Road of Tears
Chapter 5
She couldn't believe that she had only left this place three months ago. So much had been packed up already. Her and Jackie had a quick catch up she was due to fly back the following day, her tour finally finished.
"I thought it was never going to end" she laughed "Hope Dangles still wants to meet up for that drink."
"Yeah he does Jacs, I saw him at the funeral" her head downcast at remembering that horrible day "Told me to tell you to get your glad rags on and he's looking forward to meeting you outside Keogh on Friday."
"After nearly nine months out here and not having a drink, I should pretty much be a cheap date" she laughed. "and what about you Molly Dawes, anything you want to tell me about the Captain?"
Molly's cheeks flushed "Not much to tell really."
"Don't lie to me Molls, I can tell by your face something happened" she sat down next to her on her cot and shoulder nudged her "I'm your mate you can tell me anything."
Molly burst out laughing, "well we went for a date in Bath"
"And…" encouraged Jackie
"I ain't telling you about that mate" she sighed "Can't help but think he's gonna wake up and realise he's made a huge mistake."
"Why would you think that?" asked Jackie a frown on her face.
"Let's face facts, he's so far out of me league ain't he? Jacs."
"No, he bloody isn't" she shrugged "Who's to say what attracts one person to another, so long as you make each other happy, who cares what anyone else thinks"
"Yeah maybe?" she giggled. "Even so I don't want anyone knowing yet, it's still early days and we don't want anyone thinking there was something going on while we were on tour" she sighed "His future is still up in the air so I don't want to be the reason it's totally fucked up" Molly's face etched with concern and worry, didn't go unnoticed by Jackie as she nodded her understanding of the situation.
"Anyway Lance Corporal Aston hadn't you better finish packing?"
"Yes but I was distracted" she laughed back "Last meal in the mess in an hour?" and shoulder bumping her "and less of the Lance Corporal it's not confirmed yet"
Molly finished giving her all her news over dinner later that evening. Telling her she had met up with Elvis and he was only Charles best mate and it was him that had to tell Georgie he wasn't turning up. Jackie was wide eyed with that news "Poor bloody Captain, having a mate get you to do something like that."
"Actually, I think he regrets it now, Elvis I mean but he might be too late, Georgie has found a new bloke up there."
"Perhaps when you get back we could organise another weekend at a Spa in the Midlands maybe so it's not too far for Georgie? It's been ages since we all met up."
"Good idea Jacs, looking forward to it already and after another 3 months out here will need it, or me nails will anyway."
-OG-
Molly could feel her heart thundering in her chest, she felt a bit sick as she stood on the podium waiting for the trainee medics to settle down. Her mouth was dry so she took a sip of water. She was absolutely bricking it. Looking out on that auditorium at all those faces watching her, crickey she would rather get back in that bleedin minefield. Thirty minutes later it was over and she had done her first presentation in the auditorium. It felt such a relief and she had finally stopped shaking.
Time went quickly for her with all the presentations and practical's she was doing for the trainees and before she knew it, 2 months had gone past. Charles was meticulous in his letter writing from Headley and she could tell he was making great strides in his rehabilitation. She too was more confident standing up in front of a classroom full of Afghan medics, her CO had given her a glowing report, it would go in her file for when she wanted to go for promotion to Lance Corporal.
She was just finishing yet another presentation when Qassem walked towards her smiling. She gave him one of her huge grins as soon as she saw him and hugged him, which took him a little unawares. He was very fond of Molly Dawes, proud of how she had grown in confidence since she first arrived here. Her never ending questions.
He told her he had finally found Bashira and she was ecstatic, wanted to know how and where she was. She also told him that she wanted to see her, know that she was happy, see it for herself. She was a force to be reckoned with as she told him she would go on her own if he didn't take her. He knew she probably would, and at least if he went with her he might be able to keep her safe, cover up the fact a female British soldier was in Kabul.
Bashira seemed happy and settled and it was a great relief to her that her life didn't appear to be ruined by what had happened and she seemed equally pleased to see Molly. After the far to brief a meeting Qaseem drove her back to Barracks. She waved him goodbye and started to remove her face coverings and dig out her pass to get back in.
"Well, well well, if it isn't the half pint" said a familiar voice and she swung round "What have you been up to then?" grinned Elvis.
"Bloody hell mate, you scared the shit out of me, what you doing here?"
