Paper Moons - A Short Story

This week I wanted to share some fiction with you! This is a short World War II romance that I wrote, based on the classic song, "It's Only A Paper Moon." I hope you enjoy it!

“Say it’s only a paper moon, sailing over a cardboard sea. But it wouldn’t be make-believe if you believed in me. Yes, it’s only a canvas sky, hanging over a muslin tree. But it wouldn't be make-believe if you believed in me… Without your love, it’s a honky-tonk parade. Without your love, It’s a melody played in a penny arcade.”
from, “(It’s Only A) Paper Moon” by Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg, and Billy Rose
    Summer 1933

The house was sticky and warm, Geraldine and Sterling sat on the front porch while their mothers had tea in the kitchen. They each had a piece of chocolate depression cake on their laps, Sterling was eating a slice hungrily, food had been more than scarce in his house since his father had lost his job. Geraldine wasn’t interested in the cake, she was engrossed in the butterflies that fluttered around the honeysuckle. She kicked her legs against the wooden porch and fidgeted with her dress.
Sterling finished off his cake and looked thoughtfully at the sky, “Wouldn’t you like to see what’s up there Geraldine?” He was a very serious seven-year-old who also had a grand imagination. Geraldine was only four and wasn’t given to flights of fancy.
“Someday I’ll take you beyond the clouds, Geraldine,” Sterling promised. The promise really didn’t mean anything to Geraldine, but it was a nice thought. The sky must be cool, there was probably an abundance of food up there, there where the angels played.

November 1939

"Geraldine!” Sterling called out. He was running down the leaf-covered sidewalk, school books in hand. “Geraldine,” he panted, “Can I walk you home?”
Geraldine looked at Sterling with a quizzical look on her cute round face, (at least her Uncle Lou said it was cute). She tried to ignore him, she was too proud to walk home with someone that she had known since diapers. Besides she was ten years old and quite certain that she was too young to have a beau. 
She walked quickly, her Mary Janes crunching the leaves under her feet. She stopped for a second to listen to a snatch of song floating through the air, “It’s only a paper moon sailing over a cardboard sea, but it wouldn’t be make-believe if you believed in me.” She giggled, the words seemed to be nonsense. It sounded like something Sterling would say.
“I like that song a lot,” Geraldine jumped high - well it wasn’t all that high, really. Standing right next to her was Sterling.
“Oh hi,” she said.
“We can create worlds if we want, even paper moons and cardboard oceans.” He smiled a lopsided smile. Sterling was two years older than Geraldine and they had known each other ever since they were babies. Geraldine wasn't so sure she wanted to be friends with a boy like Sterling anymore, after all, she was ten! Besides, he could be… so silly. The world was serious now, she was practically grown up after all! The leader of Germany was invading neighboring countries, and things were scary. 
“Gerry, do you want to come to my house for dinner with Mom and me?” Sterling asked. “Things have been lonely what with Joey at college and stuff.” His eyes looked so nice, she could tell he really wanted her to come. His brother leaving had hit him hard, and the stuff - his father’s death, hadn’t made it any easier. She sighed, of course, she would go, she always did, didn’t she?
    Dinner was the same as it always was, Sterling’s mom cooked her meatloaf and she and Geraldine sat and listened while Sterling talked about all of his fantasies.
    His eyes lit up when he spoke of his dreams, and when he told stories, and when he was done, the light wouldn’t fade out of his eyes, he would turn on the radio and dance both his mother and Geraldine around the room. The light only faded when the songs stopped and the news began blaring. Hitler had invaded Poland, those words bothered him. His dreams often kept him from the cruelty of wars.

Spring 1944

A bunch of boys were standing at the train station. They were talking rapidly, laughing, and shouting “Those Fitzs didn’t stand a chance!” And to be sure, they didn’t. The gusto of the young American men would carry them far. 
Sterling was among the boys, acting happy and excited, but his mind wasn’t on it, his eyes were surfing the crowd. He was looking for someone - Geraldine.
    Geraldine was standing in the crowd, she hugged her coat around her. Henry Levon was saying goodbye to her. Passionately. She smiled shyly at him; they had been going steady for months now, but as he was leaving for training she couldn’t help scanning the crowd for someone else. Sterling.
    Henry was drawn into the group of happy boys. Peeping into the crowd, Geraldine could see her old friend Sterling.
    He pushed through the group and quickly went up to her, he looked behind him to see if Henry was still looking at Geraldine. He wasn’t, he was full of the spirit of youth going to war.
    “I’m going too, Geraldine,” he said.
    “Of course you are,” she said. They stared at each other for a moment, neither knowing what to do.
    “I have something for you Gerry, something for you to remember me by. I hope I come back…” he paused, reminded of boys he had grown up with who left joyfully and never returned, “But if I don’t I want you to have this.” He handed her a piece of paper. 
    She slowly unfolded it, there was a drawing of a house on it. A cute little house, underneath it, was written - “where we will live.”
    Geraldine looked up at him, confused. “What does this mean?”
    “I’m giving you my dreams. My paper moons, and cardboard seas. I need you, Geraldine,” he shook his head and amended his words, “I need you to take care of that for me.”
    “Sterling, what do you mean?” she asked again.
    “Gera… honey, can you believe in me? If you only do that, I feel sure that I’ll come home safely.”
And so he left.
The days came and went, Geraldine kept Sterling’s drawing folded in her pocket, right next to the photo of Henry. 
When summer dawned, she threw Henry's picture away and began to understand something. She was afraid. More than afraid for Sterling, overseas, without the things he had been used to. Did he need her to worry - probably not?
It was late, but she needed something to comfort her, she turned on a record, not caring what it was. 
She sighed as the song began to play, it was Sterling’s favorite song. “It’s only a paper moon, sailing over a cardboard sea. But it wouldn’t be make-believe if you believed in me. It’s only a canvas sky, hanging over a muslin tree, but it wouldn’t be make-believe if you believed in me. Without your love, it’s a honky tonk parade.”
Ah, that’s how she felt, like a honky tonk all out of tune. She realized in those moments that Sterling meant everything to her. Him and his crazy dreams.

Spring, 1950

He lifted her up over the threshold of their little house.
“Here it is dear,” Sterling said.
“Of course! Darling, it’s everything you dreamed it would be!” Geraldine said.
“No love,” he replied, “It’s everything we dreamed it would be.”
“It’s not make-believe anymore,” she sighed.
“No it isn’t,” he agreed, “but it’s so much better this way.”