Road to Destiny
Chapter 9
They didn't stay for long in London. Just long enough for Charles to get his coffee capsules the next morning and they drove back home.
There were a mountain of texts, emails and phone calls between the old 2 section during the following week. All of them looking forward to their get together and making final preparations for the reunion.
Jackie and Dangles were going to drive down from Aldershot when they finished work on Friday afternoon and would stay with them and have a take-away before setting off for Laugharne on Saturday morning.
Brains, Fiona, Fingers and Marie were driving down late Friday morning from Catterick to the hotel on the outskirts of Newport and would meet them at 11 at Laugharne. Baz and Nudenut had decided to do the same thing and were coming up from Essex and would have the extra night in the same hotel.
Mansfield was still stationed in Aldershot but had guard duty so he would drop his girlfriend at the hotel to check in and then would drive straight to Laugharne for the meeting time.
The ones they didn't see that often was Kinders and his wife. He was on leave from Cyprus and home with his family so would also drive straight to Laugharne, again after dropping his wife off, and was looking forward to seeing them all again. It had been a few years now since they had all met up.
They all had a lot of catching up to do. They were all going to be staying in the same hotel and had already booked a Chinese restaurant in Newport for their evening meal.
-OG-
Molly had got in touch with Candy, although she was worried about it after what she had said to Charles after the funeral, although that was many years ago now. She had always kept in touch with Candy, when she could, phoning on Smurfs birthday and the anniversary of his death and they always exchanged Christmas cards. She had long since given the ring back as she was only looking after it for Smurf. Not that Candy really wanted it back as she felt that from the moment Geraint and Dylan's father had given it to her it had brought nothing but bad luck for her.
She wasn't sure if Candy still thought it was Charles' fault that Smurf died, which it wasn't of course. No one could have known about the bleed that caused his death. But after 10 years Candy felt that she didn't want to see them again as it would bring back too many memories from a time of great sadness, it would just remind her what her boys had missed in the intervening years. Both Molly and Charles understood, it wasn't just them, it was seeing all of them all grown up with families of their own that Candy found difficult, what could have been, or might have been for her boys.
On the Saturday morning, they agreed that Charles would drive and use his Discovery as that would be big enough to be comfortable and have all the luggage in the boot. They made good time to Laugharne.
The wives and girlfriends had decided not to attend their impromptu memorial and stayed at the hotel to make use of the spa facilities. Jackie being considered honouree 2 section as she was replacement medic when Molly went on leave and she knew both Smurf and Geraint.
Brains, Fingers, Baz and Nudenut were already there as they had stayed in Newport the previous night. They were just waiting on Kinders and Mansfield who were dropping their partners at the hotel to check in.
At 11 they were all there standing on the hill looking down towards the lake and the cottage. The weather wasn't warm and there was a slither of sun trying to break through the clouds making the lake shimmer and a mist rising from the water. To Charles it reminded him of a scene from a film or something and he sort of expected a woman's hand to come out the lake holding Excalibur.
They all stood together while Charles recited The Sunset Poem from Under Milkwood, Molly all the time holding his hand as they remembered Smurf, their friend and comrade. He looked down at Molly, who gave him a weak smile and blinking rapidly her eyes open wide and he squeezed her hand.
"Right, well I guess we should check in to the hotel" he said to the group, Jackie and Dangles both nodding.
"Yeah and we would have time to join the ladies in the pool and have a light bite before getting ready for the pub in Newport." Said Brains "What time did you book the dinner at the Chinese Moll?"
"8 o'clock" she answered "I organised taxis to take us to Smurfs local at 6 so we can meet in the lobby then if we don't see you in the hotel earlier" she grinned.
"I can't go all that time with no food" piped up Mansfield "we could have a bit of a catch up Molls over lunch."
"It's a nice hotel" laughed Dangles "No food eating competitions here mate."
"I don't do that anymore and I need to line my stomach if we are out on the lash tonight" he grinned.
-OG-
They drove in convoy back to the hotel, Dangles and Charles checking in while the rest of the lads asked their room numbers and asking for spare card keys as they weren't sure where their wives were in the hotel.
