Sorrento Girl Read online

  Paul finished his conversation and turned toward Ann. “Are you ready to go?” He leaned over and gave Ann a quick kiss on the cheek.

  She held his arm and stood fast until his eyes met hers. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yes. Everything is fine.” He shrugged as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “Here, I’ll carry those for you,” Paul said as he took Ann’s books from her. They walked to the park together without saying much.

  “I’m moving back into my grandmother’s house this weekend—just until we know where we’ll end up,” he said, finally breaking the silence.

  “That makes sense. There’s lots of room there.” She paused and looked at the ring on her left hand. “It doesn’t feel real yet, that we’re getting married in a month. Maybe it will once we find a house. The girls are throwing me a party—a wedding shower on Thursday night before everyone goes home for the summer.”

  “Oh? That’s nice of them. My last final is tomorrow. I’ll need to make a quick trip to Portland and back before the weekend. We can search for a house next week.”

  “Portland? Are you meeting with the folks at The Oregonian again?”

  “Yes, but don’t worry. I want to hear what they have to say. I’ve been talking to people here in Seattle too.” They were in the park now. Paul set the books down at a picnic table, and the two of them were soon deep into their studying. They worked quietly, each deep in thought until it was too dark to see the words on the pages anymore.

  ***

  On Thursday night, Ann put on a pretty floral dress and twirled around her room. She was excited to join her friends in the Fireside Room for her bridal shower. She wasn’t sure what to expect, as she had never been to one before. Helen had only told her that her aunt was coming, and there would be cake and gifts.

  Ann entered the room and was welcomed with cheers and hugs. Peggy pinned a rose corsage to her dress and smiled. “You’re the guest of honor tonight, Ann. Come, sit over here,” she said, leading Ann toward a chair in front of the fireplace.

  By the end of the evening, Ann had, indeed, been showered with gifts. Towels for her new bathroom, sheets, pots, and pans, and even a toaster oven were among the presents given to her. Ann looked around at the faces of the women she’d lived with for the past school year. She was grateful for each one of them. Not all of the women were coming back to the Sorrento in the fall—Ann , of course, being one of them. She wanted to remember this moment forever.

  After the party was over, Aunt Rose helped Ann gather up all the presents. “Where am I going to put all this stuff?” Ann asked, half laughing, half-serious.

  “Hmm … you have a point. Do you want me to store it at my house until you need it?”

  “Yes, thank you. It won’t be for long. We’re going house hunting next week!”

  Twenty

  The Seattle College class of 1939 commencement ceremony was about to begin. Upon the grassy lawn of the Union Green, chairs for friends and family were arranged in neat rows. President Corkery, Vice-President Halpin, and Dean McGoldrick sat on a platform behind the podium. The cloudless blue sky made it a beautiful day. The graduates made their way up the middle aisle toward the empty chairs in front while the school band played “Pomp and Circumstance.”

  Paul walked by in his cap and gown, and Ann’s heart swelled with pride. She was seated between his mother and his grandmother, who were, no doubt, feeling the same way. The three women shared common ground in this.

  People gave speeches, they sang, and finally, it was time to hand out the diplomas. One by one, the graduates walked up the steps of the platform. The president of the school called their names. Then they shook hands with the administrators and accepted their diplomas. Out of the class of fifty graduates, more than half were women. Pleased with that fact, Ann thought about the day when it would be her up there.

  A happy group of graduates threw their caps into the air upon the conclusion of the ceremony, then exited back down the aisle toward the reception area.

  Ann found Paul and his friend, Joe, in a conversation by the cake table, and she joined them, giving them both hugs and a big smile. “Congratulations, you two! How does it feel to be done?”

  “As good as you might imagine!” Joe said. “I leave for basic training next week. I’m sorry that I’ll miss seeing the two of you get married.”

  “That soon? Wow. Well, I wish you all the best,” Ann meant it, even though she was going to miss her friend, and she was sad for Peggy, who would miss him even more.

  “My grandmother has invited a few of her friends to her home this afternoon for a celebration. You’re welcome to join us, Joe!” Paul said.

