The Famous Sergeant D'Amore
Since there wasn't enough room in the barracks over here in England, us girls, NCOs and officers were given quarters with civilians. Winters, Welsh and Connie were allowed to stay with the people who owned the post office, Mr and Mrs Barnes, they were called. They had a little girl staying with them too, an evacuee, and she took to Lars like a duck takes to water, and so she was often with us three girls, as was Mrs Barnes.
Canada and I were placed into a small cottage with a lovely family, the Willowes. Mr Willowes was a postman, Mrs Willowes was a dress maker and they had 3 children, Horatio, Viola and Beatrice (she was a fan of Shakespeare you see). Jane, the girl staying with the Barnes', was about the same age as Horatio, and since Lars would come round to see us, Jane would come to and the 4 children would sit and play while Mrs Barnes, Mrs Willowes, Lars, Canada and I would sit and talk, as we mended our clothes.
On one day in particular, we were sat in the kitchen, Canada and I were in our joggies and vest tops, talking to Mrs Willowes about where we came from., our families and our 'some one special'.
"So, Calandra, do you have anyone special back home?" Mrs Willowes asked, as she was cutting some material for a dress.
"Oh, ha, no, no..."
"No, he's stationed in the company with us." Canada laughed, as she brought the tea pot over.
"He is? Well who?"
I went bright red and started to stutter.
"We-well you know..." I said, running up the stairs to get some socks. As I walked past my window, I saw Roy walk down the path, approaching the garden gate, so I pushed the window wide open, calling out to him.
"Roy, what are you doing here?" I beamed, happy to see him.
"I came to tell you about Sobel!" he grinned up at me, opening the gate.
"Cal, who are you talking to?"
"Roy's here, says it's some thing about Sobel!" I called back down, returning to the window. "What about him?"
"Love, why don't you just come down stairs?" Mrs Willowes called up.
"Sink sent him to train other troopers!" Roy beamed a 9 mile smile. If he was training other troopers, he wouldn't be leading us into combat...and he wouldn't be with Easy any more. I squealed in excitement, knowing what it meant for me and Roy. I raced down the stairs, past Mr Willowes, past Canada and Mrs Willowes, threw the front door open, and dived into Roy's open arms. He caught me, and I wrapped my legs around his waist as he spun me around on the front lawn. I was so excited! It felt to me like I'd won the Olympics or the lottery or something. I jumped down and started cartwheeling and back-flipping around the garden as The Willowes and Canada came out to see what the noise was all about.
"Oh hey Roy..what's with Crazy Horse over there?" Canada grinned, frowning at me.
"We can now officially be with each other. Sobel got sent to Chilton Foliate, to train new troopers."
"Congratualtions!" Canada squealed, just as excited as I was, grabbing my hands and jumping round in a circle with me.
"Is this your young man Calandra?" Mrs Willowes asked, coming closer to me, laying a hand on my back.
I nodded vigorously, "We've had it kinda tough, but I guess it's okay now."
"Why don't you come in for some tea lad?" Mr Willowes offered.
"Tea?"
"Oh that's right, you're American...Coffee is it?" Roy smiled and nodded.
"Yes, thank you sir."
We all talked for hours, sitting in the kitchen, as Mrs Willowes cooked tea, as Mr Willowes read the paper, while Canada went to pick up the 3 Willowes' children and Roy and I just sat and held each others hands, as we told 'my parents' as they liked to call themselves, everything that had happened over the past year.
"Well it's good that everything is sorted now." 'Mum' said. I nodded and patted Roy's hand.
When I saw the boys the next day, I couldn't thank them enough. If it wasn't for them, Sobel would still be there, to lead them to their deaths and stop me and Roy from ever having anything. It didn't come without consequences, however. Mike Ranney was busted and Harris was transferred out of the regiment.
"You know, you took a risk boys. You should always consult Mama Hen before you should do something." I joked to the remaining sergeants.
"Does that go for me?" Roy asked, waggling his eyebrows.
"That sounds a bit creepy." Con said to him.
"Private Casey. Shut up and make me a sandwich."
"Yeah, yeah..." he replied, wandering off.
Roy and I spent all day together. We walked everywhere, hand in hand, spending 3 hours sat on a bridge not saying a word to each other. I was so in love, but I didn't want to admit to Roy how I felt, because I didn't want him to get freaked out.
"Cally."
"Roy."
"Don't go...mad...when I say this."
My head snapped right up in a panic. "What do you mean? Is it bad?"
"What? No, no!" he soothed, pulling me into him, "I want to tell you something."
"You're a Mormon with 8 wives?"
"No Cally, seriously."
I didn't know what to say, so I just sat down. Roy sat next to me, holding both of my hands.
"Cally, I never thought I would ever meet someone like you. When I was 13 I promised myself I wouldn't fall in love. When I was 18, I broke my vow and she hurt me so badly I never wanted to be with anyone. And then you came along." he laughed. I wasn't sure where this was going but my heart was beating 100 times faster with every word.
"You're insane, funny, tough, protective and beautiful. I..I really don't know how to say this..."
"So don't say anything." I murmured.
"What if I don't get the chance?"
"You will..."
"Cally, I have to tell you. Now just listen. The first time I saw you, it was just your picture, and I can't tell you how much my heart tried to pull out from my chest. And then I met you and you were the only thing I thought about all day, everyday."
If I wasn't already sat down, I would have fallen right over.
"Roy..."
"Cally...I-"
"Hey, we're moving out in a few hours...have I interrupted something?" Canada called to us. I really could have killed her.
"No, Canada, abso-fucking-lutely not." I groaned. I stood up, the moment between me and Roy was ruined. Sighing, I kissed Roy good bye, and dragged Canada with me.
"I'm in trouble, right?"
"Big time Jen. Big time."
"Shit...Sorry...Oh yeah, I meant to say, there's two new lieutenants."
"Yeah?" I grumbled, not interested at all.
"Yeah, Meehan and Compton. Compton said he was going to shoot some craps with us later."
"Good for him."
"Oh, look, there he is. Lieutenant Compton!" Canada called over to a tall, strapping young man, with blonde hair and blue eyes. A couple of women on the street were gawking at him, which he seemed to enjoy, and walked right over to us, knowing full well they were staring.
He smiled brightly at us, showing off his pearly white teeth. He was good looking, yes, and over the past few years, many people have been shocked to hear that I didn't fancy him at all, but I'm loyal. There's too many two-timing little harpies out in the world, and I don't have the patience, the time, or the personality to be with two men at once.
Anyway, I was quite apprehensive about having two new lieutenants around. First of all, they weren't Toccoa men, so they didn't know about Sobel or any thing really. Secondly..well actually there wasn't a 'secondly'. They just hadn't been what we'd been through, so I thought it would take a while for them to bond with the men.
That was, until I saw Bill and Joey following lieutenant Compton.
"Sir, I don't mean to worry you, but I think you have two stalkers." I joked, loud enough for Bill and Joey to hear.
"How can't he have stalkers, he one of the prettiest faces round here!" Bill joined in, instead of getting upset like I thought he would.
"Sir, this is Sergeant D'Amore, the one Captain Conway was speaking to you about."
"Oh, yeah, so this is the famous Sergeant D'Amore, huh? Well, I've certainly heard a lot about you." he smiled again, shaking my hand.
"If you heard it from George Luz, it's a lie."
"So you didn't do ten pin people bowling on ice?"
"Oh, no that one's true."
