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Chapter 20 And Finally They Spoke... Something
Later on that day Livia saw how the guys who had been chosen to the patrol, came to the CP for a briefing. She knew already that Malarkey wouldn't take part in the patrol, lieutenant Jones had volunteered and both, Winters and Speirs had approved him to the patrol instead Malarkey. Also private Vest had volunteered and Winters had approved him too, mainly because he had done a good job, but lacked the combat experiences. Livia was happy for the sergeant, but she was doubtful about the fact that lieutenant Jones had taken his place. The newcomer hadn't been in combats and he just didn't have the experience to take a part in the patrol. Actually Livia thought that even she had more experience than the lieutenant, even when she hadn't used a gun once during her time in the front. John Martin was leading the patrol, so they had an experienced leader.
Livia hang out on CP entrance hall until the briefing was over and she saw Winters, Nixon and Speirs coming out of the room, where the briefing had been. She approached the officers hesitantly and the three men watched her with interest. Nixon, who guessed that the nurse had something to say to Speirs, signed to Winters that they should leave, and the captain nodded smiling slightly.
"Captain Speirs, ummm…. I was wondering… I thought…Can I talk with you?" Livia stammered and her eyes were wandering from man to man.
"What is it, nurse?" Speirs snapped. He looked to the nurse eyes hard and Livia took a deep breath, when she realized that Winters and Nixon were going to leave her alone with the captain. She tried to signal with her eyes not to leave, but they didn't understand her meaning, or actually it was more like they ignored her. Just before the two captains left the building, Nixon flashed Livia a smile and Winters looked to Speirs.
"See you in ten minutes, captain Speirs."
Speirs nodded to him and looked again to Livia.
"You had something to tell me?" Despite Speirs had kept the distance to the nurse, he knew that it was important to listen her, she might know things which the officers didn't know and after all she knew how the guys were doing when they weren't in combat. Nixon and Winters had mentioned about it many times, and he understood their point of view.
"Yes. About lieutenant Jones, I'm not sure if it wise to take him to patrol." Livia had to say it despite her mind was yelling to let it go. She knew what Speirs thought of her meddling in his business, but being the woman she was, she just couldn't let it go.
Without a word Speirs took Livia by her arm and led her to the empty room.
"This isn't your business, nurse." He said calmly, when they were in the room. He had let Livia's arm go and she took few steps away from him, Speirs looked so scary once again.
"I just thought… He hasn't been in real combat, you know. He has no experience. And it's my job to worry over you all." Livia explained.
"He volunteered himself. Actually I said him first that I won't pick him and so did Winters."
"You did?" Livia seemed amazed.
"Yes, but he had made a deal with Malarkey already. And we both know that the sergeant maybe isn't cut out for the job right now."
"Yes, you are right. He hasn't been himself after Bastogne…" Then Livia realized that she was there talking about Jones, not Malarkey. "But are you sure that lieutenant Jones is right man to replace him?"
"He's only observing, Martin, Webster and couple of other guys are in first group. He is in, nurse." Speirs had cold look on his eyes and Livia thought that she might had make a mistake, after all this man wasn't Winters or Nixon, who both had known her quite a long time already.
"All right then… And about private Webster…" Livia wasn't sure if she wanted him to be in patrol either, she knew that it had been hard for Webster to come back, actually if she was asked, she didn't want anyone to go, but the order was an order and they had to obey it.
"Don't push your luck, nurse. Webster is going, like is anyone else." Speirs snapped.
"All right then." Livia sighed, and just before Speirs left the room, she added. "Why you don't go yourself too?" She did regret those words immediately, and when Speirs turned back to her and closed the door, she took few steps backwards.
"What did you say, nurse McMillan?" Speirs grunted.
"Nothing important, captain. I… I'm just worried, I didn't mean anything with it." Livia stammered and for a moment she thought that Speirs would slap her, though her mind was yelling that he would never do something like that to her.
"I would like to go with them, believe me nurse." Speirs said rather quietly and opened the door again.
"I'm glad that you won't go." Livia said so quietly that she was sure that Speirs didn't hear her. But he did, and before he turned again to look at the nurse a small smile came to his face, but it was gone before Livia saw it.