"I asked first" he snorted a laugh "This is Spanner and Peanut by the way" as she looked across to them and they nodded in acknowledgement and wondering like the Boss what she was up to getting out of a car dressed like a local. "Come on then spill, what have you been up to in that get up?" and Molly had the grace to look down, both Spanner and Peanut realising that something was up.
"I went to see Bashira" she beamed at Elvis "Qaseem took me."
"Did you tell anyone you were going?"
"Nah course not, it was a secret, less risky."
"What was risky Dawes was that you went out into Kabul and no one knew you were there," he sighed "Do you realise just how incredibly dangerous that could have been to you and to him if the Taliban had found out?"
"Well, that's why we didn't tell no one, less chance that they would find out" rolling her eyes at him and it didn't go unnoticed.
"He could've been followed here, seen as you got in the car." He moved closer to her "No one knew so it could have been hours before anyone noticed you were missing, have you any idea what could have happened" he spoke with clenched teeth and Molly took a step back her eyes showing fear. "Charlie should have kept you on a bloody leash to keep you out of trouble."
"I didn't get into trouble" she retorted sticking out her chin in defiance "You ain't gonna tell him are you?"
"You're not expecting me to keep secrets are you Dawes?" narrowing his eyes before turning on his heel to walk away. He was bloody furious with her.
"Fuckwit" she mumbled as he walked away causing sniggers from both Spanner and Peanut.
"I heard that" as he continued walking. Peanut grinned and winked at her before following with Spanner.
About 2 hours later her phone pinged indicating she had a message. She was in the mess tent sitting by herself as she looked at it. It was brief and to the point:
I'm fucking furious, what did you think you were doing?
She decided she wouldn't respond just yet. Leave it till he calmed down a bit. In fact, she perhaps wouldn't acknowledge it at all. He would be over it by the time she got back. She was still staring at her phone contemplating what she should do when she was aware of chairs opposite being pulled out and someone sitting down. She looked up to see Elvis, Peanut and Spanner sitting opposite her all of them eating but Elvis looking directly at her without saying a word.
"Big mouth."
"So, you got any more trips out to see your little friend?"
"No" she sighed "I only wanted to make sure she was alright, it was all my fault you see, what happened and that."
"No, it wasn't Dawes and you should know that" rolling his eyes in exasperation "you gave her an opportunity that she never would have had."
"Charles said that?"
"So why didn't you listen to him then?" and she shrugged her shoulders "We are pulling out tomorrow morning our job here is done. Can I tell him you are going to keep your bloody head and arse down for the rest of this tour" and Molly nodded her eyes never leaving her plate. "Good" and she heard the chair scrapping back and looked up.
"Sorry" she pleaded.
"I should bloody think so, I'm looking forward to getting home, having a pint and a home cooked meal. I don't want to have to stay here because we have to come and rescue you because you went on a day trip into downtown Kabul" she started to say something but he put up his hand to silence her "Your tour is nearly over, you have apparently done well, don't ruin it. I expect I will be seeing you when you get back" and he walked away.
"His bark is worse than his bite" grinned Peanut.
"Aye" added Spanner "What you did took courage but was foolhardy not letting anyone know."
"If I knew Elvis was here I could have told him."
"Do you think he would have let you go?" laughed Spanner "Look you are young and don't have a lot of experience yet, but don't get taken in, just cos they smile at you doesn't mean they like you."
"He's right Molly" continued Peanut "if Taliban had found out they would have killed you, don't ever go off piste and not let anyone know" Molly nodded, she had learnt her lesson.
-OG-
The last two weeks of her tour went really quickly. Her CO was impressed with how the training had gone. She had a long chat about her future in the army and he suggested that she take some GCSE's then look at advancing her career. As a holder of a Military Cross, a rare reward for a female, she was an asset to the army and should look at improving on her CMT skills. Maybe next year she could look at promotion to Lance Corporal.
She couldn't stop grinning on the flight all the way home. She was proud of what she had accomplished, sorted the shit from the clay and apart from that little blip where Elvis bawled her out this three month tour had been good for her confidence. She was back a day early and she was going to go straight to Bath to see him. Apart from a short text from her saying 'Sorry' they hadn't spoken about what she had done out there.
It was a long flight back to Brize, then several trains to get to Bath but she was finally here on his doorstep and knocking on the door. After all this she hoped he was in. Finally, the door opened and there he was, standing tall, no boot and no sticks.
