She can kill with a smile, she can wound with her eyes
And she can ruin your faith with her casual lies
And she only reveals what she wants you to see
She hides like a child but she's always a woman to me
- Billy Joel, She's Always a Woman
Duchess woke with a pounding headache. She had joined the boys at night for the past couple of days, testing her liquid courage, learning that consuming large amounts of vodka and beer was not exactly comparable to a few glasses of champagne or quiet sips of her father's brandy. It had been four days and three nights since they arrived in Melbourne. Duchess was trying not to give herself any panic over her parents arrival. She only assumed that they could be anywhere in Australia at this point, so who knew just how long it would take for them to get there. She didn't blame Leonard for not specifying how long it would take, as she was sure he wasn't expecting to get a phone call from Duchess.
After Duchess got dressed she made her way downstairs to find Edna setting her breakfast down on the counter. Over the past days, Duchess grew quite fond of her company, and came to learn all about her. How her husband was away on business at this time, and how thankful she was that he had a bum knee so he wouldn't have to go back to war. Duchess was amused by this as by judging from the pictures in the house of Edna's husband, he would have been too old regardless of any unreliable knee.
"You know you ought to bring one of those Marines here for dinner tonight." She said as they ate together. Duchess nodded as she chewed.
"I can do that." She nodded. "I just didn't want to put you out anymore than I already have." Duchess added to which Edna waved her hand at dismissively.
"oh stop it." Edna added, getting up to clear the plates.
And so Duchess was on her way to the stadium to see what the men were doing. She would ask Hoosier, if he didn't have plans, to have dinner at Edna's. Leckie was busy with his new girlfriend as was Sid. She imagined Chuckler and Runner had dates as well. She thought to ask John, but he had been in a odd mood ever since he got his congressional medal of honor.
But when she arrived at the stadium it was Andrew that she bumped into, for the first time since their meeting on Guadalcanal. And literally, she bumped into him.
"Sorry Miss" Andrew's gentle but firm voice spoke as he grabbed Duchess by the arm to steady her. "Duchess! I didn't even recognize you." He added quite sheepishly once he realized it was her he had just bumped into. Duchess' cheeks pinkened at his touch and underneath his dreamy gaze.
"Go figure. You recognized me on the island but not in a dress." She joked lightly. Andrew laughed, the sound of it warm and soft like a bed of cotton candy.
"I heard your parents are on their way to get you." His eyes were sparkling, Duchess was nearly struck dumb just by the sight of them. Which didn't bother Andrew as he was focusing on Duchess' own trance inducing eyes that were glued to him.
"Yes, it seems my luck hasn't run out just yet." Duchess finally answered him with a wide pearly smile on her face. Andrew swooned at the sight of the dimples in her face created by the smile.
"It's good to see you smile. You have such a beautiful smile." He added without pausing and only blushed after he realized how forward he was. Duchess blushed even more, but her flush cheeks only made her more attractive to Andrew.
"Do you-" She began speaking before she could stop herself. A group of men came bustling around them, a few bumped into Duchess causing her to stumble. Andrew caught her arm, his grip gentle but firm enough to quicken Duchess' heartbeat.
"Yes?" He spoke again, loosening his grip but not being able to pry himself from the softness of her skin.
"-do you have the time?" She was nearly about to invite him for dinner but his grip on her made the moment all too real and Duchess lost any confidence that was abounding within her moments ago. Andrew's face fell slightly though Duchess could not notice with the sun beating on his face. While Andrew checked his watch, Duchess tucked her hand that wore her father's watch behind her back.
"1000. Sorry, 10'clock on the dot" He responded with a perfect shining smile. Duchess chuckled lightly out of nerves.
"thank you."
Andrew nodded. Someone called his name from across the street. He turned back to Duchess.
"always a pleasure to speak to you, Ms. Kingsley." He said politely. He held Duchess' hand and pressed it gently to his lips. The sensation turned Duchess' legs to jelly beneath her so much so she thought she might fall over.
As he shuffled across the street to meet whoever had been calling for him, Duchess stood there absentmindedly tracing her fingers over the spot on her hand that he had kissed.
"Take a picture it'll last longer." Hoosier's voice came from behind her. Duchess snapped out of it and turned to see him. He was smiling cheekily at her. "Duchess Kingsley so predictable. Of course he's your type." He added nudging her in the shoulder with his own. Duchess rolled her eyes at him.
"Do I detect some jealousy in your tone, Bill?" She played with him, addressing him by his first name.
