Ch. 20 I found you!
The next day they drove to Melbourne for their next stay. Once settled in the hotel, they went for a stroll in the city. Seeking a place to have a drink, they found themselves in an avenue with some terraces.
Jessica grabbed Ryan's arm, "Darling, there", she said pointing her finger at someone.
"That's Dutchy!".
He was sitting at a terrace with a fresh beer in front of him.
"Hmm yes, it's him. He was also in the Navy, as far as I can remember", he replied.
"Come, let's say hi", she said pulling on his sleeve.
"Let's hope he'll be happy to see us. I didn't have that feeling yesterday", he mumbled.
"Hey Dutchy!", Jessica greeted him.
He looked up and smiled broadly. "Chicken Legs! What a surprise! Ryan! You too mate!", he said enthusiastically as he stood up to hug Jessica and shake Ryan's hand.
"How are you doing?", he asked.
"Great!", she replied but he interrupted her.
"Take a seat. A drink?", he invited them.
"Oh? Yes, with pleasure", she replied.
"Thanks! A beer", Ryan answered.
"An orange juice", Jessica said.
"I'll get them", Dylan said and limped along inside the pub.
Jessica who had notice that he was limping gave Ryan a poke, "Have you seen that?"
"Maybe an accident?", he replied.
A bit later Dylan was back and put the drinks on the table, "Here you go."
He sat down and grabbed his beer.
"Dutchy, what about your leg?", Jessica asked concerned.
"The result from a mortar grenade in Afghanistan. I've been dismissed for medical reasons", he said after taking a sip.
"Oh Gosh!", she replied.
"Does it hurt?", Ryan asked.
"Nah! It's ok, but sometimes it's a bit sore. The doctors say it will fade, but it was already a few months ago. Some activities are definitely a thing of the past, like running for example", Dylan replied. "And you both?", he asked.
Jessica grabbed Ryan's hand, "We're married and now we're on our honeymoon voyage".
"Married?! That's great! Let's drink on that!", Dylan said as he raised his glass.
"Thanks! Cheers!", they replied.
"And what are you both doing?", he asked.
"I'm a sub-lieutenant on one of the hydrographic vessels in Cairns", Ryan said.
"I've underwent a medical training and I'm posted to the fleet of the landing crafts in Cairns", Jessica replied.
"And what are you doing actually?", she asked Dylan.
Dylan shrugged, "Nothing, travelling, hanging around. I realise that I survived and I need some time to get back on track. Meanwhile I'm looking around for an interesting job."
Ryan nodded, "Yeah, I can follow you and I wish you to find a job that really suits you, not just the first one that you will be offered".
He frowned, "Why are you saying that?"
"Well, we saw Kate yesterday, as waitress in a pub and we expected that she would have a more suited job to her style and knowledge", Jessica said.
Dylan straightened his back immediately.
"What?! What did you say? Kate?", he said in disbelief.
Both looked at him surprised. "Yes, Kate. Is it that strange?", Ryan asked.
"I haven't seen her since our last voyage! And where is she now?", he asked.
"You surprise me Dutchy", Jessica replied, "Was something going on between you both?"
Dylan shook his head, "Nope, just friends", he grumbled.
Ryan and Jessica exchanged a glance and looked back at their former colleague.
"Yeah and where is she?", he asked them again.
"Port Campbell. She's working at the 12 Rocks café", Ryan said, "But have no illusions mate."
"Huh?"
"We got the impression that she didn't want to see us", he said.
Dylan scowled. "Why and how was she?"
Jessica shrugged, "I don't know, but she looked also ten years older", she said.
Dylan leaned back in his chair, grabbed his beer and looked at the young couple.
"That's weird! I'll drive to that café tomorrow", he said.
"Did you know that she was singing too?", Jessica asked.
"Huh?"
"Yep, she sings two evenings in that café and she does that pretty well", she continued.
"Well I'll be damned! I never expected that!", Dylan replied astonished.
They talked for a while and then the young couple went back to their hotel. Dylan too, but in the other direction, still thinking about Kate's behaviour.
"He feels for her, that was too obvious. A blind man could see that", Jessica said to her husband.
"Indeed, but he didn't want to admit it. Well I really hope that she won't give him the cold shoulder as she did with us", Ryan replied.
