#audrey westphal

[mysoftboybensolo]

I'll Be Seeing You:

A/N: When researching Freddy's part in Masters of the Air, I learned about not only of his real life counterpart, but also of his real life wife and I thought there was a love story to be told here. If I were to cast Audrey, I'd pick Danielle Rose Russell, as she reminds me so much of Audrey. More info on the pair can be found here (x) and (x)

Pairing: David x Audrey

Warnings: Mentions of war, slight spoilers of character's fate, historical fiction (given that there isn't too much details about their life), 16k words (my longest one shot I've ever done!)

A03 Link: (x)

War changes everything, for better and for worse. Audrey didn’t expect her life to go the way it did, but given how everything had gone, she can’t say that she’d expect anything less. Here she was in Los Angeles, twenty-one years old, and trying to make herself known in pictures, a long cry from her old home in Buffalo, New York.

She wanted to do something to help the soldiers, something that would help them through this time, and her only skill was her dancing. There was a small dance hall that was hosting a USO canteen in need of entertainers, and she managed to get in. She worked practically every night, entertaining and dancing with soldiers, which was nice for the most part, but she had been a little disillusioned when some soldiers would try to play on her sympathies and try to get her to do “one last service” by giving them a “night to remember and carry on the battlefield”. What happened to honor and decency among soldiers and war? All her friends had thought this would be the perfect chance to meet a fella, but Audrey wasn’t exactly thrilled by the options she was given.

One fateful evening, Audrey was dancing with a soldier, who clearly brought in his own booze, holding her too tightly, making passes that made her very uncomfortable. “Say, sweetheart, why don’t we go to my car, it’s comfortable. Bet a pretty girl like you has been ridden quite a bit,” he laughed, pulling her closer. Would no one help her? Did no one see how miserable she was?

“Pardon me,” came a voice. The pair stopped, and she saw a tall, lean man, with dark hair and light blue eyes, wearing a uniform Audrey wasn’t familiar with. “May I have this dance?”

The drunkard held her closer and said, “I’m not done yet.”

He stopped him once again from dancing, and continued, “There must be some confusion, I wasn’t asking to dance with you. Miss,” he tried again, looking at Audrey, “May I have this dance?”

“Oh yes, please,” she tried to get away, but the drunk dancer stopped her.

“The song isn’t over,” he says, and then music ended and the crowd applauded.

“Hark, the angels have heard you and have mercifully ended the song. Excuse us,” he stepped in, whisking her away in a dance, leaving her partner in the crowd completely confused. “Are you alright, miss? You didn’t look particularly happy dancing with him.”

“You seemed to be the only one to notice. Thank you for coming to my rescue.”

“It is my pleasure. I’m David by the way.”

“I’m Audrey.” She looked at his uniform and didn’t recognize the symbol. “Forgive me, but what branch are you in? I don’t know your patch.”

“I am part of the Signal Corps. It’s a branch that handled many things, such as military intelligence, relaying information that our soldiers may need.”

Audrey’s eyes widened in wonder. “That is an incredibly important job to have! I mean, any information you receive, could help win the war.”

“That’s what we hope.”

“Is that your only job?”

“No, I am actually part of the aviary.”

“Isn’t it dangerous to be in the sky?”

“About as dangerous it is to be on the ground.”

She gave a small shake of her head and muttered, “I wish I could do something as important as that.”

“You do.” She looked at him confused, then he explained, “It’s hard over there, to be away from family and friends, to see things that no one should ever see in their lifetime. To have a moment of relief from that, some songs, dances, a smile, it reminds us why we are doing this. You, and everyone here keep us grounded. That’s your job, and it’s incredibly important.”

For the first time in months, Audrey felt like she wasn’t a failure. The song ended, and she felt an emptiness when he released her to clap like everyone else did. “Have you had anything to drink tonight?” he asked.

“No, actually.”

“If you’d like, we can have a drink together.” She smiled and nodded, gratefully taking his arm that he offered and together went to the refreshment table. They had sat and talked for the longest time, little things that people chatted about, movies, music, books, and yet, she had a very good idea of the kind of man he was through his interests, and she liked what she saw. If they weren’t sitting and talking, they danced and talked even more, so much that their feet would have ached, but strangely enough, neither seemed to have noticed.

A song came on the record, and it was Jo Stafford’s I’ll Be Seeing You, and Audrey smiled at her voice.

“I’ll be seeing you, In all the old familiar places That this heart of mine embraces, All day through,”

“I love Jo Stafford,” Audrey whispered.

“We’d play her on the radio overseas,” he shared, “She reminds us so much of home.”

 “In that small café, The park across the way, The children’s carousal, The chestnut tree, The wishing well,”

She rested her head against his chest, and she felt his cheek resting against the top of her head, holding each other as if they had known each other for months rather than hours.

“I’ll be seeing you, In every lovely summer’s day, In everything’s that’s light and gay, I’ll always think of you that way,”

Audrey closed her eyes and breathed in his scent, sage and lemon, and she felt so safe with him. It was a feeling she missed in the past year. Why did it feel so wonderful to be near him? Why does this man, David Friedkin, make her feel something no one else has made her feel?

“I’ll find you in the morning sun, And when the night is new, I’ll be looking at the moon, But I’ll be seeing you.”

“Excuse me? Excuse me?” A tap on his shoulder made David lift his head, which made Audrey look up to see the manager of the dance hall. “I’m sorry, but we have to close up.”

Looking around the place, she noticed that the only people in the place was her, David, the manager, and a janitor cleaning up. “Gee, we’re very sorry sir,” David kindly said.

“Not at all. Get yourselves home safely and good night,” he said before leaving them alone.

“I am so sorry,” David said to Audrey, “I didn’t realize it was so late.”

“That’s alright, I’ve had a wonderful time.” She didn’t want to give him up just yet, having enjoyed his company immensely.

“This might be a bit forward, but may I walk you home?”

“Yes, I’d like that very much,” she answered with a smile. After getting her coat and purse, they walked into the busy streets of Los Angeles at night. The entire walk back to her place, David had kept his hands to himself, the only time he touched her was to gently guide her to the inner sidewalk while he walked on the street side, just like a proper gentleman. “Have you ever been to Los Angeles before?”

“Yes, I had actually moved out here after graduating. I tried acting, but I felt better behind the camera, writing and directing. There’re so many stories to tell, and I want to be able to tell them. What about you?”

“I’ve only been here for a year, trying to act and dance for film, and I’ve had some success, by success I mean getting a paycheck, but not quite the rate I had expected.”

“It can be daunting, especially from a small city to a big one. But you should feel proud of yourself, you are doing what you want.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know if I have enough talent for it. Not like you it seems; you want to tell stories and you’re smart enough to know how.”

She saw a blush come to his cheeks, genuinely being sweetly embarrassed at the compliment. He was so precious, despite him looking a classic leading man. He was so different, and she liked it. They arrived at her house, and she could see the light on, her mother, Viola, no doubt waiting up for her. “This is me,” she sighed, a little sad that they would part. “Thank you again for saving me.”

“You are very welcome. I am sorry that he had acted that way towards you.”

She shrugged. “I’m sort of used to it.”

His face fell and he shook his head. “That’s one of the saddest things I’ve heard.”

Audrey was taken aback by the comment; no one had ever said anything like that to her before, and it was a strange feeling of sorrow that it had happened before, but grateful that someone didn’t see her as someone who deserved it. “Thank you for that. But let us not end the evening on a sad note. I really enjoyed myself tonight, more than I have in a long while.”

“As have I. May I,” he started, looking a little shy, “May I see you again?”

She smiled, glad that he had finally asked. “Yes, I would like that.”

“Tomorrow?”

“It is tomorrow,” she replied with a smile, prompting them to laugh. “But yes, come at one, maybe you can show me some of the sights.”

“It’ll be my pleasure.” He reached for her hand and placed a gentle kiss to it, and promised to see her at one.

Her heart fluttered as he kissed her hand and she already missed his touch as he slipped to allow her to open her door, waiting until she was in before he slipped away into the early morning. She couldn’t believe that she was feeling this way, like a high school girl experiencing her first crush. Entering the den, she sees her mom sleeping on the couch, with her book on her lap. Kneeling before her, she carefully removed the book from her and covered her with a blanket, but her mom woke up. “Oh, Audrey.”

“I’m sorry for being so late.”

“Was everything alright?” she asked, sitting up and rubbing her eyes awake.

“Yes, it was actually wonderful. I mean, it didn’t start off wonderful, I got manhandled like before, but this man, he came up and with ease and politeness, he rescued me. His name is David, he is in the Signal Corps, he flies planes, and we talked all night. He loves movies, just like me, he-haha- he said that he had seen the movie “Metropolis” ten times, and the ushers remembered him that they just waved him on. He’s coming around tomorrow, at one, I don’t know if I said that, and I really like him. It’s hard to explain, but when you spend five minutes with him, you just feel safe. I like him a lot, and I hope you will too. Well, I should get some rest. He’s coming tomorrow at one, did I mention that? Well, good night.”

Audrey didn’t see her mom staring after her with delightful surprise, and she had every right to be so. It didn’t seem that her daughter had much luck with the men in her life, and if this man is every bit of wonderful as Audrey said…oh, she hoped so.

David came promptly at one, and through the window, Viola watched as he offered his arm to her daughter, and walked off into the sunny day. He was handsome, but also kind, and she could see how her daughter looked at him. It was different from the others, and with a little prayer, Viola hoped that this one would be good for her. They never did around to seeing the sights, rather took the longest walk in the park, having been so lost in their talks.

David Friedkin was born in Kanas City, Missouri on March 8th, 1912, how he graduated high school at fifteen and got into Julliard, how he was part of the Signal Corps. He has a younger brother named Morris, who is a doctor, and his parents are Benjamin and Anna, Russian Jewish immigrants. “I feel I have to tell you that now, before we get any further. I know people are not exactly…tolerant to my kind of people, and I wouldn’t blame you if you thought that being associated with me could lead to troubles for you.”

