Chapter 7
Kate didn't come back and Mike finished his breakfast. Afterwards he headed for the ward to see how 2Dads and RO were doing. Bird looked upset. "Hey boss, have you also stomach trouble?", she asked.
He grinned, "No Bird, a bit of a headache but a good breakfast worked a miracle."
She smiled, "Okay, I thought for a minute that you had a problem too, because it has been so busy here in the past hour!"
"Hangover, I guess", he said.
"Indeed".
"How are RO and 2Dads doing?", he asked.
"Good, they're coming back to life a little, but only a little. And I'm not going to shake them too much or they'll submerge the floor here", she said, rolling her eyes.
Mike smiled again, "Good, it's good to hear you can crack a joke. Keep me posted if things get worse", he said, starting to leave, but he lingered, "Oh, by the way, have you seen the X?"
She shook her head, "No sir, not in the past hour".
"Okay", he said and left the ward to go to the bridge.
At the bridge he found buffer Jerry. "Ah, Buffer, what's the situation? Can we sail?"
"Sir, sailing has been delayed, thirty minutes I guess, because the majority of the crew is half-working", he replied.
Mike looked thoughtfully, "Indeed, we'll leave when we're ready. Hopefully, we won't get a call".
"Okay sir".
"Have you seen the X here?", he asked.
Jerry shook his head, "No sir".
Mike rubbed his chin, "Hmm. Buffer, you've the ship. I'll look for the X".
"Aye sir."
"Buffer has the ship", he said to the few men around him.
He couldn't hide a grin, watching Mike go down the staircase in search for the X.
He's looking for his girlfriend. Lovebirds! Always the same with these bloody officers. It's always the same who leave with the best pieces.. My grandfather who served in Korea told me stories about them and he was right! Stay out of this. It's their problem.
Mike immediately headed for her cabin and knocked at the door.
She left the mess sick, she wasn't in the ward or at the bridge, so she must be here.
He listened and knocked again. Nothing. Cautiously he opened the door.
"Kate?"
He first peered inside, stepped forward, then closed the door. Kate was lying on her bunk, one hand on her stomach and her other arm over her eyes. She was so sick that she lay on her bunk without having made the effort to undress.
"Kate? How are you feeling?", he asked gently, sitting down next to her.
She didn't move, "Badly. I've already vomited twice. And leave the bathroom door open, otherwise I'm afraid I won't make it in time", she said in a barely audible voice.
"Have you taken anything yet?", he asked .
"Uh-hu. I don't think that will make sense because I'm throwing it up faster than I'm swallowing it. And I feel so weak", she moaned.
"Kate, stay here and try to get some sleep", he said, taking off boots and socks. Then he helped her sit up.
"Take it easy! I don't want to vomit on you", she said weakly.
"I will, I will", he said and helped her to take the DPNU jacket off. As he did that, she let herself fall against his shoulder like a rag doll. He laid her down carefully and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"Thank you", she murmured and she fell asleep. Mike laid the jacket on the back of the chair, turned off the light except the one of the desk, and left the cabin.
He returned to the bridge.
"Buffer, are there more souls alive already?", he asked.
"Sir, not so spectacular. Three showed up, saying they were fine", he said.
"I'm fine sir!", Charge said.
Mike looked at him with an eyebrow raised, "It would really surprise me if it wasn't. I don't know what they have to put you through to bring you down", he said with a smirk.
Then he clapped in his hands which caused a few stares and groans because of the noise.
"We have hands enough now to leave. Weigh anchor!", he ordered.
Later that day, Kate stood up and shuffled weakly to the quarterdeck for some fresh air. There she saw Bomber sitting on the deck, her back against the deckhouse.
"Hey, you don't feel good either, do you?", Kate asked.
"Hi ma'am", Rebecca answered wearily, wanting to stand up.
"No, no, stay put", Kate replied, but she stood up anyway. Both walked to the railing and took deep breaths of fresh air.
"I feel terrible. I've never felt so bad in my life", Bomber said.
Kate shook her head, "Neither do I. I wonder what kind of beverage 2Dads poured into the cocktails. I'll ask him, that's for sure. Where is he actually? I haven't seen him since this morning", Kate asked.
"He's still in the ward, more dead than alive. He drank unconscious. RO as well", Bomber said.
"Oh gosh, him too?!"
"Yeah, he doesn't know his limits", Rebecca answered with a sigh.
