The Itch Chapter 19

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October 7, 1916

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Eddie and Bella sat opposite Jazz and Cap in the crowded canteen. Mutton stew had been served for tea and many of the men were complaining as they had been served far too much mutton in the army's soup kitchens.[i] Eddie thought wistfully of Mother Biggins's tender lamb stew. However, any dead sheep was a good sheep and he enjoyed taking his revenge upon the species that gave him difficulties.

"So," Jazz asked, "what did the doctors say?"

Eddie gently set down his spoon. "Well, I'm out of the army and the hospital but I guess you and Cap will still be seeing me on the regular."

"What, aren't they chucking you out, yet?"

"In a manner of speaking."

Jazz and Cap looked at each other apprehensively then stared at Eddie.

"I'll still be here twelve hours a day, six days a week."

Cap's forehead wrinkled and Jazz spoke for both of them. "Are they running out of beds or something?"

"No. Harris is chucking me out of bed and putting me to work."

Jasper leaned forward. "You're joshing."

"Nope."

"Harris gave you a job?" His voice was tight with excitement.

"He thinks the men with shell shock will relate to me."

"Better than him."

Cap snorted and extended his hand, and Eddie clasped it. "Congratulations."

"Thanks, Cap."

"When do you start?" Jazz asked quietly.

"Day after tomorrow. They're discharging me in the morning."

There was a moment of silence and Eddie was afraid Jazz and Cap were taking the news badly.

"Well," Jazz said, rattling his spoon against the dish. "At least we won't have to put up with your snoring anymore."

"I don't snore." Dared he make a joke? "That's Bella."

The lady in question squawked indignantly. "Oh, ye're in trouble now, mister!" But she gave his hand an affectionate squeeze because he made their mates laugh.

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October 8, 1916

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He shaved, bathed and dressed in his new white shirt and grey suit at dawn. His things were packed in a suitcase rather than his kit bag, which was still at the Bigginses. He was hoping to slip out without waking his roommates, but when he stooped to tie his boots his black cane tipped over and clattered upon the floor.

Eddie felt around for the stick without success. Jazz shuffled over, picked it up and handed it to him.

"Thanks."

"You should paint that a colour that's easy to see."

"That's a good idea."

"You about ready to go?"

"Yeah."

"Kid!" Cap called.

"Cap wants to hug you," Jazz said. Eddie manoeuvred himself around the bed and counted the steps to the furthest cot. He bent down and embraced Emmett.

"See you Monday morning, Cap."

"Bye, kiddo." Eddie started to straighten up but Em wouldn't let him. Rather, he kissed him on the forehead and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry."

"You had better get your strength back, sir. I will be watching to make sure you're improving. Bella and I will have you and Jasper come to us for Christmas but only if you can walk."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Eddie picked up his things. Hale followed him downstairs and sat with him on one of the chesterfields in the lobby. Eddie offered him a fag and took one himself. He took out his lighter and lit it, then held the light out for Jasper.

"I want you to watch Cap for me, Jazz." He sucked smoke into his lungs and expelled it slowly.

"I will. He's gonna have to eat my table scraps without you here to polish them off."

"He isn't out of the woods yet."

"I know." Jasper didn't say anything for a bit, then, he asked, "Do you think Mother Biggins will come to see us?"

"Yes, definitely."

"You know what today is, back home?" He picked up an ashtray off the table and flicked his ash into it.

"What?"

"Thanksgiving." He held out the ashtray to Eddie. "Today's the second Sunday in October. Thanksgiving in Canada."

"I never even thought about it." He hadn't celebrated the holiday in a few years.

"Well, I did. And I'm really thankful for meeting you again, Mace."

"Yeah, I'm glad, too."

The door swung open and Eddie heard a dog's claws click upon the floor. Private Barker invited himself onto Eddie's lap and Jasper laughed.

"Careful, boy!" Eddie tried to protect his person.

Bella whistled and the dog scrambled to the floor and sat smartly at her feet. His tail thumped upon the floor.

"Will you bring the dog to see us, sometimes?" Jazz asked.

"Sure." Eddie stood up and Jasper stood with him. "See you tomorrow, brother."

"Okay." Jasper's voice was husky. Eddie gave him a hug and a bracing pat.

Jasper didn't let go. "Happy Thanksgiving."

"Happy Thanksgiving, Jazz. I'll be here in the morning."

"Yeah, okay. Bye." He pulled away but didn't look up. "Bye, Bella."

