Frank, Shane, and Rick Gomez sat at a small table, gathered around Emily. Everyone else hustled about, setting up for Emily and Shane's first scene together as Alice and Eugene.
It being England, it was raining, making it difficult to set the scene.
Alice and Eugene were to be in the background of a Lewis and Nixon scene. Production had decided to bump up the time of them being a couple, despite the fact that Eugene and Alice didn't become an item until much later.
"Hey, Em." Frank began, idly playing with a pencil. "Do you have any stories about Alice in the rain?"
Emily smiled. "She's British and met the boys in England, Frank. I can think of one."
November 1943.
Of course it would be raining.
Alice struggled with her umbrella. It just wouldn't open!
She muttered a few choice words under breath.
She decided to make a run for it.
Umbrella in hand, her worn out coat held up over her head, Alice ran in the direction of her house.
The rain began to pour down harder, before long, she could barely make out buildings or people. She made her way to an awning, deciding to wait it out. Maybe now she could try to get her Umbrella to work.
"Is that you, Gorgeous?" A familiar voice asked.
Alice looked up from her work to see Bill Guarnere standing in the door. She deduced she had found herself at the pub the boys frequented.
She gave a shy smile. "Yes, it's me."
"Jeez! You almost look like a drowned rat! What happened?"
"The real question should be 'what didn't happen'?" Alice answered with a sharp laugh yet also sounding as if she was going to cry.
"This!" She snapped, holding up her umbrella. "I can't get it open! So nigh 'm soaked t' th' bone and stuck here until the rain lightens up."
"Now! Now! I'm sorry, Gorgeous. Here..." Bill said, taking off his coat, having noticed Alice shivering with each breeze.
Alice calmed a bit and smiled, letting him wrap the coat around her.
"There, that's better, right?" Bill said, gently, rubbing Alice's shoulders, taking the opportunity to hug her close to his chest and to steal a quick kiss on her head. "Why don't we go inside and I'll take a look at that piece of shit umbrella of yours?"
"I'm not sure I would be welcomed in there." Alice hesitated.
"'You kiddin'? We could use some feminine company!"
Alice looked up at him with narrowed eyes.
"Not what I meant!" Bill said quickly after catching her look. "I mean, th' guys need to remember dey aren't animals. Perhaps yous could keep dem from getting too riled."
Alice smirked up at him and shivered. "I guess getting out of th' storm would be nice."
"Dat's my girl!" He laughed and kissed Alice's cheek.
Alice's face flushed as she giggled.
With a strong arm around her, Bill led Alice into the pub, holding the door for her, of course.
"Hey everybody, look who the storm blew in!" Bill announced, making Alice blush even further, if it was possible.
"Alice!" A chorus of men cheered at a nearby table.
Joe Toye quickly jumped up and offered his seat to Alice.
"Oh! You really don't have to, Joe. I could find a chair myself." Alice insisted.
"Take the seat or I will place you there myself." Joe threatened with a slight smirk.
"I can't argue with that, I guess. Thank you, Joe." Alice squeaked as Bill helped her to her seat.
Bill turned to George Luz, who sat in the chair next to Joe's. "Get up, this is my seat now."
George took a drag from his cigarette and held up his empty beer glass. "Get me a beer first and the seat is yours."
Alice snickered. "I think he wants to make sure his coat is safe."
"Yeah, yeah, the 'coat.'" Bill sneered. "You betta get up when I get back, Luz."
As Bill walked to the bar, he turned back to Alice. "What would you like, Gorgeous?"
"Just a hot cuppa, if they have it." Alice answered wrapping the coat more tightly around herself.
"You got it."
Luz offered Alice a cigarette, which she politely declined.
"So, Alice, how did you get so soaked when you have a perfectly fine umbrella?" Joe asked in his husky, low voice.
"Because it's NOT a 'perfectly fine umbrella,' Joe. It jammed and wouldn't open." Alice grumbled.
Luz picked up the umbrella and set it on the table, cigarette hanging out of his mouth. "Have ya tried pushing the button?"
Alice glared at him. "I'm British, George. I know how to work a brelly."
The rest of the men at the table snickered.
Bill returned with the beer and tea. "I told them how you take it."
Alice raised her brows in surprise. "Which is?"
"One teaspoon of sugah and a splash of milk." A low voice answered.
Alice turned to see Eugene, who was looking at her but quickly shifted his gaze to his hands on his barely touched beer glass.
"Exactly." Bill nodded, with a side glance toward Eugene. "Anyways, get up, Luz."
Luz happily hopped out of his seat, beer in hand, keeping near the table. He was still examining the umbrella.
"What's Miss Alice doing here?" Bull Randleman gruffed, making his way toward the table.
"Her damn umbrella wouldn't work, poor thing." Luz explained, cigarette dangling out of his mouth, pressing the button repeatedly.
"Lemme look at that." Bull demanded, grabbing it.
Some of the other boys gathered around Bull and Luz.
"Could be the spring." Muck suggested.
"That's what I was about to say." Said Malarkey.
"Shut up." Bull gruffed.
"Are you alright, Alice?" Toye asked quietly, crouched next to her.
Alice silently nodded, holding back tears.
"Jist cold and embarrassed." Alice sniffed with a slight shiver.
