Ch 20. The turning point

One year passed.

It was a typical day of a Belgian summer. Sunny with clouds, 25 degrees in the sun and a faint breeze. The high season had been good already, fully booked and 25% of the guests were Australians and New Zealanders.

Just for noon, Helen was looking at the booking list at the desk. Mike walked to her. He put his hands in her waist and tickled her with his fingers.

"Hey, stop that, it tickles", she replied while she straightened her back and leaned backwards to his chest.

"It's almost a year ago that Maxine and Andrew were here", he said.

"Yeah, and it's good to keep in touch with Skype, emails and birthday cards" she replied still leaning against him.

He sighed. "It's also a year ago that Oakes tried to kill you. Do you still suffer from it?"

She went on her own feet again, turned to him and shrugged. "It's like one of the many bad memories from the past. I locked it away."

"Yeah that's the best thing you can do", he said nodding. "By the way, who are our next customers?"

"Indeed, I was looking at that until someone interrupted me", she said with a smirk.

"Three people, a family. Again compatriots. Oakes didn't lie. It looks like we're the only B&B in Europe for Aussies."

"Is there a chance we know them?", he asked.

"Nope. They call Denton. It doesn't ring a bell to me. They'll arrive today."

"Right. I'll check that room again", he said and turned towards the staircase to the rooms. Helen threw a last look at the booking list before she walked to the kitchen.

Just after noon they heard a car stopping in front of the B&B. A middle aged brunette with some silver shade in her pony tail got out. She put her hands in her waist and looked at the house. Meanwhile a teenager and her husband got out as well. The man had pepper and salt coloured hair and he walked to the car trunk to get their luggage out.

Helen padded outside to greet the new comers. She saw the woman and she froze at the spot, her mouth opened to say something, but there was no sound.

"Nikki!", she croaked out and hurried to her to embrace her.

"My God, I missed you so much!", she sobbed.

"Me too Kate, me too", Nikki said softly. "Damn! I can't keep it dry!", she muttered as they broke apart and she wiped her tears.

Then Helen noticed Nikki's husband who showed her a hug grin.

"Pete! You?! Oh my God! I can't believe it!"

"You'd better start doing that Kate", he deadpanned.

Helen walked to him and embraced him also.

"It's good to see you again", she whispered.

Helen did a step back and wiped her tears as well. "I still can't believe it", she mumbled.

"But why Denton?", she asked.

Nikki shrugged. "Surprise", she said with a grin.

"You're barely changed", Nikki continued.

Before Helen could say something Nikki raised her hand. "Don't say, I know. I've got some extra pounds and I can't get rid of them", she said with a smirk tapping on her waist and belly.

She turned to her husband and her son.

"You could guess it already, we're married and he's our son, David."

They shook hands and at that moment Mike got out as well.

"Nikki! Pete!", he exclaimed with a radiant smile. He walked to them with open arms to embrace them.

"Hey Mike", Nikki said seriously as she did a few steps in his direction, " but first, this!".

"Uh?", he reacted not fully understanding her reaction.

Nikki gave him a fierce slap on his left cheek.

"Uh?", Mike mumbled again comforting his glowing cheek.

Helen looked startled with an open mouth at the scenery.

"That's for leaving me 15 years ago without saying a single word, like a coward! We were friends you know and you just vanished. Afterwards I've heard you've given a goodbye drink. An me huh? Not important enough?", she said hurtfully.

"Uh, sorry Nikki, back then, I didn't want to make it worse, you see. Really", he stammered.

"Not making it worse huh? Well I can tell you that it was the last straw for me. First Josh and when I finally was over it, Kate died and when I convinced myself that everything was going to be right, then all of a sudden you disappeared. Well I had a break down afterwards and I was three weeks out of order and at the end I had made up my mind. Nikki had died as well and I've reinvented myself. Nobody was going to make me upset again. They were not going to frighten me again, not even that queen of a Hot-Max, no way! I had already experienced too much in a short time and I had resolved that I would pay you back whenever I would see you again. And now we're even Mike", she said looking determinedly at him.

"I'm sorry Nikki, I wasn't aware that it would have had such an impact", he said ill at ease.

Helen walked slowly to him. "Mike?", she said dangerously calm, "Have you really left Cairns without saying anything to her?"

"Uh, I told, just a second ago", he said hurtfully.

Helen shook her head, "Oh Mike, once I've called you an emotional coward and now I know I was more than right back then. You really may be happy that you don't get a slap from me too!"

Mike looked at his wife opening his hands like what-can-I-say.

Then he looked at Nikki, "thus our friendship is stuffed up?"

"Don't be daft mate! We're even now", she said as she embraced him.

