Ch 6. Fatal mistake
After a few minutes Maxine reached Mike's house. She stopped her car, got out and walked to the front door, looking disapprovingly to the high weeds in his garden.
Mike, buddy, if you don't have time to maintain your garden, why do you have one? You'd better bought a flat like me!
She rang the bell, once, twice, a third time and finally she bounced with her fist on the door.
"Mike, open the door, I know you're there. I hear music!", she yelled.
An instance later she heard someone stumbling to the door.
The door was opened and she could peer inside.
"Mike what the hell are you doing? The Hammersley sails within one hour!", she said angrily as she walked inside.
"A drink?", Mike slurred.
"Oh no! You mean it!", she exclaimed rolling her eyes.
He shrugged, "I don't give a damn anymore! It has no sense anymore without Kate", he mumbled as he shuffled back to the living room to get his glass.
"Oh f*ck man, you're tight drunk!", she said shocked.
She shook her head, threw her handbag on the table, grabbed his shoulders and pushed him towards the bathroom.
"Hey?", he mumbled.
Mike's bathroom has a walk-in shower. She pushed him inside and switched on the tab of cold water. The water started pouring down on him.
"Hey, jeez, that's cold!", he exclaimed and wanted to recoil, but Maxine pushed him back under the cold water and he touched by accident the switch to the rain shower. Suddenly the water was pouring down on them both.
"Oh you! Clumsy, you switched to the rain shower", she yelled.
The floor tiles got wet and slippery and Maxine felt that she became unstable on her high heels.
"Cold!", he yelled and he recoiled again and bumped to her. The bump and the slippery floor made that she slipped. Maxine lost her balance and felt on the floor on her bum.
"Damn you!", she yelled, and the water was still streaming.
"Close that bloody tap!", she shouted.
Mike turned and closed the tab.
He looked like a drown dog at a leaking Maxine who sat on the floor. She pulled out her dripping pumps and threw them angrily in the bathroom.
"Max", he tried to say. "I'm sor…. Ooh Mfbl….",
She looked up. "Nooooooo!", she screamed but, too late, he threw up on her.
"Ooooh you! Idiot! Couldn't you really reach the toilet bowl?", she yelled as she looked at the stinking mess on her.
Mike was leaning ash pale against the wall of the shower and didn't say anything.
"Open that tab again, then I can flush away this mess!"', she ordered.
As a beaten dog he opened the tab again and the water streamed down on them again.
After a few minutes she closed the tab and stepped out of the shower and Mike sank down against the wall on the floor.
Maxine started to undress her. Angrily she threw her ruined blouse and skirt on the floor. She glared around and saw a bathrobe. Then she started to untie her bra.
"Max, wha… what… are you … doing now?", Mike stammered.
"Are you blind? Undressing myself!", she snapped.
"But, …your undies… too?", he said as he saw how she stepped out of her panties.
"Come on Mike, don't play the saint now! We've made Ryan together, remember! And not that long ago, we've made love again before you reconciled with Kate."
He looked at her unhappily.
"I knew afterwards that it was maybe not the best solution, but we both needed a distraction after the bone test and the surprise that you are Ryan's real father", she said as she pulled on the robe.
"And now, big genius, you can see that, one, I have something decent to pull on and two, that you get to your ship asap!"
"Uh? In the wardrobe of my bedroom there're still things from Kate, for sure you'll find something", he said faintly, still sitting on the floor of the shower.
"Hmm", she grumbled as she threw him an angry glance before leaving the bathroom.
Somewhat later.
Mike was busy in the kitchen to make a pot of strong coffee. He has also left his clothes in the bathroom and he wore just a towel around his middle.
All of a sudden he heard Maxine yelling from out of his bedroom.
"Mike! Promise me not to laugh, otherwise I kill you and now I'm damn sure of what I'm saying"
"Uh? Why?", he replied.
"Don't argue! Just promise! And I don't want to see a smile not even the curling of the edges of your mouth!", he heard determinately.
"Yeah, ok, I give you my word as an officer.
He watched the door and saw Maxine entering. He couldn't help himself and a smile started to develop on his face.
"Don't you dare!", she said sternly, pointing her finger in his direction.
"You've found something?", he asked prudently.