  Just then, Paul’s family came over to where they were talking. Introductions were made, and more congratulations were given. Paul’s parents were perfectly polite and engaging. If one hadn’t known otherwise, one might never suspect the tensions that lay hidden amongst the family.

  After the reception at the college, the party moved to Elizabeth Lewis’s home. There, Ann met many of Paul’s relatives and family acquaintances. The feeling of being under a microscope prevailed throughout the afternoon. Ann pretended not to notice the surreptitious glances and whispered questions about who she was and where she came from.

  Ann surmised that many of these people at the graduation party would be among the same group she would be meeting the following week at the engagement party. How well did any of them know Paul?

  Mrs. Lewis knew how to host a beautiful party. There was no doubt about that. Fresh flower arrangements of white roses with lavender filled the rooms, scenting the air with their perfume. White-gloved waiters circulated through the crowd with silver trays, offering sumptuous buttery pastries and champagne.

  The endless small talk was wearing Ann out. She looked around for an escape. Nobody was on the patio off the dining room, so Ann quietly took leave and went outside. Relaxing for the first time all day, she sipped her champagne while sitting on a porch swing. Peering out over the trees toward the lake, Ann noticed Joe and Paul walking back to the house from the dock. They didn’t seem to see her, and she didn’t want to interrupt their conversation, so she stayed where she was, waiting for them to get closer.

  Paul had only just returned from Portland yesterday, and she didn’t know yet how his trip had gone. That’s why she paid close attention when she heard them talking about the newspaper job at The Oregonian.

  “It’s a good job, especially right now, when so many are having a hard time finding work,” Paul said.

  “Tell me about it,” Joe said. “I must have applied to a hundred different companies before I decided my best option would be to join the navy.”

  “Ann doesn’t want to move to Portland. She wants to go back to school in the fall. But this is just the way it is.”

  “Have you told her yet?” Joe asked.

  Ann sat frozen. Should she make her presence known, or should she try to slip away? Her skin felt cold, and her heart was beating fast. They still hadn’t noticed her. She got up from the swing and walked toward them as if she had just come from inside the house.

  “Oh, hi, Ann.” Paul offered her a smile. “I was coming to find you.”

  “Hey, Ann. I was about to leave. I guess this is goodbye, for now. I’ll be in touch,” Joe said.

  “Hey … actually, Joe, if you don’t mind, if you’re going back to campus, I was wondering if I could catch a ride with you. I don’t want to take Paul away from the party, or his guests, but I’m getting tired— and I need to move out of the Sorrento tomorrow.”

  “Sure, no problem!” Joe said.

  “Ah, thanks, Joe!” Paul shook his friend’s hand. “Ann, I’ll be by tomorrow morning to help you move your stuff over to the Delzer’s. Ten o’clock?”

  “Okay. Sounds good. I’ll see you then,” Ann said, betraying nothing of the anger she was feeling at the moment.

  Ann said a quick goodbye to Paul’s grandmother, then got in the car with Joe. She was so
rry to say goodbye to him when he dropped her off at the Sorrento. He had been like a brother to her that year. She would miss him.

  It would be her last night as a resident of the Sorrento. She had already said goodbye to Helen, who’d left the day before. There were too many goodbyes. Ann felt numb. She was still trying to process the conversation she’d overheard between Paul and Joe.

  This is just the way it is. The words Paul had spoken upset her. They sounded callous. Ann ran different scenarios through her mind as she made her way up the stairs to her room. Talk to him first, before you get angry, she told herself. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as it had sounded. It had been a long day. Ann decided to go to sleep and sort out her feelings in the morning.

  ***

  Ann woke early on Sunday morning—Moving Day. It wouldn’t be difficult, as she had few belongings. Everything she owned fit into one large suitcase, her small train case, and a hatbox. A massive box of books completed the load.

  The Delzer children had made it clear that they were excited to have “Auntie Ann” come to stay in the guest room at their house. They’d been asking her every day when she was going to move in. Their enthusiasm and affection made it easier to say goodbye to her room at the Sorrento. Ann would miss some of the luxuries she’d enjoyed over the past year, such as having someone else cook her meals, clean her room, and do her laundry— but living in the Delzer family home would have its perks too. It was a beautiful home, and Ann loved being there.

