The Spirit of the Corps » Band of Brothers

57: Dites Ouistiti

A week later, Easy Company and the 23rd Field Hospital were pulled out of the Netherlands to a military camp in north-eastern France called camp de Châlons. It wasn't Paris, but it was enough. If Charlie had had any more tears to shed she would have cried when setting foot in the room she was sharing with the other nurses.

For the first four days they were there, Charlie only emerged from her room for mealtimes. She had a bed with sheets and a connecting bathroom with a shower, so why else would she need to leave? She spent her days sleeping. On the fifth day, when she was sure she had slept the last of the lethargy out of her system, she allowed Mabs to drag her outside for a walk. The wind was sharp and the cold was biting, but the fresh air felt good on her skin. Even just inhaling it made her lungs feel looser, like they'd been freed from a cage for a little while.

It was early morning but even still the men were all up and working. Lieutenant Dike had them doing parade marches - for what reason, Charlie had not even the faintest of ideas - and as they passed Charlie watched with mild interest as they marched back and forth in their formation, their about faces slick and their steps all in time. It was impressive, it just seemed to Charlie to be right at the bottom of the list of things to have soldiers doing when they were supposed to be on rest and relaxation (R&R).

When Charlie and Mabs doubled back on themselves, ready to head to breakfast, Charlie caught sight of three figures standing outside the building their room was in, two tall, one short, all three familiar. There were five carpet bags lying at their feet and big grins on their faces as Charlie and Mabs drew nearer.

Charlie looked to Mabs to see if she had any idea of what was happening.

Mabs could barely contain her grin. "Do you have plans, Charlie?"

"Today?"

Mabs nodded.

"No..."

"Now ya do."

Before Charlie could ask any questions, Mabs had skipped ahead of her to join the welcoming committee.

Henry stepped forward out of their line and held out a slip of paper.

"Your train ticket," she said as Charlie took it with eyebrows furrowed.

"Breakfast in a bistro, anyone?" Autumn asked. When Charlie met her eyes, she was smiling wildly.

Charlie gasped. "No," she said, her mouth open, her eyes wide. "You didn't." But she so, so desperately hoped they did.

"I believe this is yours," Boo said, passing Charlie her carpet bag. Her smile was just as crazed as the others'.

"Stop it right now," Charlie said, beginning to smile wide.

"Hope you've brushed up on your French, Charlie," Mabs said, coming to stand beside her. She wrapped her free arm around her. "'Cause we are goin' to Paris."

The train journey to Paris took just under two hours and Charlie was bouncing in her seat the entire time. Boo had gone to the liberty of packing a book for her to read and it sat open and unread in Charlie's lap for the duration of the ride while she looked out of the window instead. It was so strange to be able to look out of train windows again after the blackout blinds covering England, and Charlie relished watching the French countryside race by outside the window as they left Mourmelon and headed straight towards the City of Lights.

The train came in at the Gare de l'Est and they stepped off to the unfamiliar sounds of civilization. For so long all Charlie had heard were the sounds of war, of gunfire and shouting and artillery and orders, that the sound of conductors announcing trains and footsteps and cars was overwhelming.