While Dallin sat in the barn, listening to Carl play an old western song, she smoked her cigarette and felt truly relaxed. It was Saturday, many of the men had decided to venture out into London but Dallin stayed back with Carl, Skip and Penkala. The weather was still cold in February, but it rained less that month. Replacing the rain, was ice and frost. Everywhere was icy and slippery. They looked like clowns, sliding down the hill first thing in the morning.
When Carl finished the song, Dallin got up and left to grab her blanket from the hut. Stepping outside of the barn, she spotted an unfamiliar face, looking around. He was a Paratrooper and Dallin guessed he was a replacement, assigned to Easy. When he eventually turned around, his eyes caught her curious stare. And at first, he looked a little relieved but soon looked outright confused.
Rubbing her lips together, Dallin took in a deep breath and approached the man. He continued to stare at her, still a little shocked. But when standing in front of him, he soon smiled and said;
"are you from Israel?"
Dallin could hear his slight Polish accent.
And she grinned;
"Poland".
He reached for her hand to shake;
"Joe Lesniewski".
"Dallin Gorski". She shook his hand.
He smiled;
"I never thought I would see a Pole out in Easy".
"We are not alone…my cousin's parents were Polish".
Lesniewski looked relieved;
"I thought I would be an outcast".
Ending the handshake, Dallin told him;
"no…and if they give you trouble, I will sort it out".
"How did you end up in Easy?"
"I joined Polish elite Paratroopers and train in-"
"England?" Lesniewski shook his head, "shit…that's where I was heading. We were going to jump into Poland and help the Polish resistance. But the Russians had overrun our drop zone, so, we were sent back to Northern Ireland. This officer asked us where we want to be stationed and I had heard about the 506th…so, they put me here. With Easy Company. Did you jump into Poland?"
Dallin nodded;
"yes…outside of Krakow".
His eyes widened a little;
"what's it like over there?"
Shaking her head, she whispered;
"terrible".
It took a few days for the men to accept Joe Lesniewski. They learned he was a very good boxer and as tough as nails. He was from Eerie Pennsylvania and his parents were both Polish. He told them he graduated from Eerie Technological High School and then worked in Civilian Conservation Corps. Lesniewski was trained there, like any other army camp. After the camp, he worked with General Electric, where he was a tool and dye maker for one year before enlisting in the army.
Dallin was glad Lesniewski was in Easy.
Weekend passes were handed out again but only every other weekend. Training got very intense during the week; the men needed to let off some steam by the end of it. During one weekend, Dallin's friends shot off to London and she decided to hang back in Aldbourne. She didn't take Guarnere's offer, Dallin didn't feel like seeing London again.
It was still hard, she couldn't keep Shifty out of her mind, no matter how hard she tried. She saw him nearly every day and whenever their eyes met, Dallin wanted to run back into his arms. He was the kindest soul she had ever come across. And she missed being with him. Dallin had met his family, she had been inside his home in Clinchco and more than anything, she wanted to go back there.
But Dallin couldn't because there was still a scar on her heart.
When the hut was emptied that afternoon, Dallin left and decided to take a walk around the village. It was still cold; February was a cold month in Britain. Some parts of the path were icy, and the tops of bushes were decorated in frost. But Dallin enjoyed walking by the winter season flowers. She was excited to see new flowers bloom in Spring. She hoped to be around for them.
Passing by St Michael's Church, the bells rang. It was one o'clock. Past the village square, she could see an older gentleman outside his store, emptying a bucket full of soapy water. But he ended up slipping on a patch of ice he mustn't have noticed. Frowning, Dallin ran over to help him up and the older man was laughing, though he seemed embarrassed.
Shaking her head, she assured him;
"I do this all the time, sir".
Dallin helped him back onto his feet and he smiled at her;
"thank you, Private".
"It is very icy". She said, "are you hurt, sir?"
"No…I'm quite alright". He assured her, "I should listen to my wife more often. She warned me about the ice outside our shop".
Dallin's lips twitched;
"mostly…women are always right, sir".
