The Falling Man

Chapter 7

Ethel POV

I layed in my bed the night Tommy kissed me and replayed the kiss over and over in my mind. I couldn't help but touch my lips with my fingers and remember how tingly they felt after his lips departed them. As I was thinking about this I also realized how crazy this all is. It feels good, like really good, and natural but I can't help thinking I still don't know literally anything about this man. I know his first name and last name, I know that he's a clay kicker and British and has two brothers; that's where my knowledge ends. It's kindof crazy that I like him so much simply off of vibes. We've had now three conversations but that's it. It feels like I already know him though. It's a weird feeling when I'm around him, feeling like I somehow know everything about him but nothing at all at the same time. I have to remind myself he's going to be returning to war in a number of days. I find myself thinking about me being old and wrinkly and telling my grandchildren about this handsome soldier I met when I was young during the war. I would tell them about his blue eyes and chiseled face, about how all the nurses blushed at him everytime he so much as looked in their direction, about how he took me to a pond and kissed me. It seems in my mind that is all this sadly is going to be; a story to tell my grandchildren.

-Tommy POV-

I can't fucking sleep. My mind is running a million miles an hour. Flashes of shovels and mud, then flashes of Ethel and her pretty face. I can't explain the feeling of being around her because I don't understand it. The gypsies have a story about a man who lives in a little house in a small village; his life is peaceful and quiet. Then one day a woman shows up to his little house seemeingly out of the mist on the field and they recognize eachother immediately but they have never met. They just stare at eachother almost bewildered that the other one is in front of them. The gypsies would say their souls recognized eachother from a past life where they were lovers. They wouldn't speak any words to eachother before sharing a kiss. No need for introductions. I can't help but compare this story to me and Ethel. I was so intrigued by her the minute I first saw her and I didn't know why. I kissed her before even asking anything about her. There was no need for introductions. I think in my mind I could have kissed her before having even spoken a word to her. It feels like she's been put at this camp for me to meet her; as stupid as it sounds. It feels like the humans who used our souls in our past lives are cheering in the sky to be able to kiss eachother and talk again. I eventually doze off to sleep while replaying these thoughts in my mind instead of the usual shovels.

-The next day-

I wake up quite early, the suns not even out yet and the first thing to pop into my mind isn't war or the green eyes of the first man I killed. It's Ethel. I rise out of bed and try to shake these thoughts from my mind. I'm realizing this isn't me anymore. Being lovestruck by a girl after one kiss and three conversations. I need to get ahold of myself and my mind. I will be returning to war and I will never see her again and that is it. I can't help but replay how her sweet eyes were looking into mine after that kiss though. Or how perfect her lips felt. The sound of her sassy comments ring through my mind. No. No. Tommy get a hold of yourself. Your not a little lad anymore. I decide to go for a walk around the camp to clear my mind. I find myself walking to the pond behind the nursing ward. I sit there for a long time. I think about loads of things. Ethel, my late mother, Polly, Ada, Finn, my deceased ex girlfriend. I'm sitting there for so long the sun is now almost fully up.

-Ethel POV-
I rise out of bed for a new day. I had trouble falling asleep last night so I don't feel that well rested. Nonetheless I get dressed, fix my hair, apply the tiniest amount of makeup. Then head to eat a quick breakfast in the nursing wards kitchen before I head to work.

-Tommy POV-
After sitting at the pond for a little while longer I decide it's probably time to head back to the camp. As I make my way through the tall grass I lay my eyes on the nursing ward. Ethel will probably be getting ready for work right now I think to myself. As I walk by the door of the ward I think to myself I could say hello to Ethel when she comes out. I shake these thoughts from my head and keep walking. The idea keeps nagging my head though and her face and her lips keep popping up. No I shake it from my head and keep walking. Again, flashes of her smiling, laughing, looking up at me through her eyelashes. I turn around and start walking back to the nursing ward.

