Lights

13: New

An oil rig in the middle of the ocean, from his father-in-laws car to the railway platform.From a taxi cab to the dreaded helicopter journey.Parting wasn't easy and the traveling turned out to be anything but as straightforward as they thought.'Dependant on the weather conditions.'There were times when the journey which Mr.John Dunkirk had to undertake, could be hair raising.From being monthly, some visits home were weekly and some fortnightly, whichever, whenever, visits home and time spent being a family were fun. Nightly telephone conversations had to be kept short, when the children were sleeping Jinni wrote to the man she was missing and when grandparents offered to watch them, when he was home, John took his wife out to dinner.

"Two years."John explained how it would take two years for them to have a deposit for their own house with money to spare for a family car."Three, maybe four years and I could start my own business.Five years tops."In her husbands' voice Jinni heard ambition and in his eyes she saw him seeing his dreams come true.

"You're happy?"It was a shock, but there was no mistaking the sparkle in his eyes or the passion in his voice.'John was happy.'Mr.Dunkirk had landed a job in which he was thriving and felt content, a well paid career with prospects.How could she ask him to give up what was so right?'Jinni wanted her man to come home.'

"What is it like?"She couldn't imagine her husband's confinement, she heard the noises in the background when he telephoned and she knew such a place was constantly busy, having agreed to him working away for as long as he saw necessary, the wife who felt lonely whenever her husband was absent, wanted to know where it was he went to and what it was like?

"It's different."John admitted the rig wasn't home.

"Are the people friendly?"She asked.

"They seem to be, we all work on our own most of the time, but we get along."John told her he missed her and the children, both agreeing them having money in the bank and no longer worrying about bills would make their time together better.'Their time together was special.'

"The sacrifices will be worth it."Reaching out to touch and hold her hand across the table, as the two lay together in their bed, as the husband and wife made love, both hoped the love they had for one another would survive? Jinni knew it made sense, financially and practically, but what was sensible didn't mean she missed John any less. Sensible didn't equal things being easy and bearable.

Nightly telephone calls happened at seven, but it was gone eight when her husband told her his visit home had been cancelled.

"To much work on."He said."Next time."He promised.'The only good thing about no hellos meant no sad goodbyes.'Goodbyes were always hard.Waving as the train left the station Jinni and the children swallowed hard, each struggling to hold back the swelling tears. Between visits Jinni and her children managed, they had school and she still had her part time work, they had their routine and got on with their lives, but that didn't mean they didn't miss John.

"Mrs.Dunkirk?"Opening her front door, Jinni felt surprised to be confronted by two gentlemen wearing business style suits.Her first instinct was to fear the worse.'The police? An accident? Con men?'Confused, Jinni felt alone and unsure which way she should turn.

"Yes."She stuttered.Immediately realising she should have asked the men who they were before giving away her identity.

"Could you sign this please?"The taller of the males handed to her a clipboard on-which there was a sheet of white paper.

"What is it?"Jinni felt her vision blurring as she attempted to read the black on white print."Is it a petition?"She asked.

"It's a car miss."