Love Letters From the Grave(31)
After a few minutes of conversation, George stood up. ‘I really should be going,’ he announced. ‘I’d like to get home before dark.’
‘Of course,’ they said together.
Molly took him by the arm. ‘Thank you for a truly wonderful day. I’ve never experienced anything quite like it.’
‘Me neither,’ said George. He smiled as she felt her cheeks redden. ‘I look forward to discussing it all over again at lunch on Monday.’
‘Lunch on Monday,’ she agreed.
They all walked him down to his motorcycle and watched him as he rode out onto the road, waving as he roared away. As soon as they went back into the house, Jesse and Aunt Dolores began to grill her about her outing with George. She gave them all the details, and, as she did, she became increasingly aware that George was a very good person, and that she was beginning to like him very much.
On Monday, George met her as she went into the cafeteria at noon, and escorted her to the food line. As they approached the cashier, he told her that he was buying. She was his guest, he told her, and, therefore, lunch was on him. They re-counted their favorite tales of the motorcycle before George took in a deep breath.
‘Molly, would you consent to having dinner with me at the Palace Dinner Theater next Saturday night? The Bob Crosby orchestra will be playing and Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters are singing.’
She couldn’t believe her ears. Those four singers were the nation's most famous icons of the recent war era. ‘I would love to!’
She wanted to tell everyone in her office that George was taking her to the Palace on Saturday, but she was still afraid to say anything about it to anyone at the plant. She was certain that employees dating their bosses, if not against company policy, was certainly frowned upon. She kept it to herself, but could hardly wait to get home to tell her father and aunt about it.
She bounded through the door when she got home, to be greeted by Aunt Dolores who was overwhelmed by the prospect of such starry company. When he came home, Jesse heard the news and explained that many stars of stage and screen were still touring the country promoting the sale of war bonds. Even though the war in Europe had been over for over a year, and the war in the Pacific for more than nine months, the Nation had racked up a considerable debt, and there were plans to continue raising money through the sale of bonds until the debt was mostly paid off. As they had during the war itself, stars were volunteering their time and talent to help their country out. They considered it their patriotic duty.
‘That’s an incredible date, however, Molly,’ said Jesse. ‘It speaks well of George’s intentions. I think it’s entirely likely George may end up asking you to marry him.’
‘It’s our second date, Dad,’ said Molly. ‘Let’s not get too excited.’
But ever since George asked her out, Molly had been thinking the same thing. Although most people she knew considered that George was definitely a confirmed bachelor, his behavior toward her since they first met on her first day of work did not match such a conclusion. After their outing at the races last week end she began to feel that George could be in love with her, and she began to entertain thoughts that she might be falling in love with him. His asking her out for a very special date at the Palace only reinforced these feelings
Molly began preparations for her night out with George as soon as breakfast was finished on Saturday morning. He’d said he would pick her up at 4:30, so she had a good eight hours to get ready. First off, Aunt Dolores began to do her hair, then she put on her make-up, admiring her image in the mirror. She felt that her aunt did the best job ever with her hair; that her new lipstick (which matched the color of her new dress) was the prettiest that she had ever worn; and that, overall, she had never looked better.
‘Listen to yourself, Molly! So vain,’ she whispered, but she knew that it was time. Time to feel okay about everything that had happened.
With an hour to go until George would arrive, she put on her new dress, which she had purchased for the occasion three days earlier. It complimented her tall, lithe and shapely figure very well. Feeling satisfied with herself and yet a little anxious, she went down stairs to wait for George in the living room with her father and aunt.
They were engrossed in an excited conversation when they were startled by a knock on the front door. They were surprised that they had not heard a vehicle drive up their driveway. But here was George at the door.
Jesse opened the door, and George stepped in, resplendently dressed in a black suit, set off by a crisp white shirt, a fancy, black bow tie, and expensive-looking, shiny black shoes. With his neatly cut and combed, graying black hair, he presented an imposing picture of a very handsome gentleman. Molly's heart did a flip; she was Cinderella being picked up by the handsome Prince Cary Grant, ready to whisk her off to the event of a lifetime.
Arriving at the Palace, George drove around in front of the entrance, where valets were waiting to park the car. This was Molly's first experience of valet parking. George opened the door for her and escorted her to the entrance, where a doorman greeted them and opened the door. As they stepped inside, the maitre d' escorted them to their table and seated them.
The table was beautifully decorated with a vase of red and white carnations and an ornate silver bucket of iced champagne. At Molly's place, there was a beautiful corsage of orchids. As soon as they were seated the Maitre d' pinned the corsage to Molly's dress, and cut one of the white carnations from the vase and placed it in the lapel of George's suit. He then poured each of them a glass of the chilled champagne, describing its brand and vintage as the bubbles fizzed into the glass. Next, he presented each of them with a large tasselled menu, announcing that he would soon return to take their orders.