Chapter 13 - Emily - June 1944

Emily arrived in Portland of County Dorset on June 1st, 1944. She felt oddly vulnerable away from the airborne for the first time in almost a year. It almost felt like she was starting a brand new job. Emily felt her guard going up as she walked up the gang plank of the troop ship similar to the one she had rode to England. It was necessary to be confident, and when that failed, to at least appear confident, Emily coached herself. Once again she would be surrounded by nurses. And this time, instead of soldiers, they would be accompanied by chaplains, priests, journalists, linguists, and other non-essentials. Emily hated that word. If they were non-essential why were they being brought over in the first place?

Emily dreaded the thought of spending an indefinite number of days bunked up with unoccupied nurses. All of the soldiers they were trained to heal were on ships set to take off before them and without anyone to take care of how would they fill their time? Emily had maps to review, strategies to memorize and actions to anticipate. She felt guilty at how she underestimated her own sex but she had never respected the women she had known back home. For being on the brink of entering a war zone, Emily felt more anxiety about passing time with these female strangers. Memories of George and Frank and all the other Easy Company men playing darts and cards and taking her to the dance floor filled her with nostalgia. She couldn't wait to be reunited with her boys.

A seaman led her to her quarters at the end of a narrow, steel hallway. Emily could already feel the sway of the ship. Perhaps it was all psychological, she reasoned with herself, they were still docked after all. The seaman opened the heavy metal door then made room for Emily to enter the compact bedroom where two of the narrowest beds she had ever seen were pressed up against the left wall bunk style.

Emily thanked the seaman and began to settle into the room. She wondered if she would have a roommate and was uncertain of which bunk she should claim. Reassuring herself that it wasn't actually a big deal, Emily began to set out her things on the bottom bunk. She was organizing her maps on the small table beside the bed when the door creaked open.

A slim women dressed in a crisp British nurses uniform ducked through the doorway.

"Oh," Emily exclaimed in surprise, "hi!"

The woman stopped just in front of the doorway, "hello." She had piercing gold eyes that leveled on Emily.

Emily felt nervous under her gaze, "I have my stuff on the bottom bunk. But I only just started to unpack so I would be happy to take the top bunk," she said quickly.

"It's no trouble," the woman's voice was accented but by what accent Emily wasn't sure, "I am happy to take the top bed."

"Where are all your things?" Emily asked.

"They are in a locker for now, I am waiting to unpack." Not that either of them had much room to do so in their tightly shared room. The necessities would be brought out and then everything else would remain in a knapsack beneath the bed until needed.

"I'm Emily," Emily extended her hand, "Emily Rooney."

"Nice to meet you Emily," the woman lilted, "I am Marwa Gamal. Eh, are you feeling okay?"

Having been momentarily distracted, Emily hadn't realized how nauseous she really felt. "Honestly, I'm feeling a bit woozy."

"It is your first time on a boat?" Marwa asked.

"No," Emily shook her head, "that's what's strange. I didn't get sick last time I was on a troop ship.

"It happens. Nerves!" Marwa gestured vaguely. "Here, take this." The golden eyed woman produced a paper wrapped candy from her apron pocket. "Ginger, it will help." Emily nodded gratefully. She popped the candy into her mouth and was hit by how spicy it was. Her eyes welled up slightly and Marwa chuckled. "It is good for you," she said pointing a delicate finger at Emily. Then she crawled up onto the bunk.

"So where are you from Emily Rooney?" Marwa asked from her bed. Emily smoothed her maps.

"America."

"Ah, America, which part?"

"The United States."

"And you are a nurse?" Marwa asked. "No, I'm in intelligence." "And you are going to the continent?" Marwa asked in surprise.

"Yes, I'm part of the intelligence division of the 506th parachute regiment." Emily felt her chest swell with pride at the thought of her colleagues. "But I'm the only woman and not cleared to jump." "Phew," Marwa exhaled, "parachuting. Such a crazy thing to do I think."

Emily smiled knowing that the men she left behind loved being referred to as the crazy ones. "Where are you from, Marwa?"

"Africa." Marwa copied Emily's continental response.

"Aren't Africans black?"

Marwa sat up in her bed, "am I not what you would call black?"

Emily took a second look at the golden eyed woman. Her skin was darker than Emily's but not like the black people Emily had known in the states. Marwa's skin tone was similar to a milky coffee and her black hair was smooth. "Uh," Emily hesitated suddenly unsure, "but- but you aren't, you aren't very dark."

"No, I am brown," Marwa said calmly.

