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Chapter 5: Aldbourne Bound

Camp Shanks, New York

September 1943

As summer drew to an end, and Easy Company had been photographed for prosperity, in August every member was given a furlough to return home before they were shipped to Aldbourne, England.

Returning to her hometown, Marie felt like she was an entity revisiting an old dream. The train ride had left her anxious and somewhat weary, a feeling she couldn't shake. She fought with herself, telling herself continuously that she should be thrilled to be returning home on a much-needed furlough. Stepping off the train she was greeted with the familiar Georgia heat as the sun beat down on her, and the red clay that coated the ground and scuffed up her dress green boots. That was something she didn't miss.

Back at her hometown she felt like an outsider. She went to meet some friends, but the girls she used to hang around with had all married and had children. They seemed uncomfortable with Marie's career choice, and commented on how the look in her eyes changed. She would just rub her face absentmindedly, and wonder if she did appear as weathered as they said. Part of her really didn't care what they thought, if they wanted to settle down and be housewives that's fine, but that certain lifestyle did not appeal to Marie. Other acquaintances were eager to see her because she had become "famous." Back in November when Easy Company marched to Atlanta, her picture had been printed in the paper, along with a story on female paratroopers. They wanted their fifteen seconds of fame claiming they "knew" Marie Docherty, the female soldier from the paper.

Things in her old town had become so stirred up because of the war. Marie decided to spend the rest of the furlough at her house, feeling less exposed behind the yellow walls of her little southern home. Her father wanted to hear all about Easy Company, often bringing up her training as the topic of discussion at the dinner table. Anna, Marie's little sister, would politely eat and listen, although her disinterest in war was clearly etched on her young face. She was always the resigned one out of the three. Marie's brother Dave on the other hand couldn't stop asking Marie questions about the weapons and excitement of warfare. He was so eager to learn details on how her company was going to quote: "kick Hitler's ass," that his bombardment with questions and crude language got him sent to his room. That same evening, Marie lay in her old bed, listening to her sister play her cello through the walls. Anna favored Beethoven, and would often play his melancholier known pieces as the sun began to set. Closing her eyes, Marie let herself be taken away by String Quartet In C-sharp Minor, Op.131. For the first time since returning home, she felt calm.

The morning she had to catch the train back to Fort Bragg, she packed her suitcase neatly, folding everything with such military precision that she was nearly running late. She had been counting down the days until her furlough ended and she could return to Easy Company. Her father drove her in his Oldsmobile to the train station. The two seldom said much to each other, and the tension only grew the closer they got to her destination. As they exited the car at the train station, she faced her father. His tanned face, from years of hard work under the unforgiving sun, smiled at her in understanding. He placed his calloused hands on his daughter's shoulders and stared at her for a moment, taking in her image in mute affection. Neither of them could find the words to properly depart before she was shipped overseas. They shared a silent goodbye between each other, understanding that there was a chance Marie wouldn't make it back from Europe.

She preferred the possibility to be unspoken.

0000

Marie returned to Fort Bragg and, meeting up with Muck. They would soon be boarding a train that would take them to New York, then on September 5 they would board the SS Samaria and would sail across the pond to Aldbourne. Muck and Marie sat outside one late August summer night, just looking up at the stars and pondering the days to come. He was smoking a cigarette while Marie was pointing out constellations to herself.

"Going back home felt… queer…" Marie mumbled, tracing the constellation Ophiuchus with her pointer finger.

"Yeah, I thought so too," Muck agreed, taking a drag of his cigarette, "it felt wonderful to see my family again, and Faye… but I also felt very out of place. And the goodbyes were the worst part."

Marie sighed lightly. Marie could imagine her friends in Easy Company going home and their mothers and fathers crying about them leaving, wrapping them into tight hugs, begging them not to leave. Only Marie's father wasn't an emotional person and Marie's mother was God knows where.

"Don is having a hard time getting back. His flight was cancelled and it's delaying him from returning to Bragg. I think he's stuck in Chicago or somethin'," Muck informed her, his eyes downcast, studying his cigarette.

"I hope he doesn't miss the train."

