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.
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.
A Birthday Surprise
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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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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Setting up house in Brisbane
Previously
I was 16 ½ years old and in Grade Twelve and determined to get good marks so I could study in Brisbane to become a vet.
On Christmas Day 1966, Mum and Dad surprised me with the amazing gift of my very own aeroplane, and on Boxing Say I flew 'Angel' for the first time solo and gained my 'wings'. Jean was with me of course, but I insisted that she not give me any help. I had to do this unaided. Two days later Mum, Jenny, Chrissie, Ricky and I flew to Brisbane to set up in Jenny's house before we started our studies at Uni and the Mater hospital.
It took about half an hour to drive into the city from Archerfield to where the house was in the suburb of West End. It was just across the Brisbane river, (yes the one that floods occasionally and does a lot of damage) from the university of Queensland. It was also not that far to the Mater hospital and there was a really good bus service to both places. The ferry that goes to the uni was a short walk down the road from the house. Seeing none of us were allowed to drive till we turn seventeen it would be public transport for a few more months.
We arrived at the house which was a Queenslander of course!! What else would us bushies want to live in? We didn't have a lot of luggage because with the weight of five people on 'Angel' we were right on the weight limit since the fuel tanks had to be full when we took off from Quilpie. Alternatively I could have put down at Toowoomba which was always an option left open to me. I would probably be one of the more careful pilots in the world.
Anyway enough about flying and down to earth in Brisbane. Debbie pulled up in the driveway of Jenny’s house. Like I said we only really had some clothes to wear for a couple of days. We invited Debbie in to have a gander at the house. There were three bedrooms and a small granny flat but I was thinking only three bedrooms would be used because the granny flat could be rented out to pay for some of the upkeep of the house. Debbie kept looking at the granny flat and said, “Carla what are you going to do with the flat?”
Mum looked at all of us and said, “Well what are you going to do with the flat? I take it that it won't be used by the look of it, will it Carla!!!?” She had a raised eyebrow while she said it. Poor Ricky looked at me with a red face and said nothing.
I came straight out with it and said, “Mum, me and Ricky will be using the same bedroom so just get used to it.”
Mum replied, “Carla, don’t get your knickers in a twist!! It is what I thought you would do anyway, so just make sure you see a doctor and have the pill prescribed so there wont be any unexpected little feet running around before you are ready to be a mother ok!!?”
Ricky finally looked up at Mum and said “Aunty Donna we have a career to think of so there won't be any grand-kids from us for a few years yet.”
Mum replied, “Famous last words.” and rolled her eyes but also added “Kids, I trust you ok?”
I replied, “So what about the flat Debbie? I see you looking at it, do you want to rent it?”
Debbie replied, “It is in the right position and the lease is up on the one that Jan and I are renting at the moment, so yes I am very interested in renting it if the price is right.”
Seeing it is Jenny's house we all turned to her and she said, “What!!?”
Mum said, “Jenny if you want, I can sort all that out for you so you don’t have to worry about all the legal stuff with a lease and things, just tell me how much rent you want and I'll sort it all out for you ok?”
Jenny said, “Debbie whatever you are paying now will be fine.”
Debbie replied, “When can we move in?”
Mum looked at all of us and said, “Kids we are here for a few days. It's New Years Eve and tomorrow everything will be closed for New Years Day but we could help Debbie move some things. Debbie what can you do about a ute or truck, can you borrow one?”
Debbie replied, “My brother has a courier business and seeing there is no work for him tomorrow I can borrow his little truck for the day.”
Mum said “Well if we can use your Mini bus for us then that's settled. We move you tomorrow.
Debbie said, “Wow, Jan is going to be so happy to get out of the dump we were in. Thanks kids, free rides for you lot whenever you need it.”
Debbie was still married to Jan. They lived as sisters now and were quite happy in life. Debbie didn't look to bad either. Transsexual people are just normal human beings and want to be treated as such.
There was just enough time to go to the shops and buy some food for us to eat for the next couple of days. The power had been turned on and Mum had organised the agent to put some furniture in the house so we had beds to sleep in and a fridge was delivered so we were set to live there. It was basic at that moment till we could work out what we needed to buy to furnish the house to our requirements. There was a small portable tv set that mum had delivered with the fridge so we could at least watch the news to see what was happening.
It was New Years Eve and we were going to stay awake till the clock said it was nineteen sixty seven, and our new life in the city of Brisbane begun. Seeing Jenny, Ricky, Chrissie and I were all in the school choirs for the last seven years we decided to sing our way into the New Year. Debbie and Jan came to the house and there were some neighbours that heard us singing and joined the party. Someone brought a couple of bottles of cheap Champagne and plastic glasses and we all toasted the New Year in. It was one am in the morning before we got to bed. Debbie and Jan had brought sleeping bags and stayed the night.
1/1/1967
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There wasn't enough champagne drank to give anyone a hang-over so it was no trouble to rise early, have some cereal and get cracking to move as much of Debbie's and Jan's gear as possible in the one day. There was no traffic on New Years Day so it was easy to get about without any hold-ups. By lunch time we had done three loads and it was all done. Debbie’s brother Dave gave a hand as well; all that remained was to clean up their old flat but they had a week to do that, so we helped them set up in the granny flat under Jenny's house and they were able to stay there that night.
Mum said, “Debbie I am really pleased that you have moved in here. The kids will have someone to show them the ropes of city living.”
Jan said, “I always wanted some kids to look after and this will give me that chance.”
Ricky replied, “Well Jan we are hardly kids any more but we will respect your advice.”
Because New Years Day fell on the Sunday, Monday was still a holiday but we decided that seeing Debbie and Jan were there that Jenny and Christine would be ok to leave in Brisbane so they could sort out what they had to do to start work at the Mater the following week. Ricky had to be back in Quilpie on Wednesday to take his solo test and we still had to do more thing at home before we were ready to come to Brisbane to live as well. So we said bye to Jenny and Christine and got Debbie to drop us out to Archerfield.
'Angel' was all fuelled up and ready to go, so I let Ricky do the pre flight checks,and also made him do the fuel check for water contamination, I had a set of gloves I handed him so he wouldn't smell of petrol. He held the little bottle under the valve and drained a bit of fuel into the glass jar. It was clear so we were ready to get on-board. Mum got in first and sat in the far rear seat so she could stretch her legs out. Ricky and I climbed on board, and Ricky said. “Carla do I fly or do you?”
I replied, “Ricky you might as well because I want you to be really comfortable with 'Angel' on Wednesday when you go for your solo. I want you to pass and get that little set of wings that Rodney will pin on you when you are finished.”
Now that I was a qualified pilot it was ok to let Ricky fly.
Ricky did all he had to and we got permission to use the runway and be on our way home. Once we reached our required height there seemed to be quite a head wind, so we would be using more fuel and would probably have to top up half-way home, so I got on the radio and asked the Brisbane tower where the best place would be to land to top up our fuel. They informed me, seeing it was a public holiday it would have to be Oakey airport on the other side of Toowoomba which wasn't exactly half way but that would have to do. Ricky had to change course by a few degrees and head over the Great Dividing Range and over Toowoomba so our height also had to change to four thousand feet.
We landed in Oakey, refuelled and got under way again. It made the trip an extra hour longer but also gave Ricky some valuable experience flying over a mountain range. We landed in Quilpie at two in the afternoon. I got Ricky to fly over the town so Dad or Uncle Tony would know to come to the air strip with the refuelling gear so 'Angel' could be got ready for Ricky’s test on Wednesday. Both Dad and Tony came, Tony in with the fuel and Dad to take us very tired people home.
Ricky came home with us because his Mum and Dad went away for the school holidays so I had a chance to mother him!! Um love him um!! You know what I mean. We arrived home and had a cup of tea and a sandwich and Ricky and I went to my bedroom and really needed to have a sleep but that didn't happen, we lay on the bed and started kissing and I said, “Ricky wait a minute. I will lock the bedroom door, not that Mum or Dad would just walk in on us, but it would be embarrassing for us as well as them.
I came back to the bed and said to Ricky “I love you and I want make love here in my bed for our first time.”
Ricky replied, “Carla if you get pregnant now our future will be ruined.”
I said, “Ricky sweetheart, I am on the pill we are safe, or don't you want me?”
I had tears in my eyes and thought he was rejecting me. Ricky came to me and gently kissed me on the lips and said, “Carla you are my everything. I love you more than words can describe, but I want you to be sure before we make love for the first time.” I didn't say anything and started to get undressed and he did the same. Jean was there as well this was going to be special.
Now for those of you that think I am going to tell you in detail what happened you will be disappointed because the love between me and Ricky was a private thing. All I can say is that it is was magic feeling and I don't know if it was Jean that did it but we seemed to be transported to a higher place than earth when we finally exploded into ecstasy. We lay there in each others arms completely exhausted. Cheeky Jean said, “That went well didn't it” and we could both hear singing.
I don't want another pretty face,
I don't want just anyone to hold.
I don’t want my love to go to waste,
I want you and your beautiful soul.
You're the one I want to chase,
You're the one I wanna hold.
I won't let another minute go to waste.
I want you and your beautiful soul.
Ricky and I fell asleep and were woken up by Mum knocking on the bedroom door saying, “Do you two love birds want any dinner tonight or is love alone enough?”
We both jumped up and quickly got dressed and went to the kitchen where Mum and Dad were waiting for us to sit down with them and interrogate us, or so we thought, but Mum just had a dreamy look in her eyes and said, “Carla and Ricky, I know you two are very much in love and I also heard Jean singing that beautiful love song so I know what you were doing.”
Before mum could say any more I said, “Mum it's ok, I’m on the pill.”
Dad winked at me and said “Eat your dinner sweetheart, your mum and me love you both.” and then said “Was it good?” That got Dad a poke in the ribs from Mum.
He said, “I meant the trip, was it good?” That got us all laughing and then we ate our meal.
Rita and Peter were living in their own place by now, so Mum and Dad would be living in that mansion of a place all by themselves. However me and Ricky planned on going back there to settle down and bring up our own family right there in Quilpie and in that house, giving Mum and Dad a few grand-kids to babysit and love. Mum was now fifty seven years old ,so by the time we gave her the first grandchild she would be sixty one, but I was sure that Rita would be there before us.
Wednesday 4/1/67
~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was Ricky's turn to do his solo that morning so we would both be qualified private pilots. If ever we wanted to become commercial it was another year of study and training. Ricky might have wanted to do that later on but I was happy enough to just do my own stuff. In another four years 'Angel' would have to be replaced if I was going to be a vet that went out to the outlying stations. I would want a twin engine for safety. Seeing Dad was half partner in the air charter business, he would be able to buy a good second hand aircraft for me to do the job.
I went and watched Ricky go through his paces and get his wings the same as me. I got to pin the little golden wings to his shirt and gave him a kiss to end all kisses because Jean was also kissing him and Ricky always knows when she does that, because it is like a mini electric shock going through me into him. Well I did tell him we come as a package, I think it is bigamy by default!
After that we got back in 'Angel' and went for a flight in the wild blue yonder for an hour and to let Jean talk with us through our head phones. I had no idea how she did that or some of the other things she seemed to be able to do, I just went along with it and felt blessed by it all.
We had to come back to earth and put 'Angel' in her parking spot. At that moment she was in the open but Dad was having a small hanger built for her there and also at Archerfield. I didn't know if my parents were millionaires but I guess they must have been because they had a lot of fingers in a lot of pies.
There was a public phone box at the aerodrome, so we rang Peter at the restaurant to see if he would give us a lift home.
He said, “I’ll be glad when you two turn seventeen and get your drivers' licences. Fancy being qualified pilots and not being allowed to drive a car!”
Ricky replied, “Well can we get a ride home or not?”
Peter said, “I’ll get Rita to do it, I'm busy putting in new elements in the main stove.”
Rita turned up in their new Volkswagen Kombi van, which was all decked out for camping. Peter and Rita were camping addicts and would take to the bush any chance they got, Rita was like me and could live off the land if she had to, so they were probably safer than most campers that we came across out there.
City folk seemed to take a lot of risks in the bush and get themselves into trouble and the locals usually had to go and bring them back to town in embarrassment of running out of fuel or water. We arrived home and Rita decided not to go back to work. It was Wednesday and not all that busy at the restaurant and she was wanting to start making her wedding gown with Mum's help of course. Mum said she was going to buy one but Rita wanted to make her own because it is what she always wanted to do ever since she learned to sew.
I said, “Rita, will you make mine as well?”
She replied, “Carla it's at least five years off, surely?”
I said, “Maybe it is, but if you are making yours why not make two and what about Jenny and Christine?”
Rita replied, “What about them?”
I said, “Never mind.” and went to do something about making lunch.
I made a salad with silverside and cold hard boiled eggs. It was hot weather and cooked meals were not what you wanted on a hot day. I called out to all and sundry to come and eat out on the verandah where it was nice and cool. Poor old Ginger is lying in the shade and I was thinking if she got to crippled with arthritis I would have to have her put to sleep, and she could join Goldie in doggy heaven. Goldie was put to sleep last year because of blindness and back problems. It is cruel to keep them alive if they are in pain.
Jenny rang from Brisbane to tell us that the phone had been connected, and tell us what was going on with the house and Debbie and Jan. Ricky and I were staying in Quilpie till Sunday and then flying to Brisbane so we could set up our bedroom with a bed and other furniture for the house. If we are going to live there for the next four years, we wanted it to be comfortable. We still had lots of things to sort out for when we started uni with forms to fill out and phone calls to make and I still wanted to do one more day helping out at Ross Bailey's veterinary surgery. It was late and we were tired and said 'good night' to Mum and Dad and retired to our bedroom. We were tired but not that tired, so we started to get comfortable on the bed without any clothes on.
There seemed to be a threesome once again, but we had to get used to it because Jean is part of me and Ricky thought he was the luckiest man alive so we all three made sweet gentle love. It seemed that Jean transported us to heaven and back.
To be continued.
Please leave a comment.
Next time: setting up house and meeting new friends .
Author's note: Due to other commitments, I have decided to post chapters of 'Carla's Journey' on a weekly basis for the time being. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.
Settling in and registering at Uni
Previously:
I flew Mum, Jenny, Chrissy and Ricky down to Brisbane where we were all moving into Jenny's new house, close to the Mater and the Uni.
The house had a separate flat, and Debbie, our friend and regular taxi driver showed immediate interest in it, so it was arranged that she and Jan should move in, and we all helped them with that.
It was the end of 1966, an eventful year and after enjoying the New Year's Eve celebrations, Ricky flew Mum and I back to Quilpie as a final practise before taking his solo flying test, which he passed a few days later.
Ricky stayed with us and for the first time we made wonderful love together, after which Jean sang us to sleep.
Jenny rang from Brisbane to tell us that the phone had been connected, and tell us what was going on with the house and Debbie and Jan, Ricky and I were staying in Quilpie till Sunday and then flying to Brisbane so we could set up our bedroom with a bed and other furniture for the house. If we are going to live there for the next four years we wanted it to be comfortable. We still had lots of things to sort out for when we started Uni with forms to fill out and phone calls to make and I still wanted to do one more day helping out at Ross Bailey's veterinary surgery. It was late and we were tired and said good night to mum and dad and we retired to our bedroom, we were tired but not that tired so we started to get comfortable on the bed without any clothes on.
There seemed to be a threesome once again, but we had to get used to it because Jean is part of me and Ricky thinks he is the luckiest man alive so we all three made sweet gentle love. It seemed that Jean transported us to heaven and back.
****************************************
Sunday 8/1/67
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We packed as many clothes as we could take with us. Because there were only the two of us going to be in 'Angel' it left us a great deal of scope to fill her up with a lot of our gear. It was just as well that Debbie had a mini bus because it would be hard to fit all of it into an ordinary taxi! Jenny and Christine had packed all their stuff into boxes and put it on road transport the previous week. We loaded all our things into Mum's station wagon and asked her to take us to the aerodrome and give us a hand to pack all the things into 'Angel'.
So Mum and Dad came with us, Mum to help with the loading and Dad to top up 'Angel's' fuel supply. I wanted to do the trip in one go and not put down anywhere in between if it was possible. Once 'Angel' was all ready we decided to go home and have morning tea. Uncle Tony, Aunty Bella, Rita, and Peter, and Christine's parents were all there to have morning tea and then take us back to 'Angel' and bid us goodbye for at least a month.
When it was time to go there were tears all round. Ricky's parents turned up to say goodbye as well. It was all a bit stressful and we were glad when Ricky and I got into Mum's car to be driven to where 'Angel' awaited us, Dad coming along as well. We arrived at the aerodrome and pulled up next to 'Angel'. This was hard - both me and Rick were doing the pre-flight checks with tears running down our face. Mum and Dad were watching us also with tears in their eyes.
We walked back to where they were standing and had a group hug.
Mum said, “Be good you two!”
I was choked up but managed a “Yes Mother.”
Dad said, “Carla, when you get to Archerfield you will see a new hanger with a name Croft on the sliding doors, that belongs to us. Rodney has an office there as well, and 'Angel' is to be housed in that hanger."
I knew it was being built but didn’t know it was ready to be used. We said another goodbye and boarded 'Angel' to be up and away in the clear blue Queensland sky.
We flew over Toowoomba at three thousand feet and as we passed over the range we were at five thousand because Toowoomba is two thousand feet above sea level. All of a sudden the ground drops away. It was two in the afternoon when we landed at Archerfield. I taxied up to the hanger that had Croft Air Charter painted on the side wall, and I turned 'Angel' around so she could be pushed back into the hanger. We got out and Ricky pushed the big sliding doors apart. A couple of guys came over and introduced themselves and gave us a hand to push 'Angel' into the hanger, The guys were Greg and Toby and owned the hanger next to ours. They weren’t much older than us so I guessed it was their parents' hanger and saw a twin Cessna was housed inside.
It looked like we were going to become good friends because they were both at Uni studying to become lawyers, and they were also keen on flying, so I guess we all had something in common. An office had been set up in the hanger so there was a phone sitting on the desk. I dialled the number of the house and Christine answered, “Hello this is Christine Jackson,”
I said, “Hi Miss Jackson, this is Miss Carla Croft. May I order a mini bus to the airport please?”
I heard her sing out to Debbie, “Hey Debbie, they're at the airport.”
“Ok tell them I’m on my way.”
“You heard madame?”
“Yeah how are ya?”
“We’re all fine, waiting for you to turn up so we can start the barbecue. How hungry are you?”
“By the time we get to the house, very hungry!”
“Ok, I’ll tell Jennifer and Jan to pull the steaks out of the new fridge we got yesterday.” and she hung up.
Ricky said, “What was that all about?”
“Just organising some food for you Darling.”
“Oh ok, I could do with some food. We haven't eaten since we left Quilpie this morning.”
“Aaaww you poor Darling!! Mummy will look after you when we get home.”
“You keep that up and I will have to see to you tonight!”
“Promise?!!”
“Cheeky!”
Debbie turned up so the banter had to stop - till we got home anyway.
Debbie said, “Hello kids, have a good flight did we?”
“Yes Debbie, just wait till you see how much stuff we have to transfer to your bus.”
“Ok lets do it then and get you two home and settled in shall we?”
We loaded the bus, locked the hanger and were on our way to our new home. When we arrived Chrissie and Jenny were waiting for us at the front gate of the house and there were hugs and kisses all round.
Debbie said, “Ok you lot, you can kiss and cuddle later. Lets get this stuff out of my van and into the house.”
I said “Yes ma'am” and started to carry some of the bags of clothes up the stairs along the verandah, and into Ricky's and my bedroom. There were two openings to the room - one door leading to the inner hallway and the other was a set of French doors opening out to the wide verandah. It was a beautiful old classic Queenslander house with ten foot high ceilings, probably eighty years old.
By the time we had all our things put away, as much as we could without wardrobes, it was getting late and no-one felt like cooking anything for tea so Debbie said, “Right, you lot give me ten quid between the lot of you and I’ll get us a couple of large pizzas and some bottles of Coke to drink.”
I said to the others “Put your money away.” and handed Debbie a twenty pound note and said, “I have to get rid of these because next month when we change over to decimal dollars and cents I don’t want any of these left.”
Debbie replied, “Ok but I won't need twenty quid and besides you'll be able to take all your old money to the bank and have it changed to dollars.”
I replied, “Debbie, you have to put petrol in your bus so use it for that.”
Debbie said, “Carla you're a good kid, thanks.”
I replied, “Debbie you can't keep doing things for us for nothing. Me and Jenny are well off and Ricky and Christine have also got money put away ok?!!”
Ricky looked at me with that cheeky grin of his and said, “Yeah Debbie, when we get married Carla is going to give me half of her millions.”
I replied, “And he is going to look after all our kids, aren’t you dear?”
Jenny, Chrissie, and Jan who just turned up all were having a laugh at Ricky's expense. Poor Ricky is going to have to put up with a house full of women as well as one in the spirit world.
Jean was laughing as much as the others, and said to me, “Ricky is beautiful Carla, we have to look after him.”
I replied in full voice, “Yes we will won't we Jean?”
Ricky had a silly look on his face, blew me a kiss and said, “Jean I know you can hear me. I love you too girl, can I see you if I close my eyes?”
I said, “Go ahead darling close them, but sit down first.” He sat on a folding chair and closed his eyes and said, “Wow Jean you look really pretty in that gown. You seem to be standing right beside Carla, but I have my eyes closed so how can I see Carla as well?”
Jean said, “That's because Carla has also got her eyes closed and I am projecting her image back to you. It's just something we angels can do.”
The communication went on a little while longer and Jean said, “Ok my sweethearts I am running out of strength so I will have to fade, but you will still be able to talk to me any time you want to, just call my name and I will answer you. I am right beside you all the time Carla.” The conversation finished and Jenny and Chrissie heard the verbal exchange but did not see Jean. Jan just stood there with her mouth open and said, “Debbie told me about you and your twin, Carla but if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I would never have believed it.”
Debbie walked back into the room to say she was going for the pizza and said “Jan what was that I told you?”
Jan said, “Oh just the bit about Carla's twin talking to her.”
“Oh is that all? You'll get used to that after a couple of days. Half the time she does it without thinking about it, and people that don’t know Carla just think she talks to herself a lot.”
Jan said, “I think I'm going to enjoy living with this lot. It'll certainly be different won't it?” We all just looked at her and nodded.
While Debbie was away getting our food and soft drinks, (we are all tea-total people, yes I know boring but at least we keep our brain cells intact) we started making a list of the things we are going to have to buy to make it into a home. This wouldn't be cheap because I wanted a king-size bed like the one in my room in Quilpie. Jenny and Christine had already got all their stuff sorted so they were quick to give us advice on where to buy our things. We didn't have to start Uni proper for a couple of weeks so we had plenty of time to set things up.
Debbie came back with the food and we sat out on the verandah in fold-up camp chairs to have our pizza. It wouldn't be long before we would have a barbecue and table and chairs to sit on the wide verandah. Most barbecues were wood fired in the backyard but there were new types now that were on wheels and had a gas bottle and burner under the plate - very clean and modern. Anyway we hit the sack early because the next day was Monday and all the others had to go to work, We said good night and retired to our rooms.
It was a hot night so me and Ricky decided to sleep in our birthday suits, but the problem with that is we are still excited to be naked together and of course Ricky rose to the occasion and---well surely you don’t want me to tell you what happens when a girl and boy are naked together on a couple of air mattresses do you?!!!!!
Monday 9/1/67
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Jenny and Chrissie were starting their nurses training officially that day so Debbie was taking them in her bus as well as Jan, because Jan was working as a domestic at the Mater. So there were three people in the household that would go to work at the Mater. Ricky and I were going to catch a bus into town to go shopping for our bed, mattress and bed linen so we decided to buy a whole bedroom suite and be done with it and have it delivered and set up by the store we bought it from. We went to McWirther's department store and they had everything under the same roof that we needed, so that is where we bought ninety percent of our gear and had it delivered in the afternoon.
Both Ricky and I had to front up to the Uni and sign some papers and also get a list of books and bits and pieces we needed when we started to attend our first lecture on Monday the sixteenth of January. So we went by bus to home and decide to try out the river ferry. We had a bit of left-overs from the previous night's pizzas which weren’t all that nice but it would see us through till we could do some food shopping after we got home from the Uni and the guys from the furniture department delivered our things. It was a short walk to the pontoon where the old ferry pulled up and went across to the other side of the Brisbane River on the Uni side, From there we caught a bus to the Uni campus. We could have walked it but it was a bit far if you were in a hurry so I guess we would either have to rise early in the mornings or always catch a bus for the last bit.
The University of Queensland is a bloody big place and we had to ask directions several times before we got to all the people we needed to see to register for our courses. At one stage Ricky and I lost each other and had to ask a senior lecturer to get us hooked up again. By the time we were finished it was time we got home to be there when the truck arrived with our items.
We got home just as the truck pulled up. We quickly unlocked the house and opened up the door on the verandah so the guys could carry everything into the room. Half an hour later everything was set up and the guys left in their delivery truck. Debbie rang to see if we were home and to ask us if we wanted to go to the grocery shops before they closed because she was close by. We said 'yes' and she came and picked us up to take us shopping. As we had also bought a fridge for our room we could fill it up with all sorts of goodies.
We were home packing all our things away when the two trainee nurses came home and saw the fridge in our bedroom.
Chrissie said, “Holy shit Carla, I didn't think you would buy a fridge as well?”
Ricky said, “Hello to you too Chrissie!”
“Sorry, I didn't mean it that way, but is there any need to have an extra fridge?”
I said “No, but it was on a special and Mum did say to get anything that I thought we needed and put it on her account.”
Jenny put her two cents worth in and said, “Well we can use this one for goodies and the one in the kitchen for proper food.”
We hadn’t bought the barbecue yet but would in the next couple of days. Jan called out to us and said, “I am cooking dinner tonight so if you want to have a shower and get cleaned up first it will be ready in about half an hour.”
There were three bathrooms, one in the granny flat, the original one, and one that Mum had organised a builder to install when she realised four of us were going to be in a fix in the mornings if we didn't have the extra one. Jenny and Chrissie had separate rooms but used the same bathroom mostly at the same time. 'No they are not lesbians so stop making funny faces!!!'
Ricky and I would definitely be using ours together. We really liked to soap each other up well, and sort of take our time doing it — umm -- you know to make sure we-- umm -- we don’t miss anywhere!!! Anyway that's my story and I’m sticking to it. We had our showers and made our way down to the the flat to have dinner with Debbie and Jan. It was lamb chops with mashed potatoes and fresh peas and gravy, with ice cream and tinned peaches for desert. It certainly filled us up. Both me and Ricky liked cooking so we'd be able to return the favour, and so would Jenny and Chrissie because they are both as good at cooking as us, so we would be able to be fed really well and not have to resort to too many take-away meals.
It was time to try out our new bed, and no, I will not tell you how it went!!! Use your fertile minds and imagine two almost seventeen year-olds in love on a king size bed and see what you can come up with!!!
Jenny's house
To be continued
Next time: starting uni and meeting up with Greg and Troy the law students.
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Previously
Ricky and I packed all our clothes and flew back to Brisbane after a slightly tearful farewell. At Archerfield Croft Air Charter now had its own hanger, and two guys whose plane was in the next hanger helped us move 'Angel' inside. They were also at Uni, studying law, and it seemed that we would become friends.
We spent the next few days settling into the house, buying some furniture and registering at Uni.
Monday 9/1/67
~~~~~~~~~~~
Ricky and I had another week to fill in before we were due to front up to university, so we decide to spend some time at home and in the garden. The previous owners had established a rather large vegetable garden so we reckoned with a bit of work we could be eating our own produce. Debbie and Jan had already discovered it and had planted some tomatoes and beans. The whole garden had been set up with an elaborate drip watering system so it shouldn't be a problem for us time-wise, We went out and bought a whole lot of seedlings and packets of seeds so we were on our way to become city gardeners!
When the others came home from work they found me and Ricky down in the garden just finishing planting all the seedlings and raking the soil over the seeds we had sown.
Chrissie said “Alright you people of leisure, what’s for dinner tonight?”
Ricky replied, “Whatever you can find. Me and Carla are going out so you will just have to cope won't you?”
Jenny said, “That'd be right! We work our fingers to the bone and get told to get our own meals as well, while you two go of enjoying yourselves.”
I replied, “If you two hurry up and change out of those nice white uniforms, dinner is on me, but you had better hurry because as soon as me and Ricky have showered and dressed we will be going to a Chinese restaurant in the Valley.”
(Fortitude Valley has an area called Chinatown and is still there to the present day.)
Jenny and Chrissie didn't waste any time and disappeared to ready themselves to go out for a free meal on me. I had rung Debbie and Jan to tell them to come home as well and they turned up just as I was about to go into the shower with Ricky.
Debbie said, “What did you want us home for that is so urgent luv?” I explained that I was talking them all out for dinner in the Valley. They also didn't waste any time getting ready to go out for a free meal.
I thought 'They had better make the most of it because this won't happen too often. I might have wealthy parents but I was taught be generous but not wasteful.'
Once we were all set to go, we got into Debbie's bus and she drove into Fortitude Valley. I didn't tell Jenny and Chrissie that I had also invited our friends from the airport along as well. This could be interesting because Jenny and Chrissie had both dropped their boyfriends from Quilpie before embarking on four years of nurses' training in Brisbane. Greg and Toby were actually twins, not identical but just as close as me and Jean, only they were both on the earth plane. Their parents were both lawyers so it followed that they would be the ones to take over the family business eventually. Anyway we arrived at the restaurant where I had booked a table for eight people.
The head waiter greeted us and led us to our table and gave us the menus to read. When Jenny noticed that there are two more chairs at our table she twigged and said, “Carla sister dear, what are you up to?”
I replied, “Nothing, why?” but she didn't wait for me to answer and had her eyes closed and said, “Jean, what are you two up to?” Because spirits aren’t allowed to lie Jean had to come clean and said “See those two hot looking guys at the front reception desk?”
Chrissie also had her eyes closed and said, “We can't see anything while we are talking to you with our eyes closed.”
Jean said, “Oh sorry, there you go.”and we could all see the two while we had our eyes closed talking to Jean who was now starting to giggle and said to me, “Carla you had better tell them what we have been doing don't you think.”
I said “Ok everyone, open your eyes and I will enlighten you on what’s going on.”
Ricky, Debbie and Jan just sat there with grins on their faces while I explained to the two girls why they were here tonight. I waved for the two boys to come over to the table. Jenny and Christine were starting to blush as the two young handsome men came over to our table and introduced themselves to them. They already knew Debbie and Jan from hiring the bus a few times. We all moved around so Jenny and Chrissie were sitting beside their newly introduced friends.
Once we ordered our meals the conversation flowed pretty well and the four new friends got acquainted with each other. We obviously sat them in the right position with Jenny and Greg getting along as well as Chrissie and Toby having a great one on one discussion about politics. Chrissie always wins discussions about politics. She is very passionate about people doing the right thing.
Seeing next day was a work day at least for the others so we couldn't stay out too late, so we dropped the boys off home first and then went homeourselves. Arrangements were made by the new friends to meet up on the weekend, so it worked out really well for the match-makers namely me and Jean who kept saying “That went well.” 'till I told her to shut up and stop crowing. We all sat in the lounge including Debbie and Jan, and discussed what was happening in the next little while and the subject came up about Mum and Dad buying a house just down the road to have somewhere to stay when they came to Brisbane, which they would probably be doing quite a bit if they wanted to see us. As it was, I was going to be flying home at least once a month so Ricky could have time with his Mum and Dad who were now retired and living on a bit of acreage just out of Quilpie.
We said goodnight and retired to our own rooms to go to bed. It was quite late and it was the first time that we didn't feel like making love, and beside my silly time of the month was about to start and I still got cramps just before they started. It was not as bad as it was when I first started having them but I sure as hell knew when to put a pad in my knickers.
I know, 'too much information' as Ricky always says, but I'm afraid it is just a normal part of being a female, and of course if we don’t get them, nine months later we'd be changing nappies.
Thursday 12/1/67
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The last couple of days were spent making sure we had all our things together for Uni and we also bought a new barbecue for the backyard which was on wheels and was powered by gas. Dad wouldn't like it because he reckoned only wood should be used for a good tasting steak. I really couldn't understand that, a hot plate is a hot plate no matter how it is heated. Anyway the phone rang and it was Dad saying he and Mum had come down with Rodney to look at a new plane they were buying for the charter business to add to the three including 'Angel'.
Mum then took the phone off Dad and said, “Carla, while your father is looking at the new plane with Rodney I'm coming to see you and show you the house I have just bought down the end of the street from where you are.”
I replied, “Mum you didn't tell me you were coming to Brisbane to live!!”
She replied, “Carla it is so often we do come down for business we will have somewhere to stay. It's not to keep an eye on you sweetheart.”
