Chapter 9.
Buffer disembarked the aircraft on which he had flown to Perth. He had about an hour to wait for a connecting flight direct to Cairns. He decided to put a call through to Nikki to let her know what his time of arrival would be.
She didn't answer. Strange, her phone switched off. He tried again. Still no response. He sent a text instead.
"Hi leaving Perth for Cairns in an hour. See you in seven hours. Take care. Love, Pete".
He remembered; Queensland is two hours ahead. It would be late afternoon, early evening in Cairns. Nikki would be either still on-board Kingston, or having a meal somewhere. Speaking of meals, Buffer realised that he hadn't eaten since early morning. Turning toward the cafeteria, he went and bought some sandwiches and a coffee.
Kate walked down the gangway off Hammersley. After a word with Jamie, her XO, and checking with the late watch, she felt she could go ashore with everything under control. She felt tired and a strange foreboding. She was feeling apprehensive about tomorrow's briefing at NAVCOM. Get a grip, she told herself, it's just a routine briefing.
Mike should have picked Jessica up by now, and Kate looked forward to seeing her little daughter. She didn't want her daughter to grow up as she did, apart from her mother, who drifted in and out of her life as she saw fit, then finally abandoning her altogether. Although Kate was close to her father, she wasn't attached to the mother who had so little to do with her. Kate vowed that Jessica would have her mother in her life, and not live with that guilt, anger and loss that she had.
Opening the door, she walked in and was met by Mike holding a delighted, but tired Jessica who had resisted bed until her Mummy came home. She reached out for the child, who happily snuggled into her mother's arms. Mike smiled at his little family, then as Kate took the little girl into her bedroom, warmed up the dinner he'd brought home.
Kate tucked Jessica into bed, kissed the child's face, and walked out into the kitchen. Seeing that Mike had set out their dinner, she took a bottle of wine and two glasses, then sat quietly at the table. Noticing her silence, and that she hadn't started to eat, Mike looked at Kate with concern. Finally, she said, "Jessica will always have her mother, you know that?"
Mike waited. She continued, "When I'm on patrol, I'm sitting on the bridge, and I think of her all the time. I never thought I would love a child, Mike, like I love Jessica." She sipped her wine.
Mike said, "When you left to go back to Hammersley after lunch, I was thinking of Chloe Blake, growing up without a dad. I promised myself that would not happen to Jessica. No way."
Kate looked at him. Funny that he was thinking along the same lines. She finished her dinner, drank her wine and stood up. "I'm heading for the shower," she said meaningfully. She went up the hall. When Mike eventually followed her, he found her standing at the doorway to Jessica's bedroom, watching her child sleeping. He felt a wave of protection come over him, and gently he took his wife by the hand, and they went toward the en-suite.
Dutchy disembarked the aircraft at Cairns airport, and automatically started scanning the waiting area for an Army officer. As he walked toward the exit, a solidly-built Captain and his Sergeant, both dressed in Army fatigues, approached him.
"Mulholland?"
"Sir."
"This is Sergeant Barry Jones. He will direct you to your accommodation on HMAS Cairns. I suggest you unpack and settle in. I will have your orders and approval for secondment at tomorrow's brief at NAVCOM. I need hardly remind you that this has a top-secret classification."
Dutchy acknowledged. He briefly nodded to Jones, and then followed the men out to the car.
Nikki awoke to a dull overcast morning, and a persistent knocking at her front door. Throwing back the sheets, she wrapped herself in her robe and went to the door. To her pleasant surprise, there was Buffer, smiling and holding a bag of what appeared to be the ingredients for a hearty breakfast.
"Buff!" she cried, and drew him inside.
"I got in late last night. Thought you'd be in bed, so I booked into a hotel and picked up some food. Hungry? How does a good old cooked brekky sound?"
"Sounds great!" Nikki got the coffee machine underway, as Buffer moved into the kitchen and started preparing the breakfast. He seemed quite at home as he moved about, finding the frying pan, cutting the fat off the bacon, frying the eggs and tomatoes. How helpful he is, she thought. Here he is making me breakfast after a long flight from Perth and little sleep.
"Buff – Pete". When he turned around, she put her arms around him. "Thanks, you're a hero".
He grinned. "Legend in my lifetime."
Then he finished the cooking and put two plates of bacon, eggs, tomatoes and toast on the table and sat down opposite her. "Now ma'am, you just get that lot into you." They both tucked in.
Nikki pushed her empty plate away and reached for her coffee. Buffer was enjoying seconds. She said, "how long are you here?"
