Ch. 21 A nocturnal chat

That night.

Dylan settled down in the B&B's room and then he headed to the café. He found his table in front of the small stage and he had just finished the steak he had ordered. Enjoying his beer he was waiting for the show.

She was happy to see me again, but I left with even more questions than before. What happened? Why she hasn't got much more self-confidence? Why should she be a waste of time for me? What happened that made her so upset on the quay…

His thoughts were interrupted by the café's owner who announced Kate.

"Dear customers, thanks for coming tonight. I've the pleasure tonight to introduce you Mrs Kate McGregor and her repertoire of musical songs!", he announced and he did a step back to give way to Kate. The room burst into loud applause. Dylan's heart beat faster when he saw her in a cream coloured dress with matching heeled pumps. She had her hair up and was made-up.

Wow, I've never seen her like that. It's the first time that I see her made-up. She never had make-up before, at least not when I was there. She looks like she just got out of Lisa McCune's poster in Melbourne when I met Arthur McGregor. Arthur! Jeez, yes indeed, I promised to call him when I found her. Am I going to do it?

Of course, I promised it, but not now. First I've to find out what's going on in her little head …

"Good evening and thank you. I'll start with 'Maria' from 'Westside Story'", she announced.

The evening passed and Dylan looked bewitched by her performance. After two hours she left the stage amidst thunderous applause. An instant later Kate came back into the room through the service entrance and padded to Dylan's table, again under the applause. He saw her come and pulled the chair next to him.

"May I have a seat?", she asked him teasingly.

"Of course silly!", he said showing the chair with his hand. "Still white wine?", he asked.

"Yes please", she replied and he gestured to a waiter to ask for a white wine and another beer.

"You were wonderful! Amazing!", he said to her.

"Really?", Kate asked.

"Why do you ask that?", he replied a tad irritated.

"People always say it's great and I know that you've always been honest with me. So, I want your real opinion", she said.

"Come on Kate, It was one hell of a show! What's the matter with you? I constantly hear doubts. I never knew you like that", he said.

Kate shrugged and grabbed the glass of wine and took a sip.

He took a sip from his beer and looked at her. "Do you know that you are very beautiful with your make-up?"

Kate looked at him and smiled, "Thank you! You're charming."

He put his hand on hers, "Kate, I'm going to confess you something that I knew for a long time, but due to the circumstances I couldn't say it", he said watching her reaction.

She looked at him, her head slightly tilted.

"Kate, I love you. I've met a lot of girls before, but you are special, you're a rock. I want to move on, with you", he said.

She withdrew her hand and laid it on top of his. She looked at him sadly. "Dylan, you're a sweet man, I like you too and thank you for the offer, but I'll screw up your life as I did with everything else."

He looked at her in disbelief, "What are you telling about? Screwed everything up? It's a nonsense Kate. I really mean it! I want to start a family with you!", he said hurtfully.

Tears filled her eyes, "Oh Dylan, look for someone else to start a family because I can't even keep a child!", Kate croaked. She stood up and hastily left the café.

He looked at her shocked for a second, then straightened his back and also left the café hurriedly.

"Kate, wait! What did you say?", he exclaimed.

Outside he found her back on the over side of the road staring at the dark water of the little inlet.

"Kate, what did you say for God's sake?! You can't even keep a child?", he said as he wrapped his arm around her tiny shoulders.

"No, I can't. I lost my baby a year ago!", she sobbed hurtfully.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her against his chest. "Jeez, Kate, I didn't know that!", he said softly while stroking her back to appease her.

"Nobody knew about it, not even Nikki!", she murmured her face against his chest.

"But… then… you were pregnant when we did our last voyage!", he stammered baffled.

"Yes", she sobbed.

"Oh poor thing! Why didn't you tell me? We were friends anyway?"

She shrugged, "It…it was so embarrassing, ashamed".

"But why? There's nothing wrong in being pregnant! Who was the father?", he asked.

"Mike".

"Uh? But you said that nobody… and that Mike dumped you?", he reacted startled.

"Yes! That's exactly why it was embarrassing!", and she sobbed again.

"How so? Let's sit down".

He looked a bit amused when she raised her dress and sat down in the grass on her panty. Kate looked at him and smiled faintly. "I don't want grass stains on my show dress".

She realised that sitting on the ground with high heels wasn't comfortable and she pulled them off.

"Kate, what happened?", he asked concerned.

Kate took a deep breath, "We dated behind closed doors, in my house or his. One day I noticed that I was pregnant. An accident? Not for me, no. For him? I don't know. He always avoided the question of starting a family. When I was sure that I was pregnant I wanted to talk about it. I still remember very clearly that night. That was when we heard about the reorganisation. As soon as I talked about our future he hid himself behind the fact that we didn't know what the future would bring us. And when I talked about starting a family, he was firm on the fact that it was too early to think about. Careers first and then the rest. I realised that I was only a toy for him. Thus I couldn't tell him", Kate said sadly as new tears ran down and ruined her make-up even more.

