Chapter 19

Flashback

Twelve years ago.

With tears in her eyes, Kate, hampered by her long dress, ran as fast as she could to the table where her purse lay. She grabbed it and left.

Outside, her walk was slowed by her long dress.

Stupid fucking dress!

She stopped and in a fit of rage untied the bottom and threw it away which allowed her to walk easier and faster.

In a foul mood she headed determinedly towards to the city centre, ignoring the curious glances of the people she ran into. She passed a few brightly lit cafés and stopped in front of a dimly lit pub. She wanted to be alone, to analyse what had happened and think about what to do, but most important of all, to drink the humiliation away. She entered the pub and sat down on a bar stool.

The barman looked at her curiously seeing her white wedding dress. "Hey missy, you escaped from your own wedding because they had only lemonade?", he said jokingly.

She looked daggers at him, "Mind your own business, mate and give me a whisky! And leave the bottle", she grumbled.

The man turned around, raised his eyebrows and grabbed a glass and a bottle. He put the glass in front of her, poured her a glass and put the bottle aside. "Here you go. Cheers", he said in a neutral tone.

Kate took the glass and drained it. She refilled it and drained it again. She refilled it and stared sadly at it. Alcohol was taking effect and she calmed down.

Now, she was replaying the movie about what had gone through her head. She took another sip.

Dylan left the hotel, noticed the untied part off the skirt and stopped at the pavement. He turned his head left and right to decide where to go.

Where the hell did she go? To the left is the beach and out of the city and to the right is the city centre. Hmm, she'll probably have gone to the city for a drink and think about the whole situation.

He started running and reached the first pubs and restaurants. He slowed down and looked inside. She would be very easily recognisable in that white dress. He almost walked past a pub he never expected to see her in, but a bright white figure caught his eye. He entered and walked over to her at the bar. She was gloomily staring at her glass and took a sip.

"Would you mind if I sat here?", he asked her . She looked up and he thought to see a spark in her sad eyes.

Kate shrugged and motioned to the bar stool, "As long as you don't start asking questions".

The barman nodded and Dylan pointed to the bottle, "A glass mate".

The man put a glass in front of him and Kate filled it to the brim.

"Cheers", he said to her.

"Hmm", she mumbled back.

They both took a sip.

"It sucks", he started.

"That's an understatement!", she replied dangerously calm.

"I don't know what I feel anymore. Humiliated, used, ridiculed, mocked, scorned, betrayed, whatever you can imagine, you say it and you get it", she said.

He was rather surprised that she had started talking so soon. He knew Kate and she usually kept things to herself until he pushed the right buttons, then it came out after a while, but now it was out immediately.

"I can understand how you feel. Although I didn't expect that from him", he said.

She looked daggers at him, "Dylan, with all due respect, but you don't even know a tiny bit about it! And you didn't expect that from him, did you? The almighty commander? Huh! I'm just a little stupid little blonde sheila. I should have known", she grumbled as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Hey, what happened?", he asked, brushing away her tears.

Kate took another sip and sighed. I met him when I was a midshipman to the ADFA. He was a lieutenant and he was temporarilly replacing an older commander. He taught the navigation course. I liked him. He was handsome, very handsome in fact and he had a very casual way of teaching. His attention was drawn to the fact that I always had the right solutions to the cases he offered us", she said.

"Princess Perfect", Dylan said.

In a playful way, she gave him a little tap on his arm, "Oh, you shut up!".

"Little did I know that it wasn't just my results that caught his attention. One day, after presenting a case, he asked me in front of the whole class, 'McGregor what course would you sail?' I was baffled. He had never done that before. Everyone was looking at me with devilish grins, but I gave him bluntly my opinion about the course. He raised his eyebrows, looked at the map and turned to me, 'McGregor, it's quite unusual, but it might work'. I don't know why, but I got angry and I said, 'Sir, it's not that it might work but rather that it will work!' Then he smiled at me and I knew, he had said that so he wouldn't let me go. 'McGregor, stay after the course and explain to me why you are so damn sure that it will work'. I stayed and went to him not really knowing what to expect. I had been rude to a superior officer. He smiled broadly at me and it weakened my knees. 'McGregor or may I say Kate? You deserve a coffee for this really brilliant solution'. 'Uh yes sir', I said. 'All right, lets say, casual clothes, at 7 pm at the crossroads outside the barracks near the bookshop. The coffee tastes like shit here', he said. I could only say 'yes'. Coffee became a dinner and I was smitten with him. Dinner was followed by many others and I began to stay at his place overnight. One day, he didn't show up to class and his apartment was empty and they said he got a sea assignment. I was heartbroken", Kate said with tears in her eyes.

