How Long Will I Love You
Ellie Goulding
How long will I love you?
As long as there are stars above you.
And longer if I can.
How long will I need you?
As long as the seasons need to follow their plan.
How long will I be with you?
As long as the sea is bound to wash upon the sand.
How long will I want you?
As long as you want me to
And far longer if I can.
How long will I hold you?
As long as your father told you,
As long as you can.
How long will I give you?
As long as I live through you,
However long you say.
How long will I love you?
As long as there are stars above you,
Longer if I may
12 Years Later:
Josh is supervising the last of the boxes being packed and loaded into the moving truck. The Navy being the Navy gave short notice that they would be moving, as such, the Navy had purchased their home and will then either sell it your use it as supplemental housing for officers on short assignment.
Mike, at age 9, is already tall and lean, with Nikki's brown hair, Josh's blue eyes, and his mother's smile and feisty nature. He is at school saying his goodbyes to his teachers and friends. Many of his classmates are from service families and know what it's like to have to pack up and move on short notice.
Sweet Emma, 5 yrs old, sports her father's gold curls and bright blue eyes, a sweet disposition and Josh's smile. She is very bright and precocious with an amazing vocabulary for a 5 yr old, she remembers everything. Having said her goodbyes the day before she had stayed home from school to help Josh by watching her 3 yr old sister, Katie, keeping her out of trouble. Even with the 2 yr age difference, Emma and Katie play well together.
With soft blond hair and Nikki's green eyes, 3 yr old Katie looks like Nikki with blond hair and she has Josh's easy-going disposition.
Their 2 yr old chocolate lab, Snickers, was sniffing around the backyard and helping to supervise the girls.
" Girls! Lunch!"
Emma and Katie come bounding into the kitchen.
"Alright, we're going to have a picnic 'cause there's no table. Go out to the back and I'll be there in a minute with your sandwiches and milk."
Josh had made Vegemite and cheese sandwiches, a beer for himself and milk for his girls. Putting everything on a tray, he grabbed their picnic rug and met them outside.
" Daddy, you make the best samitches," Emma tells him.
" Thank you, Poppet."
" Good Daddy," Katie adds. Josh leans over and places a kiss on her head.
Once lunch was finished, "Ok, girls, let's lay down for a bit, shall we? We're going to have a long day. So to your bedroom and a story."
Josh drew the blinds, got them snuggled and then laid down with them on the remaining mattress to read them a brief story. They fell asleep fairly quickly.
Grabbing another beer, Josh went out to the patio and sat on the folding lounge chair.
Sitting back and sipping his beer he started thinking about how fast the last 12 years have gone by. (Jeez, I'm feeling old.) He and Nikki had lived in Cairns for over 13 years and this city really felt like home. ( Now we'll be settling in a new one. Watson's Bay. I can't believe how far we've come, it feels like just yesterday that we were married. I did love my time in the Navy until it became too much. Nikki, my love, you are and always will be my lifeline. Getting out of the Navy, Marrying Nikki, man, I never thought that I would ever be this happy. Nikki loves the Navy and I love her.)
Continuing to walk down memory lane his thoughts drifted to his first job out of the Navy. ( Working on that dive boat was pretty good. It was great that they were so flexible when it came to Nikkis shore leaves.)...
12 yrs ago...
Having left the Navy a few months before they were married, Josh needed a job and he found one in Palm Cove with a tourist and weekend diver company. They were looking for someone to dive with tourists wanting to see the Great Barrier Reef and also to be able to provide instruction. With his Navy background and his being one of the Navy's fully qualified divers, they were anxious to have him.
Josh loved it, meeting people on holiday from all over the world and with his innate charm and open friendliness, the customers loved him.
After they got married, Josh started looking to their future. He decided to start taking classes at the Uni so to obtain a teaching certificate in electronics. Thinking it over, teaching would allow him to be home by giving him a regular schedule when they started a family. It would also be a safer career to balance off Nikki's riskier one.
When they were getting married, they talked a lot about their future and what they both wanted. Josh encouraged Nikki to stay in the Navy knowing how much she loved it and wanting her to be happy.
Two years into their marriage while they were dancing at a Navy function, Nikki snuggled into him and whispered, "let's make a baby."
Josh couldn't speak, tears filling his eyes. He had been waiting patiently for Nikki to make the move. " Are you sure, Luv?"
" I am very sure, haven't been thinking of much else." Josh pulled her even closer if that was possible.
A month later she was pregnant and after 3 months she was transferred to a shore posting. Josh was loving having her around and being able to heap lots of attention on her.
Over the next few months, they found a house and began to prepare for the baby. His teaching certificate finally complete, Josh earnestly started looking for a position in a technical secondary school.
On July 8th, Michael James Holiday was born, blue eyes like his Dad and brown hair like his Mum.
