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The phone rang through the house several times before Gene was able to answer it.
“ ‘lo?” He answered the call. Gene didn’t know who he was expecting to be calling him in late on a Thursday afternoon but the voice on the other end of the line certainly wasn’t it.
“Hi Gene,” was all Babe said in reply.
“Heffron? What’s going on? Are you ok? Is Bill ok? Is it Spina?” He asked, not really knowing how to process the sudden contact after almost a year of radio silence from his former comrade. Something about hearing his voice though, sent him right back to frantic sprints through the forest jumping through foxholes and to the worst conclusions.
There was a small chuckle. “Yeah Gene, things are fine. Just… took me a long time to track ya down. You ain’t the easiest to find ya know,” he explained and Gene considered his words for a few moments.
He had moved from his parents home shortly after returning to Louisiana because he felt suffocated, and home just wasn’t home anymore. He needed a fresh start somewhere where his whole town didn’t look at him differently for where he had been. Somewhere he could just be Gene again, not Doc, not a hero, just Gene. So he found himself a little place on the bayou outside of Baton Rouge and started over. He had considered sending out his new information to some of the easy men but he was never really close enough with any of them to warrant that he figured.
“So uh, what then, uh, what can I do for you Heffron?” He stuttered into the phone, his mind trying to process the contact with his past he suddenly had.
“Just… wanted to say hi. You became kind of a stranger Gene. I- we miss ya Gene,” Babe said slightly awkwardly. Gene didn’t really know what to say either, they missed him? He didn’t think his presence was that much of an influence at all, let alone for even a few of them to be lonesome for him.
“Oh! Bill says to say hi, he helped me track your number down so he wanted some credit for that.” Heffron said with a little laugh and Gene chuckled lightly as well. Wild Bill was still all about his men.
“Alright well I’ll let you go, because this phone booth is starting to form a line.” Heffron finally said after a few minutes of staticy silence across the line.
“Oh, yeah ok. Thanks for the call, Heffron.” Gene replied.
“Can I uh, can I call you again? Just to ya know, establish a real line of communication.” Heffron said, clearing his throat.
“Sure Heffron, you got my number now,” he said, smiling slightly to himself.
“Great! Well, talk to ya soon then. Take care Gene.” Heffron said and Gene bid him the same before hanging up.
He didn’t know what to think after that call. From Babe of all people. He had received a letter at his parents house from Winters, but that was more of a general thank you he could tell the rest of the men of the regiment had also gotten.
He put the war out of his mind as much as possible, which also meant putting a lot of the men he saved out of his mind. Hearing the particular voice of Babe Heffron was different though, but Gene couldn’t quite place the feeling and it left him with an uneasy feeling. A small part of him hoped Babe never called again, but a bigger one prayed that he would.
He did call again. The next day at roughly the same time as the day before, Gene picked up the phone once more and had a slightly less stilted conversation with Babe. They got general information about the others current lives until the automated operator informed Babe to add more money or hang up. He chose the latter and they said their goodbyes.
This continued all the following week, Babe calling from the same pay phone on his way home from his work at the docks to talk to Gene even for a few moments. He had to admit that he was enjoying their chats even if they were still a tad awkward.
Two weeks after the first call there came a day when the normal time past and Gene’s phone had not yet rang. He knew he enjoyed the daily calls but he didn’t realize how much he had come to look forward to it until the day he thought one wouldn’t come.
He began making himself dinner after his own day of work, brooding quietly as he stirred the pot of stew he put together when the ringing started up. He debated with himself for a moment; he knew it was Babe but he didn’t know if he should answer eagerly like always or make Babe as anxious as he had made Gene by not picking up right away.
The juvenile tactic was pushed aside quickly and he picked the handset off the receiver in the living room.
Babe was speaking before Gene could even greet him.
“Gene, I’m so sorry, I just figured I’d go somewhere I don’t have to pay to talk to ya so I went to my ma’s because she was closer but she said no because if I was there I was gonna talk to her so I decided to go to Bill’s but he was like 10 blocks in the other direction and off a train line so I had to walk and I-“ he rambled on and Gene knew he had to cut him off.
