Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival. -C.S. Lewis
When Adele woke the next morning her head felt clearer.
She felt strangely better.
And she didn't' think she deserved to feel any better- at least not so soon.
But she did.
Strangely better
The worst mistake- the quickest recovery.
Suddenly, her head didn't feel quite as clear as it had.
"Too many philosophical thoughts too early in the morning." She muttered.
She pushed on her shoes and facing herself in the mirror buttoned the top of her collar.
She looked better.
She still had on Jackie's gold necklace and she touched it gently.
She didn't know how she would be able to do this without her sisters, Jackie and Kat.
Her eyes shot upward and she sighed heavily, remembering the dream.
She hadn't had the nightmare about the bomb in a long time.
And she could still see it all so clearly, so horribly clearly.
She shook her head, trying to ride herself of the unpleasant thoughts, while she ran her fingers through her short bobbed hair.
What would Chantal think?
She stepped out the door and shut in resolutely, shutting her emotions and memories safely back in the room.
She had no place for them at work.
The hospital was buzzing that morning as there had been a skirmish in the forest last night.
Some men were staggering in, and many had already been put in beds and hooked up to plasma and IV's.
Adele headed determinedly towards Bill's bed and glug back the curtain confindently- readu to try again.
She would apologize once more, and then she would tell him how she felt.
She would tell him that maybe, maybe, she could let the guilt go. Maybe.
However Adele stared down at an empty bed.
Her eyes wide, she grabbed a nurse that was breezing by.
"Where's Sergeant Gaurnere?" She asked confusedly. "Has he been moved?"
The nurse shook her head. "Discharged."
Adele's hands flew to the air, "He was just shot!"
The nurse nodded. "He was discharged this morning after Eugene found him sneaking out and going AWOL. We figured he was just gonna do it again if her wanted to get out of here so badly, so we might as well just let him."
Adele nodded her thanks, and scratched the back of her head.
He had gone.
She had hurt him so badly that he'd rather be sitting in his freezing foxhole, than in a nice warm bed.
She had hurt him so badly that he didn't want any morphine for the wound- he'd rather just though it and get away.
She had hurt him so badly that he'd given up what any of the guys at the line would have died to have- warm food, warm bed, and sleep.
Suddenly, two soldiers burst through he hospital doors, laughing jovially.
Adele stared at them, appalled by their cheerful actions- could they not see people were dying?
She ran up to both of them, and pushed one in the chest. "Shushh!" She ordered angrily. "Be quiet please!"
Abruptly one picked her up and she screamed in suprise, and he pressed a finger to her lips. "Shusshh!" He ordered sarcastically, grinning as he planted a kiss on her cheek.
She looked at his face and then threw her arms around him. "George!" She breathed, "Oh George!"
He laughed and set her down, "Thought you'd never recognize me Eddie! Thanks!"
"And Marlark!" She gushed, giving him a hug as well. "What the hell are you two doing here?"
George winked, "We decided that while we were in the area we would come see what the locales call the prettiest girl this side of Belgium."
She slapped his arm, and he tousled her hair, as Malarkey grinned at her. "What do you think Marlark?" George asked, his finger resting contemplatively on his lips. "Is she really the prettiest girl this side of Belgium?"
Malarkey clicked his tongue, pretending to decide. "I dunno, that Babe Heffron might have her beat."
"Donald Malarkey!" She screamed, her eyes wide with playful rage.
He scooped her up in his arms, "Shuushh!" He commanded teasingly, "Be quiet please!"
She squirmed out of his arms, and glowered up at the two of them. "You two are despicable, and dishonorable. Shouldn't you be at the line?"
George smiled, "We had to make a run to headquarters, so like I said, while we were in the area we needed to see if this "Adele Elise Roux" was really the prettiest girl in Belguim!"
She scoffed, "Phstt. You are too much George Luz."
George ignored her and turned to Malarkey, "What's the verdict?" He asked mischievously. "Is she the prettiest girl?"
Malarkey smiled sweetly at Adele, who continued to glower at them, although she felt her resolve melting. "She sure is! Got em all beat!"
She let her lips break into a smile.
And George suddenly begun clapping. "She smiles!" He announced jokingly. "Finally, a smile!"
Malarkey chuckled, and Adele slapped them both on the arm. "How could I not smile with you two clowns around?" She retorted, sticking her tongue out at them both.
George shrugged, "Plus it's almost Christmas, and we haven't see you since the last party!"
Adele looked at him curiously. "It's almost Christmas?" She asked, "really?"
Malarkey laughed. "Haha, Eddie. Yes, it's almost Christmas! You wanna know how I know? Because George sits in his foxhole all day singing Jingle Bells, and Deck the halls."
George snorted and elbowed his friend in the ribs. "Yeah? Well I know it's Christmas cause all he can talk is this pass he's got for January 1st, to Reims to see Miss Dietrich."
