Free Mrs. Lieutenant: A Sharon Gold Novel by Phyllis Zimbler Miller

summer knit suit.
    "Mrs. Brisby, I'd like to introduce Mrs. Gold
and Mrs. Benton from the new AOB class."
    Mrs. Brisby smiles. "Good afternoon, ladies.
Welcome to Ft. Knox. I hope your stay here is pleasant."
    Mrs. Brisby's voice matches her appearance –
gracious and authoritative. Sharon imagines Mrs. Brisby herself
commanding a battalion of tanks, ordering them to fire on the
enemy.
    "Thank you," Sharon says as Mrs. McDermott
sweeps her and Kim towards the refreshment table, their moment of
official greeting by the wife of the post commanding general
over.
    "Please help yourselves, ladies," Mrs.
McDermott says. "The formal part of our program will start
shortly." Then she leaves them, scurrying to new women entering the
room.
    Sharon and Kim survey the refreshments
displayed on a rectangular linen-draped table. "The cookies look
good," Kim says. “I think we take off our gloves to eat,” Sharon
says.
    After removing their gloves and placing their
cookie selection on china plates, they walk over to an unoccupied
loveseat.
    A young black woman sits on a wing-backed
chair facing the loveseat. Sharon smiles at her and the woman
smiles back. Even without looking at her nametag Sharon can tell
the woman is the wife of an AOB class member – the woman's stiff
posture telegraphs her uncertainty in this setting.
    "I'm Sharon Gold and this is Kim Benton,”
Sharon says to her. “Is this your first time at one of these
things?"
    The woman smiles. "Yes, we just arrived a few
days ago." Her voice is soft. She sounds Southern, like Kim.
    The woman shifts her coffee cup from her
right hand to her left, as if in preparation for shaking hands. Yet
she doesn't extend her right hand. "I'm Wendy Johnson."
    About to stick out her own hand, Sharon
glances at Kim. What if Kim makes a scene about not shaking a black
person's hand? Better not to create the situation.
    "Your husband is in the new AOB class with
our husbands," Sharon says.
    "Where are you all from?" Wendy asks.
    Kim swings her head around. Is it the use of
the Southern phrase "you all" that has caught her attention?
    "I'm from Chicago," Sharon says, pointing to
the "Illinois" on her nametag.
    Now it is Kim's turn. Nothing. Then, speaking
to her hands clasped in her lap, Kim says, "I'm from a small town
in North Carolina."
    "North Carolina?" Wendy says. "I'm from South
Carolina."
    At the end of the living room furthest from
the front door Mrs. McDermott raises a hand. "Ladies, may I have
your attention?" she says. The room silences.
    "Welcome, ladies. We're so happy to have a
new Armor Officers Basic class here at Ft. Knox." Her smile travels
the room.
    "I promise you that you will look back upon
your stay at Ft. Knox with fondness. The post has a great deal to
offer, including the Officers Club, several swimming pools opening
in a few weeks, a large PX and a well-stocked commissary.
    "While here you will also have the
opportunity to learn what is expected of you as the wife of an
officer in the U.S. Army today. There are some rules and
regulations that, once learned, make life easier for all of us. I
recommend that you all buy the booklet at the PX entitled ‘Mrs.
Lieutenant’ by Mary Preston Gross and study it carefully. It is an
invaluable guide for an officer's wife."
    Sharon glances around the room. Some of the
older women must have heard this speech a thousand times. How many
times will she have to hear it in the next two years?
    "... and to help you prepare for your time as
an officer's wife – whether it be only for a few years or as a
career – we have planned several activities during your stay
here.”
    Mrs. McDermott pauses as if to ensure that
everyone is fully listening to her words.
    "The final function for the wives will be an
AOB graduation luncheon. It's going to have a Fourth of July theme
and, as part of your training, you will be in charge of it. There
will be four committees – refreshments, decorations, invitations,
and entertainment. We need