The following day Graham Pender stood in the pilots’ lounge impatiently waiting to use the phone. It was the first time in a fortnight that he was forced to dally there and, as usual, he was hating it. .For God’s sake, man, get a move on, he silently urged. If he didn’t ring home now, God knows when he would get another chance.
He had checked in that morning for his Paris flight, only to find that he was on his way to Karachi instead. It had come as a bit of a surprise as he wasn’t due to go for another week. ‘Two of Eastline’s pilots have gone sick,’ Rostering explained. ‘They’re in a hell of a spot. Can we say we’ll help out?’
Graham nodded. Like most married men he was subject to the usual social and domestic commitments but nothing major prevented his going. Unfortunately he would have to disappoint his young sons over the Cup Match next weekend. Shamrock Rovers were playing Shelbourne and he had promised to take them. The lot of an airline pilot, he ruefully acknowledged.
The First Officer was off the phone at last. Quickly Graham dialled his home number. Jeremy his eldest son answered.
‘Hi, Dad, thought you were gone to Paris.’
‘Change of schedule,’ Graham told him. ‘Going to Karachi instead.’
‘What’s happening?’ Graham could hear his younger son clamouring for the phone. ‘Let me talk to Dad.’
‘Put him on,’ Graham said, not relishing the boy’s reaction to the news. ‘Dad!’ Nicky’s voice wailed down the phone. ‘But we’re going to the match?’
‘Sorry, Nicky, can’t be helped.’ He ached for the boy’s disappointment. At times he hated his job. ‘I’ll make it up to you some other way.’
‘Okay, Dad.’
He was a good kid, thought Graham. Although he loved both his sons deeply, he had a special soft spot for Nicky. Sometimes he thought the boys were the only reasons he had for staying married.
‘Is your mother there?’
‘She went to a drinks party in Auntie May’s house.’
Graham had forgotten it was Saturday. There was always some do at her house at weekends. Thank God he was missing it.
‘Tell her I’ll ring some time tomorrow.’ ‘Okay,’ Nicky said. ‘Oh Dad, I’ll miss you.’
‘It’s only for a month, Nicky. When I come back we’ll do something special. Okay?’ Graham answered a little roughly to hide his emotion.
‘Okay.’
Graham was relieved to hear a slightly brighter note to his son’s voice. ‘Bye, Nicky, mind yourself.’
There was a muffled shout in the background as Jeremy roared out what sounded like, ‘Two or three hamburgers, Nicky?’
‘Bye, Dad. Got to go.’
Graham replaced the receiver with a frown. Obviously, the boys were fending for themselves again. It was a far cry from his own childhood, he thought. But then his father wasn’t an airline pilot, he acknowledged wryly, nor his mother a social butterfly.
As he walked across to the departure building, a dull ache started behind his eyes making him realize he was in for a bout of migraine. He swallowed one of the tablets he always carried. Could be worse. At least today was flying as a passenger.
A week later Kay sighed happily as she packed her case for London. She had not lied when she had told Dave she had a couple of overnights coming up. Now she was really looking forward to her two days away.
Overnights were bright spots on the roster and all too few and far between. This one was a relatively easy duty, the kind that made Molly sigh and say that it was well for her hopping over to London whenever she pleased. Kay just grinned and didn’t contradict her, knowing that Molly was well aware of the times she almost dropped in the door with exhaustion after a day hoofing it up and down the cabin.
Carefully, she folded the skirt of her new navy and red Chanel suit and laid it with the jacket in her case. The case like the suit was new. It was just roomy enough to hold everything and yet leave a little space for whatever bit of style caught her eye.
‘Fabulous,’ Florrie said when she saw it. ‘Mind I don’t steal it on you.’
Kay smiled. Florrie was like the sister she never had, a breath of fresh air in the old house. Molly swore she had gained a new lease of life since the Cork girl came to live with them. Certainly there was a lot more excitement, with the crew car calling twice as often, as well as having someone extra for Molly to fuss over.
When she went downstairs, Molly accompanied her to the door.
‘Take care, love,’ she said, giving her a hug. ‘Why wouldn’t you get Dave to run you out with that case to the airport?’
Kay returned the hug. ‘I’m a big girl now, Molly. Got to stand on my own two feet,’ she told her cheerily. ‘Anyway, it’s not heavy.’
Kay would not have said no to a lift, but she wasn’t asking Dave for one. Not after all the fuss of the Confirmation trip. She still felt she owed him one for the Confirmation trip and she hated being under a compliment to anyone. Anyway, true to his word, he had not been around to see her since.
It was a lovely mild afternoon and Kay reached airport in time. She checked into Rostering and went to the stores hut to collect the cash-float. The supervisor, ‘Smuts’ Allen, appeared with a smarmy grin. Smuts had earned his name ferreting out dirt on the hostesses in order to blackmail them into smuggling him in Playboy and News of the World. Some hostesses allowed themselves be intimidated by him but Kay was not one of them. She grabbed the cash- float and got out before he could approach her. He could go whistle for his porn, she thought indignantly. Dirty old man!
Being mid-week the 66 seater Viscount was only half-full and with no first-class section there wasn’t a lot do to once snacks and drinks were served. Kay perched on a pulled-out drawer in the galley and sipped a coffee. It was a good start to the few days away, she mused contentedly. She was going to enjoy every minute of it.