Ch. 22 The knight on his white horse
The following days passed smoothly and quickly. Dylan settled well into his new role as bartender and Kate continued as a waitress and a singer. He felt happy because he did something useful again and had found Kate. Not only that but also the fact that she liked him too. It pleased him that she was seeking out his company if only for a short time even if the café was crowded. Dylan didn't try to find out what happened. He saw how upset she was telling these events. One day he would ask her .
Their service was almost nearing its end. They had an evening and a day off. Kate walked over to him her hands in the pockets of her jeans. Dylan was busy cleaning up his area so that his co-worker could find a clean bar.
"Plans?", she asked.
He put down the cloth and looked at her. "Not exactly. I'll have a pizza or something, somewhere", he replied.
"Dylan, you can't go on like that! You can't live on pizza and sandwiches day after day! Come to my place, I'll cook a decent, healthy meal with vegetables", she said determined.
"Yeah, I'll do", he smiled at her.
"That's ok, but why are you smiling like that?", Kate asked frowning.
"Well, you become more and more sure of yourself", he answered.
"Oh? But am I right or not?", she replied with a don't-dare-to-say-no glance.
He smiled back at her, "Yes dear, you're right", he said squeezing gently her shoulder.
Her eyes had never been so bright, "Great! 7 pm?", she asked eagerly.
"I'll be there".
Later that day Dylan walked to her studio flat and rang the bell. Despite what he wanted to look like, he felt a bit nervous. He looked at the cool bottle of white wine he had bought from the grocery and grimaced.
Kate is right. You don't even have a fridge to keep things cool…
But then the door swung open and he was greeted by a radiant face.
"Come in!", she invited him joyously.
"Hey Kate", he said as he entered.
He raised the bottle, "your favourite, Carbernet Sauvignon".
"Thanks Dylan", she replied as she accepted the bottle and a kiss on her cheek.
She looked at him as he entered the living room.
Charming! And I got a kiss!
He stopped and looked around.
"It's nice here!", he said.
This is what you can call a mishmash. Definitely not her style.
Kate followed him.
"Thank you!", she said forcing herself to smile.
Liar! It's junk, but I'm happy to have this!
"A drink?", she said afterwards.
He turned around and looked at her. Kate had changed and replaced her classic polo shirt and jeans with a shorts and a tank top and she was wearing slippers with low heels.
He smiled.
You look even more vulnerable with this outfit.
"Yeah".
"Beer or… do we start with wine?", she asked.
"Beer, wine will follow with the dinner", he replied.
"Right, make yourself at home", Kate said as she padded with the bottle to the small kitchen to put it in the fridge.
He had just sat down in one of the club chairs when he heard a chuckle and he stood up to go to the kitchen too. She raised another bottle of wine in the air that she just had taken out of the fridge. "We bought the same wine!", Kate said.
"Well, it's the proof that I still know your tastes", he said. "Wine?"
"Yep", Kate replied and he took the bottle to uncork it. She opened a bottle of beer and grabbed a glass to fill it.
They raised their glasses. "Cheers!"
"You're looking good Kate. I've never seen you like this you know", he said after taking a sip.
Kate shrugged. "On board I couldn't wear this. As an executive officer you had to keep up appearances."
He beckoned her over, "Come on Kate".
"Yes, it is, although I admit that sometimes I was awfully jealous of Bomber and Bird. It's also for the same reason that I've never worn a bikini but a one-piece swimsuit", she said rolling her eyes.
He raised his eyebrows, "Yeah, it's true, I've never seen you in a bikini, although I can imagine it!", he replied smiling broadly.
Kate patted his arm, "Keep yourself in check Mulholland", she replied with a smirk.
He raised the glass, "Cheers!".
She makes jokes again!
"Cheers", Kate also replied.
Dylan looked at the table, set for two with napkins, glasses and candles.
"Wow, that's a feast!"
"Silly, just a dinner for both of us, don't expect too much", she replied.
He looked suspiciously at her.
Hmm, gloomy again!?
He ignored her gloomy remark.
"What are you going to prepare?"
"Soup, pork cutlets, vegetables and potatoes", Kate replied opening the fridge to take out the food.
Somewhat later when they had almost finished the dinner, he grabbed the bottle of wine to refill their glasses.
"Kate, it's been a long time since I enjoyed such a wonderful dinner", he said.
"Ah, it's just ordinary healthy food. I'm not a great chef and I'm trying to do my best. Bomber was better", Kate said rejecting the compliment with a hand gesture.
"No no, this was really good. Where did you learn to cook?", he asked.
"When I was a teenager I had to do the cooking when my mother was busy with something else. I learned bit by bit", she replied bitterly.
"Yeah I see".
Ouch, another touchy subject. Has there ever been anything really cheerful with her? With everything I mention, there's always a sharp edge somewhere.
"Dylan?", she said all of a sudden.
"Yes?"
"You were right about my furniture. It's junk", she said.
"Huh? I haven't said anything!", he replied baffled.
"I know, but I know you and I could read it on your face", she said deadpan.
He spread his hands as if to say I-don't-know-what-to-say.
Kate smiled at him. "At the end we know each other, no?"
"Yeah, that's true and honestly I was indeed thinking that it was a mishmash", he replied.
