Chapter 21

The C17 was late landing at Brize. Strong head winds had delayed the flight by forty minutes. By the time they cleared channels and were in Tim’s BMW, Robert realised they would be late for the show. Tim drove his car the same way he flew. Fast but even he could not claw back all the time lost.

The car drew up outside the Theatre with a squeal of brakes. Robert leapt out making for the Box office. But a uniformed attendant rushed out of the theatre towards him. “Squadron Leader Barlow?” He asked. Robert nodded. “We’d just about given you up for lost sir!” Robert briefly explained why they were late.

The attendant said that he had orders to park the car in the Theatre management car park in the rear. Tim handed him the keys reluctantly and they all made their way to the box office. A young woman was standing outside the box office as they approached. “You’re expected!” She smiled handing each a program. “I’m afraid you’ve missed most of the show!” She glanced at her watch. “There’s about twenty minutes left.” She led them to a door. “When you get inside an attendant will show you to your seats.”

They had to wait while a man in white tie and tails sang something from Carmen. When he had finished another attendant led them to their seats, front row centre aisle. When they were seated Robert scanned the program. Terry had closed the first half but was the final act of the show and he saw there were two more acts before hers.

Finally the curtains drew back and she was there standing centre stage. She was in a white strapless evening gown, her long auburn hair hanging over her left shoulder.

Her first number was the love song from Romeo and Juliet. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end at the clarity of her pitch perfect voice and his chest ached with pride for her! She finished the second song which was the last of her act to rapturous applause from the audience. But instead of leaving the stage, she waited until the applause had died down and then said: “For my last song this evening I’d like to dedicate this to someone who is very special to me!” As she spoke six backup singers arranged themselves behind her. The orchestra started to play the opening bars to ‘We’ve Only Just Begun’. Robert felt a painful lump in his throat his eyes stinging.

Throughout her performance her head was staring down at him. He knew she couldn’t possibly see him through the stage lights but she knew where he sat. He was mesmerised by her face! A small tear rolled down her cheek as she finished.

The three pilots leapt to their feet applauding and the rest of the audience followed in a standing ovation. Robert was frozen in his seat overcome with emotion. He had never loved her more than at that moment!

The theatre lights came up and people began to file out. An attendant came over. “ If you will wait here sir, until the audience has left I’ll take you to Miss Kerr’s dressing room.”

The door had a small silver star on it with Miss Teresa Kerr printed beneath. He knocked and then opened the door. He barely saw a flash of emerald green before she was in his arms with her soft lips pressing against his. They held the kiss for several seconds before realising they were not alone. The three pilots were examining something on the ceiling whilst three girls were beaming with smiles.

“I think introductions are in order darling.” Terry whispered, indicating the men. Robert introduced them to Terry who already recognised them from the Officer’s mess at Renton.

She then introduced the girls. Susan, a small blonde with deep blue eyes and large breasts, who it transpired had shared a flat with Terry when they were at the Royal Academy. Carol with hazel eyes, a brunette with a classic figure a few inches taller than Susan, who had also been a flat mate. And Julie, blue eyes also a blonde, biggish breasts, tiny waist and big hips. She was roughly the same size as Carol. She was an assistant stage manager. Robert couldn’t help but compare the English girls to those they had met in America. Where the American girls were voluptuous in their figures, the English girls were more willowy.

While the others were getting acquainted, he turned his attention back to Terry. She was wearing an emerald green dress that matched her eyes. Her hair held by an ornate clip at the back of her head the hair hanging over her shoulder shining. He became aware that she was looking at him.

“Like what you see mister?” She asked in a cheeky voice. “Yeah you scrub up well!” He replied in the same manner. He was holding her by her waist. Her green eyes looking up at him sparkling with suppressed emotion. “God I’ve missed you so much!” He murmured. “It’s seemed like a life time for me too!” she whispered back going on tiptoe to kiss him again.

They had moved to the hotel, a short walk from the Theatre. Terry had already booked the four rooms. While the men organised porters to take their cases up to the rooms Terry took the girls through to the bar. By the time the men joined them she had ordered Champagne. They were sitting at a large round table with the couples already paired off, or so it appeared to Robert. He couldn’t help wondering who had selected whom.

They were on their third bottle, when Julie asked Bill what it had been like in America. Bill began in a serious voice. “It was tough, blazing sun day after day, never dropped below a hundred and twenty degrees. Sand everywhere! In your face, in your food, and then there were the scorpions and rattlesnakes!” He paused for effect. “You had to be careful how you moved and you had to check your bed every night in case one had got in under the tent!”

Robert was trying to keep a straight face at the sight of the girls with their eyes open wide and their jaws sagging as they imagined the horror of it all. He could see Tim and Tom having the same problem. Terry swung her head round to Robert, concern in her eyes. He gave a small shake of his head and rolled his eyes.

Bill continued. “But the worst part was the loneliness! You felt like the last man on earth! I can’t tell you how much it means to be back and talk with such beautiful girls!” “Oh, you poor things!” Julie whispered, “Having to endure that!”