Ebb and Flow.
By Jaye Reid.
Commenced: 15.03.2000
Completed: 23.04.2000
Disclaimer: In a totally democratic state, would there be any individual ownership of anything? Yeah probably would be still. Oh well… Southern Star, Hal Mc, and anyone else who cares to claim them, own them.
Authors notes: I've been working on this one for a little while. Finally found time during this Easter break to finish it.
Special thanks must again go to Sonia for her encouragement and sub-editing skills.
This story *is* for Sonia – I wrote a Woodsie one especially for you Sonni!! g
*****
Emma Woods shoved her bag into the locker. Monday morning, another day another body to pull from the murky harbour more than likely. It was all she seemed to do these days. Why did the crims feel the need to use the harbour as their own personal dumping ground? And it had been a full moon the night before. How many jumpers would they find floating today? The record currently stood at seven after a full moon. Would today's collection surpass it?
Dave didn't seem to be in the divers area when she arrived. Probably down in the gym. He sometimes did some weights before coming in and barking orders. They were used to it by now, but often humored him when he went off. They had to let him still think he was boss. Usually it consisted of him telling her to hurry up and that they had work to do. But as he wasn't there, she had peace and quiet to surround her as she started the routine inspection of all her diving gear prior to heading out.
The last week had been a hectic one and she had enjoyed her weekend off. She had kept away from the water, choosing instead to sip café latté at a sidewalk café with a couple of friends and stroll amongst the stalls at the markets down at The Rocks. It had been a weekend of pampering, trying to do something to revitalize her blonde mane that resembled straw these days. Continual saturation in her line of work did nothing for it. He fingernails were the same. She felt quite pleased on Saturday morning, as she applied the second coat of clear nail varnish, that her nails were free of any revolting nail infection they seemed to be prone to these days.
Sunday morning she found it necessary to hit the books. Yet another assignment for the Constable's Development Program was due. The elevation in rank to Senior Connie along with the slight increase in salary was appealing. But the extra study and paperwork it took to get there was a total drag.
Emma chatted with Nick and a couple of the other divers as she tested the gauges. She could hold her own in most conversations and enjoyed being able to add insightful and well versed comments about the current cricket tour in New Zealand. Her interests were varied. She was pleased the barriers that were common in a male dominated job like this had broken down in the time she had been there. There had to be a strong bond and respect between all the divers.
Their lives depended on it.
"Trust and teamwork" was the motto Dave constantly drilled into them.
Emma noticed Jeff Hawker and a civvie heading towards the divers area from out near the pontoons. Not another sales rep. to persuade them into trying something different. What would it be this time she thought? But this rep. wasn't bad looking, perhaps she would let him *try* and persuade her she smiled to herself before going back to checking the connections.
"Can I have everyone's attention for a minute?" announced Jeff.
Everyone stopped and looked in their direction.
"I would like you at all to met Senior Sergeant Lance Rourke. Make him feel welcome he will be replacing McCall."
"What!" exclaimed Nick.
"Dave? Where's Dave? What's happened?" Emma asked sharply, perhaps too sharply.
The sergeants smile, that had been broad on announcement on his arrival, quickly disappeared as the divers reacted in shock to this development.
"McCall handed in his resignation three weeks ago and finished on Friday. He didn't wish me to say anything and indicated he would inform those who needed to be informed himself," stated Jeff.
"I'm assuming that wasn't too many of you?" added Senior Sergeant Rourke.
"Yeah, obviously," added Pete.
"So much for trust and teamwork," said Emma bitterly as she looked at her co-workers.
There was silence.
"Well if someone can show me where to put my stuff we can get this day started," said Rourke.
Still silence.
"Yeah right, follow me," said Emma as none of the others were moving. They were still sizing up the new boss, as men do she thought. She had already decided what her feelings were, although she figured she might have to alter them slightly now that she knew the good looking guy was no sales rep.
