Read Online Emergency Echo by George Ivanoff - Free Book Online Page B

Mum squeezed her hand.
    â€˜The RFDS were amazing,’ said Alice, wiping at her eyes.
    â€˜I’d hate to think what would have happened to you without them,’ agreed Mum.
    â€˜Doctor Helen was great,’ Alice went on.‘She was on the plane with us and she told us this amazing story about her grandfather.’
    Alice paused to think about her own grandfather. He’d proven himself to be very useful. More than useful. He’d got her through the whole experience.
    â€˜And Grandad was terrific too,’ said Alice, looking at Mum. ‘He took care of me. Sat with me the whole time. Talked to me. Told me stories.’
    â€˜He’s a good man,’ agreed Mum.
    Alice nodded and fell silent.
    â€˜Come on,’ said Mum, getting up. ‘We should go outside with everyone else.’
    â€˜Hey Mum,’ said Alice thoughtfully. ‘You know how every cloud is supposed to have a silver lining? Well, it’s true – I got a silver lining.’
    â€˜What’s that?’
    â€˜I flew in a plane.’ Alice smiled. ‘I’d like to do it again. But without the storm and without the appendix.’
    Mum nodded. ‘Well, if you do fly again, it will definitely be without the appendix.’
    â€˜Haha,’ said Alice, rolling her eyes. ‘But I think I’d like to travel when I’m older.’
    â€˜Where to?’ asked Mum.
    â€˜Dunno,’ said Alice. ‘Somewhere. Anywhere. In a plane.’
    â€˜Your father always wanted to travel,’ said Mum with a faraway look in her eyes. ‘But he never really got the chance. He’d like it if you did.’
    Alice reached up and touched the gold nugget.
    â€˜If you go to Lord’s, I’ll go with you.’
    Alice looked over to see Ben leaning in the doorway to the kitchen. Mum patted him on the shoulder as she squeezed past. ‘You’re a nice boy,’ she said quietly as she headed outside.
    â€˜Lord’s … what?’ asked Alice.
    â€˜Lord’s Cricket Ground,’ said Ben, as if he were talking to an idiot. ‘In England. It’s where the Ashes are kept. You know, as in The Ashes. The test cricket series between Australia and England?’
    â€˜Oh.’ Alice smiled.
    â€˜Bill Ponsford played there in the 1930 Ashes test series,’ said Ben excitedly. ‘Australia won that year.’
    â€˜Whatever,’ teased Alice.
    â€˜And you call yourself a cricket fan.’ Ben shook his head.
    â€˜I call you a cricket fan,’ corrected Alice. ‘I just like playing it. And only with pink stumps.’ Both she and Ben laughed. ‘But I’ll go there with you … one day.’
    Ben turned to go outside.
    â€˜Hey!’ Alice called after him. ‘Um …’ She hesitated. ‘What colour are your eyes?’
    He turned back and looked at her, a little surprised. ‘Duh! Don’t you know?’
    Alice shrugged.
    â€˜I know yours are blue,’ he said.
    â€˜And I know that your hair is black, your skin is brown and your nose is kinda squishy,’ she said in a big rush. Then paused. ‘And I know your eyes are dark. But I can’t work out the colour.’
    Ben reached into his back pocket and pulled out a pair of sunglasses. He grinnedas he put them over his eyes. ‘Here’s the deal,’ he said. ‘If you haven’t figured it out by the time we get to Lords, I might tell you.’
    And then he was off, out into the backyard.
    Alice laughed, holding a hand over her dressing as her tummy twinged. ‘Deal!’

The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (RFDS) began as the dream of the Reverend John Flynn, a minister with the Presbyterian Church. He witnessed the struggle of pioneers living in remote areas with no available medical care. Flynn’s vision was to provide a ‘mantle of safety’ for these people, and on 15 May 1928 his dream became a reality with the