Chapter 8
Rebecca met Nikki at the Blackbird coffee shop. She sat dreamily at a table.
"Good morning!", she greeted.
The reaction was extremely spontaneous. Nikki embraced her. "Becca, I'm so happy to see you. You have no idea! What do you want to drink?"
"A cappuccino will do".
She placed the order and looked at Rebecca, "Tell me, who's the boy?"
"He's a friend's son. He has never seen the Great Barrier Reef, so we invited him to come with us. And how's Hazel doing?", she asked to avoid other difficult questions.
Meanwhile the waiter brought them the cappuccino and another coffee for Nikki.
"Oh, fine. Although, she's a bit quiet. But her school results are good. So, we can't complain", Nikki replied.
"Nice. And the Hammersley?"
"Oh wonderful. I have a great crew, you know. Dylan is fantastic and the Harpie and 2Dads duo is the strongest I've ever seen. You have no idea how Leo has changed. And last but not least, Bird learned to cook. Really good, however, I still miss your dishes. And how are you doing?", Nikki said.
"As usual. The admiral takes me with him wherever he goes. Recently, I cooked for the Chief of the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet and went to Sydney", Rebecca replied.
"How are you? It's been a long time", she asked her friend directly and watched her body language carefully.
"I have a good marriage and a good ship. I'm fine", Nikki replied with a big smile.
"Good! Keep it up and now I want to go shopping!", Rebecca answered.
Should this mean anything? I'm fine. That's what Kate always said when she wasn't so fine. I couldn't read anything in her body language. Was her drunkenness a one-off? But, given the reaction of others, it wasn't. We'll see.
At lunch time and many stores later, they sat down at a sandwich shop to have lunch.
"What are you going to have?", Nikki asked.
"A smoked salmon sandwich with a glass of wine and you?", Rebecca answered.
"Hmm, goat cheese with honey and also a glass of wine, a red one".
"Ladies?", asked a waiter.
"A smoked salmon sandwich and a glass of Chardonnay, please", Rebecca asked.
"The goat cheese sandwich and a glass of red wine, uh, rather a half-litre jug, please", Nikki asked, quickly changing her order.
"Okay ladies, thank you", the waiter said and left.
Rebecca frowned slightly.
Half a litre? For lunch? Hmm..
"So, it was a beautiful morning already, huh?", Nikki said smiling.
"Absolutely, I think I'll go back and buy those shoes", Rebecca replied.
The waiter came back and placed Rebecca's glass and Nikki's jug on the table. "Here you go. The sandwiches will be here soon".
"Thank you".
They took their drinks, "Cheers!"
"Nik, I need to tell you, the last time I was in Sydney, I saw Kate."
Nikki's eyes opened as wide as saucers, "Kate? Really? What was she doing there?".
"She's currently a commander and runs the Intelligence Department", Rebecca said.
"Oh my Gosh!", Nikki said and took a big gulp from her glass.
"Is everything okay?", Rebecca asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. How is she doing? Is she married?", Nikki asked.
"She's well, but she's not married. I don't have the impression she has a boyfriend. No wonder with what she has been through, huh".
Nikki frowned. "Of course. I still feel bad that I wasn't there for her!", she said in a hurt tone before drinking her glass in one gulp. She immediately refilled it and took another sip.
Rebecca covered Nikki's hand with hers, "Nik, aren't you going a bit too fast? On an empty stomach, you know".
"Yeah, so what? I'm thirsty and it's good wine", she replied smiling.
Rebecca raised her hands, "Okay".
"Here are the sandwiches. Enjoy your meal, ladies", the waiter said putting the plates on the table.
"What did she look like?", Nikki asked.
For twelve years, she hasn't changed much. Her face is a little sharper. We have all changed", Rebecca answered.
Nikki sighed and took another gulp as if it were water. "Was she happy?"
"Yes, she looked happy. Interesting job and a nice place to live. And she has a son".
"What! You just said she isn't married, so…"
"I don't know. It's not that weird after all, is it huh? Having a child. Maybe another failed relationship? Bad luck with one-night stand? ", Rebecca said between bites.
