Chapter 32

After reporting to Alan and having a chat he went to his office. He groaned at the sight of the stack of folders on his desk, and spent the next three hours going through them. Having hardly made a dent in the pile, he then left for the Officers Mess. Finding the other seven pilots sitting around a couple of tables, he had to put up with their bawdy remarks concerning honeymoons.

Getting down to business, he turned to Tim. “Tim as second in command of the squadron, I’ve decided that you need more responsibly, in my office you will find a few folders and files, deal with them.” The look of horror on Tim’s face warmed his heart.

After chatting with the others for an hour, catching up on what they had done over their recent leave, he walked down to the flight line. A brand new A10 was sitting there with the ground crew swarming all over it. Taff joined him and told Robert how much he and his wife had enjoyed the wedding and hoped the honeymoon had gone well. Robert assured him that the honeymoon had been perfect, and asked how things with the new planes.

Nodding towards the ground crew Taff told him, “We have quite a few new lads to replace those who have been posted elsewhere or have left the service, so we are bringing them up to speed on the A10. I’m told the remaining three will be here by the New Year, do you have pilots for them yet?”

“Not yet Taff,” he replied, “The Group Captain and I have to go through a pile of service records and select from them.”

“Will their training take the same form as yours Sir?”

“Pretty much, yes, they’ll go out to the States for the months training. That flight simulator they have is invaluable, I wish we could have one of our own. Unfortunately they won’t go out until well into the New Year, and then they have more training back here. I don’t see them going out on the next tour.”

“So there’ll just be the eight of you again?” Taff said.

He nodded.

Over the next weeks leading up to Christmas he was extremely busy going through service records with Alan and all the other details that arise from a squadron. Alan and he had a short list of six pilots, and decided to put off final selection until after the holidays.

Robert had kept in touch with Terry through the laptop, but he had also used it to surf the web looking for a Christmas present for her. He had finally found a shop that specialised in the product he sought, after relaying his instructions and the address for the cottage, he relaxed knowing that problem was resolved.

He arrived at the cottage before Terry, finding his mail and the small package on the table by the door. After checking the contents of the package he slipped the small box into his pocket along with a card.

He was busy setting up the Christmas tree that Archie had left when Terry arrived. After greeting her with a kiss he took her case upstairs to his room, leaving her warming herself by the roaring log fire.

That evening they dined at the Archers, Terry had asked him to take Buttercup as she had a package to pick up from Jack. Surviving the greetings of those present he found himself chatting with Ruby, Archie and Mrs Mac, while Terry was at the other end of the bar having an animated discussion with Jack. She was making notes on Jack’s pad while listening intently to him.

At the end of the evening Jack came out with a large cardboard box, sliding it over the bar to Robert and telling him to it take back to the cottage.

Back at the cottage Terry unloaded the contents, placing some in the fridge others into storage racks. Robert had been banned from the kitchen so contented himself by pouring out a nightcap for them both.

As she undressed in his room she smiled to herself, he’s still like a little boy, she thought, afraid for us to make love in his parent’s bed.

The next morning was Christmas Eve, a thick frost had formed overnight covering the fields and the trees. He climbed out of bed quietly, so he didn’t disturb her. Going down stairs he cleaned out the fireplace, and relit it. As soon as the logs took hold, he made a pot of tea and some toast before preparing a tray and returning to his room.

She was still asleep. Placing the tray on the bedside table he bent and kissed her gently, marvelling as always at the softness of her lips. Her eyes opened, a smile appearing on her face as she saw him.

“Morning sleepy head, I’ve brought you some tea and toast,” He said.

She sat up in bed, arranging the pillows behind her back, the duvet slipping down to her waist. Some of her hair had fallen over her shoulder hiding her breast. Terry, he knew never wore PJ’s or a nightdress under normal circumstances. He moved her hair aside, and then poured her tea out for her.

“Bobby you’re spoiling me,” she said as she placed the cup back on the tray.

“Not really,” he murmured, “I had an ulterior motive,” as he undid his dressing gown.

She saw his upright erection as the gown hit the floor. “Oh my,” she whispered, “tea, toast, and his Nibbs for breakfast, what more could a girl ask for,” as she kicked the duvet from her body.

Back downstairs, after she had served him his breakfast, she gave him his orders. “Bobby I’ve a lot to do today, I want to finish dressing the tree. I also have to prepare the food to be ready for tomorrow, and I don’t want you distracting me, so go out somewhere please.”

“But I thought I could help you darling.”

