7th May, 1945
Evelyn growled when the rubber band holding her hair back from her face snapped and her dark knotted curls decided to block her vision, causing her to trip over a loose floorboard and send the full bed pan in her hands spilling all down the front of her uniform. Cursing angrily, she stamped her foot like a little child and Eugene snorted, appearing behind her with another band and he swept her hair up messily and tied the band around the unruly mass.
"I'll clean that up off the floor while you get changed," he offered kindly. "Not that there's very much actually on the floor considering it's all over you instead."
"Oh wipe that smug little look off your face, Gene," Evelyn scowled at him, plucking at her shirt and retching when she could feel the urine stained fabric sticking to her skin. "This is fucking disgusting. I swear to God these stupid little fucking replacements are ignoring the no fraternising policy and just sticking their you know whats in anythig that moves and I'm the one stuck emptying their fuckig' diseased urine bed pans."
"Hey, Spina and I have emptied our fair share too," Eugene frowned.
"Yeah but neither of you have ended up like this," Evelyn muttered.
"That's because we both know how to walk like grown ups."
"Well I wonder if you know how to take a punch in the face like a grown up?"
"Evelyn Liebgott, has anyone ever told you you're too violent for your own good?" Eugene smirked, only serving to infuriate Evelyn further. But before she could make a snippy quip back to him, the door was thrown open so hard that it almost came off of its hinges and Babe's red face came into view.
"What's wrong?" Evelyn demanded, dread immediately gnawing at her stomach because of the look on Heffron's face and the fact that he had clearly ran as quickly as he could to reach them. "Has something happened? Is it Joe?"
"No, no, he's fine; everyone's fine," Heffron shook his head, a smile spreading across his face. "I came to tell you both the good news. German army just surrendered."
"The whole German army?" Eugene frowned in disbelief.
"Whole goddamn fucking thing," Babe grinned. "Happy Victory in Europe Day folks."
Eugene and Evelyn looked at Babe and then at each other with varying degrees of shock and awe, unable to comprehend what they were hearing. The thing that had been on the cusp of happening for weeks was finally here and it seemed neither of them knew how to react.
"The two of you could look a little fucking happier," Babe eyeballed the pair of them. "The Krauts have surrendered. It's done. All of it. Now would one of you guys get over here and give me a hug? You should be celebrating, not looking like you're at a funeral."
Choking out a laugh that stuck in the back of her throat with so many varying emotions, she ran and threw herself at Babe, wrapping her arms around his neck and giggling when he spun her around in a circle chanting that they were going home. Neither of them cared to think about the fact that by all accounts the war in the Pacific was still as fierce as ever because at that moment the war they had been fighting in Europe – the one that had taken their friends and their lives- was finally over. It hadn't all been for nothing.
"Oh shit, Babe," Evelyn gasped, wriggling out of his grasp and grimacing. "I'm covered in piss."
"You're what?" Babe pulled a face at the dark stain on Evelyn's uniform; the stain that was now on him too and he looked horrified.
"It's a long story," she waved him off, turning to Eugene and smiling. "Come here, Gene."
"Not a chance," Eugene shook his head, backing off as Evelyn approached with open arms. "You get away from me right now."
"Eugene," Evelyn smirked. "The war in Europe is over. All the shit we've been through here we don't have to go through it again. So you get here right now and give me a hug because I would never have gotten through all of this without you."
With a sigh of resignation, Eugene's eyes twinkled as he smiled widely, stepping forward and pulling Evelyn into his arms, pressing her hard against him and hearing her shudder of breath against his chest as they held each other for dear life. Chuckling, Babe wrapped his arm around the pair of them making them all laugh in giddiness. Well, if the noise that came out of Eugene could be considered giddy.
"Ok, I need to go and find Joe. And George!" Evelyn jumped up and down clapping her hands excitedly, still unable to believe this was really all happening.
"And you need to get changed 'cause you fucking stink!" Babe shouted as she ran towards the door.
"Well neither of you are exactly smelling fresh now either," she cackled. "Gene, I'll be back as quick as I can, I promise!"
