Ch. 15 Setback after setback
Kate
The next day Kate mustered up courage to find a job. She booked an online flight to Sydney. Next she booked a hotel room for a week. Finding a job in the biggest city in the country ought to be possible. She had a quick breakfast, packed up and left. On the plane she was dreamily looking out of the window.
It's weird, I'm only a few weeks pregnant and I've not been sick like so many other pregnant women. The only thing that haunts me are my hormones. I'm crying even before I realize it. Rather embarrassing. I'm not like that! I don't want to be like that! But it overcomes me and I can't help it. On the other hand maybe it's better than feeling awful every morning. Just see the extra handkerchiefs in your handbag.
I'm a little confused as to the fact that I don't hear anything from the others. On the one hand I'm happy because I don't know how on earth to explain that I'm pregnant and that the father doesn't know anything about it. On the other hand, I miss the friendship of the crew. DAMN! Here I go again!
Kate grabbed her handbag to take a handkerchief and wipe her eyes.
Stop thinking! Read your book and then you'll keep them dry!
She enjoyed the rest of the day strolling around Sydney after checking in at the hotel. Kate spent the next days applying for a job with various shipping companies. At the end of the week there was still nothing. Angry and disappointed she entered her hotel and plopped on the bed after sliding her pumps off her feet.
How's possible? There are so many shipping companies in town and nobody wants to hire a former naval officer! I could have killed the one who wanted to put me behind a desk. 'Then the customers will have at least someone in front of them who knows a bit about ships'. Jeez, what an asshole! They all said the same thing, 'sorry Mrs. but we hired just a former navy colleague from you'. Or 'sorry we don't hire women. What if they got pregnant? ' 'I hope you don't plan to have children'. Aargh, everywhere there was something wrong! What now?
Maybe I could take a direct flight fly from here to Melbourne instead of flying back to Cairns and another one from Cairns to Melbourne. In this way, I will be able to save money. In addition, I'll have to keep a watchful eye on my bank account because now it looks like my money is melting like snow in the sun.
With a groan Kate sat up again and took off her formal clothes. She had a shower and dressed casually with a jeans and a T-shirt to look for dinner in town.
The next day she left for Melbourne.
At the end of that week she came back home disappointed.
Kate put away her luggage next to the washing machine and threw the dirty clothes into the laundry basket.
Again nothing! Maybe there's something new in the newspapers here, but first a good shower!
She went to her bedroom to drop her suitcase and undressed.
After the shower she opened her wardrobe and grabbed her old skinny jeans. She put it on and was a little surprised not being able to close it.
Wow, it's fast enough!
She caressed her naked belly with her hand.
"We're going to have a nice time huh buddy? Maybe it will be a girl?", she said softly.
Kate put the jeans down with a smile and grabbed a larger one and a blouse.
Kate padded to the kitchen to make a brew. She sat with her mug in the dining room and began to leaf through the newspapers of the last days.
She sighed.
Nope! If it continues like this, I can look for a desk job or a job of chambermaid aboard a cruise ship.
She continued leafing.
Real estates, travels, movies, hmm… why not? That's long ago! Let's see what they play… All time classics…. This one, 'Ghost'. A fantasy story. Just what I need. Something to empty my brain.
The fridge is empty after being away for two weeks. I'll eat something light in town before I go to the movies.
Kate got up and went to her bedroom. She opened her wardrobe and looked at her clothes.
Normally I pull on a sweatpants and an oversized sweater to curl up in the couch to watch a movie, but I can't go out like that!
She rummaged among her clothes and took out a green dress made from a stretch fabric. She nodded.
This one was already too wide from the beginning.
She undressed and she put on the dress.
Kate walked back to the bathroom to comb her hair and put some perfume on. She padded back to the bedroom and dug out a shoe box from the bottom of her wardrobe. She took out a pair of pumps and slipped her feet.
I want to be comfortable watching a movie and I can't stand too tight things. These old ones are too wide but really easy. I feel good inside.
Kate grabbed her handbag and went to town.
She didn't think that the choice of her shoes was going to have dire consequences on her further life!
Later that night Kate left the movie theatre together with the other spectators. She was drying her eyes with a tissue while heading for her car in the car park.