Emily blushed red in embarrassment, she didn't know how else to ask, "so what is your race?" "Does it matter? Do you want to know where I'm from?" Marwa asked with a raised eyebrow. Emily nodded fervently.

"I am Egyptian. That is where I am from, that is the country I am proud of. My father is Algerian, but my mother, brothers, and I are Egyptian."

"Oh okay, I'm sorry," Emily turned away to hide her red face.

"Why are you sorry? You did not know," Marwa said, "now you know. Never apologize for learning, only apologize if you don't do anything with your knowledge."

"Thank you," Emily said quietly. Now she only had more questions now. "So you're a British nurse?" she asked.

"Yes, I came over a few years ago. It has been so bad."

"Did you train here too?"

"No," Marwa's gaze slipped to a far off place. Emily leaned against the little table, looking up at the woman waiting for her to continue, "I trained in Egypt. But there was little work, little opportunity."

"Are there lots of nurses in Egypt?" "Some. But Egypt is neutral now, only a battleground for looters. There is no place for me there."

"Oh, I didn't realize." "No. I have known this war much longer than you," Marwa's look came back, "but I wanted to continue working. I speak English, I speak French, so I came to England to work."

"I don't speak French, but I'm glad to have found work here too."

Marwa smiled, "yes, the one good part of this war is the excuse to not get married," she said wryly.

Emily laughed and a sensation of relief filled her. This woman who came from such a different place than her seemed to have more in common with her than anyone else she had known.

The days passed painstakingly slowly on the troop ship. Emily wished they could go into town, or on land at all, but there were strict rules in place that kept them ready to leave at a moments notice. No one seemed to know when exactly they would be leaving. First, the perfect moment had to come for the soldiers. Then Emily and the non-essentials would follow the day after. The general plan was for the army to secure the beaches - and ideally a port - upon landing on the beaches of Normandy. Once the beaches were secure the remainder of the force would move in and dock in on Mulberry harbors.

Emily was grateful for Marwa's company on the slow days. They were able to share comfortable silence in their room and Marwa even introduced her to a few of the other nurses. One evening at a meal in the lower levels of the ship Emily sat between Marwa and an Irish nurse named Mary.

"I canna tell ya, seeing him as that priest, I was thinking some very sinful thoughts," Mary said. The nurses around her erupted into fits of giggles, "father Mitchell nearly fainted the next day when I confessed." Emily tried to laugh along with the other women but she had no clue as to what Mary was talking about.

"Who's this?" she asked bewildered.

"Bing Crosby of course!" A curly blonde nurse named Linda said.

"Bing Crosby? In a movie?" "Have ya na seen Going My Way?" Mary asked in shock. Emily shook her head. "Oh my girl, as soon as we're back safely we are going straight to the theater and demanding they show it!" The women laughed at the thought of Mary storming a theater and demanding they project a film that was leaving theaters.

"You have been spending too much time around men," Marwa said shaking her head disapprovingly.

"Lucky her," Mary interjected, and the women all laughed and nodded agreement.

Emily shrugged, "I've always gotten along better with men."

"Oh thank you!" Mary teased.

"Sorry, I have! You all are so different from the women I know back home."

Marwa surveyed her, "well you need to find yourself some girlfriends when you get back. Women need women. Who else will understand what we go through?" The other nurses murmured their agreement.

Emily considered her words. She had never craved female company before. All the women she had known back home had been so dull. They were content to do nothing more than get married. But now, surrounded by these women, she could see the camaraderie they shared. It was just that Emily's greatest fear was ending up just like her mother.

As if reading her thoughts Marwa leaned forward to take her hand, "not all women are the same. That's why you have to find your people. You and me, us, we are all soul sisters. We are here for the same reasons because we are cut from the same cloth."

"I hated the girls at my school," Mary added. "As soon as they grew breasts all they seemed to think about was boys!" "And you didn't?" Another nurse laughed.

"Okay, okay I did! But that wasn't my primary focus. Just my weekend fun!" Mary winked at Emily and she giggled. "I wanted to be a doctor so I did the next best thing."

"One day!" Linda exclaimed.

"Yes! One day!" Mary cheered. The other nurses expressed their assent and Emily looked around this circle of women, women she felt connected to, she felt seen by. Suddenly, a horn blew from the top of the deck. Everyone in the mess room fell silent and an officer came down from above deck.

"Gentlemen," he addressed the men, "ladies," he nodded at the nurses, "the armies have docked off. Prepare to leave in 14 hours."

The nurses exchanged wide-eyed looks. Emily felt her stomach drop and her palms began to sweat. Today was the day of days.