"Your shift is over in twenty minutes anyway so don't bother coming back."
"You're sure? I still need to give Mulaney his penicillin shot and he always pukes whenever we go near him with the needle," Evelyn was hesitant.
"I can handle Mulaney," Eugene smirked. "Go and get yourself cleaned up but make sure you find Luz first and cover him in filth as well."
"Nah I thought I'd save that especially for you two only," she called out over her shoulder as she ran out of the door.
"Cheeky minx," Babe huffed out a small laugh as he watched Evelyn disappear into the distance, screeching excitedly to anyone she passed and laughing that she couldn't hug them because she was covered in urine.
"You still like her, don't you?"
Babe turned to look at Eugene and the denial on his tongue disappeared before he could even open his mouth. Swallowing, he nodded; a small gesture that was only really noticeable because of how close the two of them were to each other.
"Sometimes I think I still like her and sometimes I find myself thinking about what it would be like if she and Liebgott hadn't patched things up and we would've ended up together," Babe admitted. "But I know that even if we had ended up together, she would have pined for Liebgott. And I get it, you know, I really do; they're meant for each other. Having Ev as a friend is more than enough for me."
"And you really mean that?"
"I do," Babe answered truthfully. "Although I will admit I aint happy that when we get home she aint gonna be staying there, and I don't reckon she's too happy about it either."
"You're talking about her moving to San Francisco with Liebgott?" Eugene deduced. "What makes you think she's not happy about that?"
"I dunno," Babe shrugged. "We were talking about it a while back and she did that thing where she tries to pretend she's fine about something but you can just tell she isn't, you know? You know what I mean, don't you? Like she can't look at you properly and she does this weird thing with her lip. Anyway, we were talking about how she's gonna move to San Francisco with Liebgott because he's already got his job with the cab company and so it just made more sense, which I understand but what about her? She's just gonna give up her whole life for him?"
"Heffron, it's only California; it's hardly the other side of the world. And what would she be giving up? The opportunity to be happy and have a life?"
"Yeah I know all of that, but it's the other side of the country, Gene. From what I know of Bill and Ev and the rest of the Guarneres, they're a close family; always together and always looking out for each other. I aint sure Ev's gonna be happy living all the way in California without her family around. And before you say something completely rational and smart like 'Liebgott's family are close too and I'm sure they're gonna look after Ev', which by the way you are completely right about I'm sure, it don't matter. When we get back from all this shit we're gonna need our families around us and I'm just worried Ev's gonna be sad so far away from hers."
Eugene sighed. He could very well understand Babe's concerns. If he allowed himself the time to think about it, he would have had the very same worries. Eugene supposed the reason he hadn't paid it much time or attention was because he was facing a similar worry of his own. Where he and Vera would live after the war had been the subject of most of their letters of late, and while Vera was adamant that she move back to Louisiana with him he found himself often worried that she would become sad and lonely in a strange country all alone. But then a flicker of a smile crossed his face as he thought about what Vera had written to him just this week when he told her as such.
"Love is all that matters," he quoted her out loud, making Babe frown curiously. "Someone I know once said that love is all that matters. Two people in love can be surrounded by thousands or only a few yet their love is the thing that will keep them upright and will keep them happy and whole. We've just got to believe that Liebgott and Ev's love will do that for them. And I for one believe it will."
"Speaking from experience there, Doc?" Babe smirked, trying to downplay the beauty of the words spoken.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Eugene mumbled.
"You are speaking from experience!" Babe exclaimed, eyes wide as they almost bugged out of his head. "Doc, is there something I should know about? Some young lady you've been keeping a secret?"
"Heffron, I gotta get on with my work," Eugene tried to change the subject hastily, horrified to discover there was a flush working its way up his neck and to his cheeks which only gave Babe the confirmation he needed.
"Aw Gene, you gotta tell me," Babe whined. "Does Ev know? She knows! I can see it by the look on your face. Doc, I swear if you tell me about her I'll never tell a soul that I know; not even Ev. Well actually, maybe I'll tell Ev cos if she already knows then what's the harm? And besides I gotta talk to someone about this. Doc's got a secret lady friend we don't know nothing about."
