by Tanya Allan
We watched her as she came out of the building. Her longer hair flowing, her eyes flashing and that smile of hers lighting up the world. My heart melted, and she came up to me and kissed me.
“That’s done; I have officially resigned. The dean was there and he was not surprised that I was leaving, but I think he was shocked at my appearance though. The silly old fool didn’t recognise me for a while,” she said, grinning.
“Well, you do look a lot different,” her brother said.
“Do I?” she said, innocently. “In what way?”
“Well, you actually look like a very attractive and desirable young woman, now,” he said.
“So, haven’t I always?” she asked, teasing him.
“Gigi. Enough! Don’t tease the poor man.”
“Aw, Ed, he’s my brother, I’m allowed to.”
“Enough, we’ve been talking about you, and he’s surprised enough.”
“No, little sister, you have not,” he said, oblivious to our mental exchange.
She laughed at her brother, and he looked not a little disconcerted at the very delectable and very feminine woman she had become.
“I’ve arranged to have all my stuff boxed and stored until such time as I arrange its collection. So, Ed if you don’t mind, we will pop back here before we go back to the States, so I can sort everything out for boxing,” she said.
“Sure, no problem; besides I’d kinda like to look round the city.”
“Right, then let’s go. I’ll see you guys at the farm,” she said, and took her helmet from me.
“Dad and Ma will not be there. They have gone to see Aunt Sheila, that’s why I collected you. But Alex is on the farm somewhere, and as you know, they never lock anything,” Will told her, and it dawned on me that she would arrive way before us.
She grinned, donned her helmet and swung her leather-clad leg over her motorcycle. She started it, waved, slapped down the visor, and disappeared in a spray of gravel.
I got into the Land Rover and Will drove us out of the city.
Chapter Seven
WILL
Nothing prepared me for the shock of seeing Gillian as she walked towards me in the airport. I’d received a call from Dad to ask whether I would be available to collect her and her young man from the airport, and bring them up to the farm. As it happened, I was available, so thought it would be interesting. They had told me that she was now engaged to be married, but I thought they were joking.
I’ve always been very fond of Gilly, but knew in my heart of hearts that she was not like most girls. We had all, even mother, come to terms with the fact that she would never marry, and we just wished her every happiness in whatever she did with her life. When I found out that she was engaged to a US Marine Sergeant Major, I was surprised and not a little shocked. I knew that I had to see this with my own eyes.
I arrived at the airport as the plane landed, so was waiting in the main concourse as the passengers came through the arrivals door. I watched the passengers collect their bags, and I immediately saw the only person who could be a US Marine warrant officer.
He was tall, slightly taller than me, but heavier built – in a very positive way. He is not a man I’d choose to upset. His very short fair hair had a tinge of silver at the sides, and he was very tanned. He was older than |I expected, but then knew that Gilly would never fall for a little boy.
He was wearing a short-sleeved white shirt, blue jeans and cowboy boots. His heavily muscled arms pushed the trolley that was carrying three bags and a suit bag. He could only be American, as his whole bearing screamed, ‘military’.
Then I discounted him, for a stunningly attractive, blonde woman with the most gorgeous legs accompanied him. She wore a short skirt and low cut top, such as Gilly would never wear. She was wearing dark glasses, but when she took them off, her blue eyes shone with humour. Her earrings sparkled in the sun, and she was wearing an engagement ring on her left hand. I automatically put her down as American as well, due to the deep suntan and very confident and relaxed manner.
It was only after I had looked away that it began to dawn on me who the girl was. I looked back, and they were walking hand in hand towards the exit. I shouted her name and she turned. The next thing I know she hurls herself into my arms. The sister I knew was never demonstrative with any outward signs of affection, and even a brotherly peck on the cheek was a no-no.
I had to hold her at arm’s length to take a closer inspection of her. She was a completely different person. She not only looked like an attractive woman should look, but she behaved in a way that I found disconcertingly alien. She was tactile and relaxed, whereas before she had always been distant and slightly tense.
She introduced me to her man, whom I felt was trying hard not to salute. He was a tough looking man, but his eyes showed the same humour and laughter that Gilly’s now emanated. He had a quiet husky voice, with a deep drawl, obviously used to command. I liked him instantly, and obviously Gilly was clearly completely smitten. They were in constant eye contact, and were prone to sharing sudden secret smiles.
I took them out to the Army Land Rover I had ‘borrowed’, and drove them to Gilly’s college. She wanted to hand in her resignation, so while she was gone, I asked Edward about the changes I saw in my sister.
He was frank and open and, although they had been through a lot together, some of it was clearly inexplicable; I was left with an impression that there was more to it than what he told me. But, Gilly was so totally happy and glowed with contentment, who am I to complain?
She took off on that silly motorcycle of hers, so Edward and I followed in the Land Rover. It was a two-hour journey, which she probably managed in one. But it enabled me to get to know my future brother-in-law a little better.
He shared some of his military background with me, and I realised that he was a career NCO, with many experiences in active service conditions. I was pleased to hear he was now a Sergeant Major, and also that he was to go back to a training role. I would not like Gilly to be married, and then watch him go off and be involved in a conflict situation.
