The last 24 hours have not been the same. Hours later, the martial law begin to take affect to protect us with rules like blackouts, curfews, and other restrictions. We knew war was going to start before the president even announced it this morning. A date which will live in infamy…what a title. Any disastrous attack will be considered a date to live in infamy, even if something like this will happen 50 years from now. The speech was announced at 6am Hawaiian time, so by the time we have woken up, the papers have already been printed out about the attack and declaration of war.

Last night was one of the scariest nights of my life aside from the nights I spent fighting for my life during the flu pandemic when I was 5. Just like in the hospital, the silence, the breaths, the unknowns, and the fear that I won’t live to see tomorrow. Yesterday afternoon, Danny and I got some stuff for the beach house like blackout curtains, boards, and other stuff that the military told us to get to be prepared for a possible third attack. Danny also went to get his stuff from the barracks; his barrack was completely destroyed and he found some more bodies. Bodies and limbs either on the bed as they lay or in and around the building. I know that Danny would’ve packed his stuff in a jiffy because he doesn’t like seeing that macabre scene. He stayed at my house once again because both of us are scared and need each other. So we fell asleep holding onto each other in case we do not make it through the night. Even if we heard patrols marching through, not knowing if it’s for us or against us.

This morning had a different feel: numbness and in disarray. We decided to stay where we’re at and read the papers. There are so many unknowns: the death toll, those who are injured, and how to move forward.

“Alot of people died yesterday,” Danny stated.

“How many do you think,” I asked.

“About…30,000.”

“I’m thinking 3,500”

“That’s too low.”

“Yours sound like the Japs have wiped out the entire island’s population.”

Speaking of Japs, it wouldn’t be a surprise that the Japanese American population would be sent elsewhere and their businesses would shut down all in the name of security.

The images are devastating, especially over Battleship Row where I went in and saved those helpless warriors when those zeros started shooting at them. I know it’s going to take a while to get these ships out, repaired and running for the second Great War.

“You should call your parents,” Danny stated, taking me out of my thoughts.

“I should what?”

“Jack and Rose would think you’re dead or missing, you should call them.”

I hesitated at first because long distance calls are really expensive. But then I remembered that the military provided me this house with rent and utilities already paid by them and I haven’t paid a single cent except for food. What the hell, I’ll pay them back, I thought.

So I went and dialed my parents home phone and the operators connected the wires all the way to my parents line. Eventually, I heard a lovely voice on the other end.

“Dawson residence, this is Rose.”

“Hi mom,” I answered solemnly.

It seems like the phone dropped because I heard a jerk in the line.

“JACK,” Mom screamed in the background. “JACK, SHE’S ALIVE!! OUR BABY’S ALIVE!! COME QUICK!!“

Then I heard the phone being picked up. “Hello,” a male rugged but handsome voice asked on the other end.

“Hey dad,” I greeted.

” ‘Lisa Bear, is that you?”

“It’s me.”

“Thank you Jesus, you’re alive!”

I apologized for not letting them know sooner due to the events yesterday and told them that happened. From the first wave to fighting back and everything in between.

“When we heard about Pearl Harbor, I told your mother that you’d being givin’ these invaders a good ole knuckle sandwich and raise some hell on ’em,” Dad stated. Living up to my name I guess.

“Was Danny with you,” Dad asked.

“yeah, I lead some and so did he.”

“That’s good! Any injuries you two have sustained?”

“I’m not sure. Danny didn’t complain of any pain at all. Just last night, my shoulder has been killing me. I’m thinking I just pulled a muscle there.”

“Well, you may want to get that checked out. I don’t want you to get a really bad infection that’ll pull you out of duty,” Dad said in a concerned tone.

“Yes sir, I’ll check it out.”

After our conversation, Jack gave mom the phone so he can work on the fish for supper. Despite his traumatic experiences ice fishing as a kid, he fishes whenever he’s stressed or something’s bothering him. I feel like I helped him out with that.

Rose and I’s conversation is more focused on what’s going on between Danny and I. As much as I hated it, I told mom that Danny and I started dating less than a month ago. Boy did she squeal!

“I’m so happy for you baby! Danny has grown into a fine young man and the two of you have such an incredible bond growing up.”

When I told her I haven’t told him my feelings toward him she said this:

“Honey, he’s your best friend and you’ve grown up together, do you think that feelings would change overtime? I saw how he looked at you over the years, especially when you were in the hospital after your slip. It’s the look of admiration, he loves you El. He not just loves you but he looks up to you. You are his fire and he is the water that soothes and calms you.”

When mom said that, I remember the times where I would get so fired up and Danny would pull be back in and calm me down whether it’s stress or someone really pissing me off.