Charles and Molly walked to their room inserted the key and they heard the click that the door had been released. Charles put their case on the bed and unzipped it. Everything felt cold and a little damp from having spent so long in a cold car while they were at Laugharne. Reading that poem, being at that place had brought back a lot of memories for him. Crawling across the sand while being shot at to get to Geraint, not listening to Molly about Smurfs state of mind. Smurf being shot on one of their early patrols and her doing the same thing but across a minefield. Their funerals, the look of despair from Candy, the way a 20 year old Molly was trying to hold herself together and telling him she was off to Afghan again, while all he could do was hobble about on crutches, knowing he loved her but wasn't sure whether she felt the same, acknowledging he had baggage while she was just starting out to follow her dreams.
Ten years, where had they all gone. He snorted a laugh remembering the first words he ever said to her, threatening to lob her out the plane for laughing, thinking she wasn't up to the job of medic in such a dangerous place. He shook his head as he looked down at their clothes in the suitcase, starting to pick them up and put them into the wardrobe. Who would have known that fresh-faced girl with the amazing eyes would have become so important to him and matured into one of the bravest women he had ever met. The way she picked herself up and dusted herself down no matter what life threw at her, he had certainly thrown a lot in her direction, so had her father and he had done so again last week end, but still she kept trying to follow her dreams and kept that positive attitude.
Molly knew he was deep in thought by the way he was just standing there looking at their open suitcase before putting some of it in the wardrobe and then staring at it again, she walked up behind him and circled her arms around him kissing his back.
"Are you OK?"
"Yep" and she tightened her arms around him her cheek pressed into his back one of her hands moving up to his chest and she could feel his racing heart as she wiggled herself against his back her other hand moving down to his groin.
He turned to face her and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her head which was now resting against his chest as she held him tighter
"You Molly" he laughed "are incorrigible."
"Am I" she grinned up at him, her eyes wide and full of laughter "If I knew what one of them was, then I 'spect I am"
They were both transported back to a time when they were sitting on the stage in the FOB in Afghan, where he realised he was developing feelings for her but couldn't act on them. Now he could and he bent his head to kiss her, he deepened the kiss, his mood lightening and those feelings he had felt a moment ago swept away by the stronger and deeper feelings he felt for the woman he was holding in his arms.
They pulled apart when they heard one of their phones ping. It was Molly's to say that Baz and Nudenut were in the Lounge Bar if they wanted to join them for coffee.
"You go Moll" he said giving her a peck on her forehead "I'll come down in a bit" he grinned "I'll finish off the unpacking."
"I'm sorry" she said her hand on his cheek "I should have thought this would be hard for you, I shouldn't have arranged a reunion with Brains"
"Yes you should have, Smurf was your friend" he sighed "I'm fine, I was just thinking for a minute"
"Well that was dangerous" she grinned up at him
"My line Dawesy" he grinned back and kissed her again "Go see what Baz and Nudenut are up to before they wreck the hotel."
She nodded, she knew he wanted to be on his own for a bit. It didn't happen often these days, but even with all the counselling there were odd moments where he remembered something from the past that made him want to be alone and think for a bit. Whether it was with regret and sadness about the past or relief he was still here she never really knew. It was just a very tiny part of him she didn't have access to, he didn't tell her about. But then there were things she had never told him either, things she had seen, trying to protect him and she thought that was probably why he did it too.
"I'll see you in a bit then" she grinned at him with her hand on the door ready to open. He winked at her and nodded smiling at her as she left the room.
-OG-
"So, it's been a while, how have you muppets been then?" she asked flopping down in the chair next to Baz and giving her mate a broad grin.
"Want a beer Molls?" asked Nudenut
"Nah! I'm a light weight these days, pot of tea will do me" as Nudenut got up and went to the bar to order two beers for him and Baz and a pot of tea for Molly.
"We're good now" beamed Baz "we still had a fair bit of our deployment money left, when we came out the army a couple of years back so we have set up a small garage in Essex."
"I'm well chuffed for you Baz" she grinned "Any chance of mates rates?"