 Audrey was brought up a Christian life, and while she had never been raised to be prejudice against anyone, she understood why he would feel compelled to tell her as soon as possible. She had seen people treat the Jews with unwarranted hatred, some saying that Hitler had the right idea, and it was the most horrible thing she could have ever heard. “Thank you for telling me,” she said, “That way, if trouble comes, I’ll know how to handle it.”

He was surprised. “You don’t mind it? I mean, by being Jewish?”

“So long as you don’t mind me being Christian,” she replied which made them laugh.

Outwardly, they seemed as different as could be; he was Jewish, she was Christian, he was thirty-two, she was twenty-one, he came from a large city, hers was small, his parents were still married while hers was divorced, he was the oldest child, she was the youngest. And yet, despite these differences, great or small, there was something that pulled them together, similarities in the heart that pulled them together. He was as every bit of a simple boy just as she was a simple girl, they both seemed to have dreams of being in entertainment, they believed in equality for every person, regardless of gender or race.

David was different from any other man she knew; David was a gentleman, mature, open minded, but also creative and playful, and Audrey found she could listen to him talk all day. He was patient, someone who didn’t take risks if he knew the stakes were too high or the chances were slim, but he was also unafraid to work hard, never wavered his views or thoughts to appease others, something she admired deeply. But most importantly, a difference she found, that unlike other men, David listened. No man has ever made her feel as if she was truly heard or that her opinions mattered the way David did. She began to open more about her own thoughts and feelings, even if they were different or not polite, he liked to hear them, and rather than brush her feelings off as a “silly young girl”, he spoked to her like a person, and she realized that so few men had spoke to her like that. What girl wouldn’t fall for a fella like that?

For David, Audrey was a breath of fresh air, filled with hope and dreams. She never acted like a snob, not like some of the other girls he had met in Hollywood, rather she was grounded, remembered what was important in life, like family, love, and hope, things he felt he struggled to hold onto since the war. Audrey was a conundrum; she was young and full of live, but had a bit of a pessimistic view point on things, she claimed to not understand much of the world, and yet was one of the wisest and understanding people he knew, she was an incredibly hardworking and sensible person, and yet she had wonderful dreams and hopes of how bright the future could be. The other men in his squadron talked of their girls as if they were fantasies, but Audrey was a reality, and beautiful, human reality, and he was falling for her because of it.

Viola had yet to properly meet David, but considering that her daughter was seeing this man every day for nearly two weeks, it was clear that something serious was happening. Before going out, Audrey would get ready with an excitement that she had not had in a long time, and whenever she returned, she had a look about her like she stepped out from a wonderful dream. She once tried to question her daughter about her feelings, but Audrey just shrugged and said she wasn’t sure, but Viola knew better even if her daughter didn’t; she was in love.

It was true, they had spent every day together in the past two weeks, and it was clear that they not only enjoy each other’s company, but really liked and respected each other, which was why Audrey felt he deserved to know a part of her past she had not mentioned.

“I feel you should know; I was married before. I wish it was simple for me to say that I fell in love, married him, and lost him, but it wasn’t. His name was Lewis Hightower, we met when I moved to New York to start my career, and it was the first time I had ever fallen for anyone, and he was so charming. The honeymoon was the last time either of us were happy. The real work had begun and suddenly, we realized that neither of us really knew the other. I was too young to understand what real love had meant, that it takes two to make a marriage work, and that it wasn’t always sunshine and roses. Lewis wasn’t a bad man, far from it, it just that we didn’t belong together, even when we tried to work things out. Eventually we agreed to the annulment, then we separated, and sometime after, I begun to see another man, Arthur Lewis, I thought I loved him too.

“The last time I saw Lewis was a terrible day. I was out with Arthur and his friend, there was a celebration going on, and then Lewis arrived, tried to pull me away, and a fight broke out between the three. I berated Lewis after, telling him how I regretted being married to him, that I wish I’d never see him again and he better get me that annulment, and I did. The next time I heard of him, it was a telegram from the Army telling me he died in combat on September 2nd, 1943. I was in shock, even though we had just annulled our marriage, I was devastated. Lewis was a good man, and I wished that I could have loved him better than I did, even wished that I hadn’t married him, just so he could have been with a better woman who would have loved him as much as he needed to be loved, maybe give him a child to remember him by.

“I can’t help but to feel guilty that the last thing I ever told him what that I hated him and didn’t want to see him again. I tried to explain it to Arthur, but he couldn’t seem to understand why I’d be sorry for the man I had been separated from for a few years, and it became one of the few things that would become a riff in the relationship. He went to war around the same time as Lewis, and our visits became less and less, until we decided to end things once and for all. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were disappointed or what you thought of me was different than what I am.”

David had listened with openness and kindness, and never did she notice a look of reproach or betrayal in his eyes. Instead, he took her hand to kiss it, then said, “I suppose it’s time for me to fess up. I too was married. I was young, and she was a nice Jewish girl from my neighborhood, we were sort of matched up. While we liked each other, we didn’t love each other like a husband and wife ought to, and it was practically over as soon as it began, we didn’t even make it half way through our first year. So, despite what everyone had expected of us, we went ahead with a divorce, something my parents had been supportive of, and sometime later, she got to marry someone who could love her as she deserved. So, in regards to whether or not I could want a divorced woman, I would be a huge hypocrite if I said no. As for what happened when you last saw him, do not try to blame yourself too much. Was it kind what you said? No, but you were hurt, and I am sure that when given the chance, you’d have apologize to him. The fact that you still speak kindly of him speaks so much to me than what had happened in the past. Learn to forgive yourself, for I am sure he has.”

This is what Audrey liked about David, he was always so understanding and honest, but never harsh or unfeeling. “Thank you, it wasn’t easy for me to say all that, in fact, other than mom, no one out here knows my past. Thank you for understanding.” She smiled, then switched subjects. “Tomorrow is my birthday, my mom and I are celebrating with a dinner, and I would like it if you would come. Though, I’ll understand if you didn’t want to spend your last day like that, if there was something else you’d rather do.”

“I can’t think of anything better,” he answered with a smile. As he always did, he arrived right on time, a small gift in hand, and the warmest smile.

Viola was excited to finally met the young man who had been seeing her daughter for two weeks now, and Audrey was right, that within five minutes, you felt safe and comfortable with him. True, he was older than her, but he was still young and fit, not to mention quite handsome, and his intentions appeared to be honest. The dinner was a simple affair, but it was wonderful to David, who had not seen his own family in over a year, to feel at home and cared for, and Audrey, who hadn’t felt this happy in months, was certain this was the best birthday ever. Even made better, her mother seemed to really like David, hell, Audrey would dare to say loved him, already mothering him by the evening’s end.

“The cake is delicious Mrs. Westphal,” David complemented.

“Thank you, it’s a family recipe. Oh, Audrey, let’s do gifts.” Her mother had given her a knitted shawl that her mother made herself, and then David handed his gift, uncertain that she would like it.

It wasn’t wrapped, just a box with a bow on it, and when Audrey lifted the tiny lid, she was delighted by the little gift. True it wasn’t much, it wasn’t even complete, but it was beautiful; a little porcelain charm with a pink rose painted on it. “It’s beautiful, David,” she reassured him as he looked on uncertain, “It’s actually too good for me.”

“No, nothing could ever be too good for you,” he said, then color came to his cheeks realizing what he had said. Oh yes, Viola thought, this young man is perfect for her.

As the evening winded down, Viola showed him their photo album, and as she told the story of Audrey’s life, up to the present moment, David looked on in admiration at her growth, and when it was near the end, he stopped Viola at a photo. “Which picture is this?”

It was a picture of Audrey sitting at the kitchen table with a paper and a cup of coffee before her, smiling at the camera for an impromptu picture. “Oh, this is the morning after living in the house,” Viola shared.

“Which explains why I look like a mess,” Audrey explained with a small laugh.

True, she didn’t look at polish as she did now, wearing a gingham house dress, her hair not curled fashionably and no makeup on, but David couldn’t stop staring. “May I have this picture?”

“Really?” Audrey asked surprised, “I look terrible there, you wouldn’t want that.”

“Yes, I do. Because this is the most honest you, and this is the woman I want to carry with me overseas.” Tears pricked her eyes, for no man had ever said something as nice as that to her. He reached over and pulled the picture out from the album, placed a kiss to her image before tucking it safely in his wallet. Viola looked at Audrey with a knowing look, which made her daughter blush.

He thanked her and Viola before leaving the party, telling them that he had a wonderful time and grateful to spend the last evening before returning with such wonderful ladies. She asked to see him off at the station, wishing to be with him to the end, and the next morning when he met her at the station, he saw that his charm was hanging around her neck on a silver chain of her own, and he couldn’t help to feel a little proud. “Audrey,” he spoke, removing his hat before he spoke, “I know we only have known each other for two weeks, but, would it be alright if I wrote to you?”

“Oh yes, I would like that very much.” The train whistled, meaning it was time for him to go, but before he left, she reached up and placed a kiss to his cheek. “Good luck, David. I’ll be waiting for you to come back.”

He smiled, glad to hear her say that before he went on the train. While traveling, he went to work on his first letter, wanting it to be sent out as soon as possible. It was a surprise to Audrey to see the letter arriving sooner than she expected.

“Dear Audrey,

I have yet to be away from you for more than an hour, and yet, that hour feels so long ago, and I am already missing you. The past two weeks had been the happiest I’ve had in a long time, and having the memories of you will make fighting much more bearable. It was wonderful of you to see me off at the station, and to have your picture to remind me why I want to come home, it’s more than I can ever ask for. I don’t want to talk of war, not in this first letter, so I will not tell you of what I will come back to, but rather to think of what I will look forward to. I look forward to dancing with you again, to sit by the beach and listen to the waves and breath the salty sea air, to talk with you with all the little and big things we can think of. To understand you and have you understand me as no one else ever have or could ever do after. Give my love to your mother, and keep some for yourself too.

