(I do not own rights to BOB, but I do own Edie, JoJo, Molly, and Katie. On the other hand, maybe I should say they let me tell their story.)
On the afternoon of October 22nd, the men of Easy drilled in preparation for the rescue mention scheduled for that night. Edie continued to help Dick finish reports due from the beginning of the month before his promotion. While he worked on recalling the action of October 5th, Edie gathered the figures for the inventory of the British supplies left behind from the beginning of the Operation. When she left them with Winter's orderly, she headed over to the house for lunch. JoJo and Molly were already there dining on eggs and some pickled beets.
"Hey Trigger, I bet you miss your master," said Edie. "Want to go back to Battalion with me this afternoon." After feeding the dog, Edie sat down and asked everyone how their day was going. Her upbeat move grated on Molly and JoJo's nerves after awhile.
Molly slammed her glass on the table, but it was JoJo who spoke her mind. "Why are you fucking so happy? You do know the men have a mission tonight?"
"No, I am fricking brain damaged," said Edie sarcastically. "Of course, I know that. Did I not tell you they all make it back safely along with the British soldiers and the members of the Dutch resistance. So, why are you two tripping? They are going to be fine."
"Yes, you told us, but that doesn't mean we are not worried. I bet if Guarnere or Dick Winters was on this mission, you would be singing another fucking tune," sais JoJo.
Edie was shocked. "I don't believe this. There is not a man in Easy, including Roy Cobb, who does not have my utmost respect. Neither of you have any idea what it is like to sit and joke with a man that you know will be dead this time next year."
"That's right because you will not tell us," said Molly. "I think I have a right to know if Eugene lives through this war."
"If that is all you want to know, I can tell you he does. Gene marries a British girl, but then marries someone from back home in Louisiana. I have no idea what happens in between"
"That is not what I want to hear and you fucking know it," said Molly.
"Whoa mama," said JoJo. "Hanging with all this testosterone has rubbed off on you Molly. You've finally found your mojo."
"Fuck you, Joanie," said Molly. "Just because I don't go around swearing like a sailor every time something doesn't go my way, doesn't mean I am weak or whatever the hell it is you think of me."
"What the … I am on your side here," said Joanie.
"This is not about sides," screamed Molly.
"Molly, said Edie quietly. "What is it about?"
"I am tired of life kicking me around without my having any say about it. Everyone thinks that I am just poor Molly, who lost her parents and is afraid of her own shadow. Well, I am not. At least, I am not here."
Edie finished her tea, set her cup down, wiped her mouth, and stood up from the table. "Life dealt you some hard blows Molly, and that's a fact. Personally, if my parents died suddenly, I wouldn't know whether to shit or wind my watch, but you pulled through. You graduated with honors and have a scholarship to the Sorbonne. There are two people in this room and one working in a hospital in England, who love you like a sister and are proud to call you our friend, so no I don't think of you as poor Molly, but you do. Now, I am going to go back to work. Come on Trigger." Edie put the leash on the dog, who was happy to be going out. As she headed back to Battalion, Molly ran after her.
"Edie, I am sorry. You are right. It is just for the first time in a long time, I feel really strong as a woman and as a person. I guess I like who I am in 1944 a lot more than I did the person I was in 2006. Does that make any sense?"
"Molly, I had no idea that's how you feel, but if you were thrown into these same circumstances in 2006, it would change you. We are all under a lot of stress, but I hope you two will trust me when I say I am confident that we will return to our own time. And when we do, everything we experienced here will stay with us for the rest of our lives." The two friends embraced and left for their respective jobs each feeling there was a better understanding between them.
Back at Dick's office, things fairly were quiet. Trigger plopped himself in front of Edie's feet. She could hear Dick pounding away at his typewriter in his office upstairs. Earlier today, he had received demands for reports from both Sink and Strayer. She offered to type as he recounted the events from October 5 – 9, but Dick declined. Chalking it up to the fact that he needed to stay busy while Easy prepared for tonight's rescue mission, Edie continued compiling her private list of what she thought the company would need when they were sent to the frontline at Bastogne. Her plan was to propose to Sink that he start sending in supply requisitions.
