Infinitely Brave

by theletterdee

AU: 1940, Matthew is preparing to leave for training in the army. He enters a diner and meets a waitress working her way through medical school, and asks if he could write to her while overseas. Almost Doctor Alice Harvey accepts after they spend some time conversing after her shift, and a friendship blossoms in exchanged letters. Inspired by "Traveling Soldier" - The Chicks

54. 15 June 1942

15 June 1942

My Dearest Matty,

I have done as you and Christopher Beazley asked and enclosed the photos. I hope they're what he was wanting to have.

I also adore your mother, I see a lot of you in her and I very nearly thought it was Vera standing in the door instead of her, and I feel just as safe with her as I do you. She took me around Ballarat and I met with a handful of people - a "soft introduction" to the town as your mum put it. (I think she might be hatching plans, my dear, it'll be fun to see what she comes up with - she might even straight-up adopt me regardless of how things end up between us… I like her a lot.)

Jean and the boys were also very nice to meet - no, Jean didn't come on too strong… well, no stronger than I'm used to; she means well and is very protective of you, so I don't blame her for being skeptical of me and of us - I did the same to all of Clara's beaus before she met Eric. We have more in common than either one of us probably though and I look forward to getting to know her better - I think we can be good friends.

I found some gems while developing the photos - young Christopher Junior has quite the eye for taking photos, and I made some extra copies to give both to you and Christopher, but also Jean and your mum.

How is it going for you and the boys? I feel a little guilty about being able to vacation in your childhood home while you're stuck up north for the foreseeable future. How's the book going? Gain any new members into our Jane Austen club?

Yours,

Alice

[Another red lip print sits next to her signature. Enclosed within the envelope are photos of Jack and Christopher Jr. Beazley, Jean Beazley, and all three of them together in various poses. Also enclosed are photos of the farm, skewed photos of Charlotte Lawson (Alice has written either "Taken by Jack Beazley" or "Taken by Christopher Beazley" on a handful of them), as well as a candid photo of Alice and Jean sitting on the back porch, beers in hand, Alice laughing at something Jean said. The last photos are ones of Charlotte and the Lawson house. On the back of one with Alice and Charlotte together, Alice has written "Alice Harvey and Charlotte Lawson, June 1942. Mum sends her love - A"]