Waiting eagerly to hear you soon,

David”

“Dear David,

It was wonderful to see your letter come as soon as it did, for I would have been terribly concerned something would have happened to you. Mother sends her love back, and she says to remind you to take care of your feet. Even across the world, she can’t help to mother. I was glad to see you off, and it makes me happy that my picture brings some relief to what you must face in the days to come. The days here have gotten bleaker since you’ve left, sun is scarce in sunny California and I wonder if it must mean something. I still dance for the other soldiers, but I do not dance with them, for none of them have what you have, your charm, your ease, or your kindness. I must admit, I cried into my pillow the night you left, not because I had gotten used to being with you, but because I had realized after you left how much I’d miss you. I wish you’ll come home soon, that no harm comes to you, and that you’ll see your family again.

Your letter cannot come soon enough,

Audrey”

Between his own mother and Audrey’s letters, David never felt alone, but he did feel homesick for them both. He often thought of how, when the moment came, his parents would react to meeting Audrey. Would they welcome her as if she was always a part of the family, or would they be weary since she is not Jewish and an outsider? The evening was quiet, a rarity in the field, but they took it for what it was worth. David reached over for his bag and carefully pulled out the picture of Audrey, staring at it. He wondered what it would be like to wake up with her, see her sleepy face, her perfume on the pillow, sitting at that kitchen table with her and enjoying a quiet breakfast, just peacefully together.

“Who’s that?” David turned and saw his co-pilot sitting on the cot next to him.

“My girl, Audrey.” He handed it over to him, letting him see her better.

“She’s beautiful,” he said with a smile, returning the picture.

“She’s wonderful. Unlike anyone I’ve ever met.”

“Do you think it’s love?” he asked earnestly.

Love. It sounded so wonderful next to Audrey’s name. “Yes, I am sure of it.”

He was away for two months, and somehow, in those two months, the letters, which started off sweet and affectionate, became more loving and passionate. Its progression had been slow that neither had realized the change unless they looked back at their letters in the beginning and see how much they changed.

“Beloved David,

It’s become clear to everyone around me that there is someone special in my life, and you are indeed very special to me. No man has ever made me feel as safe, heard, and loved as you have. A solider today wore your cologne today and I was taken back to our dance, Jo Stafford playing, I resting my head on your chest, inhaling your scent, and never before did I feel as content with life as I had in that moment in your arms. I want to feel that way again, I am aching to hold you, to be held by you, and nothing less will satisfy my longing. I count my blessings that I met you when we did, that you had seen something in me worthy enough to visit again and again, that you could choose to share your love with me. I wish I were half as clever as you that I could express the way you make me happy, the dear and deep love I have for you, but all I can tell you is, I love you, love you, and nothing would make me happier than to see your smile again.

Mother has been wondering if you might be able to come home for Christmas, and for how long. I told her that you’d want to see your parents, but if perchance you’d have the time, stop by and let us take care of you for even a minute. I adore you, dearest.

Your Audrey”

“Darling Audrey,

Since our last meeting I have been agonizing over being away from you. I have worked to keep the sound of your voice, the scent of your perfume, and the touch of your hands and lips embedded on my brain. I wish more than anything, other than to be beside you, is to have you become a part of me, that I can carry you with me everywhere I go, so that whenever anyone sees me, they know that I am yours, forever and ever. War is hell, but my dreams are paradise, for I dream of you so often, that when I wake, I wake with a smile, ready to face another day. I wish you were kinder to yourself, my darling, for you are so much more than you think of you give yourself credit for. I’ll tell you what I love about you; I love that you care so much about others, that you work hard even when you think it feels hopeless. I love how open minded and grounded you are, your unshakeable faith that there is good and love in this world, it’s that I cling to during these times of hardship and fear. I could go on, but I am only allowed one sheet of paper, but suffice to say, I love all the little and big things about you, you entire.

I am grateful for Christmas as it will allow me to come back and see you again. We have been given leave for Christmas, so I’ll go and spend it with my folks, then come to you for New Years. I can’t wait to tell them all about you, for I know, they’ll love you as I do, though I doubt anyone could love you as much as I can and always will. You are my heart, my angel.

Yours, David”

When his company were let off, he chose to be dropped off at New York, as the travel back home was shorter than LA, and he couldn’t wait to see his parents again after not seeing them for nearly a year. His mother Anna had nearly toppled him as he walked up the path, squeezing him so closely to her that he felt moments where he couldn’t breathe, oh but he didn’t mind it. He cried tears of joy as his father, Benjamin, joined in the hug, as they were so happy to be reunited. His brother, Morris, wouldn’t be able to join them, but he had only been to the house a week earlier, so there was that. His home hadn’t changed since he had left, not just in looks, but in how warm and friendly it felt, and he was like a little boy, safe and love again.

“Moy syn,” began Anna, as she placed the warm plate before David, “Have you been keeping yourself well?”

“Yes, Mama, I’m alright.”

“Have you made any friends?”

David laughed, “Gee, it’s the oddest way to make friends, but yes, a few. Actually, there is something I want to talk to you about. About two months ago, I met someone.”

His parents looked at him hopefully. “A girl?” asked Benjamin.

“Yes, a girl. Her name is Audrey, I met her at a dance hall. She’s very nice, I’ve met her mother, and we had been writing since I left. She is not Jewish, but she doesn’t mind that I am. I’m sure if you met her, you’d see just how wonderful she is, and I am planning on seeing her for New Year’s.”

Anna had nodded, slightly disappointed she wasn’t Jewish, but she seeing how happy he was and how the last time they tried to interfere with his love life didn’t end well, she wouldn’t want to take away that happiness simply because of her religion. “What does she do?”

“She’s an actress, nothing big, but she makes enough money to take care of herself and her mother.”

“Had she been married before?” asked Benjamin.

“Yes, but it was annulled, and shortly after, he had died in service.”

“Poor thing,” Anna remarked kindly. “Do you have a picture of her?” David pulled out her picture from his wallet and handed it to her. Benjamin and Anna looked on the object of their son’s affections and saw an incredibly kind face, and could see why he could already appear so in love. “She seems very kind. I hope you two continue to be happy, and one lucky day, may meet her.”

“I hope so.”

He enjoyed the days he had with his parents, but when it was time for him to go to L.A. to see Audrey, his mind was filled with nothing else but her. The station was filled with people who were also eagerly waiting for their loved ones, and like a beacon in the darkness, David spotted Audrey among the crowd. The last time they met, they said goodbye with timid tenderness, but their reunion was fearlessly affectionate. Audrey nearly toppled him with how quickly she ran into his arms, and he dropped his bag on the ground to hold her, kissing her as if they had done this many times before.

When they pulled away, she could see his cheeks were red and a shy smile on his lips. “Gee, I wasn’t planning our first kiss to be like that.”

“Was it bad?” she asked, worried.

“No!” he quickly corrected himself, “Far from it. It was wonderful.”

Relieved, she brought him back home, where Viola happily welcomed him. “How were your parents, did you get to celebrate Hannukah?”

“Not exactly, since it was early this month, but we did do a few things in honor of.”

“Which reminds me,” Audrey said before disappearing into the kitchen and brought out a plate. “I borrowed the recipe, and thought it try to make you your late-keys.”

David smiled, trying to stifle a laugh. “Darling, do you mean latkes?” Audrey felt flustered at this, but he pulled her in and kissed her cheek, “That’s alright darling, I said it wrong for the first five years of my life,” then taking a bite out of one, he smiled and said, “And if it’s any consolation, your cooking is better than your pronunciation.”

Audrey smiled and was relieved that she got this batch right. She practiced the past few days, wanting to not only make something that reminded him of home, but to show she respected his religion and heritage. “How long shall we have you, David?” Viola asked.

“I go back on the day after New Year’s. And, I wanted to ask,” his attention turned to Audrey, “Many of the other soldiers were invited to a New Years Eve party, and I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind coming along?”

Audrey would have loved to come, but she worried about leaving her mother home alone. “Oh, don’t worry about me. Me and Mrs. Harris next door will get together and drink sherry until we drop,” she laughed.

It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was filled with many soldiers and their dates who were just happy they had a reprieve from the fighting, a moment where they could forget they weren’t in the middle of a war but living a normal and happy life. “Recognize anyone from your troop?”

“Not really. But that’s alright, I want all my focus on you, the prettiest girl in the whole world.”

This is what made Audrey love him, not his compliments, but how sincere he was, and she really did feel like she was the prettiest girl in the world. “I love you,” she said, “I know I told you on paper, but I wanted to say the words for a while now. I love you, David Friedkin.”

He smiled and said, “And I love you, Audrey Westphal, every day since I met you, and every day after today.”

The MC stepped forward and started the countdown into the new year, and as the band played into 1945, friends hugged and wished each other a bright new year, couples shared their first kiss of the new year, and David and Audrey were among them. They only stopped when someone came by to give them champagne and waited as the MC raised a glass to the crowd, saying “A happy New Year to you all! May our soldiers come home safely, and this be the year we kick Hitler’s ass!”

The party went on into the early morning, with people only leaving at four am, and despite how tired they were, David and Audrey stayed up, enjoying what little time they had. “You look so worn, David,” Audrey fussed as the approached her home.

“It was worth it, didn’t want to lose a moment with you, darling.”

It was a decision she normally wouldn’t have made, under normal circumstances, but these weren’t normal circumstances. “Why don’t you come in? You can sleep in the guest room. I’d hate for you to stumble back tired and possibly hurt yourself because of it.” David wanted to argue, saying it wouldn’t be proper, but he was tired, and he didn’t want her worrying, so he accepted. “I’ll get the room ready for you,” Audrey said as they went inside, but he stopped her.

“Wait, sit with me for a while? I’m not ready to sleep yet.”

She smiled and led him to the couch in the living room, curling up against him as they heard the faint music playing outside. This was much like what David had wanted; his arms around her, her head resting on his chest, sitting together, passing time as if they had all the time in the world. This was happiness.

Viola slept into the late morning, passing her daughter’s room, and was surprised to not see her there. True, she was in bed before they arrived home, but Audrey couldn’t have already been up before her. Going down the stairs, she noticed David’s hat sitting on the table in the hallway, and upon closer examination, she found exactly where her daughter was. Sleeping soundly against her soldier, who held her as they slept on the small couch, which made his hang over to allow her room. It was a sight too tender to be disturbed, and carefully, Viola left the couple alone to get the much-needed sleep.

