what did you say?”

  Cosmos raised his eyes to some unseen heavenly realm as he shook his head slowly, side to side. “The moment I walked in that office and found your beloved father …‍” He paused, overcome with emotion, finally releasing his grasp on Danny’s wrist to bite down on the knuckles of his own clenched fist.

  “Never as long as I live shall I forget. It was a moment which forever divided my past from my future.” His hands sliced an invisible line before him, demonstrating the demarcation. “A divine moment in which the good Lord appointed a lowly theater employee such as myself to discover the lifeless remains of your dearly departed father, resting so peacefully there at his sacred desk.”

  “And we really appre‍—‍”

  “To think that God in heaven would reach down and tap me, Cosmos Francis Benedetto, on the shoulder at that specific moment, to knock gently on that office door so as to alert Mr. Frank to the inconvenience of the clogged toilet in the men’s room, only to find him slumped upon that desk.”

  He clutched Danny’s forearm. “Of course, I supposed he was merely resting, as he sometimes did. A brief snooze, if you will, once the matinee had begun and our theater patrons had settled in. But I knew‍—‌Danny, I knew then and there‍—‌that something was terribly wrong when he didn’t respond.”

  His commentary continued as he reverently re-enacted the moment. “And so it was that I tiptoed over and, just as God had tapped on my shoulder, I tapped on his.”

  He grabbed Danny’s elbow with his other hand in a death grip and locked eyes with him. “But it was too late! He was gone! He was just … gone.”

  Cosmos buried his face against Danny’s shoulder and sobbed. He had little choice but to pat the big guy on the back and offer a string of there-theres. When he glanced over Cosmos’s shoulder, he spotted Joey watching the scene unfold, nodding in sympathy with his patented smirk. Danny quickly looked away, clinging to every ounce of restraint he possessed.

  It wasn’t that they didn’t appreciate Cosmos’s penchant toward the melodramatic. They’d actually grown to love the New Jersey teddy bear who’d served as a ground crewman with the 390th Bomb Group in Framlingham, England. After the war, he’d shown up on their doorstep while making his way across America visiting others from the 390th. At that time, Danny wasn’t particularly amused by the visit as his mind was solely consumed with the endless delays of the war bride ships in England. But to no one’s surprise, Joey welcomed Cosmos into their home and eventually hired him to work at the theater, much to Frank’s chagrin.

  As Cosmos finally regained his composure, Anya stepped over and offered to help him get something to eat. She gave Danny a soft kiss on the cheek and led Cosmos to the table overflowing with food.

  Joey patted Danny on the back. “I have to admit, I thought you handled that rather well.”

  “Poor guy’s never going to forget finding Dad.”

  “And he’ll never forget reminding us that he was the one who found Dad.”

  “I’m afraid you’re right.”

  “Want to get some fresh air?”

  Danny nodded and followed his brother through the maze of people before slipping out onto the screened-in back porch. The surprisingly warm April air felt good on Danny’s skin as they dropped into the pair of rocking chairs.

  “Why couldn’t we have had a day like this for Opening Day?” he said. “It must be near seventy, don’t you think?”

  “Probably so. Hard to believe that cold day at Wrigley was just a couple of days ago, huh?”

  “Well, you know what they say, ‘If you don’t like Chicago’s weather‍—‍”

  “—wait an hour,” they said in unison.

  Joey continued. “It still feels so strange to think we were at the game having such a good time, completely unaware that Dad was already gone.”

  “I know. I keep expecting to hear his footsteps climbing up the stairs from the basement. Or find him reading the Trib at the kitchen table.”

  “Or dozing in his chair listening to James Brickhouse broadcasting a Cubs game on the radio.”

  They sat in silence, only the creaking of their rockers on the wood-planked porch accompanying their thoughts.

  “Think Mom’s okay in there?” Joey asked. “I know she won’t rest until she’s spoken to every single person who comes by.”

  “She’ll be exhausted tonight, but I think she’ll be all right. It’s probably good therapy, letting folks extend their condolences about Dad.”

  “I guess you’re right.”

  “Haven’t the girls been great with her through all this?” Danny said. “It never ceases to amaze me how women are so in tune with each other at times like this. It’s like they have some supercharged radar system that automatically flips the switch and shows them how to handle all that emotion.”

  “Must be born in them, ‘cause I sure don’t have it.”

  “Neither do I. Guess God knew what He was doing when He made them that way.”