"I don't know if there are any spare lockers," she stated as they walked into the locker area for the divers.
"Well, I assume McCall's would be empty," he added. "Perhaps point me in that direction."
Emma realised that he was right. She was having difficulty coming to the realisation Dave was gone. Opening his locker however, brought it home with a powerful jolt. The once cluttered locker, full of diving bits and pieces, was now empty and wiped clean. Even his name tag slip in the door was gone. She wondered how she didn't notice it when she arrived at work?
But this was the last thing she expected.
"This wasn't exactly the welcome I had hoped for," Lance stated as they walked back to the equipment storage area. "McCall obviously didn't mention *anything* about leaving?"
"No, nothing at all," Emma replied shortly.
"Hey it's not my fault constable," he retaliated.
Emma stopped and looked at him, now feeling guilty.
She knew it wasn't his fault, she was just feeling so… she wasn't sure what she was feeling.
"Look I'm sorry," she offered. "I'm just really, really…"
"Annoyed?" offered Lance.
"Pissed off," she stated.
Lance smiled to himself. Fiery one this woman. He wondered if she cooled down at all when immersed in water? Nah, probably not he decided.
"I can't believe Dave could just up and leave without saying a word," she stated.
"I guess he had his reasons," Lance offered in defense of his predecessor.
"Well they would need to be damn good ones," she replied.
Helen chose that moment to appear in the doorway.
"Senior Sergeant Rourke, just letting you know, there has been a body spotted floating around Campbell's Cove. The boat crew on the Nemesis are on their way."
"Thank you," he called.
"Not a problem. Oh and Woodsie… Gavin told me to let you know that is one up on their score sheet for the day."
"Yeah ta Helen," Emma replied shaking her head.
"Woodsie?" queried Lance.
"Ah yes, sorry, we sorta missed the introductions," she replied holding out her hand, "Constable Emma Woods, but I usually get Woodsie around here."
"And the score sheet comment?" he continued.
Emma smiled, "It's a morbid sort of thing really. It was a full moon last night and I don't know if you understand…"
"Let me guess," he interrupted. "The word lunatic doesn't come from the word lunar as in moon, as in full moon for nothing?"
"True Senior Sergeant, you catch on fast," replied Emma.
"Well what is the count on bodies?"
"A grand total of seven for one day stands for the Harpy," stated Emma, "the most of any crew on the harbour."
"Well I guess we should get out there and start cleaning up the waterways this morning for the good people of Sydney."
~*~*~
"Well I still say the dog doesn't count," mumbled Gavin leaning on the front desk.
"Well what were we meant to do Sykesie? Just leave it out there to float and stink? It was almost as big as a bloody person, damn heavy Great Danes. Donna is tracking down the owner from the tag on its collar."
"Well neither of the crews passed the record, so I guess we all buy our own drinks tonight," added Gavin.
"What is this?" asked Lance overhearing the conversation. "Is there ever a time when the battlelines aren't drawn and the divers and the boat crew don't keep score?"
Helen looked from Gavin to Emma. "You have a lot to learn Senior Sergeant," said Helen before heading up the stairs.
"Is she always that official?" asked Lance as Helen disappeared.
"Yep," they chorused.
"Well come on Woodsie," said Gavin, "Cutter Bar is beckoning."
"Ah not me tonight Gavin. I've got a couple of things to do," she replied. "But take our new colleague down there, he looks like he could do with a drink."
"See you tomorrow then," Lance called as Emma disappeared out the station door.
~*~*~
Emma double checked the address on the crumpled piece of paper in her hand as she looked back up at the house. She hadn't been there before, but this was the right place she told herself as she opened the gate and let it squeak closed as she made her way up to the verandah.
Emma took a deep breath and knocked purposefully on the door.
She heard footsteps from around the side of the verandah and then Dave appeared.
"Woodsie? What are you doing here?" he asked, obviously surprised.
