" A bird sitting in a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because it's trust is not in the branch, but in its wings."
- Unknown
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Easy Company and the rest of the 101st Airborne returned to Aldbourne.
Hazel was in her fresh and stiff ODs, as she slowly approached the Burnett's home, a relief filling her heart as she watched the familiar home which had seen her through sickness and health appear.
Hazel recognized that they had painted the shutters, just like Grace had always said she had wanted to, and the tiny flowers out front seemed replanted since the time Hazel had been gone. They were bright colors, like yellow, orange and a deep red and they were probably the most beautiful flowers Hazel had seen in a while, besides her mother's flowers of course. Her mother always grew the most beautiful flowers she'd ever seen. Or perhaps even the Edelweiss flower upon the green-eyed German was the most beautiful.
It was the little things in life she felt.
Hazel slowly walked up the little cobblestone walkway towards the home and as she approached it she admired the tiny porch which had plenty of potted plants that had adorable little painted designs among the sides which reminded Hazel of children's drawings back as a child. Hazel felt her heart warm at the feeling of finally being in a place that resembled home. Hazel slowly knocked against the oak wooden door and watched as footsteps were heard on the other side. Then the door opened and Hazel saw Grace on the other side, with wide eyes.
" Hazel!" Grace shouted, jumping forward, and pulling the girl into a hug. Hazel quickly wrapped her arms around Grace and squeezed her eyes shut forcing the tears that wanted to appear to not roll down her cheeks in that moment. She always said it, but a good hug always meant the world to Hazel. Grace pulled back and gently cupped Hazel's face with her warm hands.
" We're so glad you're here." Grace said and Hazel smiled, forcing herself not to cry. The hospitality that Grace and Henry had also provided had always been that of a comfort Hazel had missed while in Athene and in the barracks with the RAF.
" I'm glad I'm here too." Hazel said and Grace smiled.
" C'mon in, we'll get you a bath, some fresh clothes, we'll get you fed." Grace said pulling her inside the beautiful foyer which seemed to even have more pictures hanging upon the walls.
" I see you've noticed the new photos." Grace said as Hazel stopped and stared at them. There was one of her, Hazel, working on the farm. Hazel's eyes grew soft.
" Harry! It's Hazel!" called Grace and Hazel turned to see Harry coming out of the living room down a step from the kitchen.
" My oh my Hazel!" Harry said as he placed down the book and came forward to wrap Hazel in a warm hug, " How are you dear?"
" Much better, Harry, I'm just glad to be back." Hazel said and the Burnett's smiled.
" Harry, dear, would you mind starting on chopping up those vegetables. I'm going to run Hazel a bath." Grace said.
" Of course, you ladies go run off." Harry said shooing them from the kitchen as Grace pulled Hazel up the stairs.
" The room hasn't changed, all your things are still in there." Grace said as Hazel stepped towards the room. The last she'd been in the room was when she hadn't killed a man, when she hadn't gone and killed 38 men.
38 enemies.
" I'll run your bath." Grace said, squeezing her shoulder before moving next door to turn on the water.
Hazel slowly stepped inside the room and looked around the features of the room, just as she had remembered it. The fixtures were the same, that old squeaky light bulb, and the curtains were the soft yellow they'd always been. Grace's paintings were still there, even the sunflower one, and there were even a few more pillows in the room now. It was all the same. The window was open, letting in the slightly cool July air for the late afternoon, as the sun shone brightly through the window into the room, the fresh air creating a sweet smell. There were new plants everywhere, hanging from the ceiling, the window, the eves and peaks.
But it was a lovely room.
It always had been.
Hazel slowly stepped toward the night stand where she found a small piece of chocolate, like the one Lieutenant Winters had delivered on Christmas 1943, along with a toothbrush, wash cloth and a new bar of soap.
Hazel slowly let the rifle slide from her shoulder and rest against the nightstand, where it usually was situated, before sliding her pack off her back, drenched in sweat. She couldn't wait to change from the sweaty ODs. Hazel ran a hand through her hair, Lieb would have to give it a good trim again, as the ends were tangled with bits of dirt, sweat and possibly even blood for all she knew.
Hazel slowly eased herself down on the bed and gave the room another good look around before bending over to pull the boots off her feet and placed them to the side. She wiggled her feet around in the socks and then slowly stood, grabbing the toothbrush, wash cloth and soap before heading over to the bath. She slowly approached the doorway where Grace made sure the water was warm pouring in the favorite lilac scented soap she always used. Hazel entered and Grace looked up hearing her footsteps.
" Just in time, it's all heated." Grace said as she stood, " I'll have fresh clothes for you in your room when you're done, but take all the time you need, the chicken won't be ready for a bit."
" Thank you, Grace, really, I needed this." Hazel said. Grace squeezed her shoulder with a smile and nodded. Then she left the bathroom and shut the door behind herself.