"And your job isn't to worry over us, nurse. Your job is to take care of us and keep us sane." With that Speirs left the flustered nurse in the room.
Livia waited until her heartbeat was steady again before she left the room. She was amazed that Speirs did still cause that kind of reaction in her despite she saw him daily basis, but she explained herself that it was because this was the first time when she was alone with the captain after he joined Easy.
When Livia got to the main hall, she saw that Heffron, Shifty and Ramirez were standing there, and they all looked at her when she appeared to the hall.
"Livia, didn't I just see Speirs coming out of that room too?" Shifty grinned when the nurse approached them.
"Ummm… Yes." She muttered.
"Damn, you are talking to him again?" Heffron inquired.
"I've talked to him daily basis, Babe."
"I mean, we all know how you have tried not to be left alone with him after he came as CO." Heffron grinned.
"Gee, won't you just mind your own business?" Livia snapped.
"Your business is our business, honey." Shifty commented.
"I've noticed that. But nothing happened, I swear. I just told him what I think about lieutenant Jones being on this stupid patrol."
"Ah, so Speirs didn't kiss you?" Shifty commented laughing.
"Christ, would you quit that? No, he didn't kiss me." Livia snapped, but she blushed slightly.
"It's just so nice to see you blushing, kid." Heffron laughed.
"Talking about blushing, Shifty." Livia looked to the private. "I have a letter for you."
She gave the letter which Rita had written to Shifty and he indeed blushed slightly.
"Web told me that you have post for me. Thank you."
"She misses you, Shifty." Livia winked smiling. "But I really have to go now. Be careful tonight, each and everyone of you."
"We will." Heffron and Ramirez said in unison just before Livia headed towards her room.
She felt that she was a bit special, because every time when they got a chance to stay in some town, she had a room all for herself. But she was grateful for Winters who always made it to happen, although she loved all the guys in Easy, she didn't want to sleep in same room with them, it would have made her just awkward. When they had to live and sleep just foxholes as their shelter, it was a different thing.
Livia took a short nap like Winters had advised her to do. When she woke up, she wandered down stairs and met Luz there. Livia and the sergeant went to get something to eat and the rest of the evening the nurse just spent talking with the guys and she also wrote a letter to her parents, she hadn't written to them for a while and now when she had time, she decided to do it.
When it came time for the patrol to get other side of the river and get the prisoners that colonel Sink wanted, Livia stayed in the CP. The night was awful for Livia, though she should have used to that guys were in some kind of mission every now and then, but she knew that she never would get used to it. She stayed alone sitting one of the couches until she couldn't just sit anymore when she started to hear heavy firing and granite blasts. Livia knew that both, Germans and their guys were firing and she couldn't just sit still, she had to see what was happening, so she went to the window, where was direct sight to other side of the river. She didn't know where Winters, Nixon and Speirs were, but on that moment she didn't need their company, she just wanted to be alone.
Livia saw figures running to the riverbank and knew that they were Easy guys. It didn't go long when the guys started to cross the river while there was still heavy firing both sides of the river.
Livia turned from the door, put her jacket on and took her medical bag. Somehow she knew that guys might need her, and she left the CP. She stood by the house door and lighted her cigarette; she had made the promise to Winters that she wouldn't leave the house unless someone came to get her. It didn't take long when she saw couple of guys running towards her.
"Livia, we need help. Have you seen Doc Roe?" John Martin asked when he and Babe Heffron reached her.
"He's in the house over there." She pointed to the house where Doc was. "What happened?"
"Jackson got hit." Martin replied and turned then to Heffron. "Get Doc, I'll take Livia there."
Livia ran with Martin to the house where the guys had taken Jackson and the prisoners they got. There was heavy mortar attack going on, but Livia hadn't time to think about it, all she thought that she had to get to the OP to check on private Jackson.
When the nurse saw Jackson, who looked like half of his face had burned, she gasped.
"Jesus, what happened?"
"The granite exploded to his face. It was his own." Popeye replied.
"Light, I need light." Livia said opening Jackson's mouth. "Give me some light."
She examined private's face, and she got very worried. It seemed like the granite had exploded right in front him, which never knew good. One of the guys got a lighter and Livia could see a little better.