“Heffron, it’s ok, really. You don’t gotta give me an explanation for nothing,” he reassured him. He heard Babe let out a breath.
“Thanks Gene. It’s just, I’ve been looking forward to these calls ya know? I for one would hate to miss it,” he said trying to keep his tone light, but Gene could also pick up on the sincerity in his voice and it was kind of touching in a way that he wasn’t expecting.
“Aye Babe, you got ahold’a him then?” Gene smiled as he heard Bill’s voice call in the background.
“Yeah, I got him!” Babe yelled back and also partially into the phone, and he realized that a bit too late.
“Shit, I’m sorry Gene, I probably just burst your eardrum, huh?” He chuckled but sounded embarrassed.
“It’s ok, really. Not like any more damage can be done that wasn’t already there from shit exploding right next to me,” he said and Babe gave a humorless chuckle.
“Swear I think I got tinnitus, my ears ain’t ever gonna be the same.” No part of me is ever gonna be the same, Gene thought grimly.
“Let me say a few things to the Doc, eh Heffron? You been hoggin’ him this whole time,” Bill said, closer this time with a normal volume which for him was still rare.
“Whaddya know, whaddya say Doc?” He greeted. Gene rolled his eyes, always the same Bill Guarnere.
“Ain’t a Doc no more, Bill. How’s the leg?” He asks remembering that damn day, that damn forrest, that damn battle that took too much from them all.
“Right as rain, surgeon set me up with a nice little wooden peg. All’s I need is a parrot and an eye patch. Ha!” Same old Wild Bill. It made Gene happy that at least the war never took his spirit.
“As long as I don’t hear about ship hijackings on the east coast,” he joked back.
“Well you know me Doc, don’t make promises I can’t keep. Well Heffron’s gettin’ antsy over here since I interrupted you’s date.” He heard a smack and Bill laugh. “You take care though, you got that Doc?” He asked.
“Yessir, Sergeant.”
Bill laughed again and Gene heard a bit of rustling as Bill handed the phone back to Babe.
“Sorry about that, it was my one stipulation for being allowed to make my call here,” Babe apologized when he got the phone back.
“No problem at all, Heffron. It was nice to hear from Bill,” he said and Babe chuckled.
“Yeah, maybe I should consider getting a phone line of my own if this is gonna be a regular thing, I only got so many dimes left.” He said with a laugh.
The line was silent for a moment but it wasn’t uncomfortable. He heard Babe shift on his end of the line before speaking again.
“Hey Gene do uh, you,” he cleared his throat before continuing. “Do you think maybe I could come down sometime? I got some vacation time coming and I need to get away for a little bit.”
Gene was taken aback, he had no idea what to say. Why would Babe want to visit him of all people? Why not someone like Liebgott or Grant who lived in sunny California? Not the muggy swamp of backwater Louisiana.
“Uhh…” was all he said.
“It’s fine if you don’t want me there, really! I just figured since you are sort of the company ghost, I would come and make sure you were livin’ well and all that stuff,” he explained nervously.
He thought about it hard, really considered it for a few moments. On the one hand, he has spent so long putting it all behind him but on the other, he has found himself missing the men’s compantionship more and more since he and Babe had begun speaking. Maybe having him around for a week or so would help him in his process.
“You know what Babe, sure. Let me know when you can make it down and I’ll lend you my couch for as long as you’d like,” he offered.
“Really? Oh that will be great! Ok, I’ll talk to my boss tomorrow and clear it and then let you know!” He said exuberantly and Gene couldn’t stop the laugh he let loose.
“Alright Heffron, well I got a pot on the stove I’d rather not burn so I will talk to you tomorrow?”
Babe gave similar sentiments before hanging up.
As he finished making his dinner that night, he took stock on how his heart beat felt irregular whenever he thought about Babe occupying his personal space in the near future.
The following day, Babe called and confirmed that he would in fact be making the journey south in two weeks. Gene’s stomach did a flip with the knowledge of seeing Babe again, but he tried to tell himself he would feel that if he was seeing any of the guys after a year again. It was just nerves, he assured himself weakly.
