Oh Suzannah, Don't You Cry For Me

Chapter Twelve: Christmas at Camp Barkeley

Happy 2023! I hope that you have a wonderful year and that you stay happy and healthy! :)

Chapter Twelve: Christmas at Camp Barkeley

Camp Barkeley buzzed with the excitement that only Christmas could bring. Yet, the view from the infirmary did not share the same sentiment. After a delicious breakfast, Richard convinced Suzie to tell Stone about what happened in the showers. Not wanting to bring attention to herself, Suzie refused at first but Richard promised he would be her unofficial lawyer.

The unofficial lawyer did a tremendous job and earned Garcia and Lemay permanent bathroom cleaning duties and regular check-ins with the Military Police. Lieutenant Stone spent the first half of the morning lecturing Richard and Suzie about the importance of speaking out against misbehavior. Stone berated Garcia and Lemay for their actions and how to act like proper soldiers while Stone sent Suzie to the infirmary. The infirmary set Suzie's broken nose back into its proper place and gave her medicine for the pain.

Other than a few bandages across her nose for three weeks, Lemay and Garcia did not leave any lasting injuries on Suzie. The bruises would heal soon enough and the nurses decided that Suzie could leave the infirmary in time for a large Christmas lunch.

Wincing from the bruises around her throat every time she swallowed, Suzie took her time eating the ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie. Richard babbled beside her the whole meal, explaining how his mother and sisters would always throw a huge feast for Christmas. Granted, with a family of seven children, Richard's family meals were probably always feasts.

"So, I was thinking," Richard said, his fork posed with a piece of ham speared on the end. He waved it around as he spoke. Suzie watched the ham with concern, anticipating for it to fly off the end of the fork and send Stone, Hassen, or one of the cooks marching over to lecture them about food waste. "I wanted to see a movie and I heard Camp Barkeley has its own theater, so we could see a movie together."

"Sounds fun," Suzie muttered and let out a small sigh of relief when Richard finally stopped flailing his fork around and ate the piece of ham.

"I heard there's a special show for the troops tonight. Something to do with that new actor guy who's working for the government and raising war bonds. I don't know much about him but my sisters think he's a dreamboat. They won't shut up about him."

"I can't imagine," Suzie mumbled to herself. The constant talking must run in the family. After Bucky shipped overseas, Suzie thought that she would have finally earned a break from his incessant talking, singing, and guitar playing. Bucky must have made a deal with a demon or something to annoy his little sister by sending Richard to do the talking in his place.

"So, whaddya say, Riley?" Richard asked. He leaned over the table and gave Suzie a wide grin. "Wanna see what the fuss is all about? I doubt he's that attractive. My sisters swoon over any man who happens to walk by. Me, I'm pickier. Take, for example, my lovely Helen. Imma marry her when the war's over and we're gonna have a bunch of little babies running around..."

He continued rambling about his future family with this supposed 'Helen' and how he would have his own law firm that he would pass down to his children. Suzie stopped listening halfway through, focusing on her meal instead. Richard, for some reason, felt like a combination between Steve and Bucky. The skinniness and stupid bravery reminded her of Steve. The nonstop talking, dreaming about having a family, and cheerful personality reminded her of Bucky. Even so, at least Richard had a stable relationship instead of running around with a million different women like Bucky.

Richard's one-sided conversation about starting a family reminded Suzie of her Ma and home. A surge of homesickness washed over her. The pumpkin pie caught in her throat as a lump formed, worsening the pain from the bruises that Garcia left last night. Tears started forming in her eyes so she squeezed them shut to ease the stinging.