Chapter 44
Three days later HMAS Childer left to resume the patrol for the next two weeks. In that same day, Mike and Kate arrived at NAVCOM with an asleep Emma in tow, the moment they walked into the main room they spotted Steve Marshal talking to one of the officers
"Sir? You got visitors," a Lieutenant said making Steve turn around and smile when he saw them.
"Mike! I was wondering when you were going to come."
"Well, we are here now," they shook hands
"Lieutenant," Steve greeted Kate.
"Sir. It's good to see you again." She smiled back.
"You too. How is Emma?" he asked looking down to a now awake baby.
"Good, she's good," Mike said picking her up.
"May I?" Steve asked extending his hands to grab her
"Sure"
Kate gave him a towel first, and he placed it on his shoulders.
"Yup, you wouldn't want a Commander uniform covered with baby slobber, right?" He joked before Mike finally gave him Emma.
Kate took that moment to look around and found that most of the personnel was looking at them with smiles until Emma started to cry and Commander Marshal started to rub her back gaining all the eyes on him.
"Can I have everyone's attention please?" Steve announced loudly. "I would like to introduce you to Emma Katherine Flynn, Lieutenant Commander Flynn, and Lieutenant McGregor's daughter."
Many of the personnel of NAVCOM walked forward to take a closer look at Emma and Kate, and congratulated them and grinned brightly noticing how truly happy Mike was. Kate heard the doors opening and turned around to see it.
"ATTENTION!" she called when she noticed who had just entered the room.
The others followed her glance and stood up saluting the person.
"At ease," the man said
"Admiral Brook, sir." Steve greeted him.
"Commander." He nodded. "Who's this child? And ma'am why did you saluted if you are not in the Navy?"
"Admiral Brook, sir. This is Lieutenant Kate McGregor, her husband Lieutenant commander Mike Flynn and..."
"Emma Flynn. Yes, I heard a lot about you all."
"Sir," Mike said
"Commander Johnson has been keeping me informed. You know, Lieutenant Commander, there's not a month that goes by that I don't hear your name or the things you've done."
"Sir?" Mike frowned in confusion, not knowing if that was a good or bad thing. The Admiral smiled.
"I heard all about you and your cowboy antics. I know all about them. If I must confess, I'm quite impressed by the way you manage to do your thing without stepping over the line. Keep doing things like that, son."
"Thank you, sir."
"Now, you, Lieutenant," Kate stood taller, "I've read your profile, and I'm fascinated with your record, it's been a while since the last time I found such an interesting career."
"Ah, thank you, sir," Kate said.
"Commander, shell we talk in your office?"
"Yes, sir." Steve returned Emma and the towel to the proud parents.
"We better get going, Steve, sir," Mike said as he and Kate saluted the Admiral and Steve
"Very well, week enjoy the rest of your leave."
"We will, sir," Kate turned the stroller around, and finally everyone else returned to work. Steve and the Admiral walked into Steve's office and sat down
"Is the Lieutenant Commander enjoying fatherhood, Commander?"
"Yes, sir. He is. There's been a talk between the patrol boats when they heard that he got married and became a father. They all thought he was married to the sea and the navy," the Admiral chuckled
"It was the same in Canberra, they all wanted to know who the woman was and wondered if she will manage to tame him," Steve smiled
"Only time will tell, sir. But I doubt you came all your way to speak about them, what can I do for you?"
Outside NAVCOM, Kate still was a bit livid with what had just happened. And Mike couldn't believe the Admiral knew about them, worried that he might drop Emma due to his dazzled state, he placed Emma back in the stroller, and they walked down to the waterfront.
"That was just…" Kate tried.
"Wow… I know." Mike nodded.
"The Admiral… sure that was a surprise."
"Yeah, I thought Steve was joking when he told us he kept a tab on us."
"But… now we know he is…"
"Yeah…" They walked a few more miles in silence before Mike turned towards her. "So, what now?"
"How do you feel about some lunch?"
"Why not?"
Over the next couple of weeks, Mike and Kate, took to heart the advice of enjoying their leave, they went shopping and walking around, and some days, they just remained home relaxing.
By the time the Challenger returned from their patrol, only three days had remained on their leave.
The day Childer was leaving for a month patrol, Kate and Emma were on the wharf in front of the boat. Mike was holding Emma in his arms before kissing her head and placing her carefully on her stroller he strapped her in safely.
He straightened and wrapped his arms around Kate's waist and kissed her. Her arms found his neck quickly and soon they were resting their foreheads together.
"I'm going to miss you and Emma," Mike whispered.
"We are going to miss you, Mike," Kate whispered back before kissing him.
"See you in a month," He said
"I'll be looking forth to it!" He turned to the bridge then back to Kate
"I'll better go."
"I know, love you."
"Love you too."
With a sigh, they disentangled themselves from the tight hug they were having, and Mike walked to the Childer. As he walked to the bridge, the gangway and ropes were removed from the wharf. Kate waved, and Mike did the same in return, and then, the Childer started to move away and slowly turned around heading out to sea.
