Ever so patiently

Rest assured

Journal Entry #45
August 15th, 1941
" I took England to a, little bar called "The Pines" today, I think he enjoyed their food. Or maybe just my company. We caught up by talking and joking for a little while, he got some odd stares from people ,making him a little uncomfortable, but I assured him they weren't being rude just a little curious. I played piano for him, I think he liked that the most."

England
I waited a while for him to return with crutches for me, he was acting peculiar. Or he'd just grown up but that just might be my hopes playing me. When we started walking he helped me off the ship like an odd American young man but then he proceeded to walk in front of me at his own pace in ,typical' Jones' fashion.
When we got there he at least had the decency to keep the door open for me instead of slamming it in my face. The place smelt of odd foods and hard drinks but it was dim and cozy. People would give me curious looks which embarrassed me dearly, Alfred took note of this and pressed his hand into the small of my back. When he brought us over to a table by a stage with a piano I became some what jittery. I liked the sound of a live performance, not so much in a bar but you can't be picky about everything I guess. I ordered only little and simple things, I couldn't possibly have a full course meal without throwing up or hurting my jaw but Alfred on the other hand was perfectly fine with the idea of ordering more than needed, his country wasn't starving like mine so he had all the rights. " England dude you've got to order more than that." He said a mouth full. " No I'm good. Really! If I eat more than this I might get sick." I tried to smile as I gestured to my basket of fish and chips. It had been a while since I had a decent meal, back home it was all ration food like eggs, water, and veggies. No fish, meat, scones, chips, nothing. I felt horrible for eating this good food while my people are enduring starvation, I could feel the bile in my throat.

  Al and I chatted for a while, we usually butt heads every other second but recently he seemed different. Maybe the stress of making thoughtful decisions was maturing him, then again I've never really talk to Alfred as an Allie during war it's always but against him. I thought as I stared a him wondrously. His face showed how uncomfortable he was getting so I broke our eye contact. " Sorry I lost my train of thought." I chuckled and took a swig of the drink in front of me. Alcohol always betrayed me when I was sick or wounded, It made me tired and slow to think. I didn't realize Alfred was dragging me anywhere until I could see a crowd of faces staring at me and a faint song from somewhere close by.

Alfred
It was a strange hobby especially for a guy like me but I found it calming. Over the pass two years I had learn, well taught myself, to play the piano. While Mr.FDR was in meetings I would sit outside in the lounge sometimes, it would get boring so I started playing round with the piano that just sat there in the dust. I couldn't quite ask Austria to teach me because, well he was at war. So over a few months I learned the basics, a couple of songs, and soon enough I could play some interesting assortments including some pieces by Henry Purcell, I remembered England talking highly of this man when I was younger though I never did meet him.

  There was a cheap looking piano and bench at the bar were at, it had a half full ash tray and was littered with Canadian war propaganda posters since my brother had been in the war for almost 3 years now but here I was, still lying in waiting. I was getting bored of England just staring at me and the bill wasn't coming anytime soon due to all the other people at the bar. So I dragged Arthur up to the piano with me and sat down, I couldn't really tell if he was spaced out from being tired or all the morphine they put in this poor dude when they stitched him back together. It took me a minute to decide on what to do with my fingers. I wasn't really a man for jazzed but I find it easier to convert it to the piano so I played a little tune that was becoming quite popular in my country.
" the song a Robin sings."
" through years of endless spring."
I sang softly as if only wanting England to hear ,as he closed his eyes with a flutter and swayed his head a little but even that got tiring and painful. He plopped his head against my arm with a sigh and I smiled lightly.
" That's Stella by starlight."

England
His singing was actually quite awkward, like a little boy growing it cracked as he tried desperately to sing softly, it was a change from his normally boisterous loud voice. I had seriously doubted his taste in music but I had listened to Frank Sinatra on multiple occasions and knew this song to some extent. He didn't seem like the kind of guy that would have Frank Sinatra playing on the record, but I guess you can't judge a book by its cover. I was growing extremely tired but I wasn't going to let that stop him from playing or singing. I just wanted to rest my body for a little while longer, then it was back to the ship and away from him for a longer period of time.
" this feels nice, I hope you'll do it again after this bloody war is over." I presumed but he just chuckled
" Not a fat chance of that happening."
" I thought as much." I smiled to myself. My eyes felt a bit to heavy for the rest of my body so I resentfully fell to sleep.

America

I hadn't realized he was asleep until after the song was over. His body was a burden on him so I slung him on my back gently and made my way to the table we were originally at.
" Ma'am the bill please?" I asked and a little fat lady came rushing over.
" oh don't worry about it dear, don't worry about the bill."
" but ma'am I-"
" you've done enough for our cause and by the looks of it so has he." She gestured to the cripple man on my back.
" thank you very much ma'am!" I smiled which was returned.
" No thank you'll really! Take care of him will you?" I nodded and she waved us out the door.

It was cooler now that the sun had gone down, throwing my jacket over England's back I made my way down the street crutches in hand. When we got back to the ship i walked us down the hall and to the room where Mr. Churchill and FDR were. I set Arthur down into his wheelchair and put the crunches against the wall.
" Sorry we're so late we went to eat and Ar- England fell asleep so I had to carry him back."
"No you are quite alright, we actually just got done talking before you came in!" The slightly shorter man said with a smile.
" Thank you." I said putting a blanket over Arthur's lap.
" Arthur really needed to get out of this stress, I was fearing he'd go mad. He really wanted to see you Mr. America." This shocked me quite a bit.
" Me? Really?" The short man nodded and patted Arthur's head lightly.
" He said you were the only one left in this world he could truly trust. In or out of the war." I was surprised, even with all the fighting we did he still trusted me the most, maybe this trust was from the past? But we'd had conflicts since my independence. Multiple actually.

The words of that little old British man stuck with me all the way back home to Washington. Something swelled in my heart that made me a little uncomfortable.