"See ye tomorrow, Jasper."

"Yes, ma'am."

Eddie put on his peaked army cap while Bella attached Private Barker's lead. He walked with his cane extended, felt for the door and held it open for Bella. He took her arm as Dem had taught them, and she led him down the fourteen steps. At the bottom, she halted him.

"Eddie?"

"Yes?"

"Would ye mind visiting the garden before we go home?"

His lip tipped up. "Darling. Can't you wait until we get home?"

"Ach, I dinnae mean—" She stopped speaking abruptly. "Maybe it's a bad idea," she murmured.

"It's spitting rain. It's most certainly a bad idea."

"I haff… Never mind."

"What?"

"No, no, we'll go home."

He gave her what he hoped was a stern look. "Bella." When she didn't respond, he took her arm and tugged her toward the garden. After wiping their favourite bench with his hand, they sat down on the chilly, wet surface. "Now, spill."

Private Barker hid himself beneath Bella's skirt.

"I… haff something for ye. I had it yesterday but everything was sae overwhelming that I…"

"Is it the ring?"

"Yes, love. And I haff a confession."

"I'm listening."

"When I went to the jeweler's to make the commission, I left the bit of bone in his possession."

Eddie reflexively touched the brown bottle in his pocket. "What's in the bottle then?"

"I knew ye'd fret if it was nae with ye, so I put a wee upholstery tack in there."

A sharp rebuke flew to the tip of his tongue. Why would she do such a thing? Well, he hadn't exactly been behaving rationally. If he were honest, he knew Bella was right. He'd have fretted. Sighing, Eddie ducked his head. "I've been talking to a pin?"

"It doesnae matter if he's with ye or nae. Douglass heard ye."

Hopefully, he had accepted Eddie's apology and wasn't cursing him from hell. Eddie prayed he would find rest. Perhaps he should order a Mass for him. "So, he's… his remains are in the ring?"

"And it's soldered closed so he can neffer be lost."

"May I have it?"

Isobel placed the ring in his palm. "Do ye forgive me?"

"I understand why you did what you did. But it doesn't make me feel very manly."

"I'm sorry, love."

Eddie nodded, took the heavy ring between his thumb and index finger and held it up to his good eye. It was made of white gold and black enamel, with a thick, flat square top and beveled edges decorated with black poppies. Smoky stones were set in the top in the shape of a cross, and words were embossed in white around the band.

"Do ye like it?"

"It's perfect. What does it say?"

"Jeremy Douglass, Blue Puttees, July 1st, 1916."

"Thank you, Bella. I could not have chosen better for myself." He slid it onto the middle finger of his right hand and felt instantly better.

"Love?" Bella asked meekly.

"Hmm?"

"I hope ye willnae mind. I bought us each a memento. It is almost our anniversary."

Eddie had to admit he hadn't expected her to be interested in baubles. "You bought us anniversary jewelry?"

"Not exactly. I hope ye will nae be fashed with me."

"I am sure I won't." He waited expectantly while she took something small out of her reticule.

"I… thought, since ye may haff tae send Douglass tae his family, ye should haff a memento of yer men. And I wanted one, too." She grasped his hand and placed something in his palm. A black and gold band with a strip of shining white around the edges. "It says, 'July 1st, 1916, Beaumont-Hamel, in Mem. Blue Puttees'."

The magnitude of what Bella had given him stole his breath. "Oh, Bella." He put the band on the ring finger of his left hand and held it up to his face. She placed her right hand alongside his and he saw that her ring was an exact copy of his. "You are a marvel."

"Ye like them?"

"I love them. Such a wonderful idea. Thank you." He kissed the back of her hand and discovered that their rings touched.

"I'm sae pleased!"

"May we go home so I can show you how happy I am?"

"Yes, let's go!"

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True to her word, Bella was determined to keep him in bed all day. And to that end, their mourning rings were carefully tucked up in an enamelled box on the mantle.

"I am not using that!" Eddie crossed his arms mulishly. "There's a perfectly good WC right down the hall."

"Ye dinnae haff a problem with it in the hospital."

He tipped his head almost sideways to look into her eyes. "I wasn't about to parade around naked in the hospital."

Bella beamed at him. "Precisely!"

"There, I was not allowed to wear clothes."

"I forbade you to wear anything today. At least until tea. And you agreed."

"I never used it in front of anyone. We aren't in a trench!"

Even with his terrible eyesight, Eddie knew he'd caught her interest. "Did ye haff tae relieve yerself in front of others at the front, then?"

