Evelyn's Tale

-Ten-

May 30th, 1944

Easy Company were leaving Aldbourne and heading to Upottery. Wherever that was. Bill had swung by the Jones' to say goodbye and to walk with Evelyn up to the camp, where the trucks were waiting to take them to their new location.

"I've packed you a few things to eat for your journey," Mrs Jones announced. "Just some sandwiches and the like. Nothing fancy, but I didn't want you both getting hungry."

"You're an angel from heaven, aren't you Mrs J?" Bill smiled, and Evelyn rolled her eyes at his flattery. Mrs Jones, however, blushed. Evelyn took the heavy basket from her and placed it down on the floor next to their rucksacks with a small smirk. Just a few things? There was probably enough food in there to feed a small army.

Evelyn was going to miss the Jones'. Especially Lucy. Being the youngest child in her own family, Evelyn had relished having kind of adopted a younger sister for the last few months. But she had a feeling that Lucy wasn't going to miss her half as much as she was Bill. And she suspected the feeling was mutual.

"Do you promise you'll write to me?" Lucy was sobbing as she sat on his knee.

"Sweetheart, he's going to be too busy to worry about writing you letters," Mrs Jones said gently.

"I promise," Bill answered, crossing his heart. "Of course I'm gonna write to my favourite little lady. But you gotta swear that you'll write me back because I'm gonna be sad if you don't."

"I swear," Lucy nodded solemnly, crossing her own heart.

"Good," Bill smiled. "And you don't let that Michael Ashford kid pick on you, you hear me? Remember what I told ya?"

"About kicking him in the goolies if he pulls my hair again?" Lucy whispered but loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Bill!"

"Lucy!"

"What?" Bill exclaimed innocently.

Evelyn shook her head in despair and Mrs Jones reluctantly grinned.

"We'd best get going," Evelyn said, looking at the clock on the wall. The trucks were leaving in just over an hour.

Bill nodded and pulled something out of his pocket. Evelyn recognised it immediately.

"This is my lucky baseball," he told Lucy, handing her the tattered ball. "I've had this since I was your age and I've never lost it yet. Thing is, I need somewhere safe to leave it for the time being. So I was kinda hoping you would look after it for me? I don't think I can trust anyone else."

Lucy held the ball as though it was the most precious thing anyone had ever given her.

"I'll take really good care of it, I promise," Lucy smiled widely.

"That's what I thought," Bill winked.

"Be good for your Mom, ok?" Evelyn said as she bent down to give Lucy a tight squeeze.

"I will," Lucy promised, and her mother snorted.

"Now, look after yourselves the pair of you," Mrs Jones smiled, and Evelyn swore she could see tears glistening in her kind eyes. "And if, when, you come back to Aldbourne, your bedroom will be here waiting for you."

"Thank you," Evelyn smiled back, giving the woman a hug. "See you all soon."

"See you around, squirt," Bill ruffled Lucy's blonde locks as they picked up their bags and opened the front door.

"Good luck both of you," Mrs Jones said as she and Lucy walked to the garden gate with them, where they waited until Evelyn and Bill were out of sight.

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