Chapter 3

I told Weena about our air-limo as soon as she got home. She squealed and gave me a hug. She didn't seem to mind putting Willy up for the night. We munched our way through a "nutritious" salad (I had asked what a non-nutritious salad might be and gotten my head handed to me). We also had some store-bought sliced ham and seven-grain buns. I was going to ask which seven grains, but thought better of it.

She told me that she hadn't felt well in the morning, but that she hadn't vomited. I suggested that this was clearly the onset morning sickness. She agreed.

"I spoke to Alice, the chief gynecological sister, this morning."

"And... ?"

"She said to try to eat something every three hours. She suggested salted biscuits in the morning before I get out of bed and potato crisps in the mid-afternoon. She said that ginger ale seemed to help people, as did lemon juice. She said to avoid strong-smelling foods, too."

"We can do all of that. Would you like me to do a supermarket run?"

"Would you?"

"No problem. Why don't you log in and see what the weather is like in Roma while I'm gone?"

"Right."

When I got back with the supplies Weena said, "Dry and about ten degrees warmer than here."

"That's good news. I was getting tired of rain and chilly mornings. Tea and crisps?"

"No, ginger ale and no ice."

"I'll bring it upstairs."

"Thanks. You're so good to me."

"To both of you."

Weena ate a few biscuits before getting up in the morning. When she got downstairs I had made both coffee and tea and had a bowl of fruit on the table.

"You're so sweet. Can you keep it up for nine months?"

"Don't have to. Morning sickness is supposed to occur only in the first trimester — when it occurs. So you may be half done with no serious symptoms. Call me on the mobile if you need to."

"OK. I love you."

"You do? I never knew."

At about 10 Willy called. "We've an ETA of 15:30 at Perth. There's supposed to be a 'military' gate. I'll make sure they've got your name. See you then."

Efficient and curt. Well, we'd find out what she's really like today.

I spent some time with Mona going over the budget documents that Janice had sent from Canberra. I understood nearly nothing about them. Mona appeared to have a handle on the whole thing. I asked her whether she could pull out all the stuff that concerned the West and the NT while I was away.

"No problem, Gordy. But there are things that would be relevant that aren't here."

"Really? No, don't tell me. Call Janice first thing tomorrow and see whether she can help."

"OK. She'll know, I'm certain."

"Oh, and I've a sack of books for you. But please don't toss them or pass them on."

"I'll care for them as though they were my own."

Around 2:30 I told Mona that I was on my way to the airport and that she should behave herself in my absence. She blushed vividly.

I was right to leave early. It took three different people to tell me where the "military" gate was. It was not marked as short-term or long-term parking or terminals were. At the gate an attendant in uniform consulted a clipboard, looked at my photo ID, and waved me towards a parking space. I waited a while and a large jet taxied over and stopped. Two men chocked the wheels and then pushed a stair on wheels over. The third person down waved at me.

"Let me have ten minutes to get out of my flight suit and file my report," Willy said. I nodded. She was back, in uniform, in little more than that.

"Is that all your baggage?" I asked.

"Yes. I'll wear this uniform in the morning and my flightsuit is in a locker. I don't need much."

"We'll go to our place and wait for Weena. She's working."

"Right. How about coffee?"

"My pleasure. Did you get promoted, too?"

"No. I'm just a well-schooled peon. The brass gets extra for fancier tucker."

"OK." I looked at her. "How did you get into the service?"

"You're supposed to ask 'What's a pretty girl like you doing in uniform?' I was a student at Sydney and decided I wanted to serve the country."

"Well, you know you're more than just pretty. You're really beautiful. No, don't worry, Weena's all I want. What were you studying?"

"I've a degree in mechanical engineering with a concentration in aerospace."

"So you went into the Royal Navy."

"Yes, not realising that all they've got is helicopters. But, as you can see, I'm being allowed to train on nearly everything."