AFFLICTION.

Chapter 18

The day after, the hospital was the quietest it's been. Only two patients needed treatment. Valerie and I played cards most of the day and we talked about her American boyfriend from New York. Harry came to visit 'Daisy' at 3 o'clock. When Daisy left for a minute to retrieve her bag Harry walked towards me.

"Happy Birthday Lianna." He whispered into my ear, pulled away and then pressed his arm into the side of mine. 

Daisy returned and they went for a walk.

At 4 o'clock Esma came to my wing with a cupcake.

"Happy Birthday!!!!!" She jumped on me, almost dropping the cupcake in the process. I introduced her to Valerie and the three of us played cards till 7 o'clock. Valerie won all the games.

At 8:50 pm I went to go see Harry at the Barracks. I wore my hair out instead of its usual braid. It hung down my back and blew in the light Luxembourg breeze. Harry complimented my hair and ran his hand across it.

"You should wear it out more often." He said.

We walked to the canal, arms pressed against one another's with Harry holding his rucksack in his hand. We sat on the bridge and Harry took out a bottle of champagne and a cupcake wrapped in foil. We drank the champagne from the bottle and nibbled at the cupcake.

"How old are you today?" Harry asked with the champagne bottle in one hand and cupcake in the other.

"22." I replied. "How old are you?" It never occurred to me to ask Harry's age until now.

"26." He replied.

"Oh," I said with a hint of surprise to my voice. "You're older," I stated casually, wearing a slight grin.

"Does that bother you?" He said furrowing his brows but still smirking.

"No." I shook my head. "You just seem younger, that's all." Harry was starring at me, eyes slightly closed and smile wide and happy. "I think it's your dimples," I said poking one of Harry dimples. He laughed in response and grabbed my finger. 

At the end of the night, we walked back to the Barracks, arms pressed into one another. Harry smoked three cigarettes and we talked about England. At the Barracks, Harry handed me a gift. It was wrapped with newspaper and sealed with a blue ribbon.

I jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly. He squeezed me back, his hands resting on my hair.

"You don't even know what it is." He spoke, arms still around my body.

"I don't care, thank you." I kissed him on the cheek.

We said our goodbyes.

I ran back to my quarters. Crawling up onto my bunk I ripped open the wrapping and turned the present around in my hands. It was a book. The title read;

A SERIES OF FRENCH POEMS; by a collective of authors.

I held the book to my chest and slept with it tight against me.

The next day at the hospital was quieter than the day before. Harry visited 'Daisy' at 2 o'clock and they went for lunch. He pressed his arm into mine before they left.

Valerie and I played cards for three hours. I won one game and cheered in delight, jumping up and down in my seat. We talked about America and the Soviet Union.

"Did you know it is a crime to become a P.O.W for Soviet soldiers," Valerie informed me.

At 6 o'clock I opened the French poetry book Harry had given me for my birthday. I flicked through the pages, recognising a few familiar poets. On the 25th page, a quote caught my eye.