Author's Note:
This chapter starts before Ken starts his training in Lossiemouth, Scotland, but the opening events technically happened after the Oxford period so I am putting them here. Plus, Rilla ends up reflecting on these events while sitting in her lonely little Croyden flat so they sort of belong in this same chapter.
The related "By a Simple Twist of Fate" chapters didn't really include the PPOs very much so I had to figure out ways to fill in the gaps. I'm especially happy with the way Summer and Hanson's concerned dialog about Rilla's distressing situations is related here in this chapter. I hope you enjoy it, too.
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~ ~ ~ ~ Hanson ~ ~ ~ ~ Hanson ~ ~ ~ ~ Hanson ~ ~ ~ ~
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August 2013 (Current duty location – en route to India)
I love planes with WiFi so that I can send emails to you while I'm in flight. :-)
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We are rotating the "duty" of flying in first class near PoW's row…so that each of us have a chance to sit in the more comfortable seats. (I know, such a struggle, right?) My hour of luxury was almost over when PoW motioned for my attention. He was smiling quite broadly as he showed me a good-sized bag of assorted candies. Apparently, he had just discovered it in his briefcase along with a note from Miss. He handed both to me. Her note said "This candy is for your detail to enjoy on the plane. If you are especially nice to them, maybe they'll share some with you! 😊" He laughingly asked, "Have I been nice enough to earn some candy?" It is really quite fun to see this happier, more relaxed version of PoW!
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"Namaste!" – so far "hello" is one of the two things I can say in Hindi. The other one I've been working on is "thank you" which is phonetically pronounced "dhan'yavāda." I thought about learning to ask, "Do you speak English?" but I realize that I can determine that by simply talking in English and seeing if the person responds or looks at me blankly.
Of course, we will have two translators assigned to our entourage at all times – one is to be PoW's translator, and the other translator is required to be a military or police officer and will be assigned to our security detail.
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Thank you for the pictures of you and Jims that you added to my carryon! I just found them! I look at the pictures on my phone a lot, but I absolutely love having the physical pictures of my favorite people to hold and look at. It is so sweet that you thought of this idea!
I hope that we are able to coordinate a few video chats so that I can see Jims (and you, of course) often. I don't want him to forget me! I sure hope he doesn't take his first steps during this week that I'm away. He's getting awfully good at pulling himself up and holding onto furniture!
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September 2013 (Current duty location – Surrey, England)
PoW had so many demands on his time today. You'd think attending a wedding would be a low-key event, but I guess when one of your best friends is the groom things are different. Anyway, I'm off duty now and ready to head to bed but wanted to send you a quick email for you to read in the morning.
There was a little girl (around 2 or 3 years old) in the wedding procession that reminded me of Jims. You know how Jims possessively holds onto his "treasures" especially when other kids are around? Well, the girl was so worried that the other little children would take her basket that she almost didn't want to walk down the aisle. Thankfully, one of the older bridesmaids was able to distract the little girl and keep her going.
Oh, and let me just officially admit…you were right. Tonight's formal dinner reception was 180° different than that first society event Miss attended last year. Of course, she already knows many of the other attendees quite well in comparison to back then when she only knew PoW. And it certainly helps that Miss and PoW appear to be MUCH more in tune with each other than they were back then. (Yes, I know I should have trusted your "female instincts" on this!)
I hope you are sleeping well and that Jims' teething issues don't wake him tonight.
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Why did I send you flowers? Well, first of all…I love you and Jims and miss you both. But I am also formally acknowledging your superior wisdom in all matters of the heart. And, of course, flowers are always a good idea, right?
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September 2013 (Current duty location – Prince Edward Island, Canada)
The woman who runs the local B&B here seemed to remember everything that we had needed when we were here last year. She even had the ninth bedroom set up as an office for us – complete with the extra folding chairs – plus she squeezed in a small coffee/tea station with sufficient supplies for all of us! If you and I ever get a chance to visit PEI for a holiday, I definitely would like to stay at this B&B.
