Sarah Sundin - A Memory Between Us

A MEMORY
BETWEEN US

Also by Sarah Sundin

W INGS OF G LORY SERIES

A Distant Melody

2010 by Sarah Sundin

Published by Revell
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.revellbooks.com

E-book edition created 2011

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

ISBN 978-1-4412-1354-9

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Published in association with the literary agency Books & Such, 52 Mission Circle #122 PMB 170, Santa Rosa, California 95409.

The U.S. Air Force by Robert Crawford. Copyright 1939 by Carl Fischer, Inc. Copyright renewed. All rights assigned to Carl Fischer, LLC. All rights reserved.

Der Fuehrers Face by Oliver Wallace. Used by permission of Southern Music Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

I Cant Get Started. Words by Ira Gershwin. Music by Vernon Duke. 1935 (renewed) Ira Gershwin Music and Chappell & Co., Inc. All rights for Ira Gershwin Music administered by WB Music Corp. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Alfred Publishing Co. Inc.

Comin in on a Wing and a Prayer. Music by Jimmy McHugh. Words by Harold Adamson. 1943 (renewed) EMI Robbins Catalog Inc. and Jimmy McHugh Music. Rights for the extended term of copyright in the U.S. assigned to Cotton Club Publishing (administered by Universal-MCA Music Publishing, a division of Universal Studios Inc.) and Harold Adamson Music (administered by the Songwriters Guild of America). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Comin in on a Wing and a Prayer. Words and music by Jimmy McHugh and Harold Adamson. 1943 (renewed 1971) Cotton Club Publishing and Robbins Music Corp. All rights for Cotton Club Publishing in the United States controlled and administered by EMI April Music Inc. Rights for Robbins Music Corp. assigned to EMI Catalogue Partnership. All rights for EMI Catalogue Partnership controlled and administered by EMI Robbins Catalog Inc. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission. Reprinted by permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously.

The internet addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers in this book are accurate at the time of publication. They are provided as a resource. Baker Publishing Group does not endorse them or vouch for their content or permanence.

Contents

2nd Evacuation Hospital; Diddington,
Huntingdonshire, England

March 3, 1943

Lt. Penelope Ruth Doherty braced open the window and drank in cool air to settle her stomach. There, gentlemen. Isnt it nice to have fresh air in here?

In the bed next to the window, Lieutenant Lumley snorted. Maam, Im from Arizona. To me, this soggy English air is more lethal than Nazi bullets.

Ruth smiled at her patient, who had broken an ankle when his P-38 Lightning crashed on landing. Good air circulation is important for wound healing. And for clearing the nauseating smell of breakfast sausage from the tin can of a ward.

Say, Red, you know what would heal my wounds? The new patient, Lieutenant Holmes, pointed to his lips and dropped Ruth a wink.

Ruth gave him a sweet smile. Youd like another dose of castor oil?

And its Lieutenant Doherty to you. Ruths medic, Technical Sergeant Giovanni, set his supply tray next to Lieutenant Holmess bed. Now, time to swab your wounds. A German shell had filled the navigators back with shrapnel.

Besides, her hair is more auburn than red. Lieutenant Lumleys gaze had a softer cast than usual. Thank goodness, he was due to be discharged.

Ill be back with the morning meds. Ruth passed one of the potbellied coal stoves in the aisle.

Ouch! Lieutenant Holmes cried out.

Whatza matter? Does it sting the widdle baby? Sergeant Giovannis voice oozed fake sympathy.

Better not be iodine. Makes my throat swell up something fierce.

Ruths feet stopped along with her heart, and she slowly turned to her medic. Sergeant Giovannis burly face stretched long in horror. Of course he was using iodine.

Anaphylaxis. She needed to act quickly without alerting her patient, keep a level head, and control her emotions as she had been trained. Panic would make his condition worse.

She returned to Lieutenant Holmess bed and put on her cheeriest smile and voice. What would feel good on those wounds would be a nice rinse with cool water. Sergeant, would you please fetch Dr. Sinclair? Id like to discuss Lieutenant Lumleys discharge with him. She locked her gaze on her medic. Now, she mouthed.

Sure thing, boss. The sergeant strode for the door.

Ruth grabbed towels from the drawer in the bedside table and braced them on either side of her patients torso, and then gently poured water over the brown stains and dabbed them with another towel. Too late, but she wanted to reduce the amount of iodine in the poor mans system. Now, doesnt that feel nice?

Id rather have a kiss.

And Id rather have a million dollars, but neither is going to happen.

I dont know about that. I can feel that kiss already. My lips are all tingly.

Ruths hand tightened on the towel. He was going into anaphylaxis, but where was Dr. Sinclair? Only he could give the adrenaline needed to save this mans life. Excuse me. Ill be right back.

At a fast clip, Ruth went to the medication room, where Lt. Harriet Marshall was completing her narcotic count from the end of her night shift. Excuse me. I need to get some adrenaline and morphine. Lieutenant Holmes is going into anaphylaxis.

Harriets elfin face blanched. Oh no. Thank goodness Dr. Sinclair is on the ward.

Not yet. Ruth grabbed a tray and put two sterilized syringes on top.

Soso why are you already getting the meds?

I want to be ready when he comes. I cant waste any time. One vial of adrenaline.

But he hasnt ordered them yet.

Ruth leveled a look at the girl. I know the treatment for anaphylaxis.

Thatthats presumptuous of you. Youll make the doctor angry.

Ruth pulled a vial of morphine. I dont care about the doctors feelings; I care about my patients life. She ignored Harriets gasp and returned to Lieutenant Holmess bedside.

He stared up at her with wild eyes. My throatit itches, its swelling up. Was that iodine?

Yes, sir, it was, but Dr. Sinclair is on his way. She gave him her most soothing smile. Now, lets get you in a more comfortable position. Ruth patted his back dry and helped him roll over.

Lieutenant Holmes clawed at his throat. I cantI cant breathe. Red hives dotted his fair skin.

Sure, you can breathe. Stay very calm. Very calm, and think about something else. Where are you from, Lieutenant?

NewHampshire. His chest heaved out the words.

Ruth filled a syringe with adrenaline. So youre used to this cold weather, unlike Arizona over there. Me too. Im from Chicago. In fact, this must feel warm and balmy to you.