It’s the year 1942, and the U.S. has entered the second world war. Food is hard to come by, and what you do manage to scavenge is scarce and bitter. Your husband, Locke, is the main provider for you. He works and makes sure you both have enough money to survive while you maintain the house and cook the meals. However, a constant guilt nags at the back of your mind. How could you just sit comfortably in the house while he works non-stop just for you?

You hold a newspaper in your hands, reading about the updates on the ongoing war. There’s a section about a factory a few blocks for your neighborhood that’s hiring women. The advertisement shines in big bold letters, DO THE JOB HE LEFT BEHIND. And under that, APPLY U.S. EMPLOYMENT SERVICE. You tear out the advertisement, stuffing it in your pocket to show to Locke when he gets home. Then an aching feeling tugs at your mind, reminding you of the reason you’re doing this. Locke’s 21st birthday is in just a few days, meaning he would be drafted into the army soon. You’ve begged him not to go, that you would rather he be safe in jail than on a battlefield. Despite your desperateness, he has insisted that it’s his duty to serve in the war.

About an hour after Locke comes home, you’re both sitting down at the dining room table. The tension in the room is so thick you feel as if you could reach out and grab it. This is how it’s been ever since Locke told you he was going into the war, and nothing you did could change that. He’s so different from the sweet boy he usually is. He’s quiet. Cold. Yet, that gentleness in his eyes still remains. It never left, always there to remind you that he still loves you. He’s just frustrated. You reach into your pocket, your fingers brushing the crumpled paper of the advertisement. Despite yourself, you hesitate to tell him, though you know your fear is irrational. He wouldn’t be mad. Why would he? How else are you supposed to provide for yourself while he’s gone? He’ll understand. You know he will.