Erin watched as the bus drove further away from the compound. The past two weeks she spent watching and talking with Private Raymond were now over, and her friend was officially going state-side.

She made her way to Porter's office, hoping to get any info as to when the next batch of wounded could be expected. Probably sooner than later.

As she walked through the wooden doors, she saw Porter leaning back in his chair with his nose in a magazine.

"You get the latest edition of Nudist Weekly?"

He raised his gaze to her and glared back.

"Sorry. I meant literature."

"The mail came. Just finished delivering everyone's."

Erin walked over beside him. "Would you look at that... she's wearing nothing but a fedora. You'll have to loan me this magazine sometime."

"Oh would you quit joking around, ma'am!"

Erin smirked. "Anyway, I came to ask if you knew when we should expect more wounded."

"Maybe a day or two, it's been a while since we've gotten a big load," he replied.

"Thanks, Porter. I'll let you get back to your reading."

/scene/

When Erin got back to her quarters she noticed that there had been mail for her left on her bed. Jo had a letter sitting on her bed as well, but she wasn't here to open it.

But then she came to notice Darlene. She almost looked past her, from where she was standing she was practically invisible.

She was sitting on the ground, her head leaning against her cot, the very top of her head and the tips of her boots being the only thing Erin could see.

"Darlene?"

Erin closed the door behind her and came to sit beside her bunk mate. Her attention was completely devoted to the letter she was holding, and upon closer inspection, her eyes were red from a storm of tears.

"Darlene?" Erin said again.

She sat the letter in her lap and turned to look at Erin. "You know, this is the first time in thirteen years my mother... my actual mother, has contacted me?" Darlene rubbed at her eyes. "She's come to Michigan to visit me and my aunt and uncle, and only now she finds out I'm gone."

Erin placed a hand around Darlene's shoulder.

"I don't know if I want to keep hating her or... I mean, she left me, why shouldn't I hate her?"

"Maybe you should write her back. Giver your mother another chance."

"She's had plenty of chances to come back to me," Darlene turned her face away from Erin as her voice cracked, "but she never did..."

Erin reached for Darlene's hands. She took the letter and neatly folded it, reaching behind her to place it on the cot. "How about we go over to the officers club, I'll buy you a drink."