The war at sea intensified, many warships and fishing vessels were sunk, and many lives were lost. The operators and technicians were unified in their quest and oath to do their job to the best of their ability to save as many vessels from sinking as humanly possible.
Frank was Frank and unperturbed at the frantic pace at which Peggy and Audrey were working. He pretended to be in real distress and as if in a state of panic requested Audrey, “Audrey, show us what you learned at Robben Island and give me a weather forecast?”
Audrey, for a few seconds, looked a Frank unbelievingly. Frank expected her to go outside and give a weather report in the midst of a busy shift, but perhaps he was serious. Audrey decided rather to play it safe and give him his weather forecast. However, as Audrey was exiting the Tech-hut, she caught a glimpse in Frank’s eyes that told her he was up to his old tricks again.
Peggy shook her head but chose to stay focused on her Radar screen.
The door slammed shut; Audrey took a few steps on the ocean side, she wet her finger and held it up in the air and then stormed back into the Tech-hut slamming the door again just for good measure. “Your weather report Lieutenant, gushing winds from all the bull-dust you utter.” She picked up her pins and resumed working.
Frank gave a hearty laugh, and Peggy stifled a snicker, Audrey was clearly not impressed and attacked the map in front of her with delayed pins.
***
Peggy, Audrey, Dorothy, and Maisy took advantage of the warm sun rays later that afternoon and sat on the high rocks near their favourite rock pools.
“Is Harvey a Christian?” Maisy asked Peggy, lying back on her elbows and lifting her head to the sky.
“He was baptized when he was fifteen, why do you ask?”
Maisy sat up “Peggy, you and Dorothy are so fortunate to have men that are Christians. Dessie is not yet. He asks a lot of questions in his letters and when he phones me, but I am not always sure I give the right answers. Or that the answers I give him satisfy his curiosity.”
“Dessie, that’s cute.” Peggy smiled.
Maisy’s three friends contemplated her dilemma for a few minutes then Dorothy voiced her opinion, “Speak to Cecil; he can write and advice Desmond I’m sure. Desmond has his own vehicle; he can always come here on a Sunday too. Everyone knows that he knows all about the SSS, besides it will give him an excuse to see you.”
“Where is he posted now?” Audrey asked.
“He is still on Robben Island, but only for another two weeks, then he is getting posted to Somerset West. I’m so happy he will be so much closer.” Maisy’s face shone bright, not from the sun but from the idea of Desmond being so close to her. “Thanks, ladies, I am in love with him, but I won’t marry a man that is not a Christian.”
“So are we all ready for your birthday tomorrow Audrey?” Peggy questioned.
***
The angels were holding another pillow fight; the puffed-up clouds scattered themselves sporadically in the sky. The sun darted between them ensuring enough of its rays speared the earth to compliment Audrey’s birthday party on the beach.
“Happy birthday, Audrey.” Peggy, Dorothy, and Maisy said handing her a gift that they had bought collectively with their ration stamps.
Audrey opened the small gift wrapped in delicate lace material. “Oh, oh you didn’t. Oh, I love it.” She let the lace fall and held the cameo locket in her hand; the fine gold chain flopped loosely around it. “You all so sneaky, you remembered how much I loved this when I first saw it.”
“Open it,” Dorothy said.
Audrey unclipped the locket, a tiny photo of the four ladies taken at their University graduation was neatly fitted on its one side. Audrey gasped at the tiny photo until her tears fell from her chin into her hands. She looked up at her true friends wiping her face. “Oh, my dears I will treasure this and wear it until the end of my days. Thank you.” She clasped the cameo locket and chain in her hands and pressed it hard against her heart. She gave Peggy, Dorothy, and Maisy a loving hug that held their hearts together.
“I think we should all get one; you know like soul sisters,” Audrey said not wanting to relinquish her hand from her dear birthday gift.
“Are you sure?” Peggy asked. Audrey nodded her head, and Peggy dashed from Audrey’s room returning a minute or so later holding three little boxes. She smiled cheekily at her friends. “Well I could wait until your birthdays but, well I can’t.” She giggled and gave Dorothy and Maisy each a box and clutched her box in her hand. They opened them and exclaimed in delight. “I got Harvey to buy them when he went to Cape Town; sisters forever.” Peggy threw her arms forward to embrace her friends she truly loved like sisters. They all held their cameo’s treasuring their gifts and sisterhood.
“Come now; it’s your birthday the sun is shining, and the rock pools are waiting,” Peggy said handing them all tissues.
The sea was calm and forgiving and allowed the sun to glisten off it. The men had made a fire, and while the wood burned the men jumped into the rock pools in search for crayfish. Soon many crayfish were caught and made ready for eating. As the shifts began and ended those not working joined the birthday party, including Cpt. Maxwell Vogel, Lt. Mrs. Vivien Simpson, and Chef. A party of any kind was good for morale, and everyone latched on tightly.
