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Charlotte was slowly slipping into madness. There wasn't much to do on the ship besides play cards, smoke, and walk around, and she usually rotated through those a couple of times of day. It was creeping up to day 5 though, and her routine was starting to become mundane. And boring. And she was going crazy.
"Princess, will you stop fucking pacing already? Jesus." Bill exclaimed from his bunk, laying his cards on his chest so he could light yet another cigarette.
Lottie huffed in reply. She had been pacing down the line of Easy's bunks, trying to memorize the faces of each of her friends. She wasn't sure how long they would be stationed where they were going, or when they'd be going into combat, but the thought of not seeing one of these men again made her fraught with worry. "I'm bored, William. This is what bored people do, we pace." She smirked, coming to sit at the foot of his bunk, nudging his feet over.
"C'mon, let us deal you in, then." He started to sit up, reaching for the deck of cards. They were playing poker, a game she despised.
"Oh, no, that's fine. I'm not that bored." This earned a laugh from the group of men. She had demonstrated her poor poker playing abilities on day 2, and they hadn't let her live it down.
"Hey, we'll go easy on you." George said around his cigarette, and Tab scoffed quietly from beside him before standing up, muttering something about going outside.
Lottie gave him a small frown, measuring her reply before speaking. "I don't want you to go easy on me, Georgie." She stole the cigarette from his mouth, taking a drag of it to finish it off before dropping it to the ground.
"Fine, we'll beat you fair and square, sound better?" Bill chimed in again, shuffling the cards before dealing them out to the 4 of them, Luz, Malarkey, himself, and Lottie. She huffed, but complied, knowing the boys wouldn't be taking no for answer. "The game is five card draw, and for this game, we aren't using money."
Lottie's eyes shot up to Bill, watching him incredulously. "What do you mean? What are we using then?" She heard Malarkey pipe up from across, and she nodded, echoing his question.
"You'll see." Bill smirked, and she could only sigh. When Bill set his mind to something, she knew better than to stand in his way.
A few hands in and Lottie finally understood what game Bill was playing. They were using chips, but he had somehow combined truth or dare into the game. You won the hand, you were safe for the round. You folded, a dare. If you lost, a truth.
Lottie had so far been forced to steal a pack of cigarettes from Dog, tell a private from Able company that she was a stowaway, and explain in detail how she lost her virginity. She wasn't having fun.
"C'mon princess, it's fine. One more round, promise." George nudged her, smirking at her obvious discomfort. She was smoking like a chimney, uncomfortable but unwilling to back down.
"Sure, of course, you'd say that. You haven't lost." Lottie grumbled, gripping her cards tightly in her hand. George winked, nodding in affirmation. "Well, I am the best."
George and Don had folded, and it had come down to Lottie and Bill. She was chewing on her lip nervously, flipping her cards around in her hand to see all of her options. Don peered over her shoulder, nodding his approval. "Oh c'mon, don't give her false hope." Bill bemoaned, rolling his eyes.
"Shut up, Bill, you're just mad I might actually win a hand." Lottie giggled before slowly laying down her cards. "Two pair." She laid out her hand, smirking at the man across from her. He slowly started to nod, blowing the smoke from his cigarette in her direction.
"Not bad, doll face. Not bad," Bill conceded, "but not good enough. Straight flush." He threw his cards down in front of her, guffawing loudly as he received slaps on the back from the group of spectators.
Lottie frowned, letting out a moan of defeat. "Fucking hell, Bill. You suck." She whined, stealing the cigarette from George's hand that he had just lit. George scowled, letting her take a drag before stealing it back, much to her chagrin.
"Okay, fine, fine, you win. What's the question?" Charlotte huffed after a moment, folding her arms over her chest indignantly. She was becoming a sore loser, especially after losing four times in a row.
"Alright, alright, I'll go easy on you." Bill chuckled at her expression. There was a familiar flicker of mischief behind his eyes, one that usually appeared when he was going to cause trouble. She didn't like the look of that. "What's the deal with you and Tab?" He finally asked, and a hush fell over the crowd that had accrued.
Lottie's jaw dropped slightly. Whatever she had expected, that wasn't it. She closed and opened her mouth a few times, eyes meeting the men around her. She hadn't realized their rivalry had caused so much attention. They had been joined by Liebgott, Toye, Frank, and Eugene.
"Uh...well..." Charlotte began, and then trailed off, slowly scratching the back of her neck. "It's really not that exciting." She finally sighed, trying to brush it off.
Immediately there were protests from the men around her and she rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, it's your turn!" George whined, leaning against her side with a pout. She couldn't help but laugh at his expression, shaking her head slightly.
"Why do you want to know so badly?" Lottie frowned. The men in this company were worse than a group of gossiping old ladies, that was why.
"We just hate seeing the two of you fight like this." Eugene came up and sat on the other side of her, sandwiching her in between himself and George. She felt immediately weak like they were coddling her, like she was something fragile to be protected.
"Look, nothing really happened. He's just...he's an asshole." Lottie bristled, folding her arms over her chest defensively. She sighed, watching their expressions. They didn't seem to be satisfied with her answer, and she knew they wouldn't let it go that easily.
