a world alone [hbo war / band of brothers]

8: surprise

UPDATED: 05/22/2022. Minor revisions. This story has a special place in my heart. Enjoy <3

* * * * *

Eugene Sledge was in trouble.

Jane, Madison's new friend, had witnessed the small eruption between him and Madison. Eugene was not sure how much Jane had heard or what she had heard but she had interpreted it the wrong way. At least, that's what it sounded like when his mother confronted him about it. Mary Frank Sledge was not pleased with her youngest son.

"Eugene Bondurant Sledge, you were raised better than this! You are to apologize to that young girl, do you understand me?"

Eugene was already planning on doing it, but hearing his mother ordering him to do so made him want to do so otherwise. Especially after she has been reprimanding him for days to do so.

He didn't mean to make the young woman cry, but his mother didn't seem to realize that. He already felt guilty enough as it was and he really didn't need his mother's constant nagging about it.

The soft looks from his father and Sidney didn't help, either. His brother's advice was the worst, though. When Eugene was wondering what he could do, his brother told him to shrug it off. Edward had told his brother that Madison was just a little girl who was way too sensitive and wild. Eugene opted to ignore that. As much as Edward was helpful to Sledge, he didn't have the best advice when it came to women. Sledge couldn't help but wonder how Edward got Martha to marry him.

Eugene was currently sitting at his desk, his eyes darting to every corner of the room. Everything has changed since he's returned home, including his own damn room. As much as that bothered him, realizing just how much Madison Klein was hurt bothered him more. He just couldn't shake that off. He felt like a jerk, but how could he apologize to her? He was pretty sure that she didn't like him.

This is futile, Eugene couldn't help but think, as his head hit the desk. He laid there for a while, canceling the world out around him. How could he help Madison, when he couldn't even help himself?

* * * * *

Madison Klein was in trouble.

It was Jane, out of all people, who had found her crying on the bathroom floor. Jane was a sweet girl, helping Madison up the floor and calming her down enough that she felt ready to exit the restroom. Madison felt proud of herself, as she was able to continue working, but she could feel the eyes drawing on her. More specifically, she saw from the corner of her eye how Jane conversed with Mrs. Sledge quietly, who looked alarmed and not very happy. Madison wasn't sure what Jane had told her, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to find out.

Since Sledge picked Madison and her cousin up, he also drove them back to their house. None of them missed the look Jane shot at Sledge. A corner of Madison's mouth had twitched when she saw, but she wasn't sure what that meant. Did it mean that she appreciated Jane's concern, or that she was glad that Sledge was feeling some heat? She didn't know.

It was quiet on the way home, and tense. It was a different kind of tense than on the way to the church. No one said anything as Sledge drove. Sledge stared ahead, Madison was leaning into the door with her arms crossed, and Jacob glanced back and forth between them as he sat in the back. Something happened, he knew it. He just didn't know what.

As soon as Sledge pulled up to the house, Madison got out without saying goodbye. She didn't look back, either. Both men could tell she was upset.

"Thanks for the ride, buddy. See you later," Jacob said, getting out of the car quickly and chased after his cousin. He got to her just in time, as she opened the front door.