"Great idea Mike! Congratulations! Kate's for sure one or two sizes smaller than I am and this is the only item that fits a bit. Even her underwear doesn't fit. I can't use it, thus this dress is the only thing that I'm wearing", she said unhappily.
He looked disapprovingly at her outfit and tried not to laugh, "Yeah a bit", he deadpanned.
Maxine had tried several items, but in vain. Finally she had pulled on a blue-grey sleeveless dress made of a stretch fabric. Unfortunately the fabric stuck extreme tight to her body like a second skin accentuating all her shapes, especially the places where she wasn't wearing underwear.
"I've made some coffee", he said sheepishly.
"Yeah, that's probably your most intelligent idea of today!", she grumbled as she sat down to accept a mug.
He sat down as well and held his mug with two hands.
"Thanks Max. I started to collect things from Kate and I needed a drink", he said faintly.
"A drink?! It snowballed, yes!", she snapped.
He shrugged.
"Listen Mike, it's hard, I know, but you have to proceed with your life. That's the reason that I send the Hammersley on patrol. It'll be a distraction for you all!", she said.
"Probably you're right", he said as he took another sip.
"Of course I am!", Maxine replied.
"Now, Mike, get dressed. You can't show up on Hammersley in a towel!"
He stood upright and walked to the bedroom.
"And hurry up! You'll have already an hour delay when we'll arrive there!", she said out loud. She finished her mug, stood upright, grabbed his as well and walked to the sink to clean them.
"And don't worry about the wet clothes in the bathroom. Give me your keys and I'll take care for it!", she yelled after him.
A few minutes later he was back, dressed in his whites with his briefcase and a sports bag. He gave her a set of spare keys.
"Right!", Maxine grabbed her handbag and groaned when she slipped in her still soaking wet pumps.
Quickly she hurried in her spicy dress to her car and they started the drive to the Navy base.
She drove into the base to the quay where the Hammersley lay. She noticed Nikki pacing at the bridge wing and Dutchy and a few others near the gangplank.
Maxine turned to Mike, "Here you go Mike. But, please, don't make a mess of it, because then, I can't help you anymore!"
He nodded, "Don't worry Max, I'll be fine", he said as he got out.
With fierce steps he walked to the gangplank.
Maxine sighed.
Can I have finally some time for myself now?
She put the gearbox in reverse and she leaned with her left arm over the back of the chair to drive backwards.
"Oh goddamn Mike! You nutcase!", she cursed as she saw his briefcase and sports bag on the back seat.
She turned off the engine and got out. She opened the back door, grabbed his things and started to walk to the gangplank.
At that moment she realized that she had made a fatal mistake.
She saw how Dutchy stared at her baffled with an open mouth, 2Dads had an evil grin on his face and Bird had slapped her hand to her mouth. She noticed also how Nikki leaned shameless over the railing to look closer.
Oh my god! How do I look like now?! How could I forget? Mike, you idiot, it's your fault because you forgot your bloody gear! I wished that I could disappear, now!
Maxine swallowed and she felt how she started to blush heavily, but she continued her walk to the gangplank.
"Ma'am?", Dutchy deadpanned.
"Your CO's gear!", she said with a poker face, but internally she was screaming to get away.
"Yes ma'am", he replied and she could see that he couldn't help himself how he threw a glance at her boobs which were accentuated under the tight fabric.
Maxine turned and tried not to run back to her car, feeling Dutchy's eyes on her bum.
With a fool mood she drove homewards.
When she entered her flat she noticed that Ryan had entered also and was waiting for her.
"Hey mum, you're home! Did you find Mike?", he said as he stood upright from the club chair.
"Yes dear, they've left, finally!", she said with a sigh.
He turned and saw her.
"Jeez mum, don't you think that you're a bit too old for this performance?", he said baffled.
She looked at him desperately, "Ryan, do you really want that I burst out in tears?", she said.
"Uh? No."
"Well, shut up then! And give me a sec!", she said and disappeared quickly to her bedroom.
A bit later she was back. She had put on a bright blue blouse, a dark blue skirt and bright blue pumps.
Ryan nodded satisfied.
"Hehe, that feels better!", she said.
"Mum, what was that all about?", he asked.
"Come, I need definitely a drink, a huge one, because if your dad continues like this, then he'll drive me nuts!", she said as she grabbed her handbag.
