"Me? In love? Yes, I am, Mom. But he doesn't see me like this."

"Like what, daughter?"

"He doesn't see me as a possibility of dating, mom."

"Well, that's what you're saying. The way he looks at you tells me otherwise."

"I wish it were true, Mom. But it's not," Catherine sat on the bed and sighed.

"Take the initiative, then you'll know."

"Are you crazy, Mom? I take the initiative, he says he doesn't like me that way and I'll wish I was an ostrich to put my head in a hole to hide from so much shame, and then I'll have to see him every day at the base."

"How dramatic you are, Catherine," Carol said and left her daughter's room.

Steve arranged pretexts to see Catherine on his remaining days off until he returned to base for his first day as a SEAL aspirant. He would start the course and Freddie was back.

"So what, Steve? How were your days off?" Freddie asked.

"It was okay, Freddie. How about you?"

"Well, I had some arguments with my father. I'm going to take the course, Steve, but I'm pretty sure that's not what I want for my life."

"I'm glad you're going to try at least. Maybe you'll change your mind through the learning process," Steve replied.

"Maybe. "So, did you meet any girls while I was away?" Freddie asked him.

"No," Steve hesitated a little before answering.

"Hmm... you hesitated to answer. Then you met someone."

"No, I didn't meet anyone. I just met Catherine again," Steve answered.

"And?" Freddie asked.

"And it was nice to meet her again and see that she's okay, that she didn't get any sequels from the fire on the ship."

"Is that all?" Freddie asked.

"That's all, Freddie."

"What a dull vacation, Steve. You didn't even kiss on the mouth?"

Steve laughed. "You're very funny, Freddie. How was your vacation in the loving sense?"

"Kelly and I broke up and got back together three times during the vacation."

"Well, you had a busy vacation," Steve replied. He omitted to Freddie who went out several times with Catherine as a friend. He wouldn't expose her privacy in any way.

Steve was back at the base and was expecting to see Catherine there. He didn't see her in the morning and when he was discharged from training in the afternoon, he expected to see her and that didn't happen. He called her and she didn't answer his call, and he was intrigued.

"What could have happened to her?" He thought.

At dinnertime, he wanted to call her again, but gave up when Freddie approached.

"Steve, you don't know who I saw in the hallway right now."

"Who? Catherine?" Steve asked with a touch of anxiety that didn't go unnoticed by Freddie.

"No. Jane."

Steve stood up and took his tray. "Are you going? I just got here," Freddie told him. Steve looked in Jane's direction and then looked at Freddie. "I've lost my hunger. See you in the dorm."

After he handed over his tray, Steve went out in the yard and tried to talk to Catherine again. She answered his call after four attempts. "Hey, sailor."

"Hey, Catherine. Am I disturbing you? I can call you later if you want," Steve told her, but inside he wanted to talk to her at the time.

"No, it's okay. I just got out of the shower," she answered.

"I didn't see you today and I was worried."

"Thanks for worrying. I'm fine, I was late for work today because I had a doctor's appointment and you had already left for your first day of training when I arrived."

"You're not sick, are you?"

"No, just a routine appointment, women's stuff," she answered.

"That's nice. I'll let you rest now, see you tomorrow," Steve told her.

"Actually, I'm being sent for a month's internship at the Central Intelligence Agency. That's why I was dismissed early today so I could pack," Catherine said before he closed the call.

Steve was speechless and his countenance was sad. "This is great for your career, Catherine."

"Yes, it is," she answered not very enthusiastic.

"I'll miss you. Who am I going to talk to on the weekends?" Steve told her.

"We can talk. Just call me," she answered.

"And if you meet a guy, I won't be able to call you anymore," Steve said. He was afraid this would happen, and at the same time he didn't have the courage to assume his feelings for her.

"I'm not meeting anyone. I'm going to work, and that's it."

"When are you going?" He asked.

"Tomorrow morning. Wish me luck."

"Good luck, Catherine. See you in a month then."

"Thank you, Steve. And just so you know, I'll miss you too. Goodbye."

Steve closed the call and Catherine stood there thinking about his words. "He said he's going to miss me. He really said it." She smiled as she remembered his words.

She closed her suitcase and prepared to go to sleep, even though she knew she couldn't get to sleep easily that night. She wasn't so excited about the trip, but rather in hearing from him that he would miss her.

Half an hour later, Carol knocked on her bedroom door. "Catherine, are you awake? You have a visitor."

Catherine got up, put a silk robe over her nightdress and opened the door. "A visitor, mom? Who?"

"Steven," Carol smiled as she pronounced his name.

"But I spoke to Steve a little over half an hour ago on the phone," Catherine said.

"Well, he's in the living room. Shall I tell him you're sleeping?"

"No! I'm coming down. Tell him I'll be right down," Catherine grabbed a brush and brushed her hair before she went to talk to him.

"Hi," Catherine said as she walked down the stairs.

"Hi. I'm sorry to show up at this hour, but I couldn't let you go without saying goodbye. I can't stay long, I asked the cab driver to wait for me, I just came by to give you a hug," Steve told her and surprised her.

Catherine smiled and they hugged. Steve held her as if he didn't want to let her go. "Have a safe trip, Cath."

"Thanks, Steve. Hope to see you when I get back."

"I hope so, too," he answered and let her go. "Bye, Cath. I have to go now... the taxi driver...," Steve pointed to the outside.

"That's okay. I love that you've come to say goodbye in person. Thank you."

"Until next time," Steve told her and left.

Carol appeared at the top of the stairs and Catherine looked at her. "That's ugly, Mom. Listening behind the doors."

"Not only did I hear it as I saw it too. Is this the guy who doesn't see you as a possible girlfriend? Because to me it seems the opposite."