When they finally did wake, they were slow to proper awareness, but once they had, David was apologizing profusely to Mrs. Westphal for having stayed when he shouldn’t have, but she waved it off. “It’s New Years, everyone does something a little unusual the first day of the year. And besides, I was here the whole evening, no one would dare say anything against you two. Now, come on, eat some breakfast.”

He spent a quiet day with the Westphals, before going back to serve, and his heart broke to see Audrey so sad. “I’ll let you know as soon as I am able to get leave again.”

“It’s not fair,” Audrey softly protested, “You go away for months and are only allowed back for a brief time.”

“Darling, it’s war, and all’s fair in love and war. But it’ll be over soon, I feel it, and then with no war between us, all we’ll have is love. Let’s look to the future, that’s where we belong.”

David somehow always managed to make Audrey feel better, even when it all felt so lost. The letters they wrote to each other were the only things they had to look forward to.

“Beloved David,

It’s been an incredibly frustrating day. After spending all week auditioning for parts and working hard to learn dances and dialogue, and I got not a single role, not even in the background. Then I read about what is going on over there and have been a wreck to think you are so close to it. Mom and I got into a fight, it was over something silly, and I know I was a bit sensitive, but she knew I had a bad day, and her words were like twisting a knife deeper in me. I hadn’t come out of my room for the rest of the evening, just crying, wishing you were here. I can’t figure how you put up with me, when I can be so silly and mean. I wish I could be as calm and patient like you, I wish I knew how to think first then act after rather the other way around. But I wish people would stop treating me like I don’t know anything, stop making me feel like I’m incapable of understanding anything. I am a lot smarter than people think, and I understand more than they believe. No one knows that, it appears, except you. I need you with me, I feel so alone despite being with so many people. God, I hate war.

I know I am not the only one who has a loved one away fighting, and I know everyone tells me that I need to buck up and be proud of my soldier, but I am too busy being scared for you that I can’t allow myself to be proud. I am proud of you, incredibly so, but I’d be the happiest woman if you had left and stayed with me, safe and sound. Forgive me for dumping all of this on you, you deserve to hear only good things from me, so let me change the topic.

I love you so much, my dear. Mom gave me a picture of us asleep on the couch, and I have it by my bed, and I remember how it felt to be in your arms, and I fall asleep much easier with you on my mind. The girls are a little jealous of me, saying I got the best fella a girl could ask, and I couldn’t agree more. They talk about how handsome you are, and indeed they are right, but you are even more wonderful underneath all that. Your eyes are as warm and inviting as your heart, your lips are lovely and kind as your soul, your hands gentle and strong as your spirit, when you smile everyone can’t help but to stare, and when you laugh, it’s the best music in the world. There must be a God or something greater out there, because you are proof that perfection exists, and it’s a miracle that you entered my life to bless me with it.

Write to me as soon as you can, I need to know you are well.

Love, Audrey.”

David cried to see how unhappy she was, read her letter carefully, over and over, before he wrote down the words he could think of to comfort her.

“Darling Audrey,

My poor darling girl, I am so sorry that you had a terrible day, and more than anything I wish I was there to comfort you. I am sure your mother didn’t mean to upset you or to make you unhappy, she loves you, it is very clear to see, she’s as human as I am and you are. Don’t be too hard about your own way to express yourself; I’ve seen some people who have no passion or feeling for anything in this world, or worse, they stifle it so much that they kill it, and have no love for anything or anyone at all. I love that you feel as much as you do, I love that, for better or for worse, your heart is on your sleeve, and I am sorry that people have underestimated you, because you are talented, bright, and wonderful, and they clearly don’t know the good thing they’ve got.

I am sorry that people brush aside your fears and pain. We are told the same over here. “Buck up, soldiers, no good moping over our past.” But it’s hard to not mourn a period in our lives where the biggest thing we had to worry was whether or not to pay the bills on time, or will we get that job, or will my crush like me back. Everyday we sit so close to death it’s hard to not try and think of life, to cling to the reasons why we’d want to stay alive, and what would happen to our loved ones if we didn’t come back. We may be soldiers, but we are human first, and we are as scared and lonely as anyone else, not machines that can turn our feelings on and off. Sometimes, when I can’t sleep and I think too much on what I am missing out, I can’t help but to cry. As Charlotte Bronte wrote, ‘Crying does not indicate that you are weak. Since birth, it has always been a sign that you are alive’. Feel as much as you want darling, for you live and love that way.

I admit when I read your last paragraph, I blushed to think you saw me like that. What have I ever done to be lucky to be loved by you, darling? The other day, the fellas were talking about their sweethearts and wives, and I had to talk about you. Gee, I found I could have talked about you for hours, tell the world just how much I love you, and convince them that there was no greater girl in the world than you. I only stopped because we were commanded to get suited up, but it didn’t stop me from thinking about you. Got a nice frame for your picture and now, whenever I go up in the skies, I place it on my dashboard so I can see you all the time, and then in the evenings, I fall asleep looking at you. Yes, my darling, I believe there must be a higher power up there, because happiness and love like this don’t just happen on accident, they are meant to be.

Remember to keep me in your prayers, and I promise to see you soon.

Love, David.”

January is a cold and bitter month, and the letters were slow to reach everyone, making it an agonizingly longer than it needed to be. Lives were lost because of the cold, because it was darker and the snow made it harder to see, good men David was friendly with were now gone, so few letters coming through made it even lonelier than ever before. The only thing that kept him sane was the picture of Audrey, the reminder that this was what was waiting for him. Look to the future, he had to remind himself, your Audrey is waiting for you there.

February fared better as hints of spring were coming, and the letters came more freely now. For Valentine’s day, Audrey sent the most adorable valentine with a puppy on it, crying as she rips a page off the calendar and sees its Valentine’s day. ‘Missin’ You on Valentine’s Day, I miss you just so doggone much- I feel so sad, so doggone blue’ and inside read, ‘I just can’t help but sorta hope you’re just a little lonesome too!’ Handwritten at the bottom was a small note that read ‘I feel this way every day you are away, but more so this day! I love you, Audrey.”

He smiled, placing it inside his box, his treasure chest as he called it, of all the letters and gifts that Audrey sent to him, pulling it out whenever he needed to be reminded of her. He sent her a gift that he found while a day’s leave in the city, a gift Audrey found remarkable. It was a small wooden box, a moon engraved at the top and a small crank on the side, and attached was a note that read “I’ll be looking at the moon, but I’ll be seeing you. I love you, David.” When she cranked the box, tears immediately came to her eyes as she heard their song playing.

They hoped David would have been given leave for his birthday, but sadly he had to spend it away from home, but he still received such nice gifts from his loved ones. His parents sent him a scarf his mother made, and three bars of soap, which may not have seemed a great gift, but compared to the soap the army gave the men, this was a luxury that they missed. Mrs. Westphal made socks, and Audrey sent over a book, one that he once said was missing from his collection, "For Whom the Bells Tolls". It had caused quite a stir and many people had it banned, which made finding it difficult, but not for Audrey it seemed. Her card attached was hand written and said

“Beloved David,

I hope your birthday over there is a happy one, and know how much we all over here are missing you terribly. I hope the book finds you in one piece, for it was a hardship to find it, had to search high and low for it, but it will be worth it for you to add to your collection. I can’t wait until you come back to me, to lay down at the beach, hear your lovely heart beating, your wonderful voice reading to me. I love to hear you speak, my dear, there is not greater sound to me in the world than your voice. Stay safe, know that I love you always, and miss you forever.

Love, Audrey.”

He smiled and wiped his eyes; to think she worked so hard to find this book, that she didn’t give up the first or second tries. She wanted him to have it, because he knew how important it was to him. He then went to writing to his mother, he had a very important request to make of her.

He came back home on March 22rd, warmly greeted by his love, and as eager as he was to be with her, he was eager to go back to his apartment, to see if he got the letter he needed. Audrey felt bad that she had a new role, mainly because it took time away from him, but he told her that they would have plenty of time together, as he was promised two weeks off. Neither of them could have expected for David to receive orders two days later that he was to return back on April 2nd at noon. It was a blow to David, as he had hoped to plan something wonderful for Audrey, something deserving of her, but as it would appear, he would have to make due with what he had.

With bad news come swiftly good news, as the long-awaited letter from his mother came, and David hurried over to the Westphal home. He waited until Viola came to the door, her face smeared with flour and her hair a little untidy.

“Oh, David,” she wiped her hands on her apron, “Audrey isn’t home yet, I thought that I told you she’d be home at 4?”

“Yes, you did. But I wanted to come by early, that is,” he removed his hat and fiddled with it, “Ma’am I wanted to talk to you, before Audrey came home. To ask you something.”

Viola barely contained her excitement, certain it meant what she thought, and she happily accepted David in. A half hour later, Audrey came home, calling out to her mom. “Mom,” she said as Viola came through the living room door, “I am going to change and freshen up before David arrives.”

“He’s here already.”

“Oh no, and I look like a mess,” she complained as she looked in the mirror.

“No, not at all my dear. You look lovely. Go on, he’s been waiting for you.” Audrey didn’t see the barely contained tears of joy in her mother’s eyes or the huge smile as she went into the living room.

David looked a bit nervous but always so happy to see her. “Hello, Audrey, I am sorry that I am a bit early.”

“It’s alright. I am just sorry that I don’t look my best.”

“You look beautiful, no matter what you do.”

She smiled and blushed, feeling like a girl again. “Please sit.” She noticed that he was fiddling with his hat, looking a bit nervous. “Is everything alright?”

“Well, no, but maybe yes?”

“What?” she laughed.

“I had received news that I have to go back a little earlier than I was expected.”

Her smile went away. “When?”

“This Monday coming up, I have to be at the station at noon.”

“Oh,” she couldn’t hide her disappointment. “I had hoped we had more time.”

“So had I. I received a letter from my mother today, she asked after you.”

“That was kind of her, I hope she is well.”