I shared some of my experiences, and we found that we had several things in common, either places we had both been, or events we had been involved in, perhaps in different areas.
I asked about the expedition on which they had met, and obviously fallen for each other.
His expression softened whenever he spoke of Gilly, and I learned some of their experiences on that island. I must confess that I found many of his tales a little far-fetched, but he was too down to earth to try flights of fancy. He pulled out a twisted hunk of metal and plastic in a plastic bag.
“This was my right kneecap. They took away my own one when I had a parachute accident. Now, the Shaman on the island managed to take this out, yet he never broke my skin! If this is now in my hand, and my original knee joint has long since been disposed of, how the hell am I walking about, and what is under my skin right now?”
It was all very weird, but because I was driving, I could not examine the article, or his knee.
By the time we reached the farm, Ed and I were well on the way to becoming friends. Our backgrounds were very different, but our career paths and outlooks were remarkably similar. If I had been given the unenviable task of selecting a suitable husband for my little sister, he would have been in the top ten.
Also, if I was selecting a group of crack troops to go into battle, I’d like him to be my number two.
I pulled up on the drive outside the house. It was a large granite house, built in the 1890s, but fully modernised several times since then. We both breathed a sigh of relief as Gilly’s bike stood unscathed by the front door, so we shared a relieved smile. As we got out of the Land Rover, three black Labradors came bounding out to meet us, closely followed by Gilly.
She had changed out of her leathers, and was now wearing the skirt and top she had placed in the panniers. I shook my head, as I had never ever imagined seeing her looking like this at our home.
“Hi! Took your time, didn’t you? I’ve been here for ages,” she said, laughing. She then embraced Ed, and they just held each other for a while.
“Have you seen Alex yet?” I asked.
“No, but I saw a tractor down the hill, I think that he must be doing the hay,” she replied.
“He’ll have a fit when he sees you like this,” I said, with a smile.
She just grinned mischievously.
“What are Rory and Malcolm up to?” she asked.
“Rory should be over with Fiona for dinner tonight, and hopefully Malcolm and Susan are free, but I think Susan in on call tonight.”
“Rory is the policeman, Fiona is his wife, and both Malcolm and Susan are doctors,” she explained for Ed’s benefit. Then she turned to me, “I haven’t asked, but how’s tricks?”
I had just gone through a divorce a few weeks before she went off on her expedition, and we had spent a few evenings together drowning our sorrows. My ex-wife, Patricia, had had a bellyful of the army, and buggered off back to New Zealand with our twelve-year old daughter.
“Not so bad, some days are better than others!” I said.
She then explained the situation for Ed, and he nodded.
“I’ve been there. Some women just can’t hack the service life, or use it as an excuse,” he said.
“So you are divorced?” I asked, surprised.
“Yup, some years ago now. We married for the wrong reasons, stayed for the wrong reasons and divorced for the wrong reasons. I haven’t seen my kids for twelve years.”
“Shit, that’s tough!”
“Sure is. My kids call another man ‘Dad’, that is the toughest break of all.”
“I just miss my daughter,” I admitted.
“One good thing, she will always have the option to catch you later in life.”
“Maybe, but that hardly helps me now.”
“True,” he said, with a sad smile. I instantly knew that he understood my feelings, so neither of us needed to say any more. Ed took the bags and cases from the back of the Land Rover, and I helped him carry them into the hall. Gilly disappeared to the kitchen to put the kettle on. I just shook my head at this uncharacteristic sign of domesticity.
At that moment, the dogs became excited, and Alex appeared.
“Hi Will. So you found the travellers?” he said.
I introduced him to Ed, and they shook hands. Alex asked some mundane questions about the trip, while I eagerly awaited seeing my brother’s reaction to the new Gilly!
“Alex!” she shouted, and Alex suddenly found he had an armful of his sister.
With his eyes nearly popping out of his head, he just stood and stared at her with his mouth open. I glanced at Ed. He simply smiled that gentle smile he seemed to wear whenever she was near him.
“Gilly? Fuck me! What have you……? Gilly! You look great! Shit, no you don’t, you look fucking gorgeous! What the fuck happened?” Alex said, completely baffled, as I had been.
I turned to Ed. “Farmer - basic and not highly articulate. Usage of earthy language and inability to formulate clear sentences. You can tell he has no military background,” I said, and everyone laughed. We retired to the kitchen, and Alex watched in amazement as she made tea for all of us. He looked at me, but I just grinned at his confusion.
This time, Gilly gave us her full and much more detailed version of events, including Ed’s heroic rescue of the natives, and his subsequent injury. Her perception of the ceremony in the hut was obviously clearer than Ed’s, as he had been unconscious for the most part. I found her description of the marriage dance highly erotic and rather disconcerting, but, once again, I felt that she too was holding something back.
Alex just shook his head and obviously was as confounded as I had been at his new sister.
“We’ve put you in your old room. Dad had a double bed put in there, so we are under no illusions as to the sleeping arrangements. It was assumed that you would want to be together,” Alex said.