I see some nurses exiting now so she should be coming out soon. I lean against the brick wall a little bit aways from the door and wait for her. Some of the nurses give me a look or a smile while blushing as they walk by me. They know I'm waiting for one of the nurses. I light a cigarette and as I look up I see her walking out looking as beautiful as ever. She notices me pretty quickly and starts walking towards me while holding my eye. As she gets closer I say, "Hello." She replies with, "I have to go to work, Tommy." "Yeah.." I clear my throat, this was a dumb idea, I decide to stick with it nonetheless. "Can I come in?" I ask her talking about the nursing ward. We hold eachothers stare for a moment, I can tell she's contemplating. But after a few more seconds, she turns around and starts walking back to the nursing ward entry. I throw my cigarette and follow her. She holds the door open for me, "Thank you." I tell her as I pass her. When she closes the door behind her, I ask "You still got time before you need to be at work, no?" "Yea, I'm just.." she trails before she starts walking down the hall, I'm assuming to her room. I can tell she's slightly nervous by me being here. I follow her down the hall. Nurses pass us and give us looks as they do. She turns a corner and walks a little farther before opening a door. She walks in and stands in the middle of the room turning to face me. I stop in the open door and look at her. It's quite a tiny room. They do have to fit a lot of nurses in one building so it makes sense. "Do you want to kiss me again?" She asks almost reading my mind.

I fully step into the room now and close the door behind me. I approach her slowly. I can feel the anticipation bubbling inside me as I get closer to her. Then our lips connect. The kiss starts soft and sweet once again. I kiss her again, then again. I exhale through my nose getting slightly turned on. I take my hands and rest them on her jaw angling her face towards mine. I realize in this moment this is the first time I've touched her as my rough hands take notice of the soft skin beneath them. We continue kissing. It feels very romantic almost. With the sunrise beaming in through the window. She starts exhaling and slightly moaning between kisses before I feel her hands on my shirt reaching to take it off. I pull back and chuckle "No." I tell her. Which trust me takes all my restraint but it doesn't feel right to fuck her right here, right now. I remove my hands from her face and straighten up. She's looking up at me quite lustily and confused. "Not right now..it's.." I start, I don't really have a full reason to tell her. I know it would have to be quick too to get her to work on time and that's not what I want. She moves to sit on her bed, I watch her. I move to sit next to her and clear my throat. "I leave camp on Saturday." I tell her. Today is Thursday. "I can come back before then, if you want me to?" I say while looking at her. With the morning light coming through her small window and shining on her, she looks like the most beautiful thing I've ever laid my eyes on. I mean that too. In this moment I've never seen a more beautiful sight. She takes a deep breath. "Won't your brothers notice your missing?" She says while looking down. I shake my head with a stifled laugh "No." My eyes still studying the sight in front of me. She looks up at me. I immediately lean forward and reconnect our lips. I put my left hand on her thigh and from the force of the kiss she's slightly leaned back, me slightly over her. She puts her hand on my chest as we kiss hungrily. My other arm goes around her shoulders bringing her closer to me. I put more of my body over top of her connecting our chests as her hand trails up to my hair at the nape of my neck. We continue making out, my hand on her leg trailing up to her waist over top her white skirt. She goes to grab for my shirt again. I chuckle and roll off of her up to a sitting position. "You said you needed to go to work, and this is.." I trail off and clear my throat again, her leaning her back to look up at the ceiling, I let out to her and sigh as she looks over at me. "You wanted to though..just now." I nod my head but then say "not really." I catch her eye. "You wanted to." She says back to me in a very definitive tone. There's a pause and I look out her window. "You wanted me." She says. I take in her statement. It is true. Very true. And her saying it very matter of factly is sexy as fuck. I stand up with a grunt and take a couple steps towards her door, "So you want to see me here again before Saturday?" I turn around and ask her. She sits fully up now and looks me up and down with a nod. With that I open her door and leave her there. Making my way out of the nursing ward I feel like I can finally breathe. I'm buzzing with a slight smirk on my face that I probably won't be able to wipe off all morning. You wanted me. I hear in my mind again. I light a cigarette and head off to find my brothers.