Remembrance
Disclaimer: No disrespect to the actual hero's of the 101st Airborne Easy Company to which the Band of Brother's series was created. This is pure fiction based off the characters portrayed by the actors.
"Oh Lord, grant that I shall never seek so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, or to be loved as to love with all my heart.
With all my heart
. - Eugene Roe, Bastogne.
Chapter One
"Sophia get down stairs this instant!"
Groggily I opened my eyes and groaned as my mother continued her incessant tapping on the back of my door.
"Alright, alright I'm up, I'm UP" I moaned, rubbing my face into the pillow
"Don't make me come in there young lady, our guest will be here this afternoon and I want this house spick and span!" continued my mother, I could hear her descending the staircase.
Groaning I sat up in my bed and ran my hands over my face tiredly.
My name is Sophia Deluca, I was born and bread in Aldeborne, England, but my descendants where born in Sicily, Italy. I'm seventeen years old an d I work with my mother in our bakery which was located just down the street from where we lived in our small two story home in number 14 Elizabeth street.
"SOPHIA!"
Quickly I leapt out of bed and opened my wardrobe promptly assessing my dresses. Shifting threw each dress I decided on a simple white thick strap dress that came to my knees in a pencil style. If there was one thing about me that all my friends knew it was my love of dresses and shoes. Even though we where not rich my family and I lived comfortably.
After putting my dress on I fumbled under the bed for some white sandals to match. Looking myself over in the mirror I brushed out my long dark brown hair and sighed. People often told me I looked like my mother, splitting image of long dark brown hair, tanned skin, curvy and short, my father teased that we where vertically challenged. The only thing I really inherited from my father was his dark blue eyes, which was really the only thing that made me unique, and I would have to say they where my best feature.
Quickly I hurried to the bathroom where I brushed my teeth and washed my face. Running a tube of red lipstick across my lips I left my hair down and made my way down stairs and toward the kitchen where I knew my mother would be bustling around. I smiled, just as I suspected I watched my mother scrubbing down the kitchen table with surprising vigor.
"Here mum let me do that" I chuckled making my way toward her.
"No, no dear I need you to go to the markets, I want to make a special roast dinner tonight to welcome our guest and I need some potatoes and pumpkins" Wiping her hands on her apron she went to the counter and came back with enough money for the groceries and handed them to me.
"Now if you see Mrs. O'Hara you tell her ill be over tomorrow afternoon for a cup of tea, I'm simply just too busy today."
"Yes mum I'll be sure to let her know" I smiled and kissed her on the cheek before letting myself out the front door and into the quiet, yet soon to be bustling streets of Aldbourne
It had been a few weeks since we found out that American soldiers would be gracing us with their presence here in our small town and ever since that announcement there had been a charge of excitement in the air. Nearly all of the local lads where away either fighting or training and so it was with great anticipation that a lot the local girls waited for the soldiers to arrive.
That was why I was on my way to the markets for my mother. We where boarding a soldier from 101st. We had a small spare bedroom down the hall from my room we used for guests, mostly for when my grandparents where in town and so my father had offered up our house as lodgings.
"Sophia, hey Sophia wait for me!"
Startled out of my reverie I stopped as I noticed my best friend Helen running toward me, her bright red hair flailing out behind her, her normally pale face was red and flustered.
"Helen how are you dear" I smiled and linked my arm threw hers and continued down the bustling street which lead to the markets.
"Been better" huffed Helen, still out of breath.
"And why is that?"
"Mother is still harping on about wanting me to say yes to Johnny's proposal, she wants me to write to him straight away and tell him I accept, I knew I shouldn't have told her, what on earth was I thinking?"
Looking over at Helen I could tell by her face she was distraught.
Continuing "She says she feels sorry for the lad, away at war, she thinks this will keep him in good spirits. She keeps going on about what a nice boy he is, how polite and well mannered he is, but Sophia I can't marry him, I just cant! I don't love him!"
"Oh Helen" I said gently wrapping my arm around her shoulders. "Don't be so hard on yourself, of course you mustn't marry him if you don't love him, it wouldn't be fair to you or to him" I reasoned, trying to make her feel better.
"Oh Sophia, I knew you would understand" she said smiling at me, relief evident on her face.
"Of course I understand" I smiled back, just as we reached Violet O'Hara's' grocery store.
"Well this is me" I turned to her and gave her a hug.
"Don't worry about your mother, she will let up eventually," I said, "I'll see you tomorrow ok, cheer up"
"Ok ill see you later then" she replied, returning my hug.
Moments later I found myself standing in front of the potato stand, picking one up I eyed it critically for a moment before putting it into my shopping basket, heaven forbid if I brought mother home a bad potato.
I pass from stall to stall lost in my own musing when a loud rumbling jars me from my thoughts. Turning abruptly toward the entrance of the shop I was just in time to watch as army tanks choc a bloc with loud American accented soldiers roll past. An army buss followed filled to the brim also with soldiers came after it.
Swiftly making my way to the counter I put my purchases on the desk.
"Morin' Miss Sophia" chirped Grace, Mrs. O'Hara's only daughter greeted me excitedly.
"Morning Grace how are you?" I smiled back, trying not to be distracted by the noise the American's where making on their way through.
"I'm wonderful, thank you for asking" She gestured toward the soldiers. "Isn't this exciting" she beamed
"Is that all of them?" I asked
"Oh no" she replied, laughing "they will be arriving in groups according to mother, this is just the first lot"
"Wonderful" I muttered under my breath. "Please tell your mother that my mother will be over for tea tomorrow afternoon" I added
"Of course, I'll let her know"
"Thank you, take care Grace!"
