She was vaguely aware of the first man walking slowly towards her and Kelly saying quietly, “You greet him first.” And she couldn’t believe it, that pale, haggard face and the trembling body was her husband. For a moment she wanted to turn her anger on Kelly but she held out her arms and put them around the bony shoulders. “It’s lovely to see you, Bill. It’s been so long.” She put her head on his shoulder and wept.
Kelly stood to one side, uncertain what to do. They had told him that Malloy had had proper medical treatment and was fit enough to return to the States. He hadn’t expected to be faced with a wreck of a man who couldn’t speak and could barely stand up. But Kelly was OSS and knew by instinct what was happening. This was a homecoming that was fast turning into a wake unless he took it in hand.
Kelly wasn’t given to throwing his rank about or blustering but when he’d phoned Washington from the building on the airstrip he’d told them to use any pressure that was needed to get him a suite at the Waldorf by the time he got there in about forty-five minutes. He was also insistent that they got hold of an army doctor for when they arrived.
His army driver had taken every short cut he knew but it had seemed a long silent journey before they drew up outside the hotel. There was a message at the desk that the doctor was in the bar.
Kelly sat waiting with Kathy in the sitting room of the suite while the doctor examined Malloy. He took nearly an hour and when he came out with his black bag he sat down facing them.
“I’ve given him as thorough a check-up as I can outside a hospital.” He smiled at Kathy. “Let me say first of all that he’s not as bad as he looks. Physically, he just needs rest, good food and a pleasant environment. You won’t recognise him in a few weeks’ time. He’s young and tough and everything’s healing up quite well.” He turned to look at Kelly.
“The main problems are psychological. He’s been beaten up, humiliated and that’s bound to have an effect. I suggest that he is discharged from whatever your unit is and that he’s given a month or six weeks’ paid leave.” Turning to Kathy he said, “Have you got a home to take him to, Mrs. Malloy?”
“Just a small apartment.”
“Do you work?”
“Yes.”
“Could you give up your work and take him down to some resort? Florida or California. Where there’s sun and no more evidence of war?”
She looked at Kelly who said, “No problem, the service will see to all that.”
The doctor stood up. “OK. Now don’t worry, Mrs. Malloy, he’s going to be all right.” He picked up his bag. “I’ll look in every day until you leave.” He nodded at Kelly who stood up and walked with him to the door.
In the corridor Kelly said, “Did you mean all that? It wasn’t just bullshit for his wife, was it?”
The doctor half-smiled. “I’m a doctor, colonel, I may be in uniform but so far as your officer in there is concerned he’s a patient. He’s had a bad time but he’ll get over it. His wife’s going to need some help however.” He smiled. “I guess you’ll see to that.”
It was September when they boarded the plane at La Guardia for Los Angeles and that night they had driven up to Carmel where a politician friend of Kelly had put his villa at their disposal.
The Mexican gardener had waited for them and his wife had left salad and cold meats for them in the refrigerator. He showed them over the house and told them that he and his wife would be there every day to look after them.
The villa had its own garden and swimming pool and in the lights on the patio they saw the bougainvillea that smothered the roof and the bunches of hanging grapes on a vine covering the wooden patio ceiling.
When they had eaten Kathy took him out to a couple of striped canvas chairs under a honeysuckle.
As they settled down she said, “Are you glad we came?”
He shrugged. “I guess so, honey.” He smiled. “You always know what to do with me, don’t you?”
“We’ve got four months to unwind here and it was very good of Kelly to fix it for us.” She paused. “He thinks a lot of you. You know that.”
“I guess so.”
“What’s that mean?”
He reached out for her hand. “Just that, kid. Let’s forget him and the rest of them.”
“OK. Let’s talk about when it’s all over. What shall we do and where shall we live?”
He leaned back in his chair. “I’d like to go back to New York. How about you?”
She smiled. “Like it says in the Bible. Whither thou goest …”
“I’ll go back into law and make some money. And if we can afford it we’ll get ourselves a weekend place in the country or by the sea.”
“And what do you want me to do?”
He looked at her quickly. “Whatever you want. But something that really interests you.”
“I’d be happy to stay at home.”
“You’re too bright just to do that.” He smiled. “We’ll think of something.”
“What about a family?”
“You mean children?”
“Yes.”
“Is that what you want?”
“I’d like to talk about it and see what you feel.”
“It would scare me, Kathy, after what I saw when I was away. I wouldn’t really want the responsibility. I used the resources I’ve got to keep myself sane. I don’t think I could cope with any extra responsibility.”
She smiled, but it took an effort. “Let’s wait and see. We’ve got plenty of time to see what happens.” She stood up. “It’s time we were in bed, it’s been a long day.”
After two months of the sun and air
