Evelyn's Tale

-Forty One-

4th May, 1945

Hitler was dead. However the war was not yet over. Easy Company was in Bavaria with the intention of capturing Berchtesgaden; the home of the Nazi Party and its Third Reich. Of course, before his suicide, Hitler had ordered his SS to make Berchtesgaden their final stand against the allied invaders which was why on a roasting hot afternoon in May, Easy Company were sat waiting for engineers to come and blow the massive roadblock out of the way so that they could get moving on closer to that very destination.

They had tried firing a number of bazooka rounds and grenades and anything else they had, but none of it had even put a dent in the massive roadblock. Everyone was restless and bored. Even George had long since given up his usual incessant chatter and jokes and looked as glum as everyone else did. Leaning against the railing of the truck, Evelyn let the sun beat down on her face and couldn't help but compare the sweltering heat to the biting cold of the Bois Jacques; the thought of that place instantly making her heart lurch in remembrance of those they had lost and of what had happened to Bill there. She tried not to think of it but sometimes it just popped into her mind along with every other awful thing they'd been through before she could stop it.

"You think this is hot, you wanna be back in Frisco in the middle of summer," Joe smirked when she poured some water onto a handkerchief and held it to the back of her neck.

Evelyn gave him a wobbly smile, hoping he wouldn't notice the way she grimaced slightly at the mention of San Francisco. It was still very much a sore point for her and something she knew she was going to have to talk to him about at a future date, but since leaving Landsberg they'd had no time alone so the opportunity hadn't arisen. The thought of not living in Philly, and not living close to her family, seemed to get that little more difficult to bear each and every time it was brought to her attention. The thought of one day settling down with Joe and having children, knowing that her parents and siblings wouldn't be right around the corner to visit or help out left a knot in her stomach. But equally so did the thought of discussing her worries and concerns with Joe who had already started planning out their life back in San Francisco.

"I can just imagine Ev now lying on the beach in a polka dot bikini and a pair of ridiculous looking sunglasses," Skinny grinned. "'Oh Joe, could you just rub a little more of that sun lotion on my back'."

"Shut up," Evelyn kicked him, but her eyes were twinkling with silent laughter.

"Yeah and stop thinking about my wife in a bikini," Joe eyeballed him.

"Oh come on, Joe," Skinny exclaimed. "It's not like I was thinking about her naked. Although, I kind of am now."

"Who are we thinking about naked?" Perconte climbed into the back of the truck after relieving himself in the trees.

"Ev," Bull muttered, sucking on his cigar and grinning at the way Liebgott's neck was reddening in annoyance.

"No we're not," Evelyn pulled a face. "Nobody is thinking about me naked, you bunch of sickos."

"Well, you can't exactly stop us," Sisk muttered. "I'm doing it right now."

"Shame you'll never know if your imagination matches reality though," Joe scoffed.

"I'm sure I could find a way," Skinny smirked. "You know, I could accidentally walk in on her in the shower or something."

"Hey, if you get to see Ev naked then I wanna see too just to see if it matches what I'm imagining," Perconte frowned.

"I've seen Ev naked," George piped up with a grin.

"When have you ever seen me naked?" Evelyn was livid.