Author's Note: I don't own Grease or Grease 2 nor any of the characters. I only own the plot to the story and few characters which are my own.
Summary Post Grease 2. Another take on Michael and Stephanie lives after graduation.
Author's Note. Reviews and Feedback would be greatly appreciated. A side note trying to figure out the pay for a private in 1963 wasn't easy. What I could find was the pay for a private in the Army was £7 a week and £16 a week for a Sargent 1960/61. The only other bit of information I could find was the pay for a Private in 1970 was £17 7s, compared to for a Private in 1977 was £55.75 and a Second Lieutenant was £60 a week. So if I messed up the accuracy of what the pay would have been back then I apologise.
Chapter 9
Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia Germany
Late March 1963
My uncle Robert Carrington was the baby of Nan and Pop's nine kids. Was meeting Steph and I at the train station. I had only seen my uncle a few times before my parents funeral back in August/September.
In the war years. My uncle had flown Hawker Tempest during finally months of the war. He was shot down over enemy territory in early January 1945. My Aunt Dorothea and her family hid my uncle from the day they found him in January 1945 till the war in Europe ended when Germany surrendered in May 1945
I was only eighteen months old when he, my father and the rest of my uncles those that survived came back from the war
I don't know what the full story was about the falling out between my dad and Uncle Robert. All I know was that he went back to Germany. And has only come back to England a handful of times in the years since.
We stepped off the train. I searched the crowd on the platform for my uncle. It seemed it wasn't too hard to spot him. He was tall like Pop was.
"Michael over here" He called to us.
"Babe my uncle's over there" We made our way over to where he stood with one of my cousins. Who looked to be a few years younger then me at seventeen.
"Uncle Robert" I extended my hand.
"Michael it's good to see you again lad."Uncle Robert shook my hand. "Stephanie it's nice to see you again."Uncle Robert turned his attention to Stephanie next.
"You as well Mr Carrington"
"Robert will be fine seeing as we're family."Uncle Robert turned to my cousin who stood awkwardly to one side of our conversations.
"Henrik this your cousin Michael and his wife Stephanie" Uncle Robert introduced me to one of my cousins.
"Nice to meet you both" Henrik shook my hand firmly
After gathering our bags, we headed out to where Uncle Robert's car was parked. I was slightly surprised to see an almost brand new Bentley S3 was in fact Uncle Robert's car. I hadn't a clue to what he actual did for a living.
Whatever it was it left him fairly well off at least to afford such a car as the Bentley and have it shipped over to Germany. The weekly average wage in England was 15 pounds and 85 pense a week.
My weekly pay was around that well a bit less at 10 pounds a week as a private, as a Sargent my pay would be nineteen pounds a week. During my basic training I'd been on half a day's pay which was about seventy one pense a day.
We loaded our baggage in the boot of the Bentley. Twenty minutes later we pulled into the driveway of lavish but overall big house. Though the place was pretty lavish. There where no maids, butler nor servants in sight.
Coming inside the house I got a first look at my Aunt Dorothea. There wasn't much of her to begin with she stood no taller then five foot at most. Much shorter then my Uncle's towering frame of six foot five and half inches.
Henrik was just as tall at about six foot four. I had four other cousins I was yet to meet. My Aunt and Uncle had three boys and two girls. So in total there would be five cousins I would meet in all.
Once we'd been settled into our room. We where introduced to the rest of my cousins. The second oldest was Wolfgang, the third oldest and first of the two girls was Emilia, the second youngest and the last boy was Anton and last but not least was the baby of the family Isabella.
Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia Germany
Late March 1963
Early Monday morning I was awake well before the sun was up. I had to be at the barracks by seven. The house was relatively empty except for Steph and I. My uncle Robert, Aunt Dorothea and cousins had gone back to Berlin.
My Uncle had a large Engineering firm in Berlin. It was how he had made his fortune over the years. My uncle generously was letting us stay here rent free for whoever long we where here.
Pop and he where making arrangements for my motorcycle to be brought out for me. Until then I was borrowing one of my Uncle's motorcycles. He had several at this house alone.
I showed my Military ID at the guardhouse at the front gate of the Barracks. Once allowed through I had to find my section commander. Sargent McClyde. I had been assigned to three section of B company of the 1st Battalion.
I soon found my way to Sargent McClyde's office. I knocked on the door.
"Enter" A thick Irish accent answered from the other side of the door.
"Private Michael Carrington reporting for duty Sargent" I marched in saluting Sargent McClyde before standing attention.
"At ease Private Carrington." I stood at ease.
Sargent McClyde didn't say anything for several minutes. I stood at ease but still at attention.
"I'll assign you to Lance Corporal James. He's on Armoury duty for this week" Sargent McClyde went on to explain in detail where the armoury was and how to get there.
Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia Germany
Mid April 1963
A few weeks had passed since I had joined the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire here in Wuppertal. I'd made a few friends within three section. I'd bounced around from one job to the next.
The first week had been on armoury duty, the next spent down guarding the main gate while the last week had been in mess. Not the most glamours job. Army Life could be a bit dull at times. Especially on Regimental duties as we where doing.
It was all part of the job. It wasn't all going to garden party rubbing shoulders with the aristocracies. Not that they would give us squaddie the time of day.
I headed home after a long day in the kitchen of the mess hall. While the other lads where heading for the pubs before closing time at half six.
Baby Carrington was due in less then a month. When I had the time I was doing up one room to use as the nursery. When I had the time being the operative word. The week before when I had been rostered on for guard duty at the front gate.
Most of the shifts where night shift. Time I got home the following morning. I had just enough energy to eat and shower before passing out for about eight or more hours sleep. Only to do it all again the next night.
I parked my Vincent in the driveway. Uncle Robert had gotten my motorcycle here to be last week. I cut the engine, putting out the kick stand.
"Babe that you" Steph called hearing the key in the door and it opening.
"Yeah it's me" I answer removing my T-Birds leather jacket, I toed off my boots.
"How was your day"
"Long" I answered sitting down on the couch. "How you and baby doing" I rested my hand on her now very big baby bump.
"We're good. He's been very active today. Not so good when your trying to finish painting his nursery when you have to stop every fifteen or twenty minutes to pee"
"Guess Pop was right about him being a footballer" The baby seemed to agree kicking hard against my hand where it was resting on Steph's stomach. "What do you mean you finished painting the nursery"
"Michael William Carrington I'm not a damsel in distress. I'm pregnant not an incapacitated."
"I know that Steph. But you are eight months pregnant. The baby is due in less then a month. All I saying is anything could have happened. The baby could come to early or something could happen to one or both of you" I really didn't want to fight about this with Steph.
There was a part of me that was terrified that something could happen to Steph or the baby. That could result in me losing one of them or even both of them. Despite how far modern medicine had come there was still the chance that mother or baby could die during the delivery.
When my youngest siblings Martin and Eric had been born. Mum nearly bleed to death as a result. I'd help bring them both into the world that day. Thankfully Doctor Frederick arrived not long after Eric was born.
Thankfully Doctor Fredericks and the mid wife managed to stop the bleed and sow mum up. Both She, Martin and Eric where all fine in the end. I tired putting those thoughts out of my head. But they didn't seem to go they where always at the back of my mind.