Jeez, it had never happened to me before. I've never been so emotional watching a movie and now I've been crying from the beginning! I wanted to relax and I just chose such an emotionally charged movie. Well done Katherine! And my hormones didn't help me either, on the contrary! However, I've emptied my brain for two hours and in this respect I succeeded.
She was interrupted by someone who called her on a rather unusual way.
"Hey missy, where are you going to?"
She turned to the rude voice. "Take it easy fella!", she replied sternly.
Kate saw a shabby guy in his twenties holding a flick knife.
"Your handbag! Quick!", he snapped.
"You don't impress me", she replied irritated. Her disappointments of the previous week started to surface.
"Are you deaf or what? Your handbag!", he growled while showing her the knife.
She gave him her XO stare but that didn't impress him.
A junkie! For sure. Looking for money to buy his stuff. I'll give him a nice surprise. I'm wearing pointy pumps and with these I can give him a souvenir in his noble parts!
She swung her right leg upwards but Kate forgot her loose shoes. The shoe flew into the air describing an arch-in-circle over his head and she only touched his thigh with her toes.
Kate realised in panic what just had happened.
Oh no! Bloody shoes!
"Ah we're going to play it like that?", he grumbled angrily and he swayed with the knife to her.
She hopped backwards to avoid the knife. Unfortunately, she lost her balance because one of her shoes was missing and she fell on the ground. Her aggressor made a step forward and lost his self-control. He started kicking her.
"Stupid bitches! Always thinking about being the smartest huh?", he grumbled.
Kate took several kicks in her chest, her belly her arms and he gave her a final kick in her head. He grabbed her handbag and ran away. Kate was left behind on the ground unconsciously.
The next thing she saw was a face looking down at her in a bright area.
Whe…where am I? Who's…that? Why do I feel so dizzy? For God's sake why does my body hurt like mad? That man seems to say something. His lips are moving. Try to concentrate on what he's saying.
"Hi madam? How do you feel? How are you?", asked the doctor.
"Evvvvrythinggggg hurtfffsss", Kate slurred.
Jeez, is that my voice!? Is he a doctor!? Am I in a hospital?
Yesterday…was it yesterday? It seems to me. That rascal who wanted my handbag. He kicked me. How much? I don't know. It hurt. I didn't even get the chance to defend myself…
"That's normal Madam, you've been brought here more dead than alive", he said and she noticed that he was sitting.
Kate tried to straighten her back but he gently stopped her, "I wouldn't do it immediately. Just lay down", he said.
"You're in a hospital Madam. You've been the victim of a violent assault. Can you tell us your name?", he asked.
Us? Uh? Oh, there's someone else too, but this one is not in white.
"I… I'm Kate McGregor", she mumbled faintly.
"That's good Mrs McGregor", he said.
"Wha…what'ssss …. wrong", Kate asked with difficulty as she moved slowly her hand to her head to touch the bandage.
"I've … a splitting…. headache", she added.
"Take it easy", said the doctor carefully handing Kate's hand over the sheet.
"In your situation it's normal. You'll have to rest a few days and you'll feel better from day to day. The fact is that you've got a thrashing from someone. First, you suffer from several internal and external bruises and second, you've a slight concussion. Therefore there a police officer here. If you could describe that person, they could look for him", said the doctor and the woman in blue stood up and brought her chair closer to Kate's bed.
Kate breathed out and made a face because her body hurt. Automatically her hand slipped to her belly which didn't go unnoticed by the doctor.
"There's something else Kate", he said tenderly using her first name.
Kate looked at the doctor, frowning.
"You were pregnant, but unfortunately your baby didn't survive the kicks, we…", he tried to continue but he was interrupted by Kate.
"No! This can't be true! Not my baby! Say that it's not true! I'm still carrying it!", she exclaimed panicked as tears started running down her cheeks.
He shook his head, "No, I'm really sorry Kate", he said softly.
"Noooooo! Now…I've….got…..nothing….anymore! My baby!", she sobbed and she started crying hysterically.
The doctor nodded to a nurse who stood at the background. She came closer and handed him a syringe.
He pushed the needle in Kate's arm. She calmed down instantly and sank into a deep sleep.
The doctor looked at the constable and shook his head.
"She'll be asleep for the rest of the day. This was predictable. We'll keep her calm with sedatives and hopefully tomorrow you can try to have a chat with her", he said.
The police woman nodded and left the room.