Captain Nixon came in, nodded at Edie, and headed upstairs to Dick's office. Whatever, it was about she could only imagine, but when he came back downstairs, Edie smelled the Vat as she and her friends referred to Nix's habit. "Hey Edie, a letter from that girl who lived in the house where you are staying came for JoJo, but there was a heavy key in the envelope so it's being translated from broken English into something easier to read. Do you have any idea what door this key fits?" Nix laid the key on Edie's desk.
Looking up at Nix, Edie thought she detected a hint of subterfuge, but pushed that idea out of her mind. "I imagine it goes to the duplex connected to the house. It is an old house, and the doors are extremely thick, but other than being curious about what is behind the door, we feel we have no business in there. Although I will admit we tried looking in the windows, but the shutters block out the light. The portion we live in was obviously belonged to Anika's family. It is possible the doctor lives in the attachment. It makes sense. My guess the Doctor keeps it locked because he probably has narcotics or other medicines that are valuable on the black market."
"Your grandfather is right about you," smiled Nixon. "The Lieutenant said he wasn't worried about you because it is obvious that you can think things through even in time of crisis and keep your head. By the way, the 82nd are still on the line because we are spread really thin. We keep hearing the Canadians are coming but until then we hold the line." Picking the key back up, Nix pocketed it. "I am going to hang onto this until we get a full translation of that letter. Hey, can you can find me a bacon sandwich?"
"I will see what I can do. Let me know what you find out about the letter," said Edie. It turns out Winter's orderly was more adept at locating bacon sandwiches than she was. While he went in search of Nix's supper, Edie took a cup of tea upstairs to Dick, who thanked her then, went back to typing. Edie noticed the small picture of Winter's pen pal. Trying to recall the woman's name, she asked Dick if there was anything else he needed, but in his mind, he was back with Easy at the Crossroads. Edie quietly went back downstairs only to meet Nix and Lieutenant Heyliger, Easy's new CO as they were on the way up; followed soon by Winter's orderly with Nix's bacon sandwich. They did not stay long.
Nixon knocked on her desk and said, "Do you think you can cheer up our guy upstairs. He's kind of worried about the boys going out tonight without him." Then he bit into his sandwich.
"I will see what I can do." Edie headed upstairs.
Unbeknownst to her, Nix looked over the papers Edie had placed a book on when she realized he was in the room. It did not take him long to figure out what Edie was planning. She confided what lay ahead for Easy Company to Nix after he returned from driving her grandfather back to his company. At first, Nixon could hardly fathom what he heard. It defied every intelligent report that indicated that the Germans were almost on their last leg. However, they had been wrong about Market Garden and Montgomery's orders to protect property seemed to restrict his men from fighting. Nixon had no clue which battalions were holding the line near the Ardennes. The irony that this was the same area fought over in the First World War did not escape Nixon. "Well, Hitler, you are one crazy bastard, but I have it on very good authority that it doesn't matter, but your madness is going to kill a lot of good people." Nixon finished his sandwich and washed it down with the Vat.
Upstairs, Winters looked out the window anxiously awaiting the return of Easy Company. Edie walked up behind him and rubbed his back. For once, he did not try to ease away from her. "I promise you that they make it back, everyone of them. Try not to worry."
Dick surprised Edie by putting his arm around her. "Thank you, in my mind I believe you, but I am still apprehensive. There are so many things that could go wrong."
"But it doesn't. The Taccoa men of Easy Company are a rare breed of men. They will hold the company together as will some of the replacements who measure up like Heffron, Hashey, and Garcia. So, for tonight, relax. I would offer to massage your shoulders, but I am unsure how receptive you are to the idea, but you look like a man who could use one."
"What does that involve, exactly?" There was a twinkle in Dick's eyes that Edie loved to see. He had such a wicked sense of humor and so little chance to use except with Nixon and his close inner circle of friends.