The next day
Dylan stopped his huge pick up truck Dodge in the car park in front of the 12 Rocks café. He got out and straightened his back. Hand on the waist he looked at the tavern and around.
Hmm, definitely not a shanty, something decent and an interesting neighbourhood too. I can't wait! I hope that today is not her day off.
He grabbed his cane, hesitated and put it back in the car.
No, I want to make a good impression on her. If she sees me with a cane then it's screwed up even before it starts.
He started walking to the café trying to avoid limping, feeling a bit excited at the idea of seeing her again.
When he entered he didn't seem interested in the small announcement for the recruitment of a bartender. Inside he scanned the environment and his glance stopped immediately when he saw the blonde petite figure behind the bar.
He headed for it and sat down on a bar stool.
Jeez, Jess had right. She looks older!
"Hi", he said enthusiastically.
Kate raised her head abruptly and was clearly frightened.
"D..Dylan!", she stammered.
"Hi Kate, how are you?", he asked.
She closed her eyes and bent down her head. "Please go away!", she asked softly.
He frowned. "But... why? What have I done wrong?", he stammered startled.
"Nothing … and everything!", Kate replied and she turned around and ran out of the café.
He looked at her astonished and then at the café's owner who shrugged with an I-don't-know-either glance.
Dylan stood up. "Kate?! Wait!", he said and he started to follow her. He ran also out of the café, but his leg started throbbing.
F*cking leg! Why now?
He saw her running and she got ahead of him.
"Kate! Wait! I can't so fast anymore!", he yelled.
Those words brought back to the surface her caring nature and she stopped. Kate turned around and looked at him hurtfully when she saw him limping.
"Oh dear! What happened to you?", she said.
He reached her and took a deep breath, "Don't run Kate. I don't know what happened, but it won't help you", he said.
"What happened to you?", she asked again.
He touched her shoulder and pointed out to the side of the road with a sea view, "Let's sit down".
They sat in the grass, she on his left hand.
He noticed that she was looking at him, eagerly waiting for an answer. Now he had the opportunity to look at her more closely.
They've been right. You've aged. Those lines of sorrow are probably the cause. You also did something to your hair, it's shorter and what's this scar on your right temple?
"Well, I've got a promotion to chief petty officer and I've been sent to Afghanistan. I had a team of people under my command and it worked fine, although it wasn't that luxury as on board. One day the tide has turned. We entered a village, too quiet in my opinion, and all of a sudden a few mortar grenades fell on us. Afterwards they told me it was a mess, but I couldn't remember anything. When I woke up I noticed that I was in a bed at the Allied Hospital of Islamabad in Pakistan and I could barely move. You can imagine my amazement when I learned that we had been hit by that mortar attack 5 days ago. They kept me under narcosis while they restored my leg. It's a miracle if I still have it. They put a platinum plate in it and running is now excluded. Finally a few weeks of physiotherapy followed. The therapists told me that it will take a while before I can walk normally again", he said and he noticed how much sadder she looked.
"Jeez Dylan, why for God's sake?", Kate replied.
"Faith? The famous bullet with your name on, I guess", he answered with a shrug.
"I understand, and in which unit or on which ship are you now?", she asked.
"None. I was dismissed for medical reasons with a golden handshake", he replied with a shrug.
"Bastards!", she reacted angrily. "And what are you doing now?", Kate continued softly.
"Nothing. Travelling, enjoying my second chance to be alive", he said with a smile to lighten the mood.
"And you, what are you doing?", he said returning the question .
"You've seen it. I work here", she answered dully.
"As a waitress? Come on Kate, you can do better than that!", he replied indignantly.
She looked at him hurtfully, "Dylan, don't make things worse! I'm trying to get my life back on track!"
"Uh? What do you mean by …back on track?", he asked.
Kate waved with her hand and stared gloomily at the sea, "Just forget it Dylan".
"Hmm. But,… I've a question that has always gnawed away at me, even in Afghanistan", he said and waited for her to look at him.
"What?", she said turning her head towards him.
"When we moored the Hammersley for the last time, I wanted to speak to you on the quay, but you ran away. Why? Was there something that I did wrong or said? ", he asked.
Kate sighed, "Oh Dylan, you didn't do anything wrong, but my emotions were in a roller coaster back then. I was completely upside down. If I had struck up a chat with you there, I know that I would have broken down crying my eyes out on your chest and that in front the whole Australia. No thank you!".