“That’s true, thanks. Are you and Helen still in the same house?” she asked.
“Aye, but Dad and Ma are talking about swapping with us now the kids are getting so big,” Alex replied.
She took Ed off to get their things to the room and to unpack. They had been travelling for a long time, so she wanted to have a shower. I was left with Alex in the kitchen.
“Shit, Will, she is so different!” he said.
“I know, your reaction was brilliant.”
“You could have warned me, ye bugger.”
“How? I just picked them up from the airport and never got a chance. Besides, I reacted the same as you.”
“I can’t believe it. I always thought she might be a lesbian.”
“Nah, she wasn’t bothered about any kind of sex or relationship. She was just one mixed up little girl, she was sort of dumped on the fence,” I said.
“Not any more, if appearances can be believed.”
“Not any more. There is no doubt as to what side of the fence she has fallen.”
“I never realised just how attractive she was, under all that.”
“Ma knew, but Gill just hid it well,” I said, so Alex nodded.
“What do ye make of her American?”
“He’s a good solid guy. I like him. He will do very well, and they are totally besotted with each other.”
“He seems very quiet.”
“Maybe, but I think he is not the kind of man who makes idle chit chat. If he has something to say, he will say it, and you had better make sure that you hear him right.”
“Why is that?”
“Alex, he is a Sergeant Major. Even full Colonels listen when Sergeant Majors speak. He has more experience than most officers in an entire regiment together. He is a Marine, and in the US forces, the Marines are considered elite.”
“It seems they behave as if they are already married.”
“Yes, but Gilly wants Ma to have the benefit of seeing it done properly.”
“Ma’s ever so pleased, Dad too. Neither of them ever believed they would ever see this day come.”
“Did any of us, Alex, if the truth be told?” I asked, and he shook his head.
“Well, I have to finish the hay, I only came up when I saw your Land Rover,” he said, standing up.
“What time are the old folks back?”
“Ma said they would try to get back for lunch, but Sheila is not at all well.”
“What happened?”
“I’m not sure. I think they said something about a stroke.”
“She probably heard that Gilly was engaged,” I said.
“That is not even funny,” he said, smiling in spite of himself.
“Sorry, but it was a shock.”
“Bloody right it was. We won’t tell anyone, right?”
“Right, we will just let them find out, as we had to,” I said, and we grinned like schoolboys.
“Are ye staying for lunch?” he asked.
“No, I have to get back, but I’ll be here for dinner.”
“Have you found another woman yet?”
“No, but I’m working on it.”
“If Gilly can get a man, then there is hope for ye yet.”
“Thanks a bunch. I don’t want a man.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Aye, anyway I’ll see you all later.”
I went out into the hall, and heard laughter from upstairs. I went up as Gilly came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped round her body.
“I’m off, Gill. I have some things to do this afternoon. I’ll see you at dinner this evening,” I told her.
“Okay Will. Thanks for collecting us; it saved us a lot of hassle. We were going to hire a car.”
“No bother. I wouldn’t have missed this for anything,” I said with a grin.
She kissed my cheek and I left, still dazed from the whole experience. My one regret was that I would miss my parents’ reaction.
* * *
GILLY
I just got such a kick out of seeing my brothers’ reactions. I know it was bad of me, but it was such fun. Will was more reserved and controlled than Alex, but both were astounded as to how I looked and behaved. Ed told me that I was a wicked girl. And I had to agree, but we both enjoyed watching them.
We went up and had a shower together. I was still enjoying the pleasures of my monthly visitor, so we couldn’t actually make love, but we had a little fun. The one thing I loved about Ed was his total absence of small talk. He only said something when it was necessary to do so. When I did things to him with my mouth, he would just go totally silent and whimper like a puppy.
It took me ages to decide what to wear, and Ed just laughed at me.
“How about fatigues and a tee shirt?” he suggested, so I hit him with my pillow.
The room had been redecorated, and if the smell of paint was an indication, quite recently. My old pictures were still here, but the posters of Steve McQueen on the motor bike, and the Easy Rider pair were now gone. The double bed was new, and my tatty old wardrobe had been replaced, as had the dressing table. I unpacked and filled the new wardrobe and chest of drawers.
I eventually decided on a lovely cotton dress that I had bought in Florida; it was essentially blue and yellow, with straps across the shoulders. Ed had said the blue went with my eyes, and the yellow with my hair. I just loved him so much. It was too warm for stockings or tights, so I was bare legged, wearing a pair of high heeled sandals. I spent a while getting my hair and makeup just right, as I realised I was nervous of seeing my parents, particularly my mother, looking like a woman at last.
Alex told us he was going out to the hay, and that Ma had a big steak and kidney pie in the larder, it just needed putting into the oven. I said I would peel and cook the potatoes, and do some vegetables. He shook his head, and left me laughing at him.
Ed helped, and we put the potatoes on to cook. I picked some beans from the vegetable garden, and sliced and prepared them too. There were loads of cooking apples in the rack, so Ed showed me how to make a good old American style apple pie.
