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Authors Note: Kelly discovers that being unfaithful isn't that easy and that there are prices to pay.
Bad News, Shane Again, Captain Pryce, More Bad News, A Date, Officers Mistress, Epilogue
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Bad News
The admin block on the base wasn't somewhere that Kelly Farmer had visited very often. She wasn't military, just a military wife and the admin block was all about keeping the base running smoothly. So when the private had brought her the hand written note from the base's chief admin officer she had been both curious and scared. Curious because she couldn't wonder why he wanted to see her and scared because the only thing she could think of was that something had happened to Lance.
Lance was her husband and he was military and by her reckoning a week away from returning from a posting in Germany. Even thinking about his return made her wet and despite Shane's best efforts (see Initial Indiscretions) Kelly was really missing her husband.
The interior of the admin block was instantly dark after the bright Arizona sun and Kelly stood for a few moments as her eyes adjusted. It was also cool and she felt goosebumps rise on her skin. She was only wearing a loose, flower patterned dress, ideal for the afternoon heat but not for the almost chilly interior of the building.
"Can I help you mam?" The crisp and Kelly thought southern accent interrupted her musings.
"What β¦ I have to see somebody β¦" She held out the note for the private to read.
"That'll be Master Sergeant Jardine; if you'll excuse me I'll check if he's free. You can take a seat mam."
Kelly wasn't used to such politeness and sat down almost as if she'd been instructed.
The private, she noticed for the first time that he was coloured, returned in moments. "The sergeant will see you in a minute mam."
"Thanks, what's it about?"
"Can't say mam, I'm only the desk jockey."
Kelly smiled her sympathy. She'd been a military wife long enough to know that the ordinary soldier knew nothing and was told nothing.
The telephone on the soldier's desk rang and after a brief conversation he looked towards her. "The sergeant will see you now mam, if you'd follow me."
Jardine's office was only a dozen or so yards away, but with military precision and just in case she was a soviet spy, Kelly was escorted every inch of the way.
"Sergeant, this is Mrs. Farmer." The private introduced her and then left.
Jardine looked about thirty, tall, grey haired and square, like he'd been built for military service. "Mrs Farmer, thank you for coming so promptly, please take a seat, would you like a drink, coffee, something cool, water?" Jardine stood up and even held the chair for her.
"Water would be nice, thank you." Kelly answered, she wanted to ask what it was all about, but the military always took its time and there was no way that she could hurry the military along. She just had to wait and bear the anxiety.
Jardine returned to his side of the desk and then phoned for her water. A few moments later the private appeared with a plastic cup of chilled water. She thanked him and sipped at the water, her hand was shaking a little.
Jardine appeared to let her finish before delivering his news. "This is about your husband Corporal Farmer β¦" He glanced at the sheet in front of him. "Yeah, Lance β¦ now don't worry, nothing has happened to him. In fact he's done a first rate job, there are nothing but commendations on his file, fine soldier."
"Thank you." Kelly whispered.
"He's been in Germany on a three months stretch." Jardine looked up for her agreement.
"Yeah, three months." By now Kelly knew that something bad was coming.
"Well, they want him for longerβ¦"
"How much longer β¦ sorry." Kelly couldn't help but interrupt. "Sorry Sergeant, just I haven't seen Lance for a long time, he should be home in a week or so."
"I understand Mrs. Farmer, army life can be rough on wives and families, and do you have a family?"
"No." She whispered.
"I have two boys, Saul's aged six and Jeff's three and my wife's expecting our third in the fall, each child will have been born on a different base." He said with some sympathy.
"It's the peril of being an army wife." Kelly agreed.
"Right β¦ I'm sorry, not doing my job. The base he's been at has requested he stay a while long β¦ a whole year long."
Kelly felt herself begin to faint, another year apart. She couldn't stand that, not so long, not after she'd been planning his homecoming.
"I β¦ I β¦" She'd almost the power of speech and had lost the power of rational thought. "No β¦ that's not fair β¦" She eventually managed to say. "Not fair, not fair." She wanted to cry, but not in front of the Army.
Jardine sat almost rooted to the spot. "I have to say that Corporal Kelly has expressed his delight, there are additional technical grades he will gain."
"Lance wants to stay there?" She couldn't believe it, not Lance.
Jardine grimaced. "It will be a great opportunity for your husband, experience, skills, could open up a real career for him, a real career."
"Can I join him?"
"It's possible, but I can't say yes, that's for the base commander to agree."
"Let me see him." Kelly demanded, suddenly emboldened.
"It's not that easy mam." Kelly started to notice how Jardine was moving from sympathy to military again. "He's a busy man, I can ask for an appointment, but it might not be for a few days, even if he will see you."
"And there's no one else?" She asked desperately.
"He has an exec, Captain Pryde β¦ I can ask him, only he's off base until tomorrow. Why don't you just sit there and I'll find out when he can see you."