Where Are We Now

Chapter 22

Afghanistan

The weeks were flying by and Molly was enjoying every minute of being in Afghan again and couldn't believe that they were already more than half of the way through the tour. When she had done her previous tours to train Afghan medics at the university it was in a different part of Kabul to where they were now. She had enjoyed seeing Qaseem again and being taken to see Bashira, but she had promised Charlie she wouldn't try and find them.

It was 21.30 and she was already tired and wanting her pit but she promised she would Skype him. The internet was good here and it didn't take long before she saw his smiling face. He was in his room at Barracks

"Molls" he laughed "I can't stay here much longer I'm gonna have to look for somewhere to rent" he said again using her east end vernacular

"Why what they done this time" she laughed

"I'm too old for this" he laughed back "I expect it from squaddies but the bloody idiots have set the fire alarms off 3 times this week going out for a smoke"

"Well I hope you've been to M&S and got some PJ's and you're not running out in your tight bloody boxers?" She was falling about laughing, the sound of her laughter was infectious and he couldn't help but laugh back although he was getting increasingly tired at being woken up by the bloody alarm going off.

"Well we would have somewhere to go on our nights off if I did" he said trying to waggle his eyebrows suggestively

"Bit previous still ain't you Charlie" she laughed back "who said I want to come back for a quickie"

He stopped laughing and looked straight at the screen "You will never be a quickie as you so eloquently put it. It'll be somewhere I can hold you without everyone seeing a Major and a Corporal"

"OK keep your hair on" she desperately wanted to change the subject as he seemed to be getting a bit upset "You been going to see Ted like you said"

"Yes mum" and smiled "You following orders"

"Yes dad" and fell about laughing again "Look I need my pit, speak again next week but text if you can when you find somewhere to live".

.

Molly was sat on the steps outside the hospital drinking tea. That was one thing at least she got a decent strong cup of tea. She was staring out across the horizon fascinated at how warm it was but she could see snow on the tops of the mountains in the distance.

Dr Bahil sat next to her also carrying her cup of tea "You love this country don't you"

"Well I love the landscape, if it wasn't for the war and that I would certainly consider living here" she paused before continuing "I would love to know what happened to Qaseem and Bashira, even to see them again"

"Would you like it if I tried to find them?"

"Nah! Promised me husband I wouldn't go off piste, follow orders and that"

"Is he army too?"

Yeah! First tour helped me loads, adjust and that. So did Qaseem tried to teach me Pashto but Bashira was just a little girl. Do you know her dad strapped a suicide belt to her, tried to blow her up? I thought my dad was a bit of a pillock but hers…."

"I am sure she is fine and safe somewhere. Why doesn't your husband want you to find these people?"

"Long story mate" she started but still staring at the mountains and the clear blue skies over Kabul "In a nutshell, we were here to try and get the kids to school including the girls but it all went tits up, he ended up being shot here and then a couple of years ago he had to come back because of kiddie trafficking and his best mate Elvis was killed right in front of him"

"Would that be Captain Elvis Harte" Dr Bahil looked at Molly intently

"Yeah he never got over it"

"I met his fiancé several months ago, Georgie – do you know her" Molly could only nod before saying "Yeah! Screwed them both up"

"Screwed what is that, your English is not the same as Dr Antonio or Sergeant Lane" Molly threw her head back and laughed like a drain "That's what me husband says, can't understand a bloody word I say"

"Messed with their heads" she continued and felt her eyes filling with tears at the way this conversation had suddenly gone.

Dr Bahil felt she needed to change the conversation, while she had got on with Georgie she felt there was an undercurrent here and this girl did not want to remember the past and the four of them had an interlinked story. "You know people live in those mountains, in caves trying to hid from the Taliban"

"Really" said Molly now looking at her

"Yes, mainly women, their husbands have been killed so they try to look after themselves and their children, they have been forgotten by the government and they are scared that they will be killed or their children taken to fight in the war".

"When I was here the first time must be 6 or more years ago I asked Qaseem if Afghan would ever be peaceful he said that with every day it was one day closer."

"He was a very astute man; I believe that also" she continued

"We are trying to get a team together to go into the mountains to vaccinate the children, see if we can convince the women that they are safe and to come down from the mountains"

"Will you need our help?" Molly turned to her and her eyes were dancing with enthusiasm to help these women and children

"This is being discussed with your Brigadier, but it is dangerous there are still terrorist cells there so it is if he agrees to the soldiers coming but we also need for these women to feel safe"

"So, you'll need medics then?" Dr Bahil nodded and smiled "Yes we will need medics"

.

Two months now into this tour and she can't believe just how quick this one was going. She missed Charles of course but thought that the time apart gave them the opportunity to think about what they wanted. She still had doubts about Charles sincerity he said all the right words, that he wanted her back and regretted deeply what had happened between him and Georgie but there was still that nagging doubt he wanted Georgie rather than her. How could he change his mind that quick? Maybe he only wanted her because he couldn't have Georgie, there was no way she was playing second best to anyone.

She was looking forward to the new task in hand, they were going into the mountains to help those women. She and Charles were due another Skype call so she could tell him all about it especially as she wouldn't be able to contact him up there.

"So, who is on this mission then?" he asked

"Well it was decided by Captain Hurst that we wouldn't stick in our sections but some of the more experienced would be the ones to go"

"So, who is it then?"

"Well Kingy is leading while Kinders stays in Kabul"

"Good man he knows what's what out there"

Then there's Brains, Dangles and Monk along with the other medic Mimi. Don't think you know her but nice girl, very young though"

"So not experienced then"

"Charlie we are only vaccinating kiddies for polio, it'll be a couple of days tops and try to convince them to come back to the villages rather than live up there".

"Who else?"

"What?"

"Who else is on this mission?"

"I don't think you know them they are all replacements, some tit called Throbber" Charles couldn't help but snigger at that

"Actually, he's not that bad he kidnapped one of the sniffer dogs cos he thought it was going to be put down. Put it in our quarters but then spent ages with Monk trying to put it back in the kennels when he found out it wasn't" she creased up with laughter and he snorted a laugh himself, very grateful they weren't his problem anymore.

"Look Molls. Just be careful won't you"

"Course. Now how is the flat hunting?" changing the subject quickly

"Found somewhere actually, moving in next week" he said with a grin "Very modern 2 bed flat, all the mod cons, shower, bath, my own kitchen, fully furnished"

She grinned back at him "Well you can show me when I get back"

"Molls you ready for some dinner" called Jackie from the doorway

"Look Charlie better get some dinner before all the lads stuff their plates and leave us with the limp lettuce leaves" she grinned at him "Speak next week and I'll tell you all about the mountains"