While still looking for a teaching position, he got to be at home with Nikki and the baby, loving every second. When Michael was 4 mos old, Nikki had to return to patrol duty. It was bittersweet with her love of patrol boats and not wanting to leave her baby.
Little Mike was almost 5 mos old when a teaching position finally opened up for Josh. Finding a grandmotherly nanny, he started his teaching career and he loved it.
He related well to the kids and in turn, the students responded well to him with his easy-going nature. Josh became one of the more popular teachers in school.
He had just finished a Skype visit with Nikki and Michael when he sat in the rocker with him and while rocking little Michael he thought about how wonderful his life was. Life was good.
In the years that followed, their family grew, first with the arrival of Emma and then 2 years later little Katie.
Josh was juggling 3 young children and teaching and couldn't be happier. Nikki's shore leaves were cherished. Their love for each other as strong as ever.
Present:
Sipping his beer, ( Now begins another adventure. Things are about to change and for the better) smiling to himself.
Nikki had gotten her promotion to Lt. Commander. Not wanting to be posted as an XO or CO with all that goes with it, innate dangers of boardings and such, she spoke with the Commander at Fleet Command about her concerns and a wish for a shore posting. Having been in the Navy for 20 yrs gave her somewhat of a leg up in available positions.
Nikki had been home for 3 days when she received a call from the Commander.
" Lt. Commander, as it happens there is a teaching position open at the RAN Warfare Training Facility at Watson's Bay. They need an intermediate navigation instructor."
"That would be perfect, Sir. Thank you."
"How soon can you get there, Lt. Commander?"
"Do I have time to close up our house, Sir? Or, do I need to have to leave it to my husband to do it?"
"Take 2 weeks, Lt. Commander. They'll expect you in Watsons Bay on the 25th."
"Very good, Sir. Thank you, Sir."
(Wow!) Nikki thinks, ( this is the same course that Kate taught, newer technology. I can't wait to tell Josh. I'm 42 years old, it's more than time to be with my family, I've already missed so much. Josh tried so hard to keep me completely involved with daily emails and weekly Skypes which included the kids. Always making sure that I was involved with any decisions that involved the kids. I'm going to miss being on the ships but I am going to love being with Josh and the kids.)
Josh about did cartwheels when she told him about the position, that very night drafting his letter of resignation with his week and a half notice apologizing for being unable to give a longer one. That was the Navy timing thing. He handed it into the headmaster the next day. Fortunately, they were coming up on summer break, giving them more time to find a replacement.
Standing up and stretching, Josh looks at his watch, Nikki will be home soon. On her way home she'll pick up Mike at school.
The movers had finished loading the truck and the house was empty, (except for that one mattress that the Navy can have), Josh thought chuckling.
Nikki arrived home with Mike in tow a half-hour later looking simply beautiful in her whites with her new Lt. Commander boards. As she walked into the house Josh snapped a salute. Laughing, she gave him a salute back. " Mummy! Mummy!" two little Poppets came running into the kitchen when they heard her come in. With hugs and kisses all around, it was time to say goodbye to Cairns.
Josh had everything set to go in their Pacifica and after getting the girls into their car seats and Snickers in the back they are ready to head to life's next adventure.
Josh and Nikki take a last look at what had been their home for the last 10 years. They hugged, kissed, and climbed into the car. Heading to a hotel for the night. They were meeting everyone at the pub to have a farewell party and celebrate Nikki's promotion. Josh had arranged for the Nanny to stay with the kids one last time.
They were so surprised at how many of the old crew was able to make it. Charge, Buffer, Dutchy, Swain & Sally, Spider all came. Mike and Kate Flynn were of course there as well.
Josh got into a game of pool with Charge and the rest of the crew kicked up a ruckus just like old times. As the night was breaking up, it was bittersweet, hugging all of their closest friends with wishes of fair winds and good luck. Finally, they approached Mike and Kate, " we need to keep in touch," Nikki said to them.
"Absolutely," Kate says through tears.
"Josh, it's always great to see you. You both have done so well balancing marriage, careers and family," Mike says.
" We worked at it, Sir," Josh's Navy training still showing up. " Our love for each other is the glue."
" It's Mike," grinning at Josh, " drop the 'Sir'."
Chuckling, " Old habits die hard,"
Taking Josh's hand, Nikki kissed his cheek, " Time we were going, have to let Nanny go home."
With one last round of hugs, they left the pub.
The next morning, after getting the kids sorted, they checked out of the hotel and headed to one of their old favourite cafe՛s for breakfast. The same one where they would go to when they were dating.
It's time, everyone has piled into the car, the little ones in their car seats and Snickers sharing the third row with Mike. They were on their way. Nikki's new post would begin in two weeks and Josh will again be on the hunt for a teaching position.
As Josh is driving he thinks, ( Another chapter another adventure.)