“Mum I know that's not what you would do and I'm glad we'll be so close when you come down.”
Mum went on and said, “What about Ricky?”
I said, “What about Ricky!!!”
”Well I have talked to Helen and Barry and they will also be able to use the house to come and see Ricky more often as well as Rita and Pete.”
“Mum, you and Dad are just a pair of softies. I don’t know what we would do without you.”
“Well you probably wouldn't be flying around in your own plane or going to University.”
Jean was giggling and said, “Mum maybe no plane but definitely University.”
Mum said , “Hello Jean darling, I hope you are staying out of trouble in the spirit world?”
“Yes Mum.” and a little cheeky giggle followed. All this happened while Mum was on the phone. Jean had become quite powerful and could communicate over long distances because Rita said Jean sometimes came to her in her dreams.
Mum had to hang up because I could hear Debbie in the background saying, “Donna, if that is Carla you are talking to, tell her I have picked up the photos we took at the Chinese restaurant of Jenny and Chrissie and the boys.”
Mum said, “You heard that Carla?”
“Yes Mum.” and then she hung up. Half an hour later Mum was telling me and Ricky to come for a walk down the road and have a look at the house she had bought. She didn't tell us at the time but she bought it at the same time as she was buying the house for Jenny. That was a bit naughty but I suppose she wasn't sure how we would react to knowing she would be able to keep an eye on us, but Mum and Dad are not like that. Besides what could we possibly get up to being Uni students !!!!?
To be continued.
Next time starting at University.
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Previously
Mum had to hang up because I could hear Debbie in the back ground saying, “Donna if that is Carla you are talking to tell her I have picked up the photos we took at the Chinese restaurant of Jenny and Chrissie and the boys.” Mum said, “You heard that Carla?” “Yes Mum.” and then she hung up. Half an hour later Mum was telling me and Ricky to come for a walk down the road and have a look at the house she had bought. She didn't tell us at the time but she bought it the same time as she was buying the house for Jenny, Which was a bit naughty but I suppose she wasn't sure how we would react to know she would be able to keep an eye on us, but Mum and Dad are not like that. Besides what could we possibly get up to being Uni students !!!!?
Carla and Ricky settled into the house and were preparing to start Uni on Monday, and it looked like whatever Mum said to the contrary she was going to be around a lot more than she was going to admit to.
Monday morning 16/1/67
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We got up far too early because we were so excited to be starting our new life as Uni students and all the worry and tension that goes with going to lectures and having to have assignments done on time. I had to learn almost as much as a normal doctor for humans in medical terms because the drugs and performing surgery were basically the same.
I had a bit of a head start on the practical side because I had been assisting Ross in his surgery in Quilpie for the previous couple of years, because his wife had MS and her hands were too shaky to do much assisting any more. She would watch me and tell me what instruments to hand to Ross as he was operating on an animal.
Ricky also had a head start with his Dad being the Principal of a school. He had made sure that his two sons were no slackers and tutored them within an inch of their lives, which of course paid off for Ricky when he had to do the hard slog to become a teacher like his Dad.
Ok, back to that morning - Ricky was grumbling that I went and had a shower before he even got out of bed. We usually showered together but seeing that we couldn't keep our hands off each other we would always be late to leave in the morning.
I said, “Ricky we will have to keep our amorous feelings in the shower for evenings,”
“Will that mean we can feel doubly amorous in the evening than?”
I replied, “Sweetheart, don’t forget we will also have to do study at night.”
Ricky replied, “Shit Carla, this is going to be harder than I thought.”
I replied, “Ricky we will have all night in bed every night, so settle down darling, we wont miss out I'll make sure of that.” That seemed to satisfy him for the moment. I loved him too much not to make love as often as we could, and I’m quite sure that Jean would remind me not to neglect the one I loved.
While lover boy was in the shower I cooked breakfast and set the table. By the time Ricky had his shower and dressed, Jenny and Christine were in the kitchen getting their breakfast as well, so it was a foursome this morning but that wouldn't be the case for long because nurses do shift work and it would be a case of 'see you when we can'.
Mum and Dad were staying in town for the next couple of days before heading back out to Quilpie. Mum was going to do some shopping and Dad had to go with Rodney to sign some papers for the plane that they had just purchased. The company now had three twin Cessnas, plus 'Angel' for good luck, but 'Angel' was mine alone so she waited patiently for me in her hanger.
There are two other pilots, Marie Coles and Patty Briggs, both are married women and wives of TAA airline pilots. They were both in their forties and were available for any charter flights that came up.
When I got some spare time I actually wanted to start training to fly a chopper as well, but Dad said I would not be able to find enough time while I was at Uni. I begged to differ, I would make time somehow because once I got something in my mind I would make it happen no matter what, and don’t forget Jean was half of me so double the trouble.
Just as Ricky and I were about leave to go down to catch the river ferry the phone rang.
It was Mum and she said, “Carla would you like a lift to the Uni this morning? Dad bought a car for me to use while we are in Brisbane any time.”
I replied, “No Mum, we are taking the cross-river ferry and then the bus to get there.”
“Oh I just thought I would take you on your first day.”
“Thanks Mum but this is not like when I started school at Quilpie. We are grown up now and have to do things for ourselves.”
“Ok dear, we'll see you later than.” Poor Mum, she is lost without having someone to nursemaid, but she will just have to get used to us kids growing up and fending for ourselves.
Ricky being the softie that he is said, “Carla that’s a bit mean isn't it? She just wants to help.”
I replied, “Ricky darling if we let her she won't want to go back home to Quilpie and she will want to do all the cooking and washing for us as well.”
Ricky said, “What's wrong with that if it makes her happy?”
I said, “Ricky forget it, it's not going to happen.” We finally got out the front door and walked down to the river to wait for the ferry to turn up to take us across to the other side of the Brisbane River and then catch a bus the rest of the way to campus.
The ferry ride is a pleasant experience and had a calming effect on my nerves of the first day at Uni. Ricky was not nervous in any way and he held my hand most of the way till we had to go in different directions for our orientation into Uni life. This apparently could take a couple of days so I thought we would be glad to be going home that afternoon. The morning went quite quickly and I met up with Ricky, and would you believe Greg and Toby the twins, in the cafeteria for lunch. It was their first year as well so it looked like the four of us had something in common to talk about.
I was glad to see the end of the first day. It was quite stressful and I would be glad to get home and relax and watch a bit of telly and cuddle up to my man. Of course that was not being real was it? Well we said 'bye to our friends and caught a bus to the ferry terminal and the ride home across the river. All that took about half an hour so we got home at about four o’clock. It was too early to do anything about dinner so we decided to go for a walk down to see if Mum and Dad were still in Brisbane in their house just down the road.
Ricky said, “Carla honey, do you really think that your Mum is going home just yet?”
I replied, “No not really but it is nice to know that Mum and Dad will be around from time to time don’t you think?”
Rick replied, “Yeah I really like your Mum. She is a very kind and giving person just like her beautiful daughter.”
When we got there Mum was in the kitchen and Dad was in the lounge going through some papers and said, “Bloody taxation department, who do they think they are to tell me I can't claim on this house as a business premises?”
Ricky said, “Uncle Bill, this is a residence, and you can't claim that on tax.”
Dad said, “You watch me son and learn how to become a millionaire!!”
Ricky looked at me and I said, “I told you so didn't I!”
Ricky looked at Dad and said, “Are you really a millionaire?”
Just then Mum walked in and said, “Hello you two. Yes Ricky we are and if you work hard and put your money to work so will you be some day.”
Ricky replied, “Aunty Donna, I don’t think a teacher's wage will be enough to make me rich do you?”
Mum said, “Well Ricky when you two get married and have good advice about what to invest in than yes you can certainly become quite wealthy.” She added “Now that you are here Carla you can help me prepare dinner and stay here and eat with us.”
I turned to Ricky and said, “See I told you she would want to feed us didn't I?”
Mum said, “She is the cat's mother.”
”Sorry Mum.” I could feel Jean giggling and so could Mum and she said, “Jean what’s so funny?”
Jean went quiet but Ricky said, “Stop that Jean.” as he was rubbing his neck. Jean loves Ricky as much as I do and she loves to tickle him on the back of his neck and watch his reactions. In reality Ricky really enjoys her attention. After all she is half of me so it is ok for her to flirt with him.
Dad said, “Donna, are you sure you haven't got a twin too? I could get used to having two women pampering me!”
Mum replied, “Darling you wouldn't be able to handle another one, besides am I not enough for you?”
I said, “Uh oh, you've done it now Dad.”
Just then Mum came over to where Dad was sitting and sat herself down on his lap and gave him one of those toe curling kisses of hers, which by the way I can also give. It runs in the family didn't you know?'
I said “Mum your going to give Dad a heart attack if you keep doing that.”
Dad replied, “What a way to go, Donna do it again.”
Ricky said, “Carla are we going to still be doing that when we get to their age?”
Mum and Dad were laughing and I said, “Ricky why do you think they still look so young for people their age?”
Things settled down and Mum asked me if Jenny and Christine were going to be home or were they working shift work yet? I wasn’t sure so I rang their number at our house, or should I say Jenny's house?
Jenny answered and said, “Nurses Quarters how can I help you?”
I replied, “This is the restaurant. Your table has been reserved for you madame.”
“Thanks Carla we'll be there in ten ok ?”
“Yeah I’ll tell Mum.” and I hung up. “They'll be here mum.”
“Good, I need to talk to Christine about something.”
I said, “Problems?”
“Carla just wait and I will tell you later ok ?”
“Yes Mum.” I gave Mum a hand with getting everything ready for dinner and set the new table that Mum had had delivered a couple of days before. I thought Mum would probably spend quite a bit of time in Brisbane even if it was as she said to get closer to the shops, but I knew she was worried about me and Jenny. We were still her babies as she sometimes called us. Oh well it was a nice feeling to be loved like that. Ricky was in the lounge watching TV with Dad. They got on so well and I guess Ricky had in some way taken the place of Paul. Did I tell you that Paul was Dad's gay son? He committed suicide and it really knocked Dad around that he couldn't have helped him more.
Jenny and Christine turned up and there were hugs all round and everyone as per usual was talking at once, well us women were while the men just listened and kept their mouths shut till we finished gossiping. Ricky had learned to just wait till we were quiet before he entered the conversation. He was dominated by three girls, but I think he rather liked it.
We sat down to a scrumptious meal of roast pork, baked veggies and of course Mum's famous gravy. Desert was strawberries with icecream and home made custard, all very fattening, so us girls had only small portions. We wanted to keep our perfect figures. It's not that we were vain or anything but we did look good when we three went out dressed in much the same outfits and it felt good when we turned heads. Ok just a little bit vain then!
After dinner the men went back into the lounge while we girls cleaned up in the kitchen. Once that was done we sat back down at the table with a cup of coffee each and Mum said, “Ok girls, seeing you three are very close and joined at the hip so to speak, I will get on with what I wanted to discuss. Christine dear, Alan is having a hard time of it back in Quilpie and is not taking it at all well that you don’t want to be his girlfriend any more, and of course he also misses Ricky and Billy. They all hung out together, and now Billy has applied for an apprenticeship with a a large firm here in Brisbane.
“Jenny I know you have been talking with him and it is back on between you and him when he starts his job here, but Christine dear, poor Alan is pining away for you. Can you at least give him a ring and talk to the poor boy? He is so much in love with you dear. I must admit his Mum and I are really worried about him.”
“Aunty Donna I still love him just as much, but how can it work with me down here and Alan five hundred miles away?”
“Well sweetheart I have a solution if you are interested in listening to it? Billy is doing a diesel fitter apprenticeship with Hastings Deering, but Alan is more interested in aircraft maintenance. So!! our charter business is about to embark on doing aircraft maintenance on small craft at Archerfield. We have already got two people setting things up as we speak and I thought that we might just offer Alan an apprenticeship in aircraft maintenance so you see it could work out quite well don’t you think?”
“Aunty Donna I hope you are not doing it just to make sure Alan and I can stay together as an item are you?”
“Christine, your Uncle Bill and I don’t do things on a whim. That is why we are in such a good position financially, but we are just so worried about Alan. He is such a nice boy and I just don’t like to see him suffer.”
Christine was now in tears and said, “Aunty Donna I really do love him and if you are willing to give him a chance like that I will ring him right now and tell him I love him and ask him to come down here to work for you.”
“Christine I have taken the liberty of arranging for him to come down with Rodney on Wednesday to show him where he will be working and also the people that are going to be training him to be an aircraft mechanic.”
Christine just stood there with tears in her eyes and couldn’t say anything. Jenny and I went to her and we had a three way hug. We were still the 'Three Angel Musketeers' after all.
Ricky was also pleased that he would have his two best friends living in Brisbane as well. It would give him a bit of time-out from being dominated by three women all the time, no make that four with Jean always there in the background putting her two cents worth in, but I thought secretly he loved every minute of being pampered by us.
Chrissie decided not to ring Alan that night and see if she could change her shift with another student nurse on Wednesday so she could be at Archerfield to greet him with all her love and show him just how much she loved him. He would be surprised to see her because he still thought it was all over between them. Anyway it was getting late so we all trotted off to our own place to shower and get ready for bed and for me and Ricky other things as well, Well we were in love and what were we supposed to do, ''hold hands''? Besides Jean was just as frisky as I was. Yeah we had a threesome but don't tell anyone will you!!!!
Tuesday 17/1/67
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following day was more or less the same with more information being given about where to go, what time to be here and there, and of course the student union discussing all sorts of issues that I was not really into. Someone had already offered me and Ricky some dope to smoke but we would leave that well alone it kills brain cells didn't you know?
In the afternoon it was the same routine as the previous day. The only thing that changed was that we decided not to go for that walk down the road to Mum's house again, because if we kept doing it she would want to feed us all the time and then we would never be self-sufficient. I was hoping that she would get homesick and go back out to Quilpie as soon as the business at Archerfield was all set up and then they would only came once a month or so.
This is Christine. I asked the sister in charge in the ward that I am working in if I could have Wednesday off if I could get someone to swap the shift with me. Her name is Rena and she is in her early thirties. You ask how I know that? Well Jean comes in handy sometimes. She is just like Carla and needs to know all things. Anyway Rena said I could as long as I had someone to take over my duties, which I did. I had already done that for another nurse last week.
18/1/67 Wednesday morning
I got up early so I could be down at Aunty Donna's house to go out to Archerfield airport .I said bye to the others after a quick breakfast and hurried down the road to Aunty Donna and Uncle Bills place. It was only seven thirty but Uncle Bill said if we didn’t leave at that time we would get caught up in the peak hour traffic and we wouldn’t get to the airport in time before Rodney landed the flight from Quilpie.
I arrived and Aunty Donna said, “Good morning Chrissie dear, I have some more news for you.”
I thought, 'Oh no, something has gone wrong and Alan won't be coming after all.'
Aunty Donna must have seen the look on my face because she said, “I’m sorry dear I didn't mean to frighten you. It's good news, your Mum and Dad are also coming with Alan.”
I replied, “Why are they coming, is there something wrong?”
“Well sweetheart your Dad has been having problems with his heart and is going to see a specialist here in Brisbane.”
We got into Uncle Bill's car and drove to the airport. The traffic was already heavy even this early in the morning but I guess that's city life. As soon as I have finished my nurses training I will go back out to Quilpie to work in that hospital and hopefully Alan will also want to go back home once he is qualified to work on aeroplanes.
We arrived just as the twin engine Cessna came to a stop in front of the Croft hanger. Once the engines stopped and propellers stopped turning everyone stepped out of the plane. Mum and Dad came out first and for a minute I thought that Alan wasn't on the plane, but he poked his head around the door opening and had a surprised look on his face when he saw me standing beside Aunty Donna. I said a quick hello to my parents and called Dad 'Daddy' because I am still his little girl.
Alan finally came over to me and said, “Chrissie I didn't think I would see you again and I just fell to pieces.”
I replied, “Alan sweetheart, I never wanted to hurt you but it seemed the only thing to do. I don’t think we could have survived four years in a long distance relationship.”
He said, “Well I’m here now, and I am not going to let you out of my sight from now on. I want to share my whole life with you and I am hopelessly in love with you.”
I replied, “And I am with you.”
Wednesday afternoon back at home - with Carla.
“I wonder how Chrissie went this morning out at the airport meeting up with Alan?”
Ricky said, “Well we had better go for that walk again down to your Mum's to find out or you will be like a cat on hot coals.” We sang out to Jenny to come with us, and she was already standing at the front gate waiting for us to come along.
To be continued ,
Please leave a comment.
Previously
Wednesday afternoon back at home ''with Carla ''
“I wonder how Chrissie went this morning out at the airport meeting up with Alan?”
Ricky said, “Well we had better go for that walk again down to your Mum's to find out or you will be like a cat on hot coals.” We sang out to Jenny to come with us, and she was already standing at the front gate waiting for us to come along.
We walked down to Mum's house quite quickly because we were anxious to find out all that had happened while we were slaving away all day at Uni, and Jenny was at work. We heard laughter in the lounge and that is when we saw just how many people were in the room. Christine and Alan were sitting on the sofa holding hands and in deep conversation; Christine's Mum and Dad were talking with Mum, and Billy was talking with Dad. Jenny didn't know before-hand that Billy would be here as well. When she saw him she practically jumped over to him and enveloped him in hugs and kisses, too excited to speak any sense.
Ricky went to shake hands with his mates once the girls let them be free from their grasps. I went and gave Christine’s Mum and Dad a hug and a kiss on the cheek and said, “Uncle Dave and Aunty Shirley what are you two doing in Brisbane?”
Dave replied, “Carla I have got a problem with the old ticker and have to have by-pass surgery done if I want see my little Chrissie graduate.”
Just then Chrissie came over and hugged her father and said “Daddy you'll be ok and will live a long time to see your grand kids.” It is not very often that any of us girls say 'Daddy' any more but when there are emotions involved that is when the little girl comes to the forefront in us.
Of course we all had to stay and be fed by Mum, and as Christine's parents were staying at Mum's house we could have a good old gossip about what was happening out at Quilpie. Well just where do you think the boys were going to sleep that night? We girls got together and Jenny said, “Um Aunty Donna, I hope you haven't made up a bed for Billy and Alan have you?”
Mum replied, “Well I thought about it but that would be a bit mean now wouldn't it?!”
The boys looked expectantly at us girls, all except Ricky who knew he was in my bed.
Dad said, “Ahh young love! We know what it was like.” and the others all agreed and told us to go and get acquainted and they would see us sometime tomorrow. We didn't wait to be told twice and were on our way back to our own space quick smart.
Christine and Jenny both had king-size beds, not that all of the space was going to be used that night! I don’t think that there would be any extra heating required either! Myself and Ricky were also included in this scenario and I mustn’t leave my ever-present twin Jean out. She is connected to me in spirit and of course Ricky gets a double dose of love every time I touch him. I often wonder just how many people there on this planet that are as lucky as me to have a twin that has passed over to the other side and still lives within us.
I said earlier that I would tell you more about Doc Rose's study on twins in general but in my case it is a little bit different in that Jean is not on the earth plane so to speak. Anyway as it worked out Greg and Toby are also part of her study which has been going on for at least the last seven years that I have known her, and I guess it must just about be coming to an end. She has asked me Greg and Toby to do one last interview where Jean is involved and it will all be filmed for a further study group at the university that I attend. I just hoped that I wouldn't be asked to give a talk on myself and Jean and how she lives inside my my head and can also communicate with others that are connected to me.
Anyway I will keep you all posted on what happens when the time comes. Back to the present in our own rooms and in the arms of our lovers. I know that the boys won't tell each other about what happens in their sex lives but we three girls sure do. Well we are the Three Musketeers and we have to know every thing about everything and that hasn't changed since we were little girls in Quilpie. ''It's what girls do,'' and of course Jean joins in with the gossip as well.
Authors Note: "Jennifer speaks in the first person"
This has been a really good day for me seeing I have my future husband in my bed with me tonight, I am going to make this a special occasion because it is my first time as it is for Billy. I of course am worried about falling pregnant but Carla came to the rescue because she had kept a pack of condoms from when she still wasn’t on the pill, but they didn't have sex till after she was on the pill anyway. I am going to try and talk Billy into staying here with me. It's not as though we haven’t got the room, I mean these days everyone is living together. Don’t get me wrong, I want a wedding just as much as any girl but I also want to be happy right now and I am so in love with Billy that it hurts to think that I almost spoiled it by telling him to stay in Quilpie. If it wasn't for Mum doing her usual thing in knowing what to do for us kids both Billy and myself would have had a miserable time of it.
We waited for Christine and Alan to have their shower together and went to have ours together as well. We passed each other in the hall as we were heading to the bathroom and we didn't say anything but gave each other a big smile and a knowing look, and I and Chrissie started to giggle so we moved on quickly. It was sheer heaven to have Billy in the shower with me, His touch was like an electric shock and I could hardly wait to get to our room and on the bed. I was not disappointed in our first try at making love. From what Carla has told me about Ricky, Billy seems to be just as gentle and it was like an explosion at the end. We were both breathless and fell asleep in each others arms.
Thursday morning 19/1/67 "Back with Carla"
Well last night was special because I know for a fact that Jenny and Chrissie were virgins and as far as I know so were the boys, so yes it was a special event that all Three Musketeers were now complete women in their own right. Seeing that two of us had to have a bit of rectification surgery, it made it all the more special. And I’m sure the boys are now feeling like men as well. We all decided to take a sickie and not go to Uni or work, and ring in sick. I know it is naughty but we will just have to catch up. Life is meant to be fun as well, don’t you think?'
((A sickie is a bit of an Aussie tradition if you wanted a day off work, The boss sort of expects it to happen occasionally in the Australian work force!!!!))
After breakfast we all had voted on what we should do that day to celebrate our becoming full blown adults. I know it was a bit cheeky but I went down to the flat and knocked on Debbie's door. She opened the door and was still in her silk night gown and looked like I had just woken her up.
I said, “Oops sorry, late night?”
She replied, “Yeah late shift at the airport - what's up luv?”
I said, “How would you like to go to the beach today and be paid for it?”
She replied, “Well I could do with a day off and so could Jan. We haven't had a day off since we moved in here so who wants to go to the beach and what beach?”
“Well it is perfect weather and I think Surfer's Paradise would be perfect don’t you?”
She replied, “You're on Carla, but I couldn’t charge you luv, you have done so much for me and Jan, we owe you ok!!”
I said, “Well at least let us pay for the fuel.”
“Ok but the rest is on me and Jan. Did I hear other people upstairs last night?”
“You sure did Debbie, that is why we are taking a sickie today to celebrate Billy and Alan coming to Brisbane, They have agreed to live with Jenny and Chrissie as house mates.”
Debbie looked at me with a big smile and said, “'House-mates - yeah right!!! Whatever.” But she then said “Well I guess you are adults and know what you are doing. Does your Mum know?”
“Yes Debbie she does, and even if she objected, which she doesn't, we would still go ahead and all live together, so stop being a mother hen and take us to the beach!”
I went back upstairs and told the others to get ready and make sure to all have their swimming gear because we were going to go swimming at Surfer's main beach. It wasn't long before we were all packed up and in Debbie's mini bus travelling to the Gold Coast. It took about half an hour to fight the traffic through Brisbane before we were on the Pacific Highway to Surfer's. It took roughly an hour to get to Surfer's main beach, so by the time we arrived what with all the delays we had this morning, it was nine-thirty before we arrived, and Debbie parked the bus in a side street because we didn't want to have to feed the parking meter all day while we having fun on the beach and swimming in the surf.
The surf gets quite rough and there were life savers on duty all the time in case someone got caught in a rip and dragged out to sea, which happens at least three or four times a day in the busy season. For us it is not a problem because we were all very good swimmers, and also swam 'between the flags'. You would think where we come from that no-one goes swimming. Well let me tell you the outback kids are better swimmers than any city kid because there are a lot of rivers in the outback and they are in flood at least once a year. You have to be a strong swimmer to swim in flooded rivers and creeks but we all did it and survived. Most of us were self taught which is the best way because we all have a unique way of swimming. Anyway you get the idea - we are good swimmers.
Author's note: Life-savers erect flags on the beach to indicate the area they patrol and urge all swimmers to keep to that area to make rescues easier if necessary.
Authors note -:'' Ricky speaking in first person ''.
I know why I love Carla so much - she is so straight in her thinking that it almost hurts, and with Jean inside her head it is hard sometimes to keep up with them as one person. It reminds me when we are in the water together how we first met when I challenged her to a race out to where the drum was in the middle of the Bulloo River that runs by Quilpie. I almost drowned when I got a cramp in one of my legs. Carla swam out to get me to where the drum was anchored to the bottom with a block of concrete. She literately saved my life and here we were seven years later still together living as a couple planing our future for marriage, a career, and having a tribe of kids.
The three girls and us three men will always remain the best of friends. We are family and look out for each other and that will never change.
''Back with Carla''
Once we had our fun in the rough and tumble in the surf we all had an enormous appetite, so we decide to go to the Surf Lifesavers Club for a well earned lunch of Barramundi and the works. It wasn't cheap but we wouldn't get a chance to do this again for a while so we went for it. We all shared in the cost of the meal except Debbie and Jan whom we wouldn't let pay because without them today wouldn't have been possible. It was getting late and it was time to get in the bus and hit the road home after a really enjoyable day with my friends. We were like a family now seeing that we all lived in the same house and cohabited with each other. It's what people do these days much to the concern of our parents, but it is a different world we live in today.
We arrived back home just in time to hear the phone ring and answer it. Of course it was Mum wondering where the hell we were all day and why she wasn't told about us going away without telling her. I hope she goes back out to Quilpie soon, she is going to drive us all nuts with her mothering everyone.
Christine's Dad has to have a bypass operation for his heart problem and Shirley will be staying with Mum while he is in hospital, so I’m afraid that we will have to put up with a bit more mothering for a couple of weeks yet. Dad has to get back to Quilpie so Ricky and myself will be taking him back in 'Angel' at the weekend. With two pilots it won't be too bad and besides we have to put in a certain amount of flying hours to be able to keep our licence from lapsing and that would never do for me and Ricky, we love flying too much to let that happen.
Friday 20/1/67
~~~~~~~~~~~
We went to Uni and Christine and Jenny went to work, while Billy talked Mum and Dad into running them around Brisbane all day to sort out the jobs as well. Nothing much happened yesterday and some of the other students said they wished they had taken a sickie as well and joined us at the beach, but it would be on a weekend next time we did it again or we would be in trouble with our masters, and Mum of course !!! The day soon passed and we were finished for the week and we made our way to the bus stop to catch a ride down to the river ferry for the ride across to West End and home.
When we arrived home there was a note on our bedroom door that read 'When you are ready come down to our house, signed Mum.'
I said, “Ricky she is going to drive me nuts if she keeps this up”
He replied, “Carla, she is your Mum and my future Mum in law and I think she is just doing what mothers do and you will probably be the same when we have our own kids.” That put me firmly in my place and I said, “Ricky now I know why I love you so much.”
We had a quick shower, 'I said 'shower' nothing else that comes later concentrate will you?' and got changed and then headed down the road to Mum and Dad's probably to be fed again. If this kept up we were all going to balloon out of our clothes. Mum greeted us at the door and gave me a hug and kiss and said “Carla I know I have been a pain, and do far too much organising so I am going to fly back with your father tomorrow as well. Shirley is quite happy to stay here by herself while Dave is in hospital and has his operation and she can borrow my car so she will not be stuck here all the time.”
As usual Mum fed the lot of us and we said good night and went back to our own abode for some extracurricular activity in the bed rooms!!!! ''I told you it would be later didn't I?''.
Saturday morning,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was an early start. We got Debbie to run us out to Archerfield to where the hanger is and when we arrived Angel was still in the hanger.
I said, “Dad what is going on, why is Angel still in the hanger? It will take at least an hour to get her ready to fly.”
Dad said, “Look behind you Carla and Ricky.”
We turned around and there in the Croft colours was a brand new twin engined Cessna. Just as I was about to say something, Rodney appeared from inside the office in the hanger and said “Do you like her?”
Ricky said, “Wow look Carla, the name ''Angel Two'' is on the nose.”
Mum and Dad looked at us and said ''Well!!”
I said, “Dad, are we taking her out to Quilpie for her first flight?”
Dad replied, “No Carla, her second flight. The first one was when Rodney flew her from Sydney yesterday.”
We wasted no time doing the pre-flight checks and were given permission by the tower to take off once we had given them our flight plan. The cockpit was a little bit different to 'Angel One' but everything was basically the same. I took the first leg of the flight. The power that the extra engine gave us was just amazing.
I decided to fly at fifteen thousand feet which is not the altitude that I normally fly at but in this machine I could not resist going higher than I normally fly and of course we were flying at three hundred and fifty knots, and that was not even at full throttle. I would hate to think what she would do if you were pushed for time. I did half-way and handed over to my darling man and he was as impressed as me about the handling of this 'bird' as Jean calls them.
We arrived in Quilpie in good time even with the head wind we encountered. It was strange flying that much higher. The layout of the land below seemed a lot different. I couldn't make up my mind whether I like flying higher or not. Ricky thinks it is better and maybe he is right. Uncle Tony was there to take us home and also then come back and refuel the plane for our return trip tomorrow.
It was a bit sad because I was going to have to put Ginger to sleep. She was just suffering too much and was in a lot of pain and almost blind. This wouldn't be easy for me as she had been a long time friend. ''There would be tears.''
To be continued
Please leave comments.
Previously
We arrived in Quilpie in good time even with the head wind we encountered. It was strange flying that much higher - the layout of the land below seemed a lot different, and I couldn't make up my mind whether I liked flying higher or not. Ricky thought it was better maybe he was right. Uncle Tony was there to take us home and then returned and refueled the plane for our return trip the following day.
It was a bit sad because I was going to put Ginger to sleep. She was just suffering too much and was in a lot of pain and almost blind. This wouldn't be easy for me as she had been a long time friend. ''There would be tears ''
When we arrived Aunty Bella was waiting for us on the front verandah and she couldn’t wait to give me and Ricky the biggest hug and she had tears in her eyes when she said, “Carla! Ginger is whimpering in pain. Can you give her something to ease the pain?”
I replied “I’ll do better than that Aunty Bella, I will send her to join Goldie in the spirit world where Jean can see she is happy.” That of course really made her cry and it started me off as well, Ricky put his arm around me and Uncle Tony did the same with Bella but the dam had to burst before we could stop and compose ourselves to be able to talk and walk inside where Aunty Bella had a cup of tea or coffee with freshly baked pumpkin scones waiting for us.
Mum also had tears in her eyes and Dad had to give her a hug but he was not beyond the emotional strain of having Ginger put to sleep, because she was his dog before I came along and then she seemed to be mine and no-one else’s so it was a very hard thing to do, but I was going to be a vet and I had done this many times in the last twelve months while working with Ross.
Once we had our refreshments I decided to go and have a girl to girl conversation with Ginger and I was surprised when Jean said in my head, “She will understand what you are saying. Just be very gentle and tell her that you love her and that you are going to stop the pain, and Sis I will make sure she gets to the right place and will be with Goldie.”
I said, “Jean are you telling me she can fully understand what I am saying?”
Jean replied, “Not in human terms, but I will make it easy for her to cross over to the spirit side ok?”
I said, “This is going to be one of the hardest things I have ever done.” I went to my old bedroom and got my bag with the drugs and needle with tears streaming down my face and Dad said he would accompany me and hold her in his arms as she went to sleep.
Dad was sobbing and I wished Mum was beside him but she said she would only make it worse and could not handle saying goodbye like that so she stayed in the lounge with Tony and Bella. I managed to get the vial out of the bag and load the syringe. It was time to say goodbye to my mate. I gave her one last cuddle and gently put the needle in her chest so it would work quickly, and it did.
Ginger closed her eyes and Jean said, “Carla, hold on to Dad's hand and I will show you both where she is going.”
I grabbed the sobbing man’s hand and we closed our eyes and saw a field of very green grass with a large gum tree and there was Goldie sitting waging her tail as she welcomed Ginger to the spirit world. Her body went limp and it was over, no more suffering - she was in dog heaven.
Jean said. “Dad I hope that helps you get over your grief.” Dad couldn't speak but just nodded that he heard what she had said. Dad wrapped Ginger in her favourite blanket and carried her to the back yard where he and Uncle Tony had dug a grave for her. He laid her in the ground very gently and was sobbing so hard that he almost fell into the grave with the now sleeping Ginger. Mum and Bella were no better.
Uncle Tony got the shovel and started to fill in the grave. At this stage I had stopped crying and pulled myself together because I had to learn. As a vet I was going to have to perform this sort of thing every day and was not allowed to get too emotional about it. Besides Jean showed us that life doesn't end but we go to a different plane of existence.