"Miss me?" she grinned. His face a picture of surprise before breaking out into a huge grin. He lifted his arm up and nodded his head for her to come in. Her grin getting wider and matching his. He slammed the door shut before lifting her up to his height his kiss hot and hungry. Her arms wrapping around his neck. It was many minutes before they came up for air.
"I'll take that as a yes then shall I?" she grinned as he let he down so her feet were on the floor looking up into his dark eyes.
Charles nodded his smile dropping a little "Did you get everything you wanted from this tour Molly?" kissing her on her forehead and putting his arms round her "Do you realise now you could be brilliant?"
"Don't know about that mate" she giggled "But yeah, I sorted out all the stuff going through my nut, about everything that happened on that tour."
"Then there is nothing standing in our way, we can be together."
"So, what we waiting for Boss?" she grinned cheekily her eyes full of mischief.
He grinned shaking his head at her, picking up her Bergen taking her hand and pulling her up the stairs as he took them two at a time.
-OG-
As they lay in his bed with her snuggled into his side he played with her hair knowing he had to bring it up "So would you have told me about your little escapade into Kabul, what were you playing at" he still felt angry about it, that she didn't realise how much danger she had put herself in and he wasn't there to make sure she was safe.
"Is this about what rent a gob told you?" she sighed, she was rather hoping he had forgotten about that and they could go back to what they had been doing, as she started making small circles on his chest with her fingers.
"He did what he thought was right, he told me, he could have told your CO and then you would have been in the shit."
"S'pose" she responded rather sulky.
"There's no suppose about it Molly, what you did was stupid beyond belief" he couldn't see her face as she was lying on his chest but he could almost feel that she was rolling her eyes at him.
"Well, there might be something else I should mention that he didn't know" she lifted herself onto her elbow so she could see him. Charles raised his eyebrows in question "I sort of gave Qaseem me deployment money so he can make sure Bashira has an education, everything she needs."
"Oh Molly" he sighed "That was an incredibly generous thing to do, are you sure about it?"
She nodded "Well there ain't anything I really need and if Dad finds out I've got that sort of money he will only try and get his paws on it to piss it up the wall."
Charles put his hand onto her cheek and ran his fingers through her hair before pulling her head down to kiss her. His heart missed a beat she really had no idea just how beautiful she was and his heart broke a little at the thought of her father trying to stifle that spirit.
"One other minor little thing Dawes" he whispered close to her mouth as he pulled her closer so she was lying across his chest.
"What?"
And he grinned "You haven't gone AWOL again have you?"
"No course not silly, I'm on leave," she giggled at him.
"Good" as he rolled her onto her back to start kissing her neck.
-OG-
They had both fallen asleep, but Molly was woken by the slamming of the front door and someone calling for Charles. She shook him awake. "Someone's here, they called for you"
He grinned "that will be my parents."
"Oh shit" she was horrified "I can't meet them like this, you know I don't make good first impressions."
"You do"
"Don't lie, you wanted to chuck me out the bloody plane when you first met me."
"Well, I soon got over it and this time you have the advantage they know you saved me from bleeding out on that bridge" he kissed her briefly "It will be fine" as he threw the covers back to get out of bed pulling on his jeans and shirt "You take the shower first, I'll just go down and say you're here."
"This really don't look good Charles" she looked frantic "they go out for lunch and come back and find some girl shagging their son."
He threw his head back laughing "They've hardly caught us at it Molls, they won't think anything."
"Why! do you do this all the time?"
"No, I bloody don't you cheeky mare!" he laughed "Now stop procrastinating and get that gorgeous little arse of yours in the shower"
"You better come back for me mate, I ain't coming down there on me own" he grinned winked at her and went down to greet his parents while she showered and dressed.
-OG-
"Mum, Dad this is Molly she has just come back from Afghan" he said grinning widely, her hand in his as she squeezed it hard. His parents Graham and Sylvia were sat on stools drinking coffee. His parents just stared at her and she squeezed his hand even harder.
"Molly….Molly" his mother had a quizzical expression "Of course Molly" rushing to get up and come to her. She held her in her arms and kissed her cheek
"Welcome, so pleased to meet you" she grinned a smile that reminded Molly of Charles.
"Come and sit down, Graham put the kettle on again dear."
Graham stood and Molly could see that he was tall like Charles with a smattering of grey round his temples. He was a good indicator of what Charles would look like when he got to that age thought Molly.