“She is, and actually she sent me something that I would like you to see.” He pulled out an envelope, handing it to her. She could see that something was inside, and when she poured the contents in her hand, she saw a beautiful ring, with a simple gold band and a lovely round diamond. “I know it’s nothing extravagant, nothing like what you deserve, but if you would have me, I’d do everything I can to make myself worthy of your love.” Taking her hand as he went to his knees before her, he asked, “Audrey Lorraine Westphall, would you marry me?”

She couldn’t believe it, this wonderful man who she felt she didn’t deserve, believed he was undeserving of her. “Oh David,” she started, and for a moment, he had felt certain that she was going to say no, “You have it backwards, it’s me that doesn’t deserve you, and I will happily do everything I can to be deserving of you.”

“Is, is that a ‘yes’?”

“Yes,” she answered, tears of joy springing to her eyes, “Of course I’ll marry you.”

David himself couldn’t stop his own overflowing emotions and his eyes watered with joy as he leaned into her to kiss her. “I know this isn’t exactly what you would have imagined this, but-”

She stopped him before he could go on. “It was perfect. In the end, I have the most wonderful man in love with me, that is as perfect as I could hope.”

“I am sorry that I can’t give you a church wedding,” he says, referring to his Jewish religion, “You deserved a beautiful long white dress and choir boys and such.”

“I had that already, David, it isn’t it’s all cracked up to be. All I could ask for you is you.”

Viola had burst through the door when she was called, tears falling down her face and her smile so wide it had to hurt her face, but she wouldn’t have cared. Her little girl was going to marry a wonderful man, and she was certain this would be a much happier marriage. They agreed to a courthouse wedding, as it was best for their religious backgrounds, and it was agreed upon Saturday, so that they may have the weekend together. Wartime marriages were happening often, though compared to the start of the war, it had slowed down, but finding a spot was still difficult, though not impossible. There had been concerns that couples were marrying simply because it sounded glamorous and romantic, but no one would have had to worry about David or Audrey, it was clear that this was as honest as the day is long.

Saturday came and as Audrey was getting ready, she was given a small bouquet of red tulips with baby’s breath, sent by David. They were simply beautiful, and he told her in those flowers how much he loved her. “Audrey dear, we have ten minutes before we have to go,” called her mother through the door.

“Alright, I am almost ready.” She was nearly going to add make-up, but then she remembered the picture that David chose to take with him overseas, the one she didn’t think she looked that good, but he loved anyway, because it shows the true Audrey. When she married Lewis, she put on quite a bit of make-up in hopes to appear older, but she didn’t need that now, all she wanted to be was herself, and so, she left her face bare, allowing her natural beauty to shine, and after doing up her hair, she went down and drove to the courthouse with her mother.

David was waiting inside, watching the time, he had been so scared of possibly being late that he arrived an hour early. It was ten minutes before their time when he saw her walk through the door. There may have been many brides that have come before her, but there would never be one that was as beautiful as her; she wore no make-up, and yet looked so radiant and outshone all the other women in the place, she had her hair done up in curls, and he could see she took a few of the baby’s breath to pin in her hair, and her dress was a simple satin ivory dress with flutter sleeves and a pink fabric rose in the middle of the neckline.

He looked so handsome in his uniform, and for a moment, she forgot that she would only have him for a weekend, and just enjoyed the day of her marrying the man she knew she was meant to be with. “You look beautiful,” he softly complimented, as she approached.

“And you look so handsome. Thank you for the flowers, they are lovely.”

They were called in to the courtroom, and arm in arm, they walked in as Audrey Westphal and David Friedkin, and in a short time, they left as Mr. and Mrs. Friedkin. The ceremony was simple, and yet, it was as wonderful as she could have hoped, because David was looking at her as if she was the most beautiful woman in the world, and he the luckiest man. It was wonderful because her mother was beaming with joy and love, rather than concern and mild happiness. It was wonderful because rather than feeling nervous and deluded into believing she knew love, she was excited and knew that there is no man in the world who more perfect for her than David.

The trio went out for lunch at a diner David had suggested, and compared to her first reception, she liked this one much better. They agreed that when the war was over, they would have a proper reception with friends and more of their family, but for now, they were happy as they were. Afterwards, David brought her to his apartment, the one he had before joining the army, and after showing his landlady the marriage certificate, he led her to the door, and carried her over the threshold.

It wasn’t anything big, but it was neat and perfect for a young man, or rather now, a newly married couple, to live in. “I know it’s not much,” he said apologetically, removing his hat, “It’s not fancy or swanky, but it’s private, and has everything we could want.”

Audrey placed a quick kiss to his lips to stop him and smiled. “It’s perfect, David, really. Because it has you, and that’s all I want this weekend.”

He tossed his hat aside and leaned down to kiss her. “I love you so much, Mrs. Friedkin.”

She smiled at the new name. “And I love you, Mr. Friedkin.”

They didn’t leave their room that entire weekend, they wanted to block out the entire world, forget that there was a war that was going to pull them apart on Monday, and just loved each other as if there was never going to be a chance to love each other ever again. But came that dreaded Monday morning, and despite everything inside them begging to stay, they knew they couldn’t be selfish. They were quiet as they dressed and walked through the hall and down the stairs, his arm wrapped around her waist, while she clung to him. The sight was heartbreaking, everyone who saw them knew just what was going to happen, but all they could do was wish the soldier well, and silently prayed that he’d return for his wife.

The station was filled with soldiers and their loved ones, everyone looking miserable, but Audrey swore they were the most miserable. Viola had waited at the station, wanting to see him off and to be there for her daughter. After wishing him a safe journey, she stepped away, letting the couple enjoy their last moments together. Audrey was trying to keep it together, but it wasn’t until now that it suddenly came pouring out.

“I’m sorry,” she said, crying.

“No, go ahead,” David softly spoke, pulling her into a hug, “You go ahead and cry.”

“Would it offend you if I prayed for you in church?”

He chuckled, “No, it wouldn’t. In fact, I’ll take all the help I can get.” She chuckled at that, and for a moment they just held each other in silence. “Audrey,” he spoke, suddenly remembering and pulled from his pocket a key and gave it to her, “This is the key to the apartment, I already told my landlady that you have the key. Please feel free to go there as much as you want.”

She looked at the key in her hand and was touched that he trusted her with his space, that he even wanted her to invade it. “I’ll take care of it while you’re gone, so when you come back, it’ll be ready for you.” Then, cradling his face in her hands, she said, “Promise me that you’ll come back. Please, promise me.”

David didn’t want to make such a hefty promise, fearful that in doing so and something happening, he couldn’t bear the thought that he broke his promise. But seeing her tears, how much she needed to hear him say it, he knew that his promise would make her happy. “I promise, come hell or highwater, I will come back to you.”

Audrey knew that it was a difficult promise to keep, war took so many people away, no matter how smart, strong, or brave you were. But, she thought that if he made the promise, he’d have another reason to fight harder to stay alive, and therefore come back to her. The train whistle broke the air and Audrey quickly clung to him, wanting to hold him once more, and then they kissed desperately as if they feared that this would be their last.

“All aboard!”

David reluctantly pulled away from her, knowing he had to go, but he was comforted to see his mother-in-law beside his wife, she wouldn’t be alone, and it made letting her go easier. Audrey and Viola stayed until the train was gone from their sights, when they could no longer hear the whistle, and it was then Audrey suddenly broke down in her mother’s arms. “He’ll come back,” Viola whispered, rubbing comforting circles on her daughter's back, “I know he will. He’s strong, he’s smart, and he loves you so much. He’ll come back.”

Audrey knew her mother was right, David was strong and smart, and he loved her too much, but that didn’t always guarantee a safe return, but for the time being, it was the faith that she clung to. Every Sunday, she went to church and lit a candle for David, praying for a long time that David would come home, and her faith was always renewed whenever she got his letters. They always when expected, even across the sea he was punctual.

There was a time when it looked as though David wouldn’t have been able to make it to Audrey. A mission went awry, and despite the caution they took, lives were lost, and many were injured, including David. A shrapnel got into his rib, and he was rushed to the infirmary, and after over an hour of work, the shrapnel was out, and he barely made it out alive. He would have to be on bedrest for a week, and then ready to get back to fighting, but it was a close call. He watched as others were brought in to be cared for, and the few others who were to be returned home in coffins.

“Hey,” came the voice of Gale Cleven, whom others had called Buck, his superior and who had been in the plane with him many times before. “How are ya feeling?”

“Like I had a shrapnel in my ribs,” he joked, which made Gale laugh. Humor was the only way to get through some of the worst days, better to laugh than to cry, they said. “How many did we lose?”

“At the moment? Six, but we don’t know until everyone has been checked.” He then reached into his pocket and handed him something. “I grabbed this before they took the plane in, figured you wanted this back.”

Taking it, David saw that it was his framed picture of Audrey at the table, and he remembered how he placed it on the dashboard, and he was grateful it didn’t get destroyed or fell out of the plane. “Thank you. I would have been upset to lose this.”

“Your girl?”

David smiled and shook his head. “My wife. We got married before I was shipped off, married to the most wonderful gal in the world.” Gale smiled; true he would have thought his girl, Marge, was the most wonderful girl in the world, but he was not going to tell another man that, and isn’t each girl the most wonderful girl in the world to someone?

“What’s her name?”

“Audrey. It may be something a lot of guys say, but when I tell you I knew from the moment I saw her, I really did. She became my whole world, and there’s nothing I want more than to get back to her.”

“You will, I know you will.”

He smiled; he was intent on keeping his promise, come hell or highwater, he would come back to Audrey. Since he would have nothing but time on his hands, he decided to write to Audrey, telling her of the most recent accident. It wasn’t what she had expected, in fact, she had been comfortable in the idea that David seemed almost indestructible, and this letter was a harsh reminder he was only human.

“How is he?”

Audrey’s face fell. “He’s injured. Shrapnel to the rib, but he’s says he’s alright, just needs to rest for a week.”

Viola crossed herself. “Thank God he is alright.”

“Am I terrible for wishing that it was bad enough that they would have had him sent home permanently?”

