Evelyn's Tale

-Thirty Seven-

TW: miscarriage (also following chapters might make mention of this but there will be no descriptions after this chapter as far as I remember)

Two days later

Evelyn woke up feeling the same joyful apprehension she had for the last couple of mornings. Her hand drifted to her stomach and she smiled contentedly, imagining the life growing in there. Trying to imagine if it was going to be a boy or a girl. Whether it was going to look like her or Joe. She felt so happy that not even the gentle pattering of rain on the tarpaulin above her head was enough to dissolve it. She turned her head to see Liebgott wide awake watching her with complete adoration in his eyes, and she was glad that Eugene had offered to swap cots with him for the foreseeable future. However long her future with Easy was for anyway. She and Liebgott had last night decided that they would bask in their secret happiness for another day or two before breaking the news to the COs. And after that their fate was uncertain.

"Hi," he grinned at her. "How did you sleep?"

"Well," she grinned back, thinking that he looked so adorable with his hair all messy from sleeping. "Although the sooner I can sleep in a real bed the better. This cot does nothing for my back. I'm in agony this morning."

"You are?" Liebgott frowned in concern.

Evelyn nodded. Her lower back was killing her and her stomach felt strange. The joys of being pregnant, she mused to herself. Seeing Liebgott's worried face, she smiled reassuringly.

"I'll be fine," she promised him. "Once I get up and about, it'll ease somewhat."

"Even so, just stay here for a few minutes more so I can keep on staring at you," Liebgott smirked. He stretched his hand across the gap between their cots to reach for hers, and she took it, intertwining her fingers with his own.

"Oh Perco, would you look at this," Johnny Martin suddenly spoke. "Love's young dream."

"Pass me the sick bucket, quick," Perconte snorted.

"At least they're not fighting today," Skinny chuckled. "In fact, by my reckoning it's been four or five days since any altercation. Must be a new record."

"I reckon they only fight so they can have the fun of making up again anyway," Perconte said, which gathered a laugh from everyone.

Even Evelyn and Liebgott found their teasing chatter amusing. A little bit of senseless ribbing didn't bother them. Nothing could bother them. They were in their own deliriously little happy bubble and no one could burst it.

"Aw Frank, you caught onto our secret," Evelyn sat up and began pulling on her boots. "But what you don't know is that we made up in your cot."

The cot beside Perconte's creaked as Bull guffawed loudly at the little Italian's grimace. With a grin, Evelyn stood up and reached for her jacket. Sure, the weather was warming but there was still a nip in the air first thing in the morning.

"Speaking of beds," Frank grimaced. "You might wanna check your own."

Evelyn frowned as Frank motioned vaguely in the direction of her cot, a blush appearing on his cheeks.

"What Perconte's too embarrassed to tell you is that your monthly visitor seems to have arrived, and she wanted to make sure we all knew about it," Martin explained.

Evelyn ripped the blanket from her cot and her eyes widened in horror when she saw a small patch of dark blood on the canvas bed.

"Joe," she let out a sob, slapping her hand over her mouth and bursting into tears.