Ch 7. In Flanders Fields the poppies blow…
Author's note
All the locations that I mention exist (except for the B&B). Feel free to use Google to look for them.
One year later.
24 April.
Belgium, Ypres, hotel Novotel
The sun rose above the city of Ypres in Belgium. As usual at that time of the year it was still chill but it looked to be a promising warm day. People were hurrying to their job, others were waiting for a bus and children were on their way to the school. But it was still too early for the battlefield tourists who were going to crowd the city during the day.
In the Novotel in an adjacent street of the market square a man who came from the other part of the world was still asleep.
The alarm clock went off and the man reached his arm to it to have it silenced.
He turned back on his back and looked how the light peaked through the curtains.
He looked at the alarm clock now to see the time.
"7.30. What time would it be in Cairns now? 8 hours later, thus … 15.30," he mumbled.
He took a deep breath and blew out.
"Ok! Mike Flynn, you have a job to do", he said more determined and stood up. He opened the curtains and looked at the street. A street with cobble stones, on the other side of the street there was a brick wall with trees behind it. The wall and the majority of the houses in the street were built with yellow-brown bricks and the houses had a saddle roof with red tiles.
"Nice city," he said faintly.
He turned and walked to the bathroom to take a welcome shower, but not before throwing a glance on the photo frame on the desk in the room. Kate was laughing at him in the white dress.
Later when he walked to the breakfast room where he composed his breakfast from the buffet. While he was cutting the bacon, he was planning his day.
Yesterday was awful, a jetlag of 8 hours! I was happy that I could get into my bed. Especially after those beers! Jeez, I never thought they were that strong! How do the Belgians call them? Duvel, Corsend.., Roche.. I don't know anymore. This morning I'll explore this city and the Flanders Fields museum. I need to know a bit what happened here during World War I before I attend the ceremonies . I'll use the afternoon to see where I have to be tomorrow for the Anzac Day. But, I still don't understand why Maxine was so keen to send me all the way to Belgium for a commemoration. She said 'It's now the turn for the Navy, last year it was the Air Force who participated to that ceremony. Ok, that's good, but why us in Cairns? And why me?
He grabbed one of the 'pistolets' like the Flemings called them.
Moreover it will be good for you to put your mind on something else'. Goddamn how can she know. She has to mind her own business! I can't and I will not forget Kate! Why for God's sake did she agree in that undercover operation. It turned out badly, like I feared and now she's gone! Gone!, Nothing! The entire boat exploded. Just now. Now that we found finally a way to see each other on shore outside our duty on board. We were almost engaged. The only thing that held us was the boat. A married CO and XO is not allowed under any circumstance.
He didn't notice how he crushed his 'pistolet' in his hand.
Ouch, damn, I've made of mess of my crusty breadroll
Absent-minded he started to eat the crushed 'pistolet'.
I also have to be at Tyne Cot Cemetery for the ceremony tomorrow but Maxine said that I have to go there today as well because I have to meet there a certain Miss Porter of the Commonwealth Graves Commission at 1500 hours. What does a Navy officer have to do with the battlefield of Flanders of World War I? 'Many of our soldiers are buried there and it's not that often that an Australian officer goes to Belgium' she said. So what? What can I tell that Miss Porter? Maxine was again on her best when she had mumbled something about a file and that I had to attend that meeting'. Miss Porter? Never heard from her before. I have to be at the stone of remembrance and she will recognize me. How? 'Do I have to wear a slough hat?', I asked Maxine, but she has ignored my sarcasm. She only insisted that I must be there.
Ok, what else can I do? It has to be a part of the travel I guess?
In the early afternoon he took his hired car and drove out of the city. When he drove under the Menin Gate where he passed that morning after his visit to the Flanders Fields Museum, he threw a quick look at the walls with the names of missing and shook his head in unbelief. He repeated some facts.