  Joey slowed his rocking. “Danny, I know you and Anya were hoping to get a place of your own in a few months, but with Millie and me liv
ing in our own house, I’m concerned about leaving Mom alone in this big house right now.”

  “Anya and I were talking about that last night. She thinks we need to stay put for at least another year, and I have to admit, I was relieved she made the suggestion. It seems strange now, but when I asked Anya to marry me, I never gave a single thought to us coming home and living here with Mom and Dad. Then when it happened, obviously I was more concerned how Dad would respond than about Anya’s adjustment.” He lowered his voice. “I mean, she’s come such a long way, and she’s doing so much better. And it’s not just Mom’s prayers that have made the difference; it’s also that year she spent in England living with the other war brides. Even with all the struggles they faced, those girls were so good to her. She’d changed by the time she came here, and I mean that in a good way. I could tell they’d helped her work through some of the grief she needed to deal with. But she’s still got a long way to go.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “And Mom’s the best. She’s loved on Anya as only Mom can, and right when Anya needed a mother figure.”

  “Which is all the more reason for you all to stay here longer than you’d planned. I think it’s a win-win, Danny. And besides, Millie and I are only a few blocks away, so we’ll be around a lot too.”

  Danny reached over and squeezed his brother’s shoulder. “Thanks, Joey.”

  “Don’t mention it. Hey, we should probably get back inside before Cosmos corners Mom and does his moment-by-moment re-enactment of finding Dad.”

  “Sheesh, let’s hope we’re not too late.”

  3

  “I think that’s everything,” Lara Zankowski said, rinsing the last dish before handing it to Anya. “At least for now. Once the rest of the guests leave, I’ll make another round to collect the other dishes.” She dried her hands on the apron she’d borrowed, then looped it over her head and hung it on the cabinet peg. “How about we sit for a few minutes and have a cup of coffee?”

  “That sounds nice.” Anya reached for two clean cups with saucers and filled them with the fresh brew. She joined Lara at the kitchen table. “Thank you for all your help today.”

  “It’s my pleasure, Anya. I’m not one to stand around making small talk for hours on end. I much prefer staying busy.”

  “Small talk?”

  Lara smiled, setting her cup back on the saucer. “Sorry, you speak English so well, I forget how confusing phrases like that can be to someone from another country. Small talk … think of it as making conversation for the sake of conversation, as opposed to discussing something meaningful. When people talk-talk-talk but say nothing of substance. Does that make sense?”

  “Yes, and I’m like you, then. Much happier to be here washing dishes than out there answering the same questions over and over.”

  “Exactly. And I would imagine it’s all quite strange to you anyway. Just two months ago we were celebrating your homecoming, and now this. Burying the father-in-law you were just getting to know.”

  “I know. It doesn’t seem real. Even now.”

  “If you don’t mind my asking, how did you and Frank get along? He could be a real pain in the butt at times.”

  Anya chuckled quietly, amused that Danny’s favorite teacher, and now a family member by marriage, spoke so bluntly. “So I’ve heard, but he was always kind to me. From the first moment we met. And such a relief that was! I’d imagined him as a snarling ogre who would foam at the mouth if things didn’t go his way. But I never saw that in him. Not once.”

  “Well, trust me. Frank McClain had his moments. He used to scare me to death sometimes.”

  “Really? How so?”

  “Well, thankfully, I was never on the receiving end of his wrath, but I witnessed it often enough. One time, Mrs. Martello asked him to come over to change a flat tire. And as is their style, she and her sister Angelica hovered over him the whole time, asking a hundred questions, making suggestions how to do it better‍—‌never mind that the two of them hadn’t a clue how to change a tire‍—‌until he finally just lost it. I happened to be walking by on my way home when suddenly, I saw this flying object that landed with a loud CLANG not three feet from me in the street! Frank had hurled that tire tool in the air as hard as he could. Why, it could’ve killed me! And while I was trying to catch my breath, he came stomping across the street right in front of me with such a litany of foul language, I thought my ears would surely melt right then and there.”

  Anya winced as she laughed. “What a sight that must have been. I’m glad I never saw that side of him.”

  “Yes, consider yourself spared and blessed.”

  “I suppose you’re right.”

  Lara sighed comfortably. “It was a lovely service, wasn’t it?”

  “Yes. I thought the reverend’s brief words at the graveside were so kind. A thoughtful remembrance, especially for Betty.”

  “Yes, it was.”