This was not the best trip home I have ever had especially seeing Ricky was at his Mum and Dad's place so he missed out on all the crying!! If he had been there he would have been no help either because he is a jelly-bean when it came to things like that. Rita and Peter weren't told so we would have another round of tears to contend with. I didn’t know how I was going to tell Jenny and Chrissie. I was thinking of ringing them but I thought I might just wait till we got back to Brisbane to break the news.
By the time we finished in the backyard it was lunchtime but no-one felt like preparing any food so we all piled into Uncle Tony's now aging Land Rover and went to the restaurant which was now owned and run by Peter and Rita. They were going to have extensions added to the existing building and virtually double the size of the restaurant. Business was good.
We arrived and said hello to Rita, Peter and Alice, There were other staff as well but they didn't really know us so they just kept doing their job . I told Rita and Peter what I had done and of course ''tears''. Like I said this was not a good trip home and I would be glad to be on my way back to some normality back in Brisbane.
We had our lunch and made our way back home but did a round trip to pick Ricky up from his parent's place. I wasn't going to let him get away Scott free from some of the grief that had happened this morning, because I had a dam that was about to burst and I needed my ''man'' to comfort me while I let it flow. That is exactly what happened as soon as I saw him when I got out of Uncle Tony's car.
Ricky knew what I was going to do because I had discussed it with him even before we left Brisbane that morning, so it was no surprise to him when I just let it all go. He just held me till I cried myself out and than said “I love you sweetheart” and we went for a walk down in the orchard of orange trees that Barry had planted when they first bought the place.
We said our goodbyes to Helen and Barry and made our way back to the large old Queenslander that was home, in Quilpie at least, Tony and Bella were staying till after dinner so Mum and Bella started to prepare some vegetables for baking and defrosted a lamb roast and put it in the combustion stove oven for a slow bake and an hour later the vegetables would go in as well. The conversation was mainly around how Dad had Ginger given to him and the following years with Paul his late son from his first marriage to his late wife Ann, so the mood was of melancholy and sadness but it is a way of grieving a loss.
If the mood had been different Ricky and I would have made love in my big old bed but neither of us were in that frame of mind and we went to sleep in a tight spoon cuddle. The morning was soon upon us and we decided to get going early so we could prepare for Monday morning and back to some kind of normality in our lives, especially seeing Mum and Dad were were back in Quilpie and not mothering us. Dad was as bad as Mum at that. We loved them to bits but we needed to live our own lives.
We had breakfast with Mum and Dad. Ricky and I went out to say our goodbyes to Ginger in the back yard and I placed one of her favourite balls on top of the mound of soil that covered her like a blanket, and said a prayer with Jean comforting both me and Ricky in our minds, I don’t know how other people cope but if I hadn't had a connection with her and the spirit world I think I would not be able to survive life in general. Mum and Dad both came out to the airport where ''Angel Two'' was all ready for me and Ricky to do our pre-flight checks and be on our way home. It was a bit of a sad goodbye for us with all that had occurred this weekend but life goes on.
Ricky and I climbed into the brand new twin Cessna, waved to Mum and Dad and radioed the tower in Brisbane which controls most of Queensland's airports. We gave our flight plan and were cleared to take to the clear blue sky of western Queensland. We climbed to six thousand feet and set the speed at a hundred knots which is one hundred and sixty miles per hour. That is comfortable flying and not using too much fuel, because we have to pay for the fuel if nothing else, I mean I have got a very generous allowance from Mum and Dad but one mustn’t look a a gift horse in the mouth must one?''Giggle''. We made good time and landed at Archerfield after circling Brisbane to see if we could see where our home in the west was but it was raining and that made it difficult to see much on the ground . We parked ''Angel Two'' just outside the hanger so the refuelling people could do their thing and then rang Debbie to come and pick us up. Both Ricky and I will be glad when we can get our driving licences and have a car so we can just leave it in the hanger whenever we are flying.
Debbie was there within half an hour and took us home. It was Sunday so the traffic wasn't too bad and it took the normal half an hour to get home. We were a bit apprehensive about telling the girls about Ginger but decided to do it straight away and get it over with so we could all move on. Ricky and I walked into the lounge where Jenny, Chrissie and Sam were sitting having a morning tea chat. Apparently Christina’s dad Dave had to be taken into hospital a day early because there were complications with his heart. Sam was on duty when he was brought in to the Emergency Department at the Mater.
Now, I didn't know whether to mention Ginger or not but it was too late, because Ricky had already started to tell them and I could not stop him in mid sentence. Chrissie just went into tears straight away followed by Jenny and that of course started me off as well. So it was like old times with the Three Musketeers in a three way hug till we all calmed down. Sam and Ricky went into the kitchen to make a fresh lot of coffee and left three tear-stained women consoling each other.
Sam and Sandra were still an item and quite happy living together for the rest of their lives. They were currently living with Mary, Sam's Mum but planned on buying a unit in the same apartment building.
Anyway once we all settled down it was time to move on and and talk about some happier things like the nurses' ball that coming weekend.
Jenny exclaimed “Oh my god I have nothing to wear!” We all looked at each other and said in unison “Shopping!!!” That made Ricky leave us to it and I think he was going to talk with Billy and Alan who were in the backyard tending to the large vegetable garden.
Of course the boys had suits to wear but us girls had ''nothing to wear'' Oh my god whatever would we do? Well the answer was in the MacWerther department store wasn't it? But they weren’t open on Sunday, so I guessed there would just have to be another sickie the next day.
Monday 23/1/67
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Three young women were seen to disappear through the front doors of a certain store and emerge three hours later with happy faces and carrying a number of shopping bags, stepping into a mini bus belonging to a lady called Debbie. If Mum found out there was going to be trouble but who was going to tell her?
We swore Jean to secrecy and all she did was giggle and say, “What am I going to wear to the ball?” She will in fact be there and help me and Ricky do a demonstration Jazz Waltz, because the last ball at Quilpie we won the 'Best Couple' competition. The ball was at Cloudland ballroom.
The rest of the week was a normal study and work exercise that we all had to cope with and we were glad when it was Friday afternoon and we could relax for a couple of days,
Saturday 29/1/67
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The boys were told to have their suits dry-cleaned earlier in the week so they were easy to organise and would be ready when we asked them to be. Most of the time they just said “Yes ma’am.” and did what we asked them to do. We ladies were a different story. All three had to have the full treatment make-over and that took a few hours so it was four in the afternoon before we got home to get ready. There was no need for dinner because it was a dinner ball so we would be fed. I don't know how the caterers did it because there was at least one thousand people to feed.
This was a bit more upper class than what we were used to and much! much! bigger than anything I had ever been to. Ricky and I did the demonstration of the Jazz Waltz that we got the prize for, and again we got the prize of the night for the best young dancing couple. We were presented with a trophy. This was our first big night in Brisbane and it was one night that I wished the Mum and Dad hadn't missed but of course there were plenty of photos taken.
We got home at two a.m. on Sunday morning and could hardly get undressed we were so tired from dancing the night away. We all slept till midday on the Sunday.
To be continued
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Previously
We got home in the wee hours on Sunday morning and almost couldn't get undressed we were so tired from dancing the night away, but it was a hot night so both Ricky and I did the old birthday suit thing again and climbed into bed .
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We were awoken by the phone ringing at ten a.m. Of course it was Mum wanting to know how the ball went and tell her what the gowns looked like.
I said Mum, “You just woke us up”
“Sorry dear, but a mother needs to know what her kids have been up to, or would you prefer that I move down there on a permanent basis?”
I replied, “Mum, I will ring you back in an hour when we have all woken up and had a shower and breakfast Ok?”
“Alright dear, see that you do. We have some things to discuss that are important to your and Ricky's future in the family business.”
“Ok Mum I’ll ring back a little later, bye.”
Ricky asked me, “What’s that all about?”
I replied, “Ricky I think we are about to become part of an air charter company and so is Jenny.”
I roused the others from their sleep-in, and got a couple of pillows thrown at me but they got up to the smell of me doing bacon, eggs and toast for everyone. The six of us were having breakfast, talking about last night and how Ricky and I won the Best Young Couple of the night when I said, “That phone call this morning was Mum and if I don’t ring her back soon she will ring again because I think there is something that concerns all of us in the future.”
Well the phone did ring two minutes after I said that and yes it was Mum.
I answered, “Uni student household, how can I help you?”
“Carla, will you ever lose that sense of humour of yours?”
“No Mum, it wouldn't be me then would it?”
“No I suppose not. Well dear are you all there now?”
“Yes Mum we are what's this all about?”
“Ok, put the phone on speaker Carla so you can all hear.”
“Ok speaker on Mum.”
“Right here goes. Carla, you and Jenny and of course Rita will become company directors of Croft Holdings, and when you get married, Ricky, Peter and Billy will also be part of the company.”
I said, “Mum what about Christine and Alan?”
She replied, “Well we are still having talks with Christine's parents and also Alan’s Dad and I think they are going to buy in as well so you will all be part of a family company.”
We all just sat there with this bewildered look on our faces and all started talking at once. Mum was drowned out for a bit and just listened to us when we realised she was still there.
Once we quietened down she said, “Kids listen to me, we will be coming down in the next few days to sort out all the paperwork so stop fretting!!”
The next week it was back to uni for me and Ricky and work for the others. Mum and Dad turned up on the following Sunday with a bunch of papers to sign. Legally, we still had to do everything through Mum and Dad but once we all turned eighteen we would be company director with full legal status.
To be continued.
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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.
Previously
We got home in the wee hours on Sunday morning almost couldn't get undressed we were so tired from dancing the night away , but it was a hot night so both Ricky and I did the old birthday suit thing again and climbed into bed .
We were awoken by the phone ringing at ten a.m. Of course it was Mum wanting to know how the ball went and for me to tell her what the gowns looked like.
I replied, “Mum I will ring you back in an hour when we have all woken up and had a shower and breakfast ok?!!”
“Alright dear, see that you do we have some things to discuss that are important to yours and Ricky's future in the family business.”
“Ok Mum I’ll ring back a little later, bye.”
Ricky asked me, “What’s that all about?”
I replied, “Ricky I think we are about to become part of an air charter company and so is Jenny.”
The next week it was back to uni for me and Ricky and work for the others. Mum and dad turned up on the following Sunday with a bunch of papers to sign.
Legally, we still had to do everything through Mum and Dad but once we all turned eighteen we would be company directors with full legal status.
Authors note :-
''This Chapter takes us to six years later. For me the ''Author'' of the story of Carla and her extended family, it is something I just can't close off, Carla has become part of me.
It is six years hence and it's Christmas Day 1973. Carla's extended family are all in the backyard of the Quilpie home of Bill and Donna Croft and of course the marquee is all set up as well.
Carla has been a qualified vet for over a year now and is in partnership with Ross. Ricky qualified as a teacher but the pull of the open sky was to much for him and he is now in the business and one of the pilots for Croft Air Charter which is based in Quilpie and also at Archerfield in Brisbane.
Oh, and of course they got married just after they graduated. Carla fell pregnant almost immediately and there are two little twin girls eighteen months old and as cute as can be. They are named Jean and Donna and are very hard to tell apart. They are already talking baby talk in unison. ''Scary'''
Jennifer and Billy are also married. Billy has taken over Bill's service station and repair business while Jennifer is the head nurse at the hospital. It's not that she has to work but there is no way she could just sit around, but she is also pregnant and is due in a couple of weeks time. So she will be a full time mum for a while anyway. She has become quite wealthy in her own right with the investments from her father's inheritance and that is how Billy ended up with the service station. Anyway she is having a little boy so the cycle of girls is about to stop.
Christine and Alan are also married and stayed in Brisbane only for a short while because Christine wanted to come home and be there for her parents, so they are also back in Quilpie. Christine is not nursing any more and is now the receptionist at the veterinary clinic owned by Carla and Ross. She is also pregnant but is only two months in. She will have a 'Caesarian section' the same as Carla had. Because of the surgery they both had for their little birth defect, they didn't want to risk having problems giving birth and then losing their babies.
Alan is now doing the aircraft maintenance of the fleet of Croft planes at Quilpie and is quite happy to be back home and can't wait to become a dad like Ricky.
Rita and Peter have been married for four years now and been trying to have offspring but it just hasn't happened. They are quite happy running their restaurant and going on their little camping trips. Maybe if Rita didn't try so hard she would fall pregnant too. She is all over the little twin girls when they visit her and of course she babysits them regularly.
Donna and Bill are well and truly retired now and are looking forward to spoiling their grand kids. Bella and Tony have also retired. Tony has to use a walking stick to get around because of his bad knees.
Ricky's parents are still on their five acre lot and happily retired, and are spoiling the two little twin girls Jean and Donna, running amok in the rows of fruit trees that Barry has planted over the years. These two little munchkins are truly blessed because their spirit Aunty Jean has already communicated with them and it is quite funny to watch when it happens because they think that everyone else can hear and see her as well.
It is a hot Christmas Day and we are all out in the marquee and as usual every one is talking at once. It is time to hand out the presents and seeing that we have littlies now it is appropriate to have a Father Christmas present to do the honours. Of course Jean and Donna are to be the first to get their presents and are jumping up and down while Ricky is trying to control the two little balls of energy. I have them dressed in little angel dresses with wings on their back. Their Spirit Aunty is here alongside her little nieces just as excited as they are and the vibrations that I am feeling are almost painful but I will not intervene in my spirit sister's happiness - she is part of me after all.
Brian is here and in his Santa suit. It must be hot but he insists on doing it, and the twins love it when he calls them over to the bag with the presents. I sometime wish their energy would transfer itself to me. I am still breast feeding them but that has to stop because I am getting far too tired and when I have to fly out to stations to do vet work it is pretty inconvenient to have to use a breast pump because I am leaking milk. So a few more times and that is it and hopefully my breasts wont get too sore when I stop.
Brian is of course not a priest any more and has a partner as well and she is also a lawyer and they handle all our legal matters which is quite a task these days. The family business has grown so much that it is hard to keep track of all that is going on. We employ at least fifty people now so it is quite a responsibility to have so many people depending on us for their livelihood.
Back to Santa and the twins. They both have to get the same things or there is trouble on the horizon so I bought them each a doll and clothes and two little strollers to push them around in. They seem to be natural mothers even at their age. As soon as the paper was off the dolls and strollers they were nursing them like they ere grown ups and asked me and Jenny to give them a hand to put the dolly clothes on them. It wasn't long and they were pushing them around and showing everyone their babies.
Sam ,Sandra and Mary werre also here again like every Christmas this seemed to be the place that we all congregate to, and as the years progress the family and friends will just get bigger. Sam and Sandra are going to foster a couple of young kids that have been abused sexually, one is a transsexual girl like Sam and the other is a genetic girl who has an autism problem but it is not very severe. They are both eight years old and I am looking forward to helping out in any way that I can, probably more financially than anything else.
Ricky has been told by the two little bosses that he is their Daddy and has to help push their strollers around in the back yard. We had to keep the gates closed because they would be off down the road in no time and wanting to show of the Christmas presents to all the neighbours.
Daddy obliged with a sigh and a roll of the eyes and said "Women are all the same, we men are mere servants" but he was smiling pretty big when the two little ones said “Come on DaDa.”
I thought, “Ricky is such a jelly bean, soft and sweet and I hope he never changes.”
Jean was in my mind and said, “Carla that is why we married him isn't it?”
I replied in my mind, “Jean, just as well no one heard that.” All I heard was a fit of giggles from Jean and than she was quiet. She can be quite a pain sometimes but she is half of me so I have to put up with the things she says.
Everyone sat around talking and the little ones were put down to sleep after I fed them in their own bedroom and almost went to sleep myself. It has been a long day and I will be glad to get into my bed tonight and cuddle up to my ever-loving husband. After all this time we still sleep in a cuddle and spoon position, I don’t think that will ever change.
To be continued
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Previously
Ricky had been told by the two little bosses that he was their Daddy and had to help push their strollers around in the backyard. We had to keep the gates closed because they would be off down the road in no time and wanting to show off the Christmas presents to all the neighbours. Daddy obliged with a sigh and a roll of the eyes and said “women are all the same. We men are mere servants” but he was smiling pretty big when the two little ones said “Come on DaDa.”
I thought, “Ricky is such a jelly bean, soft and sweet and I hope he never has to change.”
Jean was in my mind and said, “Carla that is why we married him isn't it?”
I replied in my mind, “Jean, just as well no-one heard that.” All I heard was a fit of giggles from Jean and than she was quiet. She can be quite a pain sometimes but she is half of me so I have to put up with the things she says.
Everyone sat around talking and the little ones were put down to sleep after I fed them in their own bedroom, and almost went to sleep myself. It had been a long day and I would be glad to get into my bed that night and cuddle up to my ever loving husband. After all that time we still slept in a cuddle and spoon position, I don’t think that will ever change.
The story continues:
It is a week later and the new year has begun. It is Tuesday, New Years Day 1974.
Everything was almost back to normal except that I had very sore breasts from not feeding the twins, but apparently it would all settle down in the next couple of days. The twins were a bit cranky at first but I supplemented their food with a follow-up bottle and that seemed to work. I had to get back to work at the clinic because Ross was getting too old to handle it all on his own. Thank God that Mum enjoyed looking after the little ones or I would have had to only work part time. I was advertising for a vet to come and live and work for me in Quilpie so maybe I could be with the twins more if we could find someone with outback experience. I guessed it would be too much to hope that they might have a pilot's licence as well, but one never knew what replies we would get. Sometimes people from the UK were interested in coming to Australia to gain experience in the bush so to speak.
Flying was still a large part of my life and of course Ricky flew commercially now and was away most days, but liked to be home at night and put the twins to bed with a bedtime story, He wanted to have some more kids and so did I, so I was not on the pill, and if it happened it wouldn't bother me at all. It really wasn't an unpleasant feeling being pregnant and having a Caesarean Section made it easy as well. I knew that Mum and Dad wouldn't mind having more little ankle biters around to keep them young.
We now owned a helicopter as well and both Ricky and I had a licence to fly it, but it was mainly used when there was no air-strip on the properties that I had to go to to tend to some sick animal, or a cow or horse having a hard time giving birth. The chopper was a fun thing to fly because you could land anywhere you wanted and not have to worry about looking for a landing strip. The twins had taken to flying with me and loved the weekends when Ricky and I took off in the chopper and just went for a picnic somewhere out in the bush. A lot of the kids going to school from the outlying areas that came to school by bus were quite used to flying because a majority of their parents owned planes and used them on a regular basis to run their farming business.
I was at the clinic when Jenny rang me and said her waters had broken and she didn't know whether to call Billy or me, so she called me because she reckoned Billy would start to panic and drive too fast and have an accident on the way to the hospital.
I said, “Jenny hold on, I am coming to get you. Get your things together and I will be there in five minutes ok?”
She replied, “Hurry! The labour pains have started.”
I told Christine to hold the fort and got in the Landrover and drove over to Jenny's house. She didn't go back to work because of the swelling of her feet, otherwise she would have already have been at the hospital and there would have been no need to call me for help.
When I arrived she was waiting at the front gate with the neighbour from across the road supporting her, so I opened up the back door of the Rover and told her to lay down on the back seat. I didn't have to tell her twice, she got in and off we went. When we arrived at the hospital two young nurses were there to help her inside. Chrissie had phoned the hospital to warn them we were coming. I went inside as well and phoned Billy to get cleaned up and get down here so he could be with Jenny when she gave birth to their son.
I don't think he even hung up the phone and he was on his way, hopefully getting cleaned up first. He arrived half an hour later and yes, he had gone home to shower before he came to the hospital. Jenny's labour was progressing so they said that Billy would have to put on the hospital garb to go into the delivery room when the time came. In the meantime he could just stay with Jenny in the ward and hold her hand while she suffered the pains of labour. I left them to it and went back to the clinic to neuter a male dog. ''Oh the joy of being a vet.'' There'd be no fatherhood for that little puppy !!!
It was three in the afternoon when the hospital phoned and said Jenny had given birth to a six pound healthy boy and she was asking for me to come down to the hospital. Ross had come back, so Chrissie and I went to the hospital. When we arrived Mum and Dad were already there in the ward. The baby was just brought in by one of the nurses that helped in the delivery. She was also a trained midwife and there was no need to have a doctor present unless there were complications which thankfully there weren’t.
Jenny was given the little bundle of joy and Billy could hardly contain himself. He was a father and had a son.
All he could say was, “Wow, isn't he small?”
They named him Joshua as in the bible, he will be ''Josh'' for short. Mum and Dad had another grandchild. Billy's parents were both dead so Josh would have only one set of grandparents but plenty of aunts, uncles and cousins to love him.
We came back with my twins later to see the little baby. They thought it was another dolly and wanted to take the baby home with us when we were ready to leave. Just as we were leaving Jenny was starting to breast-feed the little one and I had to get my twins out of there or they would want to start being fed again, but they were already weaned, so no way!! We went home and left the new family to get on with it.
Wednesday 2/1/74
I got to work a bit later that morning and there was a message on the answering machine. It was Christine’s day off and Ross never seemed to come in till late those days so nothing got done that morning till I turned up. I turned the machine on to hear the message and it was from a worried station owner that his stud ram had been mauled by a dingo or wild dog overnight. He was a very valuable animal because the stud rams were hired out to service the sheep at a high price, not as much as horses or bulls but still a good money earner to supplement the wool cheque.
I phoned home. We had moved in with Mum and Dad because that is how Mum wanted it and I must admit it was working out better than I thought it would. With built-in baby sitters it was the perfect arrangement and the twins loved running up and down the long verandas that surrounded the house.
Mum answered the phone, “Hello Donna Croft.”
“Mum it's me, is Ricky still there?”
“Yes dear he's outside with the twins. What’s the problem?”
“No problem Mum. If he is not busy I would like him to do the flying today. I’m a bit tired and I have an injured stud ram out at Two Rocks station to look at and they don’t have a strip so we'll have to take the chopper.”
I heard Mum sing out to Ricky, “Ricky, Carla’s on the phone and wants you to fly the chopper for her today, do you want talk to her?”
“Yeah, hang on Mum I’m coming.”
As usual he would have had a twin on each arm. I could hear them squealing and giggling as he put them down to take the phone from Mum.
He said, “What’s up honey, trouble!!!?”
“No Ricky I just need you to fly the chopper today. I'm far too tired to fly safely.”
***************************************
Ricky left the twins to entertain Mum and Dad for the day and as he didn't like me flying the chopper when I was tired. It takes a bit more concentration to fly the helicopter. I guess I got so used to normal fixed wing flying, I would have to do more hours in the chopper. Angel had been relegated to train young kids to fly. I now had a new twin Navajo, and the chopper was a small Bell Jet ranger
I got all my gear together and waited for Ricky to come and pick me up to go to the hanger where the chopper was housed. He turned up ten minutes later and we drove to the hanger. The chopper was always fuelled up and ready to go at a moment's notice as it was also used as an emergency helicopter for the district. Alan was at the hanger doing maintenance on another Croft aircraft and had the chopper out and ready to go when we arrived, so it was just a matter of climbing aboard and get going to the property about half an hour's flight away.
It was the wet season and it looked like I had better get used to doing more with the chopper because most of the landing strips on stations were not all-weather and a fixed wing would not be able to land, whereas the helicopter didn’t have that restriction. This time though the station hadn't even got a strip, and I thought 'I'm going to have a word with the owner. It only takes a bulldozer to push a strip through the bush and put up a wind sock. It is not rocket science. If we didn't have a helicopter his precious ram would die anyway.'
We asked him to light a flare to show us where it was safe to put the chopper down because the ground was really wet and even with a helicopter you still need some hard ground to set it down. I came prepared and brought my Wellingtons (mud boots) with me and so did Ricky. As we were getting close to the property Ricky was flying at twelve hundred feet. It wasn't raining but it was very cloudy and I was glad he was doing the flying, I think I might have said before I don’t much like flying at night or bad weather. There were swollen rivers and creeks and I think Queensland was in for some fairly bad weather in the next couple of weeks.
When we got closer, Ricky came down a bit more to see just how wet it was on the property and said, “Carla if this bloke doesn't use a flare to show us some dry ground I will not put the chopper down, and stuff his ram.”
I replied through the head phones, “Ricky we can't leave an injured animal to suffer.”
“Honey I’m not putting us at risk for a lousy ram.” We were now close and Ricky was circling the homestead and shearing sheds when we saw a flare being held near the sheds. There was a clearing and a higher mound of ground about fifty yards away from the shed so it was quite safe to put the chopper down. Ricky said through the headset, “He's bloody lucky he did that I was just about to up and away.”
The owner greeted us and said “Sorry to get you out here in this bad weather. I’m having a strip built next month so it will be a lot easier to land here.”
Ricky shut the chopper down and helped me with my gear and said “G'day mate, I’m Ricky Smith, Carla’s husband.”
The guy offered Ricky his hand and said. “Terry Whiting, thanks for coming. I hope your wife can save my ram. He's in a bad way.”
I said, “Ok Terry where have you got him?”
“We've had to put him in the back of the ute and haven't been game to shift him in case we'd hurt him more.” The ute was parked under an awning on the side of the shearing shed so the animal would be out of the weather.
Ricky carried my bag and we walked to where the ute and animal were. I was shocked to see what a dingo or wild dog had done to this poor animal. He had bits of wool and hide missing all over him.
If he wasn't such a valuable animal I would just put him to sleep but Terry said, “Carla -- may I call you Carla?”
“Sure Terry of course.”
“Well this guy has been with us for five years and has kept us from going bankrupt, so I would like you to try and save him if at all possible.” The first thing I did was to give the ram some pain relief and then checked all his vitals. For the mess he was in he was doing quite well and I thought he would survive as long as Terry could keep him quiet and dry for a few days. It's surprising just how strong animals are. Their survival instincts are a lot stronger the humans.
I tended to the animal which took me an hour, cleaning up some of the wounds and showed Terry how to keep on cleaning the wounds for a few days so they would dry out and heal. The animal should be ok, but when Terry got my account he might need some help as well. After all I’m not a charity and it cost a lot to fly and maintain aircraft those days.
Terry said, “I'll tell the missus to put the kettle on and we can have a cuppa before you take off in that whirly bird of yours.”
I replied, “That is just what I need at the moment thanks.”
Ricky said. “Yeah me too. Looking at all that blood has made me quite queasy and a cuppa might just do the trick.”
I put all my things in the chopper and we made our way from the shearing shed to the big old homestead where his wife had freshly baked scones and tea ready for us in the large lounge. There were photos of all the prize rams and sheep hanging all around the room. He was a true sheep farmer, but in a way I felt sorry for him because he hadn't diversified into other things and the price of wool had dropped so low that fifty percent of the sheep farms in Australia had had to switch to cattle production to stay afloat.
When we started talking he told me about his daughter who was in England at the moment. She was a vet and wanted to come home and set up a practice in Brisbane.
I thought. “Bloody hell is this a coincidence or what!! Here's my chance to get a vet for my practice.”
I said. “Would she consider working in Quilpie?”
He replied, “Well she looked at that, but your practice has ninety percent of the districts' business so that put a stop to that.”
I replied “Well Ross my partner is wanting to retire and I have put an ad in a UK newspaper for a vet to try out living in the outback. I wonder if she would be interested in a partnership?
Terry's wife Grace said “I think she very well could be. I can ring her tonight and let her know that there is an opening in Quilpie. It would be nice to have Sandy back home after all this time. She lost her husband last year and it has been hard for her raising a child with a problem.
I thought, “Hmmmm where have I heard that before? Oh yes that was me wasn't it!!!”
Ricky looked at me with a silly grin and said, “Well Carla, you might not have to put any ads in more papers after all.”
We got ready to make our way back to Quilpie and started to say goodbye when Grace said “Carla can I have your home phone number so I can give it to Sandy? She might be interested in what you have to offer, so do you mind if she rings you at home? It could be pretty late though.”
I gave Grace all my details and we walked back to the helicopter, but I went to have another look at my patient. He was doing fine, so I gave him another pain- killing injection and we left the property and were on our way home. The weather was closing in, so I was glad that it was only a half hour flight home and my husband was doing the flying. By the time we were back on the ground in front of the hanger it was raining quite heavily and Alan had to bring us a couple of umbrellas which don’t get much use out there, but this year it looked like we were going to cop it.
Ricky drove me back to the clinic and waited in the car because I was only going in to tell Christine what had occurred at the station. When Ricky and I walked into the kitchen, Mum was feeding the the little ones their lunch in the high chairs and they were making one hell of a mess with the mashed potatoes. They insisted on using their own spoons and more went on the floor than in their mouth. When they saw their Daddy was home that was it for food. Mum wiped them clean and Daddy was theirs for the rest of the day. I went into my home office and did some bookwork which I hated but it needed to be done.
It was nine thirty when the phone rang. Mum answered it and said, “Yes she is available, may I ask who is calling?”
Mum said, “Sandy in the UK.” and handed the phone to me. I said, “Hello Sandy, are you ringing about the position?”
She replied, “Am I talking to Carla Smith?”
“Yes this is she.”
To be continued
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Previously
It was nine thirty when the phone rang. Mum answered it and said, “Yes she is available, may I ask who is calling?”
Mum said, “Sandy in the UK.” and handed the phone to me. I said, “Hello Sandy, are you ringing about the position?”
She replied, “Am I talking to Carla Smith?”
“Yes this is she.”
“Well Carla my mother phoned me today and told me about you advertising over here for a vet and I have just located the ad in the Veterinary Bulletin, It's quite an impressive ad, have you had any replies to it?”
I replied, “Well yes Sandy, but as soon as they realise that it is hundreds of miles out in the bush they run a mile!!”
“Well Carla, I’m definitely interested in finding out more about what you are offering.”
I replied, “Sandy if you're interested I can send you all the information about the practice. Ross my partner is wanting to retire so I am looking for a partner not an employee.”
Sandy said, “Interested!! It is exactly what I am looking for Carla! I can be back in Australia within a month. All I have to do is put the house on the market and start packing.”
“Sandy, your Mum said something about you having a problem with your child?”
She sounded a bit nervousness and said, “Well Carla I have a nine year old umm — dau - son and there seems to be some confusion about gender but I really wish my mother hadn't said anything.”
I replied, “Sandy if your child has GID or is inter-sexed it is not something that will just disappear. I should know, I was born inter-sexed and I am now a mother of a set of twin girls eighteen months old, so if you need help you are coming to the right place. I decide a long time ago that I will never hide who I am, where I come from in location, or what my gender status is. I am a woman that had a medical problem at birth - that's it full stop.”
The line went quiet and I said, “Sandy are you still there?”
She replied, “Carla it's just that I'm not used to people being so straight-forward about themselves. It sounds like we could become good friends as well as business partners.”
I replied, “Don't you want to know more about the details of what I'm offering.”
“Carla I realise that there is money involved but I have been left with a very sizable amount of cash and also this house so I can afford to buy into a business without too much trouble, and Mum and Dad will also back me. By the way thanks for saving Dad's stud ram, he is quite a valuable animal.”
I replied, “Maybe I should double my account?”
There was laughter from both of us and we finished the call with her saying that she would be in touch in the next few days to work out what the deal would be with Ross's part of the business. I didn’t think he would haggle about the price too much, he just wanted to put his feet up and retire.
The next couple of weeks went on as normal. I got to see Jenny quite a bit and gave her advice on baby management, if there is such a thing. Mum was in her element and hung around like a busy bee at her nest. (Hmmm, mixed metaphors?) Dad got more and more involved with looking after my little cherubs. They had him wrapped around their sticky little fingers. I seem to remember their mother doing the same thing! Jean seemed to be communicating with them as well and I am sure they could actually see her because even in their baby talk they seemed to be looking in one direction.
It gave me more time at the clinic but I was hoping to ease back once Sandy started to work with me. She also had a pilots licence, how lucky could I get?!”
It kept raining and it was getting to the stage where the weather would not allow any flying to take place apart from using the helicopter as a rescue back up if things got any worse. Well things did get worse because Cyclone Wanda bore down on the Queensland coast and caused a huge flood not only in Brisbane but also throughout the whole state. Queensland was waterlogged and so was Quilpie. The helicopter was used to rescue people from roof tops and drop food supplies to outlying stations that had no hope of getting out for weeks or even months. Even the army were called in to help. As for Brisbane it went under and fourteen people died including ten people who drowned in the suburbs of Yeronga, Newmarket , St Lucia, and the City of Ipswich upriver and to the west.
''Note'' this information can be Googled on ''Wikipedia 1974 Queensland floods '' Quilpie was also inundated see photo below.
