We Happy Few/// Band of Brothers fanfiction

Chapter 28: The End

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The End

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Joe had gone back to Reading a couple weeks after they finalized their plan. Gabriella raised Eliza while Joe found a job in Reading. He worked for a few weeks, saving until he could send some money to New York for Gabriella and Eliza to catch a train to Reading. At first, they only packed the necessary clothes and personal belongings like toys for Eliza. Gabriella had left much of her stuff at her parents house, much like Evelynn did when she moved out and in with Paul.

When the two arrived in the Reading train station, Joe was already waiting eagerly as they stepped off the train and onto the platform. Gabriella had two suitcases in her hands and a train conductor helped her a with a third until Joe spotted them and ran over. Eliza had met him in the middle, excited to see her new best friend again. She didn't understand the relationship between her mother and Joe just yet, but one day it would all make sense.

The train station wasn't as busy as it usually was which meant it was easy for the two to bring three suitcases and a restless child to Joe's fathers' car that was parked outside the station building. Gabriella had gotten Eliza situated in the backseat of the 1941 Pontiac Streamliner while Joe stacked the suitcases in the small trunk. Before long, the three were moving away from the station and towards Joe's parents house, where he still lived until he could buy a house of his own.

The first meeting between Gabriella and Joe's parents went just as smoothly as when Joe met Gabriella's parents. Eliza got close to Joe's sister first and her little baby boy who was born the same day Gabriella saved Joe's life in Bastogne during the first barrage. Joe's parents were so excited to meet Gabriella and Eliza that they had set up a child's bed in the nursery that was used by Joe's nephew when they stayed at their house. Joe's sister and her husband would be going back to their house after dinner, though.

Joe continued to work almost everyday while Gabriella took care of Eliza and helped Mrs. Toye around the house either with cooking or cleaning, what ever needed to be done, really. Joe's father still worked, but not as long of hours as Joe was working down at the factory. When Joe came home all sweaty and filthy, Gabriella would be waiting with a hug and dinner would be either ready to be served or almost ready. Mrs. Toye's cooking was heavenly as is, but when Gabriella helped and added her own love to a meal, it was hard choosing who had the best cooking.

By mid-January of 1946, Joe had saved up enough money to not only buy a house, but a new car as well. He kept it as a surprise at first, only telling his parents before surprising Gabriella on her birthday, January 13th. It didn't take long for the three to move into the new house and make it their own. It was a rather small house, with one master bedroom with an attached bathroom and two other bedrooms. The front door was off to the right side of the house and immediately upon entering there was the stair case leading upstairs. The first bedroom was on the right, with the bathroom next to it and another bedroom on the other side of the bathroom before another small set of stairs leading the the master bedroom. If one was to turn left upon entering the house, they would be met with the living room with a big window facing the front yard. Next to that was the connected dinning room and then the kitchen, which also lead to the backdoor that lead to the back deck and the average sized back yard.

Unfortunately, Joe couldn't get any time off work to help unpack everything and get settled, but Gabriella didn't mind unpacking by herself. She left his suitcases for him to unpack so he could organize his things the way he wanted while Gabriella sorted through the chore of making the house look like a home. They didn't have much for furniture quite yet, but they had a donated dinning table and chair set from a family friend which sat lovely in the dinning room and separated the kitchen from the living room. Gabriella noticed how much Eliza liked having her own room and getting to organize it her own way. Gabriella had also noticed a change in Eliza's attitude and personality. She wasn't as much of a shy, private child anymore and had turned into an outgoing and adventurous one.