charlotte tarvers is only 14 when the war breaks out, but 17 when she signs up. she's heard the stories from her parents, lovers who found each other by chance on the front lines in world war one in the country of france, now passing down the storie...
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" Happiness is living a life, having fun, friends, and freedom."
- Lorrin L. Lee
***
Charlotte went later that morning to get her mail that had finally reached its peak of overload. Letters were from her family, and friends, and her brothers, and of course Mary-Jane. She read through them bringing her heart joy and warmth as she heard the stories and voices of her family in her mind. She opened Mary-Jane's letter, a small smile on her face, but it dropped within the first few sentences.
Charlotte,
I hope this letter finds you well. I'm doing just fine, I hope you are, too. We've been relocated to another island in the Pacific and I finally received your letter back. Dr. Parsons' back home sent me a letter. My momma's dead, she got sick from the flu, and then suffered a stroke. They tried to save her Charlie, but she died. She couldn't make it. She held on long enough to get a letter written to me, but then she was gone. On November 4th, 1944, she died and I was halfway across the world, saving lives but I couldn't save her, my own mother. I have regrets about joining the Nurse Corps, but not as big as this one. Leroy got injured and was with us for a few days. It felt good to see a familiar face after what had happened. Clyde's a familiar face, but he never met my mother and seeing Leroy show up, gave us a few days to talk and feel back home again. I hope to see you real soon.
Love
Mary-Jane
Charlotte had tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked up past the letter and carefully rolled it up, sucking down the soft cry. Mary-Jane's mother was dead, she'd been at war, and her mother had been dying and she couldn't reach her. She thought of her own mother, home along when Lucie went off to school and dad was at work and if something like that would ever happen. She looked up and around, seeing she was just standing in the middle of the courtyard of barracks. She wiped the tear that streamed from her eye away and turned, heading straight towards the officer offices. She opened the door quietly, and went through the different halls looking for one specific office door. She found the clear door and pushed on it, as it opened forward. Winters looked up, seeing the distraught girl standing in front of him.
" Charlotte." he said, placing his pen down.
" Sir." she said, attempting to hold back her trembling lip. " Can I just talk to you?"
" Of course, what is it, Charlotte?" he asked her, standing and coming around to the front of his desk, leaning against the desk. She took a seat in the chair in front of him. She fumbled with the letter in her hands and wiped at her eyes hastily.
" Would you like any coffee or tea?" he asked her gently, hoping that could calm her a bit.
" Yes, coffee, please, sir." she said softly, as he stood and poured her a cup, handing it to her. She sipped it and calmed herself.
