Ch. 12 The absent person
Nikki frowned while staring at the TV with a blank stare.
But why did she say 'I don't know'? Has their relationship hit rock bottom again? You can describe their relationship as ebb tide. If I were her I would have already dumped Mike for a long time! But as stubborn as she is, she keeps on trying to pull something out of that block of granite. I could so easily see and certainly hear when something was wrong.
Flashback
Kate entered our cabin and she slammed the door behind her. I almost jumped out of my skin. Even my clown fish, Nemo, shivered in its bowl. Irritated I turned to her. Agreed! Since Josh's death I'm irritated faster. "Come on, was that really neces…", I grumbled but she cut me short.
"Nik, stop it. I don't want hear it!", she snapped raising her hand.
I knew it. When she started slamming all the doors she encountered, even the one of our bathroom, I knew there was something wrong.
"Listen Kate, if you want that I enjoy your slamming doors, your rotten mood and your abruptness, then I need to know what's going on", I replied annoyed.
She looked at me like she had just eaten something terribly bad.
"Well?", I insisted.
For some some time I wasn't in the mood for silly things because I was still struggling with the way Josh died.
Kate surrendered. She shrugged. "Mike", she said. "He did me a lip service again."
"What happened?", I asked.
She plopped down on her rack and I sat down again on the desk chair.
"I talked to him about our relationship and asked him when he will accept his promotion and his shore posting, then he asked me if I wanted him to go away or if I wanted his seat! No, my biological clock is ticking and if we want to have kids we cannot wait any longer! He motioned me to leave with his hand saying 'we'll see and it depends of Navcom', that kind of things. Every time I approach the subject he asks me if I don't like that we are here together. It seems to me that he loves this stupid ship more than me! Jeez, doesn't he really understand it? We can only see each other behind closed doors. For formal dinners and chats, you have to know. No Nik, no sex. He wants to play it following the rules. The closest that I've been to sex was the smear test by the OBGYN!", she raged.
"Maybe he needs more time", I tried, but that was a very bad move.
She looked daggers at me, "He needs more time!?", she taunted. "How much longer then? It's been over a year now! Until when? Until I became stunted?", she grumbled.
"Talk to him just before we enter the base. Suggest him to do something together outside Cairns. Maybe that will work?", I tried again.
Kate looked at me suspiciously and nodded slowly. "Hmm, I'll do it but until then I will not say a word unless it's for work. He has to feel that he was wrong and he has to make the first move again!", she said decisively.
End flashback.
Nikki's buzzing phone brought her back to reality and she pushed the call accept button after seeing who was calling her, "Yes Pete", she said.
"Nik, did you see the news? The Hammersley guys were on it", he said.
"Yep, just seen it", Nikki replied.
"That's terrible! I recognised Swain, Charge, Bomber and even that lunatic of a 2Dads. And Kate is out!", he said in unbelief.
"I know Pete, I know, I'm still upset about it. I just called Kate and it's true. She's on the streets", she said.
"Hmm, how does she feel?"
"She said she was fine, but she always says that, but I feel she's hiding something, but what?", Nikki replied.
"What do you think?", he asked.
"I don't know."
"I haven't seen Mike", he started again.
"Neither did I, but Kate says that he's still in", she said.
"Weird",
"Exactly".
"Hmm, ok, I only wanted to know if you had seen it too", he said.
"Yes, I did. Thanks for calling and also for having fish for tomorrow", Nikki replied to lighten the mood.
"Sure!", he replied with a chuckle before closing the call.
That night.
The favourite pub of the Hammersley in Cairns.
Mike
He waited 15 minutes before heading to the pub. A commander doesn't enter the pub first. The majority of his men were already there but he noticed immediately that Kate wasn't there, yet. He got a beer from someone and started chatting. After 30 minutes he saw that Dutchy had arrived, probably he was the last.
Weird, Kate isn't here? Normally she always comes for a drink. Is her problem in the eyes worse than I thought? Or… does she really has someone else?...
"Hey Mike!", Someone slapped him on the back and he recognised his son's voice.
He turned around and saw in the bright smiling faces of Ryan and Bird.
"Ryan, Bird!", he greeted them.
"Mike, I'm glad to announce you that we're a couple now", Ryan said grabbing firmly Jessica by the waist.
"Ryan, Bird! That's great! But I hope that you are aware that you can no longer serve on the same ship?", he said.
"Yeah we know it, we've already talked to mum about it and she's going fix things", Ryan said.
"I think that I'm getting a shore posting so that Ryan can develop his career at sea and me on shore", she said.
"Well, uh, then I'll try to remember that I have to call you Jessica instead of Bird from now on", Mike replied with a smile.
"Oh, it's not that bad you know", she replied lighthearted.
"Maybe I'll have to start to call you dad instead of Mike?", Ryan said.
"Don't worry about that, you call me whatever you like", Mike replied with a grin.
Later on he tried to reach Kate of her cell phone but in vain, she didn't take the call.
After the drink Mike went home in a sad mood. Not only he had to say goodbye to his crew but he was now persuaded that Kate knew someone else. He became more and more angry that she didn't tell him anything. On the other hand he could slap himself for not being clear enough about his feelings for her during the last weeks, months, years.
"It's all your fault, stupid asshole!", he muttered in the darkness on his way home.
Dylan
Dutchy entered the pub and saw the whole crew was present.
It's unique! Usually there're always men staying at home with their family. But on the other hand it's a farewell party.
"Hey Dutchy! You're late! You've already missed two Guava Mojo's", 2Dads yelled.
Why am I not impressed?
"Well 2Dads, then I'll take the third", he replied dryly.
"Do you already know where you're going to?", Charge asked.
"Nope, I'll learn it tomorrow from Knocker", he answered.
Harpie put him a beer between hands and Bird poked him in the ribs mumbling something about being also a lucky guy to stay employed. But his eyes scanned the crowd for someone. A tiny blonde woman. She wasn't here.
Maybe to the ladies room?
15 minutes later still no sign of Kate even although Mike was here, chatting with everyone.
"Have you seen Kate?", he asked Swain.
"No mate, it surprises me too. She hardly ever miss a reunion and especially now!", he answered.
He did not have time to worry anymore because Mike tapped his shoulder .
"Have you seen the X?", he asked Dylan.
"Uh?", Dylan stammered.
What the heck! He's asking me! He should know it, they are a couple.
"No sir, not seen yet", he replied.
When the drink came to an end, Dylan looked around and saw that only a drunk man,2Dads, was talking to two other members and that was it. No Kate.
He looked down at his half empty glass of beer, grimaced and put it on the bar and left.
Outside he took a deep breath in the evening air and headed for Kate's house.
It puzzles me. Why did she leave so abruptly this afternoon without saying a word? Why didn't she come to the farewell drink? I'll just ring the bell and ask her.
After walking for 30 minutes he found himself in front of her house and looked at it.
She's at home, I can see a dim light in the living room. I just ring the bell and say hello. Away from the crowd she'll probably be more willing to talk because she's a too private person to say things in public.
He headed for the door and hesitated. He looked at his watch.
Isn't it a bit late? We're friends, but maybe not as good friends as to ring the door at such an advanced hour of the night. Moreover there's a smell of beer smell floating around you. For sure this is not the best combination to make you see of her. Hmm, I'll see her tomorrow.
He turned around and walked back home
To be continued