Live and Learn.

Chapter 13.

The next morning Kate couldn't help herself, she needed to check if Maddie was okay. She stood outside Maddie's door trying to picture how the conversation would go, but the only thing she knew was that she needed to keep her cool. She knocked on the door, Maddie swung it open and was startled by her presence.

"Mum, what are you doing here?"

"I had some interviews here today, but I wanted to see if your hand was okay."

Maddie shuffled on the spot, already feeling guilty, she covered her injured hand with the other.

"Yeah, totally fine, just clumsy me..."

Kate tried to get a better look at it, hoping Maddie might tell her the truth.

"Really? Looks pretty nasty…"

Kate reached out to check her hand, But Maddie snatched it away and walked away from the door.

"I told you, I fell over."

Kate took a deep breath in, trying to hold it together, why was she lying? She entered the room and shut the door.

"Are you sure your fist didn't fall into Nate Flynn's face?"

They both froze, Kate mentally kicked herself, that was not subtle. Maddie tried to think of a defence but she couldn't, so she kept to her story.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

She sat at her desk and opened a text book trying to hide her guilty face, Kate stood over her, shaking her head, it was obvious she was lying.

"Madison James McGregor, don't you lie to me."

Maddie spun round in her chair and stood to confront her.

"Oh, just like last night, when you told me you were at work?"

Kate tried her hardest not to flinch, how did she know? And where had the attitude come from?

"Excuse me?"

Maddie let out a disgusted hiss and paced the room.

"I saw you leave with Mike Flynn, and before you lie to me again, I know for you to go home last night and come back this morning you would have got like 3 hours sleep, you wouldn't have driven here on 3 hours sleep. So mum, you tell me, who's lying?"

Maddie folded her arms over her chest, waiting for Kate to answer, but she didn't, she couldn't.

"And what happened to Charlie, you guys were hanging out the other day."

Kate couldn't help it, she was cornered but her anger was rising by the second, Maddie had never spoke to her so disrespectfully.

"We're just friends, and I do not have to explain myself to you, I am the parent and you are the child."

"Yeah, and parents aren't supposed to be here."

She turned her back on Kate, she was speechless, she let out a sharp breath and left. Standing in the hall, tears ran down her cheeks, she had never lied to Maddie or spoken to her like that. She needed to calm herself, she walked around the grounds gathering her thoughts before she needed to be the put together Captain again.

Kate arrived home later that evening, she walked into her house in a daze, bewildered about the way the day unfolded. Dutchy startled her as he burst through her front door.

"And where have you been, young lady?"

"What are you? My father?"

She headed to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine, Dutchy followed, unaware of her rough day.

"Just unlike you to take spontaneous trips that's all."

She knew he was mocking her, but she didn't have the strength to play along.

"If you must know, I was at Creswell, I was interviewing new staff."

"Over night?"

Kate slammed her glass on to the bench, letting out a growl.

"And I had a date, are you happy now?"

Dutchy smirked as he slid into the stool beside her.

"Oh, it must have gone real well then."

Kate headed to the lounge, trying to avoid the barrage of questions that were bound to follow.

"Dutchy, I'm not that kind of girl, I had a few to drink and slept in the spare room."

Dutchy hesitated before joining her on the couch.

"Wait, Creswell? You weren't with Charlie?"

Kate wrinkled her face as she took a sip of wine.

"No...why would you think that?"

"Ah, he said you guys hung out the other night, had a really good chat."

She broke eye contact and tried to hide her face behind her wine glass. Dutchy could see the guilty expression form on her face, he shook his head knowing the reason.

"You were with Mike?! You've got to be kidding me?"

She refused to respond and moved into the kitchen avoiding his glare, Dutchy followed, continuing his outrage.

"Kate, seriously?! You're gonna do this again?"

Kate leaned against the bench talking a minute, why was he so angry? He was so supportive last time they discussed it.

"But, it's different, Dutchy, we're on shore, we're older and wiser."

Dutchy rolled his eyes, folding his arms over his chest.

"I bet he said that..."

"People change, Dutchy."

"Do they?"

"Well, how am I supposed to find out if I don't try? Anyway, you said you just wanted to see me happy."

He approached and held her shoulders, trying to get her to see reason.

"Yeah, I do, and I know he's not going to make you happy, look at all the history, Kate!"

Kate couldn't help but feel frustrated and belittled, she was an adult and could take care of herself. She swatted his hands away from her.

"That'd be right, you're not on my side, you're jealous."

She regretted her accusation immediately, she knew she hurt him, his face dropped, and he didn't retaliate.

"Shit."

She followed him immediately and tired his door, it was locked, she knocked persistently.

"Dutchy, I'm sorry, that was a shitty thing to say."

