Chapter 25: A Toast!
The Rats had made camp for the night, returning from a tense mission that had them yet again breaking into Dietrich's office to steal vital plans. The aftermath of their visit would keep the Germans cleaning up the mess for several days. They had left their usual calling card of multiple explosions, mass destruction and a new level of alarm and despondency as Moffitt would say. It was important to them that Dietrich knew they were the mirthful bearers of mayhem that wreaked havoc on his base.
Hitch was on guard duty, and they had finished dinner when Troy reached into his pocket for a cigarette. Along with the pack of cigarettes, he pulled out an unopened letter. He had picked it up just before they left and stuffed it into his pocket to read later. It was from his mother, and he eagerly opened the envelope and pulled out the thin sheet of stationery. A picture was enclosed, and he stared at it for a few moments before smiling, then read what his mother had written. When he finished, he looked again at the picture and shared the news with his team.
"Well, she did it," he announced. "My mom and Hank got married two weeks ago." He passed around the photograph of the couple together cutting a small wedding cake.
"Well done," Moffitt remarked. "Your mother is rather good-looking. I always pictured her with gray hair from having raised you and your brother." Troy laughed.
"Congratulations, Sarge," Tully spoke up. "You've got a new stepdaddy."
"Hank's a good guy," Troy said. "I'm happy for them. I think they will have a good life together and I won't worry about her being alone. She says she wishes David, and I could have been there for the big day, but they decided to go ahead with their plans, I think they made the right decision. If this war has taught us anything, it's to live for today because tomorrow might not come."
"Very true," Tully added.
"Since the ranch has been sold, have they decided where they want to relocate?" Moffit asked.
"They've bought a small camper/trailer and are going to travel for several weeks before settling on the Texas gulf coast near Galveston. She has a sister in Houston, so they'll be closer together," Troy informed them.
"That sounds like fun," Tully commented, handing the photo back to Troy.
"Yeah," Troy agreed. "she'll be happy to get away from the snow and below freezing temperatures, but I wonder if hurricanes and tornadoes will simply replace one worry for another. I guess the iffy weather in the area makes me a bit nervous."
"She and Hank will be able to handle it," Moffitt assured his friend.
"I know. It's just going to be different not going home to the ranch. At this point, I guess home is still where my mom is. That sounds like a strange thing to say but I guess she's the anchor in my life."
"That's not so strange," Tully said. "It's the same for me. I guess that will change if I get married and have a family of my own."
"Yeah," Troy finally lit his cigarette. "I guess I'll have to split my time between Texas and England if David decides to stay there after the war."
"You could become a beach bum, maybe take up surfing," Tully suggested.
"I don't think that's for me," Troy admitted, "although I've always enjoyed watching the women at the beach."
"Especially when they're built like your friend, Vixen," Tully commented. "If she returns to England after the war, you could get together with her while you're with David."
"You're always welcome to visit with my family when you're across the pond," Moffitt smiled at him.
"And Kentucky is a lot closer to Texas than Colorado," Tully added. "I'm sure Hitch will always welcome you in Manhattan if that's where he stays."
"Any idea what your plans are for the future?" Moffitt asked.
"Yeah, I think I'm going to stay in the Army as a career. Boggs and Quint have both been talking to me about how they always need people who are good strategists," Troy explained taking a drag on his cigarette.
"You mean you might accept a commission and become an officer?" Tully pretended to be shocked.
"Maybe," Troy replied. "I don't think I'd do any worse than a lot of the ones in charge of this mess."
"I think Boggs and Quint meant they're always on the lookout for those who can come up with wild, hair-brained schemes that seem impossible to succeed and yet do," Moffitt teased, and Tully smiled in return.
"Well, I do enjoy cooking up a good plan," Troy confessed, "the crazier the better."
"You've had some whoppers," Moffitt admitted, "and yet, here we are living to tell the tales. I wonder if anyone will believe our stories when we get back home?"
"Let's face it," Tully said, "Sometimes we don't even believe what we've done."
"Yeah, I can just hear Hitch challenging anyone who questions a story with who was there, you or me?" Troy remarked and the others nodded.
"Well, I propose a toast," Moffitt lifted his tin mug of tea, "To the newly married couple and to Troy's future with the Army." They raised their mugs, wished the best for the newlyweds and congratulations to their leader.