Kate sighed already missing him. Biting her lower lip, she turned around pushed Emma's stroller to Mike's car. Once she unlocked the car, she moved to place Emma's car seat safely inside. With that done, she folded the stroller and placed it on the trunk and finally, she walked to the driver's seat. She turned to check Emma and found her peacefully asleep. Hours later they were on their plane back to Sydney.
During the course of the next three weeks, Kate managed to find a routine that worked for Emma and her, until she received an unexpected call.
"Lieutenant McGregor," the voice said. "It's Commander Johnson. Can you come into NAVCOM this morning?" she frowned.
"Yes, sir. I'll be there in an hour."
"Alright, see you then."
The call ended, and she grabbed the phone again making a call of her own.
"Hi mum, it's Kate," she answered to the greeting on the other side of the line.
"Kate, is everything alright? How's Emma?" Kate smiled
"Everything's fine. The reason I'm calling is that I was wondering if you wouldn't mind looking after Emma for an hour."
"When?"
"Ah, now?"
"Sure, I will love too. Why?"
"Commander Johnson wants to see me in an hour."
"Do you want me to come around or do you want to drop Emma off here?"
"I'll drop by."
"Alright then see you and Emma when you get here."
"Thanks, mum."
Out of the kitchen, she grabbed an empty bottle and then walked into Emma's bedroom to get ready a baby bag and grab the breast pump. Finally, she went to her bedroom where she used the pump to fill the baby bottle before she changed into her uniform. With that out of the way, she picked her hat and the bottle which she placed in Emma's bag and below the stroller.
Armed with all the thing she needed, she placed Emma on the stroller before walking to the phone and calling a cab. Soon she was pushing the stroller out of the door. Twenty minutes later, the taxi stopped outside Patrick and Michele's home. Michele walked outside just as Kate and the driver got out of the taxi.
"Hi mum," Kate waved while she picked the car seat out of the cab. Michele grinned brightly.
"Hi, let me," Michele said grabbing the car seat from Kate's hand. Kate moved to get the baby bag, and by then, Patrick had come out to see what was going on.
"Kate! How are you?"
"Hi Dad, I'm good."
"What can I grab?" he asked, and Kate gave him the baby bag. The taxi driver got the stroller out of the boot and unfolded it pushing it toward Patrick
"Here you go, sir."
"Thank you."
"I'll be back soon as I know what the meeting is about, mum."
"That's fine."
"There's breast milk in the bag; she's due to wake up in about half an hour."
"Ok dear, you'll better go. You don't want to be late for your meeting," Kate smiled
"That I don't. Thanks, mum."
Kate got back into the taxi and closed the door then she gave them a wave just as the taxi started moving back down the driveway and headed back into the city.
Three hours later, Kate pulled outside of her in-law's place. After her meeting with Commander Johnson she went home and got changed into regular clothes before she drove there, when she walked up the steps, she knocked on the door before opening it
"Hello! Mum? Dad?" she closed the door and walked down to the kitchen to see Patrick changing Emma diaper
"Kate! You are back! Is everything alright?" Michele asked
"Yeah," Kate sat down at the dinner table
"Would you like a cup of tea?"
"Yes, please." Michele walked into the kitchen to make a drink for Kate
"Mum? Dad? Have you two got any plans for the next month?" she asked sadly.
"No, nothing. Why? Are you being transferred to a frigate?"
"No, I got take an instructor training course at Watson bay for four weeks."
"So soon? You are still on maternity leave."
"I know, but this course is for both Lieutenants and newly promoted Lieutenant Commanders."
"Why Lieutenant Commanders?" Patrick asked picking Emma up. Before walking towards where the two women were.
"This course is done only three times a year and with twenty-four students by session. So, there are a some Lieutenant Commanders that can't participate due to their schedules; it's really hard to find a spot, and Commander Johnson managed to secure me one. He thinks that it will be a good move, considering it's not bad hours."
"How's that?"
"It's from nine to four, from Monday to Friday for a month."
"We don't mind looking after Emma, but we will worry about you, Kate," Michele said placing a plate of sandwiches and cup of tea in front of her.
"Don't worry; I'll be fine."
"Here you go, you probably haven't had any lunch."
"No, I haven't. Thank you," Kate picked the cup and took a sip of the drink while Michele sat down next to her husband looking at Emma who was awake looking at them.
"What are your plans this afternoon Kate?" Patrick asked
"I need to go to Watson bay to pick up the books that I need to study over the weekend before I start on Monday morning. Besides that, nothing much, why?"
"We can look after Emma this afternoon while you go and get the books you need" Kate smiled as she bit her sandwich.
"Thank you," Michele sniffed the air and turned to Patrick as he did the same before looking down at Emma with a frown.
"Emma! I changed you a few minutes ago!" Kate looked at them just as Patrick stood up and walked over to the window seat to get another diaper out which Michele giggling when she turned to Kate
"She's done the other end."
"Oh, I should have warned you about that. She did it to me the other day. I placed the clean diaper under her and still hadn't secured it when she did it" Kate said smiling
"Well, we are lucky you packed plenty of diapers then."
"Yeah"
"Woo! This is one smelly diaper, Emma!" Patrick said causing Kate and Michele to laugh.
Kate spent a couple of hours with Michele and Patrick before she left to go to Watson bay. After that, she spent the afternoon and dinner with them before leaving to return home with Emma.