"She's a little more than a lady friend," Eugene sighed reluctantly. "But that's all I'm telling you."
"What about her name? Can I at least know her name? Come on, Eugene; I thought we were buddies? Just tell me her name and I'll leave you alone. It's VE Day for cryin' out loud."
"What has that got to do with anything?" Eugene couldn't help but smirk at Babe's incessant pestering.
"Well, I don't know," Babe scoffed. "I just figured it was worth a try. Look, what do I have to do for you to tell me? I'll do anything, I swear. Just tell me about this lady of yours and I'll even polish your boots for the next week."
"I like polishing my own boots, Heffron."
"Then I'll.... Erm, I'll... well I can't think of anything off the top of my head but you think of something and I'll do it."
Eugene sighed. Babe had that exact same look in his eye that Evelyn did when she really wanted something and she wouldn't be swayed from having it, and Eugene already knew that by the end of the afternoon Babe Heffron would be only one of a handful of people who knew about Vera. The question was just how far he could push Babe and what he could get out of it before he finally gave in?
Grinning to himself, Eugene headed off down the hallway with Heffron hot on his heels.
... ... ...
"Joe, are you in here?"
Evelyn frowned when she realised she was alone in the small room that she and Joe were occupying. Everyone had been given rooms in the various buildings and homes of Berchtesgaden in groups of two or three, so it seemed only logical that the married couple be given a room of their own. Not that it was easy for them to forget that they were surrounded around their friends and comrades given the fact that George liked banging on their door every time he went past and Perconte and Christenson liked to shout obscene things through the adjoining bedroom wall.
"He's finishing up some translating work for Major Winters," Speirs' voice startled Ev and she turned to find him standing in the doorway. "I'd give you a hug to celebrate the good news but I can smell you from here and I think I'll save it for when you're cleaned up and wearing this tonight."
"Yeah and we both know you're not much of a hugger," Evelyn smirked. "Well, that's what you pretend anyway."
In lieu of giving an answer, Speirs rolled his eyes and threw the brown paper wrapped package in his hands on the bed and lit up a cigarette while he watched Evelyn open it slowly to reveal something quite unexpected.
"Seeing as you didn't get to wear a wedding dress, I figured the least you deserved was a beautiful dress for our VE Day party tonight," he muttered, hiding a smile at the delight in the way Evelyn's eyes lit up at the burgundy dress with capped sleeves and full skirt. "And just because I know how you feel about Nazi goods, you'll be pleased to know I got this from one of the Red Cross nurses."
"It's beautiful," Evelyn smiled. "And I'll bet she sold it for a beautiful price too Or did you just give her that mean look of yours and she melted in a puddle at your feet?"
"You just love winding people up, don't you Guarnere?"
"Hey, I'm just telling the truth; I aint trying to wind you up," she exclaimed, holding the dress up a little away from her body and looking at it in the mirror. Glancing at Speirs over her shoulder, she grinned cheekily. "I've heard those Red Cross nurses, and I heard them back in England as well. 'Oh that Speirs fella is so dark and brooding that it makes me want to just fling my arms around him and kiss him silly'. 'Oh me too. And did you know he smiled at once and those pearly whites blinded me and I ended up in the sick bay dreaming of that smile and those twinkling eyes'."
"You're appalling," Speirs snorted, smiling reluctantly at Evelyn's silly high pitched impressions.
"Truthfully though, did you offer to light her cigarette for her and then give her one of those uninterested grunts of yours and she was under your spell, ready to do anything you asked of her as her new lord and master?"
"You, Guarnere, are absolutely insane," he muttered.
"It's actually Liebgott now, Sir," she set the dress back down on the bed, smoothing out the skirt to stop any crinkles from forming. "But you've obviously had your mind on pretty young nurses so I'll let you off this once."
