Fort Benning felt different from Camp Toccoa, a bit bigger and more intense when it came to training. After we moved there, the boys in Easy Company were training and learning how to jump out of the planes to become paratroops, and I got to learn some more on combat with Winters since Sobel was too occupied with the men. I was glad to be nowhere near Sobel from then on, since the incident in the mess hall. And even the boys were glad that I was farther away from them, even if they had to suffer under his wrath with more training and drills for going out in the fields. They would have to mock runs in their combat gear, having me watch from my medical cabin in the mornings. Eugene would have to join them since he was in combat, so it made some days a bit lonely. I had the nurses there though, Bethany came over from Camp Toccoa and it made me glad I got to learn from her more and more.
"One more time La Noux." Winters said to me as I threw up my gun and aimed at the target once more. I was going through the notions of using a gun in case I needed it, and having one of the training guns on hand Winters was helping me out. The rest of the boys were on a mock run, again, and it was the late afternoon. In the mornings, it was all about medical training, and the afternoons were with Winters in Combat. After a few days there, I got into the new routine down under my skin.
I shot down the target that was a bit away from me, having me slower the gun and look over at Winters. I was wearing own training combat gear: jackets and pants, boots with my socks, the bags strapped on and my fingerless gloves. I had my hair back in a french braid, though I still had my bangs out in the open in front of my cheeks when I looked over at Winters to see if I did it right. He smiled from his spot behind me, walking over to stand next to me and look at the target that I was shooting at. The target itself had a few good shots, though I still had a long way to go.
"So far so good. Never took you for a shooter really, La Noux." He explained, having me shrug my shoulders and lower the gun down to the floor.
"Me neither, sir." I replied back, having me see his grin grow a bit bigger as I then looked at the target again, thinking of how I can improve on my shooting when Winters spoke up once more from next to me, his tone was a bit more sincere tone.
"I heard what happened with Sobel back at Camp Toccoa." He replied, having me pause from looking at the target, not knowing what to tell him at first. But I had to point on a face, to show that I was over it and not going to let it affect me. I shrugged it off, keeping my eyes on the target and lifting my gun backup to position.
"It's nothing, sir. It wasn't my place to request such a proposition." I explained to him as I shot a couple of more times, in which I got the target all three times. It was funny, because I was picturing Sobel in my head when I was shooting and having my aggression come out with my finger on the trigger.
"Captain Sobel doesn't know a brilliant idea when it comes up to bite him in the ass." Winter said under his breath as a squad of soldiers was marching by us. I grinned, lowering the gun as he handed me a pistol. I cocked the pistol, aiming at the target and feeling the smaller amount of weight on my hand compared to the bigger gun that had me use both hands.
"Let alone one that comes from a female." I muttered back to him, shooting several times at the target and hearing nothing from Winters. I didn't know where he stood when it came to authority and women, but I doubted he was just as brash as Sobel was and he had no lines between the sexes. At least, I hoped there was no line between. After I finished my round with the pistol, I lowered the gun and looked back at Winters, seeing him watch me with that looked like intrigued eyes. It felt like Joe, but he was sincerely trying to figure me out from his spot behind me.
"You're smarter than you know, La Noux. And if the Captain can't see that, then the rest of our Company can." He explained to him, having me feel a sense of warmth come over me from his compliment. It was nice to hear it from another authority figure that I was smart, that I was good enough for his men and good enough for the Company. He had a good soul, an honest and true one. It reminded me of my father, the kind of soul that wanted to reach others when they were lost in their own demons.
"Thank you, sir." I replied to him, not being able to think of anything else to tell him. He nodded his head at me, pointing to the target and smirking.
"Show me how you can handle a pistol." He ordered me, having me smile and look back at the pistol, aiming with my hands and seeing Sobel's face on there again. Sure it seemed morbid, but I didn't mind since it was the one thing that was helping with keep in concentration. After that blow to the to
After that blow to the to stomach about who I was, I was glad I had another friend who believed in me.
I sat out on the porch of my cabin early one night, reading a letter form home and catching up on all that happened with my family since my departure. It's been another round of days that came and went, and after training under the eye of Winters, Colonel Sink was beyond glad to see my progress and how far I was going with my combat training. This day though was about the men in Easy Company, whom were all going on their jumps and having me wait to hear if they all passed the tests and became paratroopers.
I was wearing one of my midnight skirts, my combat jacket over my blouse and my hair in its waves, half up and half down as I read the letter in my mother's handwriting. Since I left home, they've been missing me terribly and hoping I was doing well. I didn't have the heart to tell them what happened with Sobel, but I wrote to them about the men in my Company and how they made me feel welcome. Owen was going off to College, a school out West in Colorado and he was going to write to me there. My father was doing good with his fishing business, since it was the time of year where he would get a good supply of fish and money coming from that. My mother was helping out at my old hospital since most of their nurses, like me, left for the army and they needed more nurses who were both new and veterans to the trade. I was glad they were doing fine, but it made me miss home and wish I was back there every once in awhile.