"All right, look at the flame. Look at the flame." When private Jackson managed to do like she asked, she added. "Okay, that 's good."
Livia couldn't really concentrate, because everyone was yelling. Private Jackson was yelling of pain, two German prisoners that the guys had captured were yelling and other guys were yelling to them and to each others. For her relief she finally heard Doc Roe's voice and moved so that the medic could take a look on Jackson too.
"Let's get him out of here." Doc said when he saw how badly the private was wounded.
"Let's go. Help Doc to move him." Martin ordered and couple of guys got the private up. Livia moved out of their way and looked to the other men, who were now quiet and looked sad. Then the house was shook by mortar explosions and the guys had to put private Jackson down. Suddenly he started to writhe. Livia and Doc both tried to get him breathe better, but then he closed his eyes and his head fell to other side. Livia tried to get a pulse from his neck, but when she didn't find it, she looked to Doc and shook her head. She sat down on the floor and looked to the guys around her. Every man in the room was quiet, and Livia wiped the tears off her eyes. It was hard to loose someone and this time wasn't an exception. When Martin covered the body of private Eugene Jackson, Livia felt like she couldn't be there any more. She hated to see guys crying, though she knew that it was just natural and this wasn't the first time she saw 'her guys' crying.
She stood up and went to the door, where Popeye stopped her.
"Where are you going?"
"Back to the CP."
"Not alone, you ain't. I'll take you there." Popeye took his gun and Livia followed him out of the house.
They got back in the CP is silence, and before Livia got in the house, Popeye gave her a gentle hug.
"You did so well, Livia. I'm proud of you."
"I just hope that could had done something for Eugene…" Livia said when she had pulled off from his hug.
"When a guy is wounded like he was… It was a wonder that he made it across the river." Popeye wiped gently off the tears, which had come down to Livia's cheek. "You know that sometimes the guy is so badly wounded that there is nothing anyone can do."
"I know." Livia let out a heavy sigh.
"Don't let that affect too much, Livia." Popeye turned to get back to the house where he was staying. "Try to get some sleep, Livia."
"You too." The nurse said quietly before the private disappeared into darkness.
Livia got in her room without seeing Winters or anyone else, and she was happy about it. She was sure that she couldn't explain them what had happened, and sergeant Martin and lieutenant Jones would give Winters the details of the patrol anyway.
Livia lied on her bed for a moment, but she couldn't get any sleep, and needed a cigarette, so she got up, went downstairs and went to the patio of the house. When she had closed the patio door behind her, only then she realized that she wasn't alone out there.
Speirs heard that someone came to the patio, where he was smoking, and when he turned to look who it was, he saw Livia standing by the door looking hesitant.
"You can come further here, nurse. I won't bite."
For Livia his last remark sounded like a joke, but one thing she knew about Speirs was that he didn't make jokes.
"Do you have light?" She asked taking few steps towards the captain. He just nodded and lighted her cigarette.
"I thought that you were sleeping already, nurse." Speirs stated then.
"I couldn't sleep." Livia replied quietly. She felt a little uncomfortable standing there alone with the man who she had tried to avoid for few weeks. It was late night, or actually it was early morning already and Livia was sure that everyone else in CP was sleeping already.
"I heard what happened. There was nothing you could do with private Jackson?"
"No, there wasn't. The granite exploded right on his face." Livia gave out a sigh.
Livia and Speirs stood in silence few minutes, but the captain examined her figure. He had to admit that it was nice to see the nurse around daily basis, though he had tried to keep distance to her. Speirs knew that guys gossiped about him and Livia, but as long as it didn't effect on the job they did, it didn't bother him. No one, not even Winters or Nixon had mentioned the rumors to him, but Speirs knew that they knew what was gossiped. After all Nixon was Livia's very good friend and Winters was close with the nurse too.
"Do you miss home, nurse?" Speirs asked suddenly.
Livia watched the captain for a moment before she gave her answer.
"I do, I miss my family and friends. But it is strange to think that I won't see my oldest brother when I'm back in England."
"But do you remember what I said when your brother...? Paul, wasn't that his name?" When Livia had nodded, Speirs continued. "When Paul got killed. That you should remember the good things about him."
