Okay, I know it's been sooooo long! apologies! Life just gets in the the way! I've been travelling for work which has been fun, but also tiring! Hope everyone is doing okay and keeping safe! xx
Somebody That I Used To Know.
Chapter 15.
A few nights later Stacey knocked on Dutchy's door, she shifted nervously on the spot, waiting for him to answer. Dutchy checked himself in the mirror and moved a few pieces of hair from his face before swinging the door open.
"Stace, hey, how are you?"
A large grin appeared on her face, trying to calm her rising heart beat. Leaning in, she kissed him on the cheek and handed him a bottle of whiskey.
"I'm good, I know you're not a wine drinker, so, here..."
Taking the bottle from her, he nodded with approval, impressed she picked a good one.
"Aww, thanks, this is actually one of my faves, but you didn't need to do that…"
"Well, I might have had a little help with the choice."
Dutchy froze, knowing it meant she had spoken to Kate. Stacey waited patiently to be invited in, but the invitation never came. They stood awkwardly in the door way, after a few moments Stacey cleared her throat, breaking Dutchy's silent freak out.
"So, you gonna invite me in?"
Dutchy stepped aside, shaking his head at himself.
"Yeah, sorry, come in…"
Placing her bag on the counter, her eyes darted around. The last time she was inside his house she wasn't in a state to remember much.
"Kate was surprised when I told her I was coming over, she said something about you being a terrible cook."
Dutchy didn't have time to be offended, he faked a laugh, continuing his internal freak out, worried Kate had told her about their moment.
"Oh, so you've spoken to Kate?!"
His voice stuttered, afraid of her answer, Stacey spun round to face him, confused about his strange tone.
"Yeah, you haven't?"
Dutchy hid his guilty face in the cupboard, pretending to look glasses.
"Nah, we were crash sailed... so umm, she okay?"
Stacey sat at the kitchen bench and let out a deep sigh.
"Ah, yeah, and there's something I need to talk to you about, clear my conscious."
Dutchy poured them both a double, he splashed a few extra mls into his glass, feeling like he was going to need it. Placing himself opposite her, he took a large gulp, trying to decide where to start. Stacey downed the whole glass, slamming it back on the bench, causing him to jump.
"Ah, I know she would have told you about what happened, you have to know it was only trying to help, but also she sounded like a lovely person."
Dutchy took another sip of his drink, trying to make sense of her words.
"Oh, you're talking about Mike setting you two up…"
She nodded and grabbed the bottle, pouring herself another glass.
"Yeah, I just don't want you to think I'm a horrible person or anything, I just thought I was helping and then when we met, she was awesome…"
Dutchy slouched back into his chair relieved, he was off the hook, for now.
"It's okay, she understands, I understand too, and I'm glad she has a girlfriend. Anyway, what do you feel like for dinner?"
They sat on Dutchy's couch eating their food, conversation had dwindled, he had tried to avoid work as a topic but it was an easy go to.
"So, ah, you like being at NAVCOM?"
"Yeah, I mean, HR is HR in most places, but I guess the Navy makes it kind of interesting."
"Yeah, especially if you can do a background check on someone you're going on a date with ."
Stacey hesitated, her cheeks turning a rosy hue.
"Okay, you got me, I had a peak."
Dutchy raised an eyebrow, doubtful of her innocent look.
"A peak?"
"Yes, just a peak! I didn't need to see all your file, you're friends with Kate, and she's, well, I don't think she's gonna be friends with an ass."
"Well…"
She rolled her eyes, playfully slapping his arm.
"You're not doing a good job of selling yourself to me."
Before Dutchy had a chance to answer, Freddy caught her eye, she wandered over and peered into the tank, mesmerised by his colourful fins.
"Didn't peg you for a fish guy."
Dutchy followed her over to the tank and grabbed the container of fish food.
"Umm, yeah, that's Freddy, he's Kate's actually."
"Ah, so why is he here?"
"Well, she didn't really remember that she had him, so I adopted him."
Dutchy delicately placed a pellet on the surface, Stacey leaned down, watching him gulp down the food.
"He's kinda cute, anyway… you got Netflix?"
Kate lay on the floor in Aria's room, Aria next to her on her back. Kate tickled her tummy as she gurgled, unable to stop smiling at her. Mike stood in the doorway admiring his perfect family, he tapped on the door not wanting to startle her.
"I wish they'd stay that little for ever…"
"I dunno…"
Kate picked her up, taking a whiff of her nappy.
"I'm okay with not changing nappies.."
She rose from the floor, handing Aria to him on the way out of the room.
"Enjoy…"
She poked herself on the couch, staring at her phone, opening and closing the messages. Letting out a hiss she opened the app and composed a message to Stacey.
"How's it going? Did he like the whiskey?"
Her knee bounced as the grey dots appeared on the screen. A thumbs up emoji appeared, she scrunched her face wanting more, typing out another message she sat there staring at it and deleted it.
Mike returned with Aria on his hip, he sat beside her, she noticed the best she found at Dutchy's in his other hand.
"Where this come from?"
"Oh, umm it's from Dutchy..."
The next afternoon Mike and Kate strolled down the boardwalk with Aria in her pram. Kate's eyes immediately darted to the ground seeing Dutchy and Stacey jog towards them. Stacey flailed her hands in the air, excited to see her friends.
"Mike! Kate! Hey you two!"
