Author's note: Sorry about the little wait. Had a busy weekend and no time to write. But here is another chapter. Happy reading and reviews are always welcome. Dark rolling sea.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
They were four days from Norfolk. Rachel had been staying with Tom every night in his stateroom. They had settled into a comfortable routine and Rachel felt Tom was finally breaking through and able to come to terms with their relationship. They had lunch every day, sometimes in the stateroom, sometimes in her lab, sometimes in the wardroom, the location depending on how much company (or privacy) they wanted.
They were eating lunch in her lab today and Tom was especially quiet. She had come to read his moods well over the past year or so and knew to just let him brood over whatever was preoccupying his mind. Her knee was settled against his and she was enjoying the quiet companionship while she looked at a report from the last batch of the cure that the lab had produced, while eating her lunch. She was slightly startled when he spoke, and she missed what he had said.
"Hmm? What did you say?" she asked, laying down the report. Tom was staring at his half-touched lunch, another sign something was heavy on his mind. He looked up at her.
"I said I have the night watch until we make port in Norfolk," Tom replied. He waited a beat for the news to soak in.
"Oh. Okay," Rachel said, comprehending his meaning. She would be alone for the next four nights.
"You can still use my stateroom if you want," Tom added. Rachel nodded slowly. She would most likely stay in his quarters. She had gotten used to living there. It had been a while since she had used her own stateroom. She could tell there was still something more on his mind, but he returned his attention to his lunch. He proceeded to push the food around.
"You okay today?" she asked quietly as her hand settled on his shoulder. He looked over at her and gave her a tight-lipped smile then looked down again. He was quiet for a while longer and Rachel let him. She went back to the report. She was another paragraph deep when he spoke again. His deep voice soft. She looked up at him.
"I still don't know what to tell them," he said. Rachel put the report down and reached over, grasping his hand.
"Tell them the truth, Tom. It's going to be okay," she replied. He looked at their joined hands, then at her face. His free hand came up and caressed her face gently. She leaned into his touch. He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. When he pulled back, he still looked worried. "Then let's devise a plan now. How do you want to handle it? Do you want to tell them together?"
Tom thought about her questions. His hand dropped from her cheek and settled on her thigh. He blew a deep breath out his nose and closed his eyes for a moment. "I think I should talk to them alone first."
"Do you want that first night to be just with them and your dad?"
She watched his face as her question registered in his brain. She saw a look of torment come over his features as he contemplated what he wanted. She could tell he was torn between his two choices.
"I could probably stay with Kelly and Ava that first night," Rachel continued. Tom's face worked through an onslaught of emotions before he finally spoke.
"Mike agrees with you," he said softly. Rachel arched an eyebrow.
"How so?"
"I should be straight forward and honest with Ashley and Sam."
"Mike's a smart man," she replied with a smile. Tom chuckled. "But so are you, Tom. I think you're overthinking this."
"I hope so," he whispered.
"So do you want me to stay with the Tophets the first night?"
"Not really, but maybe. We'll see how things go."
"So, you want me there when you tell them?"
"I'll let you know when we get there," Tom replied, his voice riddled with anxiety. She saw it in his body language too.
"It's going to be fine," she whispered and leaned over and kissed him.
"Didn't you get that talk about fraternization with the ladies, Captain?" Tex's voice boomed from the doorway. Rachel smiled against Tom's lips then pulled away from him. She noticed Tom's frown as he looked at the other man. Tex had a wide grin on his face as he walked towards the two of them.
"Should have had lunch in the stateroom," Tom whispered with a wink. Rachel shook her head. "What can I do for you, Tex?" The captain addressed the man.
"Well, see I was just checking in with the doc here to see if she needed any help. But seems she's got everything covered."
"Thank you, Tex, but yes we are running like a well-oiled machine in the lab," Rachel replied. Tex nodded
"In that case I'll leave you two lovebirds to yourselves. Still time to change your mind, Doc," Tex said with a wink then turned and walked away.
"I swear he just likes to needle," Tom remarked under his breath. Rachel laughed whole heartedly and captured both sides of his face in her hands before she pulled him into a kiss. She finally pulled back, her hands still lingering on the sides of his face.
"Why, are you jealous, Captain Chandler?" Rachel said quietly, the mischief evident in her voice. Tom's lips curled up into a smile and he shook his head slowly side to side.
"No, ma'am," he whispered. "I'm pretty sure the good doc is not going to change her mind." He then leaned in and kissed her again. "I need to be getting back to the bridge, but I'll be back in my stateroom in an hour."
He stood as her hands slid down his face to his chest. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head and then turned and left her alone in her lab as he headed back to his sea duties. Rachel sat and watched him go until he was out of sight and then returned to her report.
To Be Continued…