Viola shook her head, her eyes tender with empathy. “No, I am sure everyone who loves a soldier wishes for that. What else does he say?”

Audrey scanned through, and her cheeks grew warm. “Um, the rest is a bit personal. But he is well.” Later that evening, when Audrey stayed at his apartment, she re-read the letter, drinking in his words.

As I am lying here, I can’t help but think constantly of you; of how sad you looked when we were separated and how desperately it broke my heart. And then I think of your smiles when we were married and during our small honeymoon, and it makes me work harder to get back to you quicker. I can’t tell you how much I miss you, especially in the evenings, when I wish I was nowhere but in your arms. How eagerly I wait to be back to you, to kiss you, your sweet lips, your lovely neck, your pretty breasts. I could never forget the beautiful look on your face when you reached ecstasy and the wonderful sounds you made, they are burned in my brain forever and I hope to return to you and help make those beautiful faces and sounds again. There’s nothing more I could want now than to shower you in my love, to stop being a lieutenant and be a lover to you. Pray that I may come home soon, otherwise the fellas are not going to be happy with what I’m going to do in my bunk.

Audrey chuckled at that last line, but she completely understood the sentiment. Curling herself in the bed they shared, remembering those wonderful moments where they made love, talked, and laughed, and silently admired each other. It was in those quiet moments in the evening when she had nothing but time to think, did her emotions go all over, from joyful that she married him, to melancholy that he was far away, that she was grateful sleep eventually took hold of her where she could dream of him, and the work day help to keep her mind off of her troubles. Continuing to help out at the canteen was both a blessing and a curse for her. She would see other soldiers with their ladies, and she envied them while she could only wonder if her soldier was safe, a nightly curse. The blessing came in disguises, like this night, when a major from his group was given leave and spotted her.

Across the room, Gale saw a woman that he was certain he knew. “She looks familiar,” he noted to a fellow soldier, hoping he might know where Gale saw her from.

“She’s beautiful,” commented his friend. “Dibbs.” Gale tried to stop him, but the soldier went to her, making Gale follow. “Excuse me, miss. Would you like to dance?”

“No, thank you,” she replied nicely.

“Forgive me,” Gale stepped in, “You look familiar to me.”

She smirked, “If that isn’t one of the cheesiest pick-ups I have ever heard.”

“No, I swear it isn’t.”

“If he doesn’t want to pick you up, I do,” the other soldier said, trying to pull her in for a dance.

“I said no,” she spoke more firmly, stepping back, “My dances are saved for my husband.”

“And where is this great husband of yours?”

“He’s fighting overseas. He’s a great and brave man,” she added with tenderness.

“Who is your husband?” Gale asked, now eager to know if he has met this man.

“First lieutenant David Friedkin of the 100th bomb group, Signals Corps,” she answered with pride.

Gale snapped his fingers and exclaimed, “Audrey!” Audrey looked at him surprised. “Yes, you were wearing a gingham dress, the coffee and newspaper on the table, and you were sitting at the table, like this,” he mimicked her position, making Audrey stare in wonder.

“You know David? When did you last see him? Was he well?” It had been two months since she had seen him and she was eager to know anything she could from one who just came from him. Gale had informed her that he saw him last before he went over here, and said he was well, she listened with eagerness as he told stories of what he did overseas, and how he arrived back proudly telling anyone he could that he married the most wonderful girl in the world. The idea that he would do that made her blush, but also feel prideful that he talked about her in such a way. “Would you do something for me?” She removed something from her neck, explaining, “I forgot to give it to him before he left, and I want him to have it now.” She placed a kiss to the pendent before offering it to Gale.

Gale was a bit romantic, and taking out his handkerchief, he had her place it inside. “This way, not only is it safe, but that it is only touched by you and him.”

“Thank you. And give him a message from me.” The message though short, was one she knew he’d understand, and was the truth.

Gale took his duty seriously and as soon as he had landed back to base, he made it his mission to find David. “Friedkin,” he called, finding him with the other men, “I have something for you.”

“Aww, a little token?” teased Eagan, making the men laugh.

“Something like that,” Gale spoke seriously, pulling out his small bundle, handing it to David. Curious, David opened the handkerchief, and saw inside was a silver pendant of the archangel Michael, protector of soldiers. “We saw your wife, she was sorry she didn’t give it to you before you left, but she wanted you to have it now. And she wanted me to tell you something, she said, ‘I’ll be looking at the moon, but I’ll be seeing you’.”

David smiled and his heart tugged at the message. He hung the pendant around his neck and looking at the angel, he placed a kiss to it, unaware of Audrey’s action. “Didn’t I tell you she was the most wonderful gal ever?”

“Yes,” Gale nodded, smiling, “She really is.”

Later when writing his letter, David thanked her for the pendant, certain it would help him through the coming months. He told her how he heard he was going to get leave again soon, and they both were eager for the visit. Sadly, an attack on the base had changed those plans, and once again, they had to go without seeing each other.

June, July, August, all unbearable months, with only letters to sustain them, promises of being able to see each other again, but broken as the war grew to a breaking point. At times, his letters were scarce, and when he put pen to paper again, they were long and wonderful letters apologizing for the delay, but his hope that it was ending soon. Audrey prayed every night before bed, even when to church each morning hoping David would come home soon. Everyone was waiting for a miracle.

The miracle came when she was home with her mother, listening to Tommy Dorsey when a broadcast interrupted them. “And now an important word from General MacArthur.”

“My fellow countrymen, today the guns are silent. A great tragedy has ended. A great victory has been won.”

“Mom! Come quick!” Viola rushed from the kitchen to hear the rest of his speech, confirming once and for all, the war was over.

“And so, my fellow countrymen, today I report to you that your sons and daughters have served you well and faithfully with the calm, deliberate, determined fighting spirit of the American soldier and sailor based upon a tradition of historical trait, as against the fanaticism of an enemy supported only by mythological fiction. Their spiritual strength and power has brought us through to victory. They are homeward bound - take care of them.”

Tears blinded Audrey’s eyes as she wept with joy. “David’s coming home.”

A few days later she received a letter from David, and she smiled to see the happy tears on his paper.

“Darling Audrey,

I get to come home to you! It felt like I almost wouldn’t, but we all knew this couldn’t last forever, and we are all excited to get back to you all. It may take a little while, my darling, as we all are trying to leave as soon as possible, but I hear that the bombing troops will be one of the firsts to go, as we are not needed. We hope to be back home a week after today and I am more than ready to leave behind the title of lieutenant and be simply Mr. Friedkin, husband to Audrey. I love you, my darling angel, wait for me, I will be home soon.

Yours always,

David”

The letter was dated on the 2nd, which meant he would be home on the 9th, so she did everything she could to make the apartment clean and homey. She even got red tulips and had them sitting on the kitchen table. It had been the most relaxed she had felt in a long time, now that she knew the danger was gone, and he was coming home safely to her.

The day of the ninth, she dressed herself in the dress she wore when they first met, and waited, from the earliest train at dawn to the latest at dusk. He didn’t show. Strange, he usually is on time. It happens, her mother explained, so many soldiers are returning, they can’t always come back the first day. Audrey continued to wait, day after day, until it was a week, and now panic started to fill her. What if something happened to him between his last letter and now? Was he hurt somewhere, and no one knew what happened to him? Why won’t anyone tell her where David was?

She stayed at his apartment, wanting to be as close to him as possible, even grabbing one of his shirts, inhaling the cologne that still lingered on, wishing it was the real man. Her worry and crying made her feel so unwell that she remained in his bed for an entire day. It had now been a week and a half, and still no word from David, and she began to fear the worst. If David was gone, truly gone, she wouldn’t want to continue on anymore, for life would have no meaning without him.

“Audrey!” A faint voice called for her, and she wondered if it was just her imagination, but the voice grew louder and clearer. “Audrey!”

She sat up in the bed, her heart beating furiously. Could it really be him? Audrey was pulled back into reality, hurried to the door, and saw David, his face bruised and cut, but he was here, all in one piece. She jumped into his arms as he entered, dropping his bags in the doorway, and he held her so tightly she swore she would be bruised later, but she didn’t care. “I’m here, I’m here,” he whispered over and over, holding her close, inhaling her perfume.

“David, you’re back. Thank you, God,” she praised, closing the door behind them.

He had carried her to the bed, their kisses deep and desperate, and as she unbuttoned his shirt, she saw hanging around his neck her pendant, and she had felt certain that it had a hand in bringing him back to her. Later, as they laid in bed, holding each other, pressing little kisses to their faces, Audrey looked at his bruised face and torso. Whatever happened over there, she was certain she nearly lost him, but for whatever reason God choose to give them mercy, and he was here, alive in her arms. “Never leave me again,” she spoke softly.

“I promise,” he spoke, pressing a kiss to her forehead, “I’ll never leave you again. Only death will take me away from you.” He kissed her on the lips, and once again, they celebrated his return in the most intimate way possible.

Viola got to see the couple a week later, though she wasn’t surprised and allowed the couple the time they needed together. His face looked better, she thought, as he had stopped by the house first looking for Audrey, but when she shared that she was at the apartment, he left immediately to see his wife. Now, they could have a life together, and Viola was no longer worried about her daughter’s future.

The whole of America was celebrating the end of the war, many people were welcoming back their loved ones, but many were mourning too, and Audrey would never take for granted just how lucky she was. One evening, nearly a month after he came home, Audrey woke to find him not in bed, and after stepping out of the bedroom, she found him at the kitchen table, his face in his hands. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, and he looked up at her with tired, sad eyes. He said nothing as he pulled her into his lap and held her close. She held onto him, her head resting on top of his, not saying anything, just letting him go through whatever it was he was feeling.

“They’re never coming back,” he at last whispered, his voice broke. “All those men, brothers, sons, lovers, friends to someone, who will never see them again. Why did some of us and not all of us come back?”

She ran her hand through his hair and sighed. “I wish I could give a life altering answer, but all that I can say is the truth. Some people are just luckier than others, and no matter how much we try, whether in war, love, or life, things work out better for others. But you can’t sit here and say you were undeserving than the other. They were good men, they fought for something they believed in, and the world will always remember that. There’s a reason for you to be here, for your parents, your brother, for me,” she smiled then added, “And for our baby.”

