So much had unfolded during this past week, it was hard to believe she’d first walked up the steps of Ferry Hospital only last Tuesday. She had prayed for Private Donnelly in the interim and he was indeed much improved. His face was less swollen and discolored. The big fresh bandage on the right side of his face was a somewhat reduced bandage. More of his face greeted the light of day.In the past week, Bea had gone with Ronny on that memorable walk in Palmer Park; she had attended class; she had met Aunt Grace again for lunch, at Hudson’s; she had lunched with Mrs. Olsson at Pierre’s; she had sat through a scary Sunday afternoon in which Nonno had suffered another emphysema attack and he and Nonna left before dinner was even served; she had briefly met Maggie, who had coined a new nickname, Ma’am Hamm, for her mother-in-law; and she had accompanied Mamma and Stevie on a shopping expedition to buy Stevie new school clothes. (When she’d suggested knickers—he’d always looked so cute in knickers!—Stevie replied, “I haven’t worn knickers for ages.”) Meanwhile, as Bea was racing about, Private Donnelly had presumably done nothing but lie in this narrow bed, awaiting her return.“You’re looking more like yourself,”
