Exotic

Corporal Mavis Newkirk rushed through the halls of London Intelligence HQ, a large stack of paperwork in her hands. It seemed the paperwork never ended around here, particularly of late. Something was brewing. Something big. Mavis didn't know what, but everyone seemed to be working overtime in order to prepare for it.

Mavis stopped in front of the lift and pressed the button. As she waited, she noticed an American leaning against the wall nearby. Suddenly, he perked up and stood straight. Mavis followed his gaze to the front door where Private Joyce Green had just arrived.

"Hey, pretty lady."

Green lit up like a Christmas tree. "William!"

"I've been waiting for you." The American soldier smoothed back his oiled brown hair and flashed a handsome smile.

Green swooned. "Have you?"

"Got something for you." He reached into his satchel and threw something at her. She caught it, then held it up, inspecting it curiously.

The bell for the elevator dinged, but Mavis ignored it. Instead, she stepped to the side, and let it shut without entering it. She hadn't been to the cinema in ages, and this looked like a silver screen romance playing out before her.

"What's this?" Green asked. Newkirk craned her neck to get a good look at it. She had never seen anything like it before. It was a garish pink with green leaves shooting up from it like odd-coloured flames.

William shrugged. "I picked that up for you when I was in Mexico. Course, that's all hush-hush," he said, leaning in conspiratorially. Green tittered.

"But, honestly, what is it?" Green pressed.

"A symbol of my affection!"

"William, don't tease! What is it?"

His smile nearly swallowed his face. "If you can figure it out," William said, "I'll give you a prize."

"What sort of prize?" Green asked.

"I thought I would take you shopping."

"Shopping?"

"For a ring."

"Oh, Darling!" Green threw her arms around her beau and kissed him.

William laughed. "Hey, now. Don't get ahead of yourself. You still haven't figured out what it is yet!"

"You're beastly!" Green lamented.

"I know." He kissed her forehead. "Now I gotta head to work or Major Campbell will have my head. And you better get started, too."

"Ah, yes. Captain Sinclair is such a tyrant!" Green laughed. Green held William's hand for as long as she could as he left. They eventually broke apart. Green sighed and then joined Mavis at the lift.

"And just who was that?" Mavis asked.

"Oh, haven't I told you about him?"

"No," Mavis replied as she reached over and pressed the elevator's call button.

"That's William. We've been seeing each other for over a month."

Mavis whistled. "A month." The two women stepped into the elevator and Mavis hit the button for the basement. "I'm surprised you're not married already!"

Green rolled her eyes. "Not all of us can move as slowly as you two do."

Mavis arched her eyebrow. "What are you tal–"

"What do you think this is?" Green interrupted, holding up the strange object.

Mavis inspected it. "I have no blooming idea." The elevator opened and the two women stepped out. "Why don't you ask the Captain?" Mavis suggested as they walked through the hall to their office. "He knows everything."

"Oh, brilliant! I'll ask him right now!" Green said as they entered the office. She stood on her toes to peer through the glass of Captain Sinclair's door. "Oh pooh. Where is he?"

"He's in a meeting, probably for the rest of the night," Mavis told her.

"Oh bother."

"Just ask him when he's done. You can wait that long."

"I suppose," Green said glumly as she sank into her chair. Mavis rolled her eyes and entered Sinclair's office. She put half the papers on his desk. Then she went to Captain Anderson's office to drop off the rest.

When she came back to the main office, Green was marvelling at the object William had given her.

"I think it's a fruit," Green said. "Smell." She tossed it to Mavis who caught it. She put it up to her nose and smelled. It smelled sweet and flowery.

"Let's open it," Mavis suggested, tossing it back. If it was a fruit, she highly doubted the pink and green skin was edible.

Green pulled out a pocket knife and cut into it. She split it in two. "Look." The flesh was white and covered in black specks. Green dug her fingers in and pulled out a bit, sticking it into her mouth. "Golly!"

She motioned for Mavis to come try some as well. "Cor!" Mavis had never tasted anything like it.

"It's delicious. But what is it?" Green lamented.

"Just wait for Captain Sinclair to come back," Mavis said.

"Oh, that's so far away," Green whined as she rested her cheek on her fist. She perked up. "Aren't you curious though, Mavis?"

Mavis scrunched her nose. Green had found her weakness.

"Fine!" she finally said, throwing her hands up.

"Fine?" Green asked.

"Give me a minute." Mavis sat down at her radio and put on her headset. "I'll get the answer for you." She turned a few dials. "Goldilocks to Papa Bear. Come in, Papa Bear."