"Could ask what you were *not* doing this morning," she said shortly.
Dave dropped his head. "Yep fair enough question I suppose. Want a beer? I was just about to get another one."
"Yeah… okay," she replied, walking around the side of the house.
Dave pointed to a couple of old wicker chairs on the verandah and disappeared back inside the house.
Emma picked up an old dusty cushion from one of the chairs, gave it a shake and returned it before sitting down. She stretched her legs out and looked at the garden with its bright orange marigolds and blazing red amaranthus making quite a show while she waited for Dave to return.
"Here," said Dave as he pushed the stubbie into a stubbie holder.
"Ta," she replied, taking a mouthful of the amber liquid as she watched Dave sit down.
"Well…"
"Yes well…" repeated Emma looking at him curiously.
"I suppose you want to know why?"
Emma was still trying to marshall the feelings of bitterness, sadness and confusion that ebbed and flowed within her like the Sydney Harbour tides.
"Yeah, why you left and why you *told those that needed to know*? Did we mean so little to you Dave?"
"It's not like that," he started.
"Well what *is* it like Dave? Trust and teamwork, if I had a dollar for every time you told us trust and teamwork. And in the end you were the one who didn't trust us. To tell us that you were leaving. Where is the teamwork in that?" she blustered.
"I had enough Emma. I just got tired of it all. I would have told you, told the others, but I didn't know how without disillusioning the rest of you at the same time," he stated as he turned his beer around in his hands.
"And you think that makes it alright?" she continued. She hadn't realised just how angry she was. Her own tone surprised her.
"No, but you have to understand, sometimes…"
"What? Sometimes you can just walk away from your friends? Just act as if we hadn't all been through so much together over the years?" she continued.
Woodsie…. Emma… I had to," he said with a defeated sigh.
"But why? What happened? Why don't you want to do this job anymore Dave?" she asked more sympathetically.
"It was a full moon last night, how many did you guys pull out of the harbour today?" he asked unemotionally. "How many crazy idiots have we had to deal with last week? Too bloody many!"
"Is that what this is all about?" she asked.
"Yes… no… oh buggered if I know Emma, I guess I have seen too much death lately. I've just had enough of it. Time to do something else. Get away from the coppers," he replied looking out over the garden.
"So what are you going to do?" she asked leaning back in her chair. She hadn't realised until then she had been almost perched on the edge of it.
"I have a chance to buy into a diving school. Just waiting for the final figures to come through. Figured if I can teach some of these dickheads, that we end up dragging out of the drink, to dive properly; you might not have as much to do," he replied.
"You trying to make us redundant or something Dave?" Emma laughed.
"Ah there are always going to be idiots who think they know better," he smiled. "You can still have them."
"Oh well, guess that's okay then. We will still have a job tomorrow."
"Yeah, someone has to keep Sykesie and Tommy on their toes," he replied swallowing another mouthful. "And don't give the new bloke too much of a hard time."
"Me?" smiled Emma. "Would I do something like that?"
"You're good at what you do Woodsie. Don't get dragged down by it all, okay?" he said seriously.
"Nah… maybe when I'm an old war-horse like you… but not before," she grinned.
"Oh ta… not so much of the old thanks!" he snorted.
"I'd better go," said Emma standing as she downed the last of her beer and handled the empty stubbie in its holder back to Dave.
"Yeah, sure. Look after yourself Woodsie," said Dave standing and holding out his hand.
"You too," replied Emma, ignoring his hand and giving him a hug.
Dave looked at her with a flustered expression as she stood back and then headed along the verandah towards the gate. Displays of emotion weren't something he had ever handled well.
"Hey Woodsie!" he called. "Trust and teamwork. Don't forget it!"
"Yes Boss! Don't forget us okay?"
He waved and then smiled as she disappeared out of sight. "Nah, won't forget you guys," he thought to himself as he drank the last of his beer and headed inside.
The End.