He didn't answer, she continued to knock. After 15 minutes she gave up, she flopped on to her couch, tears rolled down her cheeks, she couldn't bear that the two people she loved most in the world were angry at her at the same time. She glanced over to her phone and sat up and messaged Dutchy to apologise, she waited for an answer but it didn't come. She sighed and dialled Mike's number.

He chuckled as he answered the phone.

"Needed to hear my voice?"

He waited to hear her laugh, but it was silent.

"Kate?"

"We've changed? Haven't we?"

Her voice came though as a whisper.

"What are you talking about?"

"Just tell me it will be different this time."

Mike knew there was something wrong, he wished he was there.

"Kate, what's going on?"

"I just need to hear you say it, please."

"Okay, it will be different, I promise. Now, what's the matter?"

"Nothing…"

"Kate?"

"It's okay Mike, so, umm, what are you doing?"

"Just got home, about to have a glass of wine. You?"

"Ah, might have an early night, I'm exhausted."

"Is that all you called for?"

"Yeah, goodnight."

Maddie spent the next 3 days in bed, pretending she was sick. She had never argued with her mum or spoken to her the way she did, she felt terrible but also she was angry that her mum had lied. She had ignored all her calls and messages in fear she would explode again.

Liv entered the room and placed a folder next to her bed.

"Here's today's notes, how you feeling?"

"Still shit…"

"Why don't you come outside, we can go for a walk?'

She turned over, pulling the covers further over her face.

"No, I'm okay."

"C'mon Mads, you haven't left this room in three days."

There was a knock on the door, Liv answered it and hesitated seeing Mike.

"Oh, Uncle Mike, is everything okay?"

"Ah, I just wanted to speak to Maddie."

Liv looked back at Maddie.

"Sure, good luck."

Liv made a quick exit, Mike sat on Maddie's desk chair trying not to come off intimidating.

"McGregor, I just wanted to check on you, you haven't been in class."

She couldn't bear to face him, and held the covers tight over her face.

"I'm not feeling well."

"Oh, have you seen the doctor?"

"Yes."

"Right, well, I was checking on you, I don't want you to fall too far behind."

He headed for the door, she sat up and flung back the covers unable to contain her rage.

"Would you be doing this if you didn't like my mum?"

He turned back to face her, surprised at her outburst.

"Excuse me?"

Her anger took over, she jumped out of bed and stood close, eye-baling him.

"You don't really care this much…"

"Madison, I assure you, I do, you're a bright girl."

She clenched her fists by her side, his politeness made it worse, she wished people would just tell the truth.

"Do you know she lied to me, she's never lied to me, ever."

"Ah, I'm not following."

"I saw you leaving together the other day, and when I rang she said she was at work, but you were together, weren't you?"

Mike assumed Kate had said something about them to Maddie, but obviously not, he didn't want to make it worse.

"Yeah, but we're just friends."

"Why did you make her life miserable?"

"Ah, I don't think this is appropriate talk, right now."

Mike turned the door handle to leave, he knew it wasn't going to be a productive conversation.

"That's right, walk away, like you did to her."

Maddie glared at him, he turned and left without saying a word. She ran back to the bed and pulled the covers over hear head, her heart raced not believing how she had just spoken to him.

Kate sat at her desk massaging her temples, she couldn't concentrate, she had a tension headache for the past 24 hours. She hadn't heard from Dutchy or Maddie days, it was the longest she had gone without speaking to her. She left work early, she needed a personal day, she arrived home to find Charlie on her doorstep.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Just got back on shore, thought I'd come say hi…"

"How d'you know I was home?"

"Oh, I called your office, they said you left for the day."

Kate moved past him to unlock the door, she wasn't really sure what he wanted.

"Oh, well, that's nice…"

He laughed as he followed her into the house.

"You're wondering if I have a life? Or any other friends, right? C'mon, you know the drill, friends are hard in the navy, plus being a single dad, I guess I kinda lost a few."

"Mates on the ship?"

"You sound like you wanna get rid of me…"

Kate flicked on the kettle and turned around, finally making eye contact with him, trying to think of a way to let him down gently.

"Look, Charlie, I don't want to string you along, but…"

He held up his hands, stopping her.

"Yeah, I know, you and Mighty Mike Flynn, I assumed from the other day you got back together, still, doesn't mean we can't be friends, yeah?"

She nodded cautiously, she really needed a friend at this point in time, but she hoped he got the message and didn't think it was a challenge.

"Yeah…"

"Well, I'm gonna be your best friend, I bought wine…"

He turned off the kettle and grabbed two glasses from the kitchen and ushered her into the lounge room.

"Just do me a favour, when you're blissfully in love, don't rub your happiness in my face…"

"That won't be hard, I got none of that at the moment."

"Well, lucky I brought this!"

He poured them both a glass and handed it to her.

"Ah, you sure you wanna hear about this?"

"Hey, I said we were friends, right?