David looked up at her, the tiredness and sorrow was lifted and there was hope in his eyes. “Baby?”

She smiled wide and nodded her head. “I found out yesterday. You’re going to be a dad, David.”

At this, David began to cry, but he was smiling, pressing kisses to her face, and murmured ‘thank yous’ whether it was to Audrey or to God, she wasn’t sure, but she knew that he would be the greatest father ever.

With this new development, David had arranged for the pair to travel back to Kansas City to meet his parents, and if all went well, to share the news with them. Audrey was nervous about finally meeting her in-laws, worried that they wouldn’t approve of his choice of bride once they finally met her. But as soon as they walked in, David’s mother, after hugging her son, then went to hug her new daughter-in-law. “Moya doch, welcome to the family,” Anna warmly said, taking her hand and bringing her into the living room. She talked Audrey’s ear off about David as a child, showing pictures and his old stories, of which he reddened with embarrassment, discrediting them as “awful stories”, but Anna knew that there was talent there, and Audrey whole heartedly agreed with her. She in turn showed the few pictures from their wedding, gifting the photobook as she had made doubles for his parents.

After being asked to help her in the kitchen, Audrey felt a little nervous of being alone with the mother, worried something unpleasant would come about, but after a comforting squeeze on her hand and a look of total adoration form David, she felt confident in going in alone.

 “We’re nearly done, just need to stir that up, and I’ll check on the meat.” Audrey did as she was told, humming to herself unawares, and then out of the blue, Anna commented softly, “Gee, you are so young.” Audrey stopped, looking at her, revealing no feeling. Anna realized what she said and felt flustered. “Forgive me, I didn’t mean it to sound rude or anything.”

“It wasn’t,” Audrey kindly answered, “It’s a fact.”

“It’s just, you see, David told us so much about you, except that you were younger. Not that I think it’s odd or anything, back home, girls your age would be married to much, much older men.”

Audrey looked down at the pot and said, “I know I am young, but the way I figured it, Mrs. Friedkin, in the five years before meeting your son, I had to do a lot of maturing and had a rather pessimistic view on life which made me older, and your son has such a natural good cheer and love of life that it makes him younger. So, we’re closer to being 25 and 27.” The math made both ladies chuckle, and Audrey looked at her mother-in-law. “And besides, I think it does a girl good to marry someone a little older than her. Girls tend to mature quicker than boys, though, I don’t think it has anything to do with nature, just girls are more put upon in this world. But all the same, whether he is 33 or 63, I’d love your son no matter what, because no one has understood me, the best and worsts parts, and not just still love me for it, but loved me because of it. I promise, I won’t break his heart, I’d rather think it a crime against humanity to do so.”

Anna relaxed and smiled, reaching to affectionately touch Audrey’s shoulder. “Thank you, my dear. One day, when you have a son of your own, you’ll understand the protectiveness of a mother. And I am glad that he found you, and that you found him.” They worked to finish the dinner in comfortable silence before bringing it out to the table.

As they sat down to dinner, Audrey found that Benjamin was much quieter than his wife, but no less warm and kind. “How has settling in after the war been?”

“It has its moments, but having someone there to help you,” he explained as he held Audrey’s hand, “Makes it a whole lot easier.”

“Still living in that apartment? Seems a little small for you two.”

“We are looking, actually,” Audrey added, “There’s some really nice houses, and we are hoping to find one before winter.”

“That’s smart,” Benjamin approved, “And you’ve gotten back to work?”

“Not yet, but I have a few offers. I met a real nice guy, Morton Fine, we seem to get along well and are thinking about writing together.” It was odd to Audrey how much Benjamin seemed to be deeply concerned about whether or not David was earning enough money, but he later explained that since his parents came over with hardly anything at all, the idea their children would have enough money to live comfortably was a sign that their children were happy.

“Well, I would like to make a toast.” Benjamin stood and held his glass out. “I wish to thank HaShem for returning our boy, safe and sound, for bringing an end to a terrible war, and for bringing us a daughter. Admittedly, we weren’t sure what to think of you,” Benjamin paused when he saw Anna’s expression. “It’s true, don’t deny it. When he first told us about you, we saw just how much he was in love with you, and we worried that the difference in religion would be a factor, but every concern we could have gone away once you walked in. There is just something there between you two that is hard to express. It’s just love, pure and simple, and sometimes, that’s all that is needed. Many blessings on you both, l’chaim!”

Anna and David repeated the sentiment, and Audrey managed well enough, though her pronouncement could have been a bit better. David looked at Audrey, and seeing the question in his eyes, she smiled and nodded. “There is something we have to tell you,” David called for attention. “I am glad you like Audrey, because, well, we’re going to have a baby.”

Anna jumped from her seat, exclaiming joyfully in Russian as she went to hug her daughter-in-law. Benjamin looked ecstatic, which the most expression she had seen from him, and he even gave a blessing in Hebrew to the couple and the new baby.

Life felt like it was healing itself, for Audrey and David moved into their new home just in time for the holiday season, and on May 23, 1946, their first son Gregory was born. As soon as he had looked at his son, David remembered what Audrey said, how he was here for his family, was meant to be a father, and he would always be grateful for being given a second chance of a life.

Audrey had worked on a few more movies before deciding it was not for her. Sure, her bit parts were steady and got money, but after nearly losing David and now having a child, she wanted to spend all her time with her boys. David made sure it was what she wanted, and he supported her choice, and did what he could to make sure that he could give his family everything they needed or wanted. Now the war was over, David committed himself to his work in writing and directing, working with that fellow he met, Morton Fine, first in radio then moving to television. Proving himself to be brilliant at it, and he had a good and steady career, even being nominated for six Emmys, a wonderful achievement. They would have another son, Anthony in 1949, and life could not seem to get better than this.

If being too happy is a sin, then in 1976, they were paying for it. Cancer was never something either of them had expected, but the doctor found the tumor, and it was certain that he would die from it. It was horrible to hear this, to lose the best man in the world, to not be able to grow old together and see their boys have their own families, to see him grow white hair and wrinkles and be called grandpa. It was just not fair, but rather than wallow in the sorrow, Audrey did everything she could to take care of him, make sure he was comfortable and happy in the last months of his life, she wanted to be with him as much as she could.

It was a cool autumn day, the world seemed so peaceful, and she and David decided to have a picnic in their backyard, a perfect scene with autumn leaves falling and cool breeze brushing against them. After eating, he laid his head on her lap, his now frail hand holding on to hers, speaking not a word for a few minutes. “It’s so beautiful today,” he softly said.

“Yes, a perfect autumn day.”

“You know, when I first saw you, there was something inside me that told me go to you, and if I didn’t, I’d regret it for the rest of my life. I didn’t understand why at first, but by the end of the night, I knew. I was meant to fall in love with you.”

Audrey smiled and leaned down to kiss him on the lips, her hair tickled his cheek. “I am forever grateful you walked into that canteen.”

“So am I.”

She held him in her arms, running her hands through his hair, humming the familiar song they danced to many times, watching as he fell asleep and then the sound of his breathing slowed, until it stopped. At first, Audrey couldn’t believe it, he can’t really be gone, and for almost an hour, she held him, not ready to let him go. Eventually, she did have to let him go, and with a kiss to his lips, and hoped that he went as peaceful as he looked. She was lucky to have had thirty-one years with him, but she had hoped to have reached fifty, to have seen him grow into an old man, see his grandchildren, but it seemed it would not be. October 15th, 1976 was the worst day of her life, a half of her died that day.

She hated to be seen as his widow, someone once tried to call David her late husband, she could only reply, “David is not my late husband, he is my husband, and he always will be.” It was true the day he died, and it was true twenty-three later. In 1999, she had seen how the world had changed, her boys were now grown with their own families and successful in their careers, and she could sit there and say she was content with how her life turned out. In the past year, Audrey put her Jo Stafford records on every night, and when she slept, she’d dream of her David. One night in early February, she felt more tired than she had before, but put on her favorite dress, the perfume she wore she was young, and rested in her chair as Jo Stafford’s voice soothed her. The beautiful notes swam through the air, and she was transported back to that night in 1944, where she met David.

“I’ll be seeing you, In all the old familiar places, That this heart of mine embraces, All day through”

She remembered the strong but comforting scent of David, the lemon and sage, the way she felt safe and loved in his arms, the way the world fell away for a moment that day.

“In that small café, The park across the way, “The children’s carousal, The chestnut tree, The wishing well,”

“Audrey.” She lifted her head and saw standing before her was David, dressed in his uniform, looking as he did the first time she met him.

“David? What are you doing here?”

“Our song is on, and I came to ask the prettiest girl to dance,” he explained as he held his hand out.

“I’ll be seeing you, In every lovely summer’s day, In everything’s that’s light and gay, I’ll always think of you that way,”

Audrey reached out and was surprised to see her old, wrinkled hand had turned young and smooth, and when she stood, her joints didn’t ache, but that she stood with ease. She saw herself in the mirror and was surprised to see herself young again, wearing the same dress she wore the night she met him. Turning around, she saw herself as an old woman seemingly asleep in the chair. “David? What is happening?”

“You were there for me to the end, so I figured I would be here for you.”

“I’m a little scared, David.”

“Don’t worry,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her, “We’re together now, everything will be alright.”

As he danced with her, Audrey saw the bedroom they shared for years turned into the dance hall where they were all alone, dancing together. Fear disappeared when she looked into his beautiful blue eyes. She was with her husband again, and as he promised all those years ago, they would be together, always.

“I’ll find you in the morning sun, And when the night is new, I’ll be looking at the moon, But I’ll be seeing you.”

