The volume of banter from the lads behind her rises for a second before they shut it down. Alice tries to convince herself that the men’s presence is stopping her comforting Josh properly, but she knows she is kidding herself.
“I’ll be alright,” Josh mumbles and the moment passes, unlike Alice’s feeling of uselessness.
A feeling of relief crosses Alice as the minibus parks up next to the huge Terminal 5 building and Josh pulls the sliding door open. Fresh air breezes into the minibus, blowing away at least some of the useless feeling she had, and she gets up from her seat.
Josh doesn’t dwell on the moment he and Alice just had, and it leaves his thoughts immediately. He is too caught up in being reunited with Emily and the sense of trepidation at seeing her.
Josh and his Dad were close, very close—and when he can, he will grieve. He knows it is going to affect him terribly but right now, Josh can’t allow that. He has to be strong for Emily and only hopes he has some of his Dad’s strength to be able to handle it.
Josh is also concerned about Catherine hearing the news. He knows that his Dad and Catherine were close, but he isn’t sure exactly how far their relationship had gone. His Dad played his cards very close to his chest on that. Josh knows he struggled with the relationship, any relationship because he was afraid that Emily would feel threatened by it. Emily struggled badly when her mum left, and it was made worse by the fact that her Dad wasn’t as familiar to her as other fathers and daughters may be. Her father had spent so much time away from her, as that was the nature of his work.
Catherine had fallen for his Dad a long time ago. Josh was sure of that—and it was only a matter of time before it would have been reciprocated if it hadn’t already. Catherine had been patient and waited. She was an amazing woman and knew the delicate situation with Emily. Josh could see Catherine thought the world of her.
Josh has his story straight in his head to tell Emily. But telling Catherine the same story is a different matter; he will play that by ear. This is going be the toughest thing Josh has ever had to do, but as his Dad would, he will meet it head-on.
After entering the terminal building, they reach the large departure lounge, where Josh and Alice had been only a few hours ago. Josh’s life has been turned on its head again since they left; will it ever end?
The lounge is busy, military staff and civilians refuelling in their time window before their next task or mission. The food station is fully stocked again and has a healthy queue of eager diners waiting to be served.
Dixon and the rest of the SF team are chomping at the bit to get in on the food action but hang back with Josh and Alice—who looks lost for the moment.
“I know you’ve got a tough task ahead, Josh, but why don’t you get some food first, it will help?” Dixon asks Josh.
“Thanks, but I can’t face food right now, I need to get to my sister.”
“I understand, mate; do you know where she is?”
“Winters said he would make arrangements to take me to her. Maybe he forgot?”
“Something tells me Winters doesn’t forget,” Dixon observes.
“Good point. Listen, you all carry on and I’ll find out where she is. You too, Alice.”
“No Josh, I’m staying with you,” Alice insists.
“You really don’t have to, Alice.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not leaving you to deal with it alone.”
“Thanks, Alice.”
“Well good luck, mate; maybe we’ll catch up later but knowing our luck, we will be knee-high in shit again before our food goes down,” Dixon says, then surprisingly gives Josh and Alice both a man hug.
The rest of the team say their good lucks and goodbyes before heading off to the food station where they ignore the queue, grab plates and dig straight into the food. Nobody in the line messes with them or says a word as they barge in. The military personnel know better than to get between Special Forces and their grub, and the civvies are too taken aback and frightened of the fearsome-looking men to protest.
Josh looks over to the stairwell by the escalator where officials came from earlier in the day to take everyone’s details. Three military personnel are over there, two men and one woman; one of the men holds a clipboard.
“Let’s try them, over there,” Josh says pointing at the officials. “Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer to get something to eat?” he asks.
Alice is already gone, making her way over as she tells Josh, ‘no’.
Lieutenant Winters hasn’t forgotten the soldier with the clipboard has instructions for an escort to take Josh to the First-Class lounge.
As he climbs the stairs and walks the corridor, Josh finds he is getting more and more nervous and that his grip on his emotions is slipping. Stay strong, he keeps telling himself. You can’t see Emily looking like a blubbering mess, he steels himself again.
“Is there anywhere I can freshen up before we get there?” Josh asks their female escort.
“Are you okay?” Alice immediately asks, with a look of concern etched across her face.
“Yes, just need the loo and to wash up before I see Em.”
“There is a toilet just up here,” the escort tells him. “Are you American?” she then asks Alice.
“Guilty as charged, but don’t hold it against me.”
“I won’t, where in America are you from?”
“Born in California, but we moved around a lot when I was young.”
“California, very swish; wish I were there right now,” their escort says, and who can blame her?
A glossy First-Class Lounge sign comes into view farther up the bland corridor.