Thinking more on the feeling, he knew it was more than run of the mill nerves. It was the same stomach flip from Bastogne, when he saw the redhead cross his path briefly. The same stomach flip when he gazed into teasing hazel eyes after finally being caught using his nickname. It was the same sensation he got when they said their goodbyes in Austria when Gene was discharged before Babe. It was a feeling reserved for Babe Heffron alone and he could pretend to not understand it all he wanted, but deep down he did.
Their calls continued in the build up to Babe’s visit, almost as if Babe was still making sure he was welcome. He asked questions about the city and things to do and see. Gene admitted he hadn’t much ventured into the hustle and bustle but he would be open to checking it out with Babe.
The day of Babe’s arrival dawned. His train was due at 11 am so Gene made sure he was at the station by 10:30. If nothing else the army had made him prompt.
He checked his wrist watch for the umpteenth time since arriving to make sure he wasn’t somehow magically late. 10:57. Damn, he was losing it.
A minute that felt like an hour later, the train announced its arrival with a blow of its whistle that jolted Gene from his thoughts. Passengers filed out and he searched the crowd.
He finally laid his eyes on the shock of red hair and too pale skin for the southland. Dressed the most casual he had ever seen him, with cotton slacks and a white shirt with suspenders overtop. He snorted when he realized they were essentially wearing the same outfit.
Babe searched the crowd for Gene and after a few moments he found him. When he did, his face split into a grin. Gene had always loved Babe’s smile, how genuine and open it was. This was one of the best he had ever seen.
Babe made his way through the crowd as quickly as possible without being rude and mowing people over. He finally made it to stand in front of Gene, still grinning the widest he had ever seen. Suddenly Gene was pulled into a tight embrace.
“Goddamn, I fuckin’ missed you Gene!” He said, clapping him on the back a few times before releasing.
“Ya know, gotta say I feel the same Heffron. ‘S good to see you,” Gene replied. They stood there for a few beats more, the energy between them turning slightly awkward. Gene instinctually shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels, doing a scan of the room when his eyes landed on Babe’s bag.
“Oh! let me get that for you Heffron!” He said and reached for the bag before Babe could protest. They started walking towards the exit. Under the platform awning they had been relatively sheltered from the heat and humidity, but stepping out into the sunshine was a different story.
“Ah christ! Gene it’s October, how do ya live like this?” Babe complained and Gene just laughed.
“Sorry, it's not as mild as Holland. You get used to it though. C’mon, I’m parked over here,” he said, nodding in the direction of his slightly battered pickup that he had been able to get a good deal on from a widow in his hometown. Her husband had not returned and she was purging her life of his things, claiming them to be too painful reminders.
“Well look at you, got yourself a house and a car. Army didn’t pay me well enough for these things, Gene. Were you runnin’ some games on the side and I wasn’t aware of it?” Babe joked.
“Some people had savings set aside, Heffron. Plus, medics got an extra $25,” Gene admitted.
“No shit? Wish they woulda made me a medic,” he grumbled.
Gene shook his head, “No Heffron, you really don’t,” he said as he unlocked the doors for Babe to slide in. Gene walked around the back of the truck, stowing the bag in the bed before climbing in his side.
“You hungry? Saw a couple places on the way where we could stop and get some chow,” Gene offered. Babe nodded in agreement and Gene started driving.
The silence they lapsed into was more comfortable than it had been on the phone, probably due to being physically in each others presence again. During the war they had to sit for hours during light and noise discipline, not saying a word, just feeling the other man’s steady breath next to you in the foxhole. That Christmas night and onward, Babe and Gene had shared a foxhole more often, especially after Bill got hit and Babe needed someone to really keep him from the edge.
It was comfortable and familiar to Gene to have Babe next to him, looking out the window with a soft smile on his lips as he watched the new scenery rush by.
Gene lived quite a ways outside of the city, so he drove for a while before pulling into the small lunch counter he spotted on his way to the train station.
They opted for one of the two small tables instead of the crowd at the bar, so they could talk better. The waitress came quickly for their orders, a bowl of steaming gumbo for Gene and a po’boy for Babe.
