Iris was welcomed in Carentan with hot shower and a soft bed, and she barely couldn't believe it. It was required she typed a report making a list of the wounded, serious injured and dead during the operation; it was more difficult than it seemed since he didn't know the men's name. She decided to gather medics from the three companies to help her on the task.
The following day, in the mid-afternoon, while she was enjoying the sunshine entering in her room through the windows and warming her body, laid on the bed, she heard firm knocks on her door.
''Colonel Sink, nice to see you sir. Please, enter'' she warmly invited him, happy to receive such visit. Once in, Sink composedly hugged the young woman ''Iris, my dear. I was eager to hear news from you since yesterday'' he said almost disappointed, receiving her nod in return ''I know sir, I should've reported at you once back in town but I've been downright busy'' she said pointing at the typewriter on her desk. ''Iris, don't mind about administration in such moment. Tell me, how are you?'' Weirdly, hearing the question from him was not so annoying; Colonel Sink's manners to her were quite fatherly: he had always trusted her and her capacities, not once trying to discredit her job just because she was a woman. ''I'm fine, Bob. I made it through'' she replied taking a long breathe. The Colonel chucked at her and patted on her shoulder ''I heard great things about your behavior out there, Iris'' the Colonel said proudly, now parting from her and lighting himself a cigar, walking around her small but comfortable room ''you also succeeded in change Lieutenant Colonel Strayer idea about the benefits of having you there'' he continued, leaving Iris speechless and secretly proud. Sink stilled and met Iris eyes ''I might've already told you this, but the Second battalion suffered of significant causalities on DDay, and more will probably come. I guess the Regiment stuff might manage without your presence'' Iris was startled at such statement and, with frowned mouth she asked, almost humming ''sir, what do you mean by that?'' already knowing where the conversation was going. ''I mean that since this moment, you are attached to the Second Battallion'' Sink firmly stated, gripping tight the cigar between his fingers ''they really could use some help''. Although she could understand the poor situation the second battalion was in, she could not avoid to feel offended by such order ''Sir, are you removing me?'' she mourned, unable to believe that after all she went through she was actually being removed. Darn it, she earned it! ''No, Iris, that was not my intention. It's just that your miraculous hands are most needed somewhere else'' Sink got near to her, taking her chin in his finger and rising it ''in fact, I'm also giving you an inducement'' Sink took a tiny box out of his pocket and opened it ''I'm promoting you to Major'' he stated proudly and receiving nothing but a callous shrug and a grumble in return ''Bob, you know I've never really cared about the rank. Nobody addresses to me as ''Captain''…I'm just doc!'' Iris almost yelled, pissed-off by the blatant consolation prize the Colonel was offering her ''Yes! That's what you are, '' Sink hissed ''You are a medic, you're completely useless just standing around the Regimental headquarters waiting for some old officers to get an heart attack! You're mostly required out there, in the front!'' Iris lowered her head feeling like a child scolded by her father but accepting the Colonel's point. Sink put his hand on her shoulder trying to soften his tone ''E Company went on a patrol this morning. I want you to wait for them and to take care of the possible wounded, understood?'' Sink softly ordered.
''Yes, sir'' she said, still looking down.
''Good'' Sink gave her a last stare before making his way out ''uh, Iris, gather your stuff, we're leaving tomorrow.''
''directed where, sir?''
''England'' Sink replied, nodding to her in salute and leaving her room. Iris collapsed on her bed, not very sure how to feel about the latest news. Brushing her eyes, she thought since she was assigned to the Second Battalion she could use some time to go checking on the men at the hospital, waiting for news from the Patrol. Iris checked on the men for the rest of the afternoon, exchanging a few reassuring word with some of the patients, carefully making sure the bandages were all cleaned, changing the dirty ones and waiting for the patrol to come back.
The task should've gone without a hitch: an easy and planned patrol. Dick sent his first platoon ahead with Harry and Lewis and his maps. The squad has to find the house where the krauts were supposed to hide in, then a group of three men should've silently surrounded the building, letting the rest of the platoon get the objective. It should've gone off smoothly, but it hadn't. Easy Company had lost another of his Toccoa men: Albert Blithe. Dick was not so sure about his capacities but he knew he was a good man, one of his, and Albert was a name added to the list of the men, his men, Dick hadn't done nothing for. Dick leaded the company back to Carentan and charged Harry to transport Blithe to the hospital, where Colonel Sink assured he would've had the best cures. The loss deeply hit Harry Welsh, too. Consciously knowing Blithe lacked the Toccoa men's typical rashness and self-esteem which allowed them to make it through the battles, Harry blamed himself for Blithe's fate. Harry hated calling the volunteers, and he hated the fact Blithe volunteered to lead. Harry had a foreboding, something telling him ''call someone else''; but no one else volunteered, and Harry thought the task would've helped Blithe to gain some self-confidence. But his fate was already sealed, and Harry had to accept it. When the jeep carrying an unmoving Albert and Harry arrived to the hospital, the Lieutenant ordered two Privates standing on the doorsill to take Blithe inside, while he followed them from behind, dragging himself inside. The Privates brought Blithe inside an ample room where beds – apparently warm and comfortable – were lined up, the sunlight making its way through the copious windows sealed and there were tiny chairs next to each bed for the potential visitors come to see their friends, their brothers in arms. As they entered the room, Harry saw a petite,blonde girl in a uniform in which she seemed to dive in, - which he recognized to be the same helping the companies' medics during the german counterattack- hurrying toward them, pointing at one of the beds, ''there'' she ordered. She quickly checked Blithe's blood pressure and pulse, then turned towards the privates standing behind her.
