My Patriot

5. New Places

Your books were lined up neatly in a box lying on your empty bed. You kept yourself composed and resisted any tears. You had worked your whole life for this moment. You'd suffered through four years of college just to get close to being accepted into a medical school.

And you made it. You got in! But four months in a man enters your anatomy classroom calling out a few names, claiming it's for an award, you're the best students in your class... congrats, now go serve in the army. Leave everything behind and put yourself in danger every moment...

"You're gonna do great..." your roommate called setting her bag on her desk.

"I'm hoping... I just, I'm a little scared..."

"You won't be the one fighting. That's up to the men...You'll be there to save them though, you'll be more of a hero than any of them!"

"Assuming I'll survive!"

"Come on, you're boyfriend's out there fighting. And you've always said how proud you are that he's protecting you!"

"Robert's not that much of a hero... I just- sometimes we need some alone time... it's good to have a little break here and there. But if I'm shipped off to his infantry... what'll I do?"

"He's your boyfriend! When the war's over you can get married, have kids, live a life! What about that makes you question going back to him?"

"Maybe we're not meant to be..."

"Robert loves you. It's so obvious. Every letter he sends you! I wish I had someone like that!" She sighs leaning back on the bed.

"I keep telling myself that..."

"What?"

"He loves me..."

"You don't sound so convinced... yesterday you were head over heals over this boy, now you're hesitant about seeing him again?"

"You're practically a surgeon, Dear, stop acting like you can't go back and have a date with a boy!"

"yeah..."

***

"You're first task will be to address the wounded in your tent. Then you'll focus those outside and in the battleground. There will be three nurses assigned to each doctor in each tent. I'll begin with assigning you to your rooms!" A man shouted at you.

"Christian, Ryland, (Y/L/N), you're with doctor Maltan. Yula-"

"Sir?"

"Is there a reason you are interrupting me?"

"Yes, General, I'm actually a doctor... I'm not a nurse..."

"You respond to Doctor Maltan because he is your superior."

"Actually we graduated the same year. He was only second in the class... I was first..."

"(Y/L/N), you will learn what it means to disrespect me that way!" You stood up straighter. The words bringing back the memory of the first time Robert ever hurt you. You tried to make it seem as though it didn't affect you.

"Yes, Sir..."

"What?"

"Yes, Sir," you stated more confidently, following the other three members of your tent.

Dirt was kicked into your shoes as you walked along the only slightly worn down path between the tents and offices.

"I'm Darla Ryland, You're (Y/Full/N)?"

"That's me!"

"I heard you're Private Grant's girl?"

"You know Robert?"

"Everyone knows the famous Robert Grant! He saved some amount of people and long story short, he's got the whole camp talking about him!"

"He's- he sure is a great guy!" you smiled falsely immediately sensing the stories were false.

"Come on! We have patients!"

You followed her farther down the road, stopping to take a deep breathe and let the whole situation sink in.

***

Dear Mom, Dad, William and George,

War's great! I'm just joking... but it's not that bad. I made  a friend. Turns out she already knows Robert, her name's Darla. It's dirty out here and there's a lot of men who think their greater than me, which, I know, Dad,  they're wrong. Sorry, I thought I'd try and make a joke. It's not the time for jokes is it?

It's a little rough. The uniform fits well. Can't say I look good in it, but at war? How will I look good in anything! I heard most of our towns boys were sent here, so I should be finding some more people I know soon. I'll write to you as soon as I can. I promise. I love you.

Love, your Doc