All Chapters of This Time, He Married My Sister: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

“Fill in your name and give the permit to the registrar,” Daniel said. “I will collect you tonight.”He checked his watch as he pushed the document across the desk.Daniel had returned from the European front three months earlier. His transfer to Washington had been approved, and we were expected to register our marriage before he reported for duty.The permit carried his signature and the red seal of the post commander.Under the temporary Postwar Dependent Registration Order, an officer awaiting reassignment could sign his marriage permit in advance and authorize a household representative to file it. If the named spouse already had a signed relocation affidavit in the household record, the registrar could treat the two documents as consent. The stamp made the marriage valid, while a summary annulment still required both named parties to sign. Daniel had left the final filing step to me.In my first life, I wrote Eleanor Hayes with such care that my hand cramped. Then I crossed half

Chapter 2

Daniel was leaving Clara’s room when I entered the house. He took my coat and asked, “Did you finish the registration?”“Yes.”“What took so long?”“I had something else to handle.”Daniel glanced at my handbag but did not question me. Clara followed him into the hall with a cardigan around her shoulders, her face still pale.“Eleanor, please do not misunderstand. Daniel only stayed because he was worried my fever might return.”In my first life, she always explained before I had said anything. Daniel would then decide that my jealousy had placed her under unnecessary pressure.This time, I only asked what the Army doctor had said.“It is an ordinary cold. I need to rest,” Clara replied.“Then you should go back to bed.”Daniel studied my expression. “You are not angry?”“Do you want me to be?”“I want this house to be peaceful after we marry.”He suggested ordering wedding announcement cards from the printer the next morning. We could send them to our neighbors and the officers in his

Chapter 3

The following afternoon, I sold several old records and the souvenirs Daniel had brought home from Europe. The shopkeeper counted the bills into my hand without asking why I was willing to part with them. I had once kept every gift as proof that Daniel thought of me while he was overseas. Now they were only objects I could turn into a train ticket and a university dormitory deposit.Daniel was waiting in the living room when I returned. He placed sixty dollars on the table without mentioning the argument from the night before, then glanced at the suitcase beside the stairs.I put the money into my purse. He seemed to expect some acknowledgment, but I closed the clasp and set the purse aside.“Are you packing?”“I’m only sorting through the things I no longer need.”His gaze moved over the half-empty shelves before settling on me. “Clara will come to Washington with me first. The Army can only arrange one dependent travel pass for now. Her health is still poor, and I can’t leave her her

Chapter 4

Clara entered the photography studio wearing the ivory dress and the ring Daniel had bought for me.The photographer looked between the three of us. “Which one of you is the bride?”“My sister,” Clara answered. “I’m only here with them.”Film was still in short supply after the war, and our appointment covered three exposures. Clara used two for portraits of herself, then asked Daniel to take one with her. Daniel glanced at me. “Do you mind?”“Go ahead.”When they finished, the photographer removed the film and explained that there were no exposures left.“We booked a wedding portrait,” Daniel said.“I can schedule you for next week.”“That won’t be necessary,” I said, picking up my purse.Daniel followed me outside and handed me a train ticket. “I changed my mind after last night. I don’t want you waiting here alone.”“This is for Friday. You can meet us in Washington.”It was a coach ticket. The Army had arranged sleeper berths for Daniel and Clara.“There’s no room in the family qua

Chapter 5

Daniel did not come to the hospital the next morning.Near noon, his mother, Margaret, entered my room carrying a thermos of soup. After our parents died, she had cared for Clara and me for several years. Daniel had asked her to take me home after I was discharged.“He took Clara to the station early this morning,” Margaret said as she poured the soup. “It’s her first time in Washington, and I’m worried about how she’ll manage. Daniel will be busy with his transfer. He may not have enough time to look after her.”She realized how her words sounded and quickly added, “Once the housing is arranged, Daniel will send for you.”“Mrs. Whitmore, Daniel is already married.”She stared at me, then looked at my bare hand. “When did you have the ceremony?”“There was no ceremony.”I took the copy of the marriage permit from my purse and gave it to her.“I entered Clara’s name. The registrar stamped the permit, so she is now Daniel’s legal wife.”Margaret read the document several times. Her surpr