Inaugurated in 1927 and every day there's a last post at 2000 Hr, except during the last world war. Almost 55000 names British and Commonwealth soldiers who were missing on Flanders Fields until August 1917 are carved in the walls. It's built with red bricks and pale portland stones and it's a huge gate.
Mike arrived after twenty minutes at the Tyne Cot Cemetery and was not a little surprised after he entered the cemetery to see the amount of tourists that were visiting the largest British cemetery of the battlefield with almost 12000 graves. It was a splendid day, blue sky and a nice average temperature. He was a bit early and he wandered between the rows of headstones and along the wall with names of almost 33000 missing British and Commonwealth soldiers. These disappeared after August 1917.
Mike shook his head in unbelief.
What a mess!
At 3 o'clock he walked back to stone of remembrance and leaned against it. He sighed and enjoyed the sun. He tried to forget an instance his grief about Kate. He looked again at his watch.
3 o'clock. I'm wondering who that mysterious Miss Porter will be and what she wants from me.
He didn't notice that a woman has been observing him and finally she approached him. She stopped aside him at about 3 PM.
"Mister Flynn?" she said quietly.
Mike's heart stopped beating and he widened his eyes.
This cannot be true! I'm getting crazy. I'm dreaming. That voice!
He turned as quick as possible to her and looked straight in a pair of familiar green eyes.
"Kate!", he whispered.
"No, it's Helen," she replied dryly.
It's a mistake, it's someone who looks like her, flashed through his mind. No it's her, but how?
He saw the twinkle in her eyes and how a huge smile was developing on her face.
"But it's still the same person!", she said with that huge smile.
He grabbed her and enclosed her in his arms, not able to say anything. She wrapped her arms around his neck and was also not able to say something.
"Mike I missed you so. You've no idea how much!", she whispered after a while.
"Me too honey, me too," he replied softly.
After a few minutes he held her a bit away and looked at her. There were tears in her eyes. Her hair was a bit shorter and it had a darker shade, more yellow-brown instead of her golden shine. She wore a roll-collar jumper, a jacket of Scottish tweed, a jeans and her bare feet were in flat brown shoes with laces.
"You've changed Katie, what happened? What are you doing here? What…"
She put her finger to his mouth.
"Shht, easy darling, it comes right. I'm Helen Porter now. Kate McGregor died in that explosion."
"Then, … then you are in witness protection?"
"Uh-hu."
"Do you live here?"
"Yeah, they've given even me another nationality. I'm Belgian now."
"Jeez!", he said like he felt that everything slipped away.
"Come Mike, it's not that bad at all." She grabbed his hand. "Let's go home", she said and ushered him gentle towards the gate but he hesitated.
"Home?", he asked confused.
All of a sudden he saw fear in her eyes.
"Are you …?", she asked.
He felt that she was about to ask if he had a relation again.
"No!, I couldn't get you out of my mind," he replied fiercely.
"Our home!", she confirmed grabbing firmly his hand and she ushered him again to the gate. Now he followed her.
"And where's our home?", he asked her while they were walking back to the cars.
"Ypres. It's a small house that doesn't attract the attention at the Hoornwerk with a view at the Menin Gate."
All of a sudden she stopped and turned towards him. She looked at him with a glance he had never seen before from her. It was like she really wanted to look into his brain.
"Mike?"
"Kate?"
"It's Helen," she corrected him with a smile.
"Uh, yeah, sorry. What do you want to say?", he asked.
"I've got a surprise for you", she said and he could sense a certain excitement in her voice.
"Another one? You're already the greatest surprise I ever got."
"Wait and see!", she said with a mysterious smile.
When he saw the twinkle in her eyes, he knew it was going to be something special.
They drove back to Ypres, Helen first followed by Mike. They parked the car in the neighbourhood of the wet moat of the city and they walked through the Menin Gate towards the city centre. Almost at the market place she turned the first street to the left.