"Liebgott's certainly got his hands full with you, that's for sure," he muttered. "And I'll have you know that all I had to do was tell her about the magical love affair that was you and Liebgott and she was more than happy to oblige. Even got her friend to find you some shoes."
Eyeing the high heeled black shoes, Evelyn snorted and fixed Speirs with a look of amusement.
"You did see when I tripped over that pebble the other day, didn't you? What on earth makes you think I could walk in these? Even before the war, I've never worn anything as high as these."
"I doubt there'll be a shortfall of Easy men eager to help you keep upright. The thing you need to be worrying about is whether you'll be able to dance in those all night without getting blisters."
"I can always swap them for my boots instead?"
"Why do I not even think you're joking?" Speirs frowned, before turning towards the door. "Oh, and Liebgott? Make sure you save one of those dances for me."
As Speirs' footsteps disappeared back down the hallway, Evelyn grinned to herself not entirely sure if he was joking or not. She had a hard time imagining Speirs dancing but she would absolutely get a kick out of seeing the look on everyone's faces as he manoeuvred her confidently around the dance floor. Heck, maybe it would even give the Percontes and the Luzes of the world a few much needed lessons in dancing.
Her glee was momentarily short-lived when she remembered that she was still covered in a Private Mulaney of Milwaukee's urine, but then she clapped with glee as she thought about the bathtub with gold plated taps in the bathroom down the hall.
Suddenly, waiting to see Joe didn't seem quite so urgent. After all, they had the entire evening to celebrate.
... ... ...
The water felt heavenly upon her skin. It didn't even matter that it was only lukewarm; all that mattered was the way the water rippled across her porcelain skin and soothed her muscles, bringing her into a state of total relaxation that she hadn't felt in so long.
Behind her eyelids, thoughts of home flitted across her mind like photographs flashing before her and she smiled when a memory of being scrubbed vigorously before the fireplace in a scratchy tin tub bath appeared. Evelyn used to cry during those Sunday evening baths because she was always the last to use the water after her sisters and it was getting cold by then, and then her mom would comb through her curly hair with a fine tooth comb on the search for any lice that might be lurking. Then finally came the scrubbing. A scratchy rough flannel and every inch of skin being cleaned until Evelyn was finally allowed out of the bath red raw.
The memory she was thinking of in that moment was the aftermath of one of those very bath times, when Bill wrapped her up in a thick towel and brushed her hair by the fire; drying it until it felt in soft waves and she was calm once again.
"What are you smiling at?"
Evelyn opened her eyes and gasped, wondering how she had been so deep in her thoughts that she hadn't heard Joe come in. The bathroom door was broken but there was an unspoken rule that if Evelyn left her dog tags on the door handle then the others would know not to come in.
"Just thinking about when I was a kid," she shrugged, sinking down beneath the tepid water and lifting her face for a kiss when Joe leaned over the bathtub and pressed his mouth to hers. "I take it you've heard the good news?"
"About the Krauts finally giving up?" Joe grinned. "Or about you getting dressed up to the nines tonight in that dress that's lying on the bed?"
"How'd you know I'm wearing that?"
"Speirs found me and made me promise to hide your jump boots because you were threatening to wear them," he snorted.
"That man," Evelyn rolled her eyes, pretending to be irritated.
"Is a saint," Joe decided, pulling up the small footstool next to the sink so that he could sit beside Evelyn. "Because now I'll be the envy of every man in Easy when they see you in that dress."
"Are you trying to say you aint the envy of them all already?" she pouted. "I mean, even I know I'm a stunner."
"Oh absolutely," Joe chuckled. "Especially when you're all grotty and sweaty and your hair looks like a rat's nest. Yeah, I can't see why you haven't been inundated with marriage offers over the last few years."
"Shut up," Evelyn tutted, flicking water at Joe and giggling when he reached out for her face with mock anger and then kissed her hard, his tongue pressing insistently against hers.
