A Solider's Love (Mudbound Fan Fiction)

The Drive

Once we got home Henry felt the need to go tell Hap and Florence about what Ronsel had said in the store that afternoon. I don't know why he felt he needed to say something, but he did. The boy wanted to use the front door, like a human being. A couple days later, Jamie and I went to town to grab a few extra things and so Jamie could pick out the fabric he wanted for his new shirts. When we walk into the store Jamie has a hand around my waist, nuzzling me and kissin' my cheeks. Once we get everything we need Jamie and I head to the counter and check out.

Miss. Tricklebank smiles as we walk up, "Mrs. McAllan, don't tell me this is the famous Jamie McAllan."

I nod and hug Jamie's arm, "Yes, ma'am. This is him."

"Well, he's very handsome. How long have you been back?"

Jamie shrugs, "Oh, just a couple of weeks."

"And how are you liking Marietta?"

"Oh, it's a lovely town, just lovely." As Tricklebank goes to put the bottle of whiskey into bag Jamie grabs the bottle. "Oh, I got that one right there. Put that there." He puts the small bottle into this breast pocket. "Much obliged, Miss. Tricklebank."

"You two have yourselves a wonderful day."

I smile and wave to her as Jamie grabs the bag and we head out, "Take care."

Jamie and I walk down the porch onto the road, but when we step onto the road a car backfires and Jamie drops to the ground, panting as he lifts his head and looks around. I kneel down next to him, as I hear a man speaking off in the distance, "He must've just come back from the war."

"Jamie, darlin', are you okay?"

"Huh?" Jamie looks up to me, "I'm... I'm fine darlin."

Jamie stands and dusts himself off before we gather the things that fell out of the bag when Jamie ducked down. As Jamie looks around for his hat, Ronsel walks up and picks it up, handing it back to him, "A car must've backfired. Stuck intake valve." I look down at Ronsel's hand as he holds Jamie's hat, he is shaking. He looks from me to Jamie, who noticed it as well, "They say it stops eventually."

Jamie nods and takes his hat, putting it back on, "You're Ronsel, Hap's son." Ronsel nods and Jamie extends a hand, "Jamie McAllan. Henry's brother. And this pretty little lady's husband."

"Pleasure to meet you."

"You walk here?"

"Yes." Ronsel nods.

Jamie looks over to me and I nod, "let us give you a lift. Come on." Jamie doesn't wait for his response but walks off to the truck and Ronsel and I following behind. When we get into the truck Ronsel gets into the back, Jamie doesn't comment until we get out of town. We are back on a country road when we pull over. "Come on up front!"

"I'm fine right where I am."

"Get in, soldier. That's an order."

I move over to the middle so that Ronsel can get in. I loved it when Jamie used his Captain voice. Ronsel looks over to Jamie, "how'd you know you outrank me?"

"I was a Captain."

"They got Negro captains. I served under plenty of 'em."

"Well, you obeyed my order." Jamie shrugs, "I bet you was a sergeant."

"761st Tank Battalion, Come Out Fighting." Ronsel turns to Jamie and smiles. "We spearheaded for General Patton. You?"

"I flew B-25s. So, Sergeant, how do you like being back here in the delta?" Jamie looks over to Ronsel, after takin' a drink for the bottle he had in his pocket. Ronsel's face now one of pain. "Yeah, me too. The only thing good here for me is this pretty little thing right here. Heard you and my pappy had some words."

"I apologized for that."

"He's a disagreeable son of a bitch. I'm sure he had it coming." Jamie offers Ronsel the bottle, "Here's to you."

"I'm fine, thank you."

"Boy, you always this stubborn or just around white people tryin' to be nice?" Jamie lifts the bottle, "Go on." Ronsel takes a drink and then tries to hand the bottle back to Jamie, "now, what kind of NCO are you?" Ronsel takes another drink, but coughs up some of it, "Now, don't waste it, now. That's my medicine. I need every drop." Jamie takes the bottle back. "You tanker boys ever piss in your helmets?"

"Plenty of times."

I look between them confused, "what?"

Jamie chuckles, "We had a relief tube up in the cockpit. Sometimes it was easier just to go in our flak helmets. But at 20,000 feet that piss freezes solid in less than a minute." Jamie takes a drink.

Ronsel looks over to Jamie, "It's that cold up there?"

"Shit. I'm talking 20, 30 below. One time we were on this long haul, I pissed in my helmet. I forgot all about it. We were just over the target. I put the helmet back on. We're doing this bombing run, dodgin' enemy flak, and all of the sudden, I started feelin' somethin' runnin' down my face." Jamie laughs, "I thought I was hit." The three of us laugh. "I smelled like a damn latrine."

"So that's what that smell is," I joke.

"No, my love, that smell is the sweet smell of country living." Jamie looks over to me and smirks.

"You must've caught hell back at the officer's club, too." Ronsel smiles.

"Boy, my friends never let me hear the end of it. The ones that made it back, anyway."

"Yeah, I lost some friends, too."

"Well, here's to them."

Thunder rolls overhead as we head toward the Jackson farmhouse. Once we stop out front to drop Ronsel off, Hap steps out. "Everythin' all right, Mr. Jamie? Mrs. Elizabeth?"

"Oh, Everything's just fine. Just gave Ronsel here a little lift from town." Jamie looks over to Ronsel, "We'll be heading back to town next Saturday afternoon. If you like, we'll stop by here and see if you want a ride."

"That'd be fine." Ronsel nods.

"Well, all right. Hap." Jaime and I drive away.