  After dressing and putting the finishing touches on her packing, Ann went up to the dining room for breakfast with Nora, who was leaving today as well. There was a spread of bacon, scrambled eggs, toast, and strawberries arrayed on the buffet table. Ann filled her plate and took it to her favorite table by the window. Nora brought over some coffee and joined her. Pushing aside her thoughts on the hard conversation she knew she’d soon be having with Paul, Ann did her best to focus on the dear friend seated across from her at that moment.

  “Are you excited to be going home today?” Ann asked.

  “I am, but I’ll miss being with the Sorrento Girls. I’m already looking forward to returning in August,” Nora said, pouring cream into her coffee. “So, where’s ‘home’ going to be for you and Paul? Have you found a place yet?”

  “No, not yet.” Ann paused. Should she say more? She debated back and forth—then told Nora everything.

  “He should have talked to you first. Can’t you say something? You’re a strong woman. Giving up everything you want, for a man, doesn’t seem much like you,” Nora said.

  “There’s more to life than being a passenger …” Ann said thoughtfully, quoting Amelia Earhart. “I don’t know … I need to talk to him first and let him explain.”

  Nora checked her wristwatch. “Time for me to go. I don’t like goodbyes, and I don’t want to cry. I will see you soon! Be strong, Ann. Amelia’s right. You’re not just a passenger. Take charge of your flight through life. Write to me. Let me know how it goes.” Then she hugged her friend goodbye for the summer.

  ***

  “Paul, before we take all my stuff over to the Delzer’s, can we go for a walk first? We need to talk,” Ann said. Paul had arrived to help Ann move, but there were other pressing things on her mind that she needed to clear up first.

  Paul nodded. “Sure, are you ready to go now?”

  When they were about a block away from Hotel Sorrento, Ann took a deep breath. She couldn’t wait any longer to bring up her concerns. “I was outside last night, sitting on the porch swing, when I overheard you and Joe talking.” She paused. “What’s going on, Paul?”

  Paul was quiet for a moment, as if searching for the right words, then he finally blurted out, “I took the job with The Oregonian. We’ll need to move to Portland. I start in July. Maybe you can enroll in a college when we get there.”

  Ann felt her pulse quicken. “Shouldn’t we have talked about this first, together?” Ann was stunned. Her voice was cold. “I feel like the issue is deeper than whether or not I can continue with school. This is my life too. Don’t I have a say?”

  Paul seemed surprised. Ann had never spoken to him like this before. “The Post Intelligencer wasn’t hiring. We’re getting married in a few weeks. I needed a job. What was I supposed to do?”

  “Did you apply at any other Seattle paper other than the Post?

  “No, I didn’t. But you’ll like Portland!”

  Ann stopped walking. Then she turned around on her heel and headed back toward the Sorrento. Anger, both with Paul and with herself, washed over her. She didn’t want this kind of marriage. This wasn’t an equal partnership. They could have sorted this problem out together, finding a compromise they could both be happy with, but that opportunity had never been given to her. He was treating her like a child, making all the decisions on his own. She was angry with herself, too, because she had allowed it to happen. She had continuously pushed aside any feelings of discomfort, allowing herself to be satisfied with reassurances from Paul that all would be fine. It wasn’t fine. So much for being her own “pilot.” She’d handed the controls over to Paul.

  Paul turned around when he noticed that Ann was no longer by his side. He called after her, “I’m sorry! I wasn’t thinking!”

  Ann paused and waited for the man she loved to catch up with her. She wanted to believe him. She took his outstretched hand. “This is our first fight. I don’t like it.”

  “I don’t either. I love you.”

  “I love you too,” Ann said. Maybe they could find a way to both get what they wanted.

  When they got back to Hotel Sorrento, Paul came upstairs with Ann to her room to help her carry her belongings out. It was the first time he had ever seen it. Ms. Patrick had been super strict about not allowing any men into the private rooms of the hotel. But now, she and most of the coeds were gone.