"How old is he?".
"Twelve".
"Twelve? That's…that's… Shit! Mike's?", Nikki asked.
"I don't know".
He certainly doesn't look like Mike, but I don't think it's up to me to spread this rumour.
The entire jug of wine found its destination in Nikki and the result was audible. She spoke with a slight lisp.
"Another one?", Nikki asked holding her glass.
"No, I want to go back to buy those summer peep-toe booties and I want a casual dress", Rebecca tried to keep Nikki away from booze.
"Riiiiight! Goooood idea. Good excuse from Lieutenant Commander to follow Chief Warrant Officer and buy something new as well", Nikki said uneasily and reached for her purse to pay for lunch. She gestured towards Rebecca that the lunch bill was for her.
Later that afternoon, Rebecca went home.
"Hey darling, you're home. How did it go?", Robert asked coming from the garden.
She put her bags on the table and took off her sandals. "I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, it was good to catch up with her again and I made some purchases, but on the other hand, I'm worried. She drinks alcohol as if it were water. Half a litre of wine for lunch and another jug of wine this afternoon. I feel a little groggy".
"Oops. And why do you feel groggy?"
"She insisted that I also drink wine. It was a bit too much. Only water for me tonight".
"So there's definitely a problem", Robert concluded.
"Yeah, that's the least you can say. Only, I don't know how severe it is", she said rubbing her face.
He noticed her bags, "What did you found?"
Rebecca revived, "Ah! Wait, I'll show you it right now. Turn around Rob".
She pulled her dress over her head and put on the things she had just bought.
"You can watch. What do you think of it?"
"Wow! You look gorgeous!", he said, looking at his wife in her new cream-coloured safari dress with a natural brown belt, matching scarf and new high-heeled peep-toe booties.
"Thank you", she said, kissing him.
At the same time, the boys who were in the swimming pool had heard their mother and they rushed inside, all dripping wet, to greet her. They both hugged her, "Mummy, we're glad you're back. Do you come with us in the swimming pool?", they both said.
"Hi guys, I see you like the swimming pool. I'll see what I can do", she said.
"Okay mummy", they yelled and ran back to the garden.
She noticed Robert's thoughtful face and looked sadly at her new clothes full of wet stains.
"Why me?", she muttered and then she saw the puddles on the floor where the boys had run.
"Oh jeez! I have my swimming pool here!", she sighed.
That's when something came to her mind.
"Rob! Where's Duncan?", she asked in panic.
"Becca, no worries. Dylan showed up right after you left. He took Duncan for a ride in his convertible", Robert answered.
"Where to? And when is he coming back?", she asked warily.
"Dunno, but I trust him and I guess he will be arriving any moment now".
She sighed, "I really hope so. Otherwise Kate is really going to kill us both".
At the same time, the doorbell rang. Robert pointed to the door with a laconic, "I told you so" look.
"Oh Rob!"
He opened the door and an enthusiastic Duncan rushed inside, "Aunt Bomber, Uncle Robert we had a fantastic ride and we saw Babinda Creek and the Devil's Pool. It was great!".
"That's good, boy", she said, ruffling his hair, before he ran to his room to put on his bathing suit.
"Well, you got the details of the day in one breath", Dylan said with a disarming smile.
Rebecca sighed, "Thank you Dylan for giving him this experience".
He looked at her and raised his eyebrows seeing her wet clothes, "Did you fall in a thunderstorm?"
She rolled her eyes and grumbled, "Two local thunderstorms, yes!".
"He's a great kid, well educated. I feel a connection to him. I think his parents must be great people", he said, but realised he might have said something stupid. "Uh, he still has his parents, I hope?"
"Yes, of course he still has them. A drink?", Robert replied.
"Thanks mate, but no. I promised my neighbour I'd help him with the horses. See you soon", he said and left.
Rebecca and Robert looked at each other, "If he knew".
"We don't know that darling. We only think it happened like that!"
"Yeah, it's an assumption, but it's not for us to reveal it", she said, looking at the wet stains on the floor, "But this is real!"
To be continued