"Okay, fuck, fine." She ground out, exasperated. "Floyd and I, we...we grew up together in Kokomo. Our families were very close, our dads went hunting together. I always had a big crush on him, just a stupid...anyways. Somehow, Floyd had found out about my crush, and instead of letting me down gently, he...well, he decided to lead me on, and he used it to his advantage." Lottie shrugged, slowly looking up from her hands to meet their eyes.
"Fuck, this is why I didn't want to tell you guys. It's really not that big of a deal...I'm over it." She rolled her eyes, letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding. The men were staring with pity in their eyes and she quickly snatched up the closest pillow, smacking the men closest to her. "Stop looking at me like that!" She commanded.
"Jesus, doll, when did you get such an arm on you?" Bill covered his head defensively, laughing boisterously.
The men quickly joined in, laughing along with them. It felt good to laugh, to get past the awkward silence that had followed her confession.
"It's what you get, Gonorrhea!" Charlotte giggled, smacking him one more time for effect before smacking the men around her. She didn't get very far before the pillow was snatched from her hands by George, and soon the group was engulfed in laughter, stealing pillows from the bunks around her to continue the battle.
It was mid-September by the time the ship had docked in England. Charlotte was awestruck, as she had never stepped foot out of Kokomo until just recently. This was all new to her, and she was struggling to take it all in.
Easy was to stay in a town called Aldbourne, and Charlotte was billeted with a lovely couple named Jane and Randall Farris. They had been shocked to see a woman appear on their door, but quickly recovered and welcomed her into their home.
Training was taking place nearly every day. Hand to hand combat, lots of classroom education, and even time spent at the shooting range. Lottie quickly learned how fun it was to shoot a bazooka. She spent most on the range, practicing her rifle and handgun skills. She grew up shooting guns with her father, as soon as she was strong enough to hold up a gun, but practice made perfect.
Lottie was usually joined by George. The two had become close during training, but spending every waking moment together on the ship had brought them even closer. She gave him pointers on how to get a better shot, and he taught her better self-defense tactics.
After a long day of training, the two were walking back to their respective billets. "Princess, when are you gonna start coming out with us? We could use you as a distraction when we play darts." He winked, causing her to laugh loudly.
"You know, as tempting as that sounds, I think I'll pass." She rolled her eyes, elbowing him when he began to pout.
"C'mon, please? I'll even buy all your drinks. Every single one." George gave his best puppy dog eyes, and finally, Charlotte sighed in surrender.
"Okay, fine. But I'm holding you to that, Luz. Every. Single. Drink." Lottie poked him with every word, giving him a glare that made him shiver.
"You know, princess, something tells me you won't have to worry about who's buying your drink tonight." With that he shoved her towards the house, promising to pick her up later that evening.
Charlotte dithered between wearing her dress greens or an actual dress. She had managed to sneak a few dresses from back home, but none of them seemed appropriate for a night at the pub. After voicing her concerns, Jane had happily found a dress that was deemed perfect for the occasion in her own wardrobe, with shoes to match.
It was a lovely blue color that complemented Charlotte's hair, complete with cap sleeves, a low back, a full skirt, and a sweetheart neckline. The shoes were matched in color with a small heel and a buckle at the ankle. She spun around the room several times in the dress, marveling at the feel of the fabric against her skin. It felt good to dress as a woman again.
Charlotte curled her hair slightly, pinning the front few locks back to frame her face, and applied simple makeup; mascara, blush, a touch of concealer to hide the bags under her eyes, and a ruby red lipstick.
After a few moments of admiring her work, shocked that she still remembered how to get all dolled up after how many years of dressing in nothing but olive, she heard the familiar lilt of George and surprisingly Joe's laugh come from downstairs. She stood, grabbing a small clutch Jane had lent her as well, checking her appearance in the vanity one last time before heading down to meet the men who had come to escort her.
George was the first to notice her, quickly smacking Liebgott's chest to get his attention. Their jaws dropped and she found herself blushing, unsure of what to do with the attention. "Careful boys, you might catch a fly in there. Goodnight Jane, goodnight Randall, I'll be home tonight!" She kissed them both on their cheeks, grabbing the men's arms and leading them out of the home.
It took a moment, as they both were still in shock before they finally got their bearings together and joined her on the porch. "Shit, princess, you look...shit." George finally spoke, eyes looking her up and down.
"Well Georgie, I hope that's a compliment." Charlotte spoke through laughter, nervously brushing her skirt out as they walked towards the pub.
"George is right. You clean up well." Joe nodded, and Lottie felt her cheeks heat at the attention she was receiving.
"Guys, it's just me. I just covered up the ugliness." Charlotte joked to cover her nervousness. She wasn't sure how to react.
"Oh stop, just enjoy the attention." Joe quickly recovered, elbowing her gently. Charlotte relaxed instantly, laughing loudly.
"There are my boys, I thought I lost you there." She giggled, linking arms with the both of them, and the rest of the walk was spent joking and chatting along about their experiences over the last week.
"Listen, just make sure you stay by our sides tonight, okay? There are some boys from Dog company in there, so make sure you stay near Easy." George stopped them just shy of the door. He looked serious, something Charlotte rarely saw in his eyes, and she was so shocked by the change all she could do was nod.
