Chapter 15

It had been just over three hours since Kenny had impulsively boarded British Airways flight BA7426 to Dublin via Sydney and London at Adelaide International and he and Kelly had barely drawn breath between them as they touched down in Sydney for their first stopover.

"I hope you don't think this is creepy," apologised Kenny for possibly the twentieth time. "I just couldn't let you go again. Really. I suffered for so long after I couldn't get back to you on the phone. I could have killed the guy I spoke to at BT when I was trying to get him to unfix the re-routing problem! Does that make me mad?"

Kelly laughed. "Kenny, you're fine, really. More than fine. You're amazing. I've never known a man who would leave everything behind and jump on an international flight going to the other side of the world just for me. You're fine, amazing and maybe a little mad. How did you manage it?"

"Well, lucky for me, I'm a good Boy Scout," replied Kenny, patting his bag. "Passport and everything, right in here. Sort of a leftover from when I was travelling around, I suppose. I like to have everything on me. I think I've even got a toothbrush!"

"That was very lucky," said Kelly.

"Well, chance is a fine thing," replied Kenny. "But I think we've gone beyond luck and chance now, don't you?"

"I do," Kelly smiled, leaned over and gave him a kiss. "Now! Are we going to leave this plane or are they going to have to clean around us?"

Kenny looked around and noticed they were sitting in an empty plane – well, empty except for a slightly irritated looking flight attendant.

"Oh, yeah. Right," Kenny blushed and got out of his seat. They left the plane via the aerobridge and were herded into a transition lounge before their onwards flight to Heathrow.

"I'll just pop along to the Ladies," said Kelly. "Will you be around here?"

"Are you sure I shouldn't come along?" teased Kenny. "Just in case you're snatched away from me again?"

"Now that would be creepy," replied Kelly with a smile and started making her way towards the bathrooms.

"How about a leash? Handcuffs? GPS tracking system?" Kenny called to her departing back.

"Creep!" she called back over her shoulder.

Still chuckling, Kenny found a payphone and dialled Mick's mobile number.

"Mick, it's Kenny."

"Kenny! I went down to the pub to catch up with you after work and they told me you'd dashed off to the airport to find your girl. Where are you?"

Kenny gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Well, you're not going to believe this, but I'm in Sydney at the moment."

"Sydney? Mate, I said I'd cover you for the afternoon, not the rest of the bloody week! What are you doing there?"

"Errr, just stopping over, actually."

"What?"

"I'm at Sydney International Airport. This is just a stopover. I'm on my way to Dublin."

Expletives crackled down the line. "How long for?"

"I don't know."

"Are you coming back?"

"I don't know."

"Mate, she must be something."

"She is."

"Really something."

"She really is."

"You've lost the plot, Kenny, me old mate. Absolutely Loony Tunes. What am I going to tell the boss?"

"Tell him . . ." Kenny smiled. "Tell him I've gone to visit my aunt in Sherrington."