"Maybe when we are a bit more established" answered Nudenut who had just come back and sat down "It's taken time to get a reputation and we have only just started making a bit of a profit."
"I hear you have just left the army Molls?" asked Baz
"Yeah! Done me 12 years now, well as good as dam it, I'll be 30 next month, got an early release cos I'm joining the Police."
"Cor you don't half like danger don't you Molls" laughed Nudenut.
"It's South Wales mate, not the Met or Thames Valley" she laughed back.
"Good on you, have to say we may work long hours getting the business off the ground but at least we come home every day."
"Why did you leave, thought you both liked the traveling" she asked, "when did you actually finish?"
Baz and Nudenut looked at each other before Baz patted Nudenut on the hand "Things may have changed in the army and it's supposed to be more equal but it really ain't" he sighed "once we all started getting transferred out of 2 section, the bullying started about us."
"You must have noticed a bit of that when you went into Special Forces, they don't like women on the front line either" and Molly nodded and looked at her hands in her lap. That was exactly why Bones and then Blue had taught her how to stand up for herself. Although the team she was with were top blokes and never thought she couldn't do her job, there were some that made her decidedly uncomfortable. So she understood completely.
"That's why we put our papers in, there were elements that thought we couldn't do the job or we would jump them in the night" humphed Baz "That charity do was the last one we did in the army, New Year and new start" he grinned.
"Fuckin tossers" said Molly vehemently remembering some of the jibes she had put up with from other squadrons.
"Don't worry about it Molls" grinned Nudenut "Best thing we did getting out"
"We will have to make more of an effort to meet up more often, come to Basildon and we can show you the sights" added Baz
Before she had time to answer Charles had come down, kissed her on the top of her head and sat in the chair next to her.
"Can I get you another drink lads" he asked, Molly shook her head she still had her tea but Baz and Nudenut both nodded for another beer. He attracted attention of a hovering waiter and ordered two beers and a coffee.
"You both look well" he smiled at them.
"Yep all good Sir" and Charles raised an eyebrow "You're not in the army now, you don't have to keep calling me Sir or Boss, my name is Charles."
Molly had to put her fist in her mouth to stop laughing at the shocked expressions from the two men, while Charles gave her one of his looks. She was pretty sure they knew his name but while they were in the army had never been given permission to use it before, not that they saw them that often as a couple.
"Blimey Chas, didn't think we would ever get to call you by your first name" laughed Nudenut and Molly put her hand on Charles arm as he looked at her. Her eyes shining with amusement at what Nudenut had just called him, he was going to hate it, and shaking her head.
Kinders and his wife Julia joined them both opting for a jug of filtered coffee rather than joining Baz and Nudenut in the beers. There was cheering and greetings with gave Charles enough time to whisper to Molly "Please god I won't have to put up with being called Chas all evening?" giving a grimace and rolling his eyes. Molly burst out laughing. "Probably"
-OG-
"It's nice to see you again Kinders" smiled Charles and put his hand out to shake his old Corporals. He could see he had kept up the fitness if anything he looked even more muscular over the intervening years. "I hear you are stationed in Cyprus these days and been promoted?"
"Yes, the wife has family out there so we decided to take a 4 year posting" he grinned "Been there about 2 years now."
"Well we know where to come on our holidays then" laughed Baz and the smile on Kinders face dropped a little. Julia had met all of 2 section from time to time over the years but he wasn't sure that she would want these two reprobates staying with them, especially if they came in pissed every night. They had a 3 year old child now and they didn't really want him picking up their flowery language.
"You're still looking fit Eggy" grinned Molly and hugging Julia it had been a while since she had seen them "Think the last time I saw you both was at that Charity New Year Ball in Aldershot a few years ago."
"Well, you were pretty pissed that night Molly" laughed Kinders "but I was in the army boxing team then so had bulked up a bit with all the training" "Once we had Lewis I took the posting to Cyprus."
"So, you are not in the boxing team now then" asked Charles and Kinders shook his head "Nah" he huffed "leave that to the younger lads now" he grinned at Charles.
