Epilogue

1945

As Evie's condition really began to show she confessed her pregnancy to Colonel Sink but after some pleading on her part she got him to allow her to stay in Austria as Dick's secretary. His only condition was that she go nowhere outside without one of Easy's men escorting her to which she readily agreed.

On a sunny day beside the tranquil lake Dick and Evie were married by the Battalion pastor and in front of all of Easy Company with the Toccoa men front and center. Dick was handsome as ever in his dress greens while Evie glowed in an empire waist, white silk gown that Nix had surprised her with that very morning. Using his scrounging abilities he had gotten a hold of an unused parachute and sent it to Paris where a few seamstresses had turned it into a beautiful wedding gown that fit Evie beautifully even in her pregnant state. Nix was also given the honor of giving the bride away before stepping in as best man.

About the time that Evie was due she and Dick went to England for the delivery. Only a few days after they had arrived the twins, Lewis Nixon and Catherine Rose Winters, were born in a London hospital.

When the telegram arrived to tell Easy Company of the twins' birth they all cheered loudly and partied in the new family's honor. Nix was back in Nixon, New Jersey when he received a similar but far more personal telegram informing him of the birth. When he read the twins' names all he could do was chuckle and remark that he had known all along that they had liked him best.

May 1955

On the tenth anniversary of VE Day Dick and Evie hosted a party for the Toccoa men to reunite and celebrate the event. It had been a joyous event as everyone reminisced and shared stories of their time together and also talked about what they had been doing since they had all separated.

When the party was over Evie was cleaning up but she paused when she glanced out the window to find her nine year old son chatting animatedly with his namesake on the porch. The sight warmed her heart and gave her hope that Nix would be okay in the end. After a second failed marriage he had fallen off the wagon but he always made sure that he was completely sober when he was around Dick and Evie's five children. Nix doted on and spoiled all of their kids but he had a special connection and relationship with Louie, who was becoming more like his Uncle Lew than his parents really wanted. She watched as a slow grin spread across Nix's lips and a matching one appeared on Louie's face. With a roll of her eyes she wondered what they were up to as she continued cleaning up.

October 1956

Evie sat in the front row of the gathered audience with her five children in seats along the row beside her. With bright tears in her eyes she smiled at Nix and Dick as they came to stand beside the pastor. When Nix's bride, Grace, began to walk down the aisle everyone stood to watch her but Evie watched Nix. She had never seen him look so good or so happy and it was because of that that she knew she no longer had to worry about him. He had a good woman in his life now and as she had gotten to know Grace she was positive that Nix was in capable hands.

December 1965

Evie thread her arm through Dick's as he closed her car door behind her and along with their youngest son they made their way to the gravesite. With their heads bowed they listened to the minister as he spoke a blessing over Lt. General Robert F. Sink's coffin. As the shots rang through the clear winter air saluting the general Evie jumped slightly and Dick wrapped an arm tightly about her shoulders as he handed her a handkerchief from his pocket. After the ceremony the family approached Sink's family as they stood accepting condolences from the crowd.

Walking up to Mrs. Sink Evie extended a hand to the woman and said, "Hello, Mrs. Sink. I'm not sure if you remember me or if General Sink ever spoke of me but I'm Evelyn Winters. I was your husband's secretary during World War II."

The woman smiled kindly at Evie. "I remember you from the one time that we were able to meet, Mrs. Winters, and my husband often spoke of you. He felt as if you were his very own daughter and whenever he got one of your letters he would always brag about how well you were doing to anyone he could get to listen."

Evie blushed lightly as she smiled shyly. "If you remember me then you must remember my husband."

Dick stepped forward and shook Mrs. Sink's hand politely.

"Of course I remember Major Winters. It is good to see you again, Major," Mrs. Sink said with a smile.

"It is good to see you again, Mrs. Sink. I just wish it were on better terms," Dick said in a soft voice.

"And, Mrs. Sink, I would like you to meet my youngest son, Bobby," Evie said as their son stepped forward.

Tears brightened the widow's eyes as she shook Bobby's hand and smiled at him. "I'll never forget how honored Robert felt when you wrote to him that you had named one of your sons after him." She laughed. "He bragged about that little tidbit for months and months."

"It is an honor to meet you, Mrs. Sink," Bobby greeted with a smile. "I am just sad that I never got the chance to meet the General himself. My parents have both told me so many stories and he sounded like he was a great man."

"Thank you, dear boy. My husband would have been proud to see that the young man named after him is as upstanding and good as you present yourself to be."

"I happen to think the pride solely belongs to me, ma'am. As I'm the one who was named after such a great man."

They all said their good byes and then with an arm wrapped around her husband and her son Evie was escorted back to their car.

January 1995

Evie was finishing up washing the dishes when the phone rang in the kitchen and drying off her hands she picked it up with a bright greeting. When she recognized the voice on the other end she instantly picked up on the tone of their voice and she became tense with dread and fear. She asked them what was wrong and when they told them the reason that they were calling she mumbled a quick response before hanging the phone up. Clutching the hand towel to her chest she tried to hold back the tears that rushed to her eyes as she began breathing shallowly and leaned again the edge of the counter.

"Dick!" she cried out when she could catch her breath enough to speak.

As quickly as he could manage Dick came into the kitchen and when he found her just barely staying on her feet against the counter he rushed to her side. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him.

"What's wrong, Evie? Who was on the phone?" he asked against her hair.

She looked up at him with a now tear streaked face. "It was Grace."

"Oh god..."

"Lew died last night from complications brought on by his diabetes."

He pulled her closer against him as sobs shook her whole body.

"He's gone. Lew's gone and I didn't even get to say good bye," she cried as she clung to Dick.

"I'm sure that was for the best, dear. You get to remember him from our last visit when he was stronger and happy to see all of us."

"But he was more like my brother than Jack ever was. I wanted to be able to say good bye to him before this happened."

"I know. I know. We'll call the airport tomorrow morning and get the first available flight out to L.A. Grace is going to need both of us there for her. She's going to need us to be there for her."

Evie nodded her head and straightened herself up as she dabbed at her eyes with the towel. She turned to look up at Dick with sad eyes. He hugged her close and murmured soothing words into her hair.

September 2002

Sitting in the massive audience Dick and Evie kept their hands clasped together as they watched everything going on up on stage. When Martin Sheen and Dennis Haysbert took the stage Evie squeezed Dick's hand and when he turned to look at her she flashed him a bright smile.

"And the Emmy goes to...Band of Brothers," Martin Sheen announced.

As the audience began to clap Dick turned to Evie and kissed her lightly on the lips before standing up to walk out of the aisle and join Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg in going to accept the award. When Spielberg made the statement that it was the men of Easy Company that had won the award during the war Evie tearfully watched as the entire audience got to their feet to give the men a standing ovation. With Rita Wilson's help Evie also got to her feet and clapped for her husband and the many men of Easy that she loved. She fought back her tears as she watched Dick step up to the microphone and as she listened to him her tears couldn't be held back anymore. As he spoke she didn't see him as the elderly man he looked to be but instead she saw him as the handsome, youthful soldier she had met decades before and fallen in love with.

Well, there it is everyone. I hope you enjoyed it and let me know what you thought of the story overall. I want to thank everyone who reviewed while I was writing. I didn't get any feed back from the last chapter I put up but since I almost lost this when I had to format my computer today I felt that I should quickly finish editing it and put it up. As always I hope you'll give me some feed back on whether or not you liked my story. Anyways, thanks for everyone who read and we'll just have to see if I get any inspiration to write any other stories. Thanks! ~a modern girl with an old soul