Chapter 6

After arriving at Westbridge, I moved into the women’s dormitory.My scholarship covered most of the tuition, and I found an evening job at the university library. I attended classes during the day and shelved returned books at night while my injured wrist slowly healed.I had once given up this opportunity for Daniel. When I finally sat in a classroom again, I discovered that I still remembered what I had learned. I had not fallen as far behind as I had feared.Twelve days later, the dormitory supervisor stopped me after class.“There’s an Army officer waiting downstairs. He’s been here for two hours.”Daniel stood beside a window in the lobby. His uniform was creased from the long journey. The moment he saw me, he crossed the room.“How is your wrist?”“Much better.”His eyes moved to the books in my arms. “You really enrolled here.”“Yes.”“Why didn’t you tell me?”“I told you I had made my own arrangements.”“You said you were moving into a women’s residence in town.”“If I had tol

Chapter 7

Daniel did not return to Washington immediately. For the next four days, he stayed at a hotel near the university and came to see me every morning. He offered to contact colleges in Washington and promised to pay my tuition.On the first morning, he waited outside the library with breakfast. On the second, he brought information from two colleges near his new posting. I returned both envelopes unopened. By the fourth afternoon, he had decided that reason would work better if it came from someone with authority.When I refused again, he went to the student affairs office.The dean had summoned me by the time I arrived for class. Daniel was already sitting across from her desk.“Captain Whitmore believes your wrist has not fully healed,” the dean said. “He has asked the university to place you on medical leave until next term.”He had described me as an injured woman who needed more time to recover and claimed that returning to Washington would place me under family supervision.I looked

Chapter 8

After Daniel left with Clara, I turned my attention back to my studies.My economics courses required more statistics than I expected, so I joined the university mathematics society. Andrew Bennett organized the weekly meetings. He was a year ahead of me and had worked in naval communications during the war before returning to Westbridge.At my first meeting, I used the wrong formula on a probability problem. Andrew pulled a chair beside mine and turned my paper toward him.“Your calculations are fine. You started with the wrong formula.”He did not give me the answer. He worked through the problem with me until I found it myself.After that, we often sat at the same table during meetings. He lent me his notes and helped me locate reference books whenever we met in the library. Within a few weeks, talking to him became easy.Daniel’s letters began arriving at the dormitory during that time.In the first, he admitted that he should not have interfered with my enrollment. He asked me to

Chapter 9

After winter break began, Margaret called several times and asked me to come home for the holidays.She and Mr. Whitmore had cared for Clara and me after our parents died. After several days of consideration, I bought a ticket and returned.I heard Clara arguing with Daniel as soon as I entered the Whitmore house.“You promised to buy me a new coat for the officers’ dinner,” Clara said from beside the fireplace. “Now you’re saying you have no money.”“My salary paid the rent and your medical bills.”“You still have money to send letters to Eleanor.”Daniel’s face hardened when he answered, “Letters cost almost nothing.”“So you admit it.” Clara raised the hand wearing her wedding ring. “I’m your wife, and you spend every day trying to have our marriage annulled.”At Westbridge, she had cried and insisted that she never wanted to replace me. She seemed comfortable calling herself Mrs. Whitmore now.Margaret noticed me first and hurried across the room to take my suitcase.“Eleanor, than

Chapter 10

The next morning, I packed my suitcase and returned my house key to Margaret.Along with the key, I gave her an envelope containing part of my savings.“You and Mr. Whitmore cared for Clara and me. I want you to have this.”Margaret pushed it back. “You’re still in school. You need this money more than we do.”“I kept enough for my expenses.”She held the envelope and finally understood that I did not intend to return.“Eleanor, this will always be your home.”“Thank you for giving me a place here.”I picked up my suitcase and walked toward the front door. Daniel stood beside the staircase, looking as though he had not slept.“I’ll take you to the station.”“I already called a taxi.”“Let me take you one last time.”A horn sounded outside. I said goodbye to Margaret and walked past Daniel, who let me leave without trying to stop me.When I reached the station, I learned that my reserved train had been canceled after heavy snow blocked part of the western route. Every seat on the later

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