Genesis: the Beginning and the End | Band of Brothers

【Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ １７ － Ｃｌｅａｎ】

Chapter 17 - Clean

"Noah."

"Gee, Peg, you disappear for years and you can't even say hullo?"

Margaret unclipped the rug and rolled it up again, rolling her eyes at him.

Noah was one of the guys who had been looking after the farm whilst she was away. Before her father died, he'd asked them to start helping out, and teaching her and Ripley when he couldn't. But after the funeral, her mother had told them not to come back. The day Margaret left was the day she got down on her knees and begged them to forgive her mother and to look after the farm while she was gone. She was 15 then.

Noah lived on the neighbouring farm, with some of his extended family. His brother, Jacob, lived there too and also helped out. Both were older than her, one being closer to 40 than 30 and the other definitely closer to thirty though she couldn't possibly remember which.

It was good to see him well.

"I've been home for 2 days, in the country for about double that. I've hardly slept or eaten for the last month. Forgive me if I'm not the most polite."

"I see your tongue is still sharp. That's why Ma likes you, y'know."

A tired smile makes its way to her face.

Noah and Jacob were deemed too vital in the production of much needed food, so they were not shamed for not enlisting. And glad was she that they were safe. It was good to have less to worry about.

"Can you stay? You're welcome to come in, if you'll help me prep for laundry tomorrow?"

Noah took the rug from her, for which she thanked him, and followed her inside, where she showed him where to lay the rug.

"Why're you doing the washing on a Thursday? You always do your washing on a Monday," he parroted. It was true, Mondays were traditionally washing days so that Church clothes were clean and dry and ironed in time for Sunday. Except Margaret had never been to church, and as blasphemous as it was, she wasn't sure she could believe anymore.

"Because, Noh, I only got back yesterday afternoon. You cannot expect me to wash the curtains and the bedding and my clothes in an afternoon! Can you fill that tub, and put soap flakes in? I gotta try and make sure the curtains don't go mouldy, they're already starting to go."

He did, leaving it outside. And they worked in silence. Margaret put the curtains into the tub, and stripped the beds upstairs (opening all the windows again) as Noah filled a copper tub with water. That one was the electric one, it would be switched on in the morning to heat the water – but if it didn't work, she'd have to light a fire to heat it.

When all the prep was done, they sat in her garden, where she'd left the rug-beater.

"You here to stay?"

She sighed. In truth, she had no idea.

"I don't know. I have to leave here again Monday afternoon. I'm meeting someone," she smacked his arm at his raised eyebrow. "Not like that. Until I've spoken to them I have no idea what is going to happen. I hope to come back as often as I can but I could be leaving the country at any time."

She paused for breath, letting what she'd said just hang there for a moment.

"Until this blasted war is over, I'm going to have to ask you to keep feeding the girls, both bovine and bird, because I definitely won't be  around full time."

Noah thought for a moment, just looking at Margaret. But she was too busy worrying what questions he might ask to notice.

"Why would you be leaving the country?"