"I remember, and I do remember the good things, but it doesn't bring him back." Livia sighed. She was a little amazed about the fact that Speirs did remember that day, for her it was burned to her brain, but she hadn't expected Speirs to remember it.
"I know it won't, but that is a way keep him alive." Then ever so slight smile came to Speirs lips. "In a objective way, of course."
"Of course." Livia grinned a little thinking that it was a second time in few minutes when Speirs made a remark, which sounded like a joke. "And I miss Scotland too." She sighed then.
"Scotland?" Speirs raised his eyebrows.
"Yes. I was born there." She stated simply.
"I thought you were English."
"I was nine years old when we moved to England. My grandparents live still in Scotland and I've spent a lot of time there." Livia explained.
"I'm not sure if you know this, but I was born in Scotland too." Speirs looked down to Livia who lifted her eyes up looking surprised.
"Really? I had no idea that you're a Scot."
"Yes. But I was very young when my family moved over to States so I grew up there." Speirs smiled a little. "So actually I am an American."
"Where from Scotland are you?" Livia asked amazed.
"I was born in Edinburgh."
"I love that city, though I'm from Inverness. So I'm kind of highlander." Livia smiled.
"I thought that you still have a slight Scottish accent on your speech, but I just thought that I was imagining." Speirs looked Livia to her eyes.
Livia didn't know what to say to him, and she got so uncomfortable feeling, that she needed to get away from the captain.
"I guess I should go and get some sleep..." She said quietly and stubbed out her cigarette.
"You should, nurse."
When Livia was by the patio door, she turned back to Speirs.
"And my name is Livia, by the way." It started to disturb her that Speirs always called her nurse, especially when everyone else called her by her first name.
"I know it is." Speirs stated.
"Why don't you call me that then? Everyone else does, captain." Livia was determinant to know why Speirs had never called her by her first name.
"I just thought that it would be appropriate thing to do."
"Maybe, but for me it feels strange, especially when Nix and Dick both call me Livia, as does everyone else." Livia explained.
"I can call you Livia if you want." Speirs smiled slightly. He didn't want to tell the nurse that not calling her by her first name was part of that distance keeping, which had been going on between him and her.
"I would like that." The nurse said quietly.
"But only if you call me Ron... After all you call everyone else by their first name." Speirs stated.
"That can be arranged... Ron."
"Good. Now, try to get some sleep, Livia." Speirs ordered.
Livia felt a pleasant shiver going through her body, when Speirs said her name. She gave the captain a small smile and entered the house.
Livia couldn't get any sleep on that night and on the morning she was one of the first people up. She wandered to the CP building kitchen and for her surprise she found Nixon there.
"Geez, you don't look too good, Livia." The captain commented when the nurse appeared to the kitchen. She looked tired and her eyes were red, because she hadn't slept at all.
"Well thank you, Nix. For letting me know that." She replied dryly. "You wouldn't look so good either if you had had as bad night like I did."
"You know how the patrol did?" Nixon inquired and Livia guessed that he didn't know yet what had happened on night.
"Yeah. They got two prisoners… But the worst thing is that we lost Jackson."
"Christ, what happened?"
"The granite exploded to his face. It was his own granite…" Livia let out a sigh. "Guys got him over the river, but he died soon after it. There was nothing I or Doc could do."
"That is bad news… But everyone else are all right?"
"Yeah, but they are all mourning over Eugene… He was younger than me, you know." Livia said sadness in her voice.
"I know." Nixon took the nurse on his embrace. "It's always hard to loose someone."
"Yeah, it is." Livia admitted when the captain had let her go.
They both heard steps from the door and saw Speirs and Winters appearing there.
"Morning, Livia. You have woken up already?" Speirs commented.
This remark caused amusement in both, Winters and Nixon, and made the nurse to blush ever so slightly.
"Actually I didn't sleep at all…" She muttered.
"Livia? Is here something going on, which I have no knowledge about?" Nixon asked amused. He and Winters had both noticed that Speirs never called the nurse by her first name, but now he did.
"Ehhh… No?"
"I have the feeling that there is. Do you agree with me, Dick?" Nixon grinned to the red haired captain.
"For once I do." He grinned too.