"Oi, gingembre." I heard in front of me, having me see Doc there in his combat gear and looking a bit out of breath. He took off his helmet and looked down at the letter I was holding. He could tell I was happy reading the letter and he pointed to the paper, "That from home?"
"Yes." I replied, folding the paper and leaning back on the chair that I was sitting at. Doc leaned against one of the pillars on the porch, watching me with his intense eyes and seeing how I was doing from the letter. I felt a overwhelming sense of homesickness soaring through me then. Maybe it was from seeing my mother's handwriting, or that she was telling me that she missed me and was proud of what I was doing. But I wished I was home then.
"Hows your mom and dad and brother?" he asked me with a tilt of his head as I rested my chin on my hand, looking off into the distance.
"All of them are good." I answered him, but my tone didn't reciprocate my happiness for it.
"Doesn't look like it from where I'm standing." I looked over at him finally, seeing him peer down at me as if he saw my heart being crushed. I gave him a small smile, sighing and rubbing my face in frustration.
"I just miss home." I replied, seeing him nod his head and cross his arms in front of me, "It's fishing season out on the bay, and festivals are starting up there."
"I remember those from my town." Doc explained as I watched him from my spot, "I miss it too: the sunset over the bay, the music in the summer night, the smell of sugar canes and the cotton coming in on the boat. You know what I miss the most?" I shook my head as I saw the smirk on his face, "I miss Po' boy."
"Don't start on food now." I warned him with a grin, hearing him chuckle as I went on with my rant, "God almighty, I miss fired catfish and Jambalaya."
"Damn woman you're making me hungry." He said in a groan, the both of us laughing, "Crawfish boil and gumbo."
"Sweet Jesus, my mother's Gumbo was to die for." I said in a moan, the both of us smirking from the reminiscing of our home's signature food. it was nice, since I wasn't the only one suffering from missing food that my mother would make. I smiled, feeling bait better about the situation since I was not the only one going through the same hard ache or pain that was there because of homesickness. I looked over at Doc, whom was smiling at me as well. It didn't click with me until I realized why he was here and not with the rest of the boys.
'Doc, what happened today? Did you pass?" I asked him, getting up from my chair and facing him as I waited for a answer. I felt bad that I didn't ask him sooner, but my mind was on my parents and he was helping me out in the situation.
"Yes we did." He replied in a grin, having me walk over and give him a big hug. He hugged me back, almost lifting me of the floor as we were celebrating together. All of the men passed the test and were now paratroopers, making me feel like a proud sister for them since I couldn't be there to see the whole thing. Once Doc placed me back on the floor, he looked down at me with a small smile on his face.
"The boys are going out tonight at a local place to celebrate, they asked me to come get you." He explained. I nodded my head. Hell, it would be nice to not be there by myself as the rest of the nurses were out for the night. It would be a breath of fresh air for me.
It would be a breath of fresh air for me.
"There they are! Over here Doc and Red!" I heard over the laughing and celebrating of the men as Doc and I made out way through the area. Doc was in his new uniform, as I wore my own nurse uniform and got my hair to look rather descent. The bar inside was a bit crowded with the huge amount of army men who were drinking and having a good time over the small band that was playing in the background in the corner. I could hear the accordion with the acoustic guitar, along with one drum and some other instruments that made me think of home.
We weaved through the crowd of men, whom were all having their one conversations with one another with big grins on their faces as we made it to the Easy Company men, all whom looked liked they conquered the world from jumping off a plane onto the ground.
"I just heard the news, very proud of you boys." I congratulated them, seeing them all with big grins on their faces and Bull walking over to me with his smug look on his face.
"And we heard you learned how to shoot a pistol today." He commented, having me hear the other men take interest in the conversation, "Looks to me like you're becoming more of a soldier than I gave you credit for."
"A dame with a gun is hot stuff around here." Luz said in one of his cray accents and mugged look on his face, having me hear the other men men and one man shove his head out of the way in annoyance. I heard one of them yell out, "Shut up Luz!" as some more music came up and over the roar of the men. I looked behind me, having me see some of the other nurses dance with the soldiers to the upbeat music. Bull grabbed my hand, pulling me onto the dance floor with him without me even trying to pull myself back.
"Come on Red!" He said over the upbeat music that made me think of home, having me roll my eyes and dance with him throughout the bar. It was a good night to celebrate, not just for the men but for me as well. I felt right at home with them, even if I was far away from my own home. Sure I missed the bay and the sea air, but this was just as good as being home.
After dancing with Bull for a song or two, I looked over to my left to see where the rest of the company was and how they were doing and how they were enjoying their night. Malarky and Perconte were talking together, Webster was with another couple of men from another company in a deep conversation, Luz was with some of the nurses, doing a imitation of some more because they were laughing as if it was the best thing in the world. The last one I saw was Liebgott, whom was taking a smoke and was with Doc and Toye. But his eyes were on me, once again giving me the feeling of being weightless and free. Every time we would look at each other, or more of him looking at me, I couldn't be able to breath or function. I had no idea why, and it made me frustrated. Talking to him was a breath of fresh air, his cockiness and his gentleness swirled onto his warm eyes that reminded me of chocolate in the springtime that was sold in Louisiana. It made me wonder.
