Genesis: the Beginning and the End | Band of Brothers

【Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ２７ － Ｊａｃｏｂ】

Chapter 27 - Jacob

Luz had been stupidly annoying for the rest of the week, and this peaked on Saturday morning. Margaret was genuinely wondering if he’d return to Aldbourne safe and sound on the Sunday. She was contemplating killing him. Not seriously of course, but the thought of peace was certainly nice.

Somehow the trio had gained permission to go with her.

Genuinely she had no idea how they’d gotten it, who’d given it to them and why on earth they’d want to come with her.

But the thought of not being in that house alone…well it was a good thought. It would be great to have life in the house again. There hadn’t been life in the house for a decade, since her brother left. Shit. That was a long time. This was why she tried not to think too much about her life pre war. Because she realised things that scared and saddened her.

God they looked so strange, 4 American Paratroopers (3 really but the rest of the world didn’t know that) on an English bus. They did get some weird looks in Cirencester.

And then after walking the mile and a half from the last stop, Jacob saw four military people trying to get in and he didn’t like it.

There was a lot of confused shouting. Jacob didn’t recognise Margaret and she didn’t blame him. Bull, Martin and Luz didn’t know about Noah or Jacob, and so they thought there was some guy trespassing – whilst Jacob thought there were four Americans trespassing.

“It’s me! It’s Margaret, you knob! Put down the massive fork!”

Everything stopped. And Jacob stalked up to her to get up in her face to inspect it. She crossed her arms and waited, eventually getting bored and saying,

"Are you done? Could I maybe go into my own home now?"

He backed off and nodded, so Margaret unlocked her door to allow the guys in. But she herself stayed.

"You cut your hair. Noh said it was here," he put his hand just below his shoulder. "Noh was so excited when he came home. Where'd you go?"

"Believe it or not, Wiltshire."

He frowned at her, and they fell into silence for a little while. She decided to go round the back of the house to open up the shutters so her friends weren't in the dark.

Heh. Her friends.

Jacob followed after her like a sheep. He'd always been a bit sheep-like.

"Hey, so now that you're back...we need to take you out. Because you turned 18 whilst you were gone, and we've got to buy you your first pint. And your old man can't, so we'll do it for him. We'll go tonight, we'll have a bit of a get together to celebrate your 18th in the village. There are loads of people around the village that'll be happy to buy drinks for their friend's daughter."

The words just sort of fell out, as he blurted them. It was just so Jacob. Just like how he'd already decided that it was going to happen.

He said 7pm and then left.

Margaret entered the back of the house, dazed. The guys had found their way to the kitchen, and were just kind of standing awkwardly.

"So...that was Jacob. He lives next door, for a given value. And he's just told me that he's going to take me out for drinks to celebrate my 18th because I didn't get to when I turned 18?"

"You don't sound too sure."

That was because she was still processing, confused by what had happened. She'd be drinking for the first time.

In the end, she stopped trying to process, and took to gardening, saying the guys were welcome to help or just wander round if they wanted. The vegetable beds needed a thorough weeding, then watering plenty, and making sure there weren't any slugs about before she could even start planning what she'd plant.

Bull helped a bit, whilst Luz and Martin sat on the lawn, all three of them talking.

It was so weird to be gardening with a paratrooper, to have three in her home, but Margaret was so glad that Martin had suggested this. The house didn't feel so cold with them here.