In amongst all this happening Sandy arrived with a very distraught looking skinny boy in jeans and T shirt. He had quite long hair and I guessed he was like me when we first arrived in town all those years ago not knowing which way to turn. They turned up in a four wheel drive which took two days to negotiate the flooded roads and rivers, after they landed in Charleville. Our strip was under water. The kid looked lost and frightened. I guessed after living in England this place looked like a different planet. The boy's name was Jamie, and their surname was Jones. Sandy got out first and looked tired and had mud all over her. They got bogged a few times and literally had to dig themselves out, Jamie emerged from the other side of the land cruiser in the same condition as his mother.
I greeted them and said to get back in the Cruiser and follow me in my Jeep to my home. They got back in, mud and all and followed me home. When we arrived Dad was there to help unload the Cruiser. They would not be able to continue on to Sandra's parent's property and it would be weeks before anyone could get through by road, but as soon as her Dad had a dry spot of ground to land the chopper on we would fly mother and son out to the sheep station. Mum came out to welcome the two mud covered people with a twin on each arm. I don't know how she managed it because when I tried it they wriggled and squirmed and I had to put them down and make them walk.
Anyway the two newcomers were shown to the showers and told there were dressing gowns hanging in the bathrooms for them to put on till they could get at their clothes that Dad took to a spare bedroom.
Mum handed the twins over to me to bathe, feed, and put to bed. Ricky would read them a bedtime story and try to understand what they are saying to him. It was a funny thing to watch because Jean had a connection with them. She seemed to be able to get into Ricky's mind and translate what Donna and Little Jean were saying and then Ricky replied to them. The whole thing was like a kid's show on the telly and if we filmed it it would probably make a fortune.
Sandy and Jamie came in after their showers to watch the spectacle and started to laugh when Ricky started speaking what seemed a foreign language and the twins seemed to understand what he was telling them.
Sandy and Jamie phoned Sandy's parents to reassure them that they had arrived at Quilpie safely and would be staying with us until the weather improved. Then they were shown to their room and they disappeared to get dressed for the evening. When they emerged from the room and walked into the lounge where all but Mum was, (she was getting the dinner ready), Sandy was wearing a white summer dress and no shoes and her hair still mostly wet and tied into a loose pony tail. The big surprise was Jamie. No jeans and T-shirt now, but dressed in a summer dress almost the same as his mother, and also no shoes. His hair was dry, and I think Sandy used my hair dryer and and she had combed it into very feminine style with a barrette holding it in place. We all just stood there stunned by what we saw. It could have been me at the same age. ''She'' (I have to say 'she' because the boy that we all saw half an hour earlier was gone was replaced by this very pretty nine year old girl) was holding her mother's hand.
Mum who came out of the kitchen was the first to speak and said, “Oh my and who is this pretty little girl in a white dress and no shoes on?”
Sandy said, “Meet my daughter Jamie. She has the same name as the boy that was here when we arrived but the name is also a girls name. Jamie say hello to the people we are going to be living with till we can find a place of our own.”
Jamie was the typical shy girl and almost whispered, “It's nice to meet you all.”
Sandy then said, “I thought it best to not let anyone be under any delusions about Jamie. She is a girl with a medical condition called intersexed and hopefully it can be rectified without too much fuss. I wanted her to start her new life as the girl that she is and not what her birth certificate states.”
I went and gave her a hug and said, “Welcome to Quilpie and our home Jamie and I love what your Mum has done with your hair.”
Jamie started to relax and looked at me with her beautiful big brown eyes and it reminded me of myself all those years ago. Mum then announced that dinner was ready to be served and we all went into the dining room, I told everyone the take a seat and I gave Mum a hand to dish up the meal. While this was being done Rita and Peter also turned up so they could welcome the newcomers.
I had phoned Rita and explained about little Jamie being the same as me, so when she arrived she gave Jamie a hug and said, “Welcome to our family little girl, I love your dress.”
Jamie shyly replied “Thank you.”
Sandy just looked at Rita and said “Thank you.” with a warm smile that said 'thanks for excepting my daughter for who she is.'
Once dinner was over and everything was cleared away everyone ventured into the lounge room and the conversation led to what was happening in Queensland and all the damage the floods were doing to roads and a lot of other infrastructure. It was going to cost millions to repair all the damage. While this was going on Ricky took Jamie in to see the twins which were by the way supposed to be asleep by now. I think Daddy might have woken them up on purpose so he could show them off to Jamie and also get to know Jamie a little bit more. The thing is that Jamie probably reminded him so much of when we first met so I could understand where he was coming from. Ricky will make a great uncle for Jamie. The twins took to Jamie straight away as if they had some connection with her. I had my suspicions that my spirit sister had something to do with that!
The night ended on a happy note and everyone either went home in Rita and Peter's case or retired to their bedrooms, Tomorrow was another day and hopefully the weather would clear and let things get back to some normality.
To be continued
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Previously
The floods did a lot of damage to Queensland and it would cost the state a lot of money to repair roads and bridges that got washed away. As usual the outback country had to wait to have anything done. Most of the politicians live in Brisbane and it got first priority even though most of the state's money is generated in the rest of the state.
The story continues...
Saturday the second of February 1974
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Things were starting to dry out and get back to some normality. It had been a couple of weeks and Jamie had started school as a girl at the Catholic school, because Brian, (remember Brian the ex priest?), well he had still got some pull and was on the school committee, and of course he and his partner Karen were lawyers. Jamie was being treated by the same medical team that I and Christine had. Of course they were much older now and almost ready to retire but were still helping people to become who they were supposed to be.
Jamie had a while to go before she could get all the tests done. She was only nine and that was the same age when I was diagnosed as being inter-sexed and not transgendered, but being either does not make any difference to how one feels in the brain. I just hoped they don't make the same mistake and wait too long, and of course the equipment that was being used now was much more advanced. I was going to fly her and her mother down to Brisbane in the next couple of weeks seeing that her mother Sandy was now a working partner in my practice. Ross would come in and help out if things got really busy while I was away in Brisbane. I would also take the twins with me and let Rose see them for the first time. They were really good on the plane and mostly fell asleep after the first twenty minutes of the flight.
In the meantime the ground had dried out on Sandy's Dad's property enough to fly Jamie and her mother out there so that her grandparents could meet their new grand daughter. That would be interesting to watch because they last saw Jamie in England the previous year when they went to the funeral of Jamie's father. The property was not that far from Quilpie so it would not take very long to fly there. I phoned Ross to see if he would cover for us and he agreed. Chrissie would come in as well, which she didn't normally do on the weekends. Now that she is going to have a baby she want to spend time at home getting the nursery organised.
It was still early so I thought I'd go and see Jenny to see how she was coping with little Josh. He was now a month old and and growing like a weed in the garden. Of course Jenny was breast feeding him so she was pretty tired, but I did it with the twins so I thought she should be able to cope better than I did, and besides Mum is with her most days anyway. I went back home and got Sandy and Jamie who were living with us till they could sort out a home for themselves, to get ready to go for their visit. I got the twins ready to come as well. Ricky offered to do the flying when he realised that I was taking Donna and Jean with me as well, and I didn't say 'no' to that.
Ricky didn't do any weekend flying for the business any more since the twins came along, he let the other two pilots do that, We got ourselves together and went to the hanger which had been extended a couple of times to accommodate more planes and also give Alan the room he needed to work on them. Alan was there and had the chopper all set to go. It is always ready because it is also used as a back up for emergencies. We settled in the kids and got them all strapped into their seats. Jamie had a picture book to show them on the flight. The twins have taken to Jamie and Sandy said she hoped that the tests came back to show Jamie as inter-sexed and a girl internally.
It took about forty minutes to get to the property and Terry lit a flare for Ricky to land where the ground was hard and dry. Surprisingly the twins were wide awake and talking their own language with Jamie. I seemed to be the only one that didn't understand what they were saying, but I was only their mother. This was going to all get a bit emotional because it had been twelve months since Sandy and Jamie have seen Terry and Grace and the last time it was a sad occasion. We waited till the blades stopped before we opened the doors on the chopper. Terry and Grace were about fifty feet away but you could see the tears in their eyes from where we were. I let Sandy and Jamie get out before the rest of us did so they could have a family reunion.
Sandy was dressed in jeans and a nice top but Jamie went all the way in that white summer dress with shoe lace straps, red belt and red sandals. Her long blond hair was brushed out and loose and fluffy. She looked a real picture - there was no boy to be seen. She ran to be embraced by her grandparents. Mum Sandy had to wait for her hug. Ricky and I both grabbed a twin each and made our way to Sandy, Jamie and grandparents who were all in tears. Donna and Jean were wriggling so much we had to out them down and as soon as we did they ran squealing to Jamie.
My twin the spirit Jean was in my head and said, “Carla, would you like to know what is going to happen with Jamie's tests?”
Ricky said, “I heard that Jean” which made Sandy look around at him.
Sandy and Jamie had been told about my spirit twin but so far haven't seen a lot of what Jean did.
Ricky said, “Sorry, just thinking out loud."
Jamie said, “Uncle Ricky!! that was Jean wasn't it?”
“Yes Jamie sweetheart it was. She can be quite annoying sometimes."
Jamie said “What was she saying?”
I intervened and said, “We will talk about it a bit later sweetheart when you and your Nana and Poppy have had a chance to talk first ok?”
I said to Jean in my mind, “What was that all about sis, couldn't it wait till later?”
She replied, “No Carla it is important.”
“Ok then tell us now before we go inside the house.” Ricky was also tuned in but we didn't let on what was happening between me and Jean and kept quiet and communicated in our minds.
Jean announced that what they would find was pretty much what I thought anyway and she said, “Carla she is the same as you and she will have children at some stage in her life.”
I replied back, “I can't just come out and say that to her and Sandy can I?!!!”
“No sis but at least you know and you might be able to tell her a bit more about yourself and break the ice a bit and I will then try to get into her mind. She is as receptive as you and Ricky.”
I replied, “Sis please be careful she is very young.”
“And you weren't?”
“You know what I mean sis!!”
The communication between me and Jean had to stop till later but it would continue once we were alone. We all walked to the homestead. The ground was still quite soft but not muddy and the grass had already started to grow out of control. It was going to be a good year for the outback in terms of sheep and cattle feed. The twins wouldn't let go of Jamie's hands but she was just as happy as them and let it happen. She would indeed be a great mother some day.
We all ended up in the large homestead kitchen where Grace had a roast in the oven and was going to prepare the vegetables, so and Sandy and I chipped in and helped her in the kitchen while Jamie and the men went out on the large verandah to let two little girls run up and down and keep Jamie well and truly wrapped around their sticky little fingers.
Terry asked Ricky if he could do a bit of an inspection flight of the property to check the damage that all the flood water had done to any fences. All the livestock had been moved to higher ground as soon as Terry realised that it was going to be a serious flood so there were no stock losses on his property.
Jamie was quite happy playing with the twins so the men went on their inspection flight. I went for a walk to where the ram was kept and had a look at how he was healing up. Apart from missing patches of wool he looked fine and would be back out to see to his wives again very soon.
By the time Ricky and Terry had returned in the chopper it was time to set the table and have a traditional Aussie baked meal gravy and all. Desert was an apple pie with fresh cream. There were no high chairs to sit the two little monsters in so Jamie sat on cushions on the floor and fed them, making a hell of a mess for us to clean up but Grace insisted it was ok so we let it happen.
Jamie had to have a towel covering her white dress and to my surprise it was clean when the twins finished the meal. There is no doubt about Jamie being a girl. She moved and talked like girl and even sat like a girl with her legs tucked under her. She was a ''girl'' full stop.
It was time to gather everyone up for the flight home. Terry said that next time we would be able to come in the fixed wing aircraft because the contractors were coming next week to make a start on the landing strip. That meant Sandy who also had a pilot's licence could fly out and bring their granddaughter to see them more often.
It was two in the afternoon, so it was time to go. We all climbed aboard the chopper and buckled up. The twins were almost asleep before Ricky even started to engine. They were worn out and I think so was Jamie after chasing them around most of the day. Once we were air-borne Jamie was asleep as well and it was a pretty sight to look back and see the twins leaning in on a sleeping little girl in a summer dress. She had her arms around the little ones. I took over the controls of the chopper because I wanted to keep my flying hours up with the chopper. It is a requirement to keep your licence.
We landed back home at three thirty and was greeted by Mum and Dad. They were worried about the twins being out so long, so as soon as the doors were open Mum looked in to see three little girls fast asleep in the back seat of the chopper and said. “I wonder if we could use the chopper to get them to sleep all the time?”
I replied, “Are you going to pay for the fuel then?”--- Arr-- perhaps not.
We woke up the sleeping beauties to get them out of their seats and they all looked around bleary-eyed
Jamie said, “Are we home then?”
Sandy said, “Yes sweetheart did you enjoy the flight?”
“I don't know about the flight but seeing Nana and Poppy was great wasn't it?”
Sandy replied, “Darling once we sort out a house and things settle down a bit, we'll get out to see them more often. Don’t forget I have a pilot's licence as well and I too have to get some flying time in and soon, otherwise I might lose it and that would not be good for Aunty Carla’s and my business.”
Jamie said, “But Mummy you don’t own a plane and neither does Poppy.”
“Well if we're lucky Aunty Carla might just be kind enough to lend us the plane a few times as long as we pay for the fuel.”
Jamie looked at me with those gorgeous brown eyes and long eyelashes with an expectant look.
I felt my heart dissolve and said, “Jamie sweetheart, your Mummy is part of the business and the plane is part of that business, so if she wants to use it she has every right to. Besides she will have to fly out to other properties anyway.”
Jamie looked at her mother and said, “Mummy does that mean I can learn to fly too?”
Sandy replied, “Of course Jamie, you can get a pilot's licence at fifteen years of age in Australia and by the time you turn fifteen I will expect to have trained you well enough to do your first solo flight.”
Jamie was happy with that answer and ran off to play with my little girls and give Mum a break. Mum was still pretty fit but the little ones took a lot of energy to keep up with.
I phoned Chrissie and asked if they needed us down at the surgery but she was ready to go home and close up for the day. Her pregnancy was have an effect on her and I really don’t want to be responsible for a miscarriage. The first three months are supposed to be when it can happen, Alan wanted her to stop work as soon as he found out Chrissie was pregnant. He really is a caring man. Jenny, Chrissie and myself were so lucky to have men that were so gentle and in tune with what we women needed. Jean reckoned she was responsible for that because of her spiritual guidance. She could well be right.
Mum had invited the whole family to Saturday night dinner, so it was all hands on deck with preparing the food. Half an hour later Chrissie and Alan were there followed by Billy, Jenny and little Josh. My little ones still thought that Josh was a doll and wanted him put into their tiny little doll strollers, so we spread out a doona on the floor in the lounge room and let Jamie play Mummy with supervision. She was really good with the little ones. She was a natural at being a girl. It was the same with me at that age. I didn’t know how long it would be before she would receive hormone treatment but I hoped it would be better regulated than when I was given them because it almost killed me when I started to menstruate before they opened me up. I would be keeping a close eye on the whole process to make sure she didn't have to go through what I had to.
There must have been something in the water because when Rita and Peter turned up with Barry and Helen, Rita almost couldn't contain herself.
She said, “Listen everyone, there will be another addition to the clan in seven months time.” Peter was as bad as Alan and insisted that Rita had to sit and do no more work till the baby was born.
There were twelve people to sit at the hundred year old extendable table, plus two high chairs. We brought in some more chairs from the kitchen and were all set to dish up a fairly normal Aussie meal of five veg and steak with ice cream and tinned fruit to finish. The simple meals were always the best and with Mum doing the cooking even the simplest meal was very tasty. She was after all a qualified chef.
Jenny sat on the doona in the lounge and breast fed little Josh with my little ones looking on and Jamie trying to control them. It was a funny sight with them on the floor. Even Chrissie sat down with them. Jamie was in her element as a girl.
We all agreed to go to church the following morning at the Lutheran church. That was our preference now. Even Brian and his partner sometimes attended as well. The only real connection he now had with the Catholic church was the school. He did their legal work and he was the one that made it clear that Jamie was to be enrolled as a girl or he would withdraw his free service as their legal eagle.
Sunday 3/2/74
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It was a hot morning and the church was at ten o'clock so we all had plenty of time to get ourselves ready to go, but when there are two little girls not co-operating with their Mummy it wasted a lot of time. Donna and Jean are already picky about what they would wear. Heaven help me when they got older - it would be bedlam getting them ready to go out. They did look so cute when they were dressed the same and most people couldn't tell them apart. Donna had a tiny little birth mark behind her left ear, so if we couldn't tell which was which we could lift their hair and have a look. I hated to think what would happen when they got to be teenagers.
It must have been funny at church when the Croft clan decided to attend church. It happened once a month, but when it did it was almost like a family reunion and we took up three whole pews in the church. Jamie was excited because she was going to the Catholic school and got to go to a different church which she said was cool. Her friends at school all envied her being able to do it although this was her first time there, and she had made a special effort to look as girly as she could. I didn't know if she realised it but she didn't look anything but girly all the time. It was a hot day and it was also time to start swimming lessons for the twins. Uncle Tony had a pool put in a couple of years back when his legs started giving trouble and he got in the pool to do exercises, but the pool seemed to belong to all of us, and that is the way he wanted it. The river was still flowing too fast to swim in.
All the women except Chrissie were in bikinis. Even the little ones looked really cute in theirs. Jamie was a little bit shy at first but once she realised no-one even thought of her as a boy in any way, she started to enjoy herself in the pool with Ricky and the twins. They of course had flotations on their arms and splashed around. I think Jean must have been holding them up because they were quite high in the water and kept looking in a certain direction. For some reason Jean could make them see her, which was ok by me. She was their spirit aunty after all.
To be continued.
Next time: Sandy finds a house and also takes to the sky.
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Editor's note: Ronnie has to take a break from writing this story for a while, but wants to thank everyone for their support, both with her stories and her own life. We all wish her well.
Introduction:
I posted the first chapter of 'Carla's Journey' back in May 2012, and the last chapter Part 2, Chapter 4, in July 2012, following it up with an Epilogue in September. I was unsure if I would continue writing since I had embarked on the greatest journey of my life, transitioning to the woman I always knew myself to be. My name too is now officially Carla.
I will now continue to tell Carla's story from where I left off, so the Epilogue won't come into play for quite some time. I won't be posting quite as much as I did previously as my life has changed quite a bit and I have many more interests now. For those readers new to the story, I respectfully suggest that you start reading from that first chapter back in May 2012. If you wish to go back to the very beginning of Carla's story, then you should start by reading 'The Girl inside the Boy' which I first started posting back in November 2011. For those who, noting that my name and the heroine's are the same may wonder how much of an autobiographic element there is in the story, I will only say that it forms the basis for some parts of the story, but I have also used an author's license to change and embellish many elements. I hope you enjoy my story
I start this chapter when we all had to get back to our normal activity such as working for a living and going to school. It was Monday the third of February 1974, 6 am and the tribe all needed to be fed and watered. With nine people living in the house it was just as well that there were two bathrooms to use. Of course us girls had first priority on the main bathroom with a shower and bath tub so either me or Mum could let the two youngest of the family splash around in the tub while we were having a shower.
Mum said, “Bill would you mind giving the twins a shower this morning so that us ladies can have a bit more time to get ready for the day?”
Bill wasn't to keen on taking both the twins in the shower at once because they are quite the slippery little eels when they are all soaped up,and replied, “Hoy, what about their Daddy?!!! He can have Jean when I have finished with Donna if it's not too much to ask.”
Mum replied “Just do it or you both make your own breakfast OK?!”
Bill said, “Bloody hell, women are going to take over the world soon.”and he then went to the twins room to get little Donna who was standing on her bed jumping up and down with Jean clapping her hands. Ricky was already in the room sorting out their clothes for the day so Bill quickly grabbed Donna under his arm and off to the shower. Ricky quickly took Jean to the other bathroom before any of us ladies had a chance to object. To bathe the twins together is bedlam and I defy anyone to try.
It didn't take the men long and both bathrooms were free to use, so one by one all five ladies and two little balls of energy had showers and were dressed and in the kitchen making breakfast. The twins were put in their high chairs and fed by Jamie who was told to put on a smock so she wouldn't get food all over her new school uniform which she wore with pride.
Mum is still the best in the kitchen and insisted on doing most of the cooking as long as she didn't have to do all the cleaning up. There was enough of us around to make quick work of washing up and tiding after meals so Mum could look after the twins while we all went off to work. Bill who I will still call Daddy because myself and Jenny have never called him anything else (Chrissie calls him Uncle), stays around the house and yard most days and gives Mum a break looking after the twins. I am so lucky to have them as parents.
Sandy runs Jamie to school before she comes into the surgery to sort out what she has to do for the day. I can take it a little bit slower these days. Sandy wants to get her flying hours up so she is going to do most of the flying for a while and I will handle most of the local work, Chrissie is in the office and and also doubles as an assistant in the surgery.
It was a quiet start for the day and I decided to take a run out to the hanger with Sandy to check out the chopper and give her a bit of a run down on her first flying lesson in the chopper. She is an experienced pilot in fixed wing aircraft but not in choppers, so she has to start her training. Out here there is a real need to use helicopters as not all properties have landing strips.
We arrived at the hanger and Alan had already got the machine out onto the tarmac and said, “Good morning ladies, you're late.”
We both replied in unison, “And good morning to you too Alan.”
He said, “Sorry ladies, late night repairing an electrical problem on one of the older planes.”
I replied “Is that the one we are using for training?”
“Yep that's the one.”
I said, “Ok don’t do any more work on it, we are replacing it with a new Cessna next week.”
Alan is very thorough and leaves nothing to chance with our fleet of aircraft. He and three other guys look after not only our own planes but also does maintenance on most of the small aircraft around Quilpie and district. We now own six charter planes and two helicopters. Sandy is amazed at how big that part of the business has become. My own plane is used only for the vet business or family use.
Sandy said, “Is that the helicopter that gets used for the surgery?”
I said, “Don't let the size of it worry you Sandy it is a real treat to fly”
She replied “Carla, you are going to be my instructor aren’t you?”
“Yes, and so will Ricky when he has time. It wont take you long to get the hang of it.”
We climbed aboard and Sandy did all the pre-flight checks under my instructions and then I took over and started the engine. I was talking to her all the time so she could follow what is different in flying a chopper and a fixed aircraft.
We took off and when we were half an hour out Chrissie contacted me on the radio to come back in and collect our bags because there was a call to go to an out-lying station.
Sandy heard through the ear phones what was going on and gave me the thumbs up and we were on our way back. When we landed Ricky was there with our bags and the details of where to go to the station where a mare was having a difficult time giving birth to her foal. He had Donna and Jean with him because they were always excited when they saw the helicopter.
I said “Sandy, stay in the chopper while I give the little ones a hug and talk to Ricky, I won't be long,” I never shut the engine down so it was still a bit noisy but the twins loved it and came running up to me and I picked them both up and told them to be good girls for Daddy today. They hung on to my neck till Ricky took them back.
Ricky said, “Honey it's about ten miles south of Stony Ridge and they have a landing strip on the property with an air sock. The owner is a Barry Olson and a nice guy. I'll see you when you get back.” He gave me a kiss and I kissed the twins once more and climbed back into the helicopter.
The flight took forty five minutes and I could see the buildings and stock yards. The strip was about half a mile east and I made out the air sock which was telling me the wind direction. Right next to the air sock was a white four wheel drive and a man waving to us so I made my way to that spot to land the chopper about fifty yards away from where he was standing.
I said Sandy who still had her ear phones on, “Sandy put your hands on the controls on your side so you get the feel of what I am doing.” She did as I asked and we put the bird down gently on the strip, I switched the engine off and the man came over to the chopper.
I got out first and said “G'day I'm Carla and the other lady is my partner Sandy who will probably come out here next time to look after you.”
He replied, “Good morning Carla, I'm Barry, did you have a good flight?”
“Yes, it's quite a way but the chopper makes it an easy ride.”
Sandy stood beside me and said in a more posh voice then me, “Hello I'm Sandra.”
He replied, “Goodness, two pretty ladies to look after my mare, she will be impressed”
Sandy blushed a little and said, “It looks like you have a a new runway and I will be happy to use it when I come out this way, but it will be in a fixed wing Piper Comanche”.
We grabbed our veterinary bags and climbed into the four wheel drive. Barry was a man in his late fifties and very well spoken. We chatted about what the recent floods had done to all the roads out here and the money it would cost to repair all the damage.
Barry stopped the car just outside the yards, and we all got out and walked to where the mare was on the ground in a well kept stable. Barry's wife was sitting next to the horse stroking her head.
She looked up and said, “I'm Trish, Thanks for coming out so quickly, the mare is in a spot of trouble”
After the quick round of introductions, Sandy and I went to work, and a male foal was soon born, much to the relief of the Olsens. A station hand named Kerry arrived soon after and she, 'yes she' said, “You lot go and have some lunch. I'll look after mother and son”
We all climbed aboard the four wheel drive and went to the homestead just over the hill.
The house was a typical old Queensland homestead with wide verandahs all the way round. Once inside it was ten degrees cooler.
Trish said “What would you ladies like to drink and eat before you have to get under way?”
Sandy replied, ”As long as there’s no alcohol in it whatever you have is fine.”
Trish replied “Of course you can’t have any grog while flying can you.”
“Not unless you want to put us up for the night.” was my reply.
Lunch was a salad with cold sliced lamb, and freshly squeezed orange juice. By the time we finished it was almost one pm and we needed to make our way back to the surgery in case there were other patients to see. On the way out to the chopper we had one more look to see how the mare and her foal were doing. They were both fine; the foal was shaky but standing and had found its mother's milk supply, no doubt with Kerry's help.
We said our goodbyes and were airborne in no time. I let Sandy take the controls and instructed her on flying the chopper. She is an easy person to teach and I don’t think it will take her too long to be in the air by herself. Meanwhile she will fly the Piper. I got on the radio and got transferred to Chrissie back at the surgery to see what was happening. There were three animals booked in at three pm so we had enough time to get back without any drama.
Ricky was at the hanger to take us back to the surgery so we had time to have a cuppa before our patients arrived.
Sandy said “Carla, I’ll handle the work this afternoon. You might as well go and see the twins, and would you mind picking up Jamie from school?”
“Sure Sandy, it will be a pleasure to pick up Jamie, and besides, the twins will be looking for her by now.”
Ricky said on the way home “What is Sandy like in the chopper?”
“She'll get her wings fairly quickly Ricky she is a natural.”
Jamie was happy to see me and Ricky. She has taken to us and considers us as her family, especially Donna and Jean, and I think she might also be able to communicate with the spirit Jean. She won't admit to it, but when she is with the twins there seems to be a lot of whispering going on.
We got home and the twins were waiting with Mum at the gates jumping up and down saying “Jamie, Jamie”.
I looked at Ricky and said, “So much for their parents.”
He replied “Jamie is welcome to them this afternoon they wore me out today.”
The day ended with us all tired, and after dinner it was a bit of television and off to bed till it all started again the next day.
The rest of the week was busy at the surgery and Sandy took the Piper out a couple of times so I could spend more time with Chrissie and also catch up on some bookwork. Ricky had charter work down to Sydney, so Mum and Dad looked after the twins and also Jamie. They love her to bits as she is the same as I was at her age. She is all girl and it shows and she has the men wrapped around her fingers, but don’t all girls do that?
To be continued
Carla Bay
Part Three - Chapter Two
Sandy meets Aunty Jean
Editing by Bronwen
Saturday 8/2/74
The surgery is not open on weekends but we are on call 24/7. People are very good and it has to be an emergency before anyone calls me or Sandy out. It is much easier now to be in a partnership and the work load is easier to cope with. Chrissie is also getting tired if she doesn't get a break through the day so we have put on a girl named Amy Brigly who is eighteen and keen to learn the ropes. Chrissie is six months into her pregnancy and Alan is not happy to have her working to full-term and says the baby must come first.
I agree with Alan and will make her stop work as soon as Amy can cope on her own with the reception job. She is a smart girl and it will only take another two weeks for her to do the job on her own. Sandy decided it was time to move into her own home, not that there is not enough room at Mum and Dad's house but she wants to be able to have her parents stay when they come to town and spend time with their granddaughter Jamie.
It was only seven o'clock and the two little monsters had already climbed out of their cots and were wanting to jump on our bed. Ricky loves playing with them, but Donna and Jean can be very boisterous and I soon got out of bed to make breakfast and leave them to their Daddy. They are starting to put sentences together and I think Big Jean is in the background pushing them along.
I was in the kitchen getting breakfast for my lot when Sandy came in and said, “Jamie said she can hear your twin speaking to the twins, and has also communicated with her. She is not making it up is she?”
I replied, “No I'm afraid she is not making it up Sandy, I think Jean does it because of the twins and can see how close Jamie has become to the girls”.
“Can she actually see her, Jean I mean?”
“Well most of us can. I certainly can but then she lives within me because I told her at her grave site many years ago that she would live her life through me. She has been with me ever since and she will be till I pass over to the other side to join her.”
“How will it affect Jamie?”
“Jean will protect Jamie the same as she does with the twins and me,” I said, “Hold my hand and close your eyes and listen in your mind.”
I said, “Jean, please put Sandy at ease and say hello.”
Sandy grabbed my hand tightly as Jean said, 'Sandy, I will look after Jamie as she goes through life just like I do for Carla and the twins.'
I felt Sandy grip my hand even tighter and then Jean went quiet.
I said, “Thanks sis.”
Sandy said, “Bloody hell Carla, it's for real isn't it?”
I replied, ”You have to get used to it, she is half of me.”
After that Sandy gave me a hand to prepare breakfast for all of us, even Mum and Dad. It was eight o'clock when everyone came to the kitchen and all were dressed for the day and it was going to be a hot one, so Sandy said, “Alright everyone, grab some plates and things and we will have breakfast out on the verandah in the cool.”
The twins were clinging to my legs and there is no way I could carry anything while they were doing that so Ricky grabbed both with one under each arm squealing like little piggies.
Breakfast was cereal followed by bacon and eggs. We all like to have a decent breakfast and the twins are no different. Jamie seems to be the one to sit with the two little ones but I think Big Jean is there to help keep them under control.
After breakfast Jamie followed me into the kitchen and whispered “Aunty Carla, could I talk to you about Jean, you know Big Jean?”
“Yes of course darling what is worrying you?”
Just as I said that Sandy walked in and said, “Jamie sweetheart, I know about you communicating with Carla's twin and it's ok”
I then said, “Listen, the others can clean up in here and we'll go into my bedroom and close the door. I will let Ricky know what we are doing.”
Mum came in next to help and overheard us talking and said, “Listen, you three ladies go and talk with Jean. I will organise the clean up so we can go out later.”
I replied “Thanks Mum.” and grabbed Jamie by the hand while Sandy followed us to my bedroom. I closed the door so we wouldn’t be disturbed.
I said, “Sandy, you lay on the bed with Jamie and hold her hand and I will lay beside Jamie and hold her other hand.”
They did as I asked and I lay down next to Jamie and and put her hand in mine and said, “Now I want you both to close your eyes and listen to me communicating with Jean and we will see if she has enough energy to let you see her in your mind, but you will have to keep your eyes closed or I won't be able to keep the connection.” I explained, “You will feel a vibration at first so just keep concentrating and this will work”.
I myself don't have to close my eyes any more because Jean and I are so in tune with each other that we can communicate at will.
I said, 'Jean I would like you to show yourself to Sandy and Jamie and put them at ease with you.'
Jean replied, 'Alright sis, but they can open their eyes and I will let them see me.'
I kept quiet so she could communicate with Jamie and Sandy and just made sure to keep holding their hands or Jean would lose the connection. Once they became familiar with doing this it got easier for Jean to connect. Jean spoke with a voice that sounds just like mine so it was just as well that she let Jamie and Sandy see her or they would think it was me doing the talking.
She said very softly 'Hello Jamie and Sandra, if you open your eyes I am sitting on the end of the bed. Don’t be afraid, but keep hold of Carla's hand.' Jean still wears that beautiful blue gown. She looks just like me, after all we are identical twins.
Jamie said, “Aunty Jean your are beautiful just like Aunty Carla. I hear you talking with Donna and Jean all the time. Can they see you too?”
'Yes Jamie, and I will be with them for their whole lives'
Sandy joined in the conversation and eventually Jean ran out of energy and said goodbye and faded.
Sandy said, “Can Jean talk with anyone?”
“No, only people that are close to me.”
Jamie said “I love the tingly feeling at the start. Will we always have to hold your hand to talk with her?”
“No, once the connection gets stronger there will be no need.”
Jamie was most impressed with the blue shimmery gown that Jean wears and so was Sandy, We then got off the bed and joined the others on the verandah.
Sandy said, “Are you coming down to have a look at the house that’s for sale down the road?”
I replied, “I wouldn't miss it for the world. Is that the one next to Tony's place?”
“That’s the one Aunty Carla, it has a pool too,” said an excited Jamie.
