Finding Love in France

Part 24: Free France

Mila awoke with a start. Someone was knocking on the door to the main house.

She grabbed the sniper rifle and cautiously walked upstairs. Then she heard the familiar voice of one of the other Resistance fighters from the village. "Docteur Mila! Docteur Mila!" She greeted him at the door with the rifle still strapped to her back. Paris had been liberated. There was a celebration in the village later in the day. Bring the American, too.

She was both elated and frozen with fear. As she made her way back downstairs, she saw his eyes flutter.

When he saw her with his rifle, he quipped "Last night was that bad, huh?"

"Don't push your luck, Sergeant Barnes!" and put the rifle down. She hated guns but had taken it as a precaution. "There is big news, my darling..." she took a deep breath "Paris has been liberated."

He blinked at her a couple of times, not sure if he should be happy or miserable. "Wow. That's incredible." It was all he could muster.

Then she sat down on the edge of the bed and touched his left arm. They both started to speak at the same time.

"You first, my darling." She was curious about what he was going to say.

"Mils, I am so sorry for yesterday. Not just the crazy fit. Man, I really know how to screw things up, huh?" He was still a little fuzzy from the pain killers.

"No, James. I am the one who owes you multiple apologies. My reaction to your, uh, impromptu question, was heartless. Then your poor arm..." she reached out to touch his right hand and he winced. "Honestly, I was out of ideas how to break you out of your nightmare. You scared me and I reacted poorly."

"Mila, I don't even remember what happened. Did I hurt you?" He was scared to death that he had done anything to her.

"You tried, my love. You certainly tried. Fortunately for you, I am stronger and have much keener night vision. Also, unfortunately for you, too, I suppose." She felt terrible about having to use force on him.

"Maybe we aren't such a bad match after all? I mean, how many women could break a guy's arm like that?" He was trying to get her to smile.

"You greatly underestimate women, James!" She laughed a little. "Besides, I didn't break anything, just dislocated. And I put it back into place after! Consider yourself lucky!"

"Doc, I'm the luckiest guy in the world." He was a bit relieved but still couldn't relax. "So, big party in the village later? You gonna go?"

"Not sure. I'm a bit confused about how to feel, truthfully. One the one hand, it's the best news in ages. On the other hand, my heart is broken at what it could mean for us." She looked up at him, biting her lip to try and hold back the tears.

"Come here, Mils" and he scooted over in the bed so she could curl up next to him. He kissed her head and conceded "Same here. As much as I want this damn war to be over, I don't think I can be happy about something that has the potential to split us up. I'm not ready. Hell, I don't think I'll ever be ready for that."

"James, can we talk about what happened yesterday? Rationally, just for a moment?" She looked up at him to find him blocking her...

"Absolutely. Let's talk about it. What's on your mind?" He wasn't sure he was ready to hear this again so soon, but he felt like he owed her.

"Okay, I have been thinking. And I have come up with some things we need to discuss before we consider plans for the future. Would you be open to talking about them now?" She sat up so that she was looking at him, hoping for any slivers of information to peek through.