Only a Paper Moon [ Band of Brothers ] 3

Chapter Four

January 2, 1946

Her heart raced. Alice stood before the mirror in her bedroom, staring again at her reflection. Nix was downstairs somewhere, probably making a new pot of coffee. Behind her on the bed, Blanche sat quiet, as beautiful and put together as a movie star.

"Alice, you look fine," Blanche repeated. "Trust me, no matter how beautiful you make yourself look, my father is still going to find fault."

She frowned. Glancing at Blanche in the reflection of the mirror, she nodded. Her green dress sat well against her body, the long sleeves hiding any of the scars still visible from her year at war. That year had come and gone, and now, 1946 meant new beginnings. And one of those new beginnings was finally meeting Stanhope Nixon.

"You do look beautiful," Blanche added. She stood from the bed, smoothing her own black dress with practiced movements. Coming to stand beside Alice, she smiled. "Trust me. Don't think about what my father will say, or what his stupid executives will snicker about. Lew loves you, and I think you're pretty great."

Alice chuckled. "Thanks, Blanche."

"Of course." She smiled again. "Come on. Let's go."

Letting Blanche slip her arm inside her own, Alice was led away from the mirror and out into the hall. Their heels clicked against the floor. Before they started down the stairs, though, Blanche stopped her again.

"Remember, play the game. My brother doesn't understand," she added. "He'll probably mouth off to our father, say something stupid that'll end with you being the one in trouble. That's how this works. So, I'm going to talk to Lewis. You need to talk to him, too."

"Okay."

"Okay."

With her eyes on Blanche's back, she followed her down the stairs. Alice could hear Nix in the kitchen as he gasped and cursed. For a moment, she smiled. He knew how to cook? Alice would've laughed if she hadn't been so stressed.

"Lew, what'd you do this time?" Blanche called. As she moved down the hall, her perfectly styled brown hair bouncing at the shoulders, she chuckled. "I thought I was the bad cook."

"You are! That's why you've got to stick with me," Nix bit back.

Alice moved into the kitchen after her. Nixon was sucking at his finger, a scalding hot pot of coffee nearby. She chuckled. "I don't know, Nix. My money's on your sister for long term success."

"I never should've introduced you two," he muttered. "Come on. Drink your coffee. Nixon, New Jersey awaits the Nixons."

Blanche scoffed, but she grabbed one of the mugs. "Lew, we need to talk."

"What about?"

"About what's going to happen when you show up to Nixon Nitration Works with your unwed partner who happens to have gotten together with you during a war while you were married." Blanche took a sip and then set the mug down. "You know how this looks. You both know how this looks."

"For Christ's sake. I didn't cause the divorce," Nix snapped. "Thank God it happened though."

Alice huffed out a small laugh. She lowered her gaze for a second. But then she just smirked and shook her head as Blanche scoffed.

"Lew, stop and think. This is our father. He doesn't care what actually happened, he cares about the image." She held up her hand when he went to mutter on. "I'm all for the two of you. But you're currently living together, unmarried, after meeting in a war while you were still married. That looks bad to Stanhope Nixon. Especially now that mom's moved on."