"Don't flatter yourself, Toots." He remarked back. "you want to get some ice cream?" He offered his arm to her and she took it gladly as they walked back into town.
"So how come you're not out and about trying to bed anything with legs?" she asked him still in a rather playful mood.
"y'know, I liked you better when you didn't talk as much." Hoosier quipped. Duchess laughed out loud, the sound of her fluttering laughter made Hoosier softly smile. "besides you're the only girl I got time for." He finished quietly and almost under his breath.
Duchess glanced over at him before looking back down at her feet. "Do you wanna come over for dinner tonight?" She asked casually.
"It would be my pleasure, Ms. Kingsley." He said mocking Andrew's words. Duchess scoffed at him and rolled her eyes.
The thought dawned on her that it may one of the last times she would see Hoosier. Soon her parents would be coming and they would go back to the states. Then she would be thousands of miles away from him, Sid, Chuckler, Leckie, Runner, John, and Andrew. And then what? She would be forced to sit at home, embroidering pillows worrying about them all.
Duchess shook herself from the thought, and forced herself to focus on the good. Her parents were coming, she would get to go back home, she would be safe, and right now she was enjoying a vanilla ice cream with Hoosier by her side.
~~~
It had been a week and a couple of days since they arrived in Melbourne. Duchess sat on the stadium bleachers in-between the men of H company. They were playing card games and Chuckler was cheating.
"I saw you!" Runner exclaimed.
"You saw nothing." Chuckler defended with one hand raised dismissively.
"Duchess, you saw him didn't you? Tell him he's cheating." Runner whined to her.
"Oh that's real mature, Fat-head. Go cry to mommy about it." Chuckler responded.
"Mommy, Chuckler just called Runner a fat-head" Hoosier said mockingly and tugged on Duchess' sleeve. She jerked her arm away playfully and laughed.
"Kids please leave your mother alone before she smothers you in your sleep." Leckie said annoyed from his position on the bed.
Duchess and the rest of H company exchanged looks with each other. Duchess frowned. Poor Leckie. His Aussie girlfriend had just broken up with him and his drunken stupor had gotten him demoted. The famous Leckie smile had nearly all but disappeared on Guadalcanal but when he met Stella and her family it had grown back brighter than ever. Now it was gone again, folded back into itself and lying dormant for what threatened to be forever.
"Duchess would never do a thing like that to us. Would you, Honey?" Sid spoke up softly trying to relieve the tension.
Duchess turned to him and grabbed his chin. He looked different after the night he spent with Gwen, the Australian girl he had been seeing. Duchess wasn't jealous. Gwen was gorgeous, all the guys' girlfriends were. And Duchess was raised to never be jealous or envious of other women, and to only be upset with them or disapprove if they were not nice people. And from what she observed all the girls were plenty sweet. Not that it hardly made a difference what she thought of them. Despite the constant jokes, she was not their mother, or wife, or girlfriend. She was something. She just didn't know what.
And yet, when Duchess touched Sid's face and he stared back at her, with his eyes warm despite their clear color, she could not think of him as a boy anymore- even if he was still a year younger than her. He was a man. Just by the way he carried himself and looked back at her, he was a man.
"Of course not." She responded, a gentle smile tugging at her lips.
"Attention. Duchess Kingsley!" The loud speaker of the field rang out. Duchess jerked her head. "Where are you, sweetheart?" the voice continued. Duchess stood up quickly and stepped out on the steps to be seen. She squinted her eyes to look and started to descend the steps.
and then.
Her father and mother came into her view. They were standing on the field. Her mother not a drop less beautiful than the day Duchess saw her last. And her father, broad-shouldered, perfect posture, and a hard jaw. His eyes scanned out into the crowd to locate his daughter whom they had discovered was supposed to be here at the stadium. And suddenly he saw her, standing in the bleachers, her curly hair swimming around her shoulders and her violet eyes beaming towards him.
"Dad.." Duchess whispered breathlessly.
She kicked off her heels quickly and began to bound down the steps. One foot flying after the other. Once he saw her coming Jack ran to the side to meet her. When Duchess finally made it to him she jumped off the stairs directly into his arms. He caught her without effort and gripped her tightly. Duchess began to cry into her father's neck and Jack found tears pouring from his own eyes. He kissed Duchess' head repeatedly. The stadium erupted in applause and cheers from the men. Frances came shuffling over as quick as she could. When Jack finally put her down, Frances enwrapped her daughter in an embrace only a mother who's been worried sick could give.