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

Paperwork

The aid station was empty. Her banners were still where she had left them and there was a row of neatly organised piles of medication and other medical equipment spread on the counter of what had once been the bar.

She smiled, immediately recognising Gene's handiwork. Despite his limited knowledge of the German language, he had put everything together that belonged together, probably from comparing the labels.

It made her job a lot easier and barely twenty minutes later, Ella had labelled every box, bottle and package with a felt-tip pen she had found in a cupboard. She put them all back into their proper places so that in case of an emergency the medics knew where to find what they needed.

After making sure that everything was in order, she stepped outside again, turning towards the supply office.

The men returned as noon went by.

Those who swung by the supply office to see if there were any Hershey bars or Lucky Strikes – there were, much to their joy – found their girl sitting cross-legged on the counter top, tip of the tongue poking out between her lips as she worked on the never-ending stream of backlogged paperwork. She was humming, seemingly without a care in the world while she filled out form after form.

Anybody who wondered why the soldiers came back out of the supply office with a huge grin full of pure joy on their faces went to see for themselves. They all came out with the same blissfully happy smile.

Luz, who was sorting through the supplies and filling out his own share of paperwork, couldn't stop smiling and when his small friend intoned a song he knew, he joined in. Their voices, mixed with laughter, chased away any lingering anxiety and sadness.

***

Eventually needing a break from all the dull, dry reports, the ranking medic fished out her mother's letter. Scooting back until her back was supported by a sturdy wooden support pillar, she opened the envelope and began to read.

My charina Ella

Thank you for your last letter. It brightened what would otherwise have been a thoroughly miserable day. So, you are in Germany now. I wonder how different it is from where I grew up. I'm sure the landscape is similar, but my last visit to Germany has been many years ago. Maybe one day, when the war is over, we can travel there together, charina.

How are you, mia figlia? In your last letter, you spoke of nightmares and how you struggled to cope with the loss of your friends. I wish I could help you, but unfortunately, I know that only time can make that kind of pain lessen. Don't lose hope, charina, it will get better. You will have good days and you will have bad days, that is only natural. And I'm sure your friends understand that.

We are doing well, thank you for asking. The classes at university are very entertaining and I also learn something new each day. It is such a wonderful opportunity and I have already been asked to assist some more courses or even take over teaching some of them! Can you imagine? James tells me I don't have to take on more work, that he makes enough money to support us, but I want to do it. It would give me the chance to refresh my own skills and I like the challenge of sharing knowledge I view as basic or obvious with aspiring nurses for whom this is all completely new.

My relationship with James is ever changing. Some days, I can hardly see the man I fell in love with in him. On those days, he dislikes it when I talk about these "feminist" ideas or as he also calls it: "women-empowering nonsense". I find those words quite hurtful and I have told him as much. He immediately apologises, but I strongly suspect that he doesn't like my independence. I wonder why, because what does he expect from a single mother?