Was I falling for him? Did I like him?
After Bull and I danced, I moved over to the bar and ordered a beer. It felt nice to be able to breath, let alone have a drink since the last time I had a beer was way back in New Orleans. I wasn't a big drinker, but I have drank my fair share of beer and Southern Comfort. Being born and bred in a city like New Orleans, drinks were in your blood and it was a part of your life, whether you knew it or not. Some believed people were conceived under the influence of liquor, that or they were driven to conceive. I had no clue, but it was well loved where I came from.
"Hello there darlin'." I looked over to see another soldier from another company walk over to stand next to me, his smile and the way his eyes were glassed over showed me that he was off his rocker with beer and a but wasted. I took a long sip, still watching him and see him eye me up and down. Damnit, it was Sobel all over again, but this time, this guy can do as he pleases. He was no Captain, so it was fair game.
"I wouldn't stand too close if I were you, solider." I said to him in a deceptive grin, having me see him lick his lips and his stench was hitting me in the face hard.
"How's about you and me go for a spin out here. You look like you can handle a lot of man in this uniform of yours." He slurred, having me finished the beer in my hand and face him fully, a hand on my hip and the other on the counter.
"How sweet you are, sugar. But I'll have to decline. I don't dance with the likes of men who have the alcohol tolerance of a mere teenager." I explained to him with a lit tone, though he looked a bit offended by it.
"You calling me a child, sweet thing?" He asked me, having me laugh at him and look back at the bartender, signaling him to get me another beer.
"No, sugar. I'm just calling you a amateur when it comes to drinking, and a bit of a pansy when it comes to picking up women." I explained back to him, have me see that he was starting to get real pissed at me now as I reached over to grab the beer from the counter. He grabbed my wrist, a death grip as I eyed him with a stern look as he looked back at me, pulling me closer to him. After he did this, I heard a pair of footsteps coming my way in a rapid face, almost in a fast walk or a jog. But my eyes were on the drunken soldier who was holding my wrist so tight I could feel a bruise coming through.
"I don't think you wanna stay no to me." He sneered at me, having me wish with all my heart that I could slug him. But then I saw him being shoved away from me, his hand on my wrist was released and I looked behind me to see who it was: Joe Liebgott. He looked pissed, more annoyance than angry, but I could tell he didn't like what he was seeing. Was he watching the whole time?
"Go outside and get some air." He said to the man in his low tone, having the solider smooth out his uniform and look over at Joe with a fierce look, still drunk out of his mind.
"This doesn't concern you, Liebgott." He replied back in a threatening tone.
"It does since she is part of my Company and one of my friends. So go cool it outside, or I doubt your Captain wants to hear me tell him that you were feelin' up a nurse whole under the influence." He said in a cock sure attitude. I eyed the Solider, who shook his head and walked away defeated. I could finally breath out, not longer in danger from another man as I turned around to see Joe looking down at me. His eyes were no longer heated but more concerned he looked at my wrist, grabbing it gently with his own hands and examining it. I felt his touch on my skin, so gentle and kind compared to the drunk solider. It made me feel frozen in my spot as I watched him.
"Did he hurt you too much Marley?" he asked me, using my first name and not the nickname I was used to by now. I shook my head, feeling my hair go with my head as I saw him look back at me.
"I'm okay Joe." I reassured him, seeing him give me a small smile, the only smile he would give me to show that he was okay with this. I smiled back at him, patting him on the hand. I wanted to change the conversation to something more pleasant between the both of us, since the last two time were of him getting mad for me. He then pointed to the beer on the counter near my other hand, a smirk was back on his face.
"Never took ya for a drinker." he joked with me, having me grab the beer and take one drink as he watched me. It was of felt like I was showing off to him, but I didn't mind. I was too occupied with him watching me and having me feel as though I could melt on the floor with the stare he was giving me.
"Never took you as the protective type, either." I said back to him, seeing him lean on the counter as he grabbed the beer from my hands, though my eyes never left his.
"I don't like people messing with what I like." he explained, taking a sip as I looked at him with a open mouth. He was sly enough with me, a smile clearly on his face as he drank from my own beer. It was as if he was waiting for me to slug him for drinking from my beer, but I didn't have the heart to do it. Not with him.
"You flirtin' with me?" I asked him in a amused tone, hearing him chuckle as he placed the beer back on the counter and shrugged his shoulders.
"Does it bother ya?" He asked, the cockiness was in his tone as I gave him my own unique smile. That moment made me feel as though we were the only two people there in the bar, no one else around to witness what was happening between us. I wanted that to be so, if only to know that this was real. I doubt he was a person to have women fall for him like fools, nor was he one who break hearts and run away. He seemed more genuine from me, more true and honest. I shook my head, both of us smiling like we were crazy kids in love.
"Not one bit."
