Authors Note:---

This story is a sequel to “The Girl inside the Boy” (also published on Big Closet).

It starts seven years after Carla's Mum Donna and Bill Croft were married. Carla is in fifth grade. She has had all her surgery to rectify her intersexed condition. Her friend Jenny has been adopted into the family after her father died a couple of years after her mother committed suicide, so she is now a Croft too.

Chrissie, Jenny and Carla became inseparable and are called the Three Angel Musketeers because they are into helping people and could be called upon to be there when support is needed. Samantha who was two years older, had her SRS in Melbourne a week after she turned eighteen.

I was sixteen and a half years old and I was in grade twelve. I know!!! You are asking me why was I in Senior at my age? Well it's like this; when I was still living on River Downs, the School of the Air plus my Mum's home schooling put me far enough ahead when we moved to Quilpie that when I was finally allowed to go to a normal school I went straight into grade five. My only downfall was maths but I had a lot of help and was quite good even at that now. You see I wanted to become a vet and you have to have a good pass in Senior to be able to get into university. It takes four years at uni to become a vet and that includes doing prac with the local vet who by the way is a family friend. So I’m in like Flynn!!

Chrissie still spent a lot of time at our house because we had become so close that we almost knew what the other was thinking, but I think Jean had something to do with that because she now communicated with all three of us, and we didn’t have to keep our eyes closed to talk to her. It was only if we wanted to see her that we closed our eyes. She had even started to copy the clothes we wore! She was a constant in our minds and it gave us an edge when she told us what was about to happen.

25/12/66 Christmas Day
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We had visitors and it was a full house for Christmas, it was also a hot day and Dad, (yes I have grown up a little and call him Dad now and the same with Mum. I can't stay little Carla forever! It is the same with Jenny, we are young women now and and must act as such.) Anyway Dad and Uncle Tony set up a big marquee in the back yard for the Christmas break. Some of us even slept out there on air beds because it was nice and cool at night. Sam and Sandra were spending a whole week here and so was Sam's Mum. All the presents were carried out to the marquee where a pine tree was set up for a Christmas tree. Ricky and his family were here and a whole lot of our friends. Ricky and I were now well and truly an item.

We wanted to get engaged but Mum said we were still too young, Oh well, we could wait. Rita and Peter got engaged the previous year and had set the date for a June wedding. Rita was now twenty three years old and was in partnership with Peter in the restaurant. They were paying it off to Mum and Dad, I guessed when they got married it wouldn't be called a partnership any more, it would be a family business.

I had been training to get my private pilots licence so when I became a vet I would be able to fly to the properties to treat the animals. Rodney let me fly the twin Cessna now and I only had to do solo to qualify to get my licence, and that will happen before I had to go to Brisbane to Uni. Both Jenny and Christine were going to Brisbane as well. They were both doing nursing, but they would not be at university because nursing was hands on training in the hospital. They both got into the Mater. Sam was already there working with her Mum.

Anyway back to Christmas. It was time to hand out all the presents. There were at least twenty people in the marquee so the noise level was high, so Dad banged on an empty kerosene tin to get everyone’s attention.

He said “Quiet everyone, it's time to have Santa hand out the presents.”

There were no little kids so there was no need to have a Santa with a costume. Brian, who was now no longer a priest but had a very successful law business said he will do the honours and hand out the presents.

He came to me first and handed me an envelope and winked at me and whispered close to my ears, “Hurry up and do your solo Carla.” As soon as he said that I knew what he was talking about. It was my solo flight for me to get my pilot licence, but what was in the envelope?

It was all quiet. I think 'There is something going on here. Why is every one so quiet?'

Mum said, “Sweetheart, I think you had better open it.” I opened it and there was a note inside and another envelope. The note was hand-written and said 'Carla solo flight to receive your licence tomorrow at ten am weather permitting' signed 'Rodney your instructor.'

I had tears in my eyes by this time and Dad said, “Before you wet the envelope open the next one.”

My hands were shaking as I pulled it out and opened it. It had a photo of a top wing Cessna and a name on the bottom of the card that read 'This aircraft belongs to Carla Jean Croft.' I was speechless and just sat there with my mouth open and tears rolling down my cheeks.