"Surprised the rest of the lads aren't joining us?" said Charles
"Think they are all in the Spa" replied Baz.
"Or the pool" added Nudenut "Or then again I think I saw Mansfield and his girl going into the restaurant."
"Well let's hope they have plenty of food" laughed Molly.
"Really looking forward to catching up with everyone" smiled Nudenut "such a shame we don't catch up more often."
"Well, we are scattered all over the place" sighed Kinders "Then there are the tours, its hard getting us all in the same country at the same time."
"Look we have a few hours before we are all due to meet down here and start the evening activities" grinned Charles and raising an eyebrow at Baz and Nudenut who were already on their 4th pints. "I suggest we order a lite lunch before all meeting up here again at 6 to go to the pub."
"Good idea" nodded Kinders also looking at the two men who didn't appear to have changed too much since that first tour when they were the section clowns.
The six of them carried on talking and catching up, after all it had been a few years since they had met up. They ordered up several rounds of sandwiches to tide them over till dinner.
-OG-
The taxis picked them up promptly at 6 and took them to Smurf's local. Molly remembered coming here with him when she was on R&R but she didn't recognise any of the faces in there, but why should she, 10 years had passed and all his old mates were probably married with families of their own.
Molly couldn't help but think that the landlord must have been pleased at this Saturday night intrusion by a load of people as without them the bar would have been fairly empty.
She was standing with Brains and Fiona chatting, Charles was leaning on the bar talking with Kinders, Julia along with Mansfield and his girlfriend who she had now found out was called Penny. Jackie and Dangles had come over and they were all laughing about Mansfield and how he hadn't changed at all, Dangles commenting they saw him more often now that he was stationed back at Aldershot.
She saw Fingers and Marie standing on the periphery at the bar but not really joining in with the conversation with Charles and Kinders but talking with Baz and Nudenut. She caught Fingers eye and remembered their conversation in Iraq and that they would always be friends, she wasn't army anymore and neither was Georgie, it was time to put her big girl pants on and put this to bed once and for all. She caught his eye and smiled and waved and it was returned with one of his trademark grins and a wink as he took Marie's hand and walked over to Molly and the rest of the group.
Molly could see that Marie looked a bit worried and she couldn't help but wonder if her reputation for going off on one was preceding her. She was older, wiser and didn't really do that anymore so she painted on what she thought was one of her best smiles as they joined the group.
"Glad you could come Fingers" she giggled "Nice to see you again Marie."
"Well couldn't miss a reunion for the Welsh Wanker could we" he laughed back.
"You too Molly" she had been worried about this weekend and meeting Molly again ever since Fingers had told her they were having a 10 year reunion for Smurf. In the early days she had known Molly quite well as she was her sister's friend and they had always got on. Her, Lulu and Georgie had gone on a few nights out when Georgie had been with Jamie. But after what happened in Bangladesh she had supported her sister and not kept in touch, couldn't quite believe that her sister also had PTSD and as the years had gone on it had got more difficult to start that conversation again. Frank knew she was struggling and kept hold of her hand, he knew Molly well, had done for years even if they didn't see each other that often with them being down in Monmouth and him up in Catterick, but one thing he did know even from that very first tour, Molly didn't carry a grudge.
Molly hugged Fingers in welcome and seemed genuinely pleased to see him again as far as Marie was concerned and was even more shocked when she gave her a peck on the cheek and asked after Frank Junior. For the first time since they had arrived last night Marie was starting to relax. She had had quite a few Vodka and Tonics just to get herself here this evening a letter from Georgie to Molly burning a hole in her handbag. One part wanting to give it to her now and another not wanting to ruin the night by bringing up the past. At the moment Molly seemed happy and welcoming and she didn't want to spoil it. What she didn't realise that Molly was thinking the exact same thing, part of her wanted to ask after her old friend but the rest didn't in case it caused a row.
Their thoughts interrupted by Fiona who wanted to know when she started her training with the Gwent police force.
Molly's face lit up "this is my last weekend of being in between" she giggled "next week is when I start."
"I heard about this" laughed Fingers "you being a bizzie, what did your family make of that then?"