Mum and Dad volunteered to look after the twins while I, Sandy, Jamie and Ricky walked down the road to where the old rambling house stood. It had been renovated and restored to its former glory and was a classic example of an eighteenth century Queenslander homestead. It had a big yard with a swimming pool and large shed at the back and was exactly what Sandy was looking for, and it was within walking distance of our house. Of It's a wonder she didn't fall in.
I said, “Be careful Jamie, we don’t want to have to fish you out.”
she replied, “Aunty Carla, I'm a good swimmer aren't I Mummy?”
“Yes darling,” answered Sandy with a smile on her face. She looked at me and said “Well what do you think? About the house I mean”
“Well let's see what the inside looks like shall we?” Having bought and sold quite a bit of real estate I always like to have a look to see what sort of a job the renovations were like.
Ricky was more interested in the large shed which was set up to work on cars, so we left him out there and Sandy put the key in the front door to reveal a perfectly restored interior with quite a bit of furniture left inside for any one that bought the house. Jamie walked around the large verandah and was looking through the double French doors of one of the bedrooms and discovered it had bed and dressing table in it and came running in through the front door squealing “Mummy!! Mummy!! I have just seen my new bedroom.” and rushed past us to have a look.
I said, “It looks like Jamie thinks you should buy this house Sandy”
“Too late Carla, I signed the papers yesterday”
“Well good for you. How come all the furniture is still here?”
“That was part of my bargaining, I'm good at real estate too!”
“Come on Sandy, we had better go and have a look at what Jamie is up to.”
“I had better tell her that I have bought this place,” replied Sandy.
When we got to the room Jamie was twirling herself in front of a full length mirror and didn’t even notice us standing at the door. Sandy said, “Jamie how would you like to sleep in that bed tonight?”
Jamie didn't say anything but rushed over into Sandy's arms and they both had tears in their eyes as Jamie said, “Mummy, I miss Daddy and wish he were here”
“Me too darling, me too.”
Just then Ricky walked in and said "I just saw Tony and he said, 'Isabella wants us to go over to their house for morning tea so she can spoil little Jamie.'"
I said, “Ok but don’t you want to have a look inside here first?”
He replied, “Carla honey, Iwas the one who took Sandy here the other day.”
I replied, “How come I am always the last to know these things?”
“Just lucky I guess” he said.
It was hard to drag Jamie away from the bedroom once she realised it was hers, so Ricky said, “Jamie honey, you will have the rest of your life to spend here. Come on, Uncle Tony is waiting to spoil you and your Mum.”
As we walked over to Tony's place, Jean was saying something to me that brought shivers down my spine. She said, 'You need to take Jamie to see a specialist and soon Carla! Talk with Sandy and make her aware of how important it is.'
I said in my mind so no one knew what was going on although Ricky was probably tuned in as well, 'Jean, how urgent is it?'
She replied, 'Get her to Brisbane as soon as you can. You don’t want her to go through the same dramas that you did do you?'
'No, that is not going to happen.' I replied. Ricky looked at me in a knowing fashion and nodded.
We were walking into Tony's yard and he was waiting for us on the verandah, “Come on you lot, scones are hot and the tea is made.”
Just then Bella came out pushing a tea trolley onto the verandah, Both Tony and Bella have taken to Jamie and wanted their hugs from her before we all sat down at the table set up in the cool of the verandah. Jamie was so excited and positively bubbled over. I asked Sandy to come for a walk in the garden with me so we could discuss Jamie and what has to happen in the next week. We sat ourselves down on a bench next to the pool and I said, “Sandy I need to talk about Jamie while she is occupied elsewhere.”
Sandy raised her eyebrows and said “It is time isn't it?”
We discussed what had to be done, and sorted out what to do about the surgery while we were in Brisbane. Ross was still able to come in and with Chrissie's help would manage.
Sandy then asked, “Carla, it is Jean that is telling you what to do isn't it?”
“Yes, and she is always there when she is needed, especially where Jamie is concerned, so just relax and we will get Jamie down to Brisbane to see Rose. You will like Rose, she is getting old but she is the one that sorted me out and will do the same for our little Jamie.”.
It was time to go back home and sort out some things so Sandy and Jamie could start spending some time in their new home at least until Ricky could organise Billy and Alan to give him a hand to move all of Sandy's and Jamie's things in the next few days.
Jamie was very quiet and Sandy asked, “Jamie what is wrong? You were talking nineteen to the dozen a minute ago?”
“Mummy I heard what Aunty Jean was saying to Carla in my mind. What is so urgent? Is there something wrong with me?”
I interjected and said, “Jamie, you know you are like me, and it is time for us to take you to Brisbane to let a doctor there have a look at you. Don’t worry, everything will be fine. Mummy and myself will be with you all the time and the twins will also be coming with us so Rose the doctor can meet them.”
The rest of the day was spent packing up enough things so Sandy and Jamie could spend their first night in their home.
To be continued
Next time: Getting organised and going to Brisbane with Jamie, Sandy, myself and the two little ones. It will be stressful
Part Three - Chapter Three
Preparing for Brisbane
Editing by Bronwen
Previously: We had gone to see Sandy's new home just down the road and ended up coming back to pack enough things for them to sleep in their new home that night.
Sunday morning.
It was six a.m., and the twins had climbed out of their cots and were playing on the floor so I nudged Ricky in the ribs and said, “Honey, it's your turn to take the little ones to the shower while I get breakfast ready.”
He complained, “Can't you do it---you're much faster and they listen to you.”
I said, “Ricky, I'm going to have them all next week in Brisbane so, no!! Get out of bed and get moving, we're going to church this morning with Jamie and Sandy and I'm better at making breakfast.”
By this time Donna and Jean were on our bed jumping on their Daddy so he had no choice but to take them to their shower.
When I arrived in the kitchen Mum was already getting breakfast ready while Dad had gone down to get the Sunday Mail newspaper. By the time he got back breakfast was ready and Ricky had the twins under control and in their high chairs feeding them their cereal with bits of chopped up banana. They were both really good eaters, and of course they had their Daddy wrapped right around their sticky little fingers,
I had no more than toast and coffee. These days any food I put in my mouth goes straight to my thighs, while Ricky eats like a horse and stays thin as a greyhound.
Mum asked, “Do you want me and Dad to come to church with you this morning?”
I replied, “Mum, would you and Dad mind the twins this morning? After we've been to church, I want to have a talk with Jamie about what is going to happen when we take her down to Brisbane to be checked out at the Mater hospital.”
Mum replied, “Of course darling, they are no trouble, so you do what you have to do.”
Ricky and I left the girls with Mum and got ready to go to church. When we were ready we hugged the twins and got in the car to go and pick up Sandy and Jamie. We arrived two minutes later because their house is only fifty yards down the road, and they were all dressed and waiting on the wide verandah.
Jamie was dressed in that pretty white summer dress with red sandals and a red ribbon in her long blonde hair. She is such a pretty girl and Sandy fusses over her daughter like Mum and Rita did me when I was her age. Sandy wore a blue skirt and white top with cream coloured sandals; I was in a cream jacket and slacks with red two inch heels. Ricky looked handsome in a light blue shirt and brown slacks, I am still deeply in love with my man, he looks so handsome.
There is a new minister at the Lutheran church, he is quite young and has a pretty wife. They are Robert and Julie Atkins and they have been told about Jamie and have accepted her as just another little nine year old girl. Jamie is bound to make quite a few new friends of her own age which she has already done at the school she attends. We arrived at the church with Ricky taking the lead and introducing himself to Robert, as this is the first time he has come since the new minster took over.
Sandy, myself, and Jamie came to the church a few days ago to make sure Jamie was happy to go to this church because she goes to the Catholic school. She thought she would not be allowed to attend another church. I put her straight on that one and told her God is not in any particular building and you can pray to him anywhere you like. She asked me if Jean was with God and I told her she is in the spirit world and left it at that.
After the service I said to Ricky, “Darling you may as well go home. Sandy, Jamie and I will walk home and discuss what happens next week.”
He gave me a kiss and said, “Ok”. He then gave Jamie a hug and said, “Jamie sweetheart, everything will be ok. Mummy and Aunty Carla will know what to do.” He also gave Sandy a hug and said, “I wish I were going too but someone has to run the business side of things at Croft Air Charter.” and off he went.
Sandy said “Carla, I can see why you love that man so much, he is one in a million.”
I replied, “Sandy, I met him fifteen years ago at the river when he dared me to swim out to the drum in the middle of the the river. It ended up with me saving him from drowning, and we have been soul mates ever since.”
Jean was in our heads and said, 'Don't forget me Sis, I helped you save him, remember?'
We all laughed at that. Jean is never far away, which is why when I fly I know she is there if things go wrong.
We started to slowly walk home, and I explained to Jamie about what I had to go through and reassured her that she won't be unconscious when we arrive at Archerfield airport, and it will not be in the chopper because it is used to do the work at Quilpie. Seeing that Mummy can't yet fly the chopper on her own, it will also mean that having the twins on board we can take turns at the controls.
Jamie said, “Can I have a go at the controls as well?”
Sandy said, “Honey, I think we will have our hands full with the twins don’t you?”
“Yes mummy, I guess I will have to look after them won't I?”
I said, “Now you're thinking girl, you're not just a pretty face after all!”
We stopped at the corner shop to buy some things to put in Sandy's fridge to tide them over for a couple of days till Sandy can fully stock her pantry, and ended up buying a lot more things then we could carry, so had to go back with the car to pick them up. I went with them and helped Sandy put the things away in her own kitchen.
She said, “Carla, as soon as I get settled in I will have a house warming party.”
“I'll help with the cooking,” said a dancing Jamie.
I replied, “That is if we can get you out of the pool long enough!”
“I can cook really well can't I Mummy?”
“Yes sweetheart you certainly can, and you are a great help in the kitchen.”
That put me in my place!! Even Jean had a giggle at my expense.
We went backwards and forwards a few more times through the day with some more things, and by mid afternoon we were exhausted so decided to all get in the pool. Mum brought the twins down and Jamie played with them in the pool. They have been made pool-safe and can float, but we still insist that they wear their little water wings. After a while Ricky got in with them while Sandy and I started to do something about dinner. Mum had already brought some heat up food with her so it wasn't too hard to put on a decent first meal in Sandy's home.
After dinner we left Sandy and Jamie to it and went home to sort out what was to happen the next week while we were in Brisbane. Ricky was busy with the air charter business and Chrissie and Ross would handle the vet surgery, also Amy was in the office. If need be a vet from Charleville would come to give a hand. I packed all the clothes and things needed for myself and the twins, but I also own an apartment at West End that the whole family uses when we are in Brisbane. It is cheaper than staying in hotels. The apartment is always stocked with food and we leave a certain amount of clothes there as well. We do quite a lot of business in Brisbane, so it is a necessity to have somewhere to stay while we are there.
We have our own hanger at Archerfield, and a car is kept there for our use while in Brisbane, so no more taxies are needed. It helps to save money.
At bed time for the little ones, either myself or Ricky will read them a bed-time story till both of them drop off to sleep. They sleep all the way through till six am in the morning. I think Jean must have something to do with that which is ok by me, she is their aunty after all.
It was ten p.m., and it had been a long day so I made my way to bed after saying good night to Mum and Dad. Ricky was asleep in a lounge chair, and I was almost tempted to leave him there but he would only wake me when he came to bed later.
I said, “Darling, time to come to bed.” he mumbled something and was going back to sleep when I gently sat on his lap and whispered in his ear, “I won't be around for a week, would you like to make love tonight?”
I won't go into what happened next ,but I didn't have to walk to the bedroom. The power we women have over men in his situation is complete!!!!
If I wasn't on the pill I would probably be continuously pregnant. I want more kids and so does Ricky, but we will wait till the twins are at least three years old and what if I have another set of twins? I think waiting is a better option.
All too soon it was morning, and our two legged alarm bells were in good form as always.
Ricky said, “Why do they always jump on me and not you?”
I replied above the noise of two little monsters squealing and giggling, “Because you encourage them sweetheart.” and he does. Donna and Jean can just about do anything with him and he just lets them get away with it. Mean Mummy won't, so all I get is warm hugs and cuddles with sloppy kisses.
It was time to get moving so it was up and at 'em. Ricky took Donna and I took Jean and off to the bathrooms we went. Half an hour later, we were all showered and dressed for the day. Mum and Dad knew it was going to be a rush that morning so Dad gave Mum a hand to get breakfast ready and also fed the twins for me. Ricky had an early start and wanted to head out to the hanger to organise what the other pilots had on for the coming few days.
He had his breakfast and kissed me and the twins and said, “I will ring you every night to get an update on what is happening down there in Brisbane, and I will drop into Sandy's place on the way to work to say goodbye to Jamie and wish my little mate good luck.”
Ricky has a special attachment to Jamie because she is so much like me in many ways, and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she didn't also become a vet in the future.
I said my 'goodbyes' to Mum and Dad and gathered up my bags while Mum took the girls by their hands and made them walk out to the car and strapped them in the child seats and we were ready to go. Mum kissed the twins one more time and we were off.
Sandy and Jamie were all ready to go and waiting at their front gate. Both were wearing jeans and tee-shirts to be comfortable for the three hour flight to Archerfield. They climbed aboard my four wheel drive and we were on our way to the air strip and hanger where the Piper was all fuelled up and ready to go.
We arrived to see Alan giving the craft a once-over. He is fastidious about the fleet and mine is even more important to him. I parked the the car in a shed beside the main hanger and started to get all our gear out to load into my plane when Terry one of the maintenance mechanics came and gave us ladies a hand to carry the luggage to the plane. Alan picked up both giggling twins and carried them to the plane and proceeded to strap them into their seats. The plane is a five seater so Jamie was going to sit between the girls to keep them under control.
For some reason she only has to look at them and they behave like little angels. I really think that my twin is in cahoots with Jamie where the twins are concerned, which is fine by me. Who am I to argue with that?
Once everything was put in the cargo hold of the plane and the outside flight checks were done by Sandy we were ready to go. We climbed aboard, closed the doors, gave Alan and Terry the thumbs up and Sandy started the engines. I called flight control and gave them our flight plan and we were cleared for take off.
I let Sandy take the first leg of the flight. It makes it a relaxing trip when two people share the flying. She taxied out onto the runway and turned the plane around ready for take off, did a few more checks and pulled the throttle back. The Piper responded with the familiar growl of the two engines and we were airborne within a few seconds.
She climbed to five thousand feet and levelled out. Our speed was three hundred air knots which is a comfortable speed and easy on the fuel. Jamie was reading the girls a book. The Piper is not a noisy plane inside while in level flight, in fact it is no more noisy than in a car. It's only noisy while climbing with full power on.
Within twenty minutes all three girls were asleep so there wasn't going to be any drama with them. After an hour and a half I took over the controls till we landed at our destination. Archerfield came into sight and I radioed the tower for permission to land and within five minutes we were taxing up to the Croft Air Charter hanger for the plane to be put away for the next week. Barry the head man at our Archerfield end of the business came out to greet us and help load our things into the four wheel drive that we use in Brisbane.
Sandy and I got the three sleeping beauties out of the aircraft and into the car and of course they looked around to see they were on the ground and missed most of the flight which Jamie was not to happy about.
She said, “Mummy why did you let me go to sleep up there?”
Sandy replied “Sweetheart, the last couple of days have worn you out so I let you get some rest before we take you to see Doctor Rose, OK?”
“Yes Mummy,” she said with a girlie pout on her pretty little face.
I said, “That look might work with Uncle Ricky and Uncle Bill but we know about girlie pouts don't we Sandy?” Sandy just winked at me with a knowing smile.
Once in the car and on our way into the city the girls all looked around at the throng of the Brisbane traffic which none of us are used to out at Quilpie.
It was midday madness on the road and took almost an hour to get to the apartment at West End and I think we all needed a nap before we embarked on going into the CBD of inner Brisbane. It was two o'clock in the afternoon so really too late to do anything more than to settle down at the apartment and start again in the morning, so we had a meal and switched on the telly.
To be continued
Next time: at the Mater and doctor Rose San-Lee.
Please leave a comment
Carla Bay
Part Three - Chapter Four
Jamie sees Dr Rose
Editing by Bronwen
The afternoon was spent making some phone calls to various places while Jamie watched a Disney movie with the twins. Jamie seems to be able to get Donna and Jean to sit quietly with her and watch the telly. One usually sits on either side of her and I think that is her secret. I wish they would behave like that with me.
Sandy went for a walk to buy some new curtain material for her home back in Quilpie while she had a chance. Once we get back home we work ten hour days, not that it's all hard work but you have to be there when it is required.
I phoned Rose to confirm the appointment to see her at her rooms at the Mater the following morning with Sandy, Jamie and I plus the twins. Rose said she would make sure that the day was spent with her so she could catch up and organise all the procedures that will determine Jamie's medical condition, and of course get to know my little girls. The study on twins is still ongoing so she can't wait to see what they look like.
By the time Sandy came back, I had ordered in Chinese for dinner and it was only five minutes later that it was delivered to our door step. I don’t believe in doing any cooking while we’re in Brisbane so it will be like this all week except breakfast which is usually cereal with a bit of fruit. I think I have mentioned before that the twins are really good eaters.
Once we sorted out the sleeping arrangements which had me and Sandy in the same bedroom but in single beds, and Jamie and the little ones in the main bedroom with the cots for the twins and the double bed, it was decide to let the twins sleep in the big bed with Jamie. Donna and Jean are dry but we still put a plastic sheet under the sheets just in case of a mishap. There were no drinks after dinner at night and that seemed to have worked so far.
Sandy and I tucked the three girls in and left Jamie to read a bedtime story. They are used to this with either me or Ricky taking it in turns, but with Jamie it is a special treat for the girls. My twin Jean sings to them as well and it would be interesting to see how long all three girls last before dropping off to Dreamland.
Sandy and I sat in the lounge and were discussing our plans for the following day when my twin Jean started to communicate with both of us. Sandy looked at me and said, “Carla you are talking in two different directions.” Jean sounds exactly like me so it can be confusing for bystanders.
I replied and said, “Sandy, close your eyes so you can see Jean. She is sitting right beside you.” Sandy jumped a little as Jean seemed to touch her on the arm and said, 'Sandy don’t be alarmed and just relax so I can communicate with you.'
Sandy looked at me and said, “Carla, Jean looks exactly like you only in that blue gown.”
Jean said, 'But I am just a little bit prettier.'
“Always the joker,” I replied.
Jean said, 'Sandy you can open your eyes if Carla will turn off all the bright lights in here.' I quickly got up and left only a little night light on, and Sandy opened her eyes to see the beautiful twin sister of mine sitting next to her.
“Jean what is on your mind?”
'I am going to let you know in advance what is in store for little Jamie tomorrow.'
I replied, “Ok, I'm all ears, sister dear.”
Sandy was amazed at how Jean and I talk as if it is just normal to do so, well I guess for me it is normal.
Jean said, 'I'm going to be there when both of you are with Rose, and I will also make the twins communicate with Rose.'
“Is everything alright with my little girl?” asked Sandy.
'Yes she is fine and is all girl internally, but she will have to endure all the tests and is going to be stressed out so I will be very close to help her get through it.'
I said, “Sis do you know if she will have any medical procedure done?”
'Carla, you should know by now I will get into the right heads and make it happen so be prepared to stay a little longer.'
I replied, “Jean it's alright for you in the spirit world, both Sandy and I have a business to run”
'You will find a way Carla, with my help.'
The communication went on for a bit longer and Jean faded away blowing us both a kiss.
Sandy said, “Is she always so bossy Carla?”
“I'm afraid so, but she is always right because she sees things we can't and she can get into people's minds and guide them without them knowing what is happening.”
“Like post hypnotic suggestion?”
“Yes and you just sit back and enjoy the ride.”
“What about Jamie, will she be able to hear and see Jean?”
“Yes and she will be in a sort of dream and very relaxed. If and when she is under an anaesthetic she will cross over into the spirit world where I have been many times courtesy of my sister.”
We checked up on the girls before retiring to bed and it was a sweet sight to see two little bundles cuddled up to Jamie. Very softly we could hear a lullaby being sung by their spirit aunt,
'You are the child of moonlight,
There is peace within my heart whenever you're around.
The stars at night they all shine bright
And darling so do you.
You are the child of moonlight,
And I’ll always love you.
Jean
Sandy turned to me with damp eyes and whispered, “Jean is really an angel isn't she?”
I whispered back, “She is half of me in the spirit world.”
We went to bed and and talked about Jamie's dad and how Sandy misses him and wished he could have seen his daughter. I told her he can see her from afar, and then we went to sleep.
Morning came too soon as it always does. It was six a.m., and we could hear three girls singing nursery rhymes. At least Donna and Jean weren't jumping on me. I think I will let Sandy adopt my little ones so Jamie can have them full-time! No, I don't mean that!!!!
Sandy said, “Carla I know what you're thinking and that is a definite 'no'. I could not cope with double speak.” We both laughed and got up to get organised for the busy day ahead.
While Sandy and I were preparing breakfast, Jamie had Donna and Jean in the bathroom with all three in the tub, something only Jamie can manage because she has some way of controlling them. I still think it must be Jean that is helping Jamie with the little ones, there is no way I can do what she does so easily.
I arranged the high chairs so that the two little ones were either side of Jamie and by the time the table was set all three girls came out wearing pink dressing gowns with little bunnies on them. Donna and Jean came running up to me and I picked them up, which I might add is getting harder by the day - they are quite the chubby ones. They both talk in unison and talk twenty to the dozen.
”Mama, Mama Jy, Jy,” is what they were saying.
Jamie interject, “That’s what they call me Aunty Carla, aren’t they cute?”
“Yes, very,” I replied.
“Good morning Jamie and you two monsters,” said Sandy and hugged the little ones which made them giggle and squirm, so I quickly put them down and let Jamie take over controlling them which she does with ease.
Breakfast over it was time to get the girls dressed for the day and with two grown-ups it went reasonably well, but of course with all females a couple of different changes had to take place before everyone was happy, and that includes myself and Sandy. By the time we got down to the car we were almost running late. It was nine o'clock, so we had to hurry to get to the Mater on time to see Rose. As usual the traffic was bedlam but I drive a four wheel drive with a big bull bar on front and I can usually be a bit pushy and intimidating to get my way. I guess that is the bush coming out in me.
We finally got to the Mater parking area and made our way to the main entrance. We opted not to put the twins in their push-chairs and seeing Jamie can control them with just one stern look and they drop the lip, we let her do her thing. She will eventually be a very good Mum.
The Mater is a really big hospital, so lots of corridors and lifts to negotiate, but I have spent quite a bit of time here myself and know the place intimately. (These days it is one of the biggest children’s hospitals in the southern hemisphere.)
We arrived at the reception desk of doctor Rose San-Lee and were told to go straight into her office. I tapped on the door and opened it wide so we could all walk in to see Rose sitting behind her desk surrounded by medical books and charts up on the wall, like any other doctor's office.
She got up and said, “O my god, look at them!” before she even said hello to me,
I said, “Nice to see you too, Rose.”
She replied, “Sorry Carla,” then hugged me and said, “These two are the spitting image of you girl, and this must be Jamie and Mum Sandy.” and she hugged them both.
Spirit Jean was there too, and at this moment she was only in my head but she would communicate with Rose a little later when she examined Jamie. Jamie took the little ones to a play area with toys and sat down with them while Sandy and I discussed what was going to happen today. After an hour the girls were getting restless, so it was time for a toilet break and some morning tea which was brought into Rose's office by the hospital domestic staff.
We let the girls have their cup cakes and flavoured milk in the play area while the grown-ups sat in a lounge area in the rather large office/surgery. This is when Big Jean started to communicate with Rose, who was not one bit fazed because it happened a long time ago when I was in the same situation, only then it was an emergency and I could quite easily have died.
Sandy and I just listened in. Jean didn't make herself seen because if the little ones saw her they would want to have her down with them and Jamie. Jean also blocked Jamie from hearing what was being said. She will know soon enough in the next couple of hours and days what is going to happen to her, and we did not want to have a stressed out girl on our hands.
Jean said, “Rose, I know what is inside Jamie but in human terms the tests will have to be done to satisfy the powers that be, but rest assured that I will be in their head to steer them in the right direction.” Rose nodded that she understood. Jean told us that Jamie is a complete girl internally, apart from not having an opening which is virtually the same problem that I had all those years ago.
Jean said that she would be with Jamie all through the procedure in the next couple of days, and would make sure it would all happen without her being stressed out. She was true to her word and by Wednesday morning a specialist was in Brisbane from Sydney to perform the corrective surgery.
We put the little ones in a day care nursery so we could be present in the operating theatre during the procedure. Being veterinary surgeons, it was no different to what we do when we have to operate on an animal, so there were no surprises for us. We stayed with Jamie while she was being prepared for theatre, and before she was given medication, the surgeon, Mr Anthony Beel introduced himself, first to me and Sandy, he then held Jamie's hand and said, “Hello little one, I'm Tony and I'm going to make things right for you.”
Jamie looked at the doctor with her beautiful brown eyes and replied, “Thank you doctor, and so will my Aunty Jean.”
He said “Oh I don’t see a third lady, is she still coming?”
I interrupted this little exchange between patient and doctor and said, “Jamie sweetheart, I will tell the doctor about Jean a little later.”
Rose pulled me aside and said in almost a whisper, “Carla, Tony has had a full briefing on you and Jean and he is quite intrigued by it all. I am sure that Jean will make her presence felt before too long”.
Most of the day was spent going from one test and scan to another. Jamie was taking it all in her stride. She is a very intelligent girl and very little fazes her. Sandy was amazed at how her little girl just kept up the chatter with the nurses while they were poking and prodding her. I know Jean was talking to her and explaining what they were doing, although only three of us could listen in.
It was two o'clock in the afternoon when it was decided to commence the surgery to rectify Jamie’s medical problem. Sandy and myself were allowed to watch what was happening in the theatre. Sandy held Jamie's hand till she went to sleep and then the medical team went to work.
'Hello Jamie, fancy meeting you here,' said Jean.
'Why am I in a field sitting next to you Aunty Jean, am I dead?'
'No sweetheart, you are with me while they are working on your body back on earth.'
'How am I going to get back to earth?'
'When you wake up you will be back there darling.'
'Aunty Jean, you sound and look Just like Aunty Carla.'
'That's because we're identical twins and share the same soul.'
'Can I come back here again? It is so beautiful and I wish I could wear a gown like yours.'
'Jamie, your Mummy would miss you if you came back here, so you must go back.'
Back in the recovery room Jamie woke up trying to focus her eyes and said, “Mummy I was with Aunty Jean in heaven.”
Sandy replied,”Yes darling I know, was it beautiful?”
“Oh yes, and Jean is very pretty just like Aunty Carla.” After a few more minutes Jamie dropped off to sleep, and Sandy and I went to talk with Tony and Rose to see what they had to say.
It was found that Jamie was inter-sexed and had all the internals of a female, so all that had to be done was to correct the outer parts of her genitals. She will be able to live and function as a normal female.
To be continued.
Please leave a comment.
Part Three - Chapter Five
Jamie becomes in her words a 'real girl'
Editing by Bronwen
Previously:
It was found that Jamie was inter-sexed and had all the internals of a female so all that had to be done was to correct the outer parts of her genitals. She will be able to live and function as a normal female.
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It was late afternoon and Jamie was well and truly sedated, so we thought we would go to a restaurant for our evening meal, leave the medical staff do their thing and come back early in the morning to see our newly minted little girl. As we were in the lift on our way down to the main foyer of the hospital who else but sister Jean started to talk to us. Just as well there was no one else in the lift or they would have called the men in their white coats to take us away.
Jean said, 'Sandy and Carla, I will stay with Jamie tonight and put some nice thoughts into her head. I will make sure when she wakes up in the morning that she knows what she now has and will not have to hide herself when she gets undressed at school to put on a pair of bathers when they go swimming.'
Sandy asked, “Will you always be there for her Jean?”
'Yes Sandy, just like I still am for Carla, that will never change.' Just then the doors opened on the lift and we were at the ground floor so we left Jean to do her thing.
Sandy said, “Carla, I am so glad that I came here to work with you and that you are my friend as well as business partner.”
I gave her a hug and replied, “It was always going to happen. When I went out to your parents' property to look after that prize ram, I felt that I was there for a reason, and that reason is Jamie.”
We found a restaurant half a block away from the hospital and looked at the menu, Sandy said, “Carla this is on me.”
I replied, “No Sandy, this is on the business expense account. We work long hours at home and the business is doing extremely well so relax.”
We ordered Peking Duck with all the trimmings and for sweets it was a chocolate mousse with fresh strawberries and cream.
Sandy said, “Carla, I can feel the inches go on my thighs already!” and we both fell about laughing. I'm sure that city folk don’t act like this but we're from the bush and don’t have any airs about us.
We paid the cheque and made our way back to the hospital car park to go to the apartment for the night, when we got there Sandy said, “I think I might go and check up on Jamie to see how she is faring.”
I replied, “Sandy, she will be out like a light. Instead, why not get in the car and I will see if Jean will tell us what is happening.”
We no sooner got in and closed the doors than Jean was in both our heads, telling us Jamie was asleep and was having pleasant dreams, so leave it till the morning to come and see her. So that is what we decided to do. it was getting late, but the twins were being looked after by the people at the nursery which looks after kids till at least nine pm at night. It was expensive but was worth it to make sure that they were looked after properly.
When we arrived the twins were wide awake and would not go to sleep and kept the three ladies at the centre amused with their speaking in unison. I walked in and they came running to me.
“Mama Mama,Jy Jy where Jy Jy?” I picked up Donna while Sandy picked up Jean and had to calm them down and tell them they could see Jamie tomorrow if they're good. Again in unison “We good Mama.” So we went back to the apartment after a long day, I don’t think it took any of us long to go to sleep that night.
As usual it was six a.m., and the double-speak little people were singing out “Mama Mama where Jy?” so it was time to pacify, feed, shower, and dress them so Sandy and I could get ourselves ready for the day. We decide that if we didn't take the twins in to see Jamie there would be trouble on the horizon, however Jamie wouldn't be in a fit enough state to have them jumping around on her bed so their visit would be strictly controlled and reasonably short.
After two adults and two little people were dressed, we made our way to the underground car park that belongs to the apartment building, which incidentally is half owned by Croft Air Charter. When Sandy found out that the building was part of the family holdings she said, “Bloody hell Carla, you don’t own a yacht too do you?”
“No Sandy, we're bushies remember?!!”
I let Sandy drive while I sat in the back with the two little munchkins and tried to get them to understand that Jamie was in bed and can not play with them till she got home. In unison they said, “Mama, Jy sick?” All I could tell them was that she had a sore tummy. They seemed to understand that, so they were quite happy to sing and clap all the way to the hospital. The singing comes from my sister Jean. She sings them to sleep most nights, she is a most loving aunt albeit a spirit one.
We arrived at the hospital in good time and made our way up to Jamie's room. When we got there she was having a bowl of cereal and an orange juice. The doctor had already been and given our newly minted girl a clean bill of health. She would have to stay in hospital for at least a week to make sure there were no infections or other complications.
Sandy said, “How are you feeling darling?”
Jamie replied with a big smile, “Mummy I’m a proper girl now just like you.”
Sandy replied, “Sweetheart, you have always been a proper girl”
“Can I have babies now?”
I answered that one and said, “Yes, but try to wait till you're a little older darling and then you might even get married first, what do you think?”
“I want a husband that looks just like Uncle Ricky.”
That made me think just how lucky I have been all these years and to think he almost drowned the first time we met.
By this time the twins were getting restless and wanted to hug and kiss Jamie, so one at a time they were allowed to lay beside Jamie and talk to her in their own language that only Jamie seemed to understand. After ten minutes I got Jamie to tell them to be good little girls and go play at the day care centre with all the other little kids. They just nodded and were happy to do what Jamie asked them to do. Jamie has a special bond with my little daughters, with the help of Jean no doubt.
As all was under control back in Quilpie and Ross had brought in a vet from Charleville I was in no hurry to get back home, and decided to stay with Sandy till we could take Jamie back with us. I went and had a talk with Rose and she said that in another three days Jamie would be healed enough to travel.
So apart from going to the hospital to comfort Jamie, what to do? I gathered up the two little balls of energy and told them to say goodbye to Jamie, which they did by blowing her a kiss as we were going out the door. I left Sandy with her daughter while I took my girls back to the day care centre at the hospital, which I have been helping support financially for a while because this is where it becomes so important for mums with sick kids to have somewhere to leave their other little ones while they look after the ones that are most in need of their love.
I went back to find Sandy holding Jamie's hand explaining to her all the things that will be different in her body now that she is complete. I didn't interrupt this mother-daughter bonding. It took me back to when my Mum did exactly the same thing with me. I also had Rita and I made a smooth transition to everything becoming normal very quickly.