"There isn't, and you always know everything, Nix. You're an intelligent officer after all." Livia replied looking to Speirs and seeking his help with her eyes, but the captain just stood there his face blank.
"Darnest thing is that I know everything about Krauts movements, but I've found out that you're keeping secrets from me, kid. And I don't like it." Nixon squinted, but Livia saw laugher on his brown eyes.
"I need help here, Ron." Right after Livia had said that, she realized that it was a mistake call the captain by his first name, and she blushed even more.
"Ron? Did you just call him Ron? You never call him Ron." Nixon laughed.
Speirs tried to look like he had no idea what was going on, but it was difficult when Nixon and Winters were grinning.
"I… I… "Livia stammered.
"You... You..." Nixon grinned to her when she had shut her mouth because she didn't know what to say.
"Oh, shut up." She snapped and turned on her heels marching away from them rather fast.
"So, Ron. You are finally going with first name basis with Livia?" Nixon asked after the nurse had left the room.
"Yes." Was the short, simple answer.
"You know that she is important to us, don't you?" Nixon squinted.
"Yes, I have figured that out."
"So, don't play games with her, if you do, there will be consequences." With that Nixon left leaving a slightly flustered Speirs and amused Winters to the kitchen.
"Don't take him too seriously, Ron." Winters smiled a little. "But Nix has the point though. Livia is one of us and everyone will stand by her what ever happens."
"I've noticed that. I'm not playing games with her though." Speirs stated.
"Actually you are, and so is she. But you should really talk things through with her, though I have the feeling that you have spoken with her already."
"We talked for a moment last night... "
"That is a good start, Ron. But now, we have work to do. I don't know yet was the patrol success." Winters left the kitchen leaving Speirs alone there. The captain stood there for a moment alone, and then he wandered to the house where the 2nd platoon was staying.
Livia kept herself busy during the whole morning and avoided on running to Nixon, Winters or Speirs. She spent time with other guys talking and checking on their minor cuts, and despite Perconte's resisting she insisted on checking the wound which he had got on his butt. She wanted to make sure that it was healing like it should. After the lunch Livia heard a rumor that there would be another patrol next night, because colonel Sink was so impressed about last nights success. When Livia heard it, she just shook her head, it was good to Sink to gleam with the success, when he hadn't known private Jackson, who they had lost, and he hadn't seen how sad guys were over it.
When Winters and Speirs were keeping the briefing for guys who would be on the second patrol – they were same guys who were in first one, or almost same guys – Livia decided that she would talk about the reasonableness of the second patrol to Winters.
Livia waited outside the OP 2 where the 2nd platoon was staying until the guys came out of the building. When the guys came out, they seemed to be in surprisingly good mood.
"Hey Johnny, when the second patrol is?" She stopped the sergeant.
"There won't be a second patrol. Dick told us to take a good night sleep." He grinned.
"There won't be a second patrol?" The nurse watched at the private a bit amazed.
"No. Dick said that he won't put us through it again. He will tell colonel Sink that the patrol was in night, but we didn't get any prisoners." Martin replied.
"Thank God." Livia sighed.
"No, thank Dick. There is one great man." Martin stated. "Oh, by the way, we are moving off line tomorrow." Before Livia really realized what the sergeant had said, he was gone already, and Livia just stared after him not really believing that he had been serious about the off line moving thing.
When Livia saw Winters, Nixon and Speirs coming out of the house, she ran to them and without thinking about it, she jumped on Winters' neck.
"Thank you, Dick."
"I take this so that you heard what I told to guys." He laughed.
"I heard, and I love you." She said with enthusiasm.
"So, you heard also that we are moving off the line?" Winters grinned.
"Yeah, and I love you for that too."
"That is not my decision, but it's nice to be loved." The captain laughed.
Then all in the yard jumped a little, when they heard an explosion from other side of the river. They had been expecting it, but it still got them a little starlet.
"There goes the German outpost." Nixon stated.
Livia followed Winters, Nixon, Speirs and Jones to the CP and when they got into the house, she saw a very familiar figure standing on the main hall.
"Harry!"
Her scream echoed on the building when she realized that first lieutenant Harry Welsh was standing there smiling at them. It took only few seconds and the lieutenant found himself almost squeezed by the nurse.