He chuckled;
"yes, I imagine so, Private".
His smile then softened;
"you must be the female Paratrooper, yes? Your Lieutenants are billeted with us".
Smiling, she said;
"Mr Barnes?"
"Ah…I didn't realise we were so famous". He joked while shaking her hand, "my daughter usually runs our shop…she's probably served you a few times".
Dallin nodded;
"she has, Mr Barnes".
"Richard tells me his men were issued a weekend pass". He said, "but you decided to stay in the village?"
"Yes…I do not wish to see London today, Mr Barnes".
With a hum, he said;
"to tell you the truth, Private…there isn't much of it left".
Eyebrows twitching, Dallin said;
"yes…I know, Mr Barnes. I was sometimes present during the blitz".
He sighed;
"terrible…I lost my only son to the Battle of Britain".
She frowned;
"I'm very sorry, Mr Barnes…that is truly horrible".
Mr Barnes decided to change the subject;
"would you like to come inside for a cup of tea, Private? I'm sure your Lieutenant won't mind and Mrs Barnes would very much like to meet you".
Smiling, she nodded;
"thank you, Mrs Barnes…that would be lovely".
To get into their home above the shop, they had to walk around the back. Dallin's eyes got distracted when she saw the Barnes's garden. Though it was still winter, Mr Barnes had a good selection of winter flowers, all arranged and placed perfectly. It was clear the man was fond of gardening. Because even during the colder months, he still tended to his garden.
Much like her Abba had done.
Shaking her head, she said;
"every few days…my Abba would tend to the garden in winter months".
Mr Barnes smiled;
"I've always taken pride in my garden, Private. Come the Spring and summer, I'm never out of it. Mrs Barnes wishes for me to take it easy but…I find gardening very relaxing. It's good for one's mind, I say".
She nodded;
"it is…Mr Barnes".
Mr and Mrs Barnes had a lovely home and Mrs Barnes was more than happy that Dallin had stopped by for tea and lunch. The older couple had taken on an evacuee, her name was Elaine. She must have been around thirteen or fourteen-years-old and she had one of the best East London accents Dallin had heard in a long time.
Winters didn't mind that Dallin had stepped into his "English family's" home for lunch that Saturday afternoon. And it didn't feel awkward. It felt really nice. They ate cheese and pickle sandwiches, drank a lot of tea and talked about the village mostly. Dallin had a lot to say about the flowers and her surprise when she first woke up in Aldbourne. The subject then moved onto Poland. Which was fair, the Barnes's had lost their son during the war, they had every right to ask questions.
"I leave my country before German's invaded". She told the older couple, "I went on big ship with many other children…we were all going to England. And families met us at the dock, to take us in. I end up with family in East London. They were older married couple with older son, he was a year older than me. But we get along fine".
"Did the boy enlist?" Mr Barnes asked.
"No, Mr Barnes". She replied, "Tommy's legs do not work…he has disease in the bones".
Mrs Barnes frowned;
"what a terrible shame".
"He is fine with his disease". Dallin assured her lightly, "Tommy has lots of fun. He has many friends".
"What's his disease, Private?" Mr Barnes asked.
"Now…my English for the word might not be good". She warned them, "spina…bifida?"
Mrs Barnes nodded;
"that's correct, pet. I've heard of it. First comes at birth, doesn't it?"
"Yes". Dallin replied, "Tommy will live into his thirties but perhaps not over forty…that is what doctors say but Tommy believes to live as old, old man".
With a worried sort of look, Mr Barnes asked Dallin;
"could the Germans ever occupy our country?"
At first, she cast a look towards Winters.
She then looked back at Mr Barnes and told him;
"I do not think they have enough men to take Britain, Mr Barnes". She said, "when Germans invade my country, they were probably at full strength, yes? Well, they lose men during Battle of Stalingrad. Soviet's are very strong soldiers. I met some in London. And I meet soldiers from Czechoslovakia. But the Russian's…very fierce soldiers. Very proud. Germans attack the Soviets. They thought the battle would be over quick but they still fight. Hitler has German army everywhere. Most soldiers are unaware of things, yes? Things that happen in Germany, France and Poland. The soldiers take orders from leaders very high up. Hitler will lose half of Germany when Russia crosses into Germany. And once we win war, my people will not return to Poland, they will seek a new life in Israel".