Molly shrugging "Same as when I joined the army mate, cut me off ain't they"
"Well, I think you have made a good choice" said Fiona "crap shifts but at least you will get home every day."
"I hadn't realised you had left the army Molly" said Marie "You didn't want to go into nursing with your background then?"
"Nah!" she shook her head "think I can do more good in the police."
"Not surprised" laughed Jackie knowing how difficult this first conversation with Marie must be for Molly "I remember her on that first tour and how she reacted to that soldier."
"Oh Yeah!" nodded Brains to Fingers "we all thought you were frightened of blood."
"I ain't frightened of nothing mate" she giggled.
"We know that" laughed Fingers "you should have seen the boss's face when you shot that bloody insurgent."
"Was that when you were shot in the arse mate?"
Fingers broke out into his huge grin "rather than what you did girl!"
Marie was getting quite an insight into what they had all gone through over the years, how they looked after each other and why they had always remained close, or tried to.
-OG-
They moved on to the Chinese restaurant who probably would check if their clientele were army in future as they were already quite rowdy when they arrived. The food and drink flowed and the conversations were raucous as everyone remembered something about Smurf. Christmas in the FOB in Afghan, his rusty bullet hole and if anyone had seen his aunt with the tattoo of a gondola at his funeral.
They had finished up at the restaurant when Dangles suggested looking for a nightclub to round off the evening. Molly watched Charles shoulders sag, Baz and Nudenut were already looking pretty wasted as they had started drinking in the afternoon, he really didn't want to be responsible for a load of drunken squaddies, although technically they weren't any more. Not to mention he was getting a tad irritated at being called Chas.
"Come on Boss, it's been years since we went anywhere to dance" whispered Molly in Charles ear sending a shiver down his spine
"There is a reason for that, I can't dance, don't like the noise and will feel like a relic with all the 20 somethings" he sighed as Molly beamed at him shaking her head before bursting into laughter "and don't call me Boss I haven't been your boss in years."
"You can prop the bar up with Eggy and Brains" she kissed his cheek "you can watch me and Jacs dancing and when the slow stuff comes on we can have a bit of a sway about."
He threw his head back in laughter "that feels like a lifetime ago now" remembering the Charity Ball and then that last night in Brunei watching her dance with Jackie, Dangles and Fingers only getting up for that one slow dance.
"Stop being an old fuddy duddy" she grinned.
"Hark at it, who was the one who was getting upset about hitting 30?" he replied raising his eyebrows at her.
"That was different."
"Of course, it was" he laughed.
-OG-
It appeared that the club Dangles had looked at was within walking distance of the Chinese and the group of friends set off. It was exactly what Charles was expecting, dimly lit and the music so loud you could feel the base beating through your chest. The dance floor already heaving with sweaty teenagers on the pull and the bar 3 deep in people. Fortunately there did seem to be booths round the edge of the club and they even found one that would take all of them. Charles, Eggy and Brains went to the bar to get in a couple of rounds, to save having to queue up too often.
Molly found herself sitting next to Marie? "It's been a while hasn't it Marie" she said "since we went clubbing it" giggling.
"I'm so sorry for what happened in the past Molly" and as Molly looked into her eyes she could see the sincerity and worry. Time to let all this go
"Not your fault Marie" she sighed "Fingers told me when I was out in Iraq that she is finally getting the help she should have" and Marie nodded looking down at her hands in her lap.
"Yeah" also sighing "She met up with Jamie again at a club when we were out with Lulu and they got chatting and started dating again" she looked at Molly "bit of a surprise really that he wanted to after she didn't turn up for the wedding, he was pretty devastated at the time."
"I expect he was."
"Anyway, he knew she wasn't right."
"I think we all knew that mate" said Molly maybe a little too harshly "sorry" patting her on the hand and Marie nodded in acceptance.
"Georgie wouldn't listen to us, you know Mum, Dad and me but somehow he convinced her to get help, have some counselling and she is a lot better now. She started a nursing degree about a year ago"
"I'm pleased for her" and was surprised she said that and even more surprised that she genuinely meant it. It wasn't just the fact that Georgie had slept with her husband, it was the fact that she hadn't supported her when he was struggling, had said all those spiteful things when they started trying to get back together.
