Chapter 9 Section 9

At the end of 1941, the United States was involved in the Second World War. Soon, Serena and Doudou enlisted in the army one after another. Doudou served in the Air Force, and Serena entered the Seattle Naval Base on the west coast. In January 1943, Ensign William Odward, Jr. returned to his home in New York on the East Coast for a week of vacation.At that time, according to the news obtained by the high-ranking officials in the barracks, the fleet was already on the first level of alert, and it might pull anchor and set sail at any time, so this week's holiday was very similar to the "last supper" before the prisoners went to the execution ground.

Men also have men's private room words.On the second day when Little William came home, Big William avoided his wife and four older sisters and asked his son, "Do you often go to nightclubs?" Little William nodded.Little William has always kept a respectful distance from his father, and the occasional conversation between father and son is only a few words, but to the point. "Is there a regular girl?" Little William shook his head. "Then—" Great William took a deep puff from his pipe, blowing out a puff of smoke, "you might as well invite Jenny Eden to dinner."

"As you order, sir," was the standard reply in the army to a commander. That night, William Odward Jr. did not come home.Coming out of the "21" club at 21 West 52nd Avenue, the two of them went directly to Yanni's apartment on 57th Avenue, where they stayed until Lieutenant Odwa returned to Seattle.Although Elsie, the mother of Little William and the old Mrs. Oddwah, was unspeakably awkward, she followed her husband's wishes and only asked her son to come back for a few meals and met a few guests and elders. Ask more.Great William said, the man before the expedition, God knows if there will be a future, if there is wine today, let him be drunk today.

From then on, Yanni and Little William kept writing letters, and it was hard to leave. "How could I have let you go? I must have been crazy," Jenny wrote, borrowing a line from her "Lincoln Speedway." "I saw you as soon as I closed my eyes... No, if this continues, I will finish the game myself before the Japanese cannonballs hit me!" Little William wrote from the bottom of his heart. "let's get married." "Yes, get married!... How old are you? I have never had a chance to ask you." "The same age as you, 22 years old."

Many years later, Little William found out that Jenny was actually 5 years older than him, and was 27 years old when she got married. "Tell me, who else is in your family? Who should I propose marriage to?" Little William asked again in the letter. "Just myself... I am an orphan." Yes, Yanni's mother passed away two years ago.Yanni's parents divorced a long time ago. Although she didn't have much contact, Yanni knew that her father was still alive and was selling tickets on the bus in Detroit. Now she said: "I have never seen my father. I heard from my mother that he used to be a Colonel."

According to "Wikipedia" "Characters" about William Odward Jr.: "On March 14, 1943, William Jr. and Jenny Eden married, which shocked the whole Odwah family. , including Great William Odward who transferred the woman to his son." The reaction of the family was obviously expected by Little William, so he kept the marriage a secret until the last moment. It is no wonder that Elsie, the old Mrs. Odward, mentioned this matter and her only daughter-in-law later. Just fire. At the beginning of March, according to the school rules, William Jr. first sent a very brief and formal telegram to the "Pushlin Club" of Harvard University, saying: "Yu has communicated with Jenny Eden Crowe from Kansas City. Miss Will is engaged. Please announce it on your behalf." It is estimated that the news spread from Boston to New York, and William sent an identical telegram to his father. Then I received a call from Great William.At that time, during the war years, very few people could afford long-distance calls.

There was no congratulations on the phone, no congratulations, and Great William immediately asked, "Is something wrong?" "We want to get married right away," said little William. "I mean, is Jenny pregnant?" "No." The old man didn't understand, and kept asking his son why.The son said: "There are many officers here who are rushing to get married before departure... There is a new term that you have never heard of? It is called 'war bride'."