She shook her head, "No I don't want to be reminded of that period. I was sad about the failure of my relationship, my pregnancy, the disappointment caused by the dismissal and, on top of all that, my hormones that put me even more upside down."

Dylan was fuming, "Oh that son of a bitch! When I'll see him, I'll beat all the crap out of him!", he grumbled.

"No Dylan, no! Please don't! You'll be in trouble. It was my fault. I should have told him", she said squeezing his knee.

"Ok, okok. But you've said that you lost the baby? How did that happen?", he asked as he wrapped again his arm around her shoulders.

Kate sighed, "I really want to leave all that behind me, but it's already screwed up now and twisting the knife once more and some tears no longer matter", she said bitterly and he gave her a hug.

"After several attempts to find a job, I went home. I've been everywhere you know, but the maritime world is still a men's world. There was no function for me, let alone when you're pregnant. Then they look at you as if you have an infectious disease! Back home I decided to go to the cinema to take my mind off things. I was walking back to my car when that piece of scum tried to rob me. I tried to defend myself, but in vain. I don't remember how many times he kicked me because I passed out. I woke up in the hospital where they told me that I miscarried…", Kate said hoarsely especially for the last part of the sentence and her eyes filled with tears again.

"Damn Kate, what a mess! Have you ever known what it was? Boy, girl?", he asked.

She shook her head and took a deep breath, "Nope, it was too early for that".

"My god, Kate. And there was no one to whom you could have talked about it?", he said hugging her.

"I was ashamed of everything. Sacked, dumped, jobless, pregnant, miscarriage, these are not things you can be proud of, no?", she answered bitterly.

He made a face and nodded.

She took again a deep breath, "Dylan, I need to finish that glass of wine, and I know already that I need a second one. Moreover I have cold buttocks!", she said getting up and she put on her pumps again.

He followed and he looked at her.

"Wait dear! ", he said and he took out his handkerchief from his pocket.

"Your face, I'm going to clean these smudges", he said starting to wipe away the dark traces of makeup left by her tears.

Kate smiled, "What did you say? Dear?"

"Yep".

"Dylan you're so sweet! Do you know that Mike never used that kind of pet names to me?"

"Ah?"

"Nope. Katie was the only one", she said sadly.

"Well, you'd better get used to it", he said putting the handkerchief back in his pocket.

When they reached the café they saw that the owner was waiting for them. He saw her face marked by tears and looked suspiciously at the beefy blond man next to her.

"Kate, are you ok?", he asked.

She wrapped her arm around his waist and smiled at her boss, "Sure Sonny! We're fine! And I'm going to enjoy the rest of my wine".

"Then I'm happy too, remember that they asked me to keep an eye on you", he said.

"Yeah Sonny, I know, but you don't have to worry about Dylan and me", she said looking over her shoulder.

Dylan frowned at the man she had called Sonny.

At the table Kate looked at Dylan, "What are your plans now?", she said and took a sip and made a face, "Ouch, it's not cold anymore", she mumbled.

"My beer either. I'll get you another one. Well, I'm not leaving your side anymore Kate, I love you even more", he said.

She looked at him fiercely, "Dylan, I just bring bad luck!"

He smiled at her, "You think that, but you're wrong and wait, I'll get you another glass of wine", he said as he stood up to prevent her from refuting what he had just said.

At the bar he waited for the owner, Sonny.

"Another beer and a white wine please. By the way, is your recruitment request for a bartender still valid?", he asked.

"Yep, it is. Interested?", Sonny asked.

"Sure, I want to do that", Dylan replied.

Sonny grinned at him. "You want to be with Kate, no?"

"Right on target mate! ", he returned the smirk.

"You know her?"

"Sure, we were colleagues and I'm her friend", he replied.

"Also Navy?", Sonny asked.

"Yep".

"Ok, You got it. And I'll put you on the same time schedule as Kate", he said with a wink.

"Thanks mate, but by the way, why did you said 'they asked me to keep an eye on her?'"

Sonny spread his hands. "The convalescent home. I helped them before by giving their patients a job to get back on track."

Dylan scowled, " convalescent home? What happened?"

Sonny shook his head, "I don't know mate. The less you know, the better and here are your drinks".

Dylan put a couple of dollars on the bar and he padded back to the table.

What the hell is going on here? Kate completely lacks self-confidence. She's doing a job far from her skills because she couldn't find a suitable one. She was pregnant with Mike's child and she lost it due to an asshole. You must be very strong to stand this all alone and now Sonny is telling me that she comes from a convalescent home?

He looked at Kate who seemed more confident than ever, but he knew that for the moment she was playing a role.

He reached the table, put down the drinks and sat down as she looked at him smiling.

It feels good to see her smile again.

"Cheers Kate, and I've the job of bartender, so we can be together",

Kate smiled broadly and according to him, that smile was worth more than all the words.

He smiled back at her.

She doesn't comment on my decision and doesn't send me away. That's a good sign. I bet that she's over the moon knowing I'm staying.

To be continued