Chapter 26

The following week, they were flying two, sometimes three, training missions a day. Until each one of them became an extension of the aircraft they flew. They practiced formations, low level between the North Welsh Mountains, simulated attacks, short landings and take offs, everything that Robert could think of that they might face in Afghanistan.

In between there were the meetings with Alan and Taff concerning the logistics of moving four aircraft over there, plus the facilities and equipment needed when they got there,

Slowly the plans came together the major problem was that they had not had any live fire practice, and they needed the weapons zeroed in.

It was decided that on arrival at Kandahar two aircraft would stay whilst two flew to Camp Bastion. Since only two protected aircraft bays were in place, the engineers had been working flat out to build additional bays and extend the runway on top of all their other duties Alan explained.

When he was informed about the length of the runway, Robert realised that there was very little margin for error. The two Camp Bastion aircraft would conduct their live firing missions to the East of the camp, in the vast desert situated there. This would not only entail zeroing the canon but also the rocket pods and rails for the Hellfire missiles.

Taff asked about how many practice munitions Robert thought they would need to set up the weapons, and duly noted it in his pad.

Once all the aircraft were set up Robert could announce that the four aircraft flight was fully operational. At that point two aircraft would stay at Bastion the other two returning to Kandahar. The pairs would rotate their positions every seven days, until other bays had been built to house the other aircraft.

Alan brought the meeting to an end saying. “Robbie, you can tell your chaps their leave starts Wednesday but I want you all back on Saturday for the open day, it would help if you all could stick together and I’ll need a phone number if I need to contact you quick.”

He found the three in the mess, after explaining the details of what had transpired he finally told them about the leave, which brought big smiles to their faces. It was Tim, who came up with the idea.

“Look this will be our last time with the girls before we go out, so why don’t we do something special. The motel is alright but let’s face it it’s just a knocking shop. Why don’t we book in to a swanky hotel? The girls would love it, they could wear their posh frocks and have proper meals and dance. The main thing that we will all notice, would be thicker walls between rooms.”

All were enthusiastic about the idea, then Bill said. “I don’t have a dinner jacket here, if it’s that posh it will be bowties.”

“I don’t either so we’ll have to wear our dress uniforms’,” said Tim.

Later in his room Robert contacted Terry on the laptop, when he broke the news about the hotel she was over the moon at the idea.

“Oh I’ll be able to wear some proper clothes for once,” she gushed.

“Well don’t forget to bring the black outfit that raised the Titanic.”

“If you insist,” looking coy.

“Will the other girls be able to make it?”

“I’m sure they will, they can always make an excuse to get away, and talking about excuses I have some bad news for you, I won’t be coming to the motel this weekend nor will July.”

“Why not?” He demanded.

“I’m sorry darling but it’s the wrong time of the month.”

“Oh” he muttered, “July too?” He paused, thinking, “What if Sue or Carol come on next week, Tim and Tom,” he didn’t finish.

“I’ll talk to them,” she said, “If it’s close then they could stop the pill, which normally brings it on.”

“So there is every chance the four of you will be fit to rumble,” he said smiling

“I think the word is tumble darling,” she giggled then her face went serious. “Bobby if you are getting this leave it means you are going doesn’t it?”

He nodded his head, “When,” she whispered.

“A week this Tuesday.”

“Oh darling,” she whispered, “so next week will be all the time we have left,” he saw her eyes shining, the tears beginning to form.

“Hey,” he murmured, “Just think how I was when I got back from the states, after a month. Now think what I’ll be like when I get back. I promise you won’t be able to sit down in comfort for a week.”

She smiled through her tears, “Only a week, I can see I’m going to have to stock up with batteris.”

“Well you’re better off than I will be, the water never gets really cold out there,” he grinned.

The next day he was busy in his office, the pile of folders was finally diminishing. At lunchtime he popped into the mess; the three others were there with long faces.

“Have you heard the news?” Tim asked him, “The girls can’t make it this weekend.”

“I knew Terry couldn’t,” Robert replied.

“But they all can make the hotel,” said Tim brightening, “I found one it’s out in the country about ten miles away. It’s got a small golf course and a heated indoor pool. So tell Terry to bring her swimwear. I’ve booked it through to Sunday; we can attend the open day, and return to it after, if that’s OK with you Robbie?”

“Fine Tim,” he answered, “it gives us another day.”

“I was thinking another night.” Said Bill chuckling.

He told Terry about the arrangements that evening and about the heated swimming pool, he knew she loved swimming.

“Have you decided what to wear yet?”

“Well no not really, I’m torn between smart and good taste or slinky and sexy.”

“No contest, slinky and sexy.”

“Yes but if I did that you’d start to get randy under the tablecloth again,” she purred.

“Terry I’ll be in uniform, as an officer and a gentleman I wouldn’t do such a ghastly thing.” His face a picture of innocence.

“Very well then, on your head be it. The girls and I are going shopping tomorrow to see what’s available.”

“Oh is that the some body’s secret place Tim told us about?”

She frowned, thinking then her eyes opened wide. “I can see I’m going to have to tell Sue to keep her mouth shut.”

