The General Store

Chapter 21: 7 Months Later

I didn't see Patrick, in the flesh until the October of '67. Anyone will tell you that spending almost seven months apart is far from easy, but we did it. Every letter, every radio call, every photograph we fell more and more in love with each other. I fell in love with the moments I imagined his smile or when a total stranger mentioned his name.

The day I saw him the rain was falling awfully heavy, engulfing the jungle in a haze. It was humid and perspiration trickled down our bodies, we were tempted to walk around in our underwear but that would've caused more drama than intended. We were making the most of our day off, Penny, Viv, Maggie and I, by pampering ourselves with chocolate and a game of cards. We often found ourselves looking through photo albums and comparing countries.
'This rain is getting bloody heavy.' I said, peering out the curtain.
'Come to Vietnam, they said, it'll be fun, they said.' Viv rolled her eyes.
'Didn't expect much less if I'm being honest, lots of rain and lots of tears.' Maggie stated in her southern American accent.
'You should've seen me on the plane, I was hysterical.' Penny rubbed her forehead in shame.
'Yeah, but you had a reason to be Penny.' Maggie said, gnawing on some chocolate.
'Well yes but.'
'Full house.' I interrupted, laying my cards on the table.
'I swear on my mother's grave you're a cheat.' Viv appealed, her smile showing no signs of sincerity. I hugged her playfully before our door swung open. The four of us screamed as matron appeared, throwing her hood from her head.
'Ladies get a coat on, we've got flooding in all four of the wards and the water is still rising, we need sandbags against every structure, let's go!' Matron ordered. We fumbled through our packs in attempt to find our coats.
'Can't bloody find mine, of course.' I cursed.
'Here's mine.' Penny handed me hers but I pushed it back.
'No, I'm used to tropical weather.' I replied.
'Well, you know how unpredictable this rain can be Sister Murphy, get on with it girls.' Matron scolded, we filed out the door and stepped into the watery mud.
'I can't see anything.' Maggie squinted, shielding her eyes from the sharp rain.
I ran forward, wiping the rain from my forehead and dragging my feet through the slush on the ground. Over the past few months I found, if I was given a job, I didn't speak or even question it. I just did it. The only conclusion I came to was that I had so many things on my mind I had to find excuses to push them aside, and without trying to, I did.

I flung two sand bags onto my shoulders, before I raced down to the high dependency ward, rain dripping from my nose and eyelashes and from the ends of my fingers. I remember as a little girl, running through the Daintree, my little feet flicking mud into the back of my legs. I would chase my brothers and then dive into the crystal sea as the rain kissed our sunburnt cheeks. It's a memory that has never left my mind and that day as I hauled sandbag after sandbag through the camp, I relived that beautiful moment of my childhood as I worked myself to the bone.

The last sandbag rested in my throbbing arms, one step at a time I carried it down to our room, my eyes never leaving my load. I placed it at the foot of the door, my arms burning with the sudden release, I sat down on the step with my head in my hands. It wasn't long before I was joined by Penny, Viv and Maggie, who started whinging about how cold they were.
'If you had one wish, what would it be?' I interrupted, taking my hands down from my face.
'What?' Penny asked confused.
'If you had one wish, what would it be?' I repeated. The girls fell silent in thought.
'My one wish would be to go home tomorrow to a beautiful ranch, with my horses and my own little family.' Maggie stated, her thoughts drifting off to her imaginary palace.
'My wish would be for Vietnam to stop! So I could get home to my little girl and my husband.' Viv hung her head.
'My wish would be to life a carefree life, preferably with my Johnno.' Penny held her hands close to her pendant on her neck.
'What about you Brooke, what's your wish?' Maggie asked softly.
'My wish would be to wake up beside Pat everyday, in his warm embrace, his smile greeting me, just the feeling of being with him instead of constantly missing him.' I stated, stealing the words from the girls mouths.
'You've got one beautiful soul Brooklyn Murphy.' Maggie smiled before rising to her feet.
'I might go get some something to eat, anyone coming with me?' Viv yawned checking her watch.
'Wait for me.' Maggie linked her arm in Viv's and the two of them bolted to the mess hall.
'Better go write home to Mum, what are you gonna do Brooke?' Penny put her arm across my shoulders.
'Might just sit here for a bit, I'm kinda enjoying the rain, even if it's up to my ankles.' I responded distantly.
'Well, don't forget to keep warm, have a shower perhaps, I'll be in the dorm.' She scuttled inside leaving me and my thoughts on the steps.
'Please let me see him.' I whispered under my breath, a tear slipping from my eye.
'Hello my brown eyed girl.' A rough voice said, I gasped and saw the piercing green eyes of my Pat.
'Have you heard that song? What a masterpiece that is?!' he laughed as I threw myself into his arms, wrapping my legs around his torso, my face displaying the total shock my whole body was in as he spun me around.
'I've missed you so bloody much!' he snarled passionately before he slammed his lips against mine. Rain mixed with the tears of utter relief that ran down our cheeks, as we stood in the mayhem of the flood, absolutely captivated by each others presence.