War Girls Complete Collection Chapter 310

Chapter 29: Tom

Gatow Airbase, Berlin

T

om held up his glass in a toast, smiling at the antics of his fellows. Despite being far away from home, everyone was in an overwhelming celebratory mood. The temporary barracks had grown into a permanent home. Some of the married officers had been allowed to bring their wives and children for the holidays – and possibly to stay. The British Army was preparing to stay for a long, long time in Germany.

Despite the jolly mood during the Christmas meal and the dance afterward, Tom couldn’t muster up much enthusiasm. He’d rather be with Ursula.

“Westlake, why the sad face? There are plenty of unattached females on their way,” Ken called out. The man had been beaming with delight since the moment his wife had arrived two days earlier and seemingly wanted to make sure everyone was as happy as he was.

Tom nodded absent-mindedly. Later he danced with a pretty brunette, but his mind never once let go of Ursula. The woman in his arms soon lost interest and went off to find a more willing man.

He had one week of leave ahead, but Mitch was on back-to-back flights to the Pacific. Therefore, he wouldn’t be able to take him to Munich, but Tom didn’t dare ask anyone else. He’d considered taking a train, but that notion had quickly been put to rest due to the political tensions with the Soviets. Travel through the Soviet zone had been restricted to official missions, since the high command didn’t want to risk their soldiers getting into unnecessary trouble with the former ally.

“Hey, man.” One of the aircraft engineers flopped onto the chair beside him. “I’m going to miss this place.”

“You transferred home?”

“Nah… they’re sending me to Aigen.”

“Aigen? Never heard of it. Where’s that?”

“In Austria. A forlorn airbase in the middle of nowhere, about eighty miles southeast of Salzburg.”

Tom’s ears perked up. From Salzburg he could easily catch a train to Munich and on to Mindelheim. “Can’t be that bad. I hear the Alps are quite beautiful.” Tom had visited Davos and Zermatt in his youth, because his mother had been adamant that any good boy needed to learn how to ski.

The other man scoffed. “Alps. That’s nice and fine if you’re hot on cows. Because that’s all there is.”

“Maybe I should spend my leave there. I wouldn’t mind getting away from Berlin and the Soviets for a while.”

“Well, if you do, say hello. I’ll be there for the next year or two.” The man spotted the woman he’d been dancing with returning from the bathroom and rushed off to meet her.

Tom, though, was intrigued. He decided to seize the opportunity and walked over to the base commander, who was standing at the bar. After some small talk, he asked, “Sir, since I’m on leave next week, I was wondering if it would possible to travel to the Aigen airbase?”

“Won’t you return to England?”

“No, my parents are with friends in Scotland and I’d rather not spend time with them. Those Scots are peculiar,” he lied.

“I can sympathize.” The commander guffawed. “But why on earth Aigen?”

“Sounds like a nice quiet place in the Alps. I’d love to do some skiing to recharge the batteries.”

“You know how to ski, lad?”

Tom nodded. “I’m by no means an expert, but I manage.”

Since the commander was in a Christmassy spirit, he smiled jovially and said, “Well then. Get your travel permits tomorrow in my office.”

“Thank you, sir.” Tom wanted to leave, but the commander called him back. “Under one condition, Squadron Leader Westlake.”

“Yes, sir?” Tom had the annoying feeling that something was off.

“Don’t break your neck!” The commander guffawed and emptied his beer, calling out to the bartender, “Another one! And one for this lad!”