Pitschen ma en gamba - Small, but powerful [A Band of Brothers Story]

The Beginning

Disclaimer: I only own the characters you don't recognise. I do not wish to offend anybody by writing this story. I deeply admire the real members of Easy Company and I do not mean any disrespect. I write only about the actors portraying these extraordinary men in the HBO mini-series.

All translations are at the bottom, in chronological order.

"Easy Company! Listen up! Gather up around me." Slowly, the men followed Lieutenant Meehan's request. "Move it up! Come on, gentlemen! Let's go!", he called, waiting for the soldiers to gather.

Standing on the hood of one of the jeeps, he continued: "The Channel coast is socked in with rain and fog. High winds on the drop zone. No jump tonight."

Some of the men groaned and muttered complaints to each other as Meehan finished: "The invasion has been postponed. We're on a 24-hour stand-down."

"Son of a bitch", Bill Guarnere swore, voicing what many of them thought.

Ella patted him on the shoulder in consolation before turning around and facing 'her boys'. "So, any ideas on what we're gonna do now?", the girl asked, tilting her head and innocently blinking up at her friends. Being only 5'2, she looked even smaller next to her fellow paratroopers.

"Get rid of all this shit", Joe Toye huffed, tugging at his chute.

She scratched at the grease paint on her cheek and pulled a face. "Guess we'll get to smear this stuff on each other's faces again tomorrow", she said, getting a few smiles and chuckles out of her disgruntled friends.

***

Ella Sawyer hadn't expected to end up with Easy Company. Not at all. When she had enlisted, she had expected to become a nurse. She couldn't have known that the Army had decided to experiment with females in combat.

"You what?" Ella ducked her head at her mother's startled exclamation. "I want to sign up for the Nurse Corps, Mama", she quietly repeated.

Isabel Sawyer née Tomaschett sank back down onto her chair and took a deep breath in an obvious effort to calm herself. Ella stood there in silence, waiting. The only sounds that filled the kitchen of their tiny home were the ticking of the clock on the wall and the birds singing outside.

Finally, Isabel spoke. "Ella, charina, you know being a civilian nurse is hard enough. And you want to volunteer for the Army Nurse Corps?"

"Yes." It was all that needed to be said, no use beating about the bush.

"Why?" Ella raised her head to look at her mother. Her expression was calm and open, genuinely curious. The young girl sighed.

"I..." She faltered. "I just... I need to do something, Mama. We barely get by, even if I help out on the farms and at the clinic. I can't bear it anymore, being here, being reminded of-" She broke off and dragged a hand through her caramel-brown locks, exhaling heavily. "I just want to help", she finished weakly, looking at her mother, hoping that she would understand.

A soft, fond smile spread on Isabel's lips. "I know, love, I know. And I think, those men will be very lucky to have you as their nurse."

"Really, Mama? You...you'll allow it?" A bright grin lit up Ella's face, making her eyes sparkle with excitement.

Isabel's smile widened at her daughter's joy. "I will get Dr Miller to vouch for you and give proof of your skills. And I am coming with you to the enlistment office", she declared.