“You should give him a chance. Let your heart guide you and trust your gut’s instincts and everything will follow. I know that love is scary, if it wasn’t for you, I’d be stuck in a loveless marriage with Cal.”

I did help my mom AND my dad out back on the Titanic and guide them together. But something else was still bugging me…

“mom, I don’t want to be in the same situation as you did with Cal being your first.”

” ‘Lisa,” Mom said sternly. “What Cal and I had was not real. Your grandmother forced this union as an arranged marriage to get us out of debt and not in destitute. Cal was not a good man and I was his slave. Danny is not like that, is he?”

“No,” I answered. “he treats me like a lady, someone special. He makes me melt every time he hugs or kisses me. He gives me butterflies every time he looks at me. I can’t explain it mom.”

“Well, that explains it,” mom said with a smile in her voice. “You should tell him. You are a brave and beautiful young lady that me and Jack proudly call our daughter.”

I smiled. I feel proud to be the daughter of not just two loving parents but two survivors of the worst maritime disaster in living memory.

30 minutes later

I lost track of time so I had to wrap up so they can have supper, it is a 6 hour difference after all. After the phone call, I went to the bathroom to inspect my shoulder, whether it’s something more than tired muscles. In front of the mirror, I pulled down the collar of my blouse over my shoulder. There, I saw a very big laceration. It’s half an inch wide, going from the top of my collarbone, over and down to the bottom of my shoulder blade. It’s inflamed around the area, the wound was dark like it was dried up soot and blood mixed in together. Swiftly, I ran through my laundry basket to find the white blouse I was wearing yesterday, turned it over to the back and there was a hole, opened up where my wound was. Around the hole was soot and dried blood. Why didn’t I even notice that, I thought.

I went back into the living room where Danny was working on an activity in the newspaper.

“They didn’t get your letters,” he jokingly asked.

“No, we just have alot to talk about,” I answered as I sat down.

When I sat down, he had this concerned look on his face.

“what happened to you,” he asked in a concerned tone as he pushed my shoulder gently to an angle.

Gosh darn it, I forgot to cover it up, I thought.

“Oh…I think it was from those zeros that shot at us on the drive over.”

“And you didn’t tell me?!”

“I didn’t know until now,” I answered in a worried tone.

“I’ll be right back.”

Cripes, he’s mad, I thought.

He got up, went outside to his hole-filled car, got a small suitcase that could weigh more than half a pound, and went back in.

“I’m going to take care of this, it looks bad,” Danny stated.

It was an emergency kit! He always had one for back up, especially as a kid. Mirabelle, his mom, was a nurse during the Great War for those wounded, got some treatment to keep them alive until they get better treatment back in the states. Danny has told me that his mamma showed him different things like how to clean and stitch a wound, as well as the general procedures like tending a broken bone or wrapping a wound. So he started disinfecting the wound, which hurts like the devil, then he carefully stitched up the wound, leaving an opening either on top or on the bottom for the wound to flush itself out, covered it with a sterilized gauze pad and taped it with adhesive tape over the wound. We didn’t talk during that procedure because I wanted him to focus. Before he pulled the collar of my shirt back over, he kissed my shoulder.

“Danny,” I peeped. “What do you think of me?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean… we dated, we kissed…do you think of me more than a friend?”

He sighed and then answered my question like this:

“Ellis, I have always liked you. When you saved me from those bullies, I knew that you’re the one I wanna be with. I didn’t just become your friend for protection but because I like you. I know, I dated other girls in high school. That’s because I’m trying to convince myself that there are other girls out there that are just as wonderful as you. They didn’t leave me because I was shy and not willing to be with them and whatnot. They dumped me because they saw how I look at you, they knew that I’m better with you than with them and I didn’t listen. It was the same for that girl that stood me up for prom and honestly, I’d care less because I’d rather be by the lake with you than to get into a tuxedo with some girl that I tried to force myself to like. The last few weeks I’ve been with you were the best…and I don’t want it to go away because of some attack, some war that’ll take me out…”

I could see him staring out as he told me all this and his eyes were on the verge of tears. My eyes swelled up and a couple tears ran down my cheeks.

“What I’m trying to tell you is… I love you Ellis. I always have…and I’d be darn to believe you do too.”

“yeah,” I answered softly as I wiped my tears away. “I do too.”

“well that means one thing,” Danny announced. “would you like to be mine?”

I nodded yes as I sniffled.

“yes?”

“yes”, I answered before leaning forward to kiss then hug him.

After we hugged and still in embrace, Danny wiped away my “tears of joy” and kissed me on the forehead.

This is the beginning of a new chapter longed to be written for us…