Hazel sighed to herself softly and slowly removed her ODs, to her PT shorts and shirt. She slowly pulled the Star of David from around her neck and the dog tags and then the bracelet from Grace, before putting them on the sink counter beside her toothbrush.
Then Hazel stripped completely and gleefully sunk into the bathtub, feeling warm water for the first time in over a month. She never knew how much she'd miss the feeling of actual warm water on her entire being.
Hazel sat there for a while in the tub looking out the window towards the farm, that spread into grassy hills and a bit of a forest as the blue sky dawned overhead, a few clouds sailing by to wave hello as they did so, and the sweet smell that had filled her room, filling the bathtub with a hint of lilac.
Hazel washed her hair, a good wash at that, getting anything she couldn't get at the field camp north of Utah beach out. Hazel scrubbed her body of sweat and dirt before deciding that she would get out before her hands pruned anymore than they already were. She wrapped herself in a towel and dried her hair off as well, before giving her teeth a quick brush.
Brushing her teeth had never felt so good.
Hazel headed into her bedroom, putting the dirty ODs in the hamper, Grace usually washed them really well, and shut the door behind her. Then Hazel went to the bed, where a fresh set of clothes were laid out in front of her. Hazel secured the towel and then pulled up the clothes.
It had to be the cutest and comfiest looking dress Hazel had ever seen. It was simple, just one for lounging around, but it was a soft yellow, with tiny white flowers over it, and two pockets on the front. The collar was loose and it wore well as if it were a short sleeve. It was adorable.
Hazel slowly pulled it on herself and looked at herself in the mirror. She smiled a bit, more than she had in the past few days when a smile seemed nonexistent. Hazel pulled on her dog tags and then the Star of David before pulling on the bracelet Grace had given her. She let her hair dry in the lose ringlets before heading downstairs, barefoot. She bet Freckles who was on the step before giving Speckles a pat upon the tuff of hair on his head.
" Boy it smells good." Hazel said as she stepped down into the kitchen.
" There she is!" Harry called as she pulled the chicken out of the stove as Grace turned from pouring water into a cup.
" Do you like the dress?" Grace asked her. Hazel looked down at the dress and smoothed her hands down the front of it.
" I think it's beautiful, thank you for it." Hazel said.
" Consider it yours, it brings out your eyes." Grace said and Hazel grinned.
" Do you like what we did to the room?" Harry asked her as Hazel accepted the glass of water from grass.
" I adore them," Hazel said with wide eyes, " They're stunning."
" Got them down at the market the other day, Grace and I, you'd love to go there one day, it has the most beautiful set up, with flowers, vegetables, fruits, and meats." Harry explained and Hazel smiled softly. She was glad to be back, just to be back in Aldbourne, because not for a second at dinner did she think about what she had done in war. All she thought about was the good meal and the comfort she felt being there.
Hazel took to sitting on the floor against the back of the couch in the living room, staring up through all the old books and knickknacks upon the shelves through the windows at the sky which was slowly darkening. Hazel had enjoyed dinner so much, just being with Grace and Harry again talking as if it were old times.
But she'd changed; she'd noticed it and she was hoping that if Grace and Harry were to notice they didn't try to talk about it much. She knew they probably wouldn't though. Hazel had little flashbacks and memories every so often these past few days which terrified her but were constantly in her mind by this point, reminding her of what she did. Even though she had done her duty, she was finally away from it all, and was consumed by it.
And it'd be something she'd have to live with.
As she went to bed that night, she lie away, staring at the ceiling, memorizing each nook, each scratch, each little indent. Every bit of it. Her mind was awake and running, in overdrive it seemed, like when she was out on the field. Her brain seemed to never stop. But she eventually found some sort of sleep, tossing and turning, hearing gunshots and explosions in her mind, rattling around, flashing lights behind her eyes, voices crying out, a laugh or two, expressions and tears.
She could see all of it.
Her nightmares were filled with the horrors she had to commit in war, each and every moment that she experienced with her through her eyes, replaying in her head as if it were a movie. It was her own personal battle, one every man and woman had to deal with themselves as well, that she was struggling with right now. But if she helped turn the tide of this war, even the slightest bit, it was worth it.
The next day, Hazel helped with the garden and the farm in the early morning, for sleep was nonexistent at that point and she figured helping in the garden would get her mind off things. She ate breakfast with Harry that morning as Grace was working on planting some flowers out in the front yard and was determined to get them up before the sun had fully come up. Easy Company had about a week of relaxation really before they had to get back to just small training sessions because right now the Normandy Campaign was still running, it's just Easy had done its duty and was pulled back from the line to England again.
Hazel was sitting in bed, writing her mother a letter, curled up with the blanket as she wrote when there was a knock against the door frame. Hazel looked up.
" Joe." Hazel said, noticing the man in his beige casual wear; the beige button up, with a tie, with the beige pants his cover in his belt.
" Hey," he said, " figured I'd stop by, just like old times." He walked in the room and admired it.
" This where you've been staying?" he asked her.
