Chapter Nine:
Words, Like Money

Bomber tried not to watch the clock as it ticked ever closer to 1930. She sighed, willing time to stop so she wouldn't have to do what she was about to do. But, just her luck, it didn't. She moved her eyes away from the clock and went back to scrubbing a pot that was already clean. In fact she was now scrubbing it so hard she was risking scrubbing off the Teflon non-stick coating. She swore softly at it and put it aside. That was the last of the washing up. Now she had to waste her time doing something else until half past se…
Beet. Beet. Beet. Beet.
The annoying little alarm on the oven was going off. She'd set it earlier that morning to remind her to go call her sister at seven-thirty and then promptly forgot about it. She gave it a hearty jab with her thumb and it fell silent. Then, watching the second-hand dance closer and closer to the 12, she threw down her tea towel and gave up. They won, she lost. Time to go call her sister.
Knocking on the Comm Room door, it was opened quickly by a blank-faced RO. Still put-off by their angry silence, Bomber said nothing and just went straight to the phone. Dialing an all-too-familiar number, she was met by Jessie's very excited voice the minute it stopped ringing.
"Rebecca Jane Brown, you are 2 minutes late." She laughed. "But that's okay because I only just got Alex down for a nap." She explained, referring to her 13-month old son Alexander. "How's the high seas?"
Bomber sighed. For so long the sisters had avoided talking, until just 20 months ago when baby Alex had been discovered and everything had changed. Out of the blue Bomber had got a call from Jessica's husband Tom telling her they were expecting a child and were about to get married. He almost forced Bomber to contact her sister and she had. Now they seemed to be making up for lost time, with Jessica expecting a call every two weeks. It was difficult, but Bomber did her best. But unlike their usual inane chatter, Bombe knew this call would be serious. "How's the farm?" Bomber asked, cutting over her sister's jokes.
Jessica finally grew serious. "The bank called again. It isn't looking good Bec. We're up to our eyeballs in debt."
"Did you get my cheque?"
"Yeah but it isn't enough. We're saving everything we can but with four mouths to feed it isn't like we c…"
Bomber cut across her. "Four?"
"Mum Becca. Mum is still here. She can't work. The doctors say she's clinically depressed or something. She just stays in bed all day."
Bomber frowned, glancing at the silver bracelet around her right wrist. "What is it?"
"The farm. She's distraught. If we lose the farm Bec we lose the last of dad's heritage. Without the farm that's it, he's really gone."
Bomber sighed. "I'll send you everything I can, but we can only pray from then on." Jessica sighed. "I'm sorry but that's all we can do."
"I know, but that's not going to be enough is it?"
Bomber frowned. "That's better than what most people have Jess. We should be happy with what we do have instead of stressing about this. It's just money. It's not like any of us are on our deathbeds." Bomber glanced behind her to find RO had stopped scanning papers and was now listening.
Jess seemed to catch Bomber's snap. "What's happened Bec?"
"Nothing. Just, I… I need to go. There's things to do."
"Bec? Talk to me. If something's happening I just want to help." Jess said, sounding a little teary.
Bomber blocked out her sister's requests. "I have to go. Bye." She put down the phone then stared at it in silence. It was then that RO finally spoke.

"Trouble at home?" He asked, still blank-faced but his tone was warmer than Bec expected. She offered a smile but it didn't work. RO knew her better then that.
"It's just…this drought and all. My Mum's not well and my sister and her husband are up to here with debt." Bec said she leant back against the desk. RO looked up at her with as much sympathy he could muster. Holly's phone call had given him something to think about. Her words came back to him now. Tell her that you'll help her – anyway possible. He took a deep breath.
"Do you want me to help?" He offered.
"Help? How?" She asked, confused.
"Offer my own money as well." He said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Are you crazy? What about your family?" Bomber exploded.
"Holly has child endowment sent to her for Kelly and she's still got the money she earns from the Air Force, not to mention the carer's pension for Melody." Robert said.
"Are you sure?" Rebecca didn't want to put Ro or Holly out at all by denying his sister extra funds she may need.
"Sure. Holly won't mind. She tends to have a way of talking sense into me." He said offering the best smile he could. Bec returned it. She knew she could get him to return to the way it was before.
"Don't worry about the money Ro. It's just money. I'll send Jessie some more and we'll see how it goes from there." Rebecca turned to leave.
"Bomber – Hold on." She paused, "I found Spider in the CO's cabin before. Know why he was there?"
"No…" Rebecca paused, the lie forming as she spoke it, "I guess he needed a bit of privacy for a phone call and the CO offered his cabin to him. I don't know. Maybe it's a family thing." Rebecca mentally slapped herself, she'd said too much already. She left and Robert started back with his papers, he paused and thought about what she'd said. He opened the filing cabinet and pulled out a folder that he'd never cared to look at. Spider's.
Webb

William (Billy)
16th March 1989
Julie & Alexander Webb (Mother's maiden name unknown)
Richard Alexander & Gemma Victoria

His siblings' names. As far as Ro knew Spider never talked about his family. The crew thought he was a well-mothered child. Frowning Ro kept reading finding out that Gemma no longer lived at home with Spider's parents. She lived in a nursing home for young People. Robert frowned again heavier this time. Family thing? Could Spider's sister be in trouble? No wonder Spider was keeping to himself. No one knew about his sister. That's why! Robert put the folder back in the cabinet and sighed. That's why Bec was spending so much time with Spider! It was perfect – sort of – he opened up to her about his sister and she, while worried about her family, kept her problems second to his. It fitted into place perfectly. He had to help…but how could he possibly if Spider didn't want him to know about it? He'd think of something. Or Holly would. Who knows what goes on in that mind of his sister…he sure didn't.