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As a "heads up" for you: The arrangements just got made in the last few days, so all of the details are not in place yet…but it looks like PoW will again be stationed at a military base very soon (likely for a number of months). Just like when he was doing jet training in 2010, he will not require a security detail while on base. But a small detail will consistently be on duty nearby in case PoW has any off-base activities.
Beckett assumes that we will set up a rotational duty like we did before which means that every third week I will likely be on duty near the base. But as I said, the exact arrangements are yet to be determined. I should get comp time following each "duty week" to make up for being away from home. My "in London" work days will likely see me seconded temporarily to other people's details again. I'm hoping that I will once more get the chance to provide security for some of the "lesser" Royals who don't have their own full-time detail when they attend official engagements. As you know, I'd much rather be on these temporary details than get stuck doing (shudder) office work at the Met Office.
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Yes, that was my thought, too. I am sure Miss is not happy about this. It means they will be back to a long-distance relationship again…and she won't have her friends or family around her to fill the void.
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I wish I could make that offer. But it would be crossing MANY boundaries if we invited her to hang out with us and Jims! We'll just have to remain as observers and I will offer any official assistance that I can.
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By the way, I am bringing back a bottle of locally harvested maple syrup. I want to make American pancakes with maple syrup for you and Jims when I get home tomorrow! (No worries…I will give him a bath afterwards. I'm sure he'll end up with sticky syrup all over while eating…but playing with him in the bath will be half the fun of it! I have missed doing bath time with him this week.)
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September 2013 (Current duty location – London)
Do you have plans that you need me for this evening? If not, I'm going to run an errand after work. Miss moved into a flat in a less-than-stellar area and I'd like to take a look at it to see if the security measures are sufficient for her own safety. (Beckett has already deemed that neighborhood and that building as completely unacceptable for PoW to even consider visiting when he's on leave from the military base, so no official security measures are being put in place for her residence.) But, since Miss's family isn't here to assist her with this flat, I'd like to go and lend her a hand. Will it mess up your schedule if I head out there tonight?
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October 2013 (Current duty location – Lossiemouth, Scotland)
I agree. It does seem like you and I almost communicate more (and about deeper topics) during these weeks that I'm in Scotland than when we are together at home. And, no…I'm not just emailing and texting you because I am bored. I am keeping in touch because I love you and I enjoy talking with you. (But it also does help keep me from being bored…)
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Last week, PoW and some other pilots went to the golf course. I rather hoped he might do that again this week, but the weather is not favorable. Maybe there'll be a trip to the pub instead. Or maybe we won't even be called on for anything. Who knows?
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No, there doesn't seem to be any paparazzi presence here anymore. I wonder if the paps have arranged to buy any pictures that the locals happen to get during PoW's rare outings?
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IMO it is quite unfair. With PoW not being visible, it seems like the paps have doubled up on Miss. And she no longer has the layer of privacy around her home that she got used to in Oxford because of PoW's security coverage. (Plus…I wouldn't even qualify that flat she lives in as a "home"…it is functional, at best.) I know Miss purposefully never smiles and engages with the cameras, but she does seem unusually fatigued in most pictures these days. I feel bad for her.
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November 2013 (Current duty location – London)
Yes, yes, no, and I don't know.
Yes, the pictures were taken as Miss arrived at the service entrance for the event I was working last night (as part of DoK's detail).
And yes, it was actually as awful as you are likely imagining from seeing the media coverage. Miss has definitely learned to have a "stiff upper lip" and go about her employment as best as possible. But her presence there as an employee and not a guest was certainly fodder for all of the vultures!
But no, I didn't speak with her. I actually tried to stay out of her line of sight for fear that my worry would show in my eyes and this might be the "straw" that could "break her back." I did see DoK and some of PoW's friends make efforts to speak with her, but it seems that she endeavored to end those conversations as quickly as possible.
And lastly, I don't know if PoW is actually aware of how things are for Miss. I assume he must have some idea, but I cannot imagine he understands the true scope of what she's enduring every day while he's away. I can only hope that he's supporting her.
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November 2013 (Current duty location – Lossiemouth, Scotland)
Mr. O informed Beckett today that PoW will not be traveling to Balmoral for the Christmas and New Year holiday weeks. He will remain on base, so our rotational schedule will remain the same.