"Keep an eye on her, will you?", the doctor asked the nurse.
"Sure".
The following two days passed in a trance state for Kate. They calmed her down and reduced gradually the tranquilizers and she got a daily visit of a psychologist. On the fourth day they stopped giving her the tranquilizers and she could clearly think again although she was holding back her tears when her hand rested on her belly. All of a sudden her gaze stopped on the cupboard that was in the room.
"My handbag!"
She swung carefully her legs out of her bed and shuffled to the cupboard. Kate opened the doors and frowned when she didn't see her handbag.
"For God's sake where is it? This cupboard is not that big? I only see my underwear, my dress and one shoe, one?", she mumbled and she called the nurse.
A minute later the nurse entered the room and looked concerned at a nervous Kate who was sitting on the edge of the bed.
"May I help you?", she asked.
"My handbag? When I've been brought in, did they bring my handbag as well?", Kate asked concerned.
"No madam. I was on watch that night and I've put your clothes in the cupboard and there was no handbag", the nurse replied.
"Oh my god! That rascal ran off with it! Jeez, all my things were in it, ID-card, bank card, money, car and home keys! Without them I can't even enter my house again. Oh no! Now he also has my address! And with the keys it's like I put the cat next to the milk. I need to go home to check my house!", Kate said panicked.
"Madam you can't leave. You're still recovering", the nurse answered.
"Damn! May I call that police officer who was here in the beginning?", Kate asked more and more panicked.
"Sure madam, she left her card here on the table", the nurse said as she padded to the table to pick up the card.
"Brigadier Kelly Higgs. I'll call her", she said.
"Yes, thank you. Oh, uh, by the way, I see only one shoe?!", Kate asked.
The nurse shrugged, "I'm sorry madam, but the ambulance guys found only one next to you."
Kate made a face, "Jolly good! And to top it all I can go home barefoot!", she grumbled.
One hour later Kelly Higgs entered Kate's room.
"Ah Mrs McGregor, I'm glad to see you're better. What can I do for you?", she asked.
Kate sighed relieved. "That rascal has stolen my handbag with all my things in it! Now he has everything, my address and my keys. I'm absolutely sure he has already entered and searched my house and I can't get into my own home! That's the last straw", she said annoyed.
"I assumed it was a handbag theft because you didn't have one with you. I'll call a colleague and we'll check that right away. I'll call also a locksmith to change the locks. Could you give me your address because a few days ago you were so upset that we couldn't get a reasonable answer from you", she said as she stood up.
"Yeah, sure", Kate replied.
Two hours later Brigadier Higgs entered the hospital room again.
"And?", Kate asked eagerly.
She sat down on a chair next to the bed.
"I'm afraid that I've bad news", she started.
Kate widened her eyes, "Tell me", she said faintly.
"The door was closed and I had to open it. Inside everything was put upside down. We've checked each room and it seemed that he took his time because every cupboard and drawer has been ransacked", she said.
Kate sank back in the pillows, "Oh noooo", she moaned.
"You've to make an inventory, but we've already noticed that the electronic devices like your laptop, TV, DVD player disappeared. We didn't find any money or jewellery either. I'm sorry", Kelly Higgs said.
"Damn! I must see it! I.. I want to get out of here!", she grumbled nervously.
"Calm down Mrs McGregor, you can't do much more", Higgs said trying to calm Kate.
"Can't do?! I think I can! Cleaning up the rubbish, making an inventory of what's missing, calling the insurance agent, getting a new ID-card, credit and bank cards. Isn't that enough?", Kate snapped.
"Yes, I understand. Meanwhile I have a temporary document for you that replaces your ID-card", Higgs said taking out a folded document of her briefcase.
"Hmm, that's at least something! Thanks", Kate mumbled accepting the document.
"The nurse! I want to know when I can leave! Hold on a sec!", she said as she stood up making a face.
She shuffled to the office of the nurse of the department.
"Hi", she said as she entered.
The woman put down her pen and looked up. "Mrs McGregor, what can I do for you?"
"I want to know when I can go home, or better said, I want to go home!", she said determined.
"Everyone wants that, but first you need the doctor's advice and that's for tomorrow morning", she said.
Kate nodded , "Yeah, ok then", she said and she padded back to her room.
"Hopefully tomorrow", she told Higgs while sitting on her bed.
