WHERE IS SHE?

Theory 2

Bloody frustrating, dealing with some of these so-called soldiers. Anyone would think they were raw recruits instead of a platoon of blooded military men who had seen six months active service in Afghanistan before this new deployment to Kenya. Well, most of them had been in Afghan. The problem was that there were some replacements in the platoon, among them one for Smurf of course and a "new" medic instead of their beloved Molly.

It had taken him a while to pick up what was going on with their sniping at one another, the general grumpiness and petty unkindness to the new soldier who had no idea what he had done to deserve their downright meanness. Actually, their bullying, much like a gang of schoolkids in the playground excluding the new boy, was a more accurate description. It was total bullshit.

Tonight he had rarked them up, wearing his best Sternface expression and threatened extra running in full kit AFTER they had done a full day's lifting and unpacking of gear setting up their operation, if they couldn't get their act together, and soon. He'd heard the muttering as he dismissed them and could hear her name, he thought. Something about it being bloody James's fault that she hadn't come back to them at all and they had this new bird to deal with and she was beautiful but tough as nails. Nothing like "their" Molly. He turned sharply on his heel and bellowed,

"Not your Molly, soldier." By now he recognised the voice as Mansfield Mike's and remembered that Molly had never been able to do anything wrong in that particular squaddie's opinion. "She doesn't belong to anyone. She's her own person and she can choose to be wherever she likes."

"But where is she, Sir? Me and the lads don't get it that she didn't want to come back to us. It ain't the same without her."

"No, it most certainly is not," Charles silently agreed. It would never again be the same without her, for him. He hated her being away from him. What he was discovering now was that their plan was working very well. That was the plan to keep their relationship very low key until after this deployment and not to tell the squaddies until they were all back in Great Britain. Clearly the penny hadn't dropped, which he found really hard to believe. However…

One of Charles best qualities as an officer was his insight into the "secret life" of his platoon, or more expansively, his battalion now that he was a major. Flexibility of thinking and a willingness to alter the game plan when it comes to managing men in difficult environments often worked well for him. He had won respect from this group of soldiers because he was firm but fair and always had their wellbeing at the forefront of his mind. Gesturing to Mansfield to come closer, Charles asked,

"Why are you guys blaming me for her not being here?"

"We thought you might be funny about bein' around a girl who saved your life, Sir, sort of embarrassed. You would always be reminded about that day on the bridge in Afghan. So we thought you could of asked for someone else. And sent her somewhere else."

"You couldn't be further from the truth, soldier." Mansfield noticed the Major biting his bottom lip and running his hand though his hair: this normally meant that he was deep in thought. "Tell the others, just the ones who were with us in Afghan to meet in the Leisure Centre at 19.00 hours tonight. It seems I do owe you all some explanation."

They had been so careful to leave their options open for a little longer. Charles knew he had met the love of his life in Molly. Some things still worried him, though. Acutely aware of his own failings in his marriage to Rebecca, he wanted above all else that another woman not be hurt by him. Molly was very young, the age gap between them bigger than he would have liked, though he could see that would eventually not matter as they built up time together.

He had focussed most of his attention and energy on his rehabilitation once he realised that he did not have to resign his commission. Major Beck had colluded with him in giving no credence to rumours of a relationship between a commissioned officer and a squaddie. The older man was desperate to keep both "in", so suggested a way forward. Molly was very young and needed to be very sure that marrying Charles was what she wanted; Charles needed to be very brave and let her go for a while. No, kick her out temporarily. If she truly loved him, she would return. A girlfriend? In fact, if Charles agreed and Molly bought into the plan, he could see his way clear to release that other very capable medic, what was her name, Jackie, was it? For company. Both women had done sterling work in Afghan and were bound to be fragged.

Beck had called the three of them to a meeting at Pirbright, and after loud protestations, a number of cockney curses and even an unashamedly manipulative flood of tears, Molly had given in. Jackie watched her dramatic performance in awe, but at the end of the meeting there was a plan. Charles didn't like it much, either. Beck insisted.

Just as soon as he was physically able, Charles would take command of the next large company of soldiers bound for the British Peace Support Team in Kenya. Their duties would not be dissimilar to those the Under Fives performed in Afghanistan. So he was the best person for this new challenge, clearly, to lead again his men in this new theatre.

Molly and he would take very good care not to let any of 2 Section know about them being together. In fact, it would be a very good idea for Molly to get on a plane very shortly. A working holiday? A Kombi van? Lots of summer sun? Lots of laughs? Thousands of miles away? The South Pacific?

Then, after six months when he was back from Africa and she from wherever, then their relationship could happen, just like magic. No questions. No snickering. No accusations of cradle snatching. Molly would have had some growing up time. Charles would have regained his confidence as a leader of men. Beck wouldn't have any egg on his face.

On the way to the Leisure Centre that evening, Charles swung by to see if there was anything for him in the mail he had seen arrive by chopper earlier in the day. There was heaps: two letters addressed in Sam's spidery classroom printing, a parcel from his Mum, probably a fruit cake and socks and several postcards and a letter from Molly, all in a large brown envelope addressed in her Gran's unmistakable scrawl. Gran had a flexible arrangement with the truth and was really excited to be a co-collaborator in the plan by taking care of the mail between them. Turning over the top postcard, he read Molly's brief message and burst out laughing at the doodle she had added to make one face stand out. "Perfect," he thought. "I can use that.

The Afghan 'veterans' were clearly intrigued by the summons to meet Major James at short notice. Mansfield Mike had given no details, just told them to turn up to listen to the Bossman.

"I've picked up that you're all confused and surprised that Dawes isn't with you. What I'm going to tell you know is only for your ears. I know you all well enough to be able to trust you, I think. So, Molly is not with you because she is with me…well not here, right now, but WITH me, if you know what I mean. We are an item, I suppose is the easiest way to say it. And you all know how the Army deals with that…"

If it hadn't been such a profoundly difficult admission to make, he would have laughed out loud at the expressions on their faces. Shock, surprise, then on one or two faces nods of recognition as the hidden meanings of some events in Afghan became clear. The penny was definitely dropping for Dangles and Brains. He could see that.

"I'll pass this postcard around. This is where she is, or at least was two weeks ago when she sent it." The picture showed a very crowded beach, lots of bodies baking , the sea rolling in gently, a lifeguard on a tall seat. Was he watching out for sharks, perhaps? Molly had chosen one minute female body stretched out on the sand and circled it "ME!" she had written underneath. Each of them turned it over and laughed. "Hi, Charles" it read. "DO you know the WHERE'S WALLY? jigsaw puzzles? This is a WHERE'S MOLLY? puzzle.

The card told them all she was at Bondi Beach, in Australia.

"She's coming back to me. When we go home after this lot.