While I sat down on a chair in the room I just listened, 'Carla are you ok?' said someone in my head. Who else but my sister?
I said, “Yes just thinking that's all.” That's when Sandy and Jamie realised I was back from taking the twins to the centre.
Jamie said, “Aunty Carla, did you feel this sore when they fixed you up?”
“Yes sweetheart, but all the pain will be gone within a couple of days and then we will take you home”
“Can I go shopping before we fly home Mummy?”
Sandy replied, “Of course darling, I wouldn't dream of going home without taking my daughter to buy some new clothes.”
“OOH Mummy, I will need some red shoes to go with my white summer dress and ribbons and.....”
I said” “Sweetheart, lets get you healed first.”
Just then a nurse came in and said, “Ok Lady Jamie lets get you to the 'Ladies' and see if all is working how it should.”
With that both Sandy and I left the nurse do her job, waved goodbye to our little girl and left to go to the shops and just relax.
The twins were in safe hands so I could concentrate on enjoying myself with Sandy in the city looking at dress shops.
Sandy said, “Carla, I know that Jamie wants to go to the shops, but do you think she'll be healed enough to do that in three days time?”
“Sure she will as long as we keep her from skipping around like she normally does, and besides Jean will be in her head keeping a tight rein on her movements.”
Sandy replied, “Ok so where to first?”
“Well I need to buy some new things for my girls, they are growing like the garden weeds.” and so it went. We sat with Jamie for a few hours a day and also let the twins have time with her.
It was Sunday morning, and it was Jamie's big day to come out of hospital, The hospital team that looked after her were all in her room to give her advice and have hugs all round, Sandy had bought her a new out fit to come home in. Of course it had to be white with lace work on the top and the hem of the skirt. Jamie was worried that that was the only piece of finery she was going to get and said, “Mummy I will be going to the shops won't I?”
“Yes Darling, we wouldn't dare not take you shopping.”
Jamie replied “Thank you Mummy and Aunty Carla, Jean is coming with us too.”
“Yes of course, what was I thinking?” I could hear Jean giggling and Jamie gave an invisible a
Aunty the thumbs up.
Monday 17/2/74
One more day at the shops with all us girls including Donna, Jean and also Big Jean to watch and give advice on proceedings. Needless to say it was a tiring day, and when we came home to the unit we put the twins down to have a sleep and made sure Jamie was ok. She was a little sore but would be fine to take home the following day.
I ordered in food for our evening meal and it was an early night for all of us. I forgot to say that I phoned my darling husband every night and let him talk to his little girls as well. With them I would have to put the phone on speaker because they both speak at once and for people that haven't had that experience it can be quite confusing.
Tuesday.
All our things were already packed into the four wheel drive so we only had to get ourselves ready and be on our way to Archerfield and the hanger to transfer all our things to the Piper. By the time we arrived at the hanger the aircraft was all ready to go and had been pulled out on to the tarmac. Our staff know what I am like so nothing is missed by them. I have never left the ground till I was sure the the aircraft was one hundred percent flight ready.
Once the twins were strapped in, Sandy got in with them because I wanted to give Jamie a chance to get the feel of the controls and this could be her first bit of training. With me and Sandy both being pilots it will be an easy ride for her to get her licence by the time she is fifteen.
Pre-flight checks done we were on the runway and ready to take off, Jamie had a headset on and listened to the contact with air control and put her hands on the controls on her side, I pulled back and we were on our way. Jamie had almost white knuckles and I had to tell her to relax. I was the same when I first started.
Quilpie airport came into sight and it was twelve noon by the time I taxied to the spot in front of our hanger. Ricky, Mum and Dad were there to greet us but the best surprise for Jamie was her grandparents were there as well. She couldn’t get out of her seat quick enough to greet them.
“Grandpa, Nana” she squealed and almost fell out of the plane. Terry and Grace held their arms open and Jamie rushed straight into Terry's arms and said, “Grandpa I'm a real girl now.”
With that Grace came into the hug as well and replied, “Sweetheart, you were born a girl with a medical problem and that is all. You are a very pretty little girl.”
“Did you see where I was sitting?” asked Jamie.
“We sure did honey, and you will make a good pilot soon enough.”
We all piled into two cars and went to our respective homes to sort out what had to happen for the rest of the week and relieve the people that looked after the veterinary clinic.
To be continued:
Next time: Rita and Peter Jenny and Chrissie are back in Carla's Journey.
Part Three - Chapter Six
Some new friends
Editing by Bronwen
Previously:
Quilpie airport came into sight and it was twelve noon by the time I taxied to the spot in front of our hanger. Ricky , Mum and Dad were there to greet us but the best surprise for Jamie was her grandparents were there as well. She couldn’t get out of her seat quick enough to greet them. “Grandpa, Nana” she squealed and almost fell out of the plane. Terry and Grace held their arms open and Jamie rushed straight into Terry's arms and said, “Grandpa I'm a real girl now” with that Grace came into the hug as well and replied, “Sweetheart you were born a girl with a medical problem and that is all, you are a very pretty little girl.”
“Did you see where I was sitting?” asked Jamie.
“We sure did honey and you will make a good pilot soon enough”
We all piled into two cars and went to our respective homes to sort out what had to happen for the rest of the week and relieve the people hwo looked after the veterinary clinic.
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Wednesday morning 18/2/74
Ricky was spooning me and we were just enjoying the closeness. It was five am and the twins were still asleep so one thing led to another and, well do I have to spell it out? I am still so in love with Ricky that we seem to melt into one being when we make love, and that's enough information don’t you think?!! The twins slept on which was a surprise but I guess all the traveling had tired them out so both Ricky and I quickly went to the bathroom and showered together.
Later, everything went back to routine; Mum and Dad looked after the twins, Ricky had a charter flight to Cairns and I went to sort out the clinic with Sandy who was already there talking to Chrissie and Amy. Amy is our new receptionist that I have mentioned before and I am well pleased with how she is shaping up, not only doing office work but also helping in the surgery with our animal patients.
Jamie was not going back to school for another week so there would be no pressure on her recovering from her operation. Doctor Ryan was still looking after our family and had taken a keen interest in Jamie. He was getting around a bit slower those days but was still our choice and was probably more of a friend than just our doctor. He wanted to see Jamie that day, so Mum had left the twins with Dad and was taking Jamie to see him. No doubt Mum would look after her for the rest of the week. Sandy went to the school to get some school work for her to do while she was at home. Jamie is a very intelligent girl and is a straight A student so would have no trouble catching up when she went back to school in a weeks time.
There were no problems at any of the out-lying properties with animals, so it seemed it was going to be an easy day.
Sandy said “Carla I will look after any patients today if you want to sort things out at home.”
I replied, “Yes Sandy I might just do that, thanks. If it gets busy just give me a call and I’ll come straight in.”
When I got home Rita and Jenny were there to see the twins, and Jamie when she came back from seeing the doctor. Jenny's little boy Josh was at the crawling stage so the twins were sort of looking after him on the floor in the lounge. They still thought he was a dolly that could move around.
I asked Rita how she was getting on because her morning sickness was giving her quite a bit of trouble.
“Carla,” she said, “How come you got away without any real morning sickness when you had Donna and Jean?”
I replied, “I think Big Jean might have had something to do with that.”
Jenny chipped in and said, “Rita, it won't last too long and you will settle down in a few weeks. Stop going to work at the restaurant, let Peter look after that.”
Another hour and Mum and Jamie arrived home and that was to be the end of the twins playing with their little cousin, but Jamie was just as interested in playing with little Josh, and the twins did as Jamie told them. It's just amazing how she can do that without the girls objecting.
Mum pulled into the post-office on her way home and collected the mail from our mailbox and said, “Carla there is a letter from the states there for you.”
I replied, “Oh I know what that is, it will be a letter from a John Hansen. He is the one I was telling you about that I met at the veterinary science conference centre in Sydney a couple of months ago.”
Jenny said, “Is he the one with a tg daughter?”
I replied, “The very same. I also met his daughter Jennifer, she is a really pretty twelve year old and you would not pick her as being a transgendered girl.”
Rita asked,”So what is the letter about?”
“Well let me open it and we'll see won't we.”
I had a fair idea what was in the letter so I just put it on the table. Three people said, “CARLA!!!!”
“Ok, Ok I’ll open it.”
By this time Jamie was interested in what the letter contained. I opened the envelope and started to read the letter out loud. It wasn't quite what I was expecting, and it said --
'Dear Mrs Smith,
If you can remember we met at the veterinary conference in Sydney and you also met my daughter Jennifer. The reason I am writing you this letter is that my wife passed away two weeks ago and Jennifer is taking it really hard so I have decided to come to Australia to get away for a while and I was wondering if we could visit you in Quilpie?
Yours sincerely,
John Hansen.
There were contact phone numbers in the letter so it would be relatively easy to contact him and have a talk to find out what he wanted to do. He also had his own veterinary clinic near Fort Brack in California, so he would not be short of money.
Jamie was the first to comment and said, “Aunty Carla, did you say Jennifer is like me?
“No sweetheart, she in trangendered whereas you were intersexed and are now a normal functional girl. Jennifer will never be able to have babies.”
“That’s sad, I hope I will meet her,” replied Jamie.
Rita said, “Sweetheart if I know your Aunty Carla, Jennifer and her Dad will be staying right here.”
“Ohhh I can't wait,” said an excited Jamie.
Later Dad went over to Ricky's Dad's place to go fishing in the Balloo to get away from all the female chatter. I decide to phone John Hansen after looking up the time deference between our countries and deciding to give it a go. Once I got through the telephone exchange to be connected to international calls, (1974 was not like today and you couldn't just dial anywhere in the world) I dialed the number and waited. It was six thirty pm in the States so he should be home by then, after about eight rings, Jennifer answered with her broad Yankee accent, “Hello the Hansen's residence Jenny speaking.”
“Hello Jenny, it's Carla Smith calling from Australia, how are you?”
“Wow Mrs Smith I didn't expect to get a call from down-under.”
“Jenny, please call me Carla, and is your Dad home?”
“Yes but he is just in the shower.”
“Ok Jenny, I'm sorry to hear about your mother passing it must be difficult for you.”
“Mummy had been sick for a long while so it was expected”
I then said, “Jenny how would you like to spend some time with me and my family for a while?”
I talked to Jenny for a bit more and then her Dad came on the phone and said, “Hello Mrs Smith I didn't expect to get a call from you so soon.”
I replied, “John, please call me Carla. I thought it might be good for Jennifer to get away as soon as possible, and we would be pleased to have yourself and Jennifer stay as long as you like.”
It was decide that John and his daughter would get a flight on Saturday our time which would still be Friday over there as you gain a day going from one side of the planet to the other. It would be a direct flight to Brisbane and I would fly down and pick them up. I would use the chopper to make it more interesting for Jennifer. It would be a slower trip but I'd be able to fly over some of the more interesting terrain and a lot lower. Besides I needed to get some hours up in the chopper to keep my license up to date.
Once the call ended there were questions all round, so I had to fill everyone in on Jenny and her now widowed Dad. The main thing Jamie wanted to know was about Jenny being transgendered and how long wouldshe stay and could she stay at her house too?
I said, “Sweetheart slow down! We will have to ask your Mummy about that, but I’m sure you'll be seeing her quite a bit just because you have a pool in your back yard.” After that Jamie took Donna and Jean out in the yard to play in the large sand pit that was specially built for them by Uncle Tony.
When Ricky came home I informed him what I was doing and he said, “Carla honey I'll come down with you, and that way the twins can come too, and you know how much they like getting a ride in the chopper.”
I replied, “My husband the jelly bean!” and kissed him.
He replied, “Keep that up and we might have to have an early night.” All I whispered in his ear was, “Darling I can't wait.”
I thought, “I hope the twins go to sleep without any trouble.” As I was thinking that, Jean was in my mind and said, “As good as done sister dear.” Ricky heard that as well and just winked at me with that cheeky grin of his. Anyway that's enough of that.
Sandy dropped in on her way home to fill me in on what her day was like at the surgery and also to pick up her excited daughter who said, “Mummy we're going to have an American staying with us and she is a trans girl”
“Oh!” said Sandy who hadn't been told as yet, so I quickly intervened before a dancing Jamie could tell it all back the front.
I said, “Sandy, the girl and her father are going to stay with us for a while to help Jennifer get over her mothers passing.”
Jamie with a sing song voice said, “Mummy can she stay at our place too?”
“Slow down sweetheart, we'll have to see if it's going to be ok with her Daddy wont we?”
“Yes, Mummy.”
Jamie said bye to the twins for the day and went home with Sandy, but will spend her time with Mum and Dad through the days till she goes back to school when she gets the 'all clear' from Doctor Ryan.
After the evening meal we put the girls to bed before reading them a story and Jean said in Ricky's and my mind, “Ok you two I will make sure the little ones stay asleep so off you go.” We didn't need any prompting.!!!
The next two days went by doing all the normal things that life demands of us, On Friday morning I phoned John Hansen again and told him we would meet them when they arrived at the international airport, and take them back to our unit at West End.
Both Ricky and myself decide to fly down and stay at West End and that it would make everything much more relaxed to let the travellers have a rest before getting straight into another flight the same day. Also Sandy said that if we wanted to take Jamie with us she would not object and that way she would be able to look after the clinic, not that there is a lot that happens there on the weekend.
About lunch time we finally got going and were on our way to Brisbane in the helicopter and it was funny but the twins always seem to stay alert whenever they ride in the chopper. Jamie was the same. I suppose it might be that it is a bit of a novelty flying in a craft that has no wings. We also flew lower and slower so the kids could see more of what was on the ground. Jamie was fascinated by the cattle in amongst the the trees and said they all looked like toy animals from the sky.
It is always good to see Archerfield come into sight and see our own hanger with the Croft name on the roof. Our staff are all very professional and by the time we are sitting on the ground in front of the hanger the guys were ready to pull the chopper under cover and prepare it for a return flight.
We got into our four wheel drive and made our way to the unit. The traffic never seems to change and it feels like peak hour traffic at any time of the day, but than city folk probably are used to that and just accept it as a fact of life in the city.
21/2/74
It was Saturday and the flight was due in at eleven am, so off to the main Brisbane airport to pick up our American friends.
Next time: Our American friends arrive.
Please leave a comment.
Part Three - Chapter Seven
Our American friends arrive
Editing by Bronwen
Previously:
The flight was due in at eleven o'clock, so off we went to the main Brisbane airport to pick up our American friends.
Saturday 21/2/74
We put the twins in their safety seats with Jamie sitting in the middle to entertain them and set off. I let Ricky drive since he is more used to Brisbane traffic and is a more pushy driver than me. The big four wheel drive with the large bull bar on the front looks quite intimating to other drivers.
We arrived just as the plane was taxiing into its position in front of the terminal and let the twins see the planes through the big glass observation area. Their eyes got really big and both said. “Da-Da Mama's pwane?”
Daddy replied, “She wishes.” and gave me a wink. What is it with people winking at me? They have always done it ever since I was a little girl.
Jamie was used to seeing the big jets so it was old hat to her and she was more interested in the duty-free shop. Anyway we had quite a wait before our friends emerged from the Customs and out to the carousel that transports the luggage from the plane and that is where I spotted the two newcomers.
John was holding Jenny's hand and I walked up and said, “G'day you two.”
Jennifer recognised me straight away and gave me a bone crushing hug and said, “Oh 'wow' Mrs Smith I'm so glad to be on the ground.”
I replied “Jenny, it's good to see you, but you can call me Aunty Carla if you like.”
“Oh that would great Aunty Carla.”
The twins were both restless by now and Jenny knelt down to talk to them and said, “Hi you two!! Aren’t you the pretty ones?” and the girls being the outgoing little ladies, both twirled around and said, “Pweety ones.”
John then shook Ricky's hand and said, “You must be Carla's husband, it's nice to meet you.”
Ricky said, “Likewise I'm sure.”
I then got a kiss on the cheek from John who said, “It's good of you to do this for us Carla”
I replied in the Aussie way and said, “No worries mate.”
Jenny asked, “Aunty Carla, where is Jamie?”
Just then Jamie reappeared with a koala teddy bear to give to Jenny.
Jamie wasted no time in welcoming Jenny and said, “G'day, I'm Jamie and this is for you.” and she proceeded to give Jenny a hug with the bear being squashed between them. The twins then decide they needed a bear each as well and grabbed Jamie by the hand and both at the same time said, “We get bear too?”
Ricky saw what was going on and pulled out his wallet and gave Jamie a ten dollar note and said, “Jamie why don’t you and Jenny take the little ones and get them a koala each? It will keep them happy on the trip home.”
Once the luggage was collected and we rounded up four girls we could make our way out of the main airport building and to where the four wheel drive was parked. The twins were happy being looked after by Jamie and Jenny and hugging their koalas.
John asked Ricky, “Do you fly as well as Carla?”
Ricky replied, “I do about thirty hours doing charter flights a week. Carla would only fly a couple of times a week especially now that her business partner Jamie's mum flies as well.”
John replied, “Is it that isolated in Quilpie that a vet has to fly to attend their patients?” I chipped in and explained that it was only for the more outlying properties that it was necessary to use the planes; anything within driving distance was done by vehicle. I think people think we live in the desert but really it comes down to living in a large country and the vast distance between towns and sheep stations can be hundreds of miles apart. It's called “the outback”.
We climbed aboard the car and made our way through the traffic. Jenny was amazed at how large the city of Brisbane is and said, “Wow!!! I saw the flood coverage on our telly but it looks much bigger in real life and the traffic is just crazy.”
Jamie replied, “Yeah that's why we live in good old Quilpie where you can drive from one end of town to the other in about five minutes.”
Both the twins had to join in and said in an almost sing song voice, “Yeah ody Qwipee” My girls are a constant source of amusement with their double speak.
Forty minutes later we finally arrived at the unit in West End. Once we got up to the apartment the two Americans just wanted to have a shower and lay down for a sleep so I said, “John, there are sandwiches in the fridge so once you have had a shower why don't you and Jenny have a bite to eat and have a rest. The rest of us will go out for a while to give you some peace”
He replied, “Thanks Carla, that sounds good.”
Jamie said, “Aunty Carla we haven't had any lunch.”
Ricky also said, “Yeah we haven't had any lunch either.” The twins who were supposed to be having a nap as well but for some reason were holding on to Jamie's hand saying, “JY JY we hungry too.” Amazing isn’t it how the little ones are tuned in to what the adults are saying. They sound cute when they double speak but I think it is going to be a problem when they get older and start playing tricks on us or worse still driving their teachers crazy with both saying the same things most of the time.
I'm glad I keep a double stroller here in Brisbane as well, it makes it a bit easier to just put the girls in them to get around. Mind you they would much rather walk and get into mischief and keep me and Ricky on our toes.
Ricky said, “Ok girls what are we going to have for lunch? It's almost two in the afternoon and I am getting pretty hungry.”
I replied, “How about we go to that burger shop around the corner?”
Jamie said, “Yes please,” looking at her uncle with that big brown eyed smile.
Ricky replied, “Sweetheart ,you don’t have to twist my arm with that smile, I'm in.”
The twins put their two cents worth in with, “We in we in.” in parrot fashion.
I just shook my head and said, “The vote is in then?”
No-one answered because we were in the burger shop by then and Ricky was already ordering three burgers and some small rolls for the twins. I won't allow my girls to eat junk food; it's bad enough that I was having a burger because whatever I eat these days goes straight to my backside.
The twins were making a bit of a mess and Jamie was fussing over them, so I left her to it and enjoyed my bit of naughty food.
Ricky sat there smiling, looking at the three girls and whispered to me, “God I love my kids honey.”
My reply was, “More than me?”
He said, “I still love you as much as the first day we met and you saved me from drowning darling.”
I replied, “Right answer.“ and for once I did the winking.
By the time we got back to the apartment our guests were up and looking refreshed and full of questions about flying out to Quilpie in our chopper.
“Can we all fit into the helicopter?” asked John.
Jenny looked on with interest as Ricky explained that our chopper has been modified to be able to be used in rescues and carry different things, soit seats seven people. When we take the twins there are special seats we put them in. It all had to be approved by the controlling air safety department.
Jenny said to Jamie, “I found a lot of things in the fridge and I can cook really well. Do you think I would be allowed to cook our evening meal?”
Jamie's reply was, “Jenny, I can cook really well too and we can do it together.”
They both looked at me and Jamie said, “Aunty Carla?”
I said, “The kitchen is yours girls I'm going to put the twins down for a nap and try to have one myself.”
Ricky and John decided to watch something on the telly, so I took the twins in to the bedroom, read them a story and fell asleep when they did. When there was a knock on the door I couldn't work out where I was for a few seconds till Ricky opened up the door and said, “Have a good sleep honey?”
I looked beside me and the twins weren’t on the bed.
Ricky said, “Jean got into my head and said to get the girls and leave you sleep.”
He then sat on the bed and gave me a very passionate kiss and said, “I love you sweetheart.”
My response was, “Wait till I get you home to Quilpie darling, just as well I’m on the pill.”
Ricky's reply was “I can't wait to see you pregnant.”
“Not yet dear.”
The girls cooked a lovely meal, while I was asleep. Ricky went out and bought some fresh salmon so we had that with white sauce, potatoes in their jackets and some greens as well. I was impressed with what the girls had done and decided to take them to the flea market the next day. West End always has a huge market on Sundays. We had planned to fly home but that could wait until Monday morning because Jamie didn't start school again till the next week and I really wanted to go to the markets as well.
Sunday morning 22 /2/74
The men said they would look after the twins while I and two very excited girls went to see what the market had to offer. The markets are held in a park just down the road from our apartment so it's just a short walk and you're there.
I told the little ones to be good for their Daddy and they both replied, “Mama, we be good.”
I said, “Ricky ,no bribing them ice cream or sweets.”
“No dear, yes dear,” was his reply.
John looked on with amusement but kept quiet and gave Jenny some money so she could buy something at the market.
He hugged her and said, “Have a good time sweetheart.”
She replied Thanks Daddy, I miss Mummy and wish she could have been here with us.”
Jamie then grabbed her by the hand and said, “I still miss my Daddy too, Jenny.”
I thought that we had better get going or there would be tears and said, “Come on girls, we have to go or we will miss all the good bargains.”
We spent about four hours at the markets. The girls went off by themselves and came back to a designated spot every half an hour to show me what hey had bought, I myself looked for some clothes for my sister Jenny and her little boy Josh, and also for Chrissie and Sandy. Rita was too hard to buy for so those days I didn’t bother.
When four hours was up I decide to round up Jamie and Jenny to have something to eat and make our way back home. I had bought something for everyone, even the men, and some fluffy toys for the twins. Jamie and Jenny were happy with their purchases and did not object to calling it a day. I think they were worn out. So home we went to show the men and the little ones what we had bought. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and getting things ready for Monday and the flight home.
Jenny
Jamie
To be continued. Please leave a comment.
Carla Bay
Part Three - Chapter Eight
Our friends settle in at Quilpie
Editing by Bronwen
Previously:
We spent about four hours at the markets. The girls went off by themselves and came back to a designated spot every half an hour to show me what they had bought, I looked for some clothes for my sister Jenny and her little boy Josh, and also for Chrissie and Sandy. Rita was too hard to buy for those days so I didn’t bother, When four hours were up I decide to round Jamie and Jenny up to have something to eat and make our way back home. I had bought something for everyone even the men, and some fluffy toys for the twins. Jamie and Jenny were happy with their purchases and did not object to calling it a day. I think they were worn out. So home we went to show the men and the little ones what was bought, and the rest of the day was spent relaxing and getting things ready for Monday and the flight home.
****************************************************
18/2/74
It was 5am and the twins were still fast asleep, so my beautiful and randy husband blew in my ear. That was too much for me so guess what, my ever present sister got into the act and said, “It's about time you two!!! The girls will stay asleep so do what you will.”
I whispered “Thanks sis.”
The girls stayed asleep until we had a shower and got dressed and then we got them up to have their bath. John had breakfast all prepared, so Jamie and Jenny decided to have a bath with Donna and Jean so the adults could have breakfast and talk about what the plans for today would be.
Once Jamie, Jenny and the little ones were fed and dressed it was time to get going, so we cleaned up the apartment and packed all the things into the car. By the time we got going it was nine thirty and the morning traffic was as per usual heavy, but that’s city life and it is always a good feeling to be on our way back home where time seems to slow down.
When we arrived at Archerfield, our staff at the hanger had the chopper all fuelled up and flight ready; the car was parked in the hanger and all the luggage and items that we'd bought at the markets were loaded and secured. Ricky had a few things to sort out with the staff at the hanger and workshops and then it was time to take to the air. I let Ricky do the flying with John sitting in the co-pilot seat. John was really impressed with our set up at the hanger so Ricky kept the head phones on and chatted about guy things.
Jamie and Jenny were singing nursery rhymes with the little ones. I just let my mind drift while Jean took me back in time to when I first got my pilots licence. I love flying and it has been part of my life, and of course the remoteness of where I grew up is something that is almost spiritual.
I was brought out of my daydream when Jamie shook me and said, “Aunty Carla, are you alright?”
“Yes darling, the humming of the engine sort of made me go into a dream state”
“It worked for Donna and Jean too, they are fast asleep,” said Jamie over the noise of the engine. I looked at my watch and out onto the countryside about two thousand feet below, and we were nearing familiar territory so I tapped Ricky on the shoulder and said, “How long darling?”
He replied, “Fifteen minutes. Wake up the girls so they can be alert when Mum and Dad are there to greet us on the ground.” Jamie was already softly touching them on their cheeks to wake them.
Ricky circled the airport once and proceeded to touch down and taxi to on the landing apron in front of the Croft hanger. It was just after one pm. Mum, Dad and Sandy are there to welcome us and the Americans home.
Once Ricky shut down the chopper it was time to get out and stretch our legs. Mum and Dad gave myself and Ricky a hug and picked up Donna and Jean, who were speaking twenty to the dozen and really excited to see their grandparents. Ricky's parents were also walking over from our office and of course the twins had to be hugged by them as well.
Sandy then gave Jamie a hug and said “This must be Jenny and her Dad,” and proceeded to hug them both saying, “Welcome to Quilpie and the outback.”
I don’t think John was quite used to being hugged by a stranger, but then I think bush people are more open and trusting than city folk.
We all ended up at our place and had a late lunch that Mum and Ricky's Mum Helen had prepared for us.
Jamie said, “Aunty Carla, will Jenny be able to come stay with me or does she have to stay here?”
I replied, “Sweetheart you had better ask your Mum about that because your not going to school till next week, you were staying here remember?”
“Oh yeah, but can I sleep here as well till then?” Jamie is very out there and does not hold back, and when she wants something she does not beat around the bush and comes straight out and says what she wants. She's 'my kind of person', well it always worked for me!!!!
Sandy said, “Carla, we're not going to keep Jamie and Jenny apart, so if it's ok with you I have not got a problem with Jamie staying here, but come next week when she starts school again we will have to have a rethink.”
I replied, “No worries, as long as Mum and Dad can handle four girls while we're at work!”
Mum said, “They'll be fine, besides the twins won't let them stray too far.”
Jenny and Jamie both replied, “Yeees.” That set off the little ones twirling around like little princesses saying, “We too we too.”
Sandy said, “I'll never get used to these two with their double speak.”
Dad replied,”Give it time luv. Wait till they go to school, that'll be interesting.”
Things settled down. Jamie and Jenny took the twins for a walk down to the park to let them play on the swings. Sandy invited John to go down and have a look at her house, I winked at her and got a wink back, Oh dear !! It looked like Sandy was interested in our American friend.
Helen and Barry decided to go home and asked Ricky to drive them because they needed to discuss some things. Ricky didn’t see them often enough so I encouraged him to also go and see Rita and Peter. Rita was still having trouble with morning sickness. I decided to go and see her in the next couple of days and see if Jean could do something for her from the spirit world.
Ricky stayed at Rita's place which was their home at the back of the restaurant and had dinner there.
Sandy phoned me and said almost in a whisper, “Carla, I'm going to cook John a meal so he will be back later, is that ok with you?”
I replied, “Sandy girl you go for it but take it slowly.”
Her reply was “Carla, do you think Jamie would accept another man in my life or even her life?”
I said “Sandy, Jamie still misses her Dad and so do you, but I think it might be time to move on and give your new life a chance don't you?”
“Thanks Carla I needed to hear that.”
Later the phone rang and I had a fair idea what it was about. It was John.
”Umm Carla, could I speak with my daughter for a moment please?”
I replied, “Yes John, but before I call her I just want you to know that I am right behind you with whatever you want to do in regards to Jenny and yourself and will help you any way I can, but take it slow with Sandy, she is a real nice person and I don’t want to see her hurt.”
He replied, “Carla, Sandy is still grieving the loss of her husband as I am my wife, so we have a lot in common and the friendship will grow slowly so don't worry, it'll be fine”
I called Jenny to the phone, “Hello Daddy what's wrong?” She listened and and then said, “Daddy I just want you to be happy I'll --- I'll see you in the morning.”
She looked at me with tears in her big brown eyes.
“Aunty Carla I miss Mummy so much but I want Daddy to be happy.”
I held her in a hug and softly stroked her hair, “Sweetheart we are all there for you and your Daddy and we'll have a good talk in the morning, now off you go and tell Jamie all about your Daddy and her Mummy.”
Later Ricky came home and said, “Carla honey, is there anything you can do for Rita and that morning sickness?”
“No darling but I think Jean may be able to help.”
Of course Jean is always there and started to do her usual thing in our head and said, “I'm already doing something to make things a little easier for her and her little unborn son so relax and stop worrying”
Half an hour later John came into the lounge where Ricky and I were sitting holding hands and thinking of calling it a night. John sat down in the recliner chair opposite us and rubbed his eyes looking very tired.
I said, “John you look exhausted, why don’t you turn in for the night?”
“Carla, I need to explain why I worry about Jenny so much. I really don’t know enough about what she is going through and I'm afraid I’ll fail her as a father.”
Ricky got up and said, “I'll make us a cup of tea and then let's have a talk”.
By this time Mum and Dad came into the lounge as well and joined the conversation.
Mum said, “John we are all here to support you with Jennifer. Remember I went through all this years ago with Carla. Everything will turn out fine, but if you want I'll have a talk with her in the morning.”
John replied ”That would be great Mrs Croft.”
“John please call me Donna, I think your going to be around for a while.”
“Thanks Donna.”
Needless to say it ended up being a fairly late night by the time we all got to bed but at least John was more relaxed about bringing his daughter to Quilpie and the Croft and Smith families. We will just have to wait and see what develops with him and Sandy; Jean might have to work her spiritual ways with them.
Tuesday 19/2/74
Things were going to have to go back to normal and once everyone had breakfast including the twins, Ricky and I had to head off to work so it was left to Mum and Dad to look after the twins, Jamie, Jenny and her dad John.
***Donna now speaks***
I have seen this all before so I suppose it might be best if I sort of take charge of things for a while where Jenny is concerned. I want to ease the pressure on Carla, She has done so much for other people and needs to think of herself the twins and Ricky, or she will have a breakdown.
Once Carla and Ricky left for work I asked Bill to look after the twins for a while so I could have a word with John, Jenny and of course my other little helper Jamie.
I got out a big photo album and scrapbook on Carla’s life right from when she first started to run around the sheep station with Rita. It really has been an amazing journey for all of us.
On the wide verandah with John and I sitting in a pair of squatters' chairs and the girls on the double love swing where I guess Carla and Ricky spent an awful lot of time daydreaming I said, “Ok I'm going to tell you how Carla became the woman she is today.”
There were lots of questions along the way, especially when it came to the part of the ever present twin of Carla, 'Jean' of the spirit world. Of course Jamie is excited about being able to not just communicate with but actually see her as well.
The next thing Jamie said was, “Aunty Donna, how about we see If Aunty Jean will communicate with Jenny and her Dad?”
I replied, “Ok sweetheart, we'll go into the lounge and pull all the curtains and see if Jean will talk with us.”
Once we were ready I let Jamie explain how people that have not heard Jean in their brain have to keep their eyes closed and keep holding onto her hand I also held Jamie’s hand to make sure the energy would flow from the spirit world.
Jean was there almost instantly, and Jenny and her Dad felt the slight vibration that people get when Jean starts to communicate with them. Jenny kept quiet but John asked if he could communicate with Jessie his late wife.
Jean was coming through very clearly and said, “John, Jessie is fine and sends her love to you and Jennifer and wants you to get on with your lives.”
Jennifer had tears running down her cheeks and asked if she could see her Mummy.
Jean's reply was “Sweetheart, when our communication gets stronger I will see if that can happen.”
After a while Jean said she was running low on energy and said goodbye.