That weekend the four men drove into town to stock up on toiletries, while they still had a choice of brands to select from. They knew such things were in short supply, and when available, not much in the way of brands to choose from where they were going. They also got short haircuts, sweat being a major problem there. Lastly they bought cotton underpants, tee shirts and light cotton socks, RAF issue being a bit heavy for the desert.

On Monday, after their last flight before they left on Tuesday, they handed the aircraft over to the ground crew to be serviced and refuelled. After changing from their flight suites, they gathered at the stores to draw desert warfare kit and uniforms.

Later Robert spent two hours packing, double checking everything that was in the large canvas valise; he knew he wouldn’t be coming back if he forgot something.

Finally taking his valise down to the reception office where he knew it would be picked up and delivered to the hanger ready to be transported to Brize Norton. The ground personnel would be flying out on Sunday night taking the pilot’s gear with them.

It was after six before he got through to Terry.

“Hello darling,” she frowned, looking at him, “you’ve had your hair cut?”

“Don’t you like it?”

“No, I prefer it longer.”

“What my hair or some...”

She cut in, “Bobby you know what I meant, the something else is long enough,” she chuckled.

“So have you got all your glad rags now, and ready to tumble.”

“Oh perhaps and maybe,” she said in a mysterious voice.

“And what does that mean exactly.”

“You will have to wait and see.”

The next day the four pilots gathered in the briefing room. Squadron Leader Benson was flight operations officer at Renton, and was briefing them on their flight to Afghanistan. It was to be in two legs, the first from the UK to Cyprus, the second, from Cyprus, to Kandahar. It would entail refuelling in the air. He supplied them with coordinates where this would take place, altitude, estimated times all the information they would require.

They noted course headings on their flight charts, and radio frequencies that would be used by the different radio beacons.

Benson ended by saying, “Of course I’ll brief you all again on Tuesday if there are any changes to be made, and give you the latest weather.”

As they filed out Bill said, “Bloody marvellous the C17 will be flying a 190 knots faster than us and get there in a third of the time.”

Robert replied “Well Bill, would you rather under take ground operations in a C17?” Which made them all laugh.

They walked over to the mess, Tim was going to run into town with their dress uniforms to have them dry cleaned at a 24-hour cleaners.

Robert thought he had about an hour’s work in the office, and then he would be done. He arranged to meet the others at seven in the officer’s mess.

It was quarter past seven when he got there.

Tom said “I got a pint in for you Robbie, but it was getting warm so I drank it for you.”

“Gee thanks buddy,” Robert replied.

“Well,” Tom said with a cheeky grin, “If you’re going to the bar you may as well get us all one in.”

Robert just shot him a dirty look.

When they had settled down with their drinks Robert asked Tim “When can we book in?”

“The girl on reception said any time after 10, apparently because its mid-week it’s fairly quiet. There are only a dozen couples booked in.”

“July is going to try and get there at ten or just after.” Bill said.

“I should be able to pick the uniforms up at nine, so with a bit of luck and a following wind, we could get there at 11,” added Tim.

Robert left them at nine, with Bill raving at Julie’s athletic body, claiming it was down to moving scenery, while Tim was saying Sue’s chest was down, to playing her wind instrument. Randy bastards he thought smiling, they’re a good crowd, and more importantly good pilots.

He couldn’t connect through to Terry that night and it worried him; he didn’t sleep well thinking about it.

The next morning Bill put his mind at ease, while they waited for Tim to return form the cleaners. The girls had gathered at Julie’s, for what reason he didn’t know, but apparently they had wine, quite a bit of it. Bill said Julie sounded sloshed when he spoke to her last night, adding that, going with the background noise, she wasn’t the only one.

Robert was relieved to hear that, but couldn’t help thinking that the girls were up to something.

It was 11:30 by the time they arrived at the hotel. It was a large manor house, similar, he thought, to the Grange. The girl at reception told them their wives had already arrived and were taking tea in the lounge. She said if they would like to join them she would have their cases taken up to their rooms.

The girls proffered their cheeks to be kissed, which surprised the men. After they sat down and ordered more tea, Julie began. “Right, now we are all going to have a good time whilst we are here. But there are going to be some rules.”

The men looked at each other with frowns creasing their foreheads.

“Rule number 1,” Julie continued, “When we change for dinner, you men will change first, it will take about an hour for us girls to change.” She looked at the other three girls who nodded confirming it. “When you have changed you can go down to the bar for a drink. We don’t want you in the room distracting us.”

Terry then started. “Rule number 2 there will be no groping under the table.”

Sue had her say. “Rule number 3 no sticking your finger up when we sit down on a chair.”

Carol was next. “Rule number 4 no breaking wind in the bed.”

The men sat there in silence, curious, each wondering who was responsible for three of the rules.

Terry broke the silence, “Do you agree?” After a pause four heads nodded.

“Good,” she said, “well we are going up to the rooms now to freshen up, why don’t you finish your tea and come up too, in say fifteen minutes.” With that the girls got up and left.

“I’m not sure this was such a good idea now,” said Bill morosely.