Joe opened the door for the trio and they walked inside, quickly approaching the bar. Somewhere in the corner, the record was playing In the Mood by Glenn Miller, and Charlotte began to sway to the tune, giggling at the sound of real music again.
"Three beers." George nodded at the bartender, winking at her to show he remembered their deal. She wouldn't be paying for anything tonight.
After getting their drinks they approached the corner of the bar where it seemed the men of Easy had congregated, and George pulled out the chair for Charlotte to sit down. "Oh piss off, just because I'm wearing a dress doesn't mean you need to start acting like I'm a lady." She laughed but took the seat regardless.
Charlotte was met with silence. It seemed all the men in the nearby vicinity had stopped to stare at her and she huffed, annoyed that it was happening again.
"Damn, princess, you clean up good." Bill broke the silence first, holding up his glass as he clinked it against hers in cheers.
"Thank you, Gonorrhea." Lottie laughed in reply, taking a drink of the cool, frothy liquid.
The boys around them shared similar remarks, admiring the way her cheeks blushed as they continued with the compliments.
"Yah, who knew she was an actual woman under all that?" Cobb sneered from the corner and he was quickly shoved by the man closest to him, who happened to be Joe Toye. She raised her glass to Joe in thanks, and he smirked in reply, nodding back.
Charlotte's cheeks hurt from laughing. One beer quickly turned into two and then three, and George had been right. Men were stepping in left and right to buy her drinks for her. She didn't even need to accompany them to the bar, they just appeared in front of her.
"Here ya go, darlin'." Bull said, setting the fourth beer in front of her just after she finished her third.
"Oh, bless you, Bull." Lottie giggled, clinking the new glass of her own against his. Another jazz song came on the record player, and she began swaying in her seat to the soft music.
"Care for a dance?" Lottie looked up into the eyes of Lewis Nixon, and she nodded quickly, a smile on her face. She took his hand and allowed him to help her up, shaking her head at the sound of protests from the men around her.
"Oh, come on!"
"That's not fair!"
"Don't be mad he had the guts to ask me first." Charlotte laughed at their expressions, like children being denied their favorite toy. "Luz, watch my drink, please?" She thanked him silently at his nod before following Nixon out to the dance floor.
"I have a feeling there will be a line out the door soon enough." Nixon murmured as they came to the center of the dance floor. She placed her hand on his shoulder, cackling in reply. She wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or the giddiness from the attention she was receiving.
"You know just what to say to make a girl's day, don't you?" Lottie teased, allowing him to lead her across the floor to the song.
"That's how I got married." Nixon replied, earning another laugh from Charlotte.
After Nixon came Liebgott, followed by George, Bill, Don, Bull, and Joe Toye. Her feet were aching and her face flushed from exertion, but she hadn't had so much fun in ages.
"Okay, I need a break." Charlotte confessed after the song was over, allowing Toye to lead her back over to her seat. She took a much-needed gulp of beer, her head spinning from the alcohol, and from how many times they spun her around the floor.
"You boys sure know how to make a girl feel special." Lottie chuckled again, taking the cigarette offered to her by Frank. She thanked him quietly, inhaling the smoke slowly.
"You deserve it, after putting up with all of us." Joe smirked from next to her, taking a drink of his own beer. She shrugged after a moment, slowly nodding.
"You're not wrong." She raised her glass to his, finally finishing off the beer.
Eugene stepped up, offering his hand with a soft smile. "My turn to buy you a drink." His soft, cajun voice caught her off guard and it took her a second to respond.
"Won't say no to that." Lottie laughed, taking his hand and allowing him to lead her to the bar. She leaned on him for support, feeling the effects of the beer more so than normal. It had been a very long dry spell.
"You look real pretty, cher." Eugene finally spoke, leaning against the bar.
"Thank you, Gene. I'm not used to getting so many compliments, soon enough my head will be bigger than George's." Charlotte giggled at George's protest from across the room.
"Well, better get used to it, cher." Gene nodded, giving her a shy smile.
As the party finally started to come to an end, George quickly offered to escort Charlotte home. She obliged, only because she knew the whole of Easy company would take her back to her home if she didn't allow him.
The two made their way out into the brisk, October air, and Lottie quickly shivered. She tried to cover it up by clearing her throat, but he noticed, draping the coat of his dress uniform over her shoulders.
They walked in silence, too drunk and too worn to try and form coherent sentences.
It didn't take long until they arrived at Charlotte's home, and she slowly slipped the coat from her shoulders, offering it back to him.
"Thank you for tonight, George. I had so much fun, all thanks to you." Lottie grinned up to him, before resting her hands on his shoulders. She leaned up, pressing her lips to his cheek, only he turned his head at just the right moment, causing her lips to fall against his.
It took her a moment to realize what had happened, and she took a step back, quickly clearing her throat. "Um, well...good night." She blushed, rushing up the stairs and into the room, locking the doors behind her.
"Goodnight." George murmured after watching her walk inside, reaching his hand up to touch his lips. Neither of them noticed the pair of eyes watching them from the shadows.