Kate was watching T.V with Claire later that night when Claire decided to confront her Mum
"You know you could give Mike a second chance" she said taking a piece of popcorn from the bowl
"What? Where's this coming from?" Kate said surprised at what Claire was saying
"I can tell you still love him Mum" now Kate was defiantly confused
"How did you…"
"I found your photo, under your pillow, I know he's my Dad" Claire blurted out
"Ok when did my 5-year-old turn into a teenager" Kate said jokingly
"I can see the way you look at him Mum or the way you smile when you talk about him" Claire said throwing a piece of popcorn at her Mum.
"I'm not having this conversation with my 5-year-old, time for bed come on" Kate said moving as she scooped Claire up in her arms causing her to giggle.
"I love you Mummy, I just want you to be happy" Claire said as Kate was tucking her into bed
"I am happy Kiddo, I've got you and I don't need anything else" Kate said kissing her nose softly
"But you'll be happier if Dad was here" Kate was shook at Claire calling Mike Dad, when did this happen.
"Come on Kiddo, time to get some sleep" Kate said turning off Claire's night as she made her way out the door
"Love you Kiddo" she said closing the door
"Love you Mummy" Claire said rolling over and closing her eyes.
Kate hoped into her bed and stared at the ceiling she couldn't sleep now not after what her daughter said, since when did her 5-year-old become so wise with advice.
She needed to fix this somehow part of her knew her daughter was right she did love Mike she always had and when he left it broke her heart, how could she move on with her life if her heart would always belong to Mike.
Enough was enough she was going to sort this out one way or another she reached for her phone on the bedside table and opened it to Mike's number dialling it she prayed he wouldn't answer but luck wasn't on her side
"Hello? Kate?" Mike said through the phone
"I can't keep doing this Mike" she said to Mike on the other side of the phone
"I know, I'm sorry"
"I don't need you to keep apologizing Mike. I'm giving you one chance to be in Claire's life and if you screw it up there won't be another. I won't put her through what you put me through" Kate said getting teary
"Kate I want to be there for her 100% this changes everything I want to be a proper Father to Claire" Mike said trying to convince her
"I need to go out somewhere tomorrow how about you come over in the morning and take Claire out for the day get to know her" Kate said shifting in her bed
"I'd love that" Mike said smiling on the end of the phone
"She's pretty extraordinary Mike don't hurt him like you did to me" Kate said as a tear fell down her cheek
"I won't Kate, I'll see you in the morning",
"Goodnight Mike"
"Goodnight Kate" Mike said as Kate hanged up the phone.
Mike went to sleep with a smile on his face that night glad that Kate was at least giving him a chance to be in Claire's life.
He was going to proof Kate wrong and be there for Claire no matter what, and maybe Kate will warm up to the idea of them being a family one day.
It really shook him when Claire said Kate was still in love with him especially after the way he left her…
Flashback:
Mike had met Kate at Watson Bay a month before classes had started they met at a small bar near the ADFA campus. Mike had introduced himself to her with the usual pickup line 'Do you come here often?' at first Kate wanted nothing to do with him so he went back over to his friends.
He spent most of the evening watching Kate as she sat at the bar drinking by herself until he worked up the courage to try again with her. This time they really hit it off and got to talking about how they were both at ADFA, they took a walk along the bench and sat there until the Sun came up the next day.
Fast forward to a month later and Kate started her first course at ADFA to find Mike was the instructor of the course. Kate was sleeping with a teacher so she ended things but neither one of them could give up what they had so they kept it a secret for months and months.
It was a cold July morning when Mike awoke with a small frame resting against his chest he looked down at the sleeping form of his girlfriend a beautiful blonde named Kate McGregor.
He moved out of her embrace to get ready for class but Kate wasn't having any of it
"Mm Morning" she said as she moved her head to look up at him
"Morning beautiful" he said moving down to kiss her lips softly.
"We need to get up you've got class and I have a lecture to teach" Mike said sitting up as he moved his legs around to stand
"Right, we can't get caught fraternising" Kate said smiling at him as she got out of the bed, Mike grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him
"I've still got an hour before I start" he said gripping her waist as he kissed her passionately
"I've got class in 30minutes" Kate said getting distracted by Mike kissing her neck.
Mike picked her up and carried her to the bathroom "Plenty of time" he joked as he kissed her passionately again.
Kate made her way home after class she had been feeling ill all day since her first class, she wasn't sure if it was something she at or she was coming down with something. She remembered that she hadn't had her Period for this month so she went to the shops and brought a Pregnancy test.
When she arrived back home Mike was still teaching a class so she had plenty of time to do the test and get something ready for dinner, she made her way into the bathroom to the test and waited for the time it said as she flipped it over she squealed it was 'Positive' she as going to be a Mother! She had planned to tell Mike tonight at dinner but he didn't arrive until late.
Mike made his way towards the bedroom, Kate was already in bed asleep he didn't want to wake her so he went and sat on the couch. He had some news to tell her but couldn't find the right words to say…
He was called the Fleet Command today they offered him a promotion to serve as a CO on Patrol boat, it was such a surprise and he was told he'd need to give them an answer by tomorrow.
How was he supposed to leave to serve on a Patrol boat leave Kate?
He was madly in love with her and didn't want to do anything to ever hurt her. He couldn't choose but he had to he had to choose what was right for him despite Kate.
He quietly made his way into the bedroom and packed his things he sat on the bed next to Kate watching her sleep, she looked so peaceful this was not how he wanted things to go.
He gently kissed her forehead trying not to wake her as he placed a note on the pillow next to her "Goodbye Katie" he said closing the door behind him as he left to go serve on a Patrol boat.
Kate awoke the next morning expecting to see Mike lying next to her she got a huge disappointment when he wasn't there nothing but a note 'I'm sorry Kate' she got up looking through his wardrobe everything was gone, his clothes shoes, everything.Kate broke down into tears as she sat there staring at his empty space and her positive pregnancy test.
How could he leave her like this?
How was she supposed to raise this baby by herself?
End Flashback:
Mike showed up at Kate's house like he said he would, he knocked on the door and heard a faint 'Come in' so he entered
"Kate?" he said closing the door behind him
"In the kitchen" she yelled back. Kate was making coffee while Claire was at the table eating breakfast,
"Hi Daddy" Claire said between a mouthful of food
"Hi pumpkin" he said as he kissed the top of her head and made his way over to Kate.
"So how long can I take her for?" Mike asked as Kate handed him a coffee,
"Well I'll be out until about 3 so maybe bring her home at dinner time?" Kate said smiling at him as she took a sip of her coffee.
"Sounds good" Mike said taking a sip of his drink.
"Ready Daddy" Claire said 5 minutes later putting her plate I the sink.
"Righto let's go then" Mike said picking up Claire's backpack, Kate collected her handbag and followed them outside
"Bye Mummy" Claire said giving her a big hug
"Bye baby" Kate said kissing Claire's head.
Kate watched as Mike helped Claire into his car and then driving off, Kate turned on her engine and made her way to the shops more specifically a psychologist she didn't want Mike or Claire to know she had made a session because of her Panic attack and there were a few things she wanted to work through for Claire's sake.