Kate's eyes met with Dutchy's for a millisecond before turning her attention to Stacey, who threw her arms around Kate and Mike.
"Must be nice having some time off together!"
"Yeah..."
"So, I know you said you didn't really wanna do anything, but Dutchy and I have arranged a little something at the pub for you two, I guess a combined bucks and hens..."
Kate's eyes darted up to Dutchy once again, but his eyes were firmly focused on the floor. Mike nudged Kate with his elbow, bringing her attention back to the conversation.
"Isn't that nice! Thanks Stace! Oh, and Dutchy that bear you gave Aria, so cute..."
His eyes shot over to Kate's, she refused to acknowledge him. Stacey whacked him on the arm.
"What bear?"
"Oh, I just got her one with her name on it, not a big deal... anyway."
Dutchy cleared his throat, desperately wanting to move the conversation on.
"Well, better not let the heart rate drop! Good to see you guys!"
He jogged away, Stacey rolled her eyes and grasped Kate's arm.
"How do you deal with this one being so active?"
Kate's eyes bulged, assuming she was implying something else.
"Did you..."
Stacy's jaw dropped as she playfully slapped Kate's arm.
"Kate! I'm not that kinda of girl, I actually mean the running."
"Oh, well, try more food."
Stacey exhaled sharply, shaking her head.
"I'm screwed, you know I can't cook. Maybe I will have to try different activities with him!"
She winked in Kate's direction as a wicked smile covered her face.
"I'll see you guys later."
They watched as Stacey raced after Dutchy, Mike wrapped his arm around Kate as they continued to walk.
"That's nice of them, hey?"
"Yeah, Stacey loves weddings."
"Just hope Dutchy doesn't go to crazy, but I guess he is you friend, so he's not going to do anything to make to uncomfortable, right?"
"Yeah, I'd be more worried that Stacey's hired a stripper."
Stacey plonked herself next to Dutchy on his couch.
"So, should we get them strippers?"
Dutchy nearly choked on his mouthful.
"Ah, they're not really stripper kinda people."
"But it's a bucks and hen's night? Okay, BFF, what do you suggest then?"
"Kate can command a Navy ship, but when it comes to being the centre of attention for anything other than work, she loses it. It's endearing really, she gets all embarrassed, kinda refreshing, like, the guys think it makes her more relatable. I always imagined her as the geeky shy girl at school, you know teachers pet, but then when she got to high school she flourished, like the ugly duckling."
Dutchy glanced over to Stacey, her eyebrow raised, he stopped talking.
"Right…"
"Ah, but anyway, and Mike, ah, maybe get him to so the speech."
"Got it."
A cheeky smile came over Stacey's face, Dutchy shook his head knowing what was going through her head.
"No strippers..."
She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Fine, party pooper!"
Kate lay on the couch trying to compose a message to Dutchy, after deleting it over and over she threw her phone onto the floor. Mike sat beside her, cautious of her mood.
"So, is the wedding all arranged then?"
"Is that you subtly asking whether you need to do anything?"
"Yeah, but it's not like I'd don't want to do anything"
"Nah, I think we have it handled."
"That's what I thought."
"I've included a bit of you, don't worry?"
Mike shot her an inquisitive look.
"We're getting married on Hammersley."
Mike face lit up like a kid on Christmas, for a split second she felt good, not like she was capable of hurting someone who loved her.
"Kate, you didn't have to do that."
"It's okay, I think it's quite fitting and, well, Hammersley meant a lot to me too, to us."
"Is it possible that I have the best wife to be in the world?"
Kate moved off the couch, grabbing her bag
"Maybe… umm, I'm just gonna head to the shops."
"You'd definitely be the best wife in the world if you got me some chicken chips!"
Kate wandered aimlessly around the supermarket, Aria perched on her hip. She turned into the next aisle and ran into Dutchy.
"Oh, ah, hi…
Neither of them could hold eye contact, Kate shuffled Aria on to the other hip as she squirmed, reaching out for Dutchy. She squealed with delight as Kate begrudgingly handed her to him.
"So…"
Dutchy eyeballed her for a second, but then turned his attention back to Aria.
"So, you're getting married next weekend?"
"And you're dating Stacey."
Her body stiffened, she didn't mean for it to come out so prickly, she quickly corrected herself.
"I mean, she's my friend, you said you weren't interested."
Dutchy's eyes focused back to Kate, placing Aria on his hip.
"What? So you think I'm going to stuff her around?"
Kate clenched her jaw, she knew he'd pick up on her tone. Her nostrils flared in annoyance, he was the one that had kissed her. Grabbing his arm, she led him to a quieter aisle.
"Ah, are you forgetting the fact that you kissed me?"
Dutchy snorted, trying to keep his cool.
"Hey, you tried to kiss me first."
"I was drunk…"
He rolled her eyes, he was tiring of her denial.
"Kate, you had 3 glasses…"
"And by dating Stacey you've made it pretty clear that…"
She trailed off, not wanting to sound desperate, Dutchy titled his head waiting for her to finish her sentence.
"That what?"
Kate closed her eyes for a second, trying to quieten her mind.
"What do you want from me?"
She opened her eyes to find his locked with hers, his eyes willing her to feel what he felt, but all he could see was a lost soul. Exhaling sharply, dropping his shoulders.
"Nothing, Kate, I want nothing from you."
He handed Aria back to her and walked off shaking his head.
End of Chapter 15.