As she left them, Gene noticed Babe looking at him intently. He shifted in his seat slightly and cleared his throat, hoping that would lift the gaze. It didn’t, it just made Babe smile.
“Can I help you, Heffron?” He asked sarcastically. Babe laughed.
“Shit, Gene, I just missed ya, that so much of a crime?” He said with a laugh.
“Guess not, but what are you staring at me for?” Gene asked, trying not to sound annoyed.
“It’s been a long time, I’m just seeing how time has changed ya is all,” he said, smile still on his face and his eyes roving across Gene’s face. Gene felt a scorching trail being left by them, everywhere Babe’s eyes touched, his face burned.
“A year ain’t that long. Besides, ain’t nothing about me memorable enough to remember,” he said and Babe frowned.
“Well, see that’s where you’re wrong, Gene because-“ but he was cut off by the arrival of their food.
“Gene, I-” he started, but Gene cut him off this time.
“Heffron, eat your goddamn lunch.” That earned a snort from Babe before they both dug into their food.
They squabbled over who was going to pay for their meals, Babe eventually winning just by virtue of slapping his money down faster.
“Gene really, it is the least I can do,” he explained when he saw Gene’s hardset frown at the counter.
The rest of the ride was less silent, with both men making comments on things they passed and cracking jokes every so often. They arrived to Gene’s modest home shortly thereafter and Gene looked nervously at Babe who was examining the house.
“I like it. It suits you” he said simply, smiling at Gene. His stupid stomach did that stupid flip again.
“Well come on in.” He said and Babe followed him up the porch steps.
The door opened to a long hallway leading to the back of the house and kitchen, and steps off to the side leading up stairs.
“Kitchen is back there, the living room is through there,” he said, pointing to the different areas of the house. “Bathroom is that door there,” he said, pleased that he was able to find a house out this way with the plumbing indoors.
“Got it. Thanks again for letting me stay here, Gene,” Babe said sincerely and Gene could only nod, not trusting his voice when Babe was looking at him like that.
“Would it be ok if I took a nap? Those train cars are very unforgiving to someone trying to sleep,” Babe asked sheepishly.
“Yeah, I’ll grab you a spare pillow. If you need me for anything, I have some stuff to work on out back so just come find me,” he explained and Babe nodded.
He left him to his devices and existed the house through the backdoor. His home sat on a considerable amount of land with his nearest neighbors at least a half mile away from him.
His workshop was stuffy as he worked on various projects for people around town. He was beginning to make a name for himself in carpentry and contracting in the area and he genuinely enjoyed the work he got to do with his hands now, making things instead of fixing broken men.
Time always passes quickly in his workshop that he didn’t notice Babe coming to stand in the doorway. When he did, he saw him looking slackjaw and for once at a loss for words.
“You’re gonna catch flies you keep standing there with your trap open, Heffron,” Gene joked, wiping his hands off with a rag.
“Woah Gene, I had no idea… This is amazing,” he said stepping further into the room, taking in all the projects Gene had yet to finish.
“What, never took me for a craftsman?” He laughed.
“No I really didn’t.” Babe said honestly as he lightly touched an unfinished bed frame.
“Uh be careful, that’s still not sanded or sealed. Would hate for you to load up your hands with splinters.” He warned.
Babe smiled. “What, you sayin’ you wouldn’t patch me up, Doc?” He said with a laugh and Gene joined in.
“I’m afraid that ain’t my job anymore, Heffron.”
Babe rolled his eyes at that. “I’ll have to test that statement at some point then,” he mumbled.
“What time is it? You hungry Heffron?” Gene asked.
Babe nodded. “I could eat.”
“Alright, well, I only got leftovers, but we can go grocery shopping tomorrow so I can make you a proper meal, eh?” He said, bumping shoulders with Babe as they walked back to the house. Babe looked over and smiled at Gene. The sinking sun backlit him, making his red hair appear like fire in the dimming evening.
Gene stared. He had to admit he was not only handsome, but outright beautiful. Goddamn, what was he thinking? Quickly, Gene shook the thought and entered the house.