"Huh, that's almost nearby my hotel," he said surprised. Helen didn't say something, but her smile remained on her face.
A bit further they stopped at a crèche and they entered.
Mike looked at her with mixed feelings.
What do we have to do in a crèche?
"Ah! Dag mevrouw Porter, je komt ons schatje halen?" (Hi Mrs Porter, you're getting our darling?), the lady of the crèche greeted them.
"Dag Marianne, is ze braaf geweest?" (Hi Marianne, has she been cute?), Helen replied.
"Oh zeker." (certainly)
"Heeft ze goed gegeten deze middag?" (Did she eat well today?)
"Alles was op." (her dish was empty)
"Fijn, dat hoor ik graag.
Kom schatje en tot morgen Marianne."(Nice, I like to hear that. Come darling and see you tomorrow Marianne ), Helen said while she pulled up a little girl. She gave the toddler a hug and a kiss.
Mike was looking in shock from Helen to the little girl. She had black hair and blue eyes.
My god, is it…, that's me!
Helen turned towards Mike and said to the little one. "And what do you say to daddy?"
He swallowed. "I … I don't know what to say," he stammered. "Ours?", he said in unbelief .
"Yeah Mike, I was pregnant."
"I … I didn't know that. Since when?", he stammered and an alarm bell in his head told him that he was looking stupid at Kate with an open mouth.
Compose yourself man! There must be a logical explanation for this!
She sighed. "That a long story dear, but what do you think of your daughter, huh?"
"She… she's c..cute," he stuttered and he caressed hesitating the cheeks of his daughter.
The toddler was put in a pram and both left.
"How did you call her?", he asked.
"Kate", Helen said.
Mike widened his eyes. "Kate?"
Helen sighed. "There had to be a Kate around here. Something to catch from the past."
"The past?"
"Yeah the past. I can only look forward to a possible future." Helen said.
"A possible future?", he repeated confused .
She looked at him, her eyes were telling more than what you could say in words.
"You're repeating every word that I'm saying?", she replied with a twinkle in her eyes.
"I'm repeating...?", he started but realised that he was really repeating her words and swallowed the rest of his line.
Mike looked suspiciously at her, but didn't ask her more.
He walked next to her through the streets of Ypres towards the Menin Gate and looked how she pushed the pram.
Is this true? I'm dreaming and within a second I'm awake realising I'm in that hotel room. I found Kate back at the other end of the earth. She's Helen now and she has changed a little. And I discovered also that I have a daughter and she's mine. There's no doubt about it. She could have been cut out of me. What's next? Has she a friend? What about me? About us? 'A possible future' she said. What does she mean with that?
"You speak Dutch?", he asked her.
"Yeah. You remember that I have had always feeling for languages, not? Dutch is not that difficult you know."
He nodded.
Meanwhile they reached her house at the wet moat of the city wall, the Hoornwerk. She opened the door and pushed the pram inside.
He looked at the house. It was built with red bricks and a brown door with glass was on the left side. Right of the door there was a window with lead-glass. There was only one floor with two windows, also with lead-glass.
"Come", she invited Mike when she noticed he hesitated.
He entered and stood in the hallway and looked how she pulled out her shoes and how she hung her jacket on a hanger beam. She handed over him one as well.
"Uh, … yes, of course… yes", he hurried to say.
Helen pulled Kate's coat off, walked with her to the living room and put the toddler in the cot. Mike followed her a bit hesitantly and looked around.
Then she turned towards Mike and hurried to him. She wrapped her arms around him and they kissed each other passionately.
When they broke away from each other they gasped for air.
"I … I thought that I never could do this again," she said.
"Neither did I," he replied while holding his hands on her waist.
"Why are you smiling?" she asked him.
"You're dressed like it's winter," he remarked with a smile.
"It's the first time I see you in a jumper."
"When you're used to the climate of Cairns, you can't image how damn cold, chill and wet it can be here. We've had even snow and frost last winter", she said with a grimace.