"Right, here are the keys of the new lock and as soon as you feel better, I would like to have an inventory of what has been stolen", she said.
Kate nodded, "Thanks for the keys and I will do".
Brigadier Higgs left and Kate stared at the keys in her hand with a mixture of sadness and nervousness.
The next day the doctor considered she was healed from her wounds and she left the hospital. At the reception desk they had ordered a cab and 15 minutes later she stood on the pavement of her house with only one shoe, a document that replaced her ID-card and the new keys. Kate limped to the door and with a trembling hand she turned the key into the lock, afraid of what she was going to find inside. In the entrance hall she gave up her unique shoe and went directly to the kitchen. Meanwhile she threw a glance at the disaster in the living room. In the kitchen she grabbed a tissue to clean the foot to which a shoe was missing.
After that she wandered in shock through the living room. TV, radio, DVD player, laptop were gone. Books on the floor, drawers turned upside down, the content scattered over the floor. The doors of the cupboards stood open, some broken tableware on the floor. She had a lump in her throat and her eyes filled with tears. Quickly she hurried to her bedroom to record the same disaster. Drawers turned upside down, the doors of her wardrobe were open and all of her clothes scattered around on the floor and on the bed. Her jewellery box lay in the middle of the room, empty, of course.
"Asshole! Bastard!", Kate yelled as loud as she could and she sank down on her bed and cried desperately.
After crying her eyes out, she took a deep breath. She looked at her dress and took it off.
"This one is for the bin. I do not want that to remind me of this debacle for ever", she said drying her eyes and cheeks with it. She rolled it into a ball and looked around to find something to wear. She fished out a T-shirt from the heap thrown on the floor and a jeans from the bed and put them on. Kate walked to the entrance hall with the dress to pick up the lonely shoe and dropped them both in the kitchen dustbin. Before starting the clean-up she headed to the bank to get her account unlocked, to get a new bank and credit cards and to get some cash. Next she did the shopping and spent the rest of the day to tidy up her house. Unfortunately she forgot that she was still recovering and shortly after 6 pm she collapsed on her bed.
The day after, Kate had recovered the spare keys to her car and she headed back to the movie theatre car park, but to no avail. Her car was gone as well. Once more she showed up at the police station to report the theft of her Suzuki SUV. In a foul mood she returned home and noticed that a letter was peeking out of the postbox. She took the letter inside scowling at the official court seal on it. In the kitchen she grabbed a knife to open it. Unfortunately she was still too angry and nervous to read the letter in detail.
"…an invitation to give evidence during a trial in Sydney court... Mrs Joanna McGregor?! Jeez, that bitch of a mother! I've to testify? Oh my revenge will be sweet! If we had stayed in England I wouldn't be in trouble right now", she muttered.
"When? At the end of the week, hmm, it will still cost me money to book a flight, but for this purpose I'll do it with pleasure", she grumbled.
Sadly enough she didn't read the letter well. If she did, her life would have taken another turn!
At the end of the week she showed up to court with confidence. The clerk registered her and guided her to the courtroom. From then on, everything turned into a nightmare and a few hours later she stood in the street with the biggest headache of all times. In trance she flew back to Cairns and went to see a lawyer straight away.
The man shook his head sadly and looked at Kate, who looked desperate.
"I'm sorry Ms McGregor, I do not see any flawed procedures. It's a shame that you didn't come to see me from the beginning. This letter was not an invitation to testify but to attend the trial as an accused. You didn't have a lawyer and they made mincemeat of you", he said.
"But, ... but that was all a lie. She said that I had the only income and that came from office cleaning. She... she did the big business with her body. She had the income!", Kate exclaimed.
"I understand Mrs McGregor, but officially your mother had no profession or income. You left her and neglected her for years", he said while reading the court decision.
"No! She did that to me! I was nothing to her!", Kate said panicked.
"I believe you and if you had contacted me, then it is we who would have made her of mincemeat instead of it being them who made it with you. Your mother claims a food annuity from the day you left her.
"But...that's almost 20 years! I'll go bankrupt!", Kate said in shock.
"We will appeal the decision of the court. Her request for retroactivity is likely to be rejected but we will have to negotiate the amount to be paid but that will take time", he said trying to comfort her.
Kate's shoulders slumped, "What a blow! I have one problem after another! All I need to cheer myself up", she snapped.
To be continued