I was one of five women chosen to serve our country, fighting side by side with the men, and only some of us had come home. Being surrounded by friends and enemies, having to choose who you can save, who you can love, and how to survive is something...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I sat under an apple tree in the orchard, overlooking the makeshift med station to write my letter to Darla. It was the best place for privacy I could get given the circumstances. I pulled out the simple leather notebook she gave me before I left from within my inside coat pocket and opened the cover.
I was surprised to see the first page was already written on by Darla. I never noticed it until now. I sat there, trying to read the page, briefly setting aside the letter I needed to write before they took Wynn back to England. Some of the words were difficult to make out as the book got wet upon my submersion during the jump on D-Day, smudging the ink slightly.
Dearest Emmeline,
If you're reading this, then you're already far away from me but even though you are so far away, I hope this will find you well. As well as one could be given everything.
I never expected to find such an amazing friend in you. Someone I could talk to, share secrets with, and love as deeply as a sister would love. I know you don't like to talk about your past or the things you've been through but just know that whenever the day comes you decide to share, I'll be here waiting, even if it means waiting a lifetime.
I won't make this letter anymore sappy than it already is, so I'll leave you with just this: by love and grace, I am amazed and blessed to have you in my life. No matter what happens to us in this war, I pray you will make it through to the end and we will be reunited once more.
I pray I will see you again soon. Write to me often, dear one, and I will respond to you, sending you love and encouragement when you need it. I miss you already and you're sitting across the room from me as I write this. You look so sad for some reason and I so desperately want to go over to you and hug you. So, I will do just that.
I will end this now and say I love you. I love you. I love you. Come back to me safely.
Forever your loving 'sister',
Darla
I read and reread the letter she left in the notebook. I sighed, realizing how much I missed her - how my soul ached without having her presence near me. With everything that happened in the past 12 hours, I realized how much I depended on her - how much I leaned on her.
I bit my lip, blinking away the tears forming behind my eyes, and forced myself to turn the page. I pressed the pencil to the blank paper and began to write my response. I felt the words flow onto the page effortlessly. I told her about the jump, how I nearly drowned, how I had to kill that young German kid to live, and how I was saved by Speirs. I told her about all of the death I had seen so far, as well as Thomas. I mentioned I had not seen Webster yet and how I hoped he was okay - that he would find me. I explained to her that even though I loved Webster as a friend, I felt calmer around him, safer even, and I couldn't deny those feelings. I finished it by telling her how much I missed her and the rest of the girls but if I were honest, I missed her the most. I told her I always felt she was the mother I never had, and I prayed every spare moment I had, to be reunited with her someday soon, how I hated the war but loved it for bringing us together.