"Bloody bastard", Dylan mumbled and refilled the glasses. They didn't seem aware that they were increasingly under the influence of alcohol.

"I was posted on that patrol boat or should I say a bathtub! I wanted to make career and it wasn't something you could do on such a small boat. So you served on all types of ship, they said. Anyway, I saw him again. Old wounds were open again, but after a while I was under his spell again. Meanwhile I became more mature and I was longing for starting a family and I liked small ships with lots of activity. Because of those stupid fraternisation rules we couldn't develop a relationship and he promised me to take a shore posting. But he couldn't say goodbye to that bloody ship. I waited for years and he paid me lip service. ", Kate said, taking a sip.

"He doesn't deserve you", Dylan said caressing her back.

Kate continued, "Jim had to pass away for him to open his eyes. He was promoted and I became CO of the Hammersley. It was my longstanding wish! On my promotion day, he proposed. I was on cloud nine, but I didn't know he had a secret relationship with Maxine, the mother of his son".

"Asshole!".

Tears rolled down, "I…I thought that I finally found my luck. I was going to start a family! But, I caught him with that shrew. I feel so used, betrayed", she sobbed, burying her head against his chest.

He took her in his arms and she calmed down.

"I need a drink", she said deadpan and refilled the glasses.

"Cheers!", they slurred, emptied the glasses and refilled them.

They babbled until the bottle was empty.

"A…anothhhhher one!", she slurred.

"I don't think so, missy. You both had enough. You better pay, leave and sleep it off", the barman said.

"You're a boring prick", Kate spluttered.

"You can leave now or I call the cops", the man said, reaching for his mobile phone.

"No worriesssss mate, we'llllll llllleave", Dylan mumbled.

Kate angrily slammed a few dollars on the bar counter and got off the bar stool. They stumbled out.

"Let'sssss walk. I don't wanna go home. Miiiike is everywheeeere theeeere", she slurred.

"Come on sweety", he said and they steered away the city centre then headed for the esplanade.

After a while Kate stumbled and bumped into him. She leaned against his chest, "Heels and whisky, no good", she murmured looking up at him.

"You're cute", he mumbled back and leaned his head forward her until their temples gently touched. Then their lips touched with a soft kiss and a passionate one followed.

"Do you know what?", she mumbled.

"What?"

"You have a fucking hot body. I always wanted to feel it".

"Well, what are you waiting for then?"

"Hmmm", she murmured and opened a few buttons to caress his bare chest. From his part, he stroked her back down to her buttocks.

"Can we go to the beach?"

"Uh-hu", and he led her to a path leading to the beach.

In the middle of the beach, Kate stopped and wrapped her arms around him, "Darling, have you ever had sex on the beach? Like now? In the moonlight?"

"Uh? No".

"Neither did I, but I've always dreamed of doing it one day", she said, kissing him. He responded to her kiss more passionately. He unzipped her dress and she unbuttoned the rest of his shirt while kicking off her pumps.

Quickly they got rid of their other clothes and began to explore their bodies….

Much later, they were lying on their backs looking at the stars, still plastered.

"What now? Should I take you home?", he asked.

"And see all of Mike's stuff around? Nah! I don't want to see them", she mumbled.

"Hmm. Should I take you to a motel?"

"May not beeee a bad idea after all! Let's go, I'm dog tired", she slurred.

With a lot of effort and falls, they managed to get up and get dressed again.

They stumbled around till the esplanade and Dylan's attention was caught by the neon sign of a motel.

"There!", he pointed.

The receptionist raised an eyebrow when they both entered. He looked at them and immediately understood what was going on. Happy couple, drunk on alcohol, wanting to share their first wedding night. "Good evening. You want a room for tonight, I suppose?"

It was a hell of party!

"Correct!", Dylan said with a furred tongue, holding Kate who was leaning heavily against him.

"I'll pay up front", he added, fishing his wallet out of his back pocket.

The man processed Dylan's credit card and took a key. "Room 15 and have a good night", he said with a smile.

They stumbled out and found number 15. He opened the door and ushered her in. He took off her shoes off and helped her take off her dress. Kate barely noticed it because she was dozing. He put her in bed and covered her with the sheet. "Goodnight sweetie", he whispered and left.

He returned to the beach, sat down then lay down and also fall asleep.

End Flashback

To be continued