''What happened?'' she asked, receiving shaking heads in reply. Harry stepped up keeping his eyes stuck on Blithe's harmless body ''hit at the neck by a sniper. Our medic, Doc. Roe, put a bandage on and gave him a syrette of morphine.''
''Did he remove the bullet?''
''Just some ricochets'' Harry replied, not utterly sure about his statement ''will he recover?'' he asked, acknowledging how personally he took Blithe's condition as the words escaped from his mouth in a painful moan, causing the young woman to detach her attention from her patient to look at the Lieutenant. ''Yes, he will'' she guaranteed, staring directly into Harry's eyes ''but it'll be tough.'' As she removed the bandages previously put, the two privates saluted and left the room, being called back at their position. Harry figured out he had done his duty and he could've left as well, but he felt his legs too weak to move, not sure if depending from the tiredness or from the chock, so he stayed. When Iris finished to clean the injure, she cleaned her blood-stained hands on a towel, looking to the rueful expression the Lieutenant wore on his face.
''Was he one of yours?'' Harry nodded in response. Iris wondered if all the Lieutenants cared so much about their men as he was proving to do, preferring to stand there in a room full of pain and blood instead of going back to his quarters and resting for a while. Iris handed him a glass of cool water which he accepted, drinking till the last drop. ''Is it better now?'' she tenderly asked, showing off the sweetest smile she was capable of doing.
''Yes, thank you ma'am'' Harry smiled back at her, taking his mind off Blithe for the first time in hours ''I always tell my boys dehydration's a soldier worst enemy'' he remembered telling it to Blithe, too, and let his mouth curl into a frown.
''It's a good tip. They must adore you'' Iris tried once again to cheer him up, already knowing what was troubling him. It was exactly what she heard Sink saying countless times; not to her of course, or those words would've gone wasted offered to those uncapable to understand. She heard the Colonel mostly talking to other Colonels, Captains, Majors, even Generals sometimes: officers, charged to lead companies, battalions, regiments and so on: men. They all had in common the sense of guilt they felt each time one of their men fell; Iris had seen U.S. Army's hotshots struggling in front of her superior, craving for wise advice given from someone already undergone through the same feelings. Each time, Sink would've offered a glass of his favorite whisky and he would've emotionlessly spoken always the same words. Iris was short on whisky at the moment, but she offered the Lieutenant something that would've stood the comparison as well.
''Harshey bar?! Where did you find it? I thought we ran out of it'' Harry exclaimed surprised as Iris put the bar in his hands. ''I have connections'' she playfully smirked at him and made him sign to sit on the tiny chair while she took place on an empty bed.
''What's your name, Lieutenant?'' she asked, never looking away from his gaze.
''Harry, Harry Welsh.''
''Alright Harry, let me tell you one thing: it was not your fault. It would've happened anyway, maybe not to him, maybe to someone else in your company, maybe to you as well, but none of that would've ever be your fault. The great thing about war is it does not make any difference, it does not look at the sex, or at the age, the wellness, the knowledge: it just takes all'' Iris gave him a few moments to assimilate the words she spoke, noticing how deep in consideration he seemed ''what you can do is preparing your boys so that they won't be taken aback, so that they'll be stronger, and smarter, and wiser, and more capable to face the enemy, and consequently their chances to live will be higher. Give all they need, and no one will point the finger against you'' Iris walked stepped near the Lieutenant and put her hand on his shoulder in consolation ''and as far as I can see, I guess you have already done all I said'' she tenderly chuckled at him and met his gaze when he rose his head to meet hers, smiling back at those comforting words but saying nothing.
''Eat your chocolate here if you want, then get back to your company before they worry about you'' Iris walked away from him, ready to get check on the patients once again. Harry nodded and whispered a grateful ''thanks'' before asking for her name.
''My name is Iris'' she answered while starting to sterilize the medic equipment.
''I hope to see you again soon, Iris'' Harry growled while already tasting the sweet flavor of chocolate.
''Well, Harry, I guess we'll see soon. I was just demoted to the Battalion staff'' Iris didn't planned to let herself open to tell an utter stranger her problems, but the words just came up and finally speaking out her worries turned to be liberating.
Harry seemed to focus on her words carefully once again, frowning his forehead in reflection ''Maybe the ol' Colonel is trying to give us all he can to keep us safe, as you said.''
Iris deeply considered the Lieutenant's statement, now fully comprehending the Colonel's reasons.
Dick leant against a wall, falling wearily to the ground, his stomach begging for real food – not K ration he got already tired of – and in silence he unpretentiously realized that, all things considered, his efforts until that day measured up the standards he put for himself and for the company: all the objective were taken, the Company received the earned praises. They would've been sent back to England in less than twenty-four hours, allowing his men to deserved relax. Fully immersed in a moment of bliss, Dick heard heavy footsteps coming and, turning around, he smiled at the view of a cheerful Harry Welsh, carrying proudly something in his hands. ''Chocolate?'' Dick stared unbelievably at the chocolate bar, feeling his mouth watering at the only view ''where did you find it?'' Harry curled his mouth in a wry smirk ''I have connections'' he shrugged at Dick's still incredulous eyes and sat next to him ''Dr. Snow provided me some. She's cool, you should meet her''. Dick slowly tasted the piece of chocolate Harry handed him, frowning a bit hearing his friends ''Oh, I've already done it, trust me''. With a crease in his brows, confused by Dick's reaction, Harry decided to tease the territory ''So, any impression?'' Dick make a face to actually think about the question and finally shrugged ''Actually, I don't have any''. Harry growled and jostled his friend in response but didn't try to retort: he knew that when it came to women, Dick's checks would've only gone aflame and nothing would've been spelled out of his mouth; after all, also Dick deserved a moment of peace.