"Thank you sweetheart, you too"
I walked to the front entrance of the shop, shopping bags in hand. Stopping on the sidewalk I let my eyes linger on the parade of green khaki.
I watched them smoking and talking in their strange accents.
"Hey there babe" one of them shouted toward me, giving me an over exaggerated wink while one of his buddies wolf whistled.
I felt my face heat up in embarrassment, what did I expect if I was going to stand there and gawk at them like an imbecile. Truth be told I didn't really know what to think of these Yanks. I had never met any before, had never seen any, only in Hollywood pictures.
Quickly I set off for home and it wasn't long before I got there.
Rushing into the kitchen I put the groceries on the kitchen table, my mother glanced up from where she was doing the dishes.
"Sophia! Did you go out without your shawl, just because it's sunny doesn't mean the air isn't crisp, do you want to catch your death?" She scolded, pointing her soap covered finger at me.
"Did everything go alright? Did you see Mrs. O'Hara?" she went on.
I tried to refrain from rolling my eyes "Yes Ma everything went fine, I didn't see Mrs. O'Hara but I saw Grace and asked her to pass on the message. I saw something else though which was pretty interesting"
"Oh?" Her head snaps up "What would that be?"
"I saw some of the American soldier's arriving" I commented "I suppose It wont be too long before our guest arrives" I took a glass from my mother hand and a tea towel, and started helping her dry the cutlery.
"Oh good, the house is just all about clean, were you able to get everything at the Market?"
I nodded my head, gesturing toward the kitchen table; "It's all there"
I watched as she picked up the shopping basket and ruffled her way through it, nodding her head in approval.
"Wonderful, now I'm just going to-"
Sharp knocking on the front door interrupted my mother.
Putting down the tea towel I was holding I gave my mother a look, which said 'I'll get it' and made my way to the front hall. When I reached the front door, I hesitated, wiping my sweaty palms on my dress. I took a deep breath and turned the doorknob, pulling open the heavy oak door I felt my eyes widen slightly at the man that stood before me.
He was of average height, and average build, but I had no doubt there was a very lean body under that uniform from all the training he would have undergone. He had dark raven black hair, which contrasted, with his pale complexion and his eyes, his eyes where a beautiful dark brown.
I had often heard the expression "drowning" in someone's eyes, I had always scoffed as I thought it an impossibly foolish saying but looking into the eyes of this man standing before me I knew it to be true.
I heard a cough and I started, realizing the soldier was looking at me expectantly, I had been so busy staring at him like a fool that I had completely missed what he had said.
"I'm sorry what did you say?" I asked, feeling my cheeks starting to heat up.
"That's ok Ma'am, my name is Eugene Roe, I've been billeted to this house for my stay in Aldbourne" His voice was unlike anything I've ever heard before, soft and with the most curious accent, it was even unlike his fellow American soldier's.
Thinking of his beautiful accent made my legs grow warm. 'Stop it' I tell myself before forcing myself to reply.
"Oh yes of course" I smiled warmly "Come in and settle down, supper will be ready soon, come meet my mother and ill show you to your room so you can rest" I held open the door and moved to the side as Eugene walked past me into the house, slightly brushing my bare arm with his uniformed sleeve.
"Mother" I called, leading the young soldier toward the kitchen where my mother was cutting up the potatoes, entering I watched as my mother looked up and smiled, wiping her hands on her apron she made her way over to us.
"Mother this is Eugene Roe" I said
"Pleasure to meet you Ma'am" said Eugene "And than k you for allowing me to stay in your home"
My mother threw a quick glance at me, which I knew to mean "what a well mannered, handsome young gentleman!"
"Pleasure is all mine young man, you can call me Marisa" she beamed at him, taking his hand and shaking it "You must be exhausted from your travels, Sophia why don't you go on up and take this young gentleman with you and you can show him where he'll be staying" she continued, bustling us out of the kitchen "Ill call you when suppers ready, your father should be home soon as well"
"Follow me" I called over my shoulder turning toward the staircase. I heard his footsteps following me down the hallway toward the guest room and stop behind me as I opened the door.
Stepping inside I turned to look at him as he surveyed the room. His face held no expression but after long last he turned to me and smiled "Its perfect" he murmured walking toward the bed and setting his bag down.
"The bathroom is just next door," I said shyly as he sat on the bed and looked at me curiously.
"Thank you Ma'am" he replied, not taking his eyes off me.
His gaze was starting to make me nervous, yet I had no idea why.
"Call me Sophia" I said and with that I made my way to the door way, turning my attention back to him as I stood in the door way I went on "If you need anything let me know"
He nodded his head slowly.
I was about to turn away when something stopped me.
"Eugene, what year where you born?" I asked, the question slipping from my lips before I had the chance to regret it. I inwardly cringed at my stupid mouth.
"1921" he smiled slightly
"Oh" was all I could think of saying, smiling back at him I turned away and closed the door behind me.
1921, that meant he was 23 years old, a good six years older then I. For some unexplained reason I felt my heart speed up a tiny bit. He w as a man, not a simpering foolish boy. I had my fair share of experience kissing boys my age and they had all been sloppy and grabby, I couldn't help thinking about what it would be like to kiss a man like Eugene Roe.
A/N- Thank you to whoever read my first chapter If you liked it be sure to review, it motivates me to write quicker. Again I want to stress no disrespect is intended toward the real Eugene Roe or any other man in Easy Company. I just love Shane Taylor and his depiction of Eugene.