But…good news! Even though I am scheduled to be in Lossiemouth for Christmas week, Beaverstock called me this afternoon with the offer to trade Scotland duty weeks with me. He will take my Christmas week up here and I will take his New Year's week. He said that he'd rather let me be at home with my family for Christmas week…and then he can be with his mates for New Year's Eve! (The life of a bachelor, eh?)
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December 2013 (Current duty location – London)
I'm glad PoW was able to arrange for some leave now since he won't be with his family (or Miss) for the holidays.
I got sent today to go pick up Miss from her flat so that she wouldn't have to travel on the Tube with her suitcase. I'm sure PoW would have liked to personally provide her transportation, but he wouldn't have been able to enter her building without a full security sweep. So, it made more sense for me to pick her up in his behalf…and I was glad to do it.
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February 2014 (Current duty location – London)
Sweetheart, sorry for sending you this last-minute cancellation text (although it has been a while since I've had to work late). I may be required to stay on duty this evening. I'll try to send you more in an email later.
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I have a few minutes downtime in the office right now, so I thought I'd send you an email. Did you see the coverage online of what happened to Miss today? Now you can understand why I had to work late. It was quite horrid! It felt like one of those nature shows where the pack of lions is crowded around a carcass, ripping it to shreds.
You probably saw the pictures of Miss's first attempt to leave the store. The photographers literally trapped her so that she had no way at all to leave. The footage is awful…you can see the helplessness in her eyes and the panic on her face. Thankfully, she went back inside the store.
Once back in the store, she wisely called HM (since PoW is not available – and really, who else aside from either PoW or HM would have been able to help her with this situation today)? HM dispatched Reed and (thankfully) Reed reached out to our detail so Beckett, Beaverstock, and I joined Reed's team. On our way there, Beckett suggested that I should be the one to approach Miss since she seems most comfortable with me. I was quite pleased as I had wanted to make that offer but didn't want to be too forward or assume too much.
By the time we arrived, there were TV crews as well as photographers packed in front of the door. If you watch the videos online, you can glimpse the insanity of the situation as we extracted Miss from the building and got her safely into the car. After a few moments in the car, I could almost see the anxiety lift from her as she calmed down. We brought her to BP (at HM's direction) and she will not need to return to her flat tonight.
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Miss was (logically) worried about her cat being left alone at the Croyden flat. HM's staff provided me with her keys, so I went there to make sure he had food and was cared for tonight. Although the photographers surrounded the front of her building, but they were looking for Miss and didn't seem to notice me at all. I'm not sure if George remembered me from Oxford or not, but he certainly appreciated that I was feeding him! Obviously, the way to that cat's heart is through food! 😊
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It appears that I will need to be on duty until around midnight. I might be home sooner, but I'm not sure yet. If you are already in bed when I arrive, I will be very quiet as I come in.
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(Next day)
Seeing PoW in "civilian" clothes today seemed almost out of place after seeing him get off the helicopter last night in fatigues.
After lunch, we drove Miss and PoW from BP to KP. Mr O sought me out and asked me to escort Melissa to Miss's flat to gather some personal things for Miss…and to collect George and his things as well. Apparently, Miss (and George) will not be returning to that flat in the near future. (About time, I say!)
Once Melissa has received the list of desired items from Miss, we will head there. And, hopefully, I will not come home covered with claw marks. I fully plan to lure George into his carrier with Dreamies.
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It has been an eventful 36 hours. Since PoW has no plans to leave KP till he departs for Scotland at some point tomorrow, I have a bit of downtime until my shift ends at 2300…thus this long email. I wish I could just call and chat but I know that my interruption would totally derail the progress you are (hopefully) making in getting Jims to bed. How is it possible that a toddler seems to gain energy the closer it comes to bedtime?
I wanted to finish telling you about my afternoon. The paps were still around Miss's building, but the driver was able to pull up right in front. (I suggested that he hit a few of the photographers, but sadly he refrained.)
