Love Like Ghosts - Band of Brothers

Chapter 3

FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA
October, 1943

The letter in her hand was crinkled, tear stained, and just too damn impossible to understand.

Josephine Lambert sat outside of her barrack on a late October evening. It was probably past midnight, but she didn't care what time it appeared to be. Jo clutched the letter in her hand as she sobbed. Her chest shook violently with each cry.

The ground was cold, as was the wall she leaned against for support. It all felt cold; her tears, her body, her heart. She shivered at the thought. Then, a blanket was placed over her shoulders. She looked up, wiping her tears quickly, and saw the figure leaning up against the wall just like her - except they were standing.

"T-Thank you." Her voice was strained, her throat exhausted from her crying.

Under the dim moonlight, Jo saw his face. Lieutenant Speirs.

She didn't understand why he was there, or even how. But he didn't say anything, he just let her sit and compose herself. She sniffled after a few moments and stood up to meet his gaze.

"Is it the letter?" He asked.

She nodded folding it up and putting it in her pocket.

"Yeah." She said breathily.

Jo paused, thinking, before continuing.

"My brother." She looked down at her feet. "He's in the Pacific."

She hadn't seen a change in Speirs's expression the whole time until she said the last sentence. He let out a breath, one that neither of the two knew he was keeping in.

"I didn't even know he was fighting." Jo let out a heavy breath of her own.

Speirs kept his gaze on her.

She was silent for a moment, then she pressed her back against the wall again.

"Part of me feels like it's my fault." She admitted quietly. She didn't even know why she was opening up to the man. "Ever since my father left to fight, I knew I was going to join the Nurse Corps. But- But Henri didn't-"

She wrapped the blanket further around her figure.

"I shouldn't have left him." Jo sniffled.

Speirs opened his mouth to say something, then closed it as if he had to refrain his words.

"You're one of our best. I'm glad you're here, Nurse Lambert." He said to her then walked off.

Jo watched him as he walked away. Her thoughts ran a million miles per hour as she thought about everything that had happened to her thus far.

-

"Why on Earth would I talk to a lieutenant that way?" Jo smacked her head with her palm.

"He didn't seem to mind by the way ya explained it, Jo." Birdie shrugged. The two had just finished shipping off their personal belongings to their homes so they could start their journey to Europe.

Jo may have accidentally found out where the 2nd battalion and the nurses were being sent. She and Winnie were turning the corner to turn in paperwork at the HQ when they heard two random C.O.s talking...

After the previous night, Jo had kept quiet around everyone; the other nurses, the paratroopers, even George Luz (if you can believe it). The only person she confided in was Bernadette Herst.

There was a sudden knock at their door.

Birdie went to answer it.

"Ms. Herst and Ms. Lambert?" A young man asked.