"Please sit down Molly" he said warmly offering his recently vacated chair as he walked to the kettle "We have heard so much about you."
Molly looked up at Charles with a frown on her face, still griping his hand for dear life. He grinned down at her before leading her to the chair. "What have you been saying?" she whispered.
"Only that you are the medic that saved my life" he grinned "that you are awesome, beautiful inside and out, oh and I am very, very fond of you" kissing her forehead as he sat her down on the stool.
"My grandson also met you at the hospital" grinned Sylvia "and he thinks you are funny" she giggled her eyes twinkling.
In actual fact his mother knew a lot more about his feelings for Molly than she knew. When Elvis had phoned to say that Molly had gone walkabout in Kabul, he was incandescent with rage, that she could be so bloody stupid as to do something like that. He'd been stomping around the house, thumping cups down on the work surface as he made coffee and she was in fear of doors coming off hinges the way they were slammed. In the interests of saving her crockery and Graham having to re-hinge the doors she finally sat him down in the front room to ask what was going on.
Charles must have talked with her for hours, telling her everything from the moment he met her at Brize, to when she left for her second tour of Afghan. She watched as his face changed expression, how he smiled, frowned and sighed every time he mentioned her.
Ever since the tour where one of his section was killed and his divorce from Rebecca he had closed himself off. Said it was better to not get involved. She thought he was setting himself up for a very lonely existence if he continued the way he was, but the unexpected battle replacement that had been Molly Dawes made him open up, think again and allow himself to start feeling again. She hadn't seen him this happy for a very long time.
She had secretly always thought his marriage to Rebecca would never last. Her son was an honourable man, they were too young and she was pregnant so he married her. Rebecca had always been a needy girl, wanting attention, to be looked after. After all her father had idolised her and given her everything she wanted. Unfortunately, she thought or rather expected Charles would too, but he wanted to stay in the army, refused to leave, until in the end Rebecca gave up and left him. By the time he went on his forth tour the divorce had been finalised. She knew he felt tremendous guilt about his son but looks like Molly Dawes was bringing him back to the man he had been before the tours and Rebecca.
Sylvia didn't care that she was young, or that she came from East London, had clearly had a chaotic upbringing. She had saved her son and not just his life.
-OG-
They talked for ages the four of them. Both Graham and Sylvia asking lots of questions about what was it like to be a female medic, how were the tours. They couldn't help but laugh at some of her forthright responses, especially when talking about the under 5's.
Sylvia looked at her watch "I had really better start on dinner" standing up "Steak, Chips and Salad be OK for you all?"
"Don't worry about me Mrs James" started Molly "I probably need to be heading off back to London, ain't told me parents I'm back yet."
"It's getting late Molly" started Charles, he wanted to keep her here, she had only just got back "I'll take you tomorrow."
"Can you drive?"
"Of course, I can, can you?"
"Nah!" she giggled "I didn't mean that I meant are you allowed yet."
"It's been 5 months, I may not be back to full fitness but enough to drive a bloody car" he grinned.
"Well, that's settled then" beamed his mother "You'll have dinner and stay over."
"Can you really not drive Molly?" enquired Graham.
"No, not had a need to, there is always a bus or train in London" she giggled "and if you had a car where I live it would probably be on bricks the next morning."
Charles gulped as he thought about his precious Audi, Molly noticing his look of horror.
"Only joking" and watched him nod and smile as he shook his head.
-OG-
"Are you sure you wanna come to London with me?" she whispered when they had gone to bed.
"Why are you whispering?"
"I don't want your parents to hear us."
"They won't" he chuckled "Yes, now that you have met my parents I think it only fair I meet yours."
"You're off your rocker you are" she sighed against his chest "No one wants to meet me Dad."
"How much do I need to pack, how long are we staying there."
She lifted herself onto her elbow to look down at him smiling at her "We ain't staying there mate, couple of hours is enough and then I was going to go back to barracks."
"Remind me again you haven't gone AWOL have you" he grinned pushing her hair back from her face.
"I told you no" she huffed "I just prefer to go back to Aldershot, my own bed in my own room without having a sister on the top bunk tossing and turning and making the whole thing rattle."
"Well in that case you can come back to mine."
"I ain't coming all the way back here again."
"This is my parents' house, where I have been staying for convalescence, I have a house in Aldershot, and we'll go there."