Later we went for a drive to see Jenny and little Josh to let the twins have a play with their little cousin. Rita and Chrissie were already there so the day was spent catching up and planning what would happen in the next few weeks to make Jennifer and John's stay with us a pleasant one.
Carla came home early to see what our day was like and to take the twins down to Sandy's pool.
Donna and Jean
To be continued.
Next time: Jamie back to school and an interesting development with John and Sandy
Please leave a comment.
Part Three - Chapter Nine
Sandy and John get closer
Editing by Bronwen
Previously:
Donnna speaks
Later we went for a drive to see Jenny and little Josh to let the twins have a play with their little cousin. Rita and Chrissie were already there so the day was spent catching up and planning what would happen in the next few weeks to make Jennifer and John's stay with us a pleasant one.
Carla came home early to see what our day was like and to take the twins down to Sandy's pool.
Wednesday 20/2/74
Back with Carla
As it's a normal workday for me and Ricky, we left Mum and Dad to look after John and all the girls. When I arrived at the clinic Sandy was on the phone to her Mum and Dad, talking about John and how she really liked him and would they mind if she came out to the property to show him around the workings of a real sheep station?
Lambing season is around April and shearing starts in early Spring so the sheds were idle at that moment but it would still be an experience for an American to see what happens here in Queensland.
Once she was off the phone I said, “Morning Sandy, sleep well did we?”
“A bit restless thinking about the future for me and Jamie. Carla I need some advice.”
“Yes I thought you might. Ask away Sandy, I'm here for you.”
“Well I really like John and we seem to have a lot in common and well... you know.”
“Sandy I like John as well, but be careful. He is quite vulnerable at the moment like yourself and is still grieving the loss of his wife, but if it feels right go for it and make sure you include Jamie in any decisions.”
“Thanks Carla that’s why I want to go out to Mum and Dads place.”
I decided to cut Sandy some slack and said, “Why don’t you take a couple of days off and take John, Jenny and Jamie out there? Take the Piper; it has more room than the twin Cessna. It's not busy at the moment and I can handle the clinic with the help of Chrissie and Amy.”
She replied with a hug and said, “Carla, you really are just like a sister to me and yes, I’ll do just that, thanks.”
“Sandy, you're most welcome. Take your vet gear with you and check out that stud ram while you're there and say hello to your Mum and Dad for me.”
It was a good time to take Jamie then because she had to go back to school next week and she would also be company for Jenny. Those two were getting on really well.
***Sandy speaks***
I am so glad to have Carla and her family as not only close friends but business partners as well. I packed any medical supplies that I might need to have a look at Dad's animals, said goodbye to Carla and the others, got into my car and drove straight over to the Croft house knowing that everyone would still be on the verandah chatting and working out what to do for the day.
I pulled into the driveway and Jamie and Jenny came running over, “Mummy why are you home and not at work?”
“If you let me get out out of the car I will tell you won't I!!”
I alighted from the car and the girls were dancing around me so I said, “Girls, come and sit down with everyone on the verandah and I’ll explain what I plan to do for the next few days.”
The twins were playing with their dolls keeping their Grandpa busy. Donna was talking to John, asking all about his late wife. He looked up at me with damp eyes and said, “Hello Sandy, just a bit emotional at the moment, sorry.”
I went and hugged him and said, “John I know where you're at and I'm here for you more than you realise.”
He smiled back at me and almost broke my heart when he replied, “Sandy, why does it hurt so much?”
I couldn't answer him, so I took him by the hand and said, “Come with me and lets talk.”
Donna then said “Sandy, you two go out into the garden and sit under the big gum on the swing seat. I'll keep the girls busy for a bit.”
We sat and talked about our past lives holding hands and in the end I told him I wanted to take him out to my parents' sheep station with the girls. We talked a bit more and then I don’t know why, but I just kissed him and said, “John, let's get to know each other and see where it takes us.”
He replied, “Sandy I’d like that very much, but what about the girls?”
I said, “Well knowing those two they will already have us married off!”
He kissed me then, and we went and talked to the girls to let them know what was going to happen for the rest of the week.
The girls were entertaining the twins with their dollies in the little push chairs when John said to Jenny “I have something to discuss with you and Jamie, so let Mrs Croft look after the twins for a while and come with me and Sandy out into the garden and we'll inform you on what is going to happen in the next few days.”
John and I sat on the swing seat and the girls sat on the grass in front of us with an expectant look on their face,
I let John do the talking and made it easier by holding his hand. The girls smiled at each other and both said, “I told you!!!!!!” which made me laugh and I said to John, “They don’t miss much do they?”
So the girls were told to go and pack enough clothes for at least four days and we would all go to the Croft hanger to get on board the Piper and fly out to my parents property.
The next few days were very relaxing for me because Dad and John seemed to get on like a couple of old mates, which made it really exciting for the girls as well because they went with the men to be shown all the workings of an outback sheep station,
It is Sunday morning and it's time to think about getting back to Quilpie. It will be hard to get back to work after being in the quiet outback where all you hear is the wildlife and the farm animals. It has also been good for the girls to get to know each other more intimately and Jenny had a lot of questions about what Jamie went through with her surgery which of course will be quite different to her own since Jenny is transgendered while Jamie is intersexed and basically needed to have corrective surgery.
John and myself have become a little bit closer in the last couple of days and it looks like he might sell his business in the states and migrate to Australia. I think the girls seem to know what is going to happen and I pulled them aside to interrogate them without John being present.
I said, “Jamie what have you and Jenny cooked up between you?” Jamie grabbed Jenny's hand as if she needed some support so I knew there was something going on.
I said, “Jamie girl!!! you know something that I don’t, and I want you to tell me before we head back to Quilpie.”
Jamie was close to tears when she said, “Mummy we didn't mean to but we asked Aunty Jean to tell us what was going to happen between you and Jenny's Dad.”
My reply was “Well!!!?”
“Mummy please don't be cross with us.”
“Darling I'm not cross with either of you, so, are you going to let me in on the big news?”
It looks like we might end up as a family, so I swore the girls to secrecy for the time being so as not to shock John before I had a chance to talk things through with him once we got back home. The girls agreed to keep it our little secret. Poor John, he is such a nice man and I think that I had already fallen for him before this little episode with the girls.
By ten am it was time to get moving so we got all our things together and put them in Dad's four wheel drive to take us down to the landing strip, which is a little way from the homestead on higher ground so when it floods the strip can still be used. Mum came with us as well and it was as expected, a teary goodbye. I have decided to come out here at least once a month for a couple of days especially now that I know what is going to happen in the future compliments of Carla’s twin spirit sister.
***John speaks***
I've had the most wonderful time these last few days and am completely relaxed and I think I am falling in love with a wonderful lady called Sandra. This is something I didn't expect to happen so soon after Jessie's passing, but I guess I'm alive and she is not so I have to think of my future and also Jennifer's and it all feels right. I wonder what Jennifer will say when I tell her of my plans for our future lives here in the land down under?
***Carla speaks***
It's Sunday morning and Mum got the twins early so Ricky and I can have a bit of a sleep in before tomorrow's back to work. We laid back and talked quietly about what we both wanted in the future.
I said, “Darling what is the most important thing you want to do in your life?”
“Sweetheart I'm living it right now just being with you and our family. It's what I cherish more than anything else; another baby would be nice as well.”
I said, “Ricky I want to wait till the girls are at least three years old before we have any more because with my luck it would be a big possibility I would end up having another set of twins, how would you feel about that?”
“As long as they're boys lets do it!”
I threw a pillow at him which led to more than talk, so maybe he'll get his way sooner rather than later.
Jean was in our head and said, “Sandy will be here in half an hour so you two had better get up. There will be some good news.”
I thought, “I bet I know what what the good news will be.”
Jean was right. Sandy drove up the drive just as it was twelve noon. Once the car stopped the two girls rushed passed me to go to the loo. They had obviously not used the toilet at the hanger.
Mum had phoned Peter at the restaurant to have a meal ready for all of us because we were all going there for lunch including Chrissie and Alan, Jenny and Billy and of course little Josh.
Of course the good news was that John had decided to sell up in America and live in our beautiful sun-burnt country called ''Australia.''
To be continued.
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Part Three - Chapter Ten
A close thing
Editing by Bronwen
Previously:
The good news was that John had decided to sell up in America and live in our beautiful sun burnt country called Australia.
Sunday 24/2/74
After Sandy and John told us what was planned for the future, Jamie and Jenny got their act together and changed into something pretty. I let them get the twins ready as well. Just imagine what went on in the girls' bedroom with the twins wanting to look just like Jamie and Jenny! However I think my ever-present sister sorted them out and when they finally appeared all four of them looked very feminine and pretty.
While this was going on I took Sandy aside and asked, “Ok madam do tell what's going on?”
She replied ”Well it's like this Carla, I think I have fallen for John and I think he has for me, so umm well you know and umm.”
“Well yes, I do know and as long as you take your time everything will work out ok for you both.”
She hugged me and said “Carla you have almost become like a sister to me. It means so much to me to have your blessing for this.”
“Ok then sis, lets get our act together and get down to Rita's place for lunch.
***Jamie and Jennifer ***
Jamie said, “Jenny what do you think will happen with my Mum and your Dad?”
Jenny replied “I hope they get married and we can stay here forever and then we'll be sisters with the same last name.”
Jamie replied, “You know what, when we get back home, I think we should ask Aunty Jean to tell us what will happen.”
“Yeah I forgot about that, and you're sleeping at your own house tonight aren’t you?”
“Yep, and that means I have to go back to school as well, 'bummer'!!!”
“Ok Jamie seeing we will be sleeping in the same bedroom lets see if your spirit aunt will tell us anything.”
Carla speaks:
I thought, “I don’t know what Jamie and Jenny are up to because the amount of whispering they're doing. I had better warn Sandy to keep an eye on them tonight.”
Before we got into the cars to drive down to the restaurant I had a quiet word with Sandy.
“Sandy you need to check up on what the girls are up to when you get home later today. I think they are planning something.”
Sandy replied, “Thanks Carla but what could they be planning to do?”
“Whatever it is I think my twin sister will be involved.”
We all arrived at Rita and Peter's restaurant and as usual with the Croft clan everyone was speaking at once which is what family gatherings are all about, at least it is with our lot. Sandy was holding John's hand as if to stop him from escaping.
Dad grabbed the old cow bell that was on the counter that is normally used to get service when people are in the kitchen and rang it loudly and said, “Alright you unruly lot we have a couple of new people in our clan that might not be used to our noisy way of communicating.”
Finally all was quiet so Dad could welcome John and his daughter officially to Quilpie and the outback. There were fifteen people plus restaurant staff present so Rita decided to close the restaurant for the afternoon and concentrate on the family reunion.
As the afternoon progressed John made a little speech telling us a bit about himself and his daughter and what he planned to do in the near future. All was quiet when he announced that he had fallen in love with Australia and would we mind if Jenny and he stayed?
I decided to get up and said “John, I for one will welcome you and Jennifer with open arms and I think there might be a lady called Sandra that will be even more welcoming for you to stay.”
It was time for desert and more noise. I watched John and Sandy being more comfortable being accepted by the family and thought, “If all this comes to pass I might be able to go part time at the clinic and start planning to do what Ricky wants to happen.”
It was three in the afternoon and time to clear the restaurant of family members so it could be opened up to the public and let Rita and and Peter make some money for the rest of the day.
Sandy took me aside and said, “Carla I know that John and Jenny are your guests but would you mind very much if I invited John to stay at my house for a while so we can get to know each other a little more?”
My reply was, “Sandy I thought you would never ask. I think it is a good idea and it will make it a lot easier for Jamie and Jenny as well.”
“Thanks Carla, I think John is looking to buy into a business here as well.”
I thought “Here's my chance to tell her what I’ve been thinking.” I said, “Sandy, why don't you ask him if he wants to buy into our business because I’ve been thinking of having another baby. Ricky has been keen to add to our family, and if this all happens I would go part time, what do you think about that?”
“I'll talk to him about it tonight and see how serious he is about us getting together.”
At bedtime after the twins were well and truly asleep, I cuddled into Ricky and said, “Honey I know you want us to have another baby and the way things are progressing with John and Sandy it will be a chance to take time out to add to our own little clan.”
“Do you really think it is that serious with John and Sandra?”
“Well I will know tomorrow when Sandy comes to work. I don't think poor John has a chance with all us women around, plus that spirit sister of mine do you?”
He replied, “Hell Carla that’s hardly fair on the guy but I guess by the time Jean is finished with him he won't know what hit him.”
***Jamie and Jenny***
“This is great” said Jamie as she and Jenny were making up their beds. “Jamie are you still going to communicate with with your aunty Jean?”
“You bet I am, but we will have to do it without Mummy knowing.”
“But won't she find out?”
“Yeah probably but we'll do it anyway. Don’t you want to know what the future holds?”
“Yeah but I don’t want to get into trouble doing it.”
“Don’t worry about it I'll take the blame, just get into bed and we'll start”.
They turned all the lights off except a little night light and lay on the bed holding hands.
As soon as the girls started to concentrate Jean appeared at the end of the bed and told the girls, “You can open your eyes girls, I will let you see me.”
Jenny was in awe of the beautiful angel sitting on the bed and said, “Oh my God you are so beautiful.”
Jean replied “Ok girls I shouldn't do this but if I don't you will only try again till I give in.”
Jamie said “Aunty Jean we won't tell Mummy or Jenny's Dad, 'promise'!!”
“Well my little ones in a few days it won't matter because they will tell you anyway.”
Jean then explained what would happen. She revealed to the two excited girls that there would be a wedding in the future but to leave life to take its course, and swore them to secrecy or she would never let them see her again. The girls promised not to tell anyone about what they had been told and the spirit angel called Jean sang to them till they fell asleep.
Ricky and myself talked late into the night about what our hopes and dreams were for the future and Ricky said “Sweetheart there's one way to find out what's in store for us, lets just ask Jean.”
I replied “Ricky darling, my sister will only give us a general outline of the future but let's see what will happen.”
Jean was already in our heads and said “I am only allowed to tell you certain things and you will have to decide what you do with information that I give to you.”
We questioned her at length and pretty much got all the answers that we wanted. As to what those answers were you will just have to keep reading to see what happens as I continue to write my story.
Monday 25/2/74
It was the beginning of the week and things had to go back to normal if there is such a thing. Ricky went off to do some work at the hanger and to see what charter flights he had for the week, but more and more he was just as happy to run the business so he could spend more time at home with me and his little daughters who hang on his every word. We both decide the time was right to have another baby, so I went off the pill and would let nature take its course.
I sorted out the twins and let Mum and Dad do their grand-parenting and went off to work, Amy was there sorting out some paperwork at Chrissie's desk. I asked what she was doing and she replied, “Christine won't be in today because she took ill last night and is in hospital. Alan phoned me this morning to let me know so I thought I had better see what paperwork needed to be done.”
I thought, “I wonder why they didn't ring me instead? There must be something wrong with her pregnancy. I will go to the hospital when Sandy turns up for work”.
Sandy turned up a little bit later than usual because she had to take Jamie to school and then run John and Jenny over to our place to pick up one of our spare cars for them to use while here in Quilpie. John had an international drivers licence; the only thing he had to watch was that he stayed on the left side of the road.
Sandy said “Sorry for being late Carla but I had to sort out Jamie for school and take my visitors to pick up the car.”
I replied, “It's ok Sandy, but seeing you're here now I have to go to see what's happened to Chrissie. She is at the hospital so I will leave you with it and find out what I can do to help.”
When I arrived at the hospital Alan was in the main entry with Jenny and little Josh. Alan looked distressed and I asked what had happened.
Jenny replied, “Sis, it looks like Chrissie might lose the baby.”
I put my arm around Alan and said, “Al honey that is not going to happen. You wait here with Jenny and I will go and see sister Marie and have a talk with Doc Ryan.”
As I walked to where they had Chrissie I said, “Jean where are you sis?”
“Right here,” came the reply in my head.
“Well do something will you?”
“Calm down Carla, the baby is fine and so is Chrissie.”
I replied in my head this time, “Why didn't you let me know sooner?”
“I was rather busy saving a little life, sister dear.”
“So what went wrong?”
“Chrissie had bad cramps and started to bleed but all is well and I have been in her head when you interrupted me.”
“Ok sorry, I am outside the room now so do your thing and I will also talk with her.”
I knocked on the door and did not wait to be told to come in. Seeing my family paid for most of the equipment in this place I tend to throw my weight around, but where my own are concerned I become very protective. Jim Ryan and a nurse looked at me and were about to say something when they recognised me and Jim said, “What took you so long Carla?”
I ignored him and went straight to Chrissie who was sitting up on the gurney bed and said, “Chrissie I have been talking to Jean and the baby is fine.”
She replied “Carla, remember she talks to me as well.”
“Of course, silly me. Well I had better go and fetch Alan who is on tenderhooks down the hall.”
By the time I left the hospital I was ready to have a nervous breakdown and had to pull up on the road and have a five minute cry to release the tension. With Rita and Chrissie both in their fourth month it was all getting to me.
Instead of going back to work I went straight home and called Ricky to come home too; I needed him, right now!!
I was sitting in the lounge when Mum brought the twins in and she asked “Carla what on earth are you doing at home?”
I started to cry and sob, she called Dad to come and take the twins outside to play while she looked after me.
I was a bit calmer when Ricky walked in and when he saw that I had been crying he sat on one side of me with Mum on the other,and then the dam really burst. Mum called for Doc Ryan to come and he arrived within ten minutes. I was total wreck and he gave me an injection. All I can remember is Ricky carrying me to the bedroom, and then I was with Jean in that green field that she seems to take me to when things go wrong.
This time I was dressed in the same gown that Jean wears and I guess if we'd been on earth there would be no way of telling us apart.
I said “Jean have I passed over and left earth behind?”
“My dear sweet sister, your time on earth is nowhere near over. You have a young family and husband to take care of and there is also one more to add in nine months time.”
Will it be a boy? Ricky would be so happy to have a little son.”
“Carla I shouldn't tell you but yes he will get his wish.”
“Jean when will we be together?”
“Carla we have always been together. When you said I would live my life through you at the grave site I went went with you that same day. We will always be connect in spirit and soul.”
I woke up in Ricky's arms with him gazing into my eyes.
He kissed my and said “My sweet Carla I love you. Please don't frighten me like you did last night ever again, I could never live without you.”
“Sorry Darling I’ll try not to and I love you too. Honey you know how you want us to add to the family?”
“Yes.”
“Well we're pregnant.”
“I know.”
“You listened into me and Jean didn't you?”
“Yes, do you mind?”
“No of course not, what will we call him?”
“I like Paul.”
“So do I. Paul it is, do you hear that Paul?”
To be continued.
Next time: Sandy ,John and Jenny sort things out that will change things for me and my time as a business woman into full time mum and enjoying my time with my little girls and only occasionally helping out with the business side of things.
Hugs from, Carla Bay
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Part Three - Chapter Eleven
Carla takes advice
Editing by Bronwen
Previously:
I woke up in Ricky's arms with him gazing into my eyes. He kissed me and said, “My sweet Carla I love you. Please don't frighten me like you did last night ever again, I could never live without you.”
I still felt a little sleepy from the effect of the injection Doc Ryan gave me the previous night and I doubted that I would be going to work that morning. There was a phone call and Mum said, “Carla, Sandra is on the phone and wants to know how you are and can she come over before she goes to the clinic?”
“Yes Mum, please tell her I’m o.k., and to come here first, but also to ring Amy and let her know she'll be late and if need be call Ross to help out.”
Ricky said, “Honey, until doc Ryan checks you out you're not going anywhere, is that clear?”
“Ricky don’t you boss me around!”
“Carla I'll tie you to the bed if I have to!”
I thought, “Gee I think he means it, I had better behave or I will be in trouble with everyone.”
I replied with tears in my eyes, “Sorry darling just a bit emotional at the moment.”
“Darling I love you too much to let you have a complete breakdown, so just behave yourself and slow down. You have been running around at a hundred miles an hour and it's time you thought about yourself for a change, especially now.”
“Ricky I have done it all my life, you know that I can't sit still.”
Just as I said that, Jim Ryan walked into the bedroom with a concerned look on his face and said, “Carla you are only twenty four years old. If you keep this up you won't reach your next birthday. You have done more in your short life than most people have who are twenty years older than you.”
I kept my mouth shut and thought “Well doc you are probably right, but how can you ask me to change my personality? I was born this way.”
Ricky then said, “Jim, did you know about Carla being pregnant?”
“Well after I saw the blood test that was done last night I did.”
I thought, “Bloody hell I had better speak up for myself before I get retired by everyone.”
I said, “Ok doc what do you suggest?”
“Well Carla, I want some more tests done but if you want to go the full term with this pregnancy I will tell you in the only way you will listen. Stop running around like a blue-arsed fly!!!!”
That got through to me and I must have been more stressed than I thought because the dam broke once more.
Now Ricky was getting worried and held me tightly in his arms till I quietened down. Jim was about to give me another injection when Mum walked in and said, “Jim, no more drugs, she just needs to slow down and she will be fine. Remember fourteen years ago with all the drama taking her to Brisbane in the helicopter and then to the Mater?”
“Yes Donna I was in that chopper with you too you know, and Carla is like my own daughter. I was there when the twins arrived too.”
I thought, “This has gone on long enough, pull yourself together girl.”
“Ok everyone I hear you. Jean is in my head as well. I will stop work for a bit and I’ll be fine.”
Jim replied, “Carla you need to stop work and no stress till I tell you otherwise or you will lose the baby. Do you understand?”
I replied through bloodshot eyes, “Yes doc, you're the boss.”
“Good. I will send your sister Jenny over to do the blood test shortly and I’ll be back this afternoon to check up on you.”
Jenny wanted to go back to work at the Hospital but Billy wouldn't hear of it while Josh was so young so she did part-time work and collected the blood tests for the hospital. A little later Jenny turned up with little Josh and he was taken out to play with my girls.
“Ok sister dear what have you got up to?” asked Jenny.
“Umm well you know!! No different than when we were growing up and we were the Three Musketeers and helped everyone remember?”
“Carla we were all young girls than; we have families now and you can't always help everyone to your own health's detriment. Now give me your arm and be quiet if you can!!!”
“Yes Ma'am!” I thought, “I suppose I had better do as I’m told I certainly don't want to jeopardise my unborn baby.”
Just as Jenny finished collecting my blood, Jean entered the scene and seemed to be communicating with everyone in the room and said, “I know that all the people in this room can hear me so listen up, I have always been with Carla since birth and we are both one soul. I’m not about to let her slip into ill health; the baby will be fine and Carla dear, you will do as you are told is that clear?”
I felt like a little girl being told to stand in the corner till I could behave myself and burst into tears once more. This time Mum told everyone to get out of the room and she then sat next to me and let me cuddle into her while she rocked me like she used to when I was little and sang to me. I fell asleep in her arms and found myself back in the spirit world with Jean rocking me instead of Mum and it was Jean doing the singing.
When I woke up three hours later I found myself in bed, with Ricky stroking my hair saying, “Hello sweetheart, have a nice time with Jean did we?”
I said, “How did you know I was with Jean?”
“Darling she let me see you in the spirit world and you looked even more beautiful in the blue shimmering gowns that you were both wearing.”
I replied, “Flattery will get you everywhere.”
Ricky said “Now honey you are going to slow right down aren't you?”
“Yes darling, obviously I don’t have a choice but I don’t want to be treated like an invalid either.”
“Don't worry sweetheart you will never be that.”
I thought, 'This could be fun but I had better have a long talk with Sandy and John to see what will happen with the veterinary clinic.'
Ricky said as if he read my mind, “Carla I have asked John and Sandy to come over this morning to sort out what has to happen with the clinic.”
I replied, “Ricky we also need Brian to come over to see what the best way to sort out the legal issues.” I thought to myself, “I don’t think I have much choice but to let this happen and just hope it all works out for the best.”
It all seemed like a dream to me when I finished the discussions with Sandy and John with Brian taking notes to take back to his office. It was all happening too fast but again I also knew that I had to slow down till our little boy was born and then I could go back to work.
I spent the rest of the day with the twins and Ricky at Helen and Barry, Ricky's parents' place. There would be a lot more of that from then on.
Sandra, John and Jenny speak
Jenny said, “Daddy, does all this mean that we won't go back home to live?”
“Well sweetheart I think that it's the best thing if we start a new life and you seem to like Sandra and Jamie or am I wrong?”
“No Daddy you're not wrong but I miss Mummy.”
Sandra then hugged Jenny and said, “Darling I can't replace your Mummy but I will love you just as much as I do Jamie.”
Jenny replied, “What about my little problem? Will I be able to have all the treatment done here in Australia?”
Sandra asked John to make a cup of tea and leave the two of them have a little discussion about girl things.
Sandy said, “Ok Jenny, you already know about Jamie being inter-sexed and that was all fixed without any problems and so will you when the time comes. I will fly us down to Brisbane and get the same doctors to treat you as well.”
By the time John came back with three cups of tea and some cake Jenny was all smiles.
Jamie was back at school and had told a few friends about her friend from the States and that her mum was going to try to enroll her in the same school. Once all the relevant paper work was sorted out with John's and Jenny's Australian residence with the immigration department things would settle down.
To be continued.
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Carla Bay
Part Three - Chapter Twelve
A breakdown
Editing by Bronwen
Previously:
It all seemed like a dream to me when I finished the discussions with Sandy and John with Brian taking notes to take back to his office. It was all happening too fast ,but again I also knew that I had to slow down till our little boy was born and than I could go back to work.
The rest of the day I spent with the twins and Ricky at Helen and Barry , Ricky's parents, which there will be a lot more of from now on.
***************************************
The story continues,
Sunday 24th February 1974
I'd settled down a little by now and got used to the fact that my life would be slightly different from now on. I thought to myself, “I will get myself pregnant so it is basically my own doing. Oh well it wont be too bad.”
Over the weekend most of what had to be done was sorted out and it only remained for Brian to draw up all the legals and I would sign the papers that would change my life at least for the foreseeable future.
I was feeling quite queasy in the tummy and of course I knew what it was, so off to the bathroom I went. It was only five a.m., and I didn’t want to wake Ricky or the twins so I stayed in the bathroom till I felt better and then went to the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea. I usually drink coffee but once I'm with child for some unknown reason my taste buds are quite different.
When I put the kettle on I must have disturbed Mum who came into the kitchen in her dressing-gown.
She said, “Sweetheart sit down I'll make us the tea, you look all flushed.”
I replied, “Mum, I know this is all part of being pregnant but it is the only part I don't enjoy.”
As usual Jean was in my head and said, “Carla last time I stopped a lot of that for you so I guess I'll have to do the same this time.”
I replied, out loud, “Sis you're too kind.'
Mum said, “Alright you two, you forget I can listen into your little digs at each other.”
Jean than manifested herself and was sitting on the chair next to Mum who jumped and said “Jean must you do that without warning?”
Both Jean and I laughed but said, “Sorry Mummy.” at the same time, just like my little ones do.
Mum said “Carla I'm glad you are only having one!! I don’t think I can handle much more of this double speak.”
By six a.m., the twins had their Daddy awake and and wanting to know where Mummy was. They are dry now and sleep all night through, which is a blessing.
Ricky put up with the little monsters jumping up and down on the bed for a while and then took them both down to the main bathroom and let them play in the big tub while he used the shower next to the tub. I could hear all the squealing going on and thought I’d better rescue my husband and see to the little ones.
When I got there Ricky was in the tub as well and they were making a real mess on the floor splashing water at each other. Ricky was as bad as the girls.
I said, “Ricky! Going through your second childhood are we?”
All I ended up with was a splash of water directed at me so I disrobed and got into the shower. In the end we were all wrapped in towels back in the bedroom, and I made the girls sit on the bed while Ricky and myself got dressed.
Once dressed we grabbed a twin each and dressed them for the day and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Mum was standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips and said, “I hope you two intend to clean up that bathroom.”
Both me and Rick said, “Yes Mum.”
The twins joined in and while climbing into the chairs singing “Yes mum” all Mum could do was to look the other way so not to encourage them to keep it up.
Mum had all the breakfast prepared, and Dad turned up as well and started blowing raspberries on the girls cheeks. Once all the silly stuff was over things settled down. The twins are really good at eating and can feed themselves. As long as they have their bibs on they don’t make too much of a mess.
Once breakfast was over, Mum and Dad looked after the twins while Ricky and myself cleaned up the kitchen and and bathroom. It was Sunday, so Ricky said, “Honey lets go over to Jenny's place and let the girls play with little Joshua.”
I replied, “Ok I'll give Jenny a call and see if she can cope with this unruly mob.”
It was only seven thirty a.m., but being February it was hot already. There is no real humidity in Quilpie but it get very hot in summer and most people get up fairly early especially the ones with little ankle biters.
I went to my home office and dialled Jenny's phone number.
“Hello Billy Wilson.”
“Billy it's Carla. I was just thinking it might be a good idea if we come over today and let the twins play with little Josh.”
He replied, “Sure, I want to catch up with Ricky anyway I'll let Jenny know.”
He hung up before I could tell him what time we would be there so I rang back. Jenny answered and said, “Make it ten o’clock.”
I replied, “What's wrong with Billy? He seems to be in a hurry and hung up the phone before I could tell him that I wanted to talk to you.”
“He was getting breakfast ready and left the milk on the stove and it was about to boil over”
We arrived at Jenny's place and saw that Rita and Peter's car was there and as we pulled up, Chrissie and Alan also turned up, I thought, “I wonder what this is all about? First Billy said he wants to catch up with Ricky and now half the family are here.”
Jenny's place is a typical old Queensland type homestead and has wide verandahs all the way round and there is also a pool with a shade cover over it. Rita had brought an Esky packed with enough food to feed an army.
Again I thought, “There is something I’m missing here.”
I said to my secretive husband, “Ok are you going to let me in on what is going on?”
He replied, “Well dear there are a few things going on and once we all sit down all will be revealed.”
I felt quite annoyed that I seemed to be treated like a kid and said, “Right, that's it!! Give me the keys to the car. I'm out of here.” Tears were already forming in my eyes.
Ricky said, “Calm down darling.” and tried to put his arm around me but it was too late. I was far too emotional to listen to him or anyone and walked off down the driveway and onto the road. I had no idea where I was going and just started to walk down the road, tears streaming down my cheeks. I was heading towards the airport and the hanger. Ricky wasn't far behind me but didn't try to stop me either so I kept right on walking in the direction of the airport. It was not that far and would only take me about ten minutes to get there.
I thought, “Why are they all keeping me out of the picture? I'm only pregnant for Christ sake!”
Just then I tripped and fell hard on a gravel driveway and skinned my knees. Ricky was there instantly and pulled me up into his arms and held me tight. I was now shaking and sobbing so hard that I couldn’t get any words out and then everything went black.
Jean said, “Why are you here again Carla?”
“How would I know? I’m too upset to care any more. They all think I can't handle life any more, but I'll show them not to mess with me.”
“Carla listen to me. You are about to lose your baby, is that what you want?”
“Well if I'm with you they can't find me can they?”
“Carla you are at present on your way to the hospital in Billy's car.”
“How can I be in Billy's car when I'm here with you?”
I came to in a hospital bed with Ricky holding my hand. He had bloodshot eyes and said, “Sweetheart I thought I had lost you. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you what was going on, I just wanted you to relax without any worries about the business.”
“The baby, Ricky the baby!! Is Paul ok?”
Ricky didn't answer me but Jean did in no uncertain terms, “Carla the baby is alright but you will have to stay in hospital for a few days. You lost a bit of blood, Now please behave yourself and let your worried husband tell you why the family was gathered at Jenny's place.”
Ricky got on the bed with me and I cuddled into him, “Sweetheart please don’t be upset with me. I know you thought we were leaving you out of the picture, but we were about to tell you when you took off up the road. I think you were heading to the hanger to take the Piper up, weren’t you?”
“Well I was mad at everyone trying to retire me from being in charge of my own life!! What did you expect?”
“Honey you are so close to having a complete meltdown. From now on I promise you I will tell you everything that is happening, but please don’t run off like that again”
“O.k., but I want to be part of any decisions that are being made or I will pull the plug on more than you can ever imagine my darling husband.”
I have more wealth than anyone in the family and that is only because I have invested in property on the Gold Coast and apartments in Brisbane, so if push came to shove I won't need any one to look after me.
I thought, “It's time to pull myself together and be sensible or things will not be very pleasant in the near future, and if they think I can be bullied they are all sadly mistaken”.
I could see Ricky had a worried look on his face and was close to tears.
“Carla what's happened to you? You have never been like this before.”
“No one has ever tried to bully me before, and it's not going to happen now Ricky”
He had never seen me like this but just because I was pregnant I wasn't just going to bed for nine months.
I said, “Ricky you are my whole life and I love you more now than ever. Just think, you will have a little son in nine months time.”
