Missing you : Chapter 6 : Mike part 3

Brisbane International Airport, April 2003

Flight Sergeant Patrick Friedrich, the paramedic, walked along side Mike as he was pushed in a wheel chair. Patrick was very happy to be back in Australia even if it was for only a couple of days before he'd have to head back to the Gulf. This trip had been a very pleasant milk run for a change, with nice food and a beer, unlike his previous four medical evacuation trips back to Australia on the big lumbering and noisy Hercules planes. The Navy officer he'd been watching had been fine only calling for something to stop the itching in his leg. Unfortunately there was nothing that he could give him to alleviate that problem. They'd passed the time comparing the RAAF with the Navy among other typical topics.

Mike avoided the stares from the people waiting in the arrival terminal as he was wheeled up the ramp and into the arrivals lounge. He was tired, stiff and sore. Thirteen and a half hours on a cattle class plane seat would do that even to the fittest person let alone someone like him who'd hit a stationary object at 70 km/hr ten days ago.

The flight from Dubai had been interesting to say the least. With most of his face still one big nice rainbow coloured bruise, his forehead bandaged, and his leg in plaster, he must've looked quite a sight. God only knew what the fellow travellers had thought happened to him but with a RAAF paramedic, in uniform, accompanying him home, he assumed that most would say he was military.

Mike hadn't slept at all. His leg in plaster itched and there was nothing he could do about it. But he was also embarrassed because Qantas, in their infinite wisdom, hadn't let him walk off the plane. He'd had to wait until all the other two hundred passengers had disembarked before they'd brought the special wheelchair just for him. It was so embarrassing. He wasn't a cripple.

Helen Flynn's hand flew to her mouth. Her hand squeezed her husband's hand.

"Dear Lord," Stephen, Mike's dad, whispered.

Both were shocked beyond belief. For the first time they'd seen their son in nearly five months. Their imagination of his injuries paled in comparison to seeing the real thing.

The last fortnight had been difficult rollercoaster for Mike's parents. It had begun when the two Navy officers had come to their house. At first, Stephen had thought the worst that Mike had been killed, but had been quickly reassured when the Navy officers had told them Mike had been seriously injured. It was only when Mike called them himself that they'd been a little more relieved. But now their anxiety increased when they actually saw Mike's bruised and battered face.

Patrick saw what he took to be Mike's parents slowly come toward them. Their shocked looked on their faces worried him. It was obvious that he hadn't told them how badly he'd been injured. "Sir?"

"Oh?" Mike saw his parents move through the throng of passengers happy to home, and loved ones greeting them toward him. "Right."

"Michael …" Helen couldn't finish. Tears instantly welled up in the eyes and she made no effort to wipe them away. How close her son had come to death was clear and how much had he sugar coated it for her and Stephen? It was clear by his head injury, and the travelling medic accompanying him.

Stephen wrapped his arm around his wife, reassuring her. It took all his effort not to be overcome with emotion too.

"Mum, please don't cry." Mike reached his hand out, holding her hand, heart broken that he was causing her so much pain. Seeing his mum cry was so much worse than anything that he'd felt in last ten days. "I'll be all right."

"Let's get you home, Mike." Stephen nodded to Patrick and the Qantas helper and they wheeled Mike out to the car.

Queensland Government House, Brisbane, November 2003

Standing in a corner, Mike sighed wearily, watching the party in full swing around him.

Mike was very thankful he had only one more week to go as aide de camp to the Queensland Governor despite being in the prestigious and opulent surrounds of the Government House. Like his only other shore posting, he'd hated this one too as he'd rather been at sea.

His year long tour as ADC had been cut short because there had been a sudden opening in the PWO course in Watson's Bay the following week. Soon he'd be completing the final two modules and then he'd be back at sea, hopefully captaining a patrol boat. He'd been dreaming about going back to sea for nearly a year ever since his injury in the Gulf.

Looking around at all the rich and famous guests, there was no way he'd miss this part of his ADC job, having to meet and greet and be pleasant with all these vacuous and inane people. Thankfully, the Governor's private party would be his final formal act as an ADC.

Hearing her Excellency's raucous laugh, Mike turned around. Governor Quentin Bryce was in her element, socializing with the well heeled of Brisbane, a glass of white wine in her left hand that she rarely sipped from, and all the while gesticulating happily with her right hand. Many of the public servants couldn't stand how much of a control freak their governor was but Mike had formed an understanding with Ms Bryce. He'd just got on with his job, doing it the best he could without her interference, unlike some of the other public servants who'd hadn't the intestinal fortitude to stand up to the Governor.

Mike groaned.

There was one thing that the governor had kept trying to do for as long as he'd been her ADC and she was doing it again. It seemed her favourite sport was setting Mike up with company. Subtly, Quentin had tried all types – blondes, red heads, and even once a man, but Mike just politely declined them all.

He watched as a shapely and beautiful brunette was sent in his direction. Mike looked directly at the Governor and rolled his eyes.

Ms Bryce raised her glass to him.

Shaking his head, Mike was just not interested in the woman, or any other woman.

Mike nodded his head automatically as though he was paying attention but his mind wasn't on the party or on the obviously flirting woman standing in front of him. It was firmly on the PWO course, both professionally and personally. He was having enough trouble contemplating having to go back to Watson's Bay and the memories of the last time he'd been there. Charles Dickens had said it perfectly. 'It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.' The bad times were all of his making.