"Sergeant Evans threatened him with a court-martial for going AWOL," Muck chuckled, shaking his head at the blatant hostility of Sobel's little lackey.

"It's not like it was his fault," Marie answered, flatly. Evans always seemed to have a personal vendetta against Malarkey, but no one understood why.

Muck shrugged, taking another drag of cigarette. "Hey, he also went to New York to visit his girl. She moved there to be a singer, you know. Apparently, she'd gained weight or something and Malarkey broke up with her."

Marie didn't respond, she was unable to pinpoint how she felt exactly from the news.

Muck shrugged again and continued: "They've always been off and on, and the breakups are usually for dumb reasons like that. He called me and told me that she'd lost her 'athletic figure' or something. I'm pretty sure they're going to get back together again soon."

"Remind me to smack him when he gets back," Marie joked.

Muck laughed. "Will do!"

The SS Samaria was not as big of a ship as originally imagined it would be. The old British vessel was designed to fit 2500 sous, instead 5000 men and women were going to be crammed onto the ship. Marie boarded the ship and waited at the upper deck with Emilia, Malarkey, and Muck, staring out into New York Harbor. Marie peered off into the harbor, wishing that there were people sending them off and waving at them with handkerchiefs as they got ready to sail. But this wasn't like the movies, this was real life.

As the ship passed the Statue of Liberty, some of the soldiers started to become emotional. It did feel strange; it was like saying goodbye to a person that you had a feeling you'd never run into again. This had been Marie's first time ever seeing Lady Liberty as she marveled at the grand statue from a distance. The finality of their departure had finally hit them all.

"It's official now, isn't it," Emilia said aloud to no one in particular.

"Yeah…" Malarkey mumbled.

Marie could hear a lump in his throat. For a brief moment, she was afraid that he'd start crying, but he didn't.

Malarkey looked over at his three friends and pulled out a letter. "Did you guys read the letter that Sobel sent home to all of our families?"

"No," Muck answered, looking at the letter Malarkey was holding in curiosity.

"Reading it, you'd think Sobel actually had a heart," Malarkey chuckled. He cleared his throat in preparation to read the letter aloud:

'Dear Madam,

Soon your son/daughter [individual names here] will drop from the sky to engage and defeat the enemy. He/she will have the best of weapons, and equipment, and have had months of hard, and strenuous training to prepare him/her for success on the battlefield.

Your frequent letters of love, and encouragement, will arm him/her with a fighting heart. With that, he cannot fail, but will win glory for himself/herself, make you proud of him/her, and his/her country ever grateful for his/her service in its hour of need.

Signed,

Captain Herbert Sobel'

"Are all the letters addressed 'Dear Madam'," Marie asked Malarkey.

"Yeah, as far as I know," Malarkey nodded.

Marie turned to rest her head on her arms that were propped up on the ship's guardrail. She stared out into the ocean and the churning water. Dear Madam. Didn't Sobel realize that not everyone had a mother back home waiting for their return?

"Is something wrong," Muck asked, peering over Marie's shoulder.

"I think I'm going to go settle in," Marie turned around and started to leave. Before she left her three friends, she opened her palm and gave Malarkey a good slap on the back of his neck. The impact took him by surprise, lurching him forward as he grabbed the guardrail for support.

"What the hell was that for," He cried.

Muck had instantly started laughing, while Emilia gasped in bewilderment.

"For Bernice," Marie said with an impish smile. She spun on her heels then waltzed off to where all the women were staying on the ship.

"Skip! You told her," She heard Malarkey shout before she was out of earshot.

The ship was dim, noisy, and smelled strongly of sea salt and body odor. The bunks were crowded together, stacked on top of the other, and looked more like hammocks than actual cots. The narrow corridors of the ship were such a hassle to navigate through that only one person could pass at a time. In the women's only chambers, Marie sat a few bunks up, trying to drown out her feelings of being boxed in the ship. Florence was a few bunks from her, reading a magazine along with Diana.

"Hey, Marie," Diana greeted, just noticing Marie was present in the room.

"Hi," Marie replied, peeking over her bunk.

"Well, I'm bored," Florence declared, throwing the magazine off to the side.