Ricky has never really shown his emotions as much as he did now and he had tears streaming down his face and said, “Carla you have always been there for me. I wouldn't do anything to jeopardise our marriage. I'm so sorry about what happened, I love you.”
The next hour was spent with myself and Ricky talking quietly about what was going to happen about the clinic, and what I expected to do till our boy was born. Of course Jean was included in most of the conversation. I decide I would not sell my share of the clinic but become a silent partner for two years and when our little boy turned one I would make up my mind what I wanted to do about going back to work.
There was a knock on the door and I said, “Come in” and in walked every one that was present when I had my little tantrum earlier in the day. I felt a little ashamed at how I was behaving and apologised to my family. No tears this time. We all agreed on what was to happen so my stress level dropped to a reasonable level.
My little girls were being looked after by the nurses while things were being worked out and then I heard them down the hallway singing a nursery rhyme with the nurses joining in. My twins seem to be able sing complete songs and not miss a word or note. I think Jean might be prompting them.
A nurse named Kathy opened the door and in walked my two little girls with a bunch of flowers each, both saying, “I love you Mummy.” and climbed up on the bed and cuddled into me.
I replied, “I love you too my little darlings.”
I spent another two days in hospital and on the third day I had had enough of inactivity so I phoned Doc Ryan to come and see me. He was there within half an hour and said, “Good morning Carla. I know, you want to go home!”
I replied, “Jim I need to do some exercise or I will end up being a blimp, and besides the girls need their mother. I promise I will take it slow but I need to be home or I will go stir crazy.”
Jim replied, “Carla you have promised me before and then ended up in hospital. Can I trust you to do as I tell you from now on?”
“Of course this time I will do as you tell me, now can I go home?”
“Hmm!!! well alright, only because your Mum is already outside to pick you up.”
Mum came in and said, “Ok girl lets get you home.”
I replied, “Mum I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused the last few days.”
“Honey it was all caused by stress, but that’s going to change now isn't it?”
“Yes Mummy.”
The next week was spent with me resting like I should have done before all this started. The twins were happy with me being around and of course my ever present sister Jean was in my head most of time so I did not have much choice but to behave.
Wednesday 27/2/74
I was starting to enjoy being at home with the twins and Mum and Dad. Ricky was leaving for work at least two hours later. I think it is because he wanted to make sure that I was doing everything not to jeopardise his unborn son.
Chrissie was only working a few hours a day as well and was spending a lot of her time with me. She of course was a bit further down the track than me and was not having any real problems with morning sickness, half her luck!!. John had gone back to the States to finalise all he had to do to sell up and than come back to become an Aussie. I was still allowed to drive so it had become my job to pick up the girls from school of an afternoon. Oh by the way, young Jenny had been enrolled in the same school as Jamie and was the talk of the school because of her American accent.
Sandy absolutely loved having the two girls to look after and once John returned I think there would be a wedding. I also had long discussions with Jenny about her being transgendered. She of course was impatient and wanted to go to Brisbane as soon as possible for Rose to start her on the track to womanhood.
To be continued.
Please leave a comment.
Carla Bay [email protected]
Part Three - Chapter Thirteen
Peace and calm return
Editing by Bronwen
Saturday morning 2/3/74
It was as usual 5 am on a warm March morning and my little princesses were awake and wanting to climb into bed with me and Ricky. I wasn't too keen because any minute I would have to make a dash to the loo. Ricky however loved having a romp with them before he took them to the bathroom to get them sorted for the day. Those little ladies had my husband completely wrapped around their sticky little fingers.
I of course did my little trip and emptied out what was left in my tummy, then joined the singing three in the bathroom. Just why water had to be all over the floor I couldn't say but it was usually left up to me to clean it up.
I said to Ricky, “I'm over mopping up after you lot.”
He replied “Sorry dear I'll do that from now on.”
“You're too kind!”
The little copycats looked at their Dad and said in their singsong voices “Mopping up, too kind.”
What could I say? I told them to get out so I could have my shower in peace.
Later I phoned Doctor Ryan to ask him if it would be ok for me to fly.
“Hi Jim, it's me.”
“Yes me,” he replied, instantly knowing who it was.
“I want to take the girls up for a bit of joy flight today but I want to make sure if it's ok to do that.”
“Look Carla, it was stress that made you ill, so fly if you must but just don't rush around and you should be fine.”
I didn't need any encouragement and phoned Sandy.
“Hello Sandra speaking.”
“Sandy can I borrow the girls for the day? I just feel the need to take to the sky and take them out to one of my favourite spots.”
“Well are you sure you can cope with the two of them?”
“Yes Sandy, Jamie has been asking me to start her flying lessons if that's alright with you?”
“Sure, but take it easy, we don't want to have a ''mayday'' call saying you can't make it home do we?”
“Sandy you know me better than that. I am probably the safest pilot in Australia,”
“Alright I'll bring the girls over. Does Ricky know?”
“Does Ricky know what?”
“Carla!!!”.
I told Ricky what I was going to do and he was about to say something when I put my hand up and said, “Darling I have got the ok from Doc Ryan so please don't try to stop me from doing things that are not connected with the clinic.”
He replied, “I think I had better come with you in case you start to feel sick.”
I thought, 'Oh well at least I know he loves me and there is enough room in the Piper.'
“Ok but the twins will have to stay at home with Mum because I want to fly out to River Downs and show the girls where Jean's grave is.”
Ricky replied, “Sweetheart do you think you should be flying the Piper out there? The grave is at least half a mile from the landing strip.”
“Well if you're coming we can take the chopper and you can do the flying and land fifty yards from the grave, and while your at it you can show Jamie how to operate the controls while I talk with Jenny.”
“That sounds good to me,” he replied.
I was feeling pretty good and got Mum to make up enough food for the day because we wouldn't be back till dark. I don’t fly at night but Ricky can fly by instruments, so it wouldn't matter if we stayed till the sun was setting on River Downs which was always my favourite time to watch the birds come to settle in the tall red gum trees that grow in the outback, and of course Jean's grave is under one of those trees.
Sandy turned up with two very excited girls and had also packed some food and drinks for their day trip.
Sandy said, “Is Ricky flying the chopper?” My hubby was standing behind me and was giving Sandy the thumbs up sign.
I said “I saw that Ricky Smith.”
“Yes dear sorry dear.” The banter went on a bit more when Mum brought the twins out to say goodbye. They weren't too happy about not coming especially seeing we were taking the helicopter but Mum said she was taking them down to Uncle Tony's pool later and that seemed to placate them.
We climbed into the four wheel drive and were off to the hanger where the chopper is always flight ready. So while Ricky opened the big sliding doors to the hanger and proceeded to pull the chopper out to the landing apron in front of the hanger with the help of two future pilots, I went in to the office and phoned the owner of River Downs, Tom Granger.
“Hello River Downs.”
“G'day Tom, it's Carla. I'm sorry to ring so early but I thought I’d better let you know that we are coming out that way this morning.”
“Oh right-ho are you leaving now?”
“Yes and it'll be in the chopper because I want to visit Jean's grave, and seeing I’m with child, hubby thinks I am not capable of walking any more than a few steps.”
Tom knows me pretty well and just laughed and said, “Carla I hope you never change, you could always make me laugh even when you were running around in nappies all those years ago”.
Once we got all our things put into the chopper it was time to head skyward and make our way to River Downs which is about one and a half hours flight away. Jamie got to sit in the co-pilot's seat and we headed south-west looking down over the now very green landscape from all the flooding that had taken place.
It made me feel nostalgic about the time that I spent on River Downs learning all about how to survive in the outback. It was near lunch time by the time we were flying over the homestead to let Tom and his wife know we had arrived and then headed straight to the spot where we could land close to where my sister Jean's grave is situated.
Ricky let Jamie hold on to the dual controls so she could get to feel the difference between a fixed wing and rota aircraft, Ricky put the bird down as gentle as a feather about thirty yards from the tree that was marked with a ring of white rocks around the base and the grave was inside this circle.
Ricky showed Jamie how to shut the chopper down while I said to all three to just give me a few minutes by myself by Jean's grave. I almost stumbled as I caught my sandal on the landing skid of the helicopter. Thank God that no one saw that happen or Ricky would have wanted to carry me.
As I made my way to Jean's grave she was in my head saying, “Carla you do realise that there are only a lot of old bones buried there, so don't get all emotional on me will you.”
“Thanks for reminding me sis, but I just wanted to show the girls where your body lies and to sit under this beautiful red gum.”
Jean said, “I have been watching who has been tending to the grave.”
I replied out loud now because the others realised that I was talking with Jean, “Well!!!are you going to tell or do I have to play your silly guessing games?”
This got her cranky and being twins she is no different in her nature than me and won't stand to be told what to do.
Jean appeared sitting on the well kept grave saying, “Carla you remember when you used to go to the aboriginal reserve to take the local school kids to see some burial sites?”
“Yes I do sis.”
“Well the old man you used to visit at his camp site to listen to his stories and be taught about survival in the outback told the traditional owners of this land before he passed away they had to look after this site."
Ricky could see me talking and waited till I said to come over.
Jean said, “I will stay insight for the others especially the girls so they can see that I am not under this pile of rocks.”
As Ricky came closer he let the girls sit on the grave beside my ever present sister. The girls have seen Jean many times now and to them it has become a normal occurrence.
I said to Ricky, “Honey let's take a walk along the river and leave Jean to tell the girls all about what happened here all those years ago.”
“Ok but are you sure your fit enough to walk on all that uneven ground?”
“Ricky I'm pregnant, not an invalid!!”
We walked hand in hand down to the river and went straight to where myself and Rita carved our names in a large gum tree the day before we left River Downs. It is still very visible and Ricky asked, “Do you ever think much about when you were living out here as a young kid?”
“Sometimes, but I was supposed to be a boy and Rita and I had to keep my dressing as a girl secret or my Dad would have belted us both.”
Ricky said, “Your birth Dad was a monster wasn’t he?”
“Well you should remember the day we were at Charleville airport when he and my brother John had a go at me and you jumped on him even though he was twice the size of you. Darling you were my hero than and you still are now.”
We kept holding hands and laid back on the soft grass that grew on the bank of the river that flowed through the sheep station and watched the clouds float by in the warm March skies of outback Queensland.
It wasn't too long when two girls broke the silence. Jamie calls Ricky 'Uncle' and Jenny seems to be doing the same.
“Uncle Ricky,” said Jenny, “can we go and see where Aunty Carla carved her and Aunty Rita's names in a tree?”
Without getting up he just pointed up over his head to the tree just a few yards back from we were laying. It didn't take long before they asked if they could add their names as well.
Ricky looked at me and said, “What do you think honey?”
I replied, “No, let them find their own tree and you help them do the carving with your pocket knife.”
I stayed where I was while Ricky walked over to the nearest tree and helped the girls carve their names and date. Jamie ran back to the chopper and retrieved a camera that I brought just for this sort of occasion. Of course the two of them had to pose with them both holding the pocket knife to prove it was them that carved their names into a tree on the sheep station that was my home till I was nine years old.
Jamie said, “Aunty Carla do you think your horse Cindy is still alive?”
“No Sweetheart, she had to be put down a couple of years after we left. She was bitten by a snake and did not make a recovery.”
“Can we go and see Mr Granger and his wife before we go back?”
“Of course. If you're both finished carving up trees we will get in the chopper and head for the homestead.”
It's only a five minute flight from Jean's grave to the large homestead. Tom and his wife Margaret are now seventy four years old but never wanted to leave the outback life and continue to operate the property as a going concern. It was Tom that came up with the idea to have an air charter business in Quilpie and that is really where all my flying started as a young girl.
Tom was standing on the verandah watching us land and waved to us to come to the house, and was hitting an old cow bell to let us know that Margaret had prepared lunch for us all, so the packed lunch would be going back home that night.
After lunch Tom showed the girls around the property while myself and Ricky caught up with Margaret. It was late afternoon before we said our goodbyes and climbed on board the bird and made our way home before it became dark.
Carla aged seven
To be continued. Please leave a comment.
Author's note. Due to a medical procedure I will not be writing for a few weeks but I will continue my stories as soon as I can. Carla
Part Three - Chapter Fourteen
Mayday
Editing by Bronwen
Author's note: After a two month break, I am returning in excellent health and am continuing the story.
Previously:
Ricky and I took Jamie, Jenny and the twins to River Downs where I spent the first nine years of my life. Ricky showed the two older girls where Rita and I had carved our names in a tree and they asked if they could carve their names on another tree. We also visited the grave of my twin Jean.
After lunch Tom showed the girls around the property while Ricky and I caught up with Margaret. It was late afternoon before we said our goodbyes and climbed on board the bird and made our way home.
The girls were tired; it was sunset and the scenery was like something out of a storybook. The colours in the outback come alive as the sun disappears below the horizon and the sky turns a deep orange, while the mountain ranges change colours till all is dark. When you look up to the night sky the stars seem so bright and close you feel like you can almost reach out and touch them. The outback is a very spiritual place for me and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
Jenny and Jamie went to sleep once we were airborne and with the hum of the engine I dosed off as well so it was up to my ever loving husband to get us home.
I woke up when Ricky was gently stroking my face and said, “Honey wake up we're on the ground.”
I guess I must have been more tired than I thought and the events of the last couple of weeks had left me drained.
The girls were still asleep so once Ricky closed down the chopper he got the car out of the hanger so we could transfer them into the back seat. They were rubbing their eyes and Jenny said, “It's dark.”
Jamie replied “Yeah !!!Usually is at night!”
“Ok girls, settle down and once Uncle Ricky finishes with the chopper we'll get you home and fed.”
“Food,” replied Jamie.
Jenny remembered all the food that was packed that morning to take with us for the trip and that it was in an ice chest and said, “Aunty Carla, what about all that lovely food we took with us, can we eat that for our dinner?”
“That's the plan,” I replied.
Ricky got into the car and said, “Carla how about we go to Rita's at the restaurant and eat there before we go home?”
“Ricky we have an ice chest full of food and I don't want to waste that.”
“Well I don’t think your sister will mind if we take it in and eat there.”
“No I suppose not, and I want to see how Rita is getting on anyway.”
The girls liked the idea of taking the food into the restaurant and mixing with the customers. So that is where we ended up.
Rita was pleased to see us and greeted us as only my older sister can. There weren’t many people in the restaurant being Sunday evening and the ones that were there all knew us and invited us to sit with them even though we had brought in the ice chest with our own food.
Ricky's brother Peter sat down with him and started discussing Rita and myself as to when our babies were to be born. While the conversations were going on with the rest of the group Rita and I decided to listen in on them.
“Ricky what’s it like to be a dad and should I be present at the birth of my son?”
“Well Pete I know I'm your younger brother and usually you're supposed to know more about these things, but being a dad is one of the best things that has ever happened to me and I can't wait to have our third child to spoil.”
“Well what about being present at the birth?”
“Yeah sure do it, it will make you realise just what women go through and I'm quite sure Rita will want you to be there as well.”
Rita and I kept quiet and just smiled at each other.
3/3/74
Monday morning, I am feeling tired but happy and glad that I took the girls out to River Downs yesterday to let them see a bit of where I grew up and also realise that a grave is just that, and it only holds the remains but not your spirit. I am planning to take a trip down to Brisbane and will have to see if Doc Ryan thinks if it ok for me to fly. Later, Mum and Dad said they would take the twins over to Ricky's parents Helen and Barry to give me a bit more rest time and it probably is time that they got to see them a bit more anyway.
I phoned Doc Ryan, “Jim it's Carla can I come and see you this morning?”
“Good morning Carla what have you done this time?”
“Nothing, I just want you to check me out because I want to spend a few days down in Brisbane and I want to make sure I have your ok before I fly down there in the Piper.”
“Ok make it ten o’clock this morning and we'll see what your health and state of mind is like.”
“There's nothing wrong with my mind thank you very much!”
Jim laughed and hung up before I could have the last word.
Ricky was still at home so I decide to let him in on what I was planning to do. He was playing with the twins out on the verandah so I sat down on the swing seat and said, “Ricky I need to talk to you for a minute.”
“Alright honey I'll take the twins in to Mum.”
“No they'll be fine, come sit with me.”
He sat beside me and said, “What's up sweetheart?”
“Darling I need to go down to Brisbane for a few days and catch up with Sam and her mum Mary.”
“Do you want me to fly you down?”
“No I should be ok to fly the Piper down.”
Ricky replied, “I really don’t think that’s a good idea Carla you know how much I worry about you at the moment.”
I thought, 'Here we go again, but I suppose he's right so I'll see what he wants to do.'
“Look if Jim checks you out and says it's ok to fly than I suppose it’ll be ok but I don’t like it honey.”
“Darling I promise I will only fly if he says I'm safe to fly ok?”
Ricky went off mumbling something about not being in control and 'Why is she so stubborn all the time?' I decided to keep my mouth shut for once and wait till I get the all clear from Jim.
Life is a bit different now that I am not off to work every morning and I'm enjoying spending a lot my time with my little girls, but this morning Ricky said he would look after them and take them out to the hanger where they also have a play area with sand pit. Yes they are well spoilt by all.
I arrived at Doc Ryan's surgery at nine thirty and walked straight into his office, “Morning doc.”
“Good morning Lady Carla.”
“Don’t you start,” I replied.
“Ok lets see what your vitals are doing.”
“Jim I need to get away for a few days on my own and catch up with some old friends in Brisbane,”
Jim did all of the necessary checks and gave me the ok to fly but to take it slow once I was in Brisbane.
I drove straight out to the hanger to tell Ricky to prepare the Piper for my flight. He still didn't think I should be going on my own, but once I whispered a few things in his ear he seemed to succumb to my charms. While he was preparing the plane I took the twins home and than packed everything I would need for a week's stay in Brisbane.
I chatted with Mum and Dad for a while and told them I would ring every day and talk to to the twins at night before they were put to bed, then I gathered the girls up and took them out to the hanger so that they could see me take off.
The Piper Comanche was all set to fly, so Ricky put my gear in the rear of the plane and we went into the office to have a cup of tea before I took off.
Ricky said, “Sweetheart ring me as soon as you get to Archerfield so I know that you are ok.”
“Yes of course I will and stop worrying so much, I am a safe pilot.”
I let the twins sit in the cockpit for a few minutes and told them to be good girls for Daddy.
They both replied in unison “Yes Mama, we be good” with that mischievous little smile that they have.
I said goodbye to my husband, and did all the preflight checks and taxied out to the runway where I gave one last wave to my family and gave her all the power to take off.
I climbed to six thousand feet and levelled out and set my course and speed at 360 air knots. It was a beautiful clear day and the country down below looked green and lush; all the rivers and streams were all flowing with brown water from the previously flooded catchments.
I always like flying over the top of the range and the city of Toowoomba and as you come to the edge it drops two thousand feet and the scenery of the valley below is just spectacular.
I got as far as flying over Oakey, well not over Oakey because there is an army air base five miles out from the town and that is restricted air space, so I kept within the air corridor outside this space. As I was nearing Toowoomba I noticed a smell of burning wiring filling the cockpit. I thought, 'OK now keep your head and follow the right procedure, remember you trained for this, JEAN where are you?'
She manifested herself right beside me and said, “Carla I will protect you but you have to do the flying.”
Ok first things first; radio into the tower, “This is lima foxtrot bravo vh emergency emergency, I have smoke in the cockpit and request to land at Toowoomba Airport.”
“Lima Foxtrot how far out are you?”
“I'm five miles west of the Airport and losing altitude.”
“Carla this is Terry at the Toowoomba tower, we can just pick you up with binoculars, how many are on board?”
“Terry thank God it's you, it's just me; smoke is getting worse, am going to lower the landing gear, right engine has feathered out.”
“Carla you're two miles out, runway is clear and emergency vehicles already on their way.”
My air speed had dropped to two hundred and eighty knots, and as long as I could keep her at that I'd be able to land without too much trouble. The smoke was making me feel sick and as I was approaching the runway the left engine feathered out as well. Now all I could do was to keep her nose up. I could barely see the runway for the haze inside the plane.
'Jean are you still with me?'
To be continued, please leave a comment
Part Three - Chapter Fifteen
Back to Earth
Editing by Bronwen
Previously:
As I was nearing Toowoomba I noticed a smell of burning wiring filling the cockpit. I thought, 'OK now keep your head and follow the right procedure, remember you trained for this, JEAN where are you?'..............
My air speed had dropped to two hundred and eighty knots, and as long as I could keep her at that I'd be able to land without too much trouble. The smoke was making me feel sick and as I was approaching the runway the left engine feathered out as well. Now all I could do was to keep her nose up. I could barely see the runway for the haze inside the plane.
'Jean are you still with me?'
Carla was in trouble. Unable to see through the smoke haze in the cabin, and both engines feathering she managed to bring the plane down but hit the runway hard which made the landing gear give way. The plane belly flopped and the emergency crew were there within thirty seconds of the plane skidding to a halt – sparks flying everywhere and smoke pouring from the fuselage. Carla was knocked unconscious when her head hit the instrument panel even though she was strapped in to her seat. The crew opened the door and pulled Carla free from the plane just as it burst into flames, and by the time they had her thirty yards away and laid on the ground the Piper blew up in a fireball.
'Hello sister dear,' said Jean sitting in their favourite spot in the spirit realm that Carla seems to visit all to often.
'Jean why am I back here again? I'm supposed to be in Brisbane with Mary and Sam.'
'Well it's like this; because you were knocked out when you crashed at the Toowoomba airport you obviously have a bit of memory loss.'
'Am I dead now seeing I'm here with you again?'
'No sis but you are in the ICU in the Toowoomba hospital.'
'The Piper!! I crashed the Piper! Ricky will be upset. Oh Jean, the baby! Is Paul ok?'
Jean replid 'Yes Carla, he's fine, but perhaps the doctor should have grounded you until Paul is born. As for Ricky, well at he moment he is holding your hand with tears in his eyes wanting you to wake up.'
I started to open my eyes and things were blurry and I could not focus properly. I heard Ricky call to someone, “She's awake!”
My vision was not good but I could see two people bending over me, one was shining a bright light into my eyes which made me squint, One of them said, “Get the doctor now.” The other one was holding my hand and said, “Honey it's me Ricky.” My vision was starting to clear and I could see my husband with bloodshot eyes squeezing my hand.
“Hi honey” I said as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
“My God Carla what went wrong?”
“I don’t know. I was nearing Toowoomba and I wake up here with you holding my hand.”
“Honey you crashed, the Piper is a total loss - there is nothing left of it.”
“Oh dear I'm sorry, I can't remember any of that.”
“I'm not surprised! You were knocked out when you hit your head. The emergency crew pulled you out just in time or you would have been with Jean forever.”
Ricky than produced a tape recorder of the exchanges between me and the Toowoomba tower. When I heard it I started to cry because it was starting to come back to me what had occured, I said “Ricky there was smoke and the engines started to fail. I want to know who serviced the Piper. My God I might have been killed.”
“Calm down sweetheart, you need to rest and than we will go through what the possible cause was. The air safety people are now involved and are going through all the records of what has been done to the Piper.”
I was told to stay in hospital for a few days in case of complications from concussion after being unconscious for at least nine hours. Only Ricky was allowed to stay with me while I was in Intensive Care, but now that I was coherent the rest of my tribe were all filing into my room. Jean was present but stayed silent; Mum and Dad both couldn't hold back their tears and hugged me till I couldn't breath.
Mum said, “Carla we honestly thought you were gone till Jean said we had no such luck.”
Mentally I said, 'Thanks sis you'll keep!'
Her response was 'You're welcome, besides you have a son on the way.'
Before they let anyone else in I had lunch to get some strength back and then the twins and everyone was there. Jamie had a lot of questions about how I brought the plane down.
I replied, “Jamie, it is a matter of training and keeping you head and hope you survive.”
After an hour I was left with Ricky and than we both laid on the bed and cried and laughed and discussed what was to happen in the future.
Having gone through something like this you would have thought that I would never want to fly again but I was already talking about what sort of plane I wanted to replace the Piper Comanche.
Ricky said, “Ok my little Carla, I suppose you will want another aircraft to wreck!!?”
“Well husband dear seeing it wasn't my fault that the Piper went down, than yes I do want a new plane!”
Ricky replied, “Alright, once you get the all clear and the family go back home we can fly down to Sydney and have a look at what you would like to buy.”
“What do you mean what I would like to buy? The Piper was a a Croft Airways plane and the company will pay for a new one. Anyway the insurance should pay most of the cost.”
“Don’t get your knickers in a twist sweetheart, the company will pay for a new toy for Lady Carla.”
“Watch it dear or you will never make another baby again.”
After I sorted Ricky out which took all of three minutes, all of the family came in to the room to say goodbye before they all went back to Quilpie. The twins weren’t happy to go back with Mum and Dad so Rita and Peter said they would look after them for a while.
Rita said, “It will be good for Peter and myself to get to look after them before our little boy comes along”
6/3/74 Thursday
It was ten am and I was champing at the bit to get out of the hospital and go to the Toowoomba airport to have a look at what was left of the Piper, and then fly down to Sydney with Ricky to have a look at what aircraft I would end up with.
We arrived at the airport by taxi and went straight to the hanger where the remains of the Piper were all laid out, Ricky was holding my hand and said, “Sweetheart you don't have to do this.”
“Yes I do! Have you any idea how many hours I spent in that aircraft?” I started to shake and tears formed in my eyes.
Ricky held onto me and said, “Carla when I heard what happened I honestly thought I had lost you.”
“Well,” I replied, “I think Jean might have something to do with me still being here.”
“Yeah, why is she being so quiet? She usually joins in on our conversations.”
Jean announced herself and said to us both, 'I'm here but sometime nature has to also take its course and all I do is be there when thing go wrong like a bird falling out of the sky.'
I replied in my mind, 'Thanks sis I don't mean to be a burden to you.'
'Sweet sister of mine how can you be a burden to me when we are two halves of one spirit?'
'Ok point taken.'
Ricky was getting impatient, “Ok lets get out of here.”
I wanted to see the actual spot where I hit the ground before we left so we borrowed a golf buggy type thing and drove down the runway where all we could see was the remains of stains on the tarmac and where grass had caught alight when the fuel tanks exploded. I felt quite numb and got shivers up my back when I thought, 'If Jean wasn't there at the time I would now be with her for good.'
We went back to the hanger where one of our twin Cessnas was parked. A larger plane was charted earlier to fly the family back home.
Ricky had arranged to have the plane made ready to fly the previous day. It was the one he flew down when he got the call to say I had crashed. I hated to think the state he was in then and was glad there hadn't been another accident.
I was getting hungry and wanted to have a meal before we flew down to Sydney so we had lunch at the cafeteria.
I said “Ricky I need clothes. What am I supposed to wear apart from what Mum brought down for me?”
“Honey, Mum and Rita packed all the clothes you will need for at least a week.”
That satisfied me for the moment but once in Sydney I decided to go shopping for clothes before looking at aircraft.
We boarded the Cessna and I said I wanted to take the controls.
“NOOO way,” said Ricky, “You have been unconscious and have not been cleared to fly for at least another three days.”
“Oh bugger!” was my response but the doctor has the say about those sort of things so I guessed I’d just have to bide my time and behave which is not easy for someone as strong willed as me.
I felt a little nervous at first but once we were airborne I settled down. I also kept a close eye on all the instruments which in turn made Ricky nervous.
Jean made herself present in both our minds and said, 'Don’t worry, nothing is going to go wrong. What happened to the other plane was something that happens along the way in life.'
Ricky replied, “Jean are you telling us that you knew the Piper had a problem?”
'That would be telling wouldn't it?' She then added 'Ricky, don’t worry, Carla and little Paul were protected by the spirit world.' She than went quiet before we could ask any more questions.
Three hours later we had parked our craft at one of the hangers that we do business with and also borrowed a car from them.
Ricky wanted to go and have a look at what was available straight away but I was getting tired and blamed my pregnancy, so Ricky wasn't game to argue with me.
He said, “Ok honey we can book into a hotel and have a good night's sleep and be fresh tomorrow to see what suits you.”
“Yes I agree and besides I want to be cuddled in bed by my lover.”
“Only cuddled?” he replied. I miss Ricky when I’m away more than a couple of days so that night was something that I desperately need, especially seeing what we had both been through the last week.
I needn't have worried about not having enough clothes to wear because Mum and Rita know exactly the type of things I wear. They don't call me 'colourful Carla' for nothing. I picked out a business type suit for the day because when I do business I like to look more mature and I seem to get more respect from the people that I deal with, which are usually men who think they know everything, including my husband.
It was Friday morning and we probably wouldn't be home for at least four or five days because on our way back I wanted to stop in Brisbane to see Mary and Sam which was what that trip was all about in the first place.
I said to Ricky, “Before we go to the restaurant for breakfast we had better ring home and talk with Donna and Jean.”
I rang and Mum answered,“Hello Donna Croft speaking.”
“Hi Mum just ringing to say g'day to the girls.”
“Carla they are at Rita's, remember?”
“Oh damn!! Sorry Mum the knock on the head must have done more damage than I thought.”
“Carla sweetheart are you sure you are ok? Let me talk to Ricky.”
“Mum I'm fine, just a bit tired that’s all.”
Ricky could hear the conversation and I just handed him the phone, “Hello Mum, Carla is fine don’t worry I will keep a close rein on her today and if she plays up I will fly her straight home.” I ignored that and went on getting ready for the day.
Ricky rang the right number and Rita answered. After a few minutes the girls were on the phone, so Ricky put the phone on speaker, both girls talking nineteen to the dozen, “Daddy Mummy Unka Pete wet us wird a horsey.”
After talking with them I felt a little bit melancholy and wish I could have brought them with us. Once I get back I will endeavour to spend as much time with them as possible and Ricky is going to cut back on his work as well.
At nine a.m. it was time to head to the airport and where the hangers were to see what was there to look at. We drove up to a large hanger complex which had Cessna Sales written on the side of the main building. We went to the front office where we were greeted by a well dressed lady in her fifties.
“Good morning,” she said looking at Ricky and not really acknowledging me. When this sort of thing happens Ricky steps back and lets me do my thing; he knows how much I hate people thinking women should be seen and not heard.
I said, “Good morning madam, I'm here to have a look at what craft you have to offer. Could I speak to your boss please?”
She replied rather sheepishly, “I am the owner of the business, how can I help you?” Ricky kept quiet and let me handle this lady.
I said, “I'm Carla Smith and this is Ricky my husband. We own Croft airways and need to replace a plane which went down last week.”
She replied “Oh of course, it was on the news. Was it you who was the pilot?”
“Yes, so if you don’t mind we are keen to have a look at a Cessna twin if you have one in stock.”
With this she wasn't game to talk to Ricky which is ok with him, he is more interested in the technical side of things anyway.
She showed us into the main hanger and said “By the way I'm Brenda Lockwood and I'm sorry we got off on the wrong foot.”
Ricky had a grin on his face when he replied, “Carla is the business person and I sort out the running of the craft.”
I cast my eye over a brand new shiny twin Cessna. It was exactly what I was looking for but I didn't let her think that straight away.
I never ask the price till later, in case I seem too keen to purchase an item. Ricky started to look around the machine and I was more interested to get up into the cockpit to see what is felt like.
It was a Cessna 414 capable of carrying up to eight passengers, so it could be used to do charter work when I didn’t want to use it. I wanted something in which I could virtually take the whole family or at least most of them when I want to. Ricky had spoken about that for quite some time, so this craft looked like it fitted our needs and was capable of earning its keep in our fleet of fifteen fixed wing aircraft and two choppers.
This plane was flight ready which was a good sign for the business that Brenda was running.
The craft was taken out to the tarmac and ready for us to have a test flight. Brenda, herself a pilot said it is an insurance requirement for her to be with the plane on any test flights which I would have expected.
Once on board Ricky sat in the right hand seat which I normally like to use when flying but at that moment seeing I had been told I shouldn't fly for a couple more days I guess I would have to wait to get my hands on this beautiful aircraft.
We ended up doing a deal with trading in the twin Cessna that we came down in and then decided to fly back on Monday via Brisbane and than home to Quilpie.
Monday 9/3/74.
We were both eager to get going and arrived at the airport at eight am and surprisingly Brenda was there to greet us, “Good morning Carla and Ricky,” and she winked at me while she said that. Ricky had a smirk on his face which said it all but he is used to being married to a strong woman, but can also take control of me if I get too pushy.
We climbed aboard after we both went through all the pre-flight checks and settled into the cockpit with me in the right hand seat. Ricky didn't object and said, “Well sweetheart, radio the tower and give them our flight plan and get clearance to take to the sky.
The power of this craft was more than I have ever experienced and we were up over the western part of Sydney and on our way in no time. I took her up to twelve thousand feet and set our course for Brisbane.
Cessna Twin 404
To be continued. Please leave a comment.