"You trying to get me on me own Boss" she grinned one of her cheeky grins that always made him laugh.
"Of course, you've been gone 3 months and I missed you" pulling her head down to his. "I'm not your Boss" he whispered against her ear.
-OG-
They had a leisurely breakfast with Charles parents. She really liked them, they had been so welcoming, hadn't made her feel like a chav at all. His mother had hugged her again and told her not to be a stranger, she would always be welcome.
As they got closer and closer to London he could see that Molly was nervous and had started chewing her thumb nail. He kept looking out the corner of his eye needing to keep his eyes on the road now that they were in London with all the traffic and people who thought it was their right to step out in front of him and the black cabs, he winced as yet another pulled out from the kerb nearly taking his wing off. This was the first time he had driven this sort of distance since he had been shot and his leg was starting to ache with the frequency in which he had to use the clutch.
He could stand it no longer as yet again she was chewing her thumb, so he grabbed her hand, kissed her knuckles and put her hand on his leg and held it there.
"I'm not going to embarrass you Molly, I promise not to pick my nose or scratch my balls in front of your parents" he said while breaking heavily as now the buses were starting to join in with his annoyance of taxi's and pedestrians.
"I know YOU'RE not" she huffed "You can watch me dad doing that."
"I've been in the army years, done 4 tours of Afghan there is nothing I haven't seen."
She looked across at him and raised her eyebrows "We'll see."
Finally, they arrived and he parked up in a bay. She wasn't kidding when she said she lived close to the ground. Thank god it wasn't match day and 30,000 odd fans were milling about. He was getting out of the car to see her waving up at a balcony, a middle aged man in a scruffy t-shirt and pants smoking a cigarette. Before he had a chance to lock the car a stream of children of varying ages pounced on her. He lent against the boot watching as she laughed and hugged all of them in turn before two young girls, well younger than her anyway, grabbed her hands and started dragging her towards the entrance.
She had stopped and said something to one of them who turned to him and grinned said something to one of the boys who in turn ran back to him grabbing his hand "We gotta show you where to go mate" he nodded as he looked down at the lad who had hold of his hand. He was probably only about 2 years older than Sam. He couldn't help but snort a laugh that a boy of 6 or 7 was holding hands with a complete stranger.
-OG-
She wasn't kidding at how many of them there were living here. She introduced him to all of them. Bella, the sister next in age, Gary, the next, Jade, Jack and finally Martin. When he looked across at Belinda her mother, she didn't look that old, certainly younger than his mother. He was guided into their living room, cluttered with toys and washing. Her father sat on the sofa watching TV and he was exactly like Molly had described. His pale eyes boring into him as he sat there in his t shit and underpants.
"We're tea drinkers here Charles" she said looking up at him her eyes worried about what he thought "but we might have some instant coffee if you want one" He smiled down at her and nodded putting his hand on her shoulder and squeezing "Strong and black."
The two younger boys got bored very quickly and it wasn't long before they were thundering up the stairs again to play with something. Bella asking lots of questions about her latest tour. Telling Molly all that was going on in her life, how she been knuckling down and was about to sit some GCSE's. He watched as Molly's face lit up and she hugged her sister telling her how proud she was of her.
"Can't see the point meself" huffed Dave "Waste of bleedin' time."
"Take no notice Bells" said Molly giving Dave the stink eye "That's amazing, I'm well proud of ya."
The door opened and closed again, he got a glimpse of an older woman walking down the hall "I got that moody food for you Belinda."
"Oh shit" giggled Bella "Do you think any of it is free range or organic?"
Molly putting her arm round her and laughing "No mate, probably condemned" the pair of them laughing and Charles wondering what the hell moody food was.
Nan walked into the room, her hands on her hips "What do you think you two are laughing at."
"Nothing Nan" laughed Molly "This is Charles, my boyfriend" she looked across to him blushing slightly.
Nan, he didn't know what to call her, looked straight at him, her green eyes piercing as she looked him up and down. He got up to shake her hand and offer his place on the sofa.
"Well have to say Molls, he's got manners" she cackled taking his place on the sofa "Unlike that plank that calls himself your father" Charles had to suck in his bottom lip from laughing, she didn't mince her words, he could see where Molly got that from.
"Shut up you old bat" responded Dave "Bells any beer in the fridge Charlie wants one?"
"No, he doesn't Mum" called out Molly to her mother "we ain't stopping long and he's driving."