" Yeah." Hazel said as she capped the pen up, " Beautiful isn't it?" Joe looked around at the hanging plants and the paintings and out the window.
" Yeah, yeah it is." he said before glancing at her, " What're you doing?"
" Writing a letter to my mom." Hazel said, as Joe slowly sat down on the bed and looked her way, he smiled.
" I told Chuck I'd meet him at the pub in a bit and figured you'd want to get out at some point." Joe offered. Hazel glanced at him and then smiled softly.
" I probably should." Hazel told him, as she placed her letter to the side and sighed, " I'll get dressed." Joe grinned; he knew Hazel was struggling with the aftermath of the Normandy Campaign, she never said much about it, but the hopeful look in her eyes was now clouded by something, he couldn't put his finger on it.
After Joe stepped outside, she pulled on her own casual beige wear; her button up beige top and tie, then her beige skirt and Mary-Janes, then she just pinned part of her hair back and away from her face, before grabbing her cover and opening up the door. Her and Joe left the Burnett's and went to the local pub where they had been many times before. Chuck was there, along with a few other people, like Johnny, Skip, Malarkey, Penkala, Bill and Joe Toye. Hazel sat beside Liebgott and Chuck, sipping at her Coke every so often, not really paying attention to the conversation, her mind like a war zone.
" Hazel?" a voice asked and Hazel looked up quickly to look across to Johnny who was asking her a question. Everyone else was watching her.
" Sorry, what?" she asked, her cheeks fighting the blush.
" You ok? You're quiet." Johnny said. Hazel blushed further and bit back her lip.
" Yeah, fine, I didn't sleep much." she said and she saw Bill give her a worried look. Hazel knew she was struggling, but she didn't want to admit that the feeling in her chest, made her feel like she wanted to punch a wall, start sobbing, go and break down a door. She didn't want to. It was like a dull cloud was over her, hanging like a drape. She wished it would disappear.
" Hey, kid," Bill called and Hazel glanced his way, " it's okay." And Hazel knew Bill was saying that for more than just the surface level. Hazel nodded. The talking began again and she tried her best to pay attention but her mind kept drifting.
Eventually though with a few Cokes in her body, she was more awake and more present in the current time period. She was laughing more and smiling more, and she felt a bit better. In the coming weeks, she felt better and usually working on the farm or going out with her friends distracted her mind from war.
As July drug on, Hazel finally sent her mother a letter and found that her mother had sent one to her as well. She was expecting another desperate plea letter from her father, but she already told herself, she wasn't ready to send him a letter back at this point and that was final. If things in the future changed and she felt she could send him a letter she would. But it was almost over a decade later, and she had tried her best to forget that he had inflicted as much emotional pain as he did. She slowly opened her mother's most recent letter.
Hazel,
I'm so happy to have received a letter from you. Even from where I am, the stars are shining brightly and all I can think of is you. I hope you are well, and that the rest of the men and women of your company are doing well, too. I've been making the most of my time back here. Harry's dropped by many times to have dinner with me, and he's been wondering how you're during, too. Of course, I still say you're in the WAC, enjoying your time. He's going away to New York City soon to open his restaurant, it got halted because his mother got sick and he had to take care of him. Mrs Willis has brought her family over many times. Her son Thomas is in Italy at the moment, but she still has 4 other children that are wonderful to have over for a meal. I've been doing gardening the past few weeks, a lot of it, and I'm planning on next year, if you are able to come home by then, we can harvest some of the home grown vegetables together! Wouldn't that be lovely! We could have some of your friends in the company over, and cook a big meal with some of our favorite Polish foods we love. It'll be lovely. Now, I know your father has sent you a letter, but just know you have the right to make the decision you want on writing back to him and talking to him, just remember that. You have every right to make your own decision.
I wanted to let you know, that I've recently begun to think that I want to start a little farm market. They have a plot of land that is open, and the farmer that works there, his daughter used to babysit you, and he's auctioning it up. I was thinking of heading down there and opening one up then and there, using his produce and giving him the title. I've just always thought that it would be such a neat idea and we've always had our tiny little garden, but one like that would be beautiful I feel. I'll keep you updated! I hope you head back to Aldbourne soon. Please say hello to the Burnett's for me as well as the girls! I love you, honey.
Love, your mother
Lena
Hazel felt her eyes well with tears.
" I love you, too, mom." Hazel whispered, before she had to bite her bottom lip back to hold in the cry that wanted to escape. She missed her mother's hugs, how tightly she'd hold her and then go and make hot chocolate and just talk together and then her mother would make her laugh.
Hazel missed that.
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hello friends!! i hope you are all doing well and staying lovely as always. so we have finally made the return to aldbourne and to grace and harry who i just adore and love so much!! they are the cutest! and i'm very excited about lena's farm stand can i just say, it's adorable. you've all been so supportive and kind and your comments make my day every time i see them!!
thank you for the votes, comments and reads, i appreciate them so much!! :)