Luke ducked and left the pillow where it landed.
“How about heading into town tonight and seeing what's cooking?” Barry smiled broadly, displaying big teeth beneath an overly large nose. “I hate to think about all the young women in town who will be missing me if I don't show up.”
Luke looked at his buddy. His big, friendly face certainly wasn't handsome. “I'm sure they'll mourn your absence,” he said sarcastically.
“Not if I'm there,” Barry said confidently.
“I'd like to get off this tin can, but I've got duty tonight.” Luke walked to a table standing against the wall between two sets of bunks. He checked a roster on the wall above it. “I've got duty the next four nights. Don't like the night shift; it fouls up my sleep.” He glanced at Barry. “I'm not sleeping good anyway.”
“What's up?”
“Nothin' really. Just a bad feeling.”
“About what?”
Luke hesitated. He didn't want to be an alarmist. “I'm not so sure the Japs are as stupid as everyone thinks. They could be up to something. I got a feeling they're going to heat things up.”
“Nah. Security hasn't been tightened, and the officers are out playing golf every day.”
“Yeah.”
“The Japs know better than to start a war with us. They're no match for our navy or military. And if they're stupid enough to try something, we'll flatten them.” Barry took another gulp of his Coke. “They might be stupid, but not that stupid.”
“They've been gaining ground against the Chinese. And I heard their navy is tough and prepared.”
“The Chinese aren't us. Besides, they're still negotiating with Washington. Nothing's going to happen as long as they've got ambassadors on American soil.”
Luke finished his drink and tossed the bottle into a trashcan. “Maybe.” A siren sounded and he jumped.
“What a time for a drill,” Barry said, ducking through the small door and stepping into the passageway.
“If the Japs aren't up to something, why all the drills?” Luke asked. “Someone's nervous.”
Luke wolfed down the last of his mashed potatoes, then finished off a glass of milk.
Barry shook his head. “You eat like there's no tomorrow, but you never put on a pound.” He patted his own stomach. “I've gained ten pounds since joining.”
Luke forked apple cobbler. “It's a curse,” he said with a grin, shoving the dessert into his mouth. He chewed. It wasn't as good as homemade, but it wasn't bad either. “I sure miss my mother's cooking. She puts on a real spread for Thanksgiving.”
“Yeah, there'll be more food than even I can eat at my house,” Barry said. “Sure would like to get home for the holidays. I put in for leave.” He leaned on the table. “You going home?”
“Nah. I figure I'll stay put. I like the weather better here.”
“You hate the heat. So, what's holding you here?”
Luke poked his cobbler, then looked at Barry and said simply, “Ray Townsend.”
“What about him? You gonna' let him keep you from seeing your family?”
“It's just easier to stay away.” Luke pushed his plate aside. “He'll sit at the head of the table, slicing up turkey or some other wild carcass he's shot—as if he owns the place.”
“Well, he does kind of…own the place, I mean. Since he married your mother and he's taken on the work. What's hers is his, right?”
Luke glared at the table. Finally he growled, “He lives there and he works there, but me and my father are the ones who proved up that place. He stole it out from under us.”
Barry glanced at Luke's half-eaten cobbler. “You gonna' eat that?”
Luke shook his head no.
Barry slid the plate in front of him and scooped up a large bite. “Seems from what you've told me, your mother loves him, and they decided to move in there ‘cause it would be easier on your brother and sister. Sounds reasonable to me.”
Luke's anger swelled. Barry's practicality wasn't helping. He glowered at his friend. “Just because something's reasonable doesn't make it right.”
“What do you think would have been better?”
“It would have been better if that bear had killed Ray Townsend and not my father.”
Barry finished the last of the cobbler.
“Doesn't anything ever get you steamed?” Luke asked. “Don't you hate anybody?”
Barry thought and chewed. “I get mad when I have reason to. And no, I don't think I hate anyone. Oh, a few folks who get my dander up, but I figure getting into a sweat over someone else's stupidity ain't worth the trouble. I like to live peaceably with the world.” He picked up a metal cup in his big hand and drained his coffee. “I have an uncle who's kind of irritating. He's always snorting.” Barry did an imitation of his uncle's snort, and Luke couldn't keep from laughing. “I think he has a sinus condition,” Barry said with a grin.
Luke's laughter died, and he turned serious. “That's not the same. Your uncle didn't kill your father.”
Barry was quiet a long moment, then leaned on the table. “Isn't it time you let go of that? It's been how many years since your father died?”
