by James Forrest

There were five letters in Julie’s mailbox on Friday. Five was an average day. Sometimes there were more, but it had been at least a month since she hadn’t had at least one. She carried the letters up the stairs and down the hall to her apartment. Entering the dark apartment, she turned the light on and put the letters in the box on her tiny desk. There were two other unopened letters. She was falling behind. She resolved to answer all seven this weekend.

Julie opened the closet door and hung up her jacket and her black skirt. She took her white blouse off and put it on a chair. Her slip went on the shelf. Her cotton bra went with the slip. The brown pleated skirt would be right for the USO tonight. She liked the way it flared when she twirled. The skirt joined the blouse on the chair. She went into the bathroom.

Tonight, she felt like twirling. It had been a hard week at the legal office. Mr. Sutton, the managing lawyer, had rubbed her bottom in the coffee room again today—twice in one day. Those episodes were becoming more frequent. She had taken to going for coffee right after he had, but he’d figured out her strategy for avoiding him. He couldn’t see her desk from his office, but he’d taken to popping out every few minutes to check on her. It wasn’t just that he was old and smelled bad, it was that she wanted to be in control of who touched her. Julie needed a job, but with the war on, there were openings at the Naval Supply Depot where Susan worked. Working with many other women might be better than in an office with only one other woman. Especially one who thought that Julie was at fault for Mr. Sutton’s advances.

In the bathroom mirror, she put on her dancing makeup—some blue eyeliner to bring out her blue eyes, rouge on her cheeks, and bright red lipstick. She teased her blond hair to bring out the curls. The curls were starting to straighten, and so she’d have to get a permanent next week. When the water warmed, she soaked a washcloth, dabbed a little soap on it, and washed under her arms. When she was dry, she put on her peach satin bra. She turned from side to side thinking about how the boys liked to take it off her. She put on her blouse, stepped into her skirt, and looked at herself in the mirror. She unbuttoned the top button. Looked again. Buttoned the button. Unbuttoned the button. All the while thinking of meeting a new boy at the USO.

The Alameda USO was a busy place. The San Francisco Bay Area was a major debarkation point for the war in the Pacific. On the way to the USO, she’d stop at the cafe down the street. She’d probably have the special. It was fifty cents cheaper than the regular menu. By the time she’d finished dinner, the dancing would be starting. The early boys would be arriving. She’d find a handsome boy, smile at him, and then they’d dance. The USO didn’t serve alcohol, and the boys that arrived early hadn’t had too many beers. Later, some of the new arrivals would be fresh from the bars. She didn’t want someone who stank of whiskey.

She usually danced with only a few boys. If she were lucky, a handsome boy would dance all evening with her. If he did, she’d invite him home. After Friday or Saturday nights, she’d make him breakfast in the morning. If she were lucky, he’d want her again before he shipped out. If she took a boy home during the week, he’d have to go bymidnightso that she could get up for work.

Some evenings, she’d see a boy she’d been with before. If he wanted to dance with her, she knew they’d be going back to her place later. She had to be careful, though. She couldn’t let them fall for her. As soon as she thought a boy was getting too serious, she’d break it off. Even some of the boys she only brought home once wanted to write to her. She didn’t know how many of them there were, but she always had letters.

They were writing to her from all over the world. Some were on ships in the Pacific or protecting merchant ships in theNorth Atlantic. Others were slogging through the mud inItaly,Holland, or the South Pacific. Julie had bought an Atlas so she could look up the locations of her boys. She had a few letters from boys in the Air Core, but she stayed away from pilots. Pilots were too sad. Girls that dated pilots were always worrying that the boy would not return.

This had been a good week for dancing. She’d had a boy to lie with every night. Tonight the boy would be able to stay the night. It was always better when she didn’t have to sleep alone. Maybe James, the boy she’d brought home last night would come back tonight. He’d taken his time with her. She wished she could have had him stay the night.

Looking in the mirror and thinking of James, she unbuttoned a button. She hoped the senior hostess wouldn’t embarrass her by telling her to button up. The senior hostess was always trying to get the junior hostesses to darn socks and sew on buttons, but Julie didn’t sew. She served coffee to the servicemen, she danced with them, and she took them home. She was doing her part for the war effort.