"Bella."

"Eddie," she sang.

"Wooman. Ye're fashing me!"

She snaked her arms around his neck and sampled the skin beneath his ear. His eyes rolled back in his head a little. If he didn't need to—

"Isobel. If you don't let me go, I'm going to have an accident right here on Mother Biggins's lovely carpet."

"I dinnae want ye tae leave the room." Was she getting weepy? "If ye do, someone will notice ye and spoil our day alone."

Ah, that explained it. Eddie stroked her cheek, stole the urinal from her and set it down. "Let me go, darling, and in ten minutes, you can join me in the tub."

"The tub?" Excellent. She sounded cheerful again. Eddie congratulated himself on his persuasive power. He ran his hands over her hips.

"Yes. Everyone's at work right now, eh? So I think we can lock ourselves in for a bit."

Bella did a little hop and hurried to retrieve his cotton robe from wherever she'd hidden it the night before.

"Where was it?" he mock-growled as he shrugged into it.

"I'll neffer tell."

"You're asking for a spanking, trouble."

"Just dinnae forget the rule of thumb, all right?"[ii]

"Hmm… I'll have to measure my cane." But it was she who swatted him on the backside as he stepped out into the hallway.

A few minutes later, he sank into hot water up to his neck. The door opened on greased hinges and Bella slipped inside.

"That is you, isn't it?"

"Silly." She locked the door and dropped her dressing gown to the floor, setting their towels near the tub.

"Check if it's too hot for you."

Bella stuck her fingers in. "It's pretty hot." She poured in scented bath salts that somehow reminded Eddie of Egypt.

"Do you want me to add cold?" he asked.

"No. I'll be all right in a minute."

Instead, Eddie let down a bit of water and turned on the tap.

"It is fine, love," Bella insisted.

"Let me protect you, Bella."

When the scald was taken off the water, Bella turned off the tap. Eddie reached for her hands and braced her as she got in. She slipped her legs over his hips and rested her arms on his thighs.

"Ah, that's lovely."

"Yes." He circled his fingertips over her knees. "I love the heat."

"As well ye should."

He hoped he wasn't being too needy. "Can I wash your hair?"

Bella groaned. "Not this time. I'd never haff it dry in time for tea. But I would love that."

"You would?"

"Yes."

"Can I wash the rest of you?"

"Yes, please." Bella passed him her violet beauty soap and a washrag, and Eddie soaped her from head to toe. He paid particular attention to areas touched by nobody but him—at least since infancy. It was a toss-up as to which of them was enjoying it more. At last, with the washrag, he trickled hot water over her skin.

Bella began to explore him in return but he found he was too drowsy to rise to the occasion. He rested his head on the rim of the bath and let his eyes drift closed while Bella washed him all over.

"Do ye want tae get out?"

"Hmm?"

"Ye're falling asleep."

"No, not yet. Put your head on my chest."

Carefully, she shifted toward him and lay down upon him. He wrapped his arms and legs around her and matched her breaths. They rested there until the water cooled, then, patted each other dry and put on their robes. An afternoon nap seemed like just the ticket.

Eddie took Bella's hand and led her back to their room. He opened the door for her. A male voice boomed from within, scaring the shit out of them both. Eddie pushed Bella behind him and hunkered down.

"Anthony Edward Masen! What in the name of Heaven is the meaning of this?"

A woman burst into tears.

Eddie straightened up and gave Bella a reassuring pat but she continued to clutch at his robe.

"Hello, Da."

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[i] My grandfather refused to eat even the most tender roasted lamb. Mutton is the meat of a mature sheep and it's very tough. Soldiers were served a lot of it as it was easy to come by. Poppa used to turn up his nose and grumble, "Mutton!" and that was the end of that.

[ii] The Rule of Thumb has been misidentified as an ancient English law that allowed a man to beat his wife with any switch or cane thinner than his thumb. This is actually a very old urban legend that wife beaters once used to defend themselves in court. The misuse persists despite the Oxford English Dictionary definition: "A method or procedure derived entirely from practice or experience, without any basis in scientific knowledge; a roughly practical method." The OED dates the phrase's first reference to 1692.

The expression was actually coined to describe a method by which brewers once tested the temperature of a batch of beer: they dipped a thumb in the brew.

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Sorry I missed a week, guys. I have bronchitis but I'm on the mend. See you next Wednesday. That will be a nice, long chapter. xoox