Before they could ask why she told them;
"we feel betrayed by our country. By a lot of countries".
After lunch and tea, Winters was kind enough to walk Dallin back to where Easy was stationed. Leaving the Barnes's, Dallin promised to visit them again. She liked the small family. Mr Barnes was a lot like her Abba, they both had a keen interest in gardening. When they left the house, the first thing she said to Winters was;
"the Barnes's are very good people".
And he agreed;
"they are. I met them both outside the church, they were visiting their sons grave".
Dallin frowned;
"it is…very sad, sir".
"Yeah, it is". Winters said quietly. "But they aren't alone. A lot of parents have lost their sons".
Rubbing her lips together, she said;
"I wonder…if my parents still live, if they know about Kacper".
He frowned;
"I'm not sure, trooper".
When Dallin reached Easy's billets, she was happy to see Carl leave one of the huts. She thought he had gone off to London, but he had stayed behind, to keep his cousin company. For the rest of the day, they jammed and performed a few songs to each other. When they finished supper, they headed off to the Crown for a warm beer.
Carl told her;
"we don't need London". He smiled, "we've got each other…we'll paint this little village red".
Snorting softly, Dallin shook her head;
"no…this village does not need red…it needs peace".
He raised his eyebrow;
"you kidding? Look where we're at, Dallin".
Nodding, she looked at him;
"yes…but they live in fear for German invasion. Germany invade France, Poland and run out small towns and villages, Carl".
With a sigh, he mumbled;
"we're in one of those moods, are we?"
"Nie". She told him, "let's get fucked up".
…
On Sunday, Dallin and Carl didn't want to leave their beds. With splitting headaches and churning stomachs, they eventually left to grab a cup of coffee. In the afternoon, men began to return from their passes. Malarkey was excited because he had discovered a new place to drink and he found a new friend in the process. Guarnere was always happy after a weekend pass, he shared stories, which Dallin didn't want to know about. And then there was Shifty, who still wasn't smiling fully. But neither was Dallin.
When she left the barn, Dallin wasn't surprised that Popeye had followed her out. There was a small on his face, but it was small and sad looking. Dallin frowned;
"what's wrong?"
"You're both hurting each other". Popeye said to her quietly, "you's ain't meant to be away from each other, Dill-"
"Dill?" Dallin cut him off with a raised eyebrow.
His smile lightened a little;
"well, back where I'm from…everyone's got a nickname, ain't they? Why shouldn't you? I know you see Virginia as another home, Dill. But you know, you're both missing each other a hell of a lot, you and Shift. And I sure as hell would like my best friend back to being all cheerful again".
With a sigh, Dallin mumbled;
"he…he hurt me".
Popeye nodded;
"he sure did a stupid thing, huh? But he ain't 'gonna be making that mistake again, Dill. Cause he sure hates not talking to you".
Biting her lower lip, she whispered;
"they say…he will stop feeling bad soon, Popeye".
And he almost laughed;
"I don't think so, Dill". He said, "the only way he's 'gonna feel better, is having you by his side again. And that's the truth. He'd tell you this himself, you know but he's still trying to work up that courage".
Smiling, he then added;
"shit, Dill…you got him to shoot that dime, didn't you? That's how good you make him feel".
Biting down on her lip first, she then told Popeye;
"well…when he finds that courage, he can come find me".
Leaving Popeye, Dallin headed back to the hut. She was a little surprised to find Skip and Penkala packing up their things. Frowning, she walked over to the pair of them. Giving Skip's arm a tap, she asked;
"leaving?"
He nodded;
"1st Platoon". He replied, "Winters thinks me, and Malarkey will both get promoted to Sergeant. Ain't no use in having two Sergeant's lead the mortar squad in 2nd".