"Two weeks," he answered. "I'm working three weeks on, two off at present. I'd like to try to get a job closer to Cairns if I can. This came up when I needed it. Then I run into Charge."
"Yes. Charge. What are we going to do about that?" asked Nikki. "I was talking to Mike and Kate about him a few nights back. They both feel bad about it all. Do you think there's any way Charge can make his peace?"
"Not unless he wants to, Nik. First, he's got to want to talk about it. He didn't with me, we talked about anything else but Hammersley. He did say I am making a smart move going out with you. What you got on today?"
"I have to get down to Kingston soon. We've stepped up the maintenance. I got a signal to say all COs of Patrol boats are to attend a briefing at NAVCOM at 1500."
"Sounds serious."
"It could just be routine, I'm hoping it is, but the signal was worded in a way that sounds urgent. What are your plans for today?"
Buffer picked up the plates and filled the sink. "I'm thinking I might see if the fishing is as good as it was when I was onboard Hammersley. See you for lunch or dinner?"
"I'll call and let you know. In the meantime, why don't you bring your stuff here? I have a spare room; you don't need to stay in a hotel."
She looked at a clock. "Better get a move on. Make yourself at home," she called over her shoulder as she headed for the shower.
Mike awoke to the sound of his daughter singing to herself. Kate was still asleep, her hair over her face, one arm over his chest, one leg wrapped around him. They had fallen asleep in each other's arms after making love. So as not to wake her, Mike eased himself out of bed to go to Jessica. As he stood up, a sharp pain stabbed at his left leg, causing him to grunt and sit down on the bed abruptly, waking Kate as he did so.
"Sorry. Good morning," and he leant to kiss her.
"What happened? You OK?"
"Sure. I didn't want to wake you, so I tried to ease out of bed and overbalanced. That's ALL," Mike said as he saw Kate's face. "Jessica's awake," he said as he stood a second time. "I'll go get her. Want a brew?"
"Please," Kate said. She rolled over and sat up, making herself ready for the small bundle that would shortly hurtle herself at the bed to cuddle with her. As she waited, she thought, I need to talk to him about going to the Medical Centre. He tries to hide it but I know that wound is hurting him. Just then, a little face peeped around the door, and as her mother held her arms out to her, Jessica squealed with delight and climbed onto the bed.
"Hello Mummy. Daddy says you need to get up. You have to go to your ship. Can I come?"
Kate held her close. "Not today darling. Mummy has a lot to do. Besides, you're going to Grandma's today. Poppy wants to see you."
"I LOVE POPPY! Brekky, Mummy? I'm hungry."
"OK sweetheart. Let's get some brekky with Daddy". Kate lifted the child off the bed, and Jessica was off down the hall. Putting her bathrobe on, Kate envied the child her boundless energy. Coming into the kitchen, she accepted a mug of tea from Mike, then busied herself with breakfast preparations.
She wondered what the briefing was going to be about. She and Mike had agreed not to discuss Navy matters at home. Their home was their sanctuary, a refuge from Navy life and its rigorous demands. Breakfast over, Kate headed for the shower. She then dressed, and kissed Mike and Jessica at the front door.
Kate got into her car, keyed the ignition, and drove toward the docks. She parked and walked toward Hammersley. The Bosun and his mate stood by, ready to pipe her onboard. As she heard the pipes, Kate once again thrilled at the sound of the captain of the ship being announced on board. She saluted, then made her way to the bridge.
Her XO Jamie Patterson greeted her. "Ma'am." He wasn't yet comfortable with "Boss", but Kate overlooked that, in the interests of good working relations with her XO. "Morning, X," she said. "Anything to report?"
"PO Davies reports that stores are ordered and will be alongside for loading later this morning. Chief says the engine servicing is almost complete. We still are waiting for the HF antenna to be reinstalled. I expect that LS Green will have that done today. Otherwise, all is going as planned, Ma'am. We should be in voyage condition by tonight".
"Very good. Carry on."
"Aye, Ma'am".
Kate went to her cabin, switched on her laptop and began to pore through the morning signals and messages. She thought, Jamie is still being formal, referring to the crew by rank when he talks to me. Do I scare him?
She saw a message from Nikki – want a coffee before the meeting? The other COs in port will be there too.
She signalled – I'll be there. Then heard a tap at her door. "Come in," said Kate, "forget your house keys again?" assuming it was Mike. But as she turned, it wasn't Mike she saw standing there.
"Dutchy?"
"Ma'am. Long-time no see."