Frank had to work firstly at Hangklip Radar Station and then at the Silversands Radar Station, so he arrived as the crayfish was taken off the fire. In his hands, he had a package wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. He caught up with Audrey as she was returning from a bathroom call, hesitantly and most, unlike his usual pompous attitude he said “Happy birthday Audrey.” and handed the gift to her. They were almost at the rock pools by now.
“Thank you, Frank. You bought me a gift? Really?” Audrey was so taken by surprise.
“Well, sort of. Yeah.” Frank blushed.
“Sort of?” Audrey looked at him curiously.
“Come on, open it.” Frank smiled nervously and pointed at the gift.
Audrey pulled the string off, opened out the brown paper as Frank stood by nervously anticipating her reaction. Audrey’s mouth gaped open as she lifted out a deep red silk scarf edged in gold, her fingers ran along the smoothness of the silk appreciating its fine quality.
“Frank its…Frank where did you..? Thank you. It is most beautiful.” Audrey stumbled out her words.
Frank fidgeted like a naughty school boy while Peggy, Dorothy, and Maisy watched un-noticed and amusedly from a distance.
“ Frank it’s so beautiful.” Audrey leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on Frank’s cheek.
“Glad you like it. Well, I better help the men eat.” He made half a movement to walk on but instead chatted further with Audrey, “So, you having a good birthday?” He moved very close to her.
“Yes, the bes…” Before Audrey was able to finish her sentence, Frank kissed her.
Audrey was so taken aback when he released her that she said rather breathlessly, “Frank you took me unaware!”
Frank smirked and retaliated without first thinking, “Ever since Eve ate the apple no woman has ever been taken unawares, my dear.”
Audrey’s euphoria of just a few brief moments ago mocked her. She set her hands into fists, holding her arms dead straight against the sides of her body. “Frank Kessler you’re nothing but a boorish thug. And for your information, it was not an apple!” She swung around and stomped one pace forward when Frank grabbed her by the arm and spun her around again. He kissed her with more conviction than Audrey had ever felt in her life.
Peggy, Dorothy, and Maisy allowed their bottom lips to fall to the floor.
Frank slowly released his tight hold on Audrey, easing his lips from hers expecting a wild and angry reaction from Audrey, fearing he had crossed a line that never got crossed. He moved back and watched her face change from a reflection of delight to confusion. Audrey spoke first, or at least she tried to speak, “Frank, I ..” Frank place his finger on her lips refusing to let her finish what she wanted to say. He feared it would not be what he’d want to hear.
“No more jokes, I promise.” Frank genuinely promised and let his finger drop from her lips and rested his hands on her shoulders, holding on just in case she ran away.
“But I like it when you tease me.” Audrey gave a hint of a smile releasing Frank of his anxiety. He pulled her into an embrace only meant for lovers still completely unaware of their audience.
They walked to Audrey’s party at the rock pools. A resounding burst of cheers, laughter, and applause busted the air around them. Frank bowed, and Audrey curtsied.
Peggy, Audrey, Dorothy and Maisy sat on their towels basking in the sun, basking in the ambiance of being in love, relishing the memories they were storing to remember in years to come.
The sun was setting, but everyone would wait until it had completely sunk behind the horizon before retiring to their quarters. Harvey and Peggy walked slowly back to their room in the married officers quarters arm in arm. “My darling I have news,” Harvey mentioned.
“Your voice tells me it is not good news,” Peggy replied curiously. They reached the porch of their room and sat on the rugged old couch covered with a large old blanket Peggy bought at a Salvation Army shop with her ration stamps.
Harvey tilted his head, removed the pipe from his mouth and waved it slightly in a gesture. “Well, good and bad I think. Remember yesterday I had that long meeting with Cpt. Vogel; well they want me to go to New Zealand. The physics department there has new transmitters, and I am to learn and advise on them and perhaps bring back one or two.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“I must leave next week. I will sail with one of their ships I think I will be away for a month or two. I relent to leave my darling, but I must.” Harvey put his pipe down on the wooden stump used as a table. He knew he had to go; he had no choice, but it was chewing at his heart to leave his wife of only a few weeks. He held Peggy’s hands close to his heart, waiting for her response.
Peggy lowered her head and looked at the patterns of her large shirt covering her bathing suit. “Of course, you must go darling. It is going to be just dreadful without you, though.”
“And without you.” Harvey ran his finger down Peggy’s cheeks admiring her silky complexion and loving her a little more. “When I return, I will be made a Captain.” He smiled. His China-blue eyes sparkled as he observed Peggy’s face when it lifted in surprise.
“Why are you only telling me this now?” Peggy said pushing back a few strands of hair that had fallen forward on Harvey’s forehead.
“I received the final orders early this morning, and I did not want to distract from Audrey’s birthday.”
Peggy put her arms around Harvey’s neck snuggling her head into his chest; she had mixed emotions over Harvey’s news. “I will miss you so much my darling.”