  “Wow, this is a lot nicer than the room I had all year,” Paul said, pulling her in for a kiss.

  Ann stepped away. She appreciated the apology, but she still had some cooling off to do. Nothing had changed. The plan was still in place to move to Portland. She needed more time to think.

  Twenty-One

  Ann appraised the room that would be hers for the next month and smiled for the first time that day. Paul was in the backyard playing ball with Billy and David. Their voices rang out below through the open window. The boys loved it when Paul came for a visit. As soon as he’d arrived with Ann, carrying her suitcase over from the Sorrento, they’d pounced on the opportunity to invite Paul to join them in a game of catch.

  Margaret and Sally had eagerly invited Ann upstairs to see the lovely guest room they had prepared for her. A pale green vanity table with a large mirror sat in the corner, and a large bed with a white matelassé cover, much like her bed at the Sorrento, filled most of the space. Only, this bed had a gray tabby sleeping on it. The Delzer’s cat, Bob, considered this his room. Ann was more than happy to share as she loved cats. Sunlight filtered through the white curtains making pretty shadows from the tree outside dance across the wood floor.

  “I picked these for you!” Sally said, excitedly, as she pointed to a vase of dandelions on the vanity table.

  “Thank you! They’re beautiful, and this room is wonderful. You two sure know how to make a girl feel welcome,” Ann said.

  Mrs. Delzer came into the room just then. “We’re happy to have you, Ann. You’re part of the family.”

  “I hope I can make you all feel as loved and cared for as you have made me feel,” Ann said.

  It had been an emotional couple of days. Being here, right now, with this sweet family, gave Ann a feeling of stability and strength that felt like water to her parched soul. Ann took Sally’s outstretched hand, and the little girl pulled her toward the hallway.

  “C’mon! Let’s go outside!” Sally said. “I want to go see Paul!”

  Mrs. Delzer went back to the kitchen, and Ann, Sally, and Margaret joined the rest of the crew in the backyard.

&nbs
p; The original plan had been to go house hunting with Paul on Sunday, but now, that was no longer necessary. Ann supposed they’d be taking a trip to Portland soon to find a house there. Their engagement party was in a week. The wedding, two weeks after that. How could they best use the time they had left to accomplish all that still needed to be done before their big day?

  ***

  Ann and Mrs. Delzer had just finished putting finishing touches on the strawberry jam they’d been canning, the kids were playing with their neighbors, and it was time to sit down and rest. Ann sliced several pieces of fresh bread, still warm from the oven, and spread jam on them, placing the simple treat on two plates. Mrs. Delzer poured tea for both of them and carried the cups out to the table on the back porch. The two ladies watched the children playing and sipped their tea.

  “We’re looking forward to your engagement party this weekend, Ann.” Mrs. Delzer paused. “Tell me, are you happy about moving to Portland?”

  “No, I’m not, but I can adapt. I can learn to like it there, but to be honest with you, it’s not the location that is bothering me the most …”

  “What is it, dear?”

  “It’s the fact that he decided without me. Is that really what marriage will be like?”

  “Hmm … sometimes, yes. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Mr. Delzer and I make decisions together.” She took a sip of tea. “Did you tell Paul how you feel?”

  “Yes, I did, right before we got here today. He apologized, but I’m not sure if he understood the problem.”

  “You two are both so young.” Mrs. Delzer took a deep breath. “You know, you’re not locked into anything at this point, right? You can still change your mind,” she said with compassion.

  Not knowing how to respond, Ann just sat quietly. Many people had gone to much trouble for her. The party, the presents … how could she back out now?

  ***

  On Saturday afternoon, Ann was feeling much better about the whole state of her current situation. She stood in front of the dressing mirror and assessed her appearance. Ann was wearing her favorite emerald-colored silk dress, the one Aunt Rose had bought for her. It was the same one she had been wearing when she first met Paul. Ann felt confident and beautiful, knowing Paul loved this dress. After applying a swipe of red lipstick, she was ready. Paul was already downstairs, talking to Mr. and Mrs. Delzer while waiting to drive her to their party.