My hands were shaking too much, so Rita grabbed the note and card and read it out for all to hear. I was asked to say a few words but for the first time in my life I couldn't speak. Jenny and Christine came to me and hugged me till I calmed down enough to say a 'thank you' to my very generous parents. The rest of the presents were distributed and the noise went back to where it should be on Christmas day in the outback, in a large marquee in a backyard. There was a whole pig on a spit and baked veggies set up on a table in the middle of the tent and it was a help yourself affair, Mum and Dad are not drinkers but there was plenty of beer in a big ice chest that was borrowed from the pub.

Ricky gave me a gold locket that had a small photo of us in it, and I gave him a ring with a black garnet set into it and it was also engraved with both our names. I was going to marry him, that was a given, and every one knew it, but we both had a career to establish first. Ricky wanted to be a teacher so he would be in Brisbane as well. 'Oh dear, I wonder where he will live ?!!!'

We had been very good and not gone any further than kissing and having a bit of a grope but I think that would change pretty quickly once we were in Brisbane. I would definitely be going to on the pill. I could not afford to get pregnant as that would ruin everything for me and Ricky but I also knew that I loved Ricky beyond words and we were going to be having a sexual relationship. Some call it living in sin but I called it being in love.

Boxing Day 26/12/66
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I got up early had a shower and started breakfast. It would be in the marquee and I was frying eggs and bacon to feed an army. One by one anyone that wanted a fried breakfast came into the tent and grabbed a plate and sat at the tables that were all still set up from the previous day. Ricky slept on an air bed in the tent because he wanted to see me fly my solo that morning. He was also ready to do his solo in a weeks time.

Jenny and Chrissie weren’t interested in learning to fly, so I guess they would always have to beg a ride with me or Ricky. Ricky of course wouldn't own a plane till we get married - not everyone’s got parents that can afford to buy their kid a plane. Mind you the Cessna is six years old but who's complaining?

Mum and Dad were now pretty much retired and just tried to boss everyone around but I guess that is what kept them from getting bored with life, Ginger was now getting old and had got arthritis in her back legs, so no more long walks for her. I was going to get another puppy but with me and Jenny going away there was no point.

It was time to go to the aerodrome and and do the pre-flight checks, with Rodney ticking off the list as I was doing it. The fuel had to be checked for water contamination, but not every time. It was mainly if the plane had been sitting around idle, but it was part of the test so I had to get smelly 'ag' fuel on my hands, making a mental note that I must remember to wear gloves next time. I walked around the plane and did a visual inspection and was ready to climb into the pilots seat. It felt strange to be climbing into my own aircraft.

'Wow, how many kids my age get to fly their own plane?' I thought.

Rodney did not give me any instructions of any kind as he was still ticking off the items of his list. I was on my own - that is why it is called a solo test. I was not nervous at all and Jean seemed to be sitting right beside me as she said in my mind, “Ok sis I can fly without wings, so now you do it, but use the wings of this bird.”

I answered, “Jean if I'm going to pass this test I don’t want any help from you ok?!!”

“Ok sis I’ll be quiet.” I'm sure people watching me thought I was talking to myself, but than most of them knew about Jean and it is just normal for me or even Jenny to be talking to Jean in public. Oh by the way I will tell you more about Doc Rose and her study on twins later ok? Better get back to the job in hand and get this 'bird' as Jean called it off the ground.

I did all the right checks and radioed the tower in Charleville which was the closest one and got permission to take off on my flight. I gave a wave to Rodney who gave me the thumbs up sign, then I blew Ricky who was standing next to Rodney a kiss and pulled the throttle back to give me a bit of power so I could taxi to the end of the runway and turn around to take off against the wind, I did one last check of the controls and was ready to spread my wings. I gave her full throttle and was on my way skyward.

I was surprised at the power that a one seven two Cessna had, she handled beautifully, and I was going to name her ''Angel'' - that should please Jean. I went through all the manoeuvres while Rodney was watching me through his binoculars. I did a couple of fly overs of the air strip and came in for a perfect landing.

Jean said, “That went well sis.”

I replied, “Are you still here?” I could hear her giggle.

I taxied back to where it all started and cut the engine and climbed out of 'Angel' to a cheering crowd.

Ricky came and kissed me and said, “I love you Carla.”

I kissed him back and said, “ Forever darling.” We walked hand in hand to where the rest of the family were.