They dined on reheated Jambalaya and chatted about nothing. It almost felt like their daily phone conversations, but better, since they were face to face. Jokes were better received and it was just easy. They felt easy.
Gene turned in early that night, but let Babe know he was welcome to anything in the house he wanted, and outside as well. He reminded him to stay away from the water though since nothing good happened out there after sun down.
Gene lay in bed and thought about the man just downstairs from him, how he felt more at peace in his presence in just one day than he had the whole time he had been home from the war.
The next few days were slow and Gene truly relished it. Babe was enjoying his time away from his work and the city and Gene was becoming quite partial to having company for once. He showed Babe around the small, sleepy town he had settled in. They fished on Gene’s small boat and skipped rocks on the bank of the lake. In the evenings, after supper the men would laze on the back deck, chain smoking and sipping whiskey or beer with nothing else to do but shoot the shit.
It was comfortable and familiar. Babe’s presence had always felt natural to him, but during the war he hadn’t had long to dwell on that. Now there was no more war, no yearning for any type of companionship they could find, and it still felt easy as breathing. Gene was terrified of what that meant. It was something he had always known deep down since the scrawny redhead stumbled into his aid station but he had pushed it away all this time. He couldn’t deny it anymore though; he loved Babe.
The night before Babe was set to leave, they sat outside like they had every other night, only Babe seemed more restless and irritable than previously. They had ventured into the city that day so Gene figured maybe he was simply tired and upset that his vacation was coming to an end.
“You ok, Heffron?” He asked bumping his shoulder into Babe’s.
Babe just grunted and nodded slightly. “Yeah Gene, ‘m fine,” he said, his voice clipped.
“You upset that your vacation is over?” Gene asked, trying to get Babe to talk. He had accepted his feelings for Babe now and maybe wanted him to come back down to him because of that some time. So of course, he didn’t want Babe to have his trip end on a sour note.
“Yeah. That's precisely it,” he laughed bitterly. Gene felt his brow furrow.
“Babe?” He asked, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. Babe jerked, brushing the hand off and standing suddenly.
“Just drop it, Gene. I’m fine. I leave tomorrow and that's it.” His voice was sour, so Gene could clearly tell he was not fine.
“Babe if I did something, I apologize. I don’t know how to make it better if you won’t tell me what I did.” He said as was becoming more irritated right now. He wasn’t accustomed to negative sides of Babe and he felt bad for getting mad, but he couldn’t help it.
“It wouldn’t make a damn bit of difference even if I told ya, so it really don’t matter,” he mumbled.
“Heffron, what are you even talking about?” He asked, his voice hardening.
“Fuck Gene, you really have no idea do you?” Babe asked, his tone exasperated.
“No idea of what, Heffron? Huh? What am I so clueless about?” He retorted, his voice rising.
“That I’m still just as goddamn crazy about you now as I was then! I fell in fuckin’ love with you and haven’t been able to shake it since!” He exclaimed. “And you never fucking noticed! You never noticed that all I wanted was you! The whole damn time!” He yelled, his voice faltering and breaking at the end as his body crumpled to the hard steps he was standing on.
Gene could only stare, his mouth open, not completely processing what Babe was saying there. He didn’t find his words, just looked at Babe, who rambled on.
“Saying goodbye to you was the hardest thing I ever had to do. Harder than killing, watching my friends become casualties, because through all that you were there. Then suddenly... you just weren’t anymore,” He added quietly, his voice becoming thick with tears.
Gene was still frozen. He usually knew how to react, how to bring comfort, but he was at a loss here. Probably because he felt the same way. Being away from all the men was hard after spending three years with them as his only companionship. He watched men he had known since Toccoa bleed out and die on stretchers, men he prayed for as they leapt out of planes lose limbs and their sanity. The hardest, he knew now, was losing Babe in his life. They hadn’t had a choice then, the army decided their every move until they were all stateside. They now had a choice and he desperately wanted to choose Babe.
“Babe I…” he started, but he knew in this instant, he had to use action instead of words because they would just fail him.
