Movies in the Month of May: Normandy Landing, based on the film Charlotte Gray.
Part 1 of 3
War Times
War changes everything: little things no longer matter; things that matter are magnified; people forget their own needs for the benefit of their country and for the service to those who need it most; professions changes; friendship turns into romance ... And a job that could cost your life, turns into love.
I arrived in London to work on one of the many hospitals that were distributed throughout the city. I won't say that nursing was my passion, but in these troubled and cruel times, it was a job that made me feel useful and reconnected with my past.
My father was a soldier on the 11th battalion of Cheshire, he fought during the WWI in the Battle of the Somme. A battle which was decisive to win the war against the Triple Alliance, formed by the army of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy. He was injured there and evacuated to a field hospital where a French nurse took care of him every second till he recovered his health.
That nurse was my mother.
My parent's love story wasn't really different from other stories lived during war, not even more romantic, but it was something that make that story unique because their love was brilliant and constant from the first to the last day, unfortunately that day happened when I was eleven and my father died in a coal mining accident.
In 1939, with war sirens blaring across Great Britain– I decided to study nursing. Not because it was my calling. I'd say it was my sister Prim's vocation. But it was the right thing to do, as I felt my family owed so much to the health services community.
So I found myself working at St. Bartholomew's, in the summer of 1942 I was living in an apartment in a nearby neighborhood with three other girls with very different personalities: Annie Cresta, Johanna Mason and Madge Undersee.
Annie Cresta was shy and quiet, but the best nurse I've ever met. She was born in Ireland and her eyes were as emerald green as the land she was from. That physical feature was shared with his fiancé, Finnick Odair who she met at our hospital when he was slightly injured. Finnick worked in Intelligence and spent long seasons out of London
Johanna Mason, was without a doubt the most sexually open-minded woman I've ever met, with dark and short hair, she was extremely hot. Every single night she slept with a soldier, or an official or a husband. Unfortunately my room was beside hers and I could say that sleeping was not their main activity, or their activity at all. But her most defined traits was her honesty and loyalty.
Madge Undersee was tall, blonde and elegant, a classic English Lady with a distant beauty, but although her money and social status, she was kind and generous, enough generous to be in London risking her life instead of being in one of her multiples mansions in the safe countryside were German bombers couldn't get.
My days were always the same: work, go shopping and sleep as much as I cold. Bombing were worst and more usual that summer, and the little hours you could sleep were like a gift. Most of the German raids were at night and they were terrifying, but as the days passed by you learnt to live with the possibility of death. Actually we witness somebody's death everyday at the hospital. So when Finnick got tickets for an exclusive New Year's Eve party, none of us said no, although neither of us but Johanna were fan of parties
Our apartment, for a few hours turned into a commotion: dress rehearsal, curling irons, tights hang up everywhere and laugh... A lot of laugh.
I was wearing a black plain dress with some white embroidery in the sleeves On top I wore a red coat and a hat of the same color that my sister gave me as a gift the Christmas before. I was about to go out when Madge stopped me.
"Katniss, hold on a second" She called me as came near to me, "just the final detail," and taking out a red lipstick from her purse she put my lips on. "Now, you are perfect."
When we finally caught the bus into town, all we could think of was the delicious food we would eat. We could be sure it would be different than our usual fare. Maybe there would even be caviar.
"Caviar and champagne is an exquisite combination," Madge said highlighting her blue blood heritage.
"I don't agree, I think it is overrated," said Johanna and the three of us stared at her surprised.
"Really" Madge challenged her with a mischievous smile "And what is, due to,your extend knowledge the most exquisite gastronomic combination?
"If you ask... I'd say according to my extended experience," Johanna said. With a dramatic pause, she stepped ahead and turned around to look at the three of us. "There is nothing like some eggs and a good English sausage".
The three of us stood motionless before bursting into laughter, hands clutching our sides. Annie even had to sit on the curb after losing her balance.
"Johanna! That's the most vulgar and disgusting thing I've ever heard! Madge said, though she couldn't quite stop laughing as she did it, Johanna didn't take it as a reprimand.
