The General Store

Chapter 9: 36 Hour Rec Leave

The bed I laid on was my greatest saviour but it didn't matter how tired I was, I wasn't going to sleep. The girls looked so peaceful, that's the beauty of sleep. Even if it's for a few short minutes, nothing fazes you, the world is still and quiet and your body heals it's self in the depths of the night. I hadn't had a decent sleep since I arrived and it was killing me. Some days I could barely hold my eyes open but when it came to midnight, I was wide awake. Pat's touch lingered on my skin, I could hardly bare it. His love kept me going, to think this was all for something baffled me, so I made it for him. I worked in blood stained hospitals and marijuana hazed camps for reasons only god knows and how I longed to be lost in the jungle or dancing on the beach. This particular night, I gave up trying to slip into a slumber and I found myself wondering outside my cabin, bare foot and bright eyed. My toes patted the dust as I stepped across the silent 'court yard'. My thoughts were interrupted by a rumbling vehicle, I looked up and a Land Rover filled with Australian men tore into the camp.
'Quiet now boys!' Someone ordered, quite loudly. I watched in awe as they filed from the truck one at a time. Then a man with a stance much like my brother's, removed himself from the truck, he lifted his hat and ruffled his hair before securing it back on his head. Another familiar silhouette stepped up beside him, footy bumping him almost off his feet. The third silhouette scolded them in a voice I knew anywhere.
'BOYS!' I bellowed, rushing forward to greet them. As their faces became clear in the bright Vietnamese moon, I watched three smiles form.
'Brookie!' Dover clasped me in a grasp unlike no other. Ace and Jarrah wrapped their arms around our embrace bringing us all to this weird emotion that included laughter and tears.
'What the hell are you doing here?' Jarrah gripped my head in his huge hands.
'I couldn't stay home.' I said. He sighed and let go of me, I could tell he wished he could've stopped me.
'Well Australia is lucky to have you.' Ace smiled.
'What are you boys doing in Vung Tau?' I asked wiping the sweat from my brow.
'We're on 36 hour rec leave.' Jarrah replied, lighting a cigarette.
'So not here to see me then?!' I questioned with a smirk. The four of us laughed as I guided them into the mess hall.
'Do you want anything to eat or drink?' I whispered. I heard three cans crack open and I told them to "forget I asked". I sat down next to Dover and leant my head against his shoulder. I felt like I was dreaming, Jarrah and Ace seemed like they'd both aged about 10 years since they'd left, but Dover, he never aged, not a day, not even after a night in the pub, he was still as bright eyed as he was the day before. He was unscathed and smiling which gave me a slither of hope.
'Now, we were sent a magazine by our mother, bless her cotton socks, and you'll never guess who was on the front cover.' Ace pushed forward the magazine. The headline was bold;
"OUR PADDY; WAR LOVE AND CRICKET"
"How a romantic and talented young man captured the hearts of a nation!"
The magical kiss on the sideline, his gloved hands cupping my face and our lips pressed together was captured so perfectly, it lined the cover of the magazine and I felt my heart skip a beat.
'Miss Brooklyn Murphy, is there something you'd like to tell us?' Ace cocked an eyebrow. I grinned, the protective sides the three of them possessed never saw the light of day, yet here we were.
'That's Pat Carmondy, he plays cricket for Australia and happened to fall in love with me.' I shrugged, sitting back in my chair.
'Brooklyn Murphy are you saying you're dating a cricketer?' Dover couldn't quite wrap his head around it.
'Yes Dover, I am.' I chuckled.
'Where is he now?' Jarrah asked.
'Well he's-' I stopped. I hadn't received a letter from him, I'd been here three months and I'd heard nothing.
'I have no idea, he's in Vietnam but he doesn't know I'm here!' I fretted. Dover's eyes widened a little, I couldn't read his face.
'He can't be too hard to track down.' He furrowed his eyebrows. I'd forgotten how much I missed Pat until that night. I'd forgotten how much I longed for the best parts of him, how much I longed for late nights dancing on the beach and revealing drunken truths in the Australian change rooms. I swallowed hard, it was then and there, I made it my duty to find out where he was.
'There you three are! C'mon we're going for a beer or 9!' A tall light haired guy poked his head in, his laugh seemed like he had no trouble in the world.
'It's what, 3 o'clock in the morning? That's no time to be drinking Browny!' Jarrah testified.
'Liven up Jar, we could die tomorrow.' This Browny stated. I felt the breath hitch in my throat. Jarrah sighed heavily, he rose to his feet.
'Go and get some sleep Brookie.' He told me.
'We'll catch up with you before we leave tomorrow.' Ace assured. Dover just gave me a wink and like a cat, slipped out the door and into the night, followed by Ace and Jarrah, taking their VB's with them. The room fell silent, a slight breeze attempted to rustle through the humidity but failed miserably. I'd be lying if I said the four months I'd been there hadn't changed me. Some people obviously had it worse off than others but it's simple, everyone was hurt.