Rodney handed me an envelope and said, “Congratulations sweetheart, you are a fellow pilot and I would trust you with my life.” He then pinned a little set of gold wings on my blouse pocket, There were hugs and kisses all round and Jenny, Chrissie and Ricky all wanted to go for a joy flight with a brand new pilot. We all clambered into 'Angel' and were airborne again. Ricky took control for a while because he will be using 'Angel' next week to do his solo and wanted to get the feel of her. She was a truly easy plane to fly. Rodney was the one that chose her out of three others, and he made the right choice. I would get a sign writer to write her name on each side of the engine cowling after Christmas.

After our flight I tied her down to the hooks on the tarmac and we got into Uncle Tony’s Landrover. it still looked like new even though it was seven years old, to be driven back to our place for lunch. It seemed silly that I could fly a plane but was not allowed to drive a car till I turned seventeen, not legally anyway. Most kids in the outback were taught to drive by the time they could reach the pedals, because in an emergency they would be able to drive and get help. It happened on sheep stations quite a bit. Anyway that was the law so I would just have to wait.

Christmas was over and and things had to get back to normal whatever that means. Sam and her Mum stayed another for two days so we could all have a bit more time together.

Wednesday 28/12/66
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I still had a month to go before I had to be in Brisbane before going to Uni and it was the same for Ricky, but Jenny and Christine were starting their nurses training the week after next, and I was already doing work at the vet and had been helping out on weekends all the previous year, I knew quite a bit about being a vet before I start Uni so it wouldn't take much effort to do the four year course, not that I was being cocky or anything, but I had been around animals of some sort since I could walk. While I was still on River Downs I learned a lot from an aboriginal worker and he always told me if you talk to an animal softly they would respond to you in a favourable manner, even an aggressive one. It definitely worked especially one that has been hurt.

Mr Ross Bailey, the vet I had been learning with, said I had a way with animals and that was rare in a girl, whatever that means, but he also knew about Jean and how she had an effect on an animal that I was handling. They seemed to sense her presence. Mr Bailey and his wife Julie were friends of the family so it was a given that I started working with them after school and on weekends. Mum said it would give me a flying start at Uni. Well I already flew so a little bit more at Uni wouldn't hurt! Anyway I helped out for the next three days and even got to go to a property to help deliver a foal. The mother was having a hard time of it and I know it sounds drastic but we had to tie a rope to the foals legs and pull to make it come out. It was a little girl foal and I got to name it ''Ropes''. One day it will win the Melbourne cup. ''Remember that name''

Saturday morning we packed a few things and Mum, Jenny, Chrissie, Ricky and I got Dad to take us out to where 'Angel' was parked. We were going to Brisbane to set up a house for the four of us to live while we were doing our training. 'Angel' was all fuelled up and ready to go. She even had her name sign written on either side of the engine. She had a lot of hours to do in the next four years. I might own her but the cost of operating her would be shared by the four of us. Jenny was the sole inheritor of her parents will and she was buying the house in Brisbane. Of course Mum and Dad were her legal guardians so they controlled what happened with her money, Dad actually adopted her so she was a Croft, and was legally my sister.

We all kissed Dad goodbye, ''except Ricky of course'' and climbed on board. I had to get out again and do the pre flight checks, I was just a bit excited to be going to Brisbane to set up house and live in the big smoke for four years with my future husband. 'How I'm ever going to keep my hands of him I will never know!!!' I thought to myself.

Anyway onwards and upwards at three thousand feet to be exact. I didn’t like to fly a lot higher because I liked to still see what's on the ground and also if I struck problems you can identify somewhere to land in an emergency but I trusted 'Angel' completely. Rodney made sure she was in top form all the time. I also didn’t like to fly at night , I was qualified to fly by instruments but think of this way, if you are driving a car at speed on a dark moonless night and the headlights go out, that is what it is like flying night so I flew in daylight only.

It took roughly two and a half hours by the time I taxied to a halt at Archerfield where 'Angel' would be refuelled and parked till we come back from the city to fly back home. Mum phoned Debbie. She now owned a little mini bus and ran a shuttle service between the two airports, and by the way she had had her SRS op and didn’t seem to have any stubble on the chin any more and looked quite feminine.

She pulled up at the taxi rank where we were waiting for her and she got out of the Toyota bus and hugged all of us. She had become a good friend and could be completely relied upon to be there when we need her. We climbed aboard and headed off to where Jenny's house was. It was half-way between the Mater and the university so it wasn't really too far either way for our daily trek to our studies.

To be continued.

Next time: setting up the house in Brisbane.

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