He ducked in quickly and pressed his lips to Babe’s and it felt like his first time all over again. The same joy, the same feeling in his gut, the same bliss. Babe tensed at the sudden contact, but relaxed against Gene’s mouth just as quickly. There was very little movement, just lips pressed against lips gently in a silent promise. It was over too quickly, and he heard Babe sigh contentedly as they pulled apart.
“I love you too, Heffron.” He said softly.
“Gene you just kissed me, can you please call me Babe now?” Babe huffed. They laughed together and drew together once more, the lips moving against each other with purpose this time.
As the sun set on the bayou stretched out ahead of them, Babe rested his head on Gene’s shoulder.
“I love you, Gene,” he muttered, his voice soft and sweet.
“You too Babe.” And he dropped a kiss to Babe’s head.
Gene led Babe up to his bed that night instead of leaving him alone downstairs like he had been doing. They held each other in the soft glow of the lamp and talked about topics they had been dancing around.
“You have to go back tomorrow,” Gene stated, matter-of-factly. Babe pursed his lips and nodded.
“I don’t want to,” he offered.
“I don’t want you to go either,” he said, his voice thick with tears he was battling back.
“I could, I mean if you wanted this like I do, we could, I would move here Gene,” Babe stuttered out.
“Babe, I can’t ask you to do that. Your family, your friends, they’re in Philly,” he reminded Babe who slightly shook his head.
“Yeah, but you’re here,” he said simply.
Gene opened his mouth to speak again but Babe stopped him. “I’ve thought about this more than you think. I would do it. I would be happy here with you, Gene. I can see it, ok, I can see it. Sure, my ma and Bill might miss me but phones and trains exist. Gene, please,” He pleaded.
Gene considered his words. “You still have to go tomorrow. I do want you, want us but at the very least you will have loose ends so take care of those and… and come back to me, Babe,” he finished and Babe looked happy enough to cry.
Babe crashed his lips to Gene’s, muttering thank yous in between frantic kisses. Gene smiled into those kisses, feeling happier than he had ever been.
The following afternoon they bid one another a short farewell on the same train platform from the previous week. A cordial handshake, nothing compared to the passionate embraces they had shared the night before to say goodbye properly.
“You better call me when you can, Heffron.” Gene told him sternly. Babe rolled his eyes and gave a mock salute.
“First payphone I see, promise,” he said sincerely. “And it’s Babe.”
Gene grinned lopsidedly.
“Now boarding, 1:25 to Atlanta,” a voice announced over the loudspeaker and that was Babe’s que.
“I’ll see ya soon, Gene,” he whispered, trying to hold back tears. Gene could only nod, and he looked down so Babe wouldn’t see the tears forming in his eyes.
“Hey,” he said gently, lowering his voice. “I love you, Gene. I will be back.” He promised.
“I love you, Babe.” And when he looked up, Babe was gone but he followed the shock of red hair through the crowd. Babe gave one final nod and smile before stepping into the train that would take him away from Gene, even temporarily.
A few weeks later just before Thanksgiving, Gene was tidying up the house to get it ready for Babe’s things when he arrived tomorrow. He was confused by the knock on the door that came all of a sudden.
“Comin’,” he called to his visitor.
He opened the door and almost fell to his knees.
“Hear this is a good place to shack up, mind if I come through?” Babe asked, toothy grin on display.
“Babe… what’re you… I thought-” he started but couldn’t form his thoughts completely, not with Babe a whole day early.
“Came a day sooner, wanted to surprise you. Did it work?” He laughed and Gene nodded, dumbfounded.
“Well, c’mon Gene, it ain’t polite to leave company waitin’ in the doorway,” he said and Gene stood aside to let him enter. He noticed the extra bags still out on the porch but they would get those after.
He closed the door and felt himself being pressed against it, and lips fused to his own. It was a kiss of reunion, full of love and promise and hope. Lips and tongues moved in synch as if they had been doing it forever. It was right, it was home.
“I missed you,” Babe said once they broke apart, his breathing ragged from their kisses.
“Welcome home.” Gene said simply and Babe smiled again. It was the most beautiful smile Gene had ever seen.