“Well it’s pretty clear they’ve been comparing notes.” Tim added.

Robert hesitated outside the door to their room, then gave it a knock.

“Come in,” he heard Terry say.

She was in her black lace negligee, it was open and she had nothing underneath. Her hair was piled up on top of her head. He noticed his case on top of the bed empty.

“I’ve put your things away and hung the others in that wardrobe,” indicating one.

“I’m just going to take a shower,” she paused. “You can wash my back if you like.”

Forty-five minutes later they were back in the bedroom in white towelling bathrobes. Robert was picking up the clothes that he’d shed in his hurry to wash her back.

“I hear you were on a bit of a bender last night, I was worried sick when I couldn’t reach you,” he murmured.

“I’m sorry darling but there were some things we had to do. And afterwards we had a few glasses of wine to drown our sorrows.”

“Oh what was so important?” He asked peevishly.

She looked at him for a few seconds, and then crossed to the chest of drawers opening one she drew something out, handing it to him.

“It’s sort of a going away present,” she said.

It was a red leather photo case with a brass clasp; he opened it. There were two photographs of Terry, one was a head and shoulders the other a full length shot in the white ball gown she had worn that night at the theatre.

“There’s more, turn the page,” she said.

He turned the page; there were two more photographs, one with her in the Titanic outfit the other in her tanning suite, both shots seemed to have been taken in a studio.

He looked at her confused “You let someone photograph you in these?”

“Julie took them, she has a small studio at her flat. We all had shots taken; of the outfits you men seemed to like us in best. I took July’s; we thought you might like them. If you don’t, you can always take them out.”

He took her in his arms and kissed her, “I can see I’m going to be using a lot of tepid water when I get out there,” he said smiling. “It was a wonderful thought, thank you darling.” He placed it on the bedside table opened at the formal shots; it was then he noticed the inscription on the first photograph. ‘Bobby please come back to me. I love you Terry xx’

Terry wanted to explore the hotel, so they changed. She had put on a pair of tailored slacks and a twin set, he, slacks and a sweater. They descended in the lift to the hotel foyer and examined the legend board that gave direction for the hotels amenities. Terry wanted to see the swimming pool, which was one floor down from the foyer.

When they entered from the double doors it was if they had been transported back to ancient Rome. The pool was ringed with white marble columns, at the far end of the pool two brass dolphins were spilling water from their mouths. The walls were covered with murals depicting Roman scenes. One showed a feast with some of the women showing their breasts; another had half naked gladiators fighting.

“Wow” said Robert, “What a place to have an orgy in.”

“Down rover, its only paint,” Terry said laughing

At the end of the pool was a white door with Sauna on it, Robert looked inside there seemed enough room for about eight people on the pine benches, instructions on the wall explained how to use it.

From the pool they made their way to the dining room, the reading room, the games room, with a full size snooker table, and the small night club room where there was dancing every night, according to the hotel brochure. They finally ended their tour in the bar where they selected a table by the bow window so they could look out over the beautiful gardens.

The waiter came over with their drinks, Terry had asked for a vodka and tonic. When he mentioned it she chuckled as she told him it didn’t smell as bad as gin, and she didn’t want to put him off. They talked about general things, her family in Scotland, Aventon, and her schedule; she had booked a flight to Barbados where she would stay with Jeremy and Pearl for three weeks. She was leaving a week after he had gone.

He told her that communication would be difficult once he was out there, and that he may only be able to contact her once or twice a week because satellite up links were rationed and the time differences just made it worse.

As they left the bar they bumped into Bill and Julie and Tim and Sue. Bill was quite excited, “Have you two seen the pool yet?” They nodded, “Well we’re in there tomorrow morning.”

Julie just raised her eyebrows. “Come on lover, buy me a drink,” she said dragging him away.

“Are you going in tomorrow Terry?” Sue asked.

“About ten, after breakfast,” Terry replied.

“Did you bring your trunks, Bobby?” Terry asked.

“Yes, did you bring a bikini?”

“No, I brought three.” She said smiling, “I thought you would get tired of seeing the same one.”

“So long as you’re inside it, I’d never get tired.”

By the time they reached their room it was 6:15. Terry said, “You had better get changed our table is booked for eight.”

“There’s no chance that we could...”

“No, scoot,” she interrupted firmly.

He showered and changed into his uniform while Terry sat on the bed flicking through the hotel information book.

“Right I’m finished,” he said.

Terry looked up from the book and then got off the bed, she put her arms around his neck looking into his eyes. “God Bobby but you look so handsome in your dress uniform, I could fall in love with you all over again.” She then kissed him tenderly, but pulled away from him fast.

“Hey,” he said, “I didn’t do anything.”

“No darling, you didn’t, but I might have if I hadn’t stopped, now please go. We’ll see you in the bar.”

Tom was already in the bar; they took their drinks to a table and sat down. Five minutes later Tim and Bill joined them. They were on their second drink as people began to enter the bar for a pre-dinner drink. Robert had his back to the entrance of the bar and couldn’t see who was coming in. “Either that’s his secretary or his daughter,” he heard Bill mutter.