Go Out With A Bang! (24 page)

'Poppy?
Is she okay?'

'Couldn't be in better health. She'll be even happier when we
get you home. And the baby's coming along great.'

Fred was
stunned. 'Poppy's pregnant?'

'My God.
Sandra didn't tell you? I need to get you home.' They were about to
make their way down The Hill when Bernie's phone chimed. 'Yes?
That's me. Can you repeat that, please? Both of them? Understood.
Got that. Thanks.'

'Bernie?' said Fred.

'I'm
gob-smacked,' said Bernie. 'Sandra and Steve. They're alive. Badly
bashed up, but alive. Both of them.'

Chapter 75

They
were sharing a ward. Nurses and doctors ignored the maximum visitor
number and even found a few extra chairs. Sandra Mitchell had had
her right arm broken in three places, broken left leg, her head
heavily bandaged, broken ribs and an assortment of cuts and
bruises.

Steve
Telford had two broken legs, left arm broken and the right side of
his face had required thirty stitches from a long deep gash.
Neither were complaining.

'I never
thought I'd see you again,' said Bernie.

'I don't
remember a thing,' said Sandra. 'I was trying to hold onto the
missile until we were well over the sea. It fell from my grasp. Now
I'm here.'

Bernie
explained, 'The missile exploded just under the water. The police
launch knew you were heading their way. Luckily, the breeze blew
the radiation cloud away from you two, out to sea. Sorry, Steve.
The chopper's had it.'

'We're
alive. That's all that matters.'

Sandra
squeezed her daughter's hand. 'How are you?'

'That
depends. Are you staying around to see your
granddaughter?'

'You're
having a girl?'

'According to the scan.'

'We're
thrilled about it,' said Fred.

'So am
I,' said Sandra. 'And I've made a decision. I've officially
retired. I'm going to get to know my family, if you'll let
me.'

Poppy
squeezed her mother's hand. 'That won't be easy. You know that,
don't you? But I want a grandmother for my daughter. Don't you let
her down.'

'I want
to grow old gracefully. Thank you.'

A nurse
entered the room. 'Can we make room for one more?'

Prime
Minister Sinclair Carlisle was wheeled in, in a wheelchair. Like
Sandra and Steve, he had suffered broken limbs or in his case, a
broken leg and several ribs plus cuts and abrasions. 'Excuse me,
butting in, everyone. But I heard there were a few heroes in
here?'

'Got a
whole roomful, so I heard,' said Paul “Rosy” Rose, pushing the
chair between the two beds.

'Well.
Don't we look like a beat up trio,' said Carlisle. 'I'll let you
into a secret. I'd have been fine, but a certain Chief of Internal
Security, namely Rosy here, decided to jump on top of me when the
missiles were going off. Look at him. Not a damn scratch on
him.'

'Nice to
be appreciated,' said Rose.

'Let's
cut to the chase,' said Carlisle. 'Because of you, Sandra Mitchell,
and you, Steven Telford, none of the world leaders were seriously
hurt. Regrettably, people died and others were injured, but if the
H bomb had gone off, it would have been so much worse. Your actions
may have averted a world war. So, not only does this country owe
you a debt of gratitude; perhaps the whole world does. On behalf of
the rest of the world, thank you.' Sandra and Steve beamed at each
other. It had been high praise indeed. 'There's something else,'
said Telford. 'It seems you had a little accident with your
helicopter. You'll find a brand new one waiting for you at
home.'

'Wow.
Brilliant.'

'The
least we can do. Sandra. I am well aware of the many sacrifices you
have made over the years in the service of your country.
Rosy?'

'Oh? Me.
Of course.' From his pocket, he extracted two small jewel boxes and
handed them to Carlisle.

Carlisle
opened one of them. 'To Sandra Mitchell. I am proud to bestow on
you our country's highest civilian award. The Civilian Cross of
Courage. And to Steven Telford. Also, I am proud to bestow The
Civilian Cross of Courage. On behalf of our nation, I salute and
thank you both.'

All in
the room cheered and applauded.

'Wait,'
said Steve. 'A little hush, please. Prime Minister Carlisle. I'm
overwhelmed. But I have a favour to ask you.'

'If I
can grant it, it's yours.'

'Sir.
I'd be most honoured if you will be the guest of honour at mine and
Sandra's wedding.'

Before
Carlisle could answer, Sandra said, 'Excuse me? You haven't even
asked me to marry you, yet.'

'Ah.
Right. Sandra Mitchell. Will you make the happiest man alive, well,
more or less alive, by doing me the honour of marrying
me?'

Everyone
held their breath and stared at the heavily bandaged
woman.

'Hmm.
Yeah, okay. Go on, then. I'll marry you.'

When the
roaring cheer finally subsided, Carlisle said, 'In that case, I
look forward to being a guest at your wedding. Rosy. Take me home,
please.'

Chapter 76

Nine
Months Later

The
mansion was the perfect venue for the spring wedding. The garden
was surrounded by pink flowering cherry trees; the huge ornate
fountain had been scrubbed clean and was flowing. Large white
marques had been erected to cover the guests from any weather
possibilities, but the sky was a perfect blue, with just a few
white sailing ship clouds gliding majestically across
it.

The
bride and groom were fully healed, and had complete mobility of
their limbs. Steve Telford had gone for a light blue suit, rather
than a hired penguin outfit, and the scar down his face only gave
him a more rugged, action man look.

Bernie
also wore a new suit, to walk down the aisle to give his sister
away. Steve's brother Frank looked a little anxious in his role as
best man, checking his watch every two minutes. A trio of a violin,
cello and clarinet played light classical music.

Sandra
Mitchell had a few more scars hidden below her floor length ivory
silk dress. More than a hundred friends and relatives sat and
chatted as they waited. At the front were Poppy, Fred and six week
old Angelica, obliviously sleeping, unaware of the significance of
the occasion. Morris, Crowe and Andersen had been told in no
uncertain terms that cell phones were a no no.

A
special invitation had been extended to Mollie Mulligan, who had
splashed out on a new outfit for the occasion and she sat by
Andersen. She too was feeling slightly nervous, because on the
other side of her was Prime Minister Sinclair Carlisle and his wife
Chrissie. Across the aisle, she had noticed the way Titch had been
smiling at her and she had smiled back at him.

The trio
of musicians started to play “Here comes the bride” and everyone
turned to look behind them, up the red carpet. Proud and beaming,
Bernie escorted Sandra slowly down the aisle. The transformation
from a deadly killer into a radiant, beautiful bride to be, a
doting grandmother, and a mother who was never going to be putting
her life on the line ever again, was almost complete.

She
stood next to Steve, and their love for each other was so strong,
it almost mingled with the scent from the cherry
blossom.

The
woman celebrant conducted the ceremony; vows and rings were
exchanged and a new union was forged.

The
celebrant finally said, 'I now pronounce you man and wife. You may
kiss the bride.'

Sandra
Mitchell became Sandra Telford, reclaiming the life she had
sacrificed for so many years. It was time to be happy again, and
have a family. She kissed her husband, knowing with all her heart,
he was the one she would share the rest of her life with. Through a
wild adventure, they had found each other and true love.

The
End!

Hi. Many
thanks for reading my book. This is the one and only novel length
“Ferret” book. I hope you enjoyed it. It was never meant to happen.
I swore I would never write one. Never, ever. And yet, against all
the odds, here it is. Will there ever be another? No. Not in a
million years. Absolutely not. But then again...!