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| "Laura's Nightmare" Copyright Francis Blow, 1989. |
| CHAPTER 11 |
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| Everyone stared at Joey for long seconds, until John suggested Laura take the envelope the boy held. |
| They were gathered in the kitchen, and the postman had made his delivery. |
| The months of mind numbing work, and weeks of waiting were over. That envelope would decide Laura's entire future. |
| "Oh, Laura. Open it, before I explode!" Carla prompted. |
| Joey grinned, and walked towards his big sister, to hold the letter out to her. |
| Slowly, almost reluctantly, Laura took it, stared at her name on the front. |
| The moment dragged. |
| It seemed harder than all the police interviews and court appearances. All Laura's determination was fading into insecurity. |
| Her fingers seemed to convulse by themselves, and the letter was open. The answer was in front of her disbelieving eyes. |
| "Oh." |
| "What? What?" Carla demanded, and rushed to her daughter's side, where she could read the results. |
| "Bad news, Mum." Laura's voice was soft, expressionless. "I guess I'm going to have to move out, after all." |
| "Oh, my good Lord! John, she did it! Laura's got the fourth highest mark in the State!" |
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| "You know, Gran, I could easily get used to this." |
| Laura was relaxed behind the wheel of the open Mercedes. They were leaving behind them an exquisite lunch at one of Sydney's better restaurants. |
| "I know. It is hard to go back to a normal life after being spoiled." Gran smiled, noting Laura's attention never once left the road. |
| Laura took a deep breath, though it was not a sigh of resignation; it was more like readying herself for a hard race or workout. |
| "But I will. Not that a cadetship in the Airforce is normal." |
| "Did you get an answer yet?" |
| "Not yet, Gran, but after my marks, and with the way the interview went, there's not much doubt in my mind." |
| "So... It won't be long, now, and you'll be Lieutenant Shell. Just a few, too short years. That's the way the world turns... Oh, have you told your friends?" |
| Laura considered a brief moment. |
| "Only here in Australia. I'd better wait until I'm in uniform, before letting Tom Besser and Senator Togawa know. After all, it's early days yet, and Mars has been waiting a long time." |
| "True, Laura. After all you've been through in the last three years, it's easy for me to see you getting the best of the god of war." |
| Laura checked her speed, as other cars passed the Mercedes. For several seconds Gran thought Laura's whole attention was on keeping to the speed limit. |
| "I think my life is about to really start, Gran. The nightmare is finally over." |