For some reason the temperature the state room soared and the air seemed to be sucked out of the room.

Unable to breathe, Mike tugged at the collar of his dress whites to get some relief but to no avail. He politely excused himself to get some air.

HMAS Kuttabul, Potts Point, Sydney, February, 2004

Sitting in the office of the Maritime Commander, Lieutenant Mike Flynn waited for the Vice Admiral to finish his phone call.

Mike wasn't nervous; it was just the anticipation that was killing him. He knew he'd done very well in his PWO course and so it was up to the Navy as to where they sent him next. He had his preference but it may not be up to him.

Distracted by the growing ache in his left leg, Mike stretched it out. He hadn't pushed too hard on his run this morning. Hopefully he hadn't done anything to it...

Rear Admiral Gates put down the phone. "I apologize, Lieutenant. I'll have to make this quick." Ray would've preferred to talk to each of his future COs in detail but time was against him. Flynn's preference wasn't what most officers would choose but Ray knew Flynn's past with the patrol boat fleet and a certain boat, and so he was happy to oblige as he'd more than deserved it. He passed Mike a packet. "You are being promoted and you are being posted back to Border Protection and onto HMAS Hammersley. Congratulations, Lieutenant Commander." Ray stood up and thrust out his hand.

In shock, Mike stood up and shook hands. "Thank you, sir." Only in his wildest dreams had he ever thought he'd be back on Hammersley. He saluted and walked out of the building like he was floating on air.

A few days later, Club Blue, Manly, Sydney, February, 2004

The impromptu party was winding down. The table was full of empty glasses and beer bottles. It had been a good night and Maxine White and Mike Flynn were the only two left.

Maxine was more than a little tipsy but not enough to see the blindingly obvious. The blonde by the bar had been gawking at Mike for half an hour, suggestively flicking her hair and even licking her lips. The hussy, Maxine thought, but it was Mike's party, promotion and his first command don't come every day. He should have some fun.

Mike sipped his beer oblivious to everything around him. Maxine had ordered him out and so he went. He was still floating on cloud nine.

Maxine elbowed Mike, harder than she wanted making him jump a bit. She slurred into his ear, "She wants you."

"Er?"

"The blonde."

Mike looked over the top of his beer. She was gorgeous. "Right? You think so?"

Maxine shook her head; he really couldn't read women very well. "Mike, you're hopeless. You're gorgeous."

Mike looked more confused.

Maxine put his drink down. "She definitely wants you." Maxine stood up and dragged Mike up with her. She straightened his shirt collar. "Go. Have some fun."

"What about you?"

Maxine smiled. Mike had always been a good friend, helping out when he could especially with Jeff in the Gulf. Ryan was staying at her parents place, and so she'd enjoy a nice sleep in for a change. "I'm a big girl, Mike. I'll get a taxi home."

"If you're sure."

"I am. Go." Maxine then pushed Mike toward the blonde women.

Reaching the bar, Mike smiled, "Hi, I'm Mike, …"

After a brief bout of small talk, they both knew what they wanted and left the bar.

A week later, Lorne Cemetery, Lorne, Victoria, February 2004

As General Peter Cosgrove prattled on, Mike was beginning to think he should burn his copy of Dickens' Tale of Two Cities. The opening line was haunting him again.

This last fortnight should have been the best of times with his promotion and his first command. He certainly wasn't expecting the worst of times. He still couldn't believe his best friend, Jeff had been killed. But worse was to come.

Telling Maxine had been the hardest thing he'd ever done. Nothing in his training could have prepared him for the utter grief on Maxine's face and his inability to find the words to console her or Ryan. In the end, he'd held them both in his arms until they cried themselves out and he'd cried with them.

And as they sat at Jeff's funeral, he sat holding Maxine's hand in one and sitting next to Ryan, supporting them both, Mike thought about the horrible blur that had been the last week.

The last part of his promotion party had been a fizzer. He'd sobered up as soon as he'd gone outside and especially when the blonde woman had started prattling on. Despite her obvious attributes, he wasn't that sort of guy to have a one night stand. He'd paid for the taxi to take her home but hadn't gone with her. The next day, he'd received the dreaded phone call from the Navy. He'd been with Maxine since he'd told her, sorting out the bureaucracy, helping with the funeral arrangements, meeting Jeff's coffin at Point Cook, and with her mother, providing she and Ryan with food. Maxine had hardly slept. He'd seen the full gamut of human emotions from her during the last week. Rage, anger, revenge, sadness but the despair that had been permanently etched into Maxine's face had been the hardest to face. There nothing he could say or do to alleviate the pain.

The rest of the funeral passed like in a haze too.

Maxine's parents had taken Ryan and Maxine to Jeff's parent's home and he was left staring out to the dark angry Bass Strait. Rain started to fall but Mike didn't care. Maybe it was better if he had no one in his life. He'd been shot at and stabbed on several occasions in his time in the Navy and nearly died on that RHIB crash. How could he put anyone through what Maxine was going through at the moment? He knew he couldn't.

The sea breeze whipped up and filled his lungs and his heart, healing the pain he'd felt for his friends. He'd settle for the sea as his lover having no desire to hurt anyone else. He'd already done that once before.

TBC