Tagging: @freddycarterus @purpleyin @bcofl0ve @any-corrie @kylaym @zaened @turtleofdamascus @swanimagines @shiranai-atsune

[movieposteroftheday]

1967 East German poster for MY FAIR LADY (George Cukor, USA, 1964)

Designer: Westphal

Poster source: Kinoart.net

[poisoncorncob-and-thefrogs-blog]

Our Dear Old Queer Uncle Walt

Audrey Salmons

Walt Whitman holds a place in my heart as a sort of patron saint of queer poets. He’s influenced generations of queer literary icons. Langston Hughes, who was closeted but wrote about queer subjects (see “Cafe: 3am” and “Blessed Assurance”), responded to Whitman’s claim to be America’s voice in his poem “I, too, sing America.” Oscar Wilde, who had grown up reading Whitman, met with him while on the lecture circuit in America in 1882, and later wrote to a friend, “the kiss of Walt Whitman is still on my lips.” Allen Ginsberg’s poem “A Supermarket in California” describes a bizarre dream of seeing Whitman at a supermarket, a “childless, lonely old grubber, poking among the meats in the refrigerator and eyeing the grocery boys.” Ginsberg’s irreverent portrayal of the old poet looking rather lost in the landscape of commercialism and family values, surrounded by “[w]hole families shopping at night! Aisles full of husbands! Wives in the avocados, babies in the tomatoes!” makes the grand, flowing, omnisexual poet of “Song of Myself” seem far gone. Rather, Ginsberg’s Whitman reminds me of Whitman’s more cautious and ambivalent “Calamus” poems, which focus on the experience of same-sex love. In slowing down and focusing on a specific and nuanced set of experiences, Whitman contributes to the foundations of what we think of as modern queer identity.

A discussion of the history of queer identity would be incomplete without referencing Foucault’s History of Sexuality, which details the genesis of the homosexual and homosexuality. Until the late 1800s, homosexual acts were generally recognized insofar as they were criminalized as sodomy, but there was no concept of a homosexual identity. Foucault credits Carl Westphal with the creation of the modern homosexual in his 1870 article on “contrary sexual sensations.” From then on, Foucault writes, “[t]he nineteenth-century homosexual became a personage, a past, a case history, and a childhood, in addition to being a type of life, a life form, and a morphology, with an indiscreet anatomy and possibly a mysterious physiology.” When discussing the identities of queer historical figures, it may be tempting to ask, for example, was this person gay or bisexual? However, that person may not have lived with the same language of sexual taxonomy we use today. If we accept that such labels are socially constructed and not essential, then trying to determine which label best suits someone who lived outside those specific constructs is not particularly useful in understanding their personal sense of identity. A similar issue arises when discussing texts such as “Calamus” that describe queerness without specific familiar labels.

So, the shift in language, medicine, and morality from describing homosexual behavior to defining homosexual identity takes place takes place as Whitman is exploring identity and sexuality in “Leaves of Grass.” The focus of the “Calamus” poems on same-sex male attraction and relationships reflects an increasing awareness of a homosexual identity distinct from the androgynous omnisexuality of “Song of Myself,” marked not only by a refocusing of content but a shift in tone. The speaker here does not identify himself so readily with what he observes in the natural world. He describes an oak tree growing “[w]ithout any companion… uttering joyous leaves of dark green,” which at first “made me think of myself, / But I wonder’d how it could utter joyous leaves standing alone there without its friends near, for I knew I could not.” This sense of anxious loneliness is woven throughout “Calamus.” He mourns in “To a Stranger,” “I am not to speak to you, I am to think of you when I sit alone or wake at night alone.” In “Calamus 9,” found in the 1860 edition of Leaves of Grass but eventually cut out, Whitman mourns: “Sullen and suffering hours! (I am ashamed--but it is useless--I am what I am;) / Hours of my torment--I wonder if other men ever have the like, out of the like feelings? / Is there even one other like me--distracted--his friend, his lover, lost to him?” This sense that one’s loneliness and longing are a dreadfully unique burden may be linked to the fact that increasing cultural awareness of homosexuality as an identity necessitates a new type of “closet”: homosexuals must now hide not only acts, but identities. They must present a false front to the world, which Whitman expresses anxiously in “Are You the New Person Drawn Toward Me?”: “Do you see no further than this façade, this smooth and tolerant manner of me? / Do you suppose yourself advancing on real ground toward a real heroic man? / Have you no thought O dreamer that it may be all maya, illusion?” Another struggle in “Calamus,” then, is to create a sort of code by which homosexuals may subtly identify one another, which now may signal not only sexual or romantic intentions, but also solidarity in a shared identity. In “Among the Multitude,” Whitman describes “one picking me out by secret and divine signs, / Acknowledging none else, not parent, wife, husband… Some are baffled, but that one is not— that one knows me.” Whitman addresses “this one” (who is, interestingly, not explicitly gendered in the poem) as a “lover and perfect equal” whom Whitman intends to “discover me so by faint indirections, / And I when I meet you mean to discover you by the like in you.” I find myself imagining Ginsberg (or possibly imagining Ginsberg imagining himself) as the one addressed in this poem, picking up on Whitman’s “indirections” from across the supermarket. I’d like to think that I, too, would be one to recognize Whitman’s queerness— for despite over a century of evolving language and politics, I recognize elements of my own experience as a queer person reflected in "Calamus.”

This article gave me some great insights about “Calamus” and queer identity.

[mysoftboybensolo]

New Information on Freddy's part, David Friedkin, in "Masters of the Air"

While researching for my upcoming David x Audrey fic, I came across some new information from Family Search, and I thought I might share. If you want to look at these for yourself, I would recommend looking at them on a desktop or laptop, but if you are on your phone or your eye sight is not that good, not to worry, I am going to give you a good summery of what is here. David's page (x) Audrey's page (x), and my original post about the pair (x), which I recommend you read because I will refer to this post.

So, I was trying to figure out what their religions were, since one site says David is from Russian Jewish parents, while another says just Russian. Audrey’s religion is some denomination of Christianity, because she was seeking an annulment, which is something only Christians are able to do. But before I get to the clarification on David’s religion, let’s look at what Audrey’s page provides. There is a form that is called “United States Census, 1930”, and we see that she has a brother who is three years older than her, and that her parents are natives of New York, where she grew up.

David had the same form, showing he had a younger brother who is seven years younger than him, and we get more information his parents. They came from a village in Russia called Gormel, and the population at the time they would have left was 55% made up of Jews, which confirms his Jewish background. We know that at the age of 18, he was single and seemed like he was still living with his parents, not unusual given that it was a norm back then. His page also has a form that is called “California County Birth and Death Records” which again, confirms he died on October 16th, 1976.

The thing that got me excited was seeing their marriage certificate, which is under both of their names. It was little hard to read, so I’ll help you guys out. Under their names, it shows where it was that they were living at the time in LA, and the little scribble between the address and her name is “Beverly Hills”. Below that they write in their race and their “age at last birthday”; under David’s it says “33”, which makes sense since he was born on March 8th, and under Audrey’s says she was “22” when they were married. It’s strange that some site, like IMdB claims her birthday is January 15th, 1914, and that she was born in Kansas City, Missouri, which is clearly information on her husband rather than her, since she was from Buffalo, NY, and clearly not born in 1914.

It also states what their occupations were at the time; David has written “1st Lt. AUS” which means he was a 1st Lieutenant in the “Army of the United States” at the time he was married, and going even further, has been in the army for at least 2 years, as one doesn’t usually earn the title until they are 18-24 months into service.  Audrey was an actress at the time, that I did know from the website, but what was not clear was where she was working from, and she states that she is under contract with Paramount Pictures, which is a neat factoid to know.

The interesting thing here is their status at the time they were married. Audrey’s says that she was divorced, but on this site (x), it says her first husband, Arthur Hightower, had died before the annulment had finalized. So, I think what happened was that the annulment had went through and then not long after, he died. And since the only options were “Single, Widowed, Divorced”, she technically had to say she was divorced. Under David’s name, this was brand new information to me, says that he was once married before. This was unusual considering that on his wiki and IMdB page, it doesn’t say he had been married before Audrey. So, this is what I think may have happened, and it's just pure speculation; just like Audrey, he had married young, but unlike hers, it ended as soon as it began, and was such a tiny blimp in his history that it wasn’t even mentioned anywhere else. And just to the right of this, you can see that they were each other’s “2nd marriage”.

Further down, you can see that their witness was Audrey’s mother, which is funny because when I was writing that scene, I had Viola here as their witness before knowing that. Again, this makes sense, as Viola had traveled with Audrey to Hollywood and they were living together. Also, I had this revelation when revisiting the sites, that their first son, Gregory, is a reunion baby. He was born on May 23rd, 1946, and WW2 ended on September 2, 1945, nine months apart. Coincidence? 🤨

Is it a bit much for a fanfic? Maybe, but given that a 9-part series is coming out with this figure in it for however long played by an actor of whom many people are watching this series for, inquiring minds are going to want to know this story.

Tagging: @freddycarterus @purpleyin

[mysoftboybensolo]

A Look into Freddy Carter's Part in "Masters of Air"

Because I was bored, I decided to take a look into who Freddy will be playing in Masters of the Air.

He plays David Friedkin, born March 8th 1912, in Kanas City, Missouri to Russian Jewish immigrants. His education was pretty impressive, graduating high school at 15, attended Julliard on a violin scholarship, but decided to study acting at 17. After collage, he focused on writing and directing.

When the war hit, he joined the Signal Corps, a branch of the Army that pretty much was responsible for the Army's entire system of communications. After the war, went on to be a writer, director, and producer, most notably "I Spy", "The Virginian", and "Kojak", and over the course of his career he would be nominated for six Emmys.

He married only once, to Audrey Westphal, born October 17th, 1922 in Buffalo, New York (which is very close to where I live!), a former actress and dancer. They met in 1944, the how is unknown, they married on March 31st, 1945, and have two sons together, Gregory, an actor/playwright, and Anthony, a notable photographer. They remained married until his death on October 15th, 1976 from cancer. She stayed a widow until her death on February 6th, 1999.

Interesting to see, but when looking at the extended cast list, they have an actress named Nancy Farino playing a character simply named Audrey, this may or may not be the same Audrey. More information on Audrey, and a little on David, can be found here (x).

@purpleyin @freddycartercl @freddycarterus