"Have a seat." Dick sat down in his chair. "Close your eyes and try and empty your mind of everything," said Edie. Then using her right hand Edie placed her fingers along the back of his neck and moved them along his vertebra. This brought about a deep mmmmmmmm from Dick. Edie moved down his spine and then with both hands she gently kneaded his shoulders and upper arms. "That is a massage," said Edie
"I have a lot to look forward to in the future," said Dick. They both laughed. Nix came upstairs with a deck of cards and the three of them played Gin until they heard loud voices coming from 1st Platoon's CP. There were cheers and shouts. Obviously, the men were back and the mission was successful. Dick went to the window and smiled.
Four days later, Edie knocked on his office and waited for him to say enter, which he did. Dick stood up and then said, "What's on your mind?"
"Is it that obvious?"
Dick nodded and politely listened to what Edie described what would happen later tonight if he and Moose walked the line. "Well, this is simple," said Dick. If I get antsy tonight, I will just walk the line with Nix or maybe not go at all."
"This is what we thought about Guarnere, and he still managed to break his leg on a motorcycle. If my grandfather and I are right, there is little we can do, but let us make sure we have our bases covered. Have Heyliger plug every gap by checking the line during the day. Instead of just telling Welsh to inform his men that you might walk the line tonight, you can tell the men yourself. If you do go out, and I am not saying you will then make sure Moose knows the password."
"Agreed," said Dick who nodded his head.
It turned out to be a long day for Winters. The large stack of paperwork on his desk only managed to depress his mood. He missed the action of being able to call his own shots as a company CO. However, he told himself that Easy was in good hands and settled back into chair trying to eliminate the paper pile on his desk. Strayer tended to ignore a lot of things that a Battalion commander should do. It soon became apparent to Winters that much of Strayer's work ended up on his desk, and he tried not to be annoyed. Finally, he signed the last piece of paper, which was another inventory of British supplies.
Standing up to stretch, Dick was surprised to see Strayer coming up the steps. "Evening Captain Winters, it looks like you have had a busy day at the office."
"Yes sir, I managed to get through the whole pile."
"How is the line holding up, Dick. Our we stretched to thin?"
"Yes sir, there are some gaps, but Moose assures me that the men are holding the line."
"Good, glad to hear it, well, goodnight Captain."
"Goodnight sir." Dick sat down and exhaled. For a minute there, he thought for sure Strayer was going to order him to check the line with Heyliger. It looks like the fates are going to spare Moose after all he thought. However, that soon became fleeting when Dick heard German artillery in the distance. Moose came running up the stairs to inform Winters he was going to check the line and asked if he wanted to come. At a lost as what to do, Dick decided to trust that he had taken every precaution. To be on the safe side, they started at the end of the line with first platoon, passed the sentry with no problem, and checked the line, filled in some gaps then headed back. It gave Moose some time to express his worries about replacing Dick as Easy's new CO. Dick reassured Moose that he knew the men were in good hands just rely on the non-coms and lead the way. Expecting to find the same sentry from first platoon, Dick and Moose had their guard down. However, another sentry had come on while they had been out. When the young private said, "Halt," Dick watched in horror as Moose froze and instead of giving the password, he tried to identify himself. The response was several shots and Moose crumpled and fell to the ground.
Edie heard the shots and rushed outside in her pajamas and a winter coat she grabbed from the closet. She could barely make out Welsh running behind a young soldier who kept saying he was sorry. JoJo came out to find a sad looking Edie. Putting her arm around her friend, they watched as Roe hopped into one of the ambulances and the driver sped off into the darkness. Feeling utterly defeated, Edie just shook as her friend tried to find some words of comfort. Molly came downstairs and said she would try and find out what happened, but Edie said she already knew. Minutes later the ambulance drove past them. It did not stop at the aid station but kept going. They guessed Heyliger's injuries were so severe; he needed to go straight to the nearest EVAC Hospital. Waiting on the stoop, they finally saw Winters and Welsh heading towards the CP. Dick looked up and could make out Edie's pale face. The look on his face confounded Edie. If she did not know better, Edie thought it looked as if Dick blamed her. Perhaps I blame myself, and I am just projected my guilt onto him. JoJo pulled them both inside. Nothing more could be done tonight but pray that Moose's journey would not be too painful.