While Melissa was gathering Miss's items, I played with George to remind him of my inherent friendliness. And then I bribed him with some treats so he'd remember that I'm a "good guy." Once he was successfully secured in the carrier and Melissa had finished packing the suitcases, we started taking things down to the car. Miss certainly gets her exercise going up/down all of those stairs each day! I left Melissa (and George) with the driver while I went back up for the last load and to double-check that everything was as secure as possible.
BTW - Melissa and I both thank you for your reminders to empty the fridge of things that would spoil, dump out the litter box, and take out the trash! I can't imagine the eventual smells if we hadn't done those things.
I had two nice encounters while we were unloading at KP. First, when I set down George's carrier in front of Miss, she immediate gathered him up into her arms and gave me the most genuine look of thanks through her happy tears. There is nothing like the love of a pet to make the world better.
Second, despite there being plenty of others around to help unload the car, PoW spoke up and said that he would help me to get the next load. (Everyone else stayed back, of course, when they heard that implied direction.) Once we were over by the car, PoW shook my hand and told me how much he appreciated not only my help in gathering Miss's things, but being her rescuer yesterday. I assured him it was a team effort and that anyone would have been happy to assist. But he waved that away saying that he was grateful to all of the PPOs involved, but that Miss had told him how much comfort she had received by my familiar presence. He also acknowledged my assistance in checking the security of her locks early on and for "the other ways you've helped her that I'm sure I don't know about." Having him say those things was really nice!
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March 2014 (Current duty location – London)
While with DoK's detail today, I saw Miss walking through KP with PR. I know that they've been good friends for a while now, but its nice to see them so "sisterly" together. Miss looks so much lighter and peaceful these days than she did last month!
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April 2014 (Current duty location – London)
Yes, it was a surprise to find myself on PoW's detail today. I had no idea he was coming down for the weekend until Beckett announced this afternoon that we were to meet his plane. Apparently, his arrival will be a surprise to "everyone" – including Miss. :-)
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It's a good thing that Beckett obtained copies of the gate key from the de Duras family when Miss moved here last month so that the PPOs would always have access to the gated street. (I'm guessing that PR's PPOs have keys also since PR is often here with Miss.) Anyway, since Miss wasn't expecting PoW today, it would have taken away from the surprise if he had been forced to wait outside the gate while he phoned her to let him in. I was near enough to the house to hear her shriek of excitement when she opened the door. However, it appeared that she already has visitors…so that might put a damper on PoW's plans for a private weekend.
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(Next day)
My day was mostly quiet since PoW spent the day at BP and thus didn't need our detail. Later, though, I was on duty when his whole group (PoW, Miss, and her three sisters) went to the pub. I couldn't help overhearing that PoW had given Miss's sisters a personal tour of BP this afternoon. Her sisters were still quite excited as they recounted how HM and Q suddenly appeared from the secret passage in the White Drawing Room! (I understood them to be in Windsor, but apparently, they chose to pop back to BP in order to meet Miss's sisters. Plus, as I saw at the graduation in Oxford, HM does enjoy making a surprise entrance!)
I am essentially just killing time now until shift change at 2300. Since I have now greased the squeaky hinges on the front door, I hope that Jims will not hear me arrive and wake up wanting me to play with him as he did the other night.
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May 2014 (Current duty location – Lossiemouth, Scotland)
Well, sweetheart, I am thankful that this will be my last week up here. I have given it considerable thought (in my many hours of killing time) and have concluded that I much prefer being busy rather than just sitting around "in case" PoW requires our detail's services. (This is not much of a surprise to you, I'm sure!) Granted, being a PPO often involves a lot of waiting while on duty, but each day typically has several outings or events that require my focus. This away assignment has been different – waiting around while PoW is on base 99% of the time is rather like watching paint dry.
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~ ~ ~ ~ Hanson ~ ~ ~ ~ Hanson ~ ~ ~ ~ Hanson ~ ~ ~ ~
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Author's note:
The story of the little flower girl being possessive of her basket is from my own personal experience. At my wedding, we intended for an usher to walk down the aisle holding the hands of my husband's 2-year-old niece and my 2-year-old nephew. My husband's niece wanted nothing to do with this because she was afraid that my nephew would somehow steal her basket! The "crisis" was averted by simply having each child walk down with his/her own parents.