“I know what kind of help you are likely to give, and at the moment I don’t need it,” she said. “You can drop off the presents I’ve brought for Aggie, Archie, and Sir Wilbur, we can give Jack and Ruby’s theirs tonight.”

He stopped at the Gate Cottage and dropped off Mrs Mac’s and Archie’s presents, asking her to wrap the small box while he visited Sir Wilbur.

Sir Wilbur was in his study when Davis announced Robert. They chatted about the wedding and Barbados. Robert told him about the tea and coffee service bearing his coat of arms that they had given Jeremy and Pearl. Sir Wilbur expressed his delight about it, saying it only seemed right that they should have it, bearing in mind its history. Robert presented their present to him, which he knew was a box of fifty Cuban cigars, Sir Wilbur’s favoured brand, which Robert had bought in Barbados.

Sir Wilbur in turn gave him a package for himself, wrapped in Christmas paper; he then moved to a drawer and removed a jewellery case. “Robert I should like Terry to have this, it was my wife’s. I hope you don’t mind.” He opened it, inside was an emerald bracelet, the stones a perfect match for Terry’s eyes. “I have no one else to give it too. I certainly don’t want it to go to that bitch, my son married.”

Back at the Gate Cottage Mrs Mac wrapped the jewellery case for him and returned his package, also colourfully wrapped. He kissed her cheek and wished her a merry Christmas as he left.

Back at home he noticed a number of presents already under the tree, which sparkled with the decorations and lights which Terry had arranged on it. He placed his load of presents under it with the others. Terry was in the kitchen singing to the carols and Christmas songs that were coming from the speakers.

“I’m back,” he called, “am I allowed in?”

“Nearly done darling, pour me out a sherry, and I will join you?”

She came out of the kitchen wiping her neck with a tissue, the top three buttons of her blouse undone. “It’s hot in there with the Agar on” she said. She took her glass and sat on his lap in the armchair, looking at the tree. “We will have plenty to unwrap tomorrow,” she said brightly, “just think Bobby, our first Christmas together.” She leaned forward and kissed his neck.

He used the movement to unfasten another button, her breasts were covered by a white lace bra.

She sat up again as he undid the last few buttons, sliding the blouse from her shoulders. She looked at him for a moment, then rose and unzipped the skirt letting it fall to the floor. She was wearing a matching lace thong as she sat back on his lap waiting for his lips and hands to transport her to the heights of passion.

He had agreed to accompany her to midnight mass because he knew it meant a lot to her to be there with her. The church was packed, but he found a space near the back. Decorative holly and ivy wreaths were placed around the church and with candles lit, it gave the Christmas feel to the proceedings. The vicar had met them at the door as they entered and had spoken to Terry as Robert searched for seats for them.

He shouldn’t have been surprised when Terry followed the vicar down to join the choir.

The service began, Terry’s voice ringing out as they sang the Christmas carols. Looking around the congregation, seeing the looks on their faces rekindled his faith in a strange way. The bitterness over his parent’s death washing away with the carols and the simple service.

Outside after the service the vicar and many others in the congregation thanked Terry and made mention of Robert’s attendance, knowing why it had taken so long.

They exchanged presents with Jack and Ruby before walking up the hill with their arms around each other sharing their body heat against the bitter cold.

The next morning he awoke to an empty bed, he could hear Terry down stairs singing softly to herself. He smiled as he went into the bathroom.

She was in the kitchen, “You are only having a boiled egg for breakfast, because you have a big dinner to eat,” she warned him.

After they had cleared up, Terry gathered up the presents from around the tree and placed them before the fire. She separated them into two piles; he had to place his and Sir Wilbur’s on her pile as they had no tags on them. He watched her as she began to unwrap hers; she’s just like a kid he thought.

She gasped when she saw Sir Wilbur’s, “Bobby it must have cost a fortune,” she whispered. He explained about it having been his wife’s, and that he’d wanted her to have it.

Eventually she got to his, opening the box she found a heavy gold Egyptian cartouche, hieroglyphics embossed on both sides. “Oh its beautiful darling, what does it say?”

“Don’t ask me, I have a job reading English never mind hieroglyphics,” he said. “Maybe this will help.” He pulled out the card that had arrived with the box, on it was the translation of the symbols into the English alphabet.

She dashed into the kitchen returning with a pencil and paper. Her face was screwed up concentrating on the translation; a smile began to form on her face, becoming bigger as she unravelled the symbols. With a cry she leapt to her feet rushing over to him plonking herself on his lap as she gave him a long lingering kiss. “Thank you darling it’s wonderful,” she said softly.