Evelyn's Tale

-Thirty Five-

TW: mentions of abortion

28th March, 1945

Liebgott hadn't so much as even looked at Evelyn since their argument a few days prior. Everyone had noticed the obvious tension between the two of them but no one had dared to ask about the cause of it. Eugene and George were the only two people who knew and they were keeping a close eye on the pair. Evelyn had done her usual thing and was trying to pretend that she was fine, while Liebgott was barely able to conceal his foul temper. He was picking fights with anyone over anything. Just the day before, Skinny had left his boots in front of his cot and Liebgott had almost tripped over them. Almost. He had picked up the boots and thrown them angrily across the room before yelling at Skinny about watching where he put his goddamn stuff.

"Liebgott, do you mind if I talk to you for a minute?" Eugene collared him after dinner.

"If it's to try and ask me to speak to Evelyn, then the answer is no," he glared.

"I'm not going to ask you to do anything," Eugene answered, unfazed by Liebgott's sourness. "I just want to talk."

"Fine," Liebgott rolled his eyes. "Talk then."

"How are you?"

"Honestly?" Liebgott raised an eyebrow at him and scowled. "You're really gonna try and do this to me?"

"Do what?" Eugene was genuinely confused. He had only asked the man how he was.

"That whole counselling thing you just love to do on everyone," he answered. "Anyone's got a problem and you're right there dishing out advice and trying to be everyone's best friend. No offense Doc, but I'm really not in the fucking mood."

"And you know what you're doing?" Eugene said. "That snarky thing you always do when you're trying to act like something isn't bothering you half as much as it really is."

Liebgott opened his mouth to retort angrily but a puff of hot air escaped and nothing else.

"I'm guessing Evelyn told you about our conversation?" Liebgott muttered.

Eugene nodded.

"And you probably think I'm the nastiest bastard to have ever graced the planet?"

"Actually no."

Liebgott looked surprised. Eugene led him over to one of the empty tables where they could talk in private. Once Liebgott had lit himself a cigarette and sat comfortably, Eugene began speaking once more.

"I completely understand why you're upset," he began. "If I'm being honest, I know for a fact I would feel the same in your shoes. To me, a child is a life from the time of its conception and the thought of someone taking that child away from me seems unthinkable and cruel. Evelyn told me exactly what she suggested, and I'm being truthful when I say that to hear her say something like that shocked me. But then when I really thought about it, I realised that she's in shock herself."

"So that excuses her behaviour?" Liebgott asked angrily.

"That's not what I'm saying," Eugene said patiently. "But listen to what I'm going to say, will you? We've known Evelyn for years now. We've spent every waking moment with her near enough for the whole of that time. We've seen her at her best and her worst. She's undoubtedly one of the toughest people I've ever met, but even you've got to admit how scary this must be for her."

"It's scary for me too, yet I didn't say those awful things," Liebgott argued. "In fact, the thought never even crossed my mind."

"It's different for you though."