Her giggles turned into a groan when his other hand delved beneath the water to tease the thatch of curls in between her thighs. His thumb pressed right against where he knew she wanted it and moving his hand to her throat, he tilted her head back against the cold ceramic it was leaning against so he could deepen their kiss further. When his fingers found their way inside of her, Evelyn panted against his mouth as his digits began to work her slowly and when the hand around her neck reached for her own hand she gripped hold of it tightly; squeezing harder as she neared her climax.
"Joe," she whined, tearing her lips away from his and grabbing desperately at his hand beneath the water; digging her nails into his skin as her legs jolted and release swept through her body in an intense explosion.
Without a word, Joe yanked Evelyn up out of the water, wrapped a towel around her haphazardly and then carried her across the hallway after a quick scan to ensure there was no one else lurking around, and into their bedroom where he threw her onto the bed and immediately dove upon her.
"I need to get ready for the party," Evelyn protested weakly, already unbuttoning Joe's shirt and kissing his neck right above his scar. Next her hands were fumbling hurriedly at his belt, yanking and tugging and hands wandering beneath his pants.
There was time to celebrate with their friends later. But for now there was time for a celebration of their own.
... ... ...
"I look like a goddamn deer on ice skates."
"You look perfect," Joe smiled, kissing the top of her head as he helped her across the street and into the large hotel where the party was being held.
Evelyn scrunched up her nose uncomfortably feeling like a fish out of water in the dress that clung almost indecently to her body. Before signing up for the Airborne, Evelyn had loved nothing more than donning pretty dresses and pretending she was as glamorous as Rita Hayworth or Marlene Dietrich, but those days were so long ago that she now felt like an imposter. She didn't recognise herself without combat boots and dirty OD's, and she was convinced that the guys were going to just make fun of how ridiculous she looked. Speirs' nurse friend came by unexpectedly and offered to do Evelyn's hair and put a little makeup on, and while Joe reassured her repeatedly that she looked wonderful she couldn't help but feel like he was just saying it to be nice.
"Stop making that face, would you?" Joe muttered, his lips twitching. "There won't be a single dame there tonight who will hold a candle to you so stop fretting."
"I'm not fretting," she scowled, trying in vain to pull up the neckline of the dress. "But my boobs look like they're about to spill out all over the place. I swear they never used to be this big."
"Ev! Joe!"
Joe squeezed her hand comfortingly when Chuck yelled at her from across the room, making the rest of their friends turn their attention towards her. He could see Evelyn trying not to baulk and with a reassuring wink he led her towards them.
"Cheating on the Mrs already, Joe?" Talbert smirked, looking Evelyn up and down approvingly. "Say, what's your name, young lady?"
"Shut up you idiot," Evelyn muttered, taking the beer out of his hand and drinking down half of it without stopping.
"There she is," Talbert snorted, waving her off when she held his glass back out towards him. "A nice dress and stripper shoes can't disguise the real Ev we know and love."
"I feel like that's the most uncomplimenty compliment I've ever heard, Tab."
"Uncomplimenty?" Eugene appeared, smiling after appraising Evelyn in her dress. "How much have you had to drink to be making up words like that?"
"Nothing," she promised with a laugh. "I just couldn't think of a word so I made up my own one."
"Hmm, I suppose I believe you," Gene smirked. "I just remember what happened one of the last times you had too much to drink, courtesy of George and Joe Toye, and you wound up vomiting in the trash can and split your knees open."
"Yeah but it wasn't all bad, Doc," Joe wrapped an arm around Evelyn and pulled her against his head.
Evelyn could feel the same feelings she had radiating from his body, and the same memories of that passing out party when he had carried her back from the bar. She almost felt like she could have cried with happiness because it still baffled her that out of all of the terrible things they had gone through, she could have found something so wonderful.
"Right, who's taking me for the first dance?" she asked, clearing her throat and forcing a big smile onto her face before she embarrassed herself and crumbled into pieces like a real chump.
"I'll take that honour," Speirs appeared out of nowhere, looking down at Evelyn's feet and grinning. "That's if your husband doesn't mind?"
"My husband aint my boss," she teased snarkily, making everyone chuckle, not least Joe who muttered that if anyone was the boss it was most definitely Ev.
