Haguenau, 1945
Before they were pulled out, a gap toothed teenager from the 79th Infantry had given her a brand new Army commissioned scarf. Cate tightened it around her neck as she walked, her steps hugging the jagged remains of the store fronts. Plenty of racket would precede anything incoming from the Germans across the river.
Cate smirked as she trotted over a puddle. It wouldn't matter if she was inside or out anyway. Nurses died as easily as soldiers did in a place like Haguenau. Over the past few months, she had seen colleagues catch ricochets from mortars out in the open and others crushed to death hunkered down in ruined basements. It was all the luck of the draw.
Rounding the corner, she drew her gaze up from her scuffed boots. She had heard the trucks earlier in the day but hadn't realized who it was occupying the town. There were familiar faces in the crowd of men gathering to rinse off in the makeshift showers.
Her memory tore her back to those few months in England. Faces, names, ranks, all melded into a sunlit mesh of foliage green and white toothed smiles. Frothy pints were bought for her and the other nurses at the local pub.
Mira and Joan were the most popular with their brazen New York City attitudes. Catie Doyle from New Hampshire, unsullied and friendly, was considered ideal wife material. Months later, she didn't know what kind of girl she was anymore.
She scanned the ragged crowd of men, dreading it was the 2nd Battalion of the 506th Airborne. She could only guess the slice of hell they had been handed since those days in Aldbourne. They milled towards the steaming tents sucking on their cigarettes and gritting their teeth.
Cate recognized Sergeant Lerner beneath his grimace and shadows of exhaustion. The gentle faced officer wearily glanced in her direction. Cate carefully ducked back from the street and pressed her back flat against the building.
The street leading to where she was quartered was nearly vacant. It was far enough away from the river to avoid the sights of snipers. Occasionally though they had to cram together under the splintering staircase when the Krauts fired their railroad gun. Only a few men in clean uniforms, their damp hair steaming in the cold air, ambled down the crumbling lane. She didn't recognize any of them. Cate kept her head down, covering her frayed brown waves with the scarf.
Her eyes on the ground, she barreled towards the stairs leading up to their quarters. She took a deep breath as she climbed the first couple concrete steps.
She had no idea if Ted lived or not. And she wanted to keep it that way. It was safer.
"Excuse me, miss? Nurse?"
Swallowing hard, she did not turn, "Yes?"
"I'm looking for the Aid station, you wouldn't happen to know where it is?"
She knew his voice, though it was coated in gritty exhaustion. There was an edge to him that had not been there before when they had met in England. Of all the people to happen upon in Haguenau, Ted McNeil would have to be the one.
Cate sighed, her breath smoky in the musky twilight. She swiveled and peered down at him. Ted took an astonished step up, laying a gloved hand on the rod iron railing. His mouth dropped as he ran his fingers over his wet hair. Heavy lines etched his brow. Vacancy occupied his hickory brown eyes and a thick layer of ruddy scruff lined his jaw.
"Catie Doyle?" He gaped and made a move to take another step but stopped when she visibly pulled away. "How did you get here?"
"We were moved with the 79th Infantry but ended up staying behind after they left." Cate tugged her scarf slightly down her forehead and let her gaze drop to the ground, "I'm not sure when we are getting moved out."
"But I- we haven't seen your Corps since England."
"We were deployed soon after D-Day," Cate peeked up at him.
"I remember. You were gone when we returned..." his voice faded as though recalling the moment, "We didn't know they would send you off so soon."
Cate breathed in sharply as a high pitched whistle cut the quiet, early evening. A shell from across the river sailed into the ruined city.
"Get low!" He shouted.
Ted shoved Cate into the outcropping of the doorway, his back facing the street as the shell hit the building across the street. With her arms knitted over her head, she peered past his shoulder as the chimney and roof tiles cascaded onto the road. A jeep that hadn't had a chance to stop skidded harmlessly into a wall of sand bags.
Cate relaxed as no more shells were fired. Ted was crouched in front of her, arms resting on his knees as he rubbed his face with the heel of his hand. His hands were trembling. Even in the shadows, his exhaustion was clearly more than physical. His weariness penetrated to his heart.
Impulsively, she reached out and took his hand as he had taken hers all those months earlier. She rubbed her thumb over his worn knuckles.
"I wish I had been able to tell you goodbye before we left for Europe," she met his eyes with a sad twinge around her mouth.
"Me too," he nodded.
The moment of vulnerability faded and the edge he had acquired returned as he released her hand and stood. He stalked to the edge of the steps and looked over at the wreck of the jeep. The driver wandered away from it, bewildered by his luck. Cate pushed herself to her feet.
"Do you have orders for tonight?"
"Not until later," his shoulders visibly stiffened at the memory.
Cate stood next to him. She looked up into the wintry horizon. Chilly shades of coin grey and heather poured into the river in the distance.
"Could you meet me here in a half hour?"
Ted snorted and glanced over at her in the half light. The side of her mouth curved upwards as she shrugged.
"I can try. Why?"
"I'll see you back here then."
Cate walked into the building.
ns 15.158.61.7da2