"I was still reading that," Diana complained, bending over her bunk so she could pick it up.

"You girls can sit here all you like, I'm going to have some fun," Florence announced, standing up to leave.

"Where are you going," Marie asked her.

"To visit some friends," Florence said with a sly grin and a wink.

"Don't get caught like Jane did."

Emilia came into the room, passing Florence and giving her a strange look. Emilia asked her where she was going and Florence just laughed in response. Emilia looked over at the girls, whom only shrugged in defeat.

"Hey, Marie, your boyfriend is single now. You have a chance," Emilia badgered," although I must say, hitting him wasn't a good way to start out the relationship."

"For the last time Em, he's not my boyfriend." Marie rolled her eyes then lay back down in her bunk.

"Don't shut me out. You should live a little, give into your feelings," Emilia called up to her.

"You're starting to sound like Florence," Marie replied in an irritated singsong. She heard Emilia mumble something to Diana but it wasn't audible enough for her to understand.

The first few days sailing for Marie had been horrible. She had gotten seasick from the continuous rocking of the ship, and had terrible menstrual cramps that had brought her to her knees from the sheer pain. She spent days on in inside the infirmary, clutching her lower stomach in pain and throwing up from extreme nausea. Emilia came to visit her every day; Malarkey and Muck on the other hand were told about her condition and decided they should keep their distance. Marie didn't mind, she'd rather them not see her like this.

"You look dreadful," Emilia told her as she sat on Marie's bed.

Marie was lying down on her side, sweating profusely. She looked extra pale and was running a fever. The sickening swaying of the ship made her stomach hitch and lurch constantly.

"I feel dreadful," Marie muttered weakly.

"Better not let Sobel see you like this. He'll make it an excuse to get you kicked out," Emilia whispered to her, making sure no one was in earshot.

"That makes me feel so much better," Marie groaned sarcastically.

Emilia moved some strands of Marie's hair out of her face. She was so sweaty that her messy blonde hair was sticking to her skin.

"Have the nurses given you anything yet," Emilia asked.

Marie shook her head, "they're too busy. You know I'd treat myself if I could."

Emilia pursed her lips in frustration, "I'll be right back."

She sat up and dashed off to find someone that would help her. She was furious that they'd leave Marie sitting on the bed without so much as acknowledging her existence. Despite her current feeling of illness, Marie smiled to herself. Emilia was such a dear friend that she appreciated so much. Emilia returned with a cup of water, motion sickness pills, and painkillers for Marie. Marie propped herself up on her elbow so she could swallow them down hastily. She then laid back down on her pillow, shutting her eyes slowly in exhaustion.

Emilia felt her forehead with the back of her hand. "You're burning up," Emilia announced, frowning at her friend's condition, "you sure you don't have the flu, too?"

"I'm positive. Just give me a few more hours and I'll be right as rain," Marie answered.

"I hope you get better soon. I'll keep Florence away from nestling into the Easy Co. crowd. Lord knows she's really trying. We've got the best company of chivalrous men, after all," Emilia joked.

"Florence can do whatever she pleases," Marie mumbled, turning over in her bed sleepily, her back now facing Emilia.

"Is that so? What if she starts flirting with Malark? And he accepts her out of strange lonely desperation-" Emilia started.

Marie turned over on her bed to give Emilia an annoyed glare.

Emilia saw the rise she got out of her friend and laughed, "Yo lo sabía, estás loca por él," Emilia added in Spanish, still laughing.

"What? I hate it when you do that. What did you say?"

"Nothing, dear," Emilia said innocently.

Marie turned back around in her bed, knowing that Emilia would never tell her what she said. Emilia stayed at her bedside until she was able to drift off to sleep. Marie dreamed of jumping out of planes, and falling and falling, never reaching the ground. She had mixed feelings about going overseas. She was excited for the adventure of traveling to new places, but she was afraid of what the war would bring, especially being led by Sobel. She barely saw Sobel during the whole trip, but that was fine with her. Easy needed a break from his overbearing drills and presence.

All Marie knew was that she hated ships and she wanted to get the hell off of this one.