Chapter 39
The next morning Mike walked into Kate's condo. He was happy and tired, but the first thing he does was walking to the phone and place a call.
"Hello?"
"Hi dad, it's Mike."
"Hi, son. You sound tired; everything's okay?"
"I am tired. I just got from the hospital."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong, dad. In fact, everything's great! Emma Katherine Flynn was born at six zero eight this morning seven pounds six ounces, ten fingers, ten toes, blues eyes and blond hair and a good set of lungs."
"What a girl!"
"Who's on the phone?" Mike's mother asked in the background
"It's Mike. Kate had a girl this morning."
"Give me the phone! Mike! Such great news!" his mother said over the phone
"Yes, it is, mum! She was in labor for twenty hours."
"What's my granddaughter's name?"
"Emma Katharine Flynn, seven pounds six ounces."
"Wonderful, Mike. And how's Kate?"
"She's a true sailor, mum."
"Well, I can say I'm surprised. Have you called Hannah?"
"No, you are the first to know."
"Good. You sound tired; you should get some sleep."
"I will, mum. I need to make some calls first."
"Then I let you do it. Bye, Mike. Send our congratulations to Kate!"
"I will, bye mum."
He lowered the phone only to dial a new number. It ringed several times before he heard Hannah's hello.
"Mike! You sound tired."
"I am... auntie Hannah."
"What? Kate had the baby? When? What did she have? How much did the baby weight?" Mike laughed
"After twenty hours of labor, Emma Katharine Flynn was born at six zero eight this morning weighing seven pounds six ounces. And before you ask she has ten fingers, ten toes, my eyes and Kate's hair."
"I have a niece! Congratulations Mike!"
"Thanks, Hannah, mum and dad are happy."
"I bet they are! Sorry, I wish I could stay and chat, but someone has to take kids to school."
"Talk to you later."
"Sure, bye."
Mike made some other calls before he went to bed to get a few hours of sleep before returning to the hospital.
On HMAS Childers the SAT phone rang.
"HMAS Childers, Lieutenant Commander Thompson speaking," he answered the sat phone on the HMAS Childers.
"Yes, sir. Yes, sir, I'll let the crew know, sir. Thank you for calling, sir." Once he hung up, he picked the mic to the PA System and shaking his head he delivered the news.
"Here is the Captain speaking. I just received a call from commander Marshall from NAVCOM. Lieutenant Commander Flynn and Lieutenant McGregor are pleased to announce the safe arrival of Emma Katharine Flynn. Both mother and daughter are doing well, that is all."
"That's a great new, sir."
"Yes, X it is. Have you meet lieutenant McGregor?"
"Yes, sir. We went to ADFA together. She's the brighter officer I have ever known; she won the sward award when we graduated, sir."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Before I was assigned here she was teaching a navigation course, she one hell of a taskmaster and her nickname in ADFA is the perfect princess."
"Perfect Princess?"
"Yes sir, she got the highest score in Navy history, sir."
"How interesting and she married Mighty Mike?" X smile
"Everyone thought he was married to the navy and the sea, but we were wrong."
"You used to work at Canberra?"
"With Chief of the Fleet Dixon, sir. He told me he was shocked when he heard that Lieutenant Commander Flynn got married and to whom. He believed it was time for the Lieutenant Commander to settle down, he also hoped he could tame inner cowboy."
"Do you think that's even possible?"
"I don't know, sir. I used to think him getting married was impossible too." Then their radio operator walked onto the bridge with a piece of paper
"Sir, there's a mayday call" he passed the piece of paper to the captain.
Later that afternoon, Mike walked into Kate room. He stopped at the sight before him; Kate was sitting up in bed holding their daughter in her arms. She looked up and smiled when she saw Mike walking into the room.
"Hey, did you get some sleep?" Kate asked
"Yes," he said placing her bags down on a chair and roses on a table. Then he sat on the edge of the bed looking down at Emma who was awake. Kate moved Emma into Mike's arms.
"She is so beautiful, just like her mother," he whispered before looking up and kissing Kate.
"You think so, Mike?"
"Yeah, I do. The family sends their congratulations."
"Are they happy?"
"Ecstatic. Commander Marshall and the top brass also send their best wishes."
"That's nice of them."
"Yes, indeed. I spoke to Captain Thomas before coming here; he asked if Emma is going to join the Navy," Kate's eyes widened
"What? What did you say?"
"I said it would be up to her."
"And what did he say?"
"That if she does and takes after both of us… then God helps the Navy." Kate covered her mouth not to laugh so loud and scare Emma. "We are not that bad, are we?"
"Well, the captain thinks so and so does the Vice Admiral."
