Parallel Me

Parallel Me Part 22

I had a meeting with naval enlistments, on Monday after my week leave. It was time for me to confirm I was leaving the Navy, and not signing up for another five years. The commander was there and didn't seem happy with my decision, but my admiral was a part of the naval board, so I had no unfair presser to reenlist, and all at the table wished me well.

Now for the next two months, I would be in limbo, with no real job just going around finalising things. Although it was made clear, I could change my mind at any time and stay in. I even had six months after I left, to reconsider my options' and return to the Navy and keep my rank.

The admiral had some news for me, about the Israelis who tended my gear. It turned out to be Ava's brothers, who arranged for my belongings to be cared for and had sent back the address of Ava's burial plot if ever I wanted to visit. They also said Ava, and her father's death had been avenged by them personally.

With nothing to do, I just had to muster in the morning. Then muster at four to sign out, within those two times I could do as I wished. The tasks I had to achieve could be done at my leisure, so long as they were done. One was medicals so I went to RNH Hasler at Gosport, to have them done on Tuesday morning. While I was there, I made my farewells to the doctor and thanked them. To the two best Nurse's the Navy had, I gave a small package each. With orders, they weren't to be open until I left the hospital that day. Seeing John I went to give him Katy's gift, but he wouldn't have it.

"Take it around yourself, and say your goodbyes in person. She's having friends around for lunch, so I know she'll be home now." He said looking at his watch and so did I out of instinct, it was eleven o/clock they lived twenty minutes away. There was a car in the drive when I pulled up outside on the road and surmised her guests had already arrived. The door was opened to my knock, by a surprised woman, whom it seemed was expecting it to be someone else.

"Katy it's not them, it's a naval officer." She called into the house not taking her eyes off me and smiling sweetly.

"Oh hello Joe this is a surprise, what can I do for you?" She asked clearly unsure of what to do, she had guests for lunch and couldn't invite me in.

"I'll not keep you, Katy; I just wanted to give you this as a thank you. John wouldn't take it, told me to deliver it myself," I said handing her the small package and heard a car pull up behind me. I kissed her cheek, to say goodbye then turned and froze for a second as Madeline stood, staring at me from the end of the short drive. Catherin was walking around the bonnet of her car, looking at mine in front of it. She stopped when she saw me, and then stepped beside Madeline hooking her arm through hers. Gave me a look, that should have turned me to stone and said.

"I should have guessed, you'd drive a vulgar car like that." Then she led Madeline past me and into the house, leaving me looking after her. It was the first time I'd seen her, since that day in the hospital. She hadn't said a word, but her eyes looked like she wanted to. I said goodbye to Katy again and went back to Portsmouth. As part of the leaving/demob, the process was going for job and career advice. I had already had offers to join the police and the Omani Navy, both would mean moving away from home, which was not, what I was coming out of the Navy for. The agents there had already been told of applicants qualifications, which were being offered up. Several agents wanted to see mine, but I didn't fancy any of the jobs.

There was one job there however, that did interest me If only for a short span of time. It was for an explosive engineer, at Alcoa aluminium mining in Western Australia, the head office was in Perth. His eyes light up when I stood in front of his desk, in the grand hall in Portsmouth barracks, and handed him my service records, and told him I'd seen the Alcoa foundry at Kwinana south of Freemantle. It was interesting, but I'd be leaving my family again so I ruled that one out. I wasn't looking very hard, I was really just wasting time, I had been told I had a job if I wanted it, at the cheese factory dad used to work at. A maintenance engineer was needed, I'd be home for good if I took it.