  A moment of comfortable silence fell between them. From the day she’d arrived, Anya understood why Danny was so fond of the teacher he called “Mrs. Z”. It was easy to see why the fun-spirited history teacher had inspired him to follow in her footsteps. But even beyond the influence she’d had on Danny’s life, Lara was a ready and compassionate friend to Anya. And since her husband George traveled a lot during the week on business, she and Anya had plenty of time for after-school chats.

  “Anya, I’ve been meaning to ask you. Have you heard from any of your war bride friends? Last time we talked, you told me how much you missed the one who stayed back in England. What was her name? Sarah?”

  “Sybil. I received a letter from her just yesterday. She sounded so much better. I think she has finally resolved to what happened with her husband Jack and is ready to move on with her life again.”

  “That was such a heartbreaking story you shared with me, how he betrayed her when he came home from the war. So heartless, that horrible letter he wrote her about his new girlfriend expecting their child.”

  “It was the worst Christmas ever, for her to find out that way as we all opened our gifts.”

  “And the fire and then losing her baby‍—‍”

  “I honestly don’t know how she survived it.”

  Lara shook her head. “I can’t even imagine.”

  “It’s all so strange, Lara. Even now. I thought when the war ended, the evil in the world would be replaced by good. I assumed we would all pick up the pieces, rebuild our lives, our homelands, and go back to living as we did before the war. But nothing could be further from the truth. I think it shall take a very long time to heal these wounds. Especially those like Sybil’s. Such betrayal, after everything else we’d all been through.”

  Anya traced the rim around her cup and continued. “I have actually dreamed of what I would do to Jack if our paths ever cross here in America.” She stilled her hand and glanced up at Lara. “I’m afraid I might just kill him.”

  Lara laughed. “Well, you’d probably have to stand in line to do it. Jerks like that tend to leave a long string of broken hearts behind them.”

  At first Anya didn’t respond. Then, quietly she said, “No, Lara. I mean I might actually try to kill him.”

  Lara blinked, tilting her head to one side. “Somehow I doubt that. I suppose we all have fantasies now and then about hurting someone who’s hurt us or hurt someone dear to us. But actually hurting them physically? Not likely.”

  Anya averted her eyes, not wishing to give Lara a chance to glimpse inside her soul and the dark fears still smoldering there.

  “Then we’ll just pray you never come face to face with him. Problem solved, right?”

  Anya faked a shrug of indifference. “Probably best.”

  “Didn’t you tell me there was an American lieutenant there in London who had come to Sybil’s side when all that happened?”

  “Yes,” Anya said, smiling as she pictured the handsome officer who still worked at the American Embassy there. “Lieutenant Phillip Powell. By the time we left
, it was quite obvious he was falling in love with Sybil, and we all hoped she’d give him a chance once she recovered from her broken heart. In her letter today she mentioned him several times‍—‌ ‘Phillip and I went here or there,’ or ‘Phillip said this or that.’ It’s obvious he’s remained a presence in her life.”

  “How lovely,” Lara said. “Isn’t it strange how often God takes the worst possible situations in our shattered lives and makes something beautiful out of all those broken pieces?”

  “I guess I never thought of it that way before.”

  “You’ll have to keep me up to date on their news. There’s nothing I like better than a good love story.”

  “I’m hopeful they might find happiness together. I miss them, and I miss Gigi and Kate and little Joss so much.”

  “They’re all in Long Island, right?”

  “Yes. Someday I hope they’ll come to visit.”

  “Hey, you two,” Joey interrupted, joining them with a tray of dishes and Danny right behind him. “Back to work, or we’ll have to dock your pay.”

  “You’ll do no such thing, Joey McClain,” Lara teased, taking the tray.

  Joey startled. “Whoa, for a minute there you sounded just like my bossy high school history teacher. Oh wait‍—‌that’s right‍—‌you were my bossy high school history teacher.”

  She set the tray on the counter then gave his cheek a gentle pinch.

  “Ouch!”

  “Enough with the whining. Just march yourself back out there and pick up the rest of the dishes while Anya and I wash these. You too, Danny.”

  “You tell ’em, Aunt Lara,” Millie added, strolling in with her sleepy son cradled against her shoulder.

  “Well, well, look who’s finally up from his nap,” Danny crooned, leaning down to kiss the top of his head. “Hey Jimmy, want Uncle Danny to give you a piggyback ride?”

  The nine-month-old hid his face in his mother’s shoulder.