Good Night, Irene

Dorothy and Irene struggle to maneuver the Rapid City in the middle of a war zone. When they land on Utah Beach, a sergeant tells them to follow the supply trucks and reminds them to put their helmets on. The women grit their teeth as bullets ricochet past the truck. Dorothy tells Irene that they need to learn how to shoot their weapons, so they practice in the woods by the hotel. Dorothy gets restless and tells Garcia that she wants to kill Germans, and he agrees to help her with this endeavor.

While Dorothy practices weaponry with Garcia, Irene soothes herself by taking long baths and reading magazines. One day, Irene decides to clean out the inside of the Rapid City. As she cleans on her hands and knees, she remembers how her fiancé always accused her of being “precious.” As if he can hear her, she says aloud, “I’m here, aren’t I? Do I look precious to you now?” (216). Standing in the doorway, Dorothy overhears her. The two women talk about the distance that has grown between them, and Dorothy confides that she does not know how to handle her own anger. The next day, they receive word from the Red Cross headquarters, allowing them to go to Cannes for a week to recuperate from their recent traumas.