Our Girl and it's characters belong to the BBC and are written by Tony Grounds.
As they enter the barracks they can see the Captain through the open door of her office looking over some paperwork. She glances at them over her glasses as they pass the door.
Captain McCall straightens her glasses as she calls out to them. "Ah Sergeant Geddings, Corporal Norris just who I was waiting for. We need to discuss a few of the potential recruits. Get yourselves cleaned up and back in here in 15 minutes."
"Yes, Ma'am!" The two men reply and quicken their pace.
"Well I guess it's just us girls for lunch." Kara comments as they continue down the hall.
After cleaning up Molly and Kara decide to go off base for lunch.
They go to a small café that offers a soup and salad special. During lunch the girls have the chance to get to know each other better. Molly learns that Corporal Kara Wilson served two tours in Afghan also as a medic before coming to Pirbright to be an instructor.
"What made you decide to join up?" Molly asks stirring her spoon around in her soup hoping to cool it off some and save her tongue a burn.
"Well, I grew up in a military family, so it was always expected for me to serve in some way. My dad served in the Royal Artillery, my mother served as a nurse in the QARANC, and my brother, Ben, followed in our dad's footsteps joining the Royal Artillery. I was one of the best recruits in my section during basic since I'd been preparing to serve all my life. Ben and I were taught how to safely handle firearms at an early age and we had a strict fitness routine to stick too. We're very competitive growing up. Every workout became a big competition. We were always trying to outdo the other. Testing to see who could do the most pull-ups, who could run the fastest, and who had the best marksmanship. I kicked his ass at everything but running. I hate endurance runs." Kara says pushing her empty soup bowl to the side.
"That sounds like a lot of pressure. Growing up with your life revolving around the army and being expected to serve just because that's what others in your family chose to do." Molly says. Wondering if her new mate joined because it's what she wanted or from just from a sense of familial duty.
Kara shrugs and sips her tea. "The army life is all I've ever known. I never would have chosen to do anything else. I've always thrived in this environment. Unfortunately, I got shot on my last tour in Afghan and it shook me up pretty bad. After some serious thought I put in a transfer to be an instructor. I like it a lot more than I thought I would. I thought I'd miss the action of being in the field, but I get a very accomplished feeling from having a hand in training the next generation of soldiers."
"That's good. I'm everything turned out in your favor and you were able to find happiness in your role as an instructor."
"What about you?" Kara questions. "Why made you decide to join the army?"
"Oh nothing as honorable as your reasons. I was just.."
Kara stops her with a stern look. "Hey, you chose to serve. That is very honorable regardless of the reason."
Heartened by her words Molly smiles slightly and continues her story.
"I was living in a cramped little apartment with five younger siblings and parents who were a bit scatterbrained. I felt like I was suffocating in all that chaos with no way out. Then one day as I was out for a walk I noticed an army recruitment center and it was like seeing the sunlight after a big rainstorm. I thought maybe that could be my way to something more. To have a life that was more than just raising little bleeders and washing endless amounts of laundry. So I went in, took the test, and by some miracle I actually passed. The next thing I know I'm on the bus headed for basic training and a whole new life."
Molly cringes as she thinks back on her younger self.
"I was the class clown of my section. I questioned every order and didn't take anything seriously. I was terrible at keeping my locker in top shape. If it wasn't for my mate Katie organizing my locker before inspection everyone would have ended up having to do extra pt. sessions. After that I realized if I wanted to pass out I needed to get myself in order. So I buckled down and I thankfully made the grade. Phase 2 training went a lot better. I excelled in the medic courses and the field practices. I thought I was ready for anything they could throw at me."
Molly grimaces as she remembers her first experience in the field hospital.
"But when I first got to Afghan there was a group of wounded brought into the hospital. I went with the rest of the medics to lend a hand, but I was unprepared for the sights I would see. I completely froze up at the sight of so much blood and hearing the agonizing screams of a young soldier who lost both his legs in an explosion. I thought for sure that my training would have kicked in, but I just stood there cowering in the corner as the other medical personnel worked to get the job done around me. It made me question if I would be able to handle the situations in the field. I mean if I couldn't handle things while I had others there to show me what to do, then how would I handle things when it was just me out in the field with my section. When the squaddies heard about my freeze up they gave me quite the hard time. It wasn't until Smurf was lying out in that mine field bleeding out that I was able to prove myself to them as qualified medic and finally earned their respect by saving him."
"Well in the end you did good Molly. You're reputation as a valued medic proceeds you. No matter how rough your start was you made yourself into a proper soldier and medic."
"Thank you Kara!" Molly grin brightly touched by her kind words.
Molly and Kara enter the instructor's offices laughing over a story Kara was telling about a lad in her section coming to the med tent for treatment after busted his forehead open trying to do a back flip off a Humvee.
"How was lunch ladies?" Matthew asks as he types out a report at his desk.
"It was good. Gave us ladies a chance to bond without you boys being underfoot and annoying us." Kara grins cheekily.
"Ha bloody ha! No need to spare our feelings ladies. We know you missed the hilarious entertainment that only we can provide." Luke exclaims with a sly grin on his face.
"You got that right mate. You do keep the laughs rolling with your natural goofiness."
Luke rolls his eyes and hand them each a clipboard. "Here are your recruit rosters."
"Oh joy, I've got Harshaw again. This is his third try." Kara sighs as she looks over her list. "Poor kid should try to move on. Find something more suited to him."
"Well he's dedicated. I'll give him that. He'd be the perfect soldier, if his body was fit enough to endure the physical challenges. Unfortunately, he always ends up getting injured in training." Matthew says remembering the lanky lad who seemed to have two left feet.
"Rotten luck he must have." Molly chimes in as she scans her list. Biting her bottom lip anxiously. Suddenly feeling the pressure of having these young recruits relying on her to see them through this phase and wondering if she can pull this off.
"Stop your worrying Molly." Matthew says in quiet voice so as not to be overheard by Luke and Kara as they stand across the room comparing lists. "You'll do fine."
"How are you so sure?" Molly asks worry coloring her tone.
"Because even as a recruit yourself you went above and beyond to support your fellow recruits who were struggling. You were the one who constantly encouraged Katie and the other girls to keep going during the endurance runs and not give up. You didn't let anyone give up then and I know you'll do everything to make sure your own recruits pass out now." Matthew gives her reassuring smile then looks back to the computer as he finishes typing up reports.
With a renewed sense of confidence Molly walks over to join Luke and Kara as they discuss the preparations for the coming days.