The night started well, promising. In war, you need to create illusions and bubbles to stay alive, and at that point, there was a bubble covering London that looked busy and safe, it seemed like there was nothing to fear.
We arrived when the party was already started. We could hear laughter and music, the atmosphere was somewhat veiled by the dim light and smoke cigars. Gold, indigo blue, red, yellow garish orange sunset ... Dresses of all colors were visible. I suddenly regretted my discreet black dress.
Annie took my hand and squeezed sensing my unease, as she was shy too, I guess she was able to recognize the symptoms. I returned the squeeze grateful.
Madge and Johanna split from us for a moment but returned quickly with four glasses of white wine while whispering and laughing.
"Here," Madge said as she tended cups with a mischievous smile.
"What were you laughing about?" Annie asked.
"Look at your two o'clock" said Johanna without elaborating and motioning with her head.
Annie and I look where our friends was pointing to us, in the opposite side of the room where a group of airmen who didn't conceal the fact that they were also watching us, but I didn't pay too much attention, I was more interested in the food and drinks, and I knew full well that RAF pilots were quite smug. They were the British Army elite, and they risked their lives literally in every airstrike they prevented, but still, their character didn't appeal to me especially, so as I was saying, I focused on some great Irish salmon canapes I had to hand, not even before the war I had tried salmon.
"I don't get it Katniss," Johanna took me out of my reverie with angry voice.
"What are you saying?" I answered not having a clue about what had I done to make her so angry.
"Tall, dark, and handsome officer over there, won't stop looking at you," Madge said smiling, "and our dear friend Jo here had bet on him as her next conquest for this night."
"As if Lady Undersee won't set her eyes on him, too" Johann replied upset "Great Katniss, he is coming now, if you don't take this opportunity, he is mine"
"Gale Hawthorne?" I exclaimed surprised.
"Hi Catnip, it's been a long time" he told me, warmth in his voice.
"Oh my God! I didn't recognize you. How long has it been?
"More than ten years but I would have recognized you even if it was twenty. You look lovely"
I kept looking at him and couldn't help but blush. To be honest he wasn't bad at all either. Last time we saw each other, he was fifteen and I was thirteen.
After our parents died, Gale and I became inseparable; both of us were the oldest in our family, so we consider ourselves as responsible of the well-being of our families. Gale had two small brothers: Rory and Vick and a mother, Hazelle, who was a fighter and worked hard, she didn't allow the pain to control her life and the life of her sons.
My situation was the exact opposite so I became the head of our family at my young age, my mother died that day too, maybe not literally but figuratively. For a couple of years she was sick, depressed and apathetic and although, little by little, she recovered, she never was the same not her smile.
Gale and I managed well: we hunted in our woods and sold the game to the butcher, we planted our own vegetable garden in the backyard of our house and we bought a goat and Prim made cheese.
But the Hawthorne's left our small town in Derbyshire. That day day was sad, bitter and broke my heart again because I'd lost my best friend. But it was a great opportunity for Hazelle and her family. She found a well-paid job in London and they moved away and far from my life.
Before I could answer him, I noticed a pinch in my arm.
"Katniss, are you going to introduce us?" Johanna said blinking with a seductive tone.
"Yes, of course. Let me introduce you, Gale Hawthorne..." but before I could continue Gale interrupted me.
"Captain Gale Hawthorne" he said straighten while his face changed to a new one that I couldn't place, so different from the humble and scared boy I knew once.
"Gale and I grew up together" I said ignoring his military rank "These are my friends: Annie Cresta, Johanna Mason and Lady Madge Undersee. We work together at the hospital and we share an apartment".
Gale kissed their hands with a polite gesture but in no time he turned his gaze at me, a grey glance that was familiar and so similar to my mine. A gaze that was difficult to dismiss, it was so intense.
"Maybe we could go to the balcony to catch up," said with a known smiling because he preferred to be outdoors too.
He offered his arm and I accepted but before we could go very far Finnick stopped me.
"Pardon, Katniss but the person I wanted you to meet is here. Can I introduce you to him? It will be only one moment.