She looked at the furniture, "Well, I hired the studio flat furnished, so I had no choice."
He nodded, "Hmm, I see and what do you do in your spare time?", he asked to get away from the nasty subject.
She took a sip.
"Oh, housekeeping. Not that much. It's quickly over in this shack. And what else? I'm studying my songs and I'm looking for new ones to keep the program attractive. What more? Jogging and swimming to be in a good shape and from time to time I borrow Sonny's car to drive to Melbourne", Kate said.
"I see, keep busy huh? But you said that you borrow a car, I thought you had one?", he asked.
She gave him the sweetest smile and put a finger on his lips, "Ssht darling, I'm happy now, we're happy now. Let's just leave it like that", Kate replied.
Yeah, here we go again! But did I hear correctly? Darling!
"Well, you know, I'll give you a hand with the dishes", he said as he stood up.
"Deal! And afterwards a good brew, no?", Kate said taking example on him starting to collect dishes and cutlery.
"Of course!", he replied following her to the kitchen with the glasses and the empty bottle.
They finished the dishes and Kate gave him two cups and saucers to put on the coffee table on the terrace. She made the coffee and followed him with the milk and a packet of Tim Tam.
At dusk he sat down on a two-seater terrace bench to enjoy the muffled noised of the neighbourhood.
"You know, this terrace with awning reminds me to the terrace of my parents' farm, although it's a tad bigger, the entire width of the house", he said disarmingly.
Kate looked at him an instant with a glance he had never seen before.
"Uh, do you want to say something?", he asked.
"Give me a sec!", she said turning around and padding inside, leaving him with raised eyebrows and a lot of question marks.
A moment later she was back, holding a square piece of paper and the eyes filled with tears. "Here", she croaked out and she sat down on the bench too.
Surprised Dylan accepted the paper and looked at it. It was a black and white print that had the shape of a radar sweep.
An echo?
He looked at her questioningly.
"That was my baby. It's the only thing I got left. Every woman is generally proud to have such a photo, so did I. Every woman is happy to show her baby to her parents and I always imagined seeing my dad enter the room to look at my little one. Huh, I know nothing about dad! I don't even know if he's still alive. Even if he is, I don't know if he still remembers me! It's like a soap bubble. Pats, gone, just like my baby. Gone. The only thing I really had to myself! You've no idea of the urge you have to talk about it when you can't", she said deeply hurt trying to hold back her tears.
He put the photo on the coffee table and wrapped his arm around her. Kate snuggled against him.
"Shhht honey, I understand, everything's all right. No worries. It will be okay", he soothed her.
Damnit Dylan, mate, what are you saying? 'Everything's all right'. Idiot, how could it be all right? The baby is gone. Hmm. She knows that too because she's a clever woman, but right now she needs this kind of bullshit.
Moreover it has nothing to do with Mike anymore, she's just a mother mourning for the loss of her child.
She has the right to know that her dad is still alive. But how to tell her?
Kate straightened her back and took a deep breath.
"Thank you for listening. I'm glad I could talk about it. I was sitting on it for almost a year and I couldn't get out of it", she said faintly.
He gently stroked her back. "I understand, no worries", he replied hoping this was the right answer.
To his great relief, she smiled at him. "And I was brave. I didn't cry telling it", she said wiping away the teardrop that had escaped.
He tapped her thigh. "Indeed, you were. Coffee?", he asked.
"Yes please".
They chatted again for a couple of hours and it was almost midnight when he stood up to go back to his B&B.
"Thanks Kate for the dinner and for sharing your secret", he said while they were standing at the front door.
"Pleasure Dylan, and thank you for listening. You gave me the joy of live again", she replied.
"Well, I'm really happy to hear that, really", he said caressing her cheek.
He bent down slowly towards her and Kate lifted her head a little and their lips joined in a tender kiss.
They looked at each other.
"Dylan, let's get into the habit. When we're off duty, you come to dine at my place, ok?", she asked eagerly.
He smiled, "Yep, deal".
"Ok, see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, good night!", she said watching him go away.
How Dylan has reached the B&B, he couldn't remember. He was completely obsessed with Kate. He found himself on top of his bed staring at the ceiling.
She's so different from the one I knew on board. She was already an amazing woman, but now… she's so disarming, so open. The stern and firm executive officer is gone. A cute, lovely woman remained, but with a character!
Kate closed the door and headed to the terrace again to plop down on the bench. She kicked off her slippers and folded her legs under her. With a Mona Lisa's smile on her face she stared blankly into the night.
What a miracle for me to have met Dylan again! I thought that everything was stuffed up and bit by bit I'm regaining control of things again, even with some help from above, like Dylan. I can't help it, but I'm feeling butterflies in my stomach again. Am I not going too fast? No! In this place in the middle of nowhere you will not easily find a man who suits you. Don't forget your age too. In a few years you can also kiss goodbye to your dream of having a child. Use your loaf now Kate and don't have him slip away. He is your knight on his white horse. He's a good bloke and he loves you. Moreover, he dares to say what he feels for you. If you wanted to hear such words from Mike, you had to drag them out of him! Don't wait. Ask him to move in with you, tomorrow!
Yes, I'll do!
Kate stood up determinedly, slipped her slippers on, grabbed the tray with the empty cups and the coffee jar and padded inside.
To be continued