"Drink your tea." Roe commanded, taking off his own coat and placing it on her lap.
"Hey, could somebody grab me a towel?" He called to the guys near the bar, quickly catching one tossed to him.
"Here." He said, offering her the towel. "Your hair is still sopping wet."
Alice silently took the towel and began drying her hair.
"It'll be alright, Alice." Doc assured her.
Toye grabbed the towel out of Alice's hands. "Drink your tea, I'll dry your hair."
It was then when Winters and Nixon walked in, soaked from the downpour themselves.
"TEN HUT!" Somebody shouted.
Everyone, except Alice, stood at attention.
"At ease. Hey, what's going on over here?" Dick asked, concerned eyes falling upon Alice.
"Busted umbrella." Bill explained.
"Poor Alice got caught in the rain." Toye added.
"Really?" Nixon asked, walking over to Bull, Luz, Malarkey, Muck, and now Penkala who were all trying to fix the umbrella. "Could it be the springs or did a string get caught in it?"
"I'll check for the string." Bull said, trying not to look annoyed.
Alice looked down, feeling humiliation about to overwhelm her.
Bill noticed and wrapped his arms around her. "You're OK. Nothin' to be embarrassed about, Gorgeous."
"I just want to go home." She sniffed.
Dick nodded.
"Does anyone have an umbrella Alice could borrow?"
Hall from Able Company walked over handed one to him. "She can keep it."
"Thank you." Dick said, handing to Eugene, "Doc, Bill you two take Alice home."
"Yes sir." Both Bill and Gene replied.
Alice went to remove Bill's coat but Bill put up his hand.
"You can give it to me there."
Gene held the umbrella for Alice while Bill walked close by her, each of them with a gentle hand on her back.
Reaching the house in which she rented a small room turned make-shift flat, Alice stopped at the door and hesitated.
"I'd invite you in but it's rather small. Quite embarrassingly so, actually." She said, biting her lip indecisive.
"Hey, we want to make sure you're OK, we'll leave as soon as we know you're dry and in warm clothes." Bill assured her.
Alice looked at Gene, who nodded.
Sighing defeatedly, she opened the door and led them in.
Alice's bed doubled as a sofa with a small table next to it, used as a nightstand, dining table and desk.
In the corner opposite, a short bookcase worked as a make-shift kitchenette. A hotplate, toaster, and electric kettle lined the top of it while dishes, utensils, and a small pot and small skillet were stored below. The small bench next to it held a scant amount of food, such as a loaf of bread and garden vegetables.
"Depressing, isn't it?" Alice asked with a grimace.
"No, not at all." Both of the men responded rather quickly.
Alice smirked before walking to her wardrobe to pull out a change of clothes and setting up a blind.
She silently thanked the heavens the intimates she was wearing were already dry due to her own body heat. It was her waterlogged jumper and skirt that were her main issue.
"Sorry I disturbed your leisure time." She called out from behind her blind while quickly changing. "This was probably the last thing you thought of with how precious little you get."
"There is nothin' you need to apologize for." Bill said, respectfully looking away, despite a blind keeping her out of view.
Eugene kept his head down, fiddling with his hat.
"Your place is actually pretty nice." Bill complimented. "Cozy."
Alice stepped out from behind the blind with fresh clothes but sopping wet hair.
"Thank you. Would either of you like something to drink? I don't have beer, but I do have water and some tea. My family in America has sent me some care packages."
"I'll have water." Bill said, sitting on the sofa-bed.
"I'll have water too." Gene said shyly, sitting as well. "You have family in America?"
Alice nodded and went to her kitchenette and pulled out a few mismatched cups and poured water in them. She then set up her kettle. And pulled out a bag of tea for herself.
"My great aunt grows herbs and edible flowers in her garden in Pennsylvania. She dries them and sends them to me as herbal teas. She says they have health benefits."
"You have family in Pennsylvania?" Bill exclaimed with surprise. "Where?"
"Where?" Alice asked, confused.
"Yeah! What county? What town? You know I'm a Philly man meself."
"Sayre. They live more on the border of New York."
"Ah." Bill said, looking slightly disappointed.
"Were you hoping it was closer to your family, Bill?" Alice teased as she handed him and Gene their beverages.
Bill winked. "You know it. Aunts can sometimes mean cousins, and there's a fifty-fifty chance those cousins could be gorgeous dames like yourself."
Alice giggled. "You're incorrigible, Bill."
"Am I wrong?" Bill smirked.
Alice rolled her eyes. "Well, no, you're not."
"I knew it." Bill grinned.
Gene remained quiet while Bill finished his drink, stood up, pecked Alice's cheek and left.
Eugene began to follow.
Eugene wanted to say something. Anything, really, but he couldn't think of the right words.
Alice smiled tenderly at him and he relaxed.
"Cat got your tongue, Love?" Alice asked as stepped over to him and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for walking me home. Please, tell me what's been bothering you. Something seems to be weighing on your mind."
Eugene's cheeks turned pink.
"It's nothin' fo' you to worry about." Gene said, looking away bashfully. "I should get going."
He pecked her cheek before heading out the door.
"Je te verrai." Gene muttered as he left.
Alice grinned, feeling her insides become warm.
Eugene had never kissed her before today.