Shadows of the World » Band of Brothers

20: Gleams of Sunshine

"Even for me life had its gleams of sunshine." - Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

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The quartet followed Tom back to the three tables which seated the Americans that he seemingly knew best. They were on their second round of drinks by now after having decided to share their first together. It was so rare for them to get to go out together like this, they wanted to savour it.

Juliette was somewhat reluctant to have to leave the safe bubble of her team and interact with the others again, but the whiskey she'd downed before she left combined with her first drink gave her a sort of warm buzz that dulled her anxiety. This time, when they returned, fake introductions were in order.

Thomas put an arm around Juliette and dragged her up next to him, almost parading her in front of his friends, most of which she'd met in some capacity already.

"Boys, this is Penny. Most of you already know her which is rather unfortunate but I can't do much about that -" Juliette shoved his arm off of her immediately, making some of the men laugh. "She's a little bit feisty but she's a real sweetheart once you get to know her."

Juliette rolled her eyes and avoided eye contact with the Americans at all costs. Thomas really did know how to embarrass her.

The fair-haired man then turned to Will, who stood on his right. "This is James, who some of you will recognise as the unfortunate young man who received a verbal bollocking in the middle of town the other day. Legend has it that if Penny hadn't stepped in he'd still be standing there now." Will made a show of scowling at Thomas but laughed along with the rest of them almost as soon as the glare had hit its mark - a tipsy Thomas was a crowd pleaser and they were all used to it by now.

"Then next to Penny is Warren," Tom introduced, gesturing to Martin on Juliette's left. Thomas paused, likely trying to think up something funny to say about him, before Juliette cut in.

"He's my dad."

Tom laughed loudly and abruptly when Martin shoved her into him. "You're not funny."

"I am a bit."

That seemed to break the ice. Juliette and Martin were pulled into conversation with a group of men that featured Joe Toye and Bill Guarnere, and were quickly introduced to a very tall, mountain of a man named Bull Randleman and a much smaller, though no less intimidating, man named Johnny Martin. It was rather unfortunate that his surname was Martin, Juliette thought, for the paratroopers called each other almost exclusively by their last names and this would no doubt be confusing for everyone who knew the Martin beside her's real name. She hoped Martin himself was used enough to his fake name by now that he wouldn't turn around every time someone called out to the other Martin, otherwise people would probably think he was in love with him or something. She snickered at the thought.

Juliette was soon engrossed in conversation with Bull and Johnny about the common misconception that British beer is served warm, which it most certainly is not she would have them know, though they obviously knew as much already. She was, much to their amusement, horrified at the thought that the Americans had come to England expecting it to be so, and told them to write home immediately that the Brits were not, in fact, barbarians and did drink cold beer just like any normal, sane people.

Juliette felt a pair of hands come to rest on her shoulders and turned to find Tom grinning mischievously at the pair of men before her. "Mind if I steal her away?"

When the men replied in the negative Tom steered Juliette in the direction of where he'd been standing before, only stopping once they'd come to stand before Bill, Don, Joe, and George. With the way all of the glasses had been lined up on the table, she knew what was coming.