Green jumped up in surprise. "Corporal Newkirk!" she said, sounding thoroughly scandalized. "You're asking Papa Bear? You can't!"

"Why not?" Mavis asked.

"Because you can't!"

"Two weeks ago he asked me for ten pounds of bananas. If he can ask for ridiculous things, so can I."

"But!"

"You brought me into this," Mavis reminded her. "You piqued my curiosity. And now that I am curious, I need the answer. Now, if you please: Goldilocks to Papa Bear. Come in, Papa Bear."

"But what if he doesn't know what it is, either?"

Mavis grinned wickedly. "Then perhaps the curiosity will drive him mad!"

Before Green could protest further, Papa Bear's voice came over the radio. Or, rather, Papa Bear's radioman. Perfect. They had built up quite the rapport.

"This is Papa Bear. Go ahead, Goldilocks."

"Papa Bear, we're in urgent need of some information."

"When aren't you?"

"Yes, very clever, Papa Bear," Mavis drawled.

"What kind of information?" Papa Bear asked.

"We need help identifying a fruit."

There was a long pause. "A fruit?"

"Yes. It's very important. The fruit is quite unusual. It's… well I suppose it's shaped like a grenade. It's terribly pink with green leaves… well, not leaves. I suppose they're more like… scales. The inside is white with black seeds and it tastes… almost like a pear? But not quite."

"Huh." There was more silence. "Well, this is certainly a pickle, Goldilocks."

"No, it's not a pickle!" Mavis laughed.

Papa Bear laughed back. "No, it doesn't sound like any pickle I've ever seen, that's true! All right. Hang tight. I'll call you back."

"Thank you, Papa Bear. Goldilocks over and out." Mavis took off her headset and swivelled in her chair, facing Green triumphantly.

"Oh Mavis, we'll be in so much trouble!" Green said, her hands on her cheeks.

"Only if we don't get started on our actual work!" Mavis exclaimed.

The women tackled their own piles of papers, clacking away on their typewriters. It was nearing the end of Mavis' shift when her radio called out to her.

"Papa Bear to Goldilocks. Come in, Goldilocks."

"This is Goldilocks," Mavis said once settled at the radio. "Go ahead, Papa Bear."

"We have that information you wanted. It sounds like a pitaya."

"A pitaya? Are you sure?"

"From Mexico, right?"

Mavis nodded. But then she shook her head and tapped herself on the forehead with her palm. "Yes. From Mexico," she confirmed.

"Then it's a pitaya."

"Pitaya. Got it." She looked over at Green who was beaming. "Thank you Papa Bear."

"You're welcome… But are you going to tell me what this is all about?"

"Some day, Papa Bear. Some day." And with that, she ended the call, satisfied that, for once, she was not the victim of curiosity.

"Oh Mavis, thank you. You're brilliant!" Green cried. She threw her arms around Mavis and hugged her tightly.

"Well, who am I to ask true love to wait an entire day?" Mavis asked, trying hard to keep the sarcasm from her voice.

"I'm going to find William right now!" Green exclaimed.

"But my shift is–" Mavis started, but Green was already halfway out the door. She ran right into Captain Sinclair, who had finally returned from his meeting.

"Sorry, Captain," Green said quickly before hurrying past him.

"I say, what was all that about?" Sinclair asked.

"True love," Mavis replied.

"Hmmm." Sinclair checked his watch. "Well, I suppose I'll get along without her for a bit. Your shift is over, Corporal. You should head out."

"Thanks, Captain. I'm ready for some sleep."

Captain Sinclair nodded and started for his office. He paused at Green's desk and looked at the remnants of the pitaya. "Pitaya? Where on earth did this come from?"

Mavis smacked her forehead. She knew he knew what it was. "It's Green's," Mavis explained. "A gift from her true love."

"Odd." He titled his head, then shrugged before continuing to his office. He stopped outside the door and turned to Mavis. "That pile on my desk is bigger," he said, pointing at it.

"I'm afraid so."

Sinclair winced and rubbed his temple. "It's days like this I wish I was still in the field," he grumbled. "I don't suppose I can put it all on Anderson's desk?"

Mavis shook her head. "He has a pile of his own and he doesn't work nearly as quickly as you do." That made Sinclair grimace. "Don't worry. I'll fix you some tea."

Sinclair chuckled. "Well I suppose it's not all bad then. What would I do without you, Corporal?"

"Let's hope you never find out."

As Sinclair marched into his office, Mavis set about fixing some tea. And as she did, she thought how much better a perfect cup of tea was over a strange, exotic fruit.