Seven

437 4 0
                                    

Joseph

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

Joseph

      We were a month into fighting in Belgium. When the snow fell is when things started to get more miserable. We were low on ammunition and we didn't have proper clothes for the cold.
Maggie snuggled closer to me as we tried to sleep in the deadly temperatures.
I ran my hands through Margaret's hair and kissed her cheek.

"Joe?" Maggie shivered against me.

"Yeah doll?" I smiled at her, I always tried to act like I was okay for her.

"I Uh, I think I'm pregnant..." she looked away from me. A rush of panic ran through my stomach, not that I was the dad. But because she had been on the brutal fields with Easy.
"Say something please..." she sniffed.

"I'm gonna be a dad..." was all I could get out. I turned her cheek so that she was looking at me.

"You're gonna be a great one," I held her face in my hands. I smiled and hugged her she laughed lightly.

"Maggie, I think you should go home...we don't want to risk." She cut me off.

"Stop I'm not leaving you here Joseph. I don't want to go home!" She frowned looking at me.

"Maggie this is the last place you should be pregnant." I slid my hand up her shirt and touched her stomach, "I mean women are definitely so strong but soon enough you're going to be sick all the time. And the cold isn't going to help."

"Stop I'll be fine," she argued.

"God damnit Maggie you've already been hit!" I yelled back at her. She rolled her eyes and started to wipe some tears away.
"I'm just Margaret, you staying out here isn't the best idea."

"Joe just I don't care what you say. I'll just stay in the hospitals and work from there." She sighed looking at me.
I rubbed my eyes and looked at her, "Let's just go to sleep we both need the rest."

I love you," she squeezed my hand.

"I love you too," I squeezed back. I pulled her close to me, we both needed to stay warm. So we layered and cuddled as much as we could.

          I sat in my foxhole next to Luz as we loaded our guns.
"Didn't see Maggie out with us this morning. Is she okay?" He asked.

"She's okay you could say," I huffed thinking about our argument last night.

"You guys okay?" He looked at me.

"She's pregnant Luz," I spat out and lit a cigarette.

"You're kidding why does she think that? who's the dad?" He asked stupidly.

"Me you dumb fuck, she said she missed two periods." I shoved him jokingly.

"Is she shipping out back to the states?"

"Nope, we kept arguing about it last night. She finally settled on just working in the hospitals." I sighed.

I sat on a log drinking boiled warm water. Maggie sat next to me holding a lighter by her hands to keep them warm.
The mail guy came over "Liebgott?" He called.

"That's me," I took the envelope from him.

"Who is it," Maggie looked at me.

"My mom," I opened the envelope and took the paper out. I read over the letter smiling to myself, I handed the letter over to Maggie to read.

"Eliza, I love that name." She smiled reading the letter. Luz glanced over at us as I put my arm around Maggie. She handed the letter back over to me.

"Here Maggie you need to stay hydrated," I gave her the cup.

"But," she began.

"Don't start with me sweetheart." I sighed as she took it and took a drink.

"So," Luz sat next to Maggie.

"Yeah?" I looked over at him.

"Did you tell him?" She looked at me anger lacing her voice.

"He's my best man," I motioned to him as she rolled her eyes.

"It's okay it's not getting out Maggie." Luz assured us, "How's the hip?"

"It's fine," she sighed leaning into me more. I knew she was struggling giving up cigarettes but it was for the better.
She buried her head in my chest, I sighed and kissed her head gently.

My Heart Is Buried In Venice -Joe LiebgottWhere stories live. Discover now