"Jesus, Livia. I hardly got back and now you are trying to hurt me again." Welsh laughed.
"I'm just so happy to see you. But I didn't expect you back so soon." The nurse was smiling widely.
"I thought that you can't manage without me anymore." The lieutenant grinned.
"That would have been hard. I'm glad that you're back. I missed you so much." Livia said truthfully.
"I missed you too, kid." Welsh smiled and greeted then Speirs, Winters and Nixon.
Livia was going to leave the men, but she turned back to them when Welsh called her.
"Livia, I almost forgot. I have a letter for you. It's from your brother." He gave Livia a letter and she looked at him a little amazed.
"Colin? Have you seen him?"
"Yeah, I met captain Colin McMillan in England. He is your brother, isn't he?" Welsh grinned. He knew very well that it had been Livia's brother who he met in England.
"Captain? But he isn't..." Livia was flustered, she had no idea what Welsh was talking about.
"Oh yeah, you don't know about it yet. But he got promoted. I guess everything is on that letter."
All four officers laughed when Livia let out another scream and jumped on Welsh's neck again. Then she let him go and ran upstairs and to her room.
"Damn, what have you done to that girl? She's in good mood." Welsh stated when the nurse was gone.
"I guess she's just happy to see you, and that you brought good news about her brother." Winters stated. "And we are moving off line tomorrow."
Speirs and lieutenant Jones had already left the main hall, but Winters, Nixon and Welsh were still talking there and the first lieutenant heard all the latest news. Before the three joined the other, Nixon stated.
"Oh yeah, and don't wonder if you see Speirs and Livia acting strange towards each others. They are both still in denial."
"Denial?" Welsh raised his eyebrows.
"Yeah. They both like each others a lot, but don't admit it." Nixon replied.
"I knew that Livia has crush on Speirs, but I didn't even think that he would be interested about women." Welsh said thoughtfully, but when he saw the amused looks on Nixon and Winters' face, he added. "It sounded so wrong, didn't it?"
"I presume what you meant to say is that you never thought that Speirs would be interested about Livia, especially not in times like this." Nixon replied laughing.
"That is exactly what I meant." Welsh admitted.
"Well, our Livia has done it. She made him interested about her." Nixon replied.
"Damn." Was all what Welsh could say for that.
First lieutenant Lipton was promoted to second lieutenant on that day, and Livia heard later, when she got back downstairs after reading the letter which Colin had written to her, that also lieutenant Jones had been promoted and the battalion wanted him back to the staff. Livia was a little amazed that he was promoted so soon, but she guessed that it was because the lieutenant was quite inexperienced what it came to combats, and that was one of the reasons why the battalion wanted to take him off the line.
Welsh had been right when he said that Colin probably told everything in his letter. It was a long letter, and because Colin was on that moment when he wrote it in England, he told the latest news about Livia's family too. She was happy to read that everything were well at home, or as well as things could be in those times. Colin also wrote that he would be back in mainland very soon, probably already when Livia would get his letter.
On that night Livia slept very well and on the next morning when it was time to move out of the town and off line, she was perky and for a long time she felt happy.
When the company was ready to move out, and most of the guys were on trucks already, Livia passed Nixon and Winters, who were talking. She saw that Nixon gave the captain a box, which reminded a lot like a ring box, but Livia wiped that thought off her mind quickly, though she couldn't help smiling when she thought Nixon giving a ring to Winters.
"Oak leaves." Livia heard Winters saying a hint of amazement in his voice. She stood still, because she had been military nurse for so long that she knew what it meant. Her good friend got a promotion.
"Holy shit, Dick. Congratulations!" Livia practically screamed and before the newly appointed major even realized, the nurse had put her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.
Nixon practically bent down of laughter, and for Winters it felt like minutes before Livia had let him go and Nixon had gotten himself together again.
"Congratulations, major." Nixon saluted smiling slightly.
"Thank you, both of you." Being the quiet man he was, Winters didn't say anything else, but both of his good friends knew that he really meant what he said.
Then the captain, major and nurse got to the trucks where they were supposed to be, and the whole unit was transported behind the lines for they much needed break.