Hello,
For those who were confused in the last chapter. Phryne is bored, so she went into the kitchen.
Even the best service will be boring with time. Especially on such a long journey and when your name is Phryne Fisher :)
"My dear," Henry said behind his wife at the desk. " What are you writing? "
"Names," said his wife without looking at him. "For the celebration that Phryne is back in London," and looked over her shoulder at Henry. "Did you even ask Phryne if she agrees. After all, she was on a ship for weeks. We both know Phryne, she is stressed when she falls into boredom."
"I'm bored," said Phryne stressedly, looking at Jack, who was lying next to her in bed. After almost two weeks on the ocean, Phryne was more as bored. The situation that Jack and John are with her in the suite, did not make it any better.
"You found a lost poodle yesterday." Phryne smiled. "I got an embroidered handkerchief for it."
"Phryne, the old lady was very happy that you found her dog." "I know," and handed Jack the handkerchief from nightstand.
"What are you doing today, Miss Fisher." "I have no idea, Inspector," said Phryne bored. "The days are so terribly monotonous here." "What else do you do on such ships?" Phryne sat up and looked at John in his crib and looked at Jack.
"The usual, drunk, slept, flirted and well...I can not do that now."
"Understandable," Jack said. "But ... I would never stop you, I do not want you to give up anything for me."
"I know, " Phryne said. " That's why I respect you deeply."
"We can use your list if you want that," Phryne`s eyes began to shine. "We could pretend we did not know each other."
"I have to tell you, I can not flirt," Jack said.
"Do not worry Inspector, that's enough for me," and looked at him smiling. "By the way Inspector, for a successful flirtation, always includes two." "But Phryne," Jack said with wide eyes. "We have John, I can not pretend we do not have him."
"What else do you want to do?" Phryne got up, went into the bathroom and after a short while Jack heard the water from the bathroom. The door was open and another man would take the open bathroom door as a provocation, but not Jack, he stayed in bed.
"Will you come into the bathroom?" called Phryne. "Do you mean me?" Jack asked from the bed. "No, my affair last night." Jack heard the water and Phryne's smile. "I would like to know something from him," she began. Jack got up and wiped a curl from his forehead. "What do you want to know about your affair?" Jack asked as he walked slowly to the bathroom.
"The magic in his eyes when he looks at me. I feel special that way, as if I were the most important person in the world."
"Maybe because it's true." Jack said with a slight smile at the door.
"I have a few questions for my nameless affair too." "And that would be?" Phryne asked with wide eyes "The way she talks to me.
That I feel no longer guilty. "
"You had guilty feelings?" Phryne asked.
"After the war, every day."
"Me too," said Phryne shortly, pulling her knee to her body and looking into the water.
"As a mother, I dream now differently about the war, ask myself other questions. I wonder, if at least one of the boys in the field hospital saw his mother again. Only the thought, John could..." Phryne said with tears in her voice. "I do not allow John to go into any war." Jack looked down and then back to Phryne. He wanted to say something, he wanted to tell her, that the parents are never asked in such situations. But mothers react differently, especially if it's the only child. Even a Miss Fisher is no longer exception.
Phryne looked up from her knees. "What do you think about it, would you find it right?" Jack swallowed and had to think back.
The fear he felt, the mud in his shoes and the blood of his wound. "No," he said swallowing. "I do not want him to have the same nightmares later." Phryne nodded in thought. "I just saw blood, but you ..." Jack said. He sat on the edge of the bathtub and took Phryne's hand in his.
Phryne did not look at Jack, she looked into the water and saw the red colored ice under her feet again. The feeling as she tried to warm her frozen fingers over thewarm wounds. The blankets were for the wounded soldiers and not for the nurses.
"On bad days, I stood in blood." she said emotionless. "It stuck on my body, on my underwear and in winter when you only have ice water to wash you. You had to decide what was more important to you." Phryne looked at Jack seriously.
"I never allow, that the Blood of my son..." Jack nodded, stood up and gave Phryne a kiss on her forehead. Phryne looked at him in astonishment. Jack knew what she wanted to say and therefore he interrupted her.
"Let's go, find a missing poodle," Jack said and Phryne smiled. " Two more handkerchiefs and we all have one."
"I love you," Phryne said. "Promise me, to take care of John and be the father he needs." Jack smiled and pulled her into a hug.
"Promise me, to be the Mother he needs and I love you too."