Soldiers' Wives

Soldiers' Wives by Fiona; Field Page B

Book: Soldiers' Wives by Fiona; Field Read Free Book Online
Authors: Fiona; Field
Ads: Link
Even if he’d been racing Osama bin Laden, Stalin and Hitler, they still wouldn’t have cheered Mr Jenks. The cheering reached the ears of the soldiers who had already completed their three-mile run and were starting to drift to their barrack blocks or homes for a shower, and they stopped to watch the spectacle of Chrissie and the RSM, pounding, neck and neck, along the road to the regimental guardroom.
    The cheers, coupled with the knowledge that, if she lost, HQ Company would forfeit their long weekend, gave Chrissie the impetus she needed, and with a final, superlative effort she made it back, through the barrack gate and onto the parade square twenty yards ahead of Mr Jenks. The soldiers erupted.
    She wanted to lie down she was so knackered, but pride kept her on her feet while she gulped air.
    â€˜You may have beaten me this time,’ gasped the RSM, as he stopped beside her and shot a vitriolic look at the cheering troops. ‘It won’t happen again.’
    Chrissie wasn’t sure if it was a threat or a promise, but she didn’t care; she was too exhausted to care about anything, except not throwing up or passing out.
    Lee, who had seen her cream past, was lost in admiration, as were most of the soldiers from Chrissie’s company who pounded onto the parade square over the next few minutes, amongst them the CO, who was stunned to discover that the RSM had met his match.
    Colonel Notley came to a halt next to his RSM. ‘Don’t tell me you were beaten, Mr Jenks.’
    â€˜I was, sir.’ A lesser man than the CO might have quailed at the tone of the RSM’s voice.
    â€˜And by a slip of a girl.’
    The RSM glowered.
    The CO turned to Chrissie whose chest was still heaving. ‘Well done… er…’
    â€˜Summers, sir.’
    â€˜Yes, well done, Summers. Good effort.’
    â€˜Thank you, sir.’
    â€˜I think your efforts inspired the troops. HQ Company came home in a cracking time.’
    Chrissie wondered if they had just chased after her and Mr Jenks out of curiosity. She didn’t feel inspirational. But she did feel quite proud that she’d rescued the company’s long weekend. It was a good feeling.
    The CO drifted off to talk to some of the other NCOs and an admiring group formed around Chrissie.
    â€˜Well done,’ said Lee, ‘you were amazing.’
    And Chrissie felt ridiculously happy to have his approval and her good feeling
got even better.
    â€˜So how many did you get?’ asked Chrissie. She was still puffed even though she had recovered sufficiently to climb the stairs, albeit very slowly, to her barrack room where Immi was already showered and now dressed in combats rather than PE kit.
    â€˜Five and extra PT for four weeks,’ she replied glumly. ‘And then I have to pass my BFT or it’ll be more of the same. Honestly, Chrissie, I’m a clerk, I bash keyboards all day. Why do I have to be super-fit to open a filing cabinet?’
    Chrissie grabbed her towel. ‘Tell you what, suppose I have a word with Sergeant Wilkes and see if she’ll let me take you for extra PT? I mean, I know I’m not a PTI but she’s knows I’m fit.’ She didn’t add that the whole regiment knew that now. ‘And you and I could have a bit of fun together as we work out. How about it?’
    â€˜You’d do that for me?’ Immi was genuinely astounded.
    Chrissie nodded. ‘But you’ve got to promise me you’ll make a proper effort. Just ’cos I’m not some hairy-arsed PTI doesn’t mean you can take advantage. I’ll expect you to graft –
and
pass your fitness test. First time.’
    Immi nodded eagerly. ‘I will, promise.’
    â€˜I’ll make sure you do, if you make the effort too. So, to make sure, we’re going to start with a session in the gym this evening.’
    â€˜This evening!’ squeaked Immi. ‘But we did a run this

Similar Books

Resurrection

Kevin Collins

Natalie Wants a Puppy

Dandi Daley Mackall

Mischief

Amanda Quick

Wife for Hire

Christine Bell

Alternate Gerrolds

David Gerrold

Glass Ceilings

A. M. Madden

I’m Losing You

Bruce Wagner