Chapter 4

Flashback – Masha and Louise – Louise’s new room

I asked Louise, “When do you start school?”

Louise replied, “Oh, my gosh! I forgot to tell you that I start in two weeks. Are you sure you won’t have any problems taking care of Linda?”

I smiled at Louise and affirmed, “Don’t worry about it, and I will of course make sure she remembers her mother.”

Louise asked, “So what are we having for lunch?”

Louise followed as I walked to the kitchen and suggested, “How about grilled cheese sandwiches with vegetable chips.”

Louise questioned, “Will Linda be able to eat that?”

I took slight offense at her question and replied, “Of course she can, I just won’t cook her sandwich as much as ours.”

Louise figured out she hurt me and apologized, “Sorry Auntie Masha, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I am not used to Linda eating real food.”

I replied, “Louise by now you should know I really love Linda and I only want the best for her.”

Louise crimsoned and replied, “Masha I do know that. I think I’m just afraid about going back to school. I ... I ... I am worried that I will miss so many parts of Linda growing up.”

I console her, “Louise, since Linda is older now, we will let her stay up later so you can spend some time with her after school. Then she can show you all the new knowledge that she has gained that day.”

Louise begins to cry, “Masha you’re too nice to me.”

I finished with the sandwiches as Linda dashed into the kitchen yelling mama, mama, mama. Louise scooped her up, gave her a hug and a kiss and said, “Linda, you’re diaper is dirty.”

Linda giggled and said, “Dirty diaper.”

Linda said, “Let me change her and then we will be back for lunch.”

Louise took Linda to her room and I smiled about the whole situation. Having Louise and Linda here was a gift from God. I crossed myself and said a short prayer of thanks.

Flashback – Ben – Back at the hospital

I begin to get back into my combat gear with a few modifications. I unloaded all the food from the pack because it won’t be needed and loaded up a buttload¹ (metaphorically) of ammo, frags and flashbangs.

¹ Butt is an actually measurement however it is very archaic and mostly used in wine or whiskey making. Provided by the Macallan Distillery in Scotland: According to them, a butt is 108 Imperial gallons. There are about 1.2 US gallons in an Imperial gallon so a butt is about 127 US gallons.

I think about things and try to come up with a better way of carrying the children who have been so abused they can’t walk and finally come up with an idea.

Jack finally makes it back with the terp and I say, “Jack, I would like a folding stretcher and some rope.”

Jack gives me a funny look and said, “What the hell for?”

I explained, “Jack, last time I had to carry some of the kids who couldn’t walk. If I have a stretcher and some rope, I can tie them to it and then have the terp pull it like an Indian travois.”

The terp begins to bellyache, “Sgt., I am not a pack animal and I will not be treated like one.”

My first inclination is to shoot the fucking bastard but instead I smile at him and tell Jack, “I think there are some shitters around here that still need to be cleaned. Since he doesn’t want to come with me he can fucking clean them instead. Jack, go find Amir for me - I will use him again.”

The terp begins again to complain but I shut him the fuck up by saying, “You know what happens to terps the Taliban catch? You had a chance to help on a mission and refused so now you’re on permanent shitter duty.”

Jack takes the worthless assed terp away and soon comes back with Amir. I ask Amir, “Do you have any problems carrying a stretcher for me?”

Amir eagerly replied, “Ben Sir, we are going on another mission? I will do anything you ask.”

Jack chuckled some at the ‘Sir’ comment so I shot him the evil eye and asked Jack, “So where the fuck is the stretcher and rope.”

Amir added his two cents, “Yes Jack Sir, where is the fucking stretcher and rope.”