Mike had been looking at the maps to see where the patrol was going to lead to. Now he was leaning against one of the poles at the bridge, still struggling to get his brain clear. Nikki was on watch and she sat in the captain's chair. She was wondering why Mike hadn't claimed it yet and she looked around to see where he was. She saw him leaning against the pole and got upright to walk to him.
"You're ok boss?", she asked.
He shrugged, "When I say 'yes', then I'm lying".
"She can't be dead, she's alive!", Nikki said.
Mike got annoyed, "Nikki, don't fool yourself, she's dead.", he replied.
"I was there and I haven't see human debris!", she argued.
"X, accept it! Kate's dead!", he snapped louder whereby Nikki got irritated as well.
Dutchy has heard the discussion and padded to them, "What about Kate?", he asked.
"Mind your own business!", they both snapped.
This answer irritated Dylan too, "If you didn't know, but Kate is by accident also my business. I was her friend!", he snapped back hurtfully.
Mike and Nikki looked at him realizing that they were not the only ones with grief.
"Uh, sorry", Mike mumbled.
"Me too", Nikki added.
Meanwhile Charge had joined the group, "Hey guys, I understand that you're still upset about Kate, but you have to keep a ship together. I'm just a simple engineer, but the crew is looking at you three. Thus…", he said softly.
Mike nodded, "Yeah, you're right!", he said and he walked to his chair.
Nikki wandered to the maps to check the course and Dylan said something like 'making a tour over the ship for a check-up", before he walked down the staircase.
Later that night.
Petty-Officer Harpie who had become the new swain after Chris Blake, walked back to the cabin that he shared with Dutchy. He entered and noticed that there was no light, except for the small emergency light. He saw also that his cabin mate was already in his rack. He switched on the small light above his rack and in the faint light he saw that Dutchy's eyes were still wide open.
"You can't catch sleep mate?", he asked him.
"Nope", Dutchy answered wearily.
"Troubles?", Harpie asked again while he was undressing.
"Kate. I can't get her out of my mind", he replied.
"Yeah, I understand. She was a good officer, but I wasn't that close with her. You both were friends", Harpie said.
"Uh-hu. I haven't had the chance to say good-bye when she left on that mission. I'm also angry that I couldn't be there as well, then she was probably still alive!", Dylan grumbled.
"Or you were probably dead too now. You've seen what they have done to the other undercover agent?", he replied.
Dylan sighed, "Yes I know, but it still gives me a bad feeling. It's the second officer that I've lost. And especially her!"
"Listen mate, you couldn't do anything, so don't blame yourself. And what concerns Kate, it has no sense to tell you bullshit. It's going to be hard for you for a couple of weeks, but you'll survive. You'll succeed in giving it a place!", he said as he squeezed his shoulder before climbing in his rack.
"Yeah, you're right!", Dylan said. He kept on staring to the bottom of the rack above him until he felt asleep.
The same night, Maxine walked homewards after she had said goodbye to Ryan. She lingered in front of the front door of the house and she put her keys back in her handbag.
No, I need some space to think over.
She walked to the Esplanade and looked at the sea.
Pity, there's no moon, it's cloudy, warm and moist.
They all think that I'm a hard and tough commander, but you have to, certainly when you're a woman in that function, but all these events are consuming me.
…
What a turbulent week was this? I still can't catch it. A simple operation turned out in a disaster, with three killed people! Where under one murdered, innocent guy. Awful. It's not fair. To keep up appearance we have to silence about the murder and that asshole is still running around, free!
A lightning highlighted for a second the environment, followed by a thunder. Thick drops started to fall, followed by a tropical rain shower, soaking her in no time.
Oh no! Not a second time! Damnit. It's really not my day today!
She kept on walking.
It doesn't matter to look for a shelter. I was instantly soaking wet! I can't believe that Kate is no more. A good girl and she seemed to fit well with Mike, but it's over now and the poor sod is heartbroken. I really hope that it comes right and that Nikki keeps her head cool on board. But, my stomach feeling tells me that it won't.
I've gone thru a few sad periods in my life and each time I didn't saw them coming, but this one is different. I know that I walked into this one, but I don't know when it will end and I can't stop it and that makes me sad. I wished that I could talk to someone about it, but there's no one. I did to Ryan to a certain level, but I really can't express my feelings!
Maxine turned and started to walk homewards. The rain was still streaming down and raindrops were running down her cheeks, merged with her tears.
To be continued
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