"Captain, if you wanna take her off my hands for the rest of the night then feel free," he smirked. "She's a real pain in my ass so I'd enjoy the peace and quiet."
"Just for that comment alone, I think I'll leave her with you," Speirs' eyes twinkled with humour but the rest of his face remained as severely impassive as usual. "Then again, it would be a shame to waste shoes like those."
"If you weren't my superior, I hope you know I'd be cursing you right now, Sir," Evelyn narrowed her eyes at him.
"Just because you're not doing it out loud doesn't mean I don't know you're doing it in your head. But I'll survive, because you know what they say about sticks and stones."
"That if German bullets in Foy can't kill you then neither can the sticks and stones?"
Speirs barked out a laugh before he could stop himself, and while the rest of the men looked at each other in various states of confusion and shock at the human side of the most feared man in the 506th, Evelyn just chuckled and let him lead her onto the already busy dance floor.
... ... ...
Feet swollen and sore from the hours of dancing, and her head a little bit woozy from the alcohol she had been drinking, Evelyn was sat down leaning against George and resting her now shoeless feet on Shifty, who, even if he was offended by the action, was far too polite to say anything about it.
"My mom is gonna lose her mind when I walk through the door and I'm not even a little bit ashamed to admit that I'll happily let her and all of her friends fuss over me," Perconte grinned. "And my sisters' friends are gonna be all over me like flies on shit."
"Bullshit is more like it," George snickered down Evelyn's ear. "Because no one is going near him with a barge pole except for in his dreams."
"I heard that," Perconte scowled.
"You were supposed to," George muttered.
"Well, I'm not waiting until I get home to start reaping the rewards of being a war hero," Janovec stood up and downed the rest of his drink, all while never taking his eyes off of the very voluptuous WAC volunteer smiling at him from beside the makeshift bar. "Catch you guys in a little while."
"I swear his cock's gonna fall off before he even sets one foot back in the States," Heffron commented.
"Which is precisely why I'll be saving all my fraternising for when I get back home," Grant decided out loud, causing a few snickers of disbelief. "Less chance of catching something."
"You hear that Tab?" George called out across the bar, causing Tab to frown as he took his eyes off of the nurse he was chatting up a few tables away. "Put her down cos she might have the clap."
The table burst into raucous laughter when the nurse scowled at Floyd and stormed off angrily to her friends who eyeballed them all with disdain. Tab flipped them all off but then broke out into a grin and then hurriedly made a beeline for a German woman who walked past the table with a coy glance.
"Well I'm gonna make the most of all the fraternising I can because once we get on that ship back home my balls'll be so blue they could fall off and I'd at least like to remember what it was like to have them deep inside a beautiful woman."
"Oh that ship," Martin groaned. "That's something I'm not looking forward to. Although it'll be worth it to be home again."
"Maybe Doc and Ev can give us enough of those sea sickness pills that we can sleep the entire trip back," Skinny suggested.
"We'll be needing them so we don't have to put up with your snoring," Perconte grinned.
"You know maybe I'm a pessimist, although I prefer to think of myself as just realistic, and as wonderful as all of this talk of going home is, I can't help but think about what still awaits us," Webster spoke.
"What are you talking about?" George frowned.
"Well come on, Luz. You've not forgotten about the war still raging on in the Pacific, have you? Who knows who long it's gonna be until we get shipped over there? Home is still a long way off, mark my words."
"You couldn't have just pretended that it didn't exist for one night, could you?" George sighed, reaching around Evelyn to stub out his cigarette as his eyes lost their usual sparkle for a few moments. "And who says we're getting shipped out anyway?"
"We all know it's coming," Bull murmured, ever the voice of reason. "The question is for those with enough points to go home, what are you gonna do?"
"You mean who's gonna be crazy enough to stay and fight the Japs when they could go back home and get away from all of this shit? Only a madman... or an Easy one," Liebgott snorted. "At least Ev's gonna be home safe and sound which is all that I care about anyway."
"I'm gonna be home?" Evelyn frowned questioningly. "Who the fuck told you that?"