"Of course" I said reminding that Finnick has told me that his boss, Mister Heavensbee worked for the French Division and sometimes they needed interpreters "I'm sorry Gale. We might see each other later…"
"Sure, I'll be here" He told me
"This is a surprise; our fierce Katniss is not so fierce tonight."
"Shut up, Finnick!" I cut him off, but my irate answer only encourage him to laugh at me.
We stopped in front of a blond chubby middle-aged man who smiled placidly.
"Plutarch, this is Karniss Everdeen. I haven't see Annie yet so I'll let you talk" Finnick said. Sometimes he could be a bother, some others charming but what he was always was devoted to his girlfriend.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Heavensbee" I said politely.
"Nice to meet you too. Mr. Odair has told me that you're French"
"That's incorrect. My mother is French and I've spent long periods there".
"So, Do you speak French?"
"Oui" I said smiling.
"What do you think about what nazis are doing there?"
"Part of my family is still there, Mr Heavensbee, so you can imagine I take the war very seriously".
"Of course, where is your family now if you allow me to ask".
"In the North, in the occupied zone, we haven't had news from there since then".
"You know, we need people who speak French but if that person behaves as a French person that is even more valuable. So if you want to help your country and your family… don't hesitate to call me," he said handing me a business card with his contact details.
As soon as Plutarch said goodbye, I ran to find Gale, but I couldn't find him. He wasn't anywhere, not with his friends and not in the last place I saw him. Sad, I went out to the balcony, it was a cold December night, as it only could be.
"Hi again" I heard a voice at my back. A voice that unequivocally belonged to Gale.
"Hi!" I said turning around "I thought you left".
"I told I'd wait for you"
"Yes, but I didn't see you and I thought you might leave… with someone else," I looked down as I was saying it.
"Katniss" he said taking the two steps he needed to be by my side. He grabbed my chin and lifted it so he could see my eyes "there is only one person I'd like to be with tonight".
My body trembled, and at that moment I couldn't distinguish if it was because of the cold night, because of the wine I had been drinking or due to the desire that ran through me. I guessed I didn't think at all, I just left myself to be trapped in that sensation that made me realize I was young and alive…I couldn't remember the last time I felt that good, so I answered him with another kiss, this time full of passion.
"Should we leave?" he asked with a husky voice, my only answered was a nodded.
From that moment, we became inseparable again, just like we were kids. Every time Gale had leave, which sadly for me wasn't as usual as I'd like to, we made the most of our time together… in my room. We barely stepped out of it and our encounters were basically to have sex, to have arguments and to make up, in that order. Both of us had very strong convictions about the war, France, about good and bad.
One day, however the argument finished without the normal make-up sex… and that day was the last day I saw him.
"What would you say if I were to France?" I asked excited after speaking with Finnick and Plutarch about a mission and a field job in Europe.
"France, What for?"
"I'm not sure yet… I guess that I'll be an agent."
"That is really dangerous, Katniss," he said looking at me very serious.
"You are a pilot! And that is dangerous too," I replied raising my voice.
"That is different."
"Why is that different?"
"Because that's what I do, and my duty to my country."
"This is my country too," I said stubbornly.
"You're already serving your country working at the hospital… this isn't necessary Katniss. You don't need to show you are brave. That job is the most dangerous one and I don't want to lose you too. I've lost a lot of mates and friends already."
"I want to go to France and you're not my mother, Gale. You can't decide for me".
"You are right, I'm not your mother or your husband and I'm not your husband because I've asked you to marry me a couple of times you always say no," he yelled at me.
"Not again, Gale! We've talked about this already, we are at war and I don't want to marry now".
"If it was only that you didn't want to marry me now, Katniss, I could wait for you. But the problem here is that you don't know if you will want to marry, ever…"
"We don't know what will be left after war!"
"That doesn't matter if we love each other! Because I love you Katniss, do you love me too?"
"You know what I feel about you," I said taking a step and closing the gap between us to hug him. But he moved abruptly away from me.
"That is not enough, Katniss. Not anymore." He answered me as he took his clothes to leave.
