Major sighed at her desk full of papers. She had been on and off patrol for 6 weeks and had no time for signing reports, after all she was a soldier not a bureaucrat. Her thoughts disturbed by knock.
“come” Patterson went back to her notes waiting then lifted her eyes. She staggered to her feet.
“Ashlee”
Ashlee frowned
Major coughed uncomfortably “Private Moore, I wasn’t expecting you back. Not after 3 months anyway.”
“Well you’re stuck with me apparently. Here is the doctor’s report. Apparently I’m too well to stay in bed, but too injured to do friggin well anything.”
Major half smiled “well it’s good to see you up and better. So how you feeling”
“Alive”
“Right…hmmm you can’t lift anything, carry, driving vehicles. No sudden neck movements.” Reading doctors notes
“Well I might as well sit on a fucking rock and sunbake”
“Private” she was warned “I understand your frustration”
“Do you….not being able to do anything. I’m as helpless now as I was that day I was shot.”
“And yet you made the right choice again. Ok well it’s just your lucky day. My corporal is on leave and I need a replacement to take care of my paper work and other jobs. You can also spend time in communications…on the radios.”
“what exactly does your corporal do”
“hmm collects latest reports, sit in on briefings if I am unable to attend. In contact with other members of unit, cleans my boots, makes my bed and importantly brings me coffee.” Major laughed at Ashlee’s reaction.
“I’m joking about the boots and bed, but coffee yes. Private Moore your weapon is now a pen.”
Ashlee was spending more and more time in the major’s tent in her absence, filing reports and running around after everything that was required on behalf of her CO.
Major returned to her tent early evening to still find Ashlee collating the reports. She put down yellow envelop and Ashlee grabbed it.
“It’s ok, I can take there of this” interject Patterson
“well I thought, this is the 3 this week why aren’t you giving them too me.”
Major sat in here chair opposite Ashlee “because they are the casualty and fatality lists.”
“and”
“and I need to go over each name and match any names against my own list.”
“oh…. Well I know most of our unit I can handle it.”
“Moore….its the total list, of everyone. Asking you to find our troops means you have to go through each name. I don’t want you distracted looking at names and catching yourself on people you knew. It requires….its best if I do it.”
“no….I can do it, you must find it just as hard. You know more people than me.”
Weeks passed and Ashlee and major were almost inseparable during working hours, occasionally eating meals in major’s tent. One evening Ashlee frustratedly bangs the desk.
Major was on her cot reading looks up “just rest and finish it in the morning”
“You will be gone in the morning, it needs to be done tonight, now….” She looks over at major.
She gets up and learns across Ashlee and signs the report. “Finish it tomorrow.”
Ashlee for some reason felt uneasy in close presence of Patterson. “about tomorrow”
“what about it Moore”
“Its been weeks take me with you please…..I’m ok really”
Patterson smiled “I can’t the doctor hasn’t cleared you.”
“I’ll just be passenger, ride lookout. I’m sick of here”
“I know….but I can’t. I’m not losing my stripes over disobeying medical advice.” She rested her hand on Ashlee’s shoulder rubbing it reassuringly.
“I should go, you need to rest.” Ashlee excused herself quickly and left
Morning came quickly, Patterson was dressed and grabbed her weapon and backpack smiling to herself. Ashlee had made sure her gun cleaned and checked ready for loading, pack stocked and secured. She found herself thinking more and more about Ashlee, enjoying her company more than the corporal’s. Her thoughts disturbed by knock
“Yeh”
Ashlee enters with coffee and day’s papers “coffee before you leave”
Paterson just looked at her.
“Is everything alright, major”
“ah yeh…umm thanks for getting my pack ready.” Drinks her coffee.
She gets her maps out and heads to the door. “See you tonight if I’m lucky”
“what that hell does that mean, if I’m lucky” snaps Ashlee
“whoa I mean if we complete our orders we will be back tonight. Settle down why you so anxious.”
Ashlee would look at her CO
“You worried…. Why don’t you trust me”
“I’m not going to be there, you only have Jed and few, the rest are green toads.”
Patterson laughs
“why aren’t you taking this seriously, fuck sake major.”
Patterson realised that Ashlee’s worry was genuine. “Look you’re on communication. You will get our updates and we’ll signal when where on the way home.”
Ashlee looked at Patterson her stomach all knotted up.
Patterson walks to Ashlee and lifts her chin “Ashlee know that feeling in your gut”
Ashlee nods
“I get that every time I send you guys out, every damn time you decide to take on the whole militant army yourself.”
Ashlee rolls her eyes “yeh what ever”
Patterson laughs “see you for dinner then”
“be careful” Ashlee quietly spoke
“is that an order” plays Patterson
“Direct” smiles Ashlee