Adele laughed at the two of them, and scratched her head.
She had forgotten that it was almost Christmastime.
Even with the snow and the chilling cold, it didn't seem like Christmas.
Bastogne didn't seem like the kind of place that Santa would visit.
Malarkey ruffled Adele's hair affectionetly- "What's up? You're acting like you didn't know Christmas was right around the corner!"
Adele shook her head, "I didn't." She stated flatly.
George looked at her concernedly, "Eddie, you've been working too much!" He told her.
She shook her head again. "Ha! You all have been fighting too much!"
Malarkey grinned, "Well what did you get me?" He asked sarcastically.
Adele smiled up at them, and bit her lip thoughtfully before speaking.
"Are you two hungry?"
George chuckled, "Hmmm, no. We've just been sitting out in the snow- eating snow. We're good." He smiled at her. "Hell yes we're hungry!"
She nodded, "Good. Come with me."
George and Malarkey followed her curiously, and George grabbed at her skirt teasingly as they walked, and she whirled around to smack him.
"Luz!" She cried disapprovingly, "Don't act like Bill!"
Malarkey roared with laughter, and patted Adele on the back. "Good one."
She turned towards him. "No I'm serious! What the hell do you think is down there?"
George grinned and winked. "Ass!"
He and Malarkey giggled like schoolgirls, and Adele raised an eyebrow at them, before rolling her eyes and walking on.
"Seriously!" George called. "Where'd you get that tattoo?"
She stopped, and touched her bottom reflectively. "Oh, heh, I forgot about that!"
Malarkey's eyes went wide, and he gaped at her. "I thought Bill was just kidding. He was bragging to us all about how you got a stamp on your ass. I just thought the was shooting the shit like always. But really? You got inked back there?"
She whirled around to face them, her face pained with horror. "Shuushhh!" She hissed embarrassedly, "Don't say that out loud!"
George chortled, "Hey, everyone, Eddie's got a-"
She clasped a hand over his mouth and pinched his ear in reprimand. "That's enough George Luz!" She scolded, smacking him on the behind, which only prompted him to hit her back.
She shook an accusing finger at both of them. "I swear- if you two aren't the giddiest, most idiotic recruits the army has ever been blessed with."
Malarkey took her hand, and pushed her finger downward. "Shushhh!"
He and George then howled with laughter as Adele's little fist began relentlessly beating into both of their stomach. "Stop it stop it stop it!" She screamed.
"Shushhh!" They both said again, roaring with laughter at her enraged expression.
Shaking her head in defeat she led them into a little room which housed a stove that some of the nurses used for cooking.
She motioned to the table, and still laughing the two men sat down, mimicking her. "Stop it stop it!"
She rolled her eyes exasperatedly at them, and pulled a large pot off the stove, and set it in front of them.
"Merry Christmas!" She breathed annoyed, before smacking George with a wooden spoon.
Whimpering, he held his head, as Malarkey pried the lit off the pot.
"Jesus Eddie!" He exclaimed as the rush of steam hit him. "Thank you so much."
George let go of his head, and peered into the pot, inhaling the warm steam contentedly. "Oh dear God Eddie." He murmured, "Breakfast!"
She nodded and helped them dish out two heaping bowls of grits that Katherine had made this morning, which were laden with cheese and sausage.
"Thanks!" They both said in unison, before digging into their bowls.
Adele smiled at the two of them fondly, and patted them both on the head.
"Eat up!" She commanded, "Have as much as you want."
She gave them each a quick hug before scurrying out the door to get back to her duties in the hospital.
George and Malarkey downed the first serving of grits, and then poured themselves another helping, resolving to take the rest to Muck and Babe, who really needed something else to eat.
Malarkey glanced appreciatively back at Adele who was leaving the room, noting the taunting sway of her hips against the little dress she wore.
He tore himself from the view and looked back at George who was also staring at the same thing.
George stuck a spoon in his grits and groaned. "That's one hell of a woman Malark." He sighed, as he ate another spoonful of grits.
Malarkey nodded, his head bobbing emphatically in agreement. "Don't I know it!" He breathed, pushing his empty bowl away.
George rolled his eyes, "Too bad she's Gaurnere's."
Malarkey grinned. "Yeah, shame isn't it?"
George nodded, "Still we should do something nice for her for Christmas."
"Yeah, ok. Does jolly Saint Luz have any suggestions, cause right now, I don't have a damn thing to give her!"
George eyed his friend mischievously, "Depends. How attached at you to that ticket to Reims?"
Malarkey moaned, and let his head fall to the table. "Not Marlene!"
George shrugged, "That's all I can come up with."
Malarkey sighed, "Yeah. I guess."
George stood up, taking the hot pot of food. "So Reims then? Well give Adele a pass to Reims?"
Malarkey nodded, as if it pained him. "Yeah, Reims."