"Only for the dismissal?", he asked surprised.
Kate sighed again, "No, not only. It's too complicated to explain."
"You can try. We've time", he suggested.
"Not now, later maybe", she said declining his offer.
"Kate, you must know that you haven't left my mind since that moment on the dock", he said.
She looked at him, "Seriously?! However, you didn't miss out on anything!", she mumbled.
"Kate, it is, really", he said.
She shrugged, "Did you know I was here?".
"Yep, yesterday I met Ryan and Bird and they told me."
"Uh-hu, I suspected it", she replied.
He raised his hand, touched the side of her chin with his fingertips and turned her head slightly. He looked frowning at the little dent on her temple and the whitish scar. "What's that?", he asked worried.
Kate looked at him intensely with her green eyes. He was under the impression that they were darker.
Something happened, not only an accident, but something serious. There are too much things that I can't match with the Kate I know. Look, you want to tell me something, but you can't.
She shrugged, "Just leave it", she murmured.
He nodded.
I know that you are going to tell me, maybe tomorrow or later, but you'll do it.
He frowned, "And Mike? Where is he?"
"The last time I saw him it was aboard, since then nothing more! No call, no text, he dumped me like a piece of trash. I could have guessed that, before our last voyage I've had a chat with him about our future, but he did me a lip service. He almost told me he didn't want me anymore!", Kate replied bitterly.
She looked at him and scowled, "Dylan, pay attention to your facial expression. You just look like a cow watching the trains go by".
"Ah? Uh, sorry, I'm baffled. I really was expecting a tad more from our boss", he stammered.
"Apparently not huh", Kate replied.
"Jeez! Hmm, where do you live here?", he asked to get away from the nasty subject.
"A small studio not that far from the café, and you? Only visiting?"
"No, I still have nothing planned , but now that I found you, I want to stick around", he said convinced.
"There are a some hotels and B&B's in the vicinity, but why would you want to do that?", she taunted.
"For you! I covered your back for years, so"
"Dylan, that's kind of you, but you'll waste your time with a basket case like me", she replied bitterly again.
"Bullshit!", Dylan replied fiercely.
She looked at him and he met her gaze full of emortion.
"Dylan, will you give me a hug?", Kate asked softly.
"Sure, come here", he said opening his arm. She slipped into it and cuddled up to him.
"I missed you", she said faintly.
"I missed you too", he replied.
"You asked about Mike, but did you move on?", Kate asked.
He stared at the sea, "Nope, I didn't have time for it. Afghanistan, getting wounded, physiotherapy, no, it was not on the agenda".
She nodded.
"But why did you say 'everything and nothing' to my question asking what I had done wrong when I entered the café?", he asked.
"When I saw Ryan and Bird, it hurt me. An old wound had opened again. They're still in the Navy and I'm not there anymore. Ryan reminded me of Mike and the way he treated me. After Jessica and Ryan's visit, I tried to forget. Seeing you reminded me the good things of the past but also the period when everything was messing up. ", she said and he felt her cuddle up more against him.
"Forget it Kate, for me it's also the past. I'm looking forward to do something new", he said while giving her a hug.
They hugged each other without saying anything for about 20 minutes.
"Bird said you were singing?", he started again.
"Yes, I do. Two evenings per week. Tonight", she said.
"And what do you sing?"
"Mainly musical songs. People like that and it's finally something I'm able to do!", she said convinced.
"Uh? Something that you are able to do? Come on Kate, what kind of bullshit is that? You can do so many things! You were almost our CO!", he said indignant.
"You just said the right word. 'Almost'. Not being a CO and I was also fired and couldn't find a job! So, I wasn't good enough!", Kate replied bitterly again. "But I can sing and people like that".
She looked at her watch. "Oops is it already so late? I've to get ready for the tonight's show. And you have to look for a room otherwise you'll have to come twice", Kate said decisively as she stood up.
He smiled and stood up too.
Organise and be in command. It's the old Kate. She'll never change despite what happened.
"Uh … Dylan, do you … come tonight?", she suddenly asked with a little voice.
"Sure Kate, for all the tea in China I will not miss your show", he said gently squeezing her shoulder.
"Thank you! I'll book a table for you!", she replied and for the first time he saw her eyes sparkle.
They walked back to the café. She entered and he went into his pick up truck to drive to the B&B recommended by Kate.
To be continued