"Oh, well. As you said, it will be up to Emma in years' time, after all, she's only a baby."
"True."
Mike stood with them until the visiting hours were over, he kissed Kate before walking out of the hospital and going to the condo. The next morning when Mike walked into Kate's room he stopped in surprise when he saw flowers and helium balloons and cards every here.
"Wow!"
"Yeah, they all arrived this morning." She smiled.
"I guess they were right and the Navy grapevine is the best. They must have been busy since yesterday," Mike commented, and Kate laughed.
"Sounds like they were right."
"How's Emma?" He asked seating on the bed and kissing Kate.
"She's good. Dr. Knight said we could go home next week," Mike grinned
"That is great news!"
"Yes, it is."
That day, they bathed Emma for the first time with the nurse help. They laughed as soon as Emma was in the bath waving her arms and legs around.
"Looks like you got a water baby on your hands," the nurse commented with a smile.
"We know! Emma loved every time I had a bath or went swimming." Kate said.
After Emma had her first bath and was dressed, Mike carried her back to Kate's room and placed already sleep on the bassinet. Kate took off the robe and slippers she had before getting back into bed.
"Kate? I was thinking… how about after Christmas we go up to Cairns for a couple of weeks? We could bring the new year in while up there," Kate looked at him a knowing look on her face.
"You want to show off Emma," she told him raising her eyebrows making him grin.
"Well... yeah... that too. What do you think?"
"I don't know Mike," he held onto her hands
"If you do say yes, you'll get a chance to see Emma's bedroom," he taunted her.
"You finished?"
"Yup, so what do you say?" Kate let out a breath
"Ok." He leaned forth and kissed her.
"Good, you and Emma are going to love it!
"Is it like the one at home?"
"Yes, and no"
"Mike," she said in a warning tone.
"Trust me." He was about to lean to kiss her thoroughly when there was a knock on the door, with a dramatic sigh, Mike got up of bed and opened the door. There was a young guy in a Navy uniform carrying three bags and a big bunch of flowers in his arms.
"Can I help you, Midshipmen Thorpe?"
"Are you Lieutenant Commander Flynn, sir?"
"Yes, what can I do for you?"
"I received an e-mail message from my father; you served with him on HMAS Childers? Andy Thorpe or Charge."
"Ah, yes! Are you his Jamie?"
"Yes, sir." He said blushing a little. "Is your wife resting?"
"Come in."
"Thank you, sir." Mike opened the door wider so Jamie could walk into the room
"Ma'am, congratulations."
"Thank you," Jamie walked over to a spot on a table and put the flowers down on it. Then he walked over and gave Kate the three bags
"These gifts are from Hammersley and Childer crews. Dad asked me to get them soon as they heard you got a daughter."
"Thank you. Please sit down."
"Yes, ma'am." Jamie sat down just as Kate opened one bag and looked at what was in it. She pulled out a teddy bear wearing a sailor suit
"I love it, what do you think Mike?" she showed him the bear
"Whose idea was it to get this?"
"It was a vote between the two boats on what to get your daughter," Jamie explained as Kate opened the second bag and pulled out baby sailor suits in green, yellow, blue, pink and orange. She showed them to Mike. Before she opened the third bag and pulled out a forty centimeters pink care bear with two hearts on it. Kate look at the tag that was attached to it.
"Love a lot bear," She passed it to Mike with a small smile.
"Thank you, Midshipmen Thorpe, and when you send a message to Charge, thank him and ask him to thank the others on our behalf."
"I will, sir. He also said they want photos to know who she looks like." Kate covered her mouth while laughing and Mike shook his head grinning
"Let me guess. That was Charge or Buffer requests."
"Both, sir. Buffer wants photos and dad wanted to know who she looks like, sir." Mike shook his head
"Tell them they will have to wait until my return."
"Yes, sir. I'll pass the message. I'll better go," he stood up. "I hope Emma will enjoy her gifts."
"She will and thank you," Kate said. Jamie nodded before turning to Mike
"Sir, it's an honor to meet you."
"You too. You do look like your father."
"Younger, sir."
"True, what ship are you on?"
"HMAS Darwin, sir. I start next year on her. Now, it's in dry dock for repairs."
"I served on Darwin fifteen years ago."
"Did you, sir?"
"Yes, after I did my rotation on a patrol boat."
"I don't know where they are going to put me after being on HMAS Darwin, sir."
"That's how the Navy works. Good luck"
"Thank you, sir. Ma'am"
They waited for Jaime to leave the room before they chuckled.
"You still want to go to Cairns after Christmas Mike?" she asked.
"Yes," They talk for the rest of the day until a nurse kicked Mike out of her room at the end of visiting hours.