charlotte tarvers is only 14 when the war breaks out, but 17 when she signs up. she's heard the stories from her parents, lovers who found each other by chance on the front lines in world war one in the country of france, now passing down the storie...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
" Nothing is more beautiful than a real smile that has struggled through tears."
- unknown
***
It was September 13, a brisker chill of the wind in the air, but they were back in Aldbourne with the wonderful Fredricks family. The local pub was filled with soldiers and local girls, but Charlotte sat at a table, sipping a thing of Coke as she poured over the Grey's Anatomy book that had been with her ever since Sobel's training. David Webster sat on the other side, reading his own book, and the two were enjoying the company of each other as the voices aroused around them louder and louder. She looked up when she saw Webster sit up and start watching as Guarnere began talking with some of the nicer replacements in the company, who hung out mostly with Babe Heffron, who was very funny and kind, and respectful to the young female medic taking a liking to her immediately after the Normandy jump.
" What do you call them letters the broads send?" Guarnere asked turning to Webster and Charlotte.
" Uh, " Dear John " letter." Webster said, with a nod.
" That's it a " Dear Babe " letter." Guarnere said to the replacements. Charlotte studied her book again, her eyes drawing in all the contents the pages provided. The replacements seemed to have calmed down with their antics, the fear that was now permanently instilled in the one private she had told off, now floated through the minds of all replacements as the Toccoa men just laughed.
" Aside from Sunshine, here, smartest woman and person here." Guarnere said, making Charlotte shot up from her crouched positon over her book to see the replacements, Guarnere, Bull, Johnny, Babe and Webster all looking at her.
" Huh?" she asked, brushing stray hairs from her eyes, looking at them.
" You're the smartest one here, and we all know that." Guarnere said, before looking back to the replacements with a nod, instilling a serious message into their brains. He stood, walking away. Webster turned to the girl, with a slack mouth, jaw nearly on the ground.
" What?" she scoffed, her cheeks flaming again, drinking her Coke more.
" 'Huh?' " he asked, playfully, and the girl knocked him in the shoulder with a small smile. She'd opted for her skirt again, but now her top part of her uniform had a few additions to it, with some medals, and ranking awards. And her Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation from serving in Normandy. Plus the Bronze Star she'd even been awarded for what they'd done on D-Day with those 105s. Her hair had gotten increasingly longer over the past few months, no longer shoulder length, and unable to be put in the adorable braids the company loved. She'd had to ask Liebgott to cut it for her. She noticed the silence that had covered the replacements table, one of them stalking away. She met eyes with Hoobler and then even Skinny as Bull walked over to the table picking up a similar pin to what she wore.