"Just having a hard time with Maddie and Mike and Dutchy."

"Oh, is it all related?"

"Yeah, unfortunately."

"Well, I don't know much about Mike or your daughter but I know Dutchy, he's a good bloke, and I'm pretty sure he adores you, oh, wait, is that the problem?"

"Ah, well, we sorted it out, we agreed that we're better as friends, but, then I got defensive and accused him of lying about his feelings, he, ah, he doesn't approve of Mike."

Charlie sat back into the corner of his couch, making himself comfortable.

"Oh, this sounds juicy, do tell!"

Kate took a large gulp of her wine and a deep breath in.

"Okay, short version. Mike and I had a thing, ages ago. I was his student, and we had a week together and then he, what do the kids say now? Ghosted me? I didn't see or hear from him and then, maybe, 18 months later I get a new posting to Hammersley and boom, there he is, my new CO."

Charlie winced while Kate took another mouthful of wine.

"Wait, there's more…"

"We got over it and dated other people, but we were both jealous. Then Jim came into the picture, he was a breath of fresh air, uncomplicated, told me how he felt, the exact opposite of Mike. But as much as I tried to forget about him I couldn't, Jim wasn't stupid, he could tell. They were both injured in Samaru and Jim over heard me freaking out, so he did the gallant thing and left."

Charlie tilted his head, confused.

"But you guys got married?"

"Yeah, well, engaged… so over the next couple of years Mike dabbled in shore postings, but deep down I knew he wasn't ready and I wasn't going to be the one to make him choose. Then he did the stupid thing and threatened to quit, I couldn't be responsible for that, so I ended it. Then, like a sign, Jim dropped out of the sky, literally. He was sent on this mission to catch these terrorists, we reconnected and after a month and it felt like we'd never been apart. He made me forget everything, all the drama, I know he was the one from the beginning, but I guess it scared me. He proposed to me the day he died, the one thing I regret is telling him I'd think about it, I was just in shock. Of course Mike found out, he wanted to discuss it, saying it could affect protocol or some rubbish, but I knew what he was doing. Anyway, I found out I was pregnant and had to go to shore work, and since them I've stayed on shore and been all around Australia."

Charlie sat there in silence, she glanced over to him to check his reaction.

"Well?"

He hesitated, waiting to see if there was more.

"Oh, so that's the end?"

She grabbed a pillow and hit him with it, he caught it and threw it at her.

"And that was the short version?"

He burst out laughing, she shook her head, she couldn't help but laugh at his laugh.

"You're horrible!"

"Hey, it got you to smile, didn't it? Okay, serious talk, this may be a stupid question, but, ah, how do you still have feelings for him, after all of that?"

She shrugged, feeling more confused.

"I was hoping, as my friend, you would have some insights to that?"

Charlie shook his head as he topped up her wineglass.

"Ah, wine?"

"Maybe I'm defective, I mean, this guy hurt me, and for some reason I want to give him another chance. I don't know why I'm so mad and Dutchy and Maddie, I mean, maybe I'm mad at myself but… I can't help it. But, also, I feel like I'm betraying Jim, do you get that too?"

"Yeah, I get it, but like I said, April would want me to be happy, and so would Jim, even if it was with Mike, trust me."

Kate smiled, at least Charlie was trying to be supportive.

"So, why did I get a visit today?"

Charlie avoided her eyes and sipped on his wine, Kate sensed something was up and nudge him with her elbow.

"Hey, I just spilled my guts, your turn…"

Charlie exhaled sharply and placed his glass on the table.

"Today is the anniversary of April's death."

Kate's jaw dropped and hit him with a pillow.

"I've been yapping on about my stupid love life drama and you're hanging on to that!"

"Hey! It was making me feel better! I just, I thought you might understand, this is my first year without the girls…"

"Yeah, the same for me, I mean, Dutchy interrupted my pity party so… What would you normally do today?"

"Umm, we'd normally visit her grave, take a fresh bunch of peonies, they were her favourite flower. Then we'd go eat fish and chips on the beach, I know it doesn't sound special but, we didn't get that much time together, you know how it is. So, when we were together we'd just want to do something simple, you know, quality time with the family."

She nodded, she knew all too well.

"Yeah, anything to make you feel normal, right?"

"Exactly!'

A silence came over the conversation, Kate smiled as she realised that Charlie wasn't trying to be the guy she thought he was, someone who tried to date her by befriending her first, he was trying to connect with someone who understood his circumstances. She moved closer, trying not to make it awkward.

"Well, I don't wanna make it weird, but do you want me to come with you to visit her?"

"Oh, no, Kate, that's not why I came here…"

She placed a hand on his, trying to make him feel more at ease.

"I know, but I'd hate for you to miss this one, and it'd be my honour… Just let me get changed and we can go find you some peonies."

End Chapter 13.