He looked at her with a smile and he caressed uncontrolled with his right finger the little white scar on her lip. "That's new. How did it happen?", he asked tenderly.
She shook her head. "I'll tell you later on."
He nodded and smiled at her. "Ka… Helen. Aargh, It's weird to call you different."
"Darling you will have to get used to it," she said caressing his cheek. A drink?"
"Yeah, I need one, definitely!", he said relieved when he heard something normal.
"A beer? The Belgian ones are just great!"
"Yeah, that's ok. I experienced them yesterday evening already. I was quite thirsty and I've drunk a few, Duvel and … pfft I don't know anymore, but, wow, I was happy that I reached the hotel without accidents!"
Kate chuckled. "Yeah, these are quite different than our yellow water!"
A bit later when they sat next to each other at the couch in the small living room he shook his head. "It's weird. I find my Katie back at the other end of the planet and she's Helen now and I've got a daughter as well."
"You know darling, it was like honey to hear my own name again, but I'm afraid we have to forget that. I'm playing a high game due to the fact you're here now", Helen said as she put her hand on his thigh.
He frowned. "Tell me."
She tapped on his knee. "Later on darling. First our dinner. Oh, had you already planned something for tonight? I almost forgot to ask."
"No, nothing, I'm a tourist you know. Tomorrow I'm on duty on Anzac Day. Do you have to get out again to buy some?"
"Nope, yesterday I prepared a Flemish beef-stew. I'll serve it with frites."
"Ok but … uh it looks like ….uh… you expected me?"
Helen gave him a bone melting smile, "As a matter of fact, yes".
"Uh-hu"
How come? Maxine?
He looked around. "You live nice here."
The living room was furbished with a couch, a club chair, a coffee table, a dressing and bookcase. The style of the items was quite modern with a light sand coloured tint. The light colours made that you had the impression that the living room was bigger than it was.
"I've got a budget to settle down and the furniture is from Ikea. It's not that big, but it's fair enough… for now."
He noticed the hesitation by the last bit and looked at her.
"I'm going to cut the potatoes, enjoy your beer," she said and she stood upright to walk to the kitchen.
Meanwhile Mike looked around and tried to catch what was happening.
A bit later she noticed that he was looking how the little Kate was fiddling with a doll.
"You can take her, she's yours too, you know," she said encouraging him.
"Yeah, indeed," he said. He took the little one, gave her a hug, put her back down and looked at her.
It's still so weird. She's mine!
"She won't bite you know", Helen said from out of the kitchen.
"Yeah, indeed", he mumbled as he looked up at her.
"Smells good!", he said when he wandered in the kitchen. Mike got a smile on his face when he looked at her feet.
Still barefoot, that was already in Cairns and now here too.
He grabbed Helen in her waist and kissed her in her neck whereby she giggled.
"Without words", he whispered.
She turned her head into his direction and answered the hug with a kiss.
"I bought an appropriate wine," she said.
"Ah?", he said turning around and walked to the table.
He took the bottle from the table and looked at it.
"Kangaroo Ridge ?"
"Yeah, it will remind us a bit at home you see. Can you open it?" she asked from out of the kitchen.
A bit later when they sat at the table. Helen put a portion stew and frites on a dish and served him.
"Really, it's delicious," he said after he has taken a bite.
"Thank you. You know that it's one of the favourite dishes of the Flemings."
"Hmm, really? Then they must have a good taste!"
Mike nodded sipping from his wine. "You know, I never thought this would happen again, that you'll cook for us again."
"Well, I believe you and for me I've hoped that it ever would have happened again," she replied with a smile.
After a few bites, Mike couldn't help himself and started another subject.
"Darling, our date, was it a coincidence or orchestrated?"
Helen looked at him. "No Mike, it was not a coincidence. Your presence at the ceremonies is the cover."
He widened his eyes. "Please, explain."
To be continued