"Well no one," Joe shrugged. "But I know you got the points so I just figured that-"
"Figured what? That I was gonna leave you, and all the rest of you, to go over there without me?"
"Well yeah," he nodded, looking at her as though that should have been obvious.
"Here we go," Grant muttered under his breath as everyone sat up a little straighter and eyed each other nervously, waiting for the argument that was undoubtedly about to start.
"Ok, let me rephrase that, Joe," Evelyn swung her legs off of Shifty's lap so that she was sat up straight and facing her husband properly. "When did I tell you that I would be going back home? Like, when did those words come out of my mouth?"
"Well, they didn't but-"
"But what?" she asked. "Oh, I get it. Because I'm your wife now I don't get to choose what I do with my future."
"I never said that," Joe snapped. "You're being ridiculous, Ev. Just flying off the handle as usual before you know all of the facts."
"What fucking facts?" she stood up angrily. "You haven't even asked me what I'm gonna do, and you've decided that I'm gonna just go home and play happy little lonely housewife while I wait for you to come back in another god knows how many months or years."
"I've not decided a goddamn thing and you know it," Joe's eyes were darkening more and more by the second.
"You haven't?" Evelyn exclaimed with a bemused expression. "'Cause not a few seconds ago you were talking about how I'd be safe and sound at home so make up your fucking mind, Joe."
"Ev, why don't we go outside for a few minutes, hmm?" George suggested, standing up and patting her shoulder reassuringly. "Just cool off."
"I don't need to cool off, George! I just need him to understand that he doesn't control my fucking life just 'cause we're married!"
"I don't think that's what he's trying to do, sweetheart," George replied, eyeing Joe with a silent apology.
"Oh, so you're siding with him now?" Evelyn scowled at George with such venom that it was almost painful for him to be on the receiving end. "You know George, I never took you for the kind of man who thought women had to do as their husbands say."
"Well that's because I'm not one," George's patience was wearing unusually thin. He had been friends with Evelyn long enough to know that when she had these outbursts she would say anything and everything to hurt those trying to help her, but George was struggling to just let it go over his head this time. There were only so many he could take a verbal tongue lashing and not let it get to him personally. "And you know what Ev? You're being absolutely fucking ridiculous. If you can't see that Joe just thought you going home was the best thing for you and it meant you were safe and that in no way was he trying to fucking control you then you are an idiot."
"Excuse me," Evelyn was aghast and struggling not to hide it. "You're calling me an idiot for not wanting to be told what to do with my life?"
"He's not telling you what to do with your life!" George's uncharacteristic growl made everyone grimace uncomfortably. "And even if he was, which by the way I repeat he's not, it's only because he's trying to keep you so safe. Would you not do the same if he had the points and you didn't? Don't fucking answer that because I know for a fact you would. You've turned all of this into a big fucking drama as usual when you could have just said 'you know what Joe, I appreciate the fact that you love and care about me enough to want to keep me safe but let's talk about this in private'. You're not just an idiot, Ev; you're plain selfish too. It actually baffles my tiny little apparently chauvinistic brain that someone who can be so caring and loving of others can be as selfish at the same time, and I'm done with it."
"Well so am I," Evelyn scowled, confusion and hurt evident in her eyes which she tried to hide with anger instead. "In fact, I'm done with all of you."
"Ev," Joe reached for her arm when she made a move to storm away and she shrugged him off angrily; her eyes filling up with tears that she was determined not to shed until she was alone.
"Fuck you, Joe," she spat.
Once outside, she started to calm down almost immediately and just as quickly realised that she had been totally irrational and behaved completely out of line. Not only had she embarrassed herself in front of all of her friends and comrades, she had managed to accuse both Joe and George of the most awful things that she knew weren't true.
She knew Joe would forgive her eventually, or at least she hoped so anyway, but this time she had a feeling that it was going to take a lot to earn George's forgiveness.
Climbing into bed that night and listening to the sounds of merriment going on outside, Evelyn cried and cried until there were no tears left and exhaustion finally claimed her.