A sad smile reached her lips;
"very good for future promotion".
Skip chuckled quietly;
"yeah…guess so, huh?"
"But I miss you here, Uncle Skip".
Smiling softly at her, he said;
"you'll be fine, squirt. And I'm not too far away, huh? Listen, I'll even keep an eye on your cousin and his merry band".
Pulling an amused face, Penkala asked;
"what 'bout me, Dallin?"
Dallin smiled at Penkala;
"you will be missed here too, Penky".
It felt quiet when Skip and Penkala left their hut. They had two empty beds, which would be quickly filled by the two guys from 1st Platoon. It was a smart move on Winters behalf if he was right in telling Malarkey they were both getting promoted to Sergeant. But Malarkey had other ideas on the switch, and he told Dallin his theory;
"he doesn't like how close me, and Skip are".
"You think?"
Malarkey nodded;
"yeah…but it doesn't change anything, Dill. Skip's always 'gonna be my best buddy".
Dallin pulled a face;
"did Popeye tell you to call me Dill?"
He shook his head;
"no…everyone's going around calling you that now".
She sighed;
"Dill sounds like herb".
Malarkey chuckled;
"it's actually a fella's name".
She frowned;
"well…it is my name now".
Shuffling his deck of cards, Malarkey gave her a nod;
"right…you know the rules?"
"Yes…if I reach twenty-one, I win". She said, "if I go over, I bust".
"Correct". Malarkey said, "but if neither of us gets twenty-one, the closet wins".
They were sitting opposite each other on Malarkey's bed. The men were beginning to wind down. With it being Sunday evening, they had training bright and early in the morning. While he shuffled the deck, Malarkey asked her;
"you hear 'bout Buck?"
She shook her head;
"no".
Malarkey snorted;
"well…Winters sure ain't happy with him being our pals".
Dallin frowned;
"what did he say?"
Clearing his throat, Malarkey quoted Winters;
"if you like 'em so much, why don't you move out of the officers' quarters and go sleep with them".
She pulled a face;
"that sounds…very badly worded".
Malarkey chuckled;
"yeah, a little…'wanna know what Buck said back?"
Dallin nodded.
"He told him…maybe I will. I have more in common with them than I do with you".
Her eyes widened a little;
"oh…they don't seem to be friends".
Malarkey snorted;
"I mean, they respect each other as leaders, I guess but…there is some tension between them".
Dallin sighed;
"I thought we were done with the officer's disliking each other?"
Shaking his head, Malarkey mumbled;
"Nixon doesn't like Buck much either".
She frowned;
"why?"
Malarkey shrugged;
"Nixon said to Buck's face that he doesn't like jocks".
She rolled her eyes and muttered;
"you know…men complain about women being very bitchy and rude to one another, but you are just as bad…maybe even worse".
Malarkey chuckled;
"yeah…well, I'm not a part of the drama. They're all good officers. They're just all very different".
Shaking her head, Dallin mumbled;
"no…Winters and Buck share more in common. They both don't drink or smoke".
Giving her two cards, Malarkey said;
"I doubt they'll get around to discussing that, Dill".
"And they both love sports". She added, "they would find a lot to talk about if they stop being silly".
Malarkey nodded;
"yeah, you're probably right".
After looking at her cards, Dallin picked one up from the pile;
"what else happens with Buck?"
"Well, Jerry don't 'wanna be with him no more". He mumbled, "something about not wanting to wait around for him to come back".
Dallin frowned;
"that is…very sad".
Malarkey sighed;
"yeah…he seemed pretty torn-up 'bout it".
"I am beginning to see that men don't get over women easily, Don".
He looked at her;
"who told you that?"
She smiled a little;
"Popeye".
Malarkey snorted;
"well…he's got a point, Dill. We're not always tough, you know? We're human. We bleed. Shit. Bitch. Moan and get all sentimental".
"Yes…I know". She mumbled, "I have seen you all do that".
Malarkey chuckled;
"Jesus…we've really desensitised you, huh?"
Shaking her head, she said;
"that is…an understatement, Malarkey".