It was already very dark by the time the ladies reached the security checkpoint at Steenbras River mouth. The guards on duty were not at all impressed with four ladies driving alone so late at night, but since they were of a lower rank, they kept their opinions to themselves.
An hour and a half later, after navigating the treacherous road, Peggy was exhausted and had a headache half the size of a canyon. The gates to the Silversands Barracks were locked denying them entry; it was almost 10.30 pm, and Peggy and Audrey’s shift began at 11 pm. Peggy honked the horn severely injuring her already pounding head.
Slowly two figures appeared in the headlights of the Jeep. The ladies froze in their seats as the alien-like figures moved toward them. “What? Who is that? Are they holding weapons?” Maisy squirmed in her seat. The ladies tried to retreat into the very creases of their seats, but the packages that took up every other inch of the car would not allow them.
Each ghost-like figure stood on either side of the car, close enough to touch. “Are they Africans?” Dorothy questioned with a hint of fear.
“Yes, and they have knobkerries and assegais.” Audrey’s voice detected the fear in her. “Blow the horn Peggy, blow it.”
Peggy remained calm taking out her pass and her identification. “Take out your ID’s and your passes.” She instructed the ladies in the car.
They scrambled in their pockets and hauled out their ID’s and passes, giving them to Peggy. “Good evening, our passes and ID’s.”
The man set down his weapons and took the documents, looked at each one and spoke in a foreign language to the second man. Then spoke to Peggy in decent English. “Thank you; you may pass.” He indicated to the gate, handed back their documents picked up his weapons and walked next to the Jeep until it reached the gate. Peggy greeted the man and hurriedly parked the Jeep in front of their quarters.
The girls jumped out quietly unpacking and carrying the packages to their bedrooms. Peggy and Audrey dumped theirs on their beds, dashed back into the Jeep and sped away to the Radar Station. At 11.05 pm they flew into the Tech-hut breathless.
“You made it back safely,” Harvey said just barely loud enough for them to hear.
“Ah, the wonder women have returned.” Frank snickered.
“Sorry, we’re late. Since when are there guards at the gate?” Peggy apologized rubbing her aching temples.
“And with knobkerries and assegais’ my goodness,” Audrey exclaimed, but the matter would get discussed later. It was a busy night at sea; they waited fifteen minutes before the staff on duty Toc-Toc-ed Freddie, and they were permitted to take over the Radar Station.
Peggy forced her headache to take a backstage while she focused on the screen in front of her. The blips were fast and furious; she barely had time to blink, when the next blip lit up the screen. She was exhausted and getting a cup of coffee was out of the question. Audrey pinned and unpinned ferociously her head spinning from the map on the wall to Peggy and her screen.
Peggy took a second to rub her forehead and groaned a little, remembering that her headache was still an issue. Frank looked at her with a touch of concern. “You okay Peggy?”
“I’m just very tired with a throbbing headache otherwise peachy, thank you,” Peggy said before reading off the position of a vessel they were tracking.
“Coffee ladies?” Frank asked, and both Peggy and Audrey agreed wholeheartedly. “Better yet, how about my cocoa specialty?” He went to the kitchen without waiting for a reply.
A few minutes later he returned with two Army issue enamel mugs steaming with the delicious aroma of cocoa and cinnamon. Peggy and Audrey thanked him and held the cups to their noses wafting in the warm smell. “Why Frank this smells marvelous. Since when have you been so domestic?” Audrey asked setting her cup down on the table and sticking a pin onto the map once more.
“Why Audrey, there is a lot to me than you think. Do you care to find out?” Frank teased.
Audrey waited until they had a second to give her reply. “Why Frank, no thank you. I don’t care to stand in a line of women.”
Frank grunted. “I will let you stand in the front if you want.”
Audrey ignored him or at least she tried to ignore him; she felt his presence and his eyes on her all the time. She secretly prayed something would go wrong with the equipment, or they would go off air for some or any reason just so that he’d have to turn his attention elsewhere.
Five hours went by in a flash. In a way, Peggy was extremely grateful it was chaos in the sea waters for if it had been a slow five hours, she would’ve had more time to concentrate on her massive headache which was now upgraded to a migraine.
Frank offered to drive them to their quarters and to return the Jeep to Lt. Mrs. Simpson; Peggy gratefully accepted. In her dark, quiet room and with the help of several pills, she fell asleep. Audrey, on the other hand, tossed and turned rolling Frank around in her mind willingly and unwillingly.
Peggy woke up in time for dinner she was startled that she had slept for the entire day. “Why did you not wake me up earlier?” She asked Audrey sitting down in her chair at the dining table.
“I knocked once or twice you never answered, so I thought it best you slept; you were exhausted. I have never seen you so tired even during our final exams at Uni.” Audrey stated taking Peggy’s hand to pray for their meal.
When they opened their eyes from prayer Cecil was standing at their table; he gave them quite a fright. “Sorry, didn’t want to interrupt your prayer. May I join you, ladies?”
“Sure.” They both said.
They enjoyed Cecil’s company greatly; he was charming and yet ever the gentleman at all times. Audrey was unable to avoid Frank’s glare when he arrived for dinner and saw Cecil seated with them. She was almost very sure that he was going to join them, but he hesitated and sat by Harvey instead.
After dinner, they moved to the Rec. room and were delighted that it had been set up for a movie night. “Oh, great. What movie is showing?” Audrey declared happily.
“I believe it is a Laurel & Harvey show naturally with a News Reel first. Good evening Peggy, Audrey.” Harvey said as he walked passed them heading straight to his chair in front of the fireplace.
Peggy helped Carolyn set up the coffee table, and as an extra treat for the movie night, Chef had made Milk Tart. “Take Harvey his coffee and slice of Milk Tart. He is already reading so he might forget and lose out.” Peggy told Carolyn. Carolyn did not hesitate for a second, she took the cup and side plate straightened up and walked as elegantly as possible to Harvey. If ever it was her chance to impress him, it was now.
Peggy watched feeling strangely anxious. She considered her feelings and decided that perhaps it was still a side effect of her migraine. Carolyn returned after a very brief conversation with a smile a wide long. “Oh, he is simply so dashing.” Carolyn swooned. “He is certainly watching the movie, and he even said he might join me at my seat.” Carolyn gushed to the ladies listening in surprise. Now all the ladies wanted very much for the movie to begin to see what the ever elusive Harvey was going to do. Peggy, not precisely sure she wanted to watch this scene decided she’d rather go back to bed and get rid of her headache for good.
“But Peggy, we hardly ever get a movie night. Please stay.” Audrey pleaded. Peggy felt silly for her reaction and changed her mind.
Burt called out to everyone to get to their seats, and he started the projector rolling. Harvey stood from his seat in front of the fireplace, and walked toward the back row of chairs standing next to Carolyn. He looked at her; she smiled and patted the seat next to her. Peggy moaned at her thoughts about how forward Carolyn was. “Did she have no shame?” She harried glances out the corner of her eye as Harvey half-hearted smiled back at her and sat down. Carolyn beamed, Peggy was inwardly fuming, and Harvey watched the News Reel and movie with interest.