James had returned to the USO on Friday night, and he’d taken his time with her again. He liked his bacon crisp. Just like she did. Julie made an omelet. He was sitting at the table drinking his coffee when she brought the serving plates. He had put his tee-shirt and his white uniform pants back on.

“You are wonderful,” he said, as she sat across from him. In his eyes, she saw the kind of desire that made her warm all over. He had dark brown eyes, unruly brown hair, and way too many smiles.

“You’re pretty wonderful yourself,” she said thinking that as soon as breakfast restored his strength, she take him back to bed.

“When do you have to be back to the base?” she asked.

“I have a weekend pass,” he said. “I don’t have to be back until Sunday evening.”

The look he gave her told her that he wanted to spend the weekend with her. After having sex again, she’d have to tell him that she couldn’t spend the day with him. She’d tell him she had to see her mother this afternoon. Then she’d spend the afternoon answering letters and running errands. If he came back to the USO tonight, she’d take him home again. She didn’t want to hurt him by refusing him, but she hoped he wouldn’t be there, and she could find another boy to take home.

He finished eating and sat back.

“More coffee?” She asked.

“Uh, sure,” he said. He could tell that he was wondering what would happen next. She smiled to herself.

She took his cup to the stove, filled it, and placed it in front of him. She stood behind him until he put the cup down. He twitched when she put her hands on his shoulders. She massaged his shoulders for a few minutes, then slipped her hand inside the neck of his shirt. The hair on his chest felt curly and springy as she ran her hand over it. She pulled her hand out, reached down, and pulled his tee-shirt up. He lifted his arms allowing her to slip it over his head. She bent over and kissed his arm, his shoulder, then his neck. His man-smell made her dizzy. Holding onto the chair for support, she brought her lips to his. His lips were rough, probably from the wind on the ship. As their tongues danced together, he reached inside her robe and grasped her breast. She pushed against his hand. She ran her hand down his chest and slipped it under the top of his pants.

She withdrew her hand and stepped back. When he turned to face her, she untied her robe and let it fall to the floor. She let him soak in her nakedness while she watched the desire grow in his eyes. She went to the bed where the covers were still in disarray from their night together. She pushed the covers to the floor and lay in the center of the bed. He came to her, stopping at the edge of the bed to drop his pants and underwear. He took a condom from the box on her night table and slipped it on.

He crawled onto the bed and knelt between her legs. She smiled at him, clasped her knees, and pulled them toward her chest. He understood this invitation immediately. He leaned forward with his hands on each side of her and lowered himself. His member touched her bush right above her clit. She raised herself to him. He slid past her clit and lay at her opening. She tilted her hips, and he entered her. He thrust slowly at first and then gradually went faster. He took his time. She could see that he was holding back for her. She kissed him, and their tongues danced again. Waves of desire flowed through her vagina. He twitched and pressed his member deeper. On the next wave, the passion grew until it carried her away. She cried out and pulled him to her. He began to pound hard and fast. His rapid thrusts kept her on the wave as she struggled to take him deeper. He cried out and pressed into her. They hung suspended for what seemed like minutes.

When he pulled out and lay next to her, she curled up in his arms.

He was at the USO that night, and she invited him back to her bed. She found out that he was shipping out in a week and agreed to meet him on the next Friday. Two weeks was as long as she would usually allow boys to date her. She was glad that he’d be gone because it would be hard to push him away.

The boys she took home each night that week were just the boys. They were usually so quick to come that she had to finish up by herself after they left. Even though each boy was different and exciting, and she loved to see the desire in their eyes when she stood naked in front of them, but she found herself looking forward to seeing James on Friday.

On Saturday after breakfast and after lovemaking, she didn’t lie about seeing her mother. They went to the beach inAlameda. They walked along holding hands. They bought hot dogs. They came back to her place. They made love again. They napped in each other’s arms. They made love again. They went dancing at the USO, and she brought him home. They stayed in her apartment on Sunday. They made love after breakfast; she made lunch; they made love again; they napped together. Atfive o’clockshe kissed him goodbye. He promised to write. She promised to write back.

She showered, toweled off, and stood in front of the mirror looking at her naked body. Next Saturday she’d get that permanent. Tomorrow she’d call Susanne and see if they were still hiring at the Supply Depot. Tonight she’d wear her brown skirt to the USO.