Chapter 39
Nancy (March 1958)
...
With her hair neatly fastened under her cap, Nancy looked around the train station, trying to see if anyone noticed that she was a young woman dressed in men's clothing. No one seemed to notice, in fact, no one paid Nancy any mind. She bought her ticket with her crumpled pocket money and the clerk didn't seem to notice either, although she suspected that the woman, who was too tired that morning, didn't care that there was a strange woman disguised as a man. It wasn't her business. Nancy felt invisible in the early morning crowd that stood on the platform waiting for their transportation and only the chill in the air acknowledged her. She pulled her coat tightly around herself and fastened the buttons she wasn't able to fasten before climbing down the fire escape and vanishing into the night. She was thankful for the coat though she wished she had more layers to keep the chill away.
"Damn you, Roger," Nancy pouted. "It's March and this is all you give me?"
She rubbed her bare hands together to warm them up before shoving them into her coat pockets. Her mind raced between thoughts of returning home and returning back to Carolyn. "I will see Tommy," she thought to herself. "I will see Tommy. He will understand. I know he will."
The train had finally arrived and Nancy was relieved to get out of the cold and onto the comfortably warm train. Her ticket was checked and she sank into her seat, leaning her head back and resting her heavy eyes. Nancy briefly opened her eyes and looked around. She noticed that an older woman was staring at her and when Nancy's eyes met hers, the older woman looked away. The woman scowled before her glare was redirected to the newspaper she was holding.
"Have I been found out?" Nancy thought. "That woman won't do anything. You mind your business."
Nancy leaned back and got as comfortable as she could in her seat. She slowly began to fall asleep, knowing that the next time she would open her eyes she'd be closer to home.
Nancy was jolted awake when the train had come to a stop. Her eyes were forced open and she saw other passengers out of their seats, retrieving their luggage from the racks above their heads. She looked out of the window and recognized the station. "Almost home," she thought.
She stepped off of the train and was met with the sunrise. It added a drop of warmth against the cold morning breeze. Nancy fished her money out from her coat pocket and counted the remaining crumpled bills and icy coins as she walked away from the station and closer to the street. The sound of the train's engine grew faint and the passengers from the train dispersed as a new crowd boarded.
"I think I have just enough for a taxi ride home."
She looked around for an available taxi and saw that there were a few lined up, waiting for the train passengers who needed a ride. Nancy walked up to the one closest to her and entered the back of the vehicle, once again escaping the chilly wind that was starting to pick up.
"Hello," Nancy said to the cabbie in her most neutral voice. She attempted to sound less feminine.
"Morning," the cabbie said. "Where to?"
"547 Caspro Boulevard."
The cabbie pulled away from the curb and began to drive away from the station. Nancy watched it as it disappeared around the corner. The lights of the city streets blared and made her eyes hurt a bit.
She sank in the backseat of the taxi and wanted so badly to fall asleep but she forced herself to stay awake. She didn't want to fall asleep in a stranger's car.
"So," the cabbie said, "Caspro Boulevard, huh? Nice neighborhood."
"Yeah, upper class."
After what felt like forever, the cabbie had finally arrived at Nancy's house. She thought it looked different. It had been almost an entire year after all. Nancy thanked the cabbie and paid the fare. He drove away, leaving Nancy to face the home she grew up in. She thought about how she could get inside without alerting any servants. Willard, thought trustworthy, would not hesitate to alert Nancy's father of her return. She couldn't risk being seen.
Luckily, Tommy's bedroom was on the first floor toward the front of the house, so Nancy ducked and quickly made her way over to the window she knew opened into Tommy's room. She stood outside in the cold and saw that he had a light on. She leaned down to pick up a few small pebbles and chucked them at the window, hoping that Tommy would check to see what was causing the noise. Nancy then saw the curtain begin pulled open and saw Tommy's face for the first time in a year. He looked surprised and quickly opened the window. Before he could speak, Nancy put a finger to her lips, signaling for him to be quiet. "Hi, Tommy," she said quietly.
"Nan?" Tommy said, puzzled. "What are you doing here?"
"I really need to talk with you, Tommy," Nancy pleaded. "Please, I'll explain everything but do not tell Father or Mother or anyone that I am here."
Tommy thought for just a moment before answering. "I'll be right there. Meet me at the garage."
Nancy ran around to the other side of the house and was met at the open garage door by Tommy. He spun her into a tight hug, like the hugs he would give her after she returned from summer camp as a child, and then he motioned at his car.
"Get in," he said. "It's so damn cold out here."
She got into the passenger seat of the car and Tommy turned the engine on. After several minutes the chill was gone from the car and it became warm and comfortable. Nancy realized for the first time just how much she hated the cold and couldn't wait for winter to be over.
There was silence between the siblings for a moment as Tommy lit a cigarette. Nancy had almost forgotten what the smoke smelled and tasted like. It had been so long.
"What are you doing here?" Tommy laughed.
"Tommy," Nancy replied, "I'm going to tell you everything. The truth. And I need you to hear me out. You're the one person I can tell this to and I need you to know everything."
Tommy nodded while passing the cigarette to Nancy.
She inhaled the familiar smoke and was filled with hope.