They didn’t often talk about Daddy, though, and I hoped this didn’t mean Mummy was forgetting about him and that we were still going to live in England soon. I missed Daddy a lot and I missed especially his cuddles and funny stories. I told Mummy this and then she cuddled me and told me that Daddy missed me too and was always thinking about me. I asked Mummy if she missed Daddy and she said she did.
Then Mummy had a good idea. She said we would get some proper photographs done in a studio and send them to Daddy so that he would look at them and be happy. I was very happy about this idea, and so I spent absolutely ages choosing which clothes to wear so that Daddy would see how pretty I was and how grown-up I was becoming.
We got ready and Mummy and I got in the car with our driver, and then Um Ritchie also got in the car. I was surprised because he also looked very smart in his best clothes. I asked him if he was going to have his photo taken too, and he said he was. Anyway, we went to the studio and a nice man took lots of pictures of us all. He took pictures of Mummy and me together, me by myself, Mummy by herself, Mummy and Um Ritchie together, and Mummy and me and Um Ritchie together. We had a nice time and I was sure Daddy would be happy when he saw all the pictures of us.
I wrote Daddy a nice letter with mbak’s help and I put it in the envelope that Mummy put the pictures in. Mummy sent the pictures of me, of her, and of me and her together, but she didn’t send any pictures with Um Ritchie in.
Soon after this, I had something very exciting happen to me. I went on an aeroplane for the first time! It was so exciting! Um Ritchie and Mummy and me all went to Singapore first and then we went to Bali. After that, we came back to Surabaya. It really was the most fun thing ever and I was even allowed into the place where the man flies the plane (the cockpit, Um Ritchie says) and I showed the man a picture I had drawn of the plane and he said it was very good.
We went to Singapore not for a holiday, Mummy said, but to get a special letter that would allow me to live in Indonesia longer. I didn’t understand really, but Mummy said it was something to do with me having an English daddy and so I had to get permission to stay in the country. It still didn’t make sense to me, but I didn’t complain.
After that we went on another plane and we flew to a place called Bali. Mummy told me that Bali was not a different country like Indonesia, but another island. Bali was very nice and very hot. We stayed at a nice hotel and every day we played on the beach and ate really yummy food. I remember that one day we went to a park with lots of slides and swimming pools and Um Ritchie and I had lots of fun sliding and splashing in the pools. Mummy didn’t go on any of the slides, and instead sat in the shade.
A few days after we got home from our holiday, I had some more very good news. Daddy was coming home! I was so happy when Mummy told me this but I was surprised. I thought that Daddy was going to stay in England and Mummy and I were going to there later when he had enough money, but Mummy explained that Daddy was just coming back to Indonesia for a visit and then would go back to England again. I was a bit sad when Mummy told me this, but at least Daddy was coming and I would be able to play with him again.
I was very excited and I remember I kept counting the sleeps I had left until Daddy arrived. I wondered if he still looked the same. I wondered if he would bring me any presents or sweets from England. I also wondered if he and Mummy would be happy or if they would start arguing again, but that idea made me sad so I didn’t think about it too much.
On the day Daddy arrived, we went to the airport to pick him up and I was so happy, excited and nervous at the same time. I wanted to go to the airport early to make sure we didn’t miss Daddy, but Um Ritchie explained that wasn’t necessary and he told me to be patient. I did try, but it was so difficult. Mummy warned me that Daddy would be so tired when he arrived and so probably wouldn’t be able to play with me straight away for one or two days, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to see him.
Finally we got to the airport and there were many people there. It was very hot and we had to wait behind a barrier but Um Ritchie lifted me onto it and I sat there waiting for Daddy. Finally I saw him and I jumped down off the barrier. Mummy and Um Ritchie tried to stop me, but I started running to my daddy and I called his name many, many times. Daddy saw me and he ran to me too. He picked me up and swung me round and round
