Finding Love in France

Part 17: The Next Day

After the most restful night sleep she could remember in ages, Mila rolled over to find herself alone. She panicked for a split second, until she realized that he was in the kitchen directly above her. She got out of bed and headed upstairs.

"Hey! Look who's up!" He was smiling and unabashedly staring at her.

Her instinctive self-consciousness passed quickly when he came up to put his arms around her and kiss the top of her head. "What time is it? Why did you let me sleep so long?" She was a little disoriented from being so well rested.

"Uh, a little after 0900?" The tiny numbers on his badly scratched watch still eluded his still-healing eyes sometimes. "You were so peaceful, it seemed a shame to wake you up. Besides, watching you sleep was the highlight of my morning until now" as he said this, he wondered if it was too much.

"Pouring it on a little thick, are we, James? What, do you think I am going to run away?" she teased.

"Well shit, Mila! Should I start communicating in grunts from now on?" and poked her playfully in the side.

She pulled herself out of his arms and laughed as she walked to the bathroom to freshen up. While there, she wondered what today would bring. She was tentatively hopeful, but remained cautious out of experience.

When she returned, there was a bunch of wildflowers tucked into an empty jar waiting for her on the table, along with some scrambled eggs and a cup of tea. She smiled. "Well played, my gorgeous American. Well played, indeed. You are clearly on top of your game, Sergeant Barnes."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He was still smiling, but a little offended.

"Oh, James! Don't be so sensitive! The flowers are beautiful, my darling. And quite unexpected, too." she tried to reassure him.

"Why is doing something nice unexpected? I'm nice!" He was getting defensive "Do you think all Americans are assholes or something? You said something similar when I screwed up that spaghetti a few days ago. What gives, Mils?" Did she really think that little of him?

"My love, don't be cross." Mils? She liked this nickname. "I do not think Americans are assholes. Nor do I hold you in anything but the highest regard. But, perhaps, I am just not used to kindness at this point? Do not be so quick to assume the worst, my darling." She kissed his cheek. "They are beautiful. I love them. Thank you."

She sat down to eat and he sat down across from her. She looked puzzled at the lack of food in front of him. "Already ate" he said. "Took care of the animals, too."

She could tell he was still a little hurt. "My darling, can I ask you something? And promise you will not take offense?"

"Anything." What was she up to?

"Why are you so nice to me? Is it out of a sense of obligation because I saved your life? Or is it because you are still not 100% convinced that I am not trying to kill you? Is it because we are now intimately involved?" she raised an eyebrow at him and continued "Or, are you behaving the way you would normally behave in your everyday, regular existence?" He was blocking her, she hated it.

"What do you mean, Doc? Yeah, it's obviously in my best interest to be nice to the person who could have left me for dead back in Germany. And, no, I don't think you are trying to kill me, anymore." He snorted "But you've gotta admit, getting yelled at by someone with your accent, when you can't see and have no idea what's going on, is kinda terrifying to someone like me." He was working really hard to block her and hoped he could keep it up while he finished his answer. "I'd like to think that I'm a nice guy. At least I hope so...but I get where you're coming from. I think..." he hoped he was on the right track here "You're worried about how guys are, right? All crude and nasty, putting pinups on the walls. Hell, I'm usually right there with them. But I also know that, for the most part, a lot of guys in my unit actually have sweethearts or wives back home. Most of them are just trying to make themselves feel better with those girlie pictures and loose talk. That's really all it is, just talk, you know." Was this what she was getting at?

"Sure, James, but tell me. How do you usually spend the morning after a day like yesterday? Is it cooking breakfast and doing chores and being almost too sweet? Or is it running off to tell your friends and plan your next conquest?" she went on "we said many things to each other yesterday, but do you still mean them today, after getting what you wanted?" She was looking him dead in the eye, trying to pick up anything he might let slip through.

"Mila! What the hell are you talking about?! Do you see anyone else around here? Do you think I went and told the damn chickens how we did it yesterday?!" Upset, and still trying to block her, he went on "Listen, I don't know what's happened to you in the past after days like yesterday, but I can tell you this. Not only did I NEVER expect what happened yesterday, but, even if we never did any of that, I can say, completely honestly, whether you believe me or not, I fell for you before I even knew what you looked like. How's that grab you? And not only did I mean every word I said, but I've got plenty more where they came from. If you get over whatever big ideas you have about Americans or men or whatever it is that's making you question my intentions, maybe I'll even say them to you. Hell, I might not be the damn genius you are, but I know when I'm in love. Because it doesn't happen to me every day, despite what you may think. And NEVER like this. Do with that what you want." At this, he got up and walked outside.