"And we know them, don't we?", Kate taunted.
At that moment a breeze sent them the smells of cooking, a mixture of soup, fried meat, cooking vegetables and some undefined odours. They both turned pale again and retched at the same time. Then they leaned exhausted against the railing, shoulder to shoulder.
"When 2Dads will come back to life, I'll kill him!", Rebecca said faintly.
"Becca, you'll be second, because I kill him first!", Kate said a bit fiercer.
Bomber didn't reply and both remained leaning against the railing.
"Becca", Kate asked after a minute, "Do you remember what I did last night?"
"Ooh, and you're asking me? I was already completely plastered before everyone got their meal!"
"Come on, you must remember something. I get a memory gap, nothing, nada. I woke up this morning wearing a straw skirt and I really want to make sure I didn't do anything stupid!", Kate said unhappily.
"You? In a straw skirt?", Bomber said baffled.
"Yeah", Kate replied unhappily.
"No, sorry, I don't remember that, but yes, I remember seeing you like I've never seen you before. You were happy, really happy. You were laughing and having fun. It was a pleasure for me to see that. "
"Really?", Kate wondered.
"Yeah, really. You've always had something sad in you. I don't know why, but I sensed something in you that was either chasing you or still chasing you", Rebecca answered.
Kate shook her head and stared at the sea. "Forget it Becca, I don't want to talk about it, okay?"
Bomber looked at Kate worriedly and said nothing more.
Kate, one day you'll have to tell what's bothering you or it will kill you. I'm not going to push you, otherwise you'll put up walls and it won't help you, far from it!
The next day, Mike entered the officers' mess with his breakfast and saw that Kate was already there.
"Ah! Kate. Good morning! Do you feel better?", he greeted her joyously.
"'Morning sir. Yes, I feel better, but I'll moderate myself", Kate replied pointing at her slices of toast with some marmalade and a mug of tea.
He sat down, "Yeah, everyone is already up and about, even the two guests of the ward, though, RO still looks like a zombie", he said with a smirk, starting to cut the bacon on his plate.
"We were lucky. If someone should have been hospitalised for alcohol abuse, then I should have provided a serious explanation. Alcohol on duty, they don't mess with that", Mike said worriedly.
"Sir, it's not the case, so don't worry about it", she replied reassuringly.
"Hmm. At the beach I met a young local and he said that you had to be careful with that drink. You can only drink a small glass of it", Mike said.
Kate rolled her eyes, "Oh, jolly good! Then we don't have to look any further why we were all in that state."
"I'll question 2Dads just in case he knows more", Mike replied slightly irritated.
"I doubt it", Kate answered dryly.
A little later at the bridge. Mike and Kate had just arrived and they saw 2Dads next to Charge behind his console.
"2Dads?", Mike asked.
The young sailor looked up, "Sir?".
Mike motioned him to approach.
"Sir?", he asked again, standing in front of Mike and Kate just behind him.
"I'm glad to see you back in good shape", Mike started.
"Yes sir!", 2Dads replied with his usual smirk.
"When you bought that beverage, did they say anything?", Mike asked, giving him his 'and do not pay a lip service' glance.
"Uh no".
"Are you sure? Think twice."
"Hmm, well, he was a local and he didn't speak any English, except for a few words. He only said 'very little' and I thought it was about the price and, indeed, these bottles were a bargain", he replied.
"Yeah, that's true sir, I was standing next to him", Charge confirmed.
Mike glared at him, "And you couldn't imagine that such a local beverage would be a tad stronger than the one we are used to? I could expect that from him, but not from you!", he snapped.
2Dads felt a little insulted and tried to react, "But sir, I…"
"Shut up, you! Charge, I expected more from you. If there are no engines, your logic no longer works properly. And you!", he said, turning to the young sailor.
"You can count yourself lucky that you and RO are still alive and that there have been no more incidents with your bloody drink. At the next major event, you will stay aboard. No, you'll assist Bomber and Bird, because if you stay aboard, you would be able to take the boat to play some stupid game or other!", he said.
2Dads looked down, "Yes sir", he mumbled.
"Dismiss!", Mike said, as he turned around, only to bump into Bomber who was about to start her watch. She looked at him extreme displeased. "Sir, I heard what you just said. Are you really going to do that to me?", she asked purposefully.
He gave her a wink, "No, I'll find something else for him when the time comes".
To be continued