"Where are you going? You don't need to report until tomorrow…"
"I need time away from you. Think about what you want to do with this relationship and we could talk about it next time when we see each other in five weeks. Take care till then".
Gale left without any more word and my world changed, though I've could never imagined how much It was going to change. Few days later I started my training to become a spy, I would infiltrate in France to help my country to win the war and to release France from the nazis. The agent training involved radio comms, strategy, weapons, knowledge of nowadays France and never ending physical practice sessions. The last one was my favorite though as I didn't think about anything. Five weeks had passed by and I still didn't heard news from Gale, I was starting to worry at that point, but no one gave me information.
The night before I had to flight to France for my yet unknown mission, I received a call.
"Miss Everdeen?" I heard a voice through the line.
"Yes" I answered.
"Lieutenant Thom Bryan speaking, I'm Gale's friend" my blood froze because I knew what that meant.
"Is he dead?" I asked, scared to hear the answer.
"No mam, his plane was shot down in France but some fellows saw his parachute opened, we hope he is hidden somewhere, Gale is one of the best."
"What zone?" I inquired.
"Please…" I begged him.
"Alright but don't tell anyone we have spoken about this. His plane was shot down somewhere near Calais , in the North of France"
Next morning after lying to all my friends I went to the headquarters. I had to tell them that I was coming back home because my mother was sick, but before leaving Johanna stopped me and gave a hug.
"I hope you can lie better In French. Safe travels, brainless" Johanna said smiling knowingly.
Plutarch was there waiting for me. I appreciated it was him and no a stranger the one who was going to debrief me the details of my first mission, a mission that would lead me to France, near from Gale and I couldn't help I'd try to find information about him, once I was there.
"From now, you are Catherine Auberg, under no circumstances you are entitled to reveal your real name, not to your contact agent or your cover" I nodded to confirm I understood "you will jump out by parachute in Vichy France, near the occupied zone. You will pick up there by your field contact, Haymitch Abernathy and the agent from the french resistance, the one that will be your cover.
"My cover is..." I said impatiently to know the details of the mission.
"You will work in the bakery that the father of the french agent owns, in the North in a village called Giberville, near Caen. Monsieur Mellark, has planned to return to help his father to run the business after his mother passed away. You will go will go with him as his fiancée. The bakery will be the contact point, different agents will provide you with information you'll have to transmit over the radio".
"Have you just said fiancée?" I asked off putting. Public display of affections wasn't my strength.
"Any problem?"
"No. Not really"
"That's all for now, you will get more information on the field. Captain Boggs will give you your luggage, everything has been bought or made in France. We expect that if you are caught your name will be the only one they know. A pill of cyanide is seen in the arm of your coat. Last thing, Katniss" Plutarch said "don't order a cafe au latte, they haven't made it since last year"
"Bonne chance... Catherine" Plutarch told me as a goodbye.
The flight was more quiet that I expected, and during that time I focused on review all the jump technique I'd learnt in the last weeks, when the moment arrived, I breathed deeply and without thinking anymore I leaped into the void. It was a low-height jump, and in those cases the parachute opened as soon as you leave the plane. Very soon I saw the lights which indicated the meeting point but the wind was too strong and I couldn't control the flight. I realized I was pulling away from the place I should be landing and noticed that I was approaching a dense forest. Suddenly I collided against a tree, and then I crashed with other ... And another till a punch of pain got me unconscious.
Later, I was told that I was unconscious only a few minutes and when I woke up, someone had released me from my helmet and was caressing my hair while pronouncing my name... No, not my name but Catherine.
When I opened my eyes I could see under the moonlight, eyes so blue that seemed unreal and a I heard a melodic and grave voice saying.
"I'm Peeta Mellark. Welcome to France"
Next chapter: France
Thanks for reading, hope you like it and that you're not angry because Peet doesn't appear till the end of the first chapter. I can assure that he will be present ( like All the time in the two next. Chapters). Next Chapter Will be Full of action and romance.
See you soon!
Special thanks to Titania522, Javistg, Inmyfavor and Notanislander for reviewing, translating and correcting all my mistakes.