Marie started looking in her clutch bag and pulled out a letter with Molly's name on it and handed it to her "She wrote you a letter once she knew that Fingers and I were coming here for this reunion" Molly took it with shaking fingers and put it into her bag, her heart pounding as to what it might say, she looked around to find Charles and saw him still at the bar with Eggy and Brains laughing about something. It was almost as if he had a sixth sense where she was concerned and looked across at her at that precise moment. Smiling and winking at her and mouthing "are you alright?" and she nodded turning back to Marie
"I won't read it tonight Marie, will wait until we get home."
"But you will read it won't you" said Marie holding her arm "I don't know what it says but I know she tried really hard to say sorry in it."
"Yeah! I'll read it" replied Molly her eyes pricking at the lost friendship, must be the booze making her sentimental she thought, and it was lost regardless of what was in the letter. They could never go back too many things had been said and done for that.
"Come on Molls, time to dance" said Jackie pulling her up knowing that her friend was getting a little emotional with whatever Marie was talking with her about.
"Too right mate" beamed Molly "come on Marie, let's get the party started"
-OG-
All the girls were on the dance floor laughing and dancing to the latest music and attracting attention from some of the local lads, which made Charles smirk. If only they knew his wife would floor them if they pushed their luck too far. As was expected Fingers and Dangles got up to join them leaving him with Brains and Kinders. He looked across to see Baz and Nudenut slumped in the booth and shook his head, just as he expected he thought.
"So what did her family say when she told them she was joining the Police" asked Brains taking a sip from his pint. Charles raised an eyebrow without saying a word as Brains threw his head back laughing
"Like that was it" and Charles nodded "I take it they won't be going to her passing out when she completes the training, they didn't when she joined the army"
Charles shook his head "Unlikely but some of her brothers and sisters are grown up now so they might."
"Give us the day Boss and we can come down to support her, it's a big thing" added Brains
"I'll let you know, if you are all about I'm sure she will appreciate it."
"Bet you're glad she's not in Special Forces anymore Boss?" said Kinders and Charles nodded.
"Indeed" he took a sip from his pint "no more covert ops in god forsaken countries."
"She was pretty lucky last time wasn't she?" sighed Brains "Spanner reckoned they were out of ammo."
"No need to remind me" his stomach turning over at the thought as he looked across at her laughing with her mates and dancing. He couldn't have bared to have lost her. He knew that operation had affected her greatly, her CO killed and Dyno wounded and out the army, it was the catalyst for her deciding on this new path. For actually doing it rather than just thinking about it.
"We really should make it an annual reunion, if not for Smurf but for the old 2 section. Can't believe how we have all grown up" grinned Kinders; Brains and Charles looked out onto the dance floor at the antics of Dangles, Mansfield and Fingers along with their wives and girlfriends then across to Baz and Nudenut.
"Well some of us" humphed Brains thinking that Fiona was going to be a wreck in the morning judging from what he was seeing. "Good job she's not on duty until Tuesday" Kinders and Charles laughing as they watched her being sandwiched between Dangles and Fingers as they threw themselves about, arms waving madly. Fiona laughing till she had tears running down her face.
It was the early hours when the slow music came on indicating the club would close soon. Charles looked across the dancefloor to see Molly with one of her huge grins beckoning him over with her hands while swaying her hips. He rolled his eyes grinning back at her, getting up to join her.
-OG-
The evening finally came to an end and they all piled into taxis to get back to their hotel. Lots of hugs and kisses goodbye all of them realising that the chances of them making it down for breakfast pretty slim.
"Did you have a good time sweetheart" Charles whispered into the darkness, Molly snuggled into his side and his arms around her. He felt her nod against his shoulder.
"Marie gave me a letter from Georgie" and he felt that his heart had just gone down in a rather fast lift.
"Have you read it" and she shook her head "Nah! Will save it till we get home, didn't want to spoil me weekend."
