Strawberry Red

Chapter 15 Ruby

Ruby was able to sleep longer than usual. She had moved in with Helen and Tatty. The situation at home was tense with her brother and her always fighting over something. Most of the time they were fighting about the war and Germany. So, one day Ruby had enough and packed a small bag to live on base for a while. It was also a practical decision because now she didn't have to wake up as early as she would've if she still lived at home. And everyone else lived on base too. Now she was able to form a tighter bond with her friends.

From the moment she woke up, she was feeling the tension on base. The ground crews were already briefly informed about the up-coming mission. The mission would demand a lot of sacrifices. The chef made it his personal quest to make the breakfast even more special than usual as it would be the last meal of many.

Like on every mission day Ruby went to wake up aircrews. She walked into the sleeping quarters where Bucky and Buck were sleeping with a couple of other pilots. She was humming to the song 'Blue Sky' which was still playing in her mind after Bucky's performance.

"Bucky, wake up," whispered Ruby in a soft one.

"Mom, let me sleep," answered Bucky and turned to face away from her. Ruby chuckled and shook his shoulders.

"Bucky, you're going on mission," said Ruby louder than before. "You need to wake up."

"I'm up. I'm up." Bucky sat up with his eyes closed. "God, my head is pounding."

"Drank too much?" asked Buck. He had heard the commotion and woke up.

"It's just too early to be awake," whined Bucky and rubbed his eyes. At this point the whole barrack was awake which made Ruby's job easier. Everyone would be going on mission anyway.

"Everyone's needed today. So, hurry up. Colonel Harding is more tense than usual," informed Ruby and started to walk out of the sleeping quarters.

"You know why?" questioned Biddick.

"You'll find out soon enough." With that Ruby closed the door behind her and made her way over to briefing. Colonel Harding wanted to talk to the nurses alone before the aircrews joined them. He wanted to make sure the nurses were clear on the mission and the risks. After the short briefing with the nurses, he left to get coffee before the briefing with the aircrews would start. Now only the five nurses remained in the briefing room.

"I've never been on plane before," admitted Will. Truthfully, the nurses were nervous. Most of them hadn't left the base since they came. They all came by ship with other member of the ground crews, so being in the air was a new experience for them.

"Yeah, same," said Richard nodding. "What about you Ruby?"

"I have. My father and brothers are pilots. But I'm not very keen on flying again," answered Ruby and played with her blue scarf which she was holding in her hands.

"How does it feel?", asked Joseph who was full of curiosity.

"It kind of feels like swimming, it's so freeing. And it feels as you were light like a feather," responded Ruby. "But only if you're not scared of heights."

"I hate swimming," mumbled George next to Ruby.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine. We'll all be fine. The crews have been training to fly for years. They know what they're doing," tried Ruby to cheer her fellow nurses up. They continued to talk about the mission and what they should expect in Africa when the aircrews started to fill up the room. Some of them glanced suspiciously at them.

"Attend, hut!" demanded Colonel Harding and walked into briefing with the Majors trailing behind. Everyone sprang to their feet. "At ease, gentlemen."

Colonel Harding walked up to the front and stood proudly in front of the mission plan which was covered by a curtain. Buck noticed Ruby sitting in the front row and sat down next to her. Then he leaned over and whispered in her ear: "What are you doing here?"