Once inside, Lance instructed the driver to head for Salmiya, the suburb where they lived.

They proceeded along the King Faisal Motorway then turned east onto the Fifth Ring Road. Daylight was breaking as they passed the Bayan Palace.

They arrived eventually outside their apartment block. Lance paid the taxi driver then carried two of the cases up the steps. Katie had gone ahead to call the lift. They had a struggle getting four cases and two flight bags in, but they made it.

Soon they were at the floor where they lived. Katie held the doors open till everything was out then went ahead to let herself into their apartment. Lance was sweaty and shattered by the time he had humped everything inside. He plunked himself down in an easy chair and let the air conditioning (AC) waft over him. Their Filipino maid had kept the place spotless and ensured that the AC had been turned down for their arrival.

After resting for a while they checked the other rooms in the apartment. Everything was the way they had left it. When they arrived at one of the two spare bedrooms, Lance’s face lit up with relief.

”They’re still here then,” said Katie. “They haven’t flown out the window or sailed out to sea. We’ll have to get a bigger place if you keep up your production rate.”

“It’s something I like doing – you know that,”

“You and your models go together like fish and chips.”

Lance had always been keen on model making, ever since his school days. She looked around the room at the Spitfire, the aircraft carrier, the helicopter and the troop carrier. Some of the models were quite big and took up a lot of space. Lance displayed a few in the living room; visitors admired his handiwork. The spare bedroom was used as a workshop; Katie also used it as her brewery and winery.

The plants were looking perky; they had not died of thirst. The one he and Katie had re-potted before they left had grown a few inches. They had noticed that its leaves had started to weep – a strange phenomenon. It had been its way of trying to tell them something. A bigger pot had allowed it to spread itself out. It sure was grateful.

“We’re home,” announced Katie returning to her armchair. They had come to regard Kuwait as home. After all, this was their first place as a married couple.

Lance did not start work till 5pm, later that day. They took quick showers then went to bed, leaving the unpacking till morning.

Katie snuggled up to Lance. Before his eyes closed he told himself, “Who needs Monique or any other stewardess for that matter. I”ve got my Katie. She’ll do for me.’

“Goodnight, Lover Boy. See you in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Cuddles. By the way it is morning.”

“Get to sleep.”

“Not until you give me a goodnight kiss.”

“All right then,” she said. “I don’t know where you get all the energy from.”

As they fell asleep, the muezzin from the nearby mosque was calling the followers of Islam to Fajr prayers. It was comforting and reassuring.