Cherry Ames 05 Flight Nurse (21 page)

She was so happy and stunned she barely heard the applause of her friends and comrades, and the surge of their congratulations. Ann and Gwen kissed her. She held them both close for an instant. Then Bunce was 210

C H E R R Y A M E S , F L I G H T N U R S E

pumping her hand—and Muriel was begging to wear a medal, too, and offering Cherry her cherished Lilac to take home—when Wade whisked the whole party out to the field to see his new bomber, just ferried in.

The ground crew rolled the mighty bomber out of the hangar. Painted on her fuselage was a bright-colored likeness of Cherry. Her name was painted, too, in big, bold, bright red letters! Beaming, Cherry broke a bottle of pop on a machine gun in its nose, and pronounced:

“I christen you
The Cherry
—and see that you bring the flyers safely home!”

In the general gaiety, Cherry slipped off from Ann and Jack and Gwen, from little Muriel who held Wade’s hand on one side and Bunce’s on the other. She walked by herself into the gathering dusk. The roar of bombers swelled over her head. Now she was leaving the sound of fighting planes; saying good-bye to these serene trees and this ancient, stalwart British island; putting an end to the teas before Mrs. Eldredge’s fire. No more, this gypsy existence of flight and danger and mystery. For the last time, she had flown over England, lying on her stomach by the window, watching their plane’s moon shadow, tagging along over the hills below.

How happy she had been here, being partners with Wade, and with Bunce to help her! How deeply satisfying to bring suffering men back to safety and care!

What exciting times she had had on this thoroughly remarkable little island!

Cherry turned to the west, where the sun was sinking and home lay. Before a rosy brick ivy-covered building, the American flag was fluttering down at day’s end.

Cherry watched her flag, and thought:

“Home! I’m going home! I’m not really leaving the Army. I’ll just be starting afresh—at home!”