Belinda came in with a tray of tea's, coffee and a plate of biscuits which vanished in seconds before any of the adults had an opportunity to get one.
They stayed there a few hours, chatting. Well, the women in the family did. Dave had finally put his trousers on and said that the pub was open and he would be back later.
-OG-
They were in the car driving back to Aldershot. Molly was very quiet although she had put her hand on his leg, which was easing some of the tension in it from the drive down. Although he did have to admit it wasn't just that it was easing.
"That wasn't so bad was it?" he smiled while staring at a stream of taillights on the motorway. "Your Nan's a character."
"Yeah" she laughed "You'll need to watch her, she would jump you if she got the chance."
"I'm not sure I really needed to know that" he snorted "but tell me, what is moody food?"
There was silence for a moment and he looked out the corner of his eyes to see Molly staring at him, her mouth slightly open, her green eyes shining with laughter before she actually threw her head back in hysterical laughter.
"Blimey" she laughed "You really have had a sheltered life ain't ya?" she coughed "it's been nicked."
"Oh" he spluttered "She….."
"She don't go on the rob" laughing "What with her legs" holding her sides she was laughing so much "but she knows people, don't she" he shook his head sucking in his bottom lip to stop laughing with her.
-OG-
It didn't take that long to get to Aldershot. Better than having to drive all the way back to Bath he thought. The last time he had seen his car on the drive was the day he left for Brize when he met her nearly a year ago. It was an old pre-war 3 bedroom semi and he had moved here after his split with Rebecca.
Six months in Afghan together, seeing each other every day, then spasmodic while he was in hospital, Headley and her 3 month tour of Afghan. At last, they could be together, him in the Rifles her in the RAMC both stationed in Aldershot, nothing was standing in their way. He was finally home and Molly was with him.
He picked up their luggage out the boot, opened the front door and motioned her in. He knew he was coming back and had got someone in to air the place after him being away for so long. She walked into the open plan living room and diner. It was nothing like his parents' home in Bath or her family home in East Ham. This one didn't look lived in. There were no photos, no nic naks, everything neat and tidy. He was obviously a reader and liked music judging by the amount of books and CD's on the shelves in the alcoves either side of the fireplace.
Perhaps she didn't know him that well, as she looked around and walked through into the kitchen and found a similar pristine tidy room. Get a grip she thought he has been away for months of course it's gonna be tidy. There was nothing of him in here though and in the time she had known him, she thought he would have at least personalised this place.
He watched her changing expressions and looked around his home following her eyes. He saw what she saw. This was somewhere he came to sleep, it wasn't a home. When the divorce was finalised on his father's advice he had bought this house as an investment. Bath he assumed in his mind still home and this was somewhere for him so he didn't have to stay in barracks.
-OG-
She was drinking her tea in the kitchen when she announced that she had better get back to her room in Keogh. He nodded before telling her that he had to go back to Headley for a month and asked her if she'd come and visit him.
"Course I will" she grinned.
"Perhaps while I'm away" he started tentatively looking into her eyes "You could start the paperwork to live out?"
"What for?"
"I thought you might consider moving in."
"Bit soon ain't it, you don't really know me and you've seen how I live" her eyes travelling around his very tidy house, with all its old furniture and stuff "You only know the me from being on tour, I'll drive you mad."
"You did when we were on tour, drive me mad I mean" he grinned "you could always stay in the spare room if it makes you feel better" he looked at her with his puppy dog eyes, biting his bottom lip. The look that made her wilt and agree to almost anything.
She sighed "When you was in the hospital you said you were thinking of leaving the army," he started to speak but she held up her hand "what if you get a good job somewhere else, or you meet someone more like you, I'd be left homeless. I wanna keep me room in barracks for a bit."
"I won't meet anyone else like you."
"A bleedin' nightmare" she laughed "people will be suspicious if I move in this soon, they will think we were at it on tour."
She did have a bit of a point at that, his career might be fucked with these injuries, only time would tell on that but he didn't want to take hers with him. He wanted her to have this chance, to be brilliant. He could see she had grown in confidence already and that was just in the 3 months of training Afghan medics.
"I can still come over at weekends if you like, you know if I'm not on duty and you want me to" she asked shyly.
He stood up wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to him, her head on his chest and he sucked in a large breath "Of course I want you to come over, you will still visit me in Headley won't you?" and he felt her nod against his chest.