"A drink after you unpacked? I'll show you your rooms", Helen said sensing that the storm was over.

"Yeah! Good, I'm almost dried out", Nikki said.

"Yep, sounds good", Pete added.

When they walked inside Pete whispered to his wife, "Baby, were you not a bit too harsh?"

She gave him a surprised glance, "too harsh? No, I've acted like a soft egg now!", she replied and Pete lifted his eyebrows.

Somewhat later Nikki and her family entered the terrace to choose a table. Helen, Mike and Kate joined them with some drinks.

"Nice place! Well done", Nikki said as she looked around.

"How did you meet each other again?", Helen asked.

"Incidentally in fact", Pete replied, "It was my first day again in Cairns. They needed an experienced NCO at Navcom and I was posted there as chief petty officer. We literally bumped into each other. Our CO here came almost running around the corner and ran straight into me. She had mumbled something as 'sorry' and hurried further. She hadn't even recognized me. Can you imagine? I said, 'you don't know humble sailors anymore' and she turned angrily to see who was that shameless… Ai!", Pete grumbled as she gave him a slap on his thigh. "Her facial expression changed when she recognized me. Nik was in a hurry to see Hot-Max and she said that we had to catch up with a coffee after the meeting. And that was the start of everything", Pete said gently squeezing her thigh.

"Oh yeah, I remember that moment, just like yesterday. That man taunted me with his 'humble sailors' and I wanted to give him a dressing-down that he would remember for the rest of his life", Nikki added with a twinkle in her eyes.

"And I still remember it!", Pete grinned.

"Great! Just a fairy tale", Helen replied.

"What are you doing actually?", Mike asked.

"I'm commanding the Hammersley and Dutchy is my XO, but I'm persuaded that he's not far away anymore from his own command."

"Maxine was here with her friend last year and she has mentioned that.", Helen replied.

"Yeah indeed. Maxine discovered that he was a capable man and she has sent him to an officer's training. After two years he came back to Cairns and first he served as a navigator on the Bundaberg. Next he followed some extra trainings and Maxine had made him my XO. She thought that putting him on board of the Hammersley again was the best choice and for a single occasion I was agree with her", Nikki said with a grin.

Mike nodded, "Indeed, I remember that he left for the training."

"How did you find us?", Helen asked.

"Gosh! That's a long story! Initially I was shocked. I lost a second good friend in almost no time, but a stomach feeling told me that there was something dodgy going on with it because your body was simply not there! I saw the debris of that boat you know. Completely burned they've said afterwards. My ass! There's always something, but here not, thus. Although there was a funeral and a ceremony with a coffin all of a sudden! Probably with bags of sand. A real ridiculous comedy.

When I continued nagging they kept on telling me the same and, yes, I admit, at the end I believed it. And I guarantee you, I didn't feel well. Then Mike disappeared. I don't want to be remembered to that period again. I think that Kleenex had made a fortune with me!". Nikki took a deep breath, "Ok. When I was back again a human being, I started digging. Again Maxine didn't want to tell me where Mike went to, but finally she admitted that he was transferred to Perth. I didn't believe a damn of it. When I asked some people in Perth they never have heard about a Commander Flynn yet, and there are not that much commanders huh?", she said slightly shrugging.

Nikki noticed how Helen's eye slit over her body.

"Don't look at me like that Kate, I know that I became a sturdy woman. Too much good food and sweets and too less movement in that captain's chair", Nikki said with a smirk.

Kate looked surprised at Nikki and Nikki frowned by her reaction.

Helen noticed that as well, "It's Helen Nik, I've called our daughter after me, Kate" Helen said.

"And I wasn't looking at you due to ... uh" Helen continued ill at ease.

Nikki laughed. "Don't worry, I was teasing you. I don't give a damn what they think about me, you know!"

"Yeah, and then Perth?" Mike was putting her back on track.

"Yeah! Perth. No Mike over there, thus me back again to Maxine. She kept on saying that she didn't know. I became angry and told her that that was complete bullshit and that I finally wanted to know the truth. She threatened me with a captain's table about using the wrong syntax but I replied her that that was also bullshit. The more I told her that Hammerley was not going to sail until I knew where you both were. My god, you had to see her face! Priceless, really! I think she was at the verge of a heart attack. She yelled and shouted at me but I stuck to my guns. She twisted in all directions but finally she admitted that you both were together, only I didn't know where. At least I've got a victory. I kept on nagging and each time she was happy when I was back at sea. Not that we've bitten each other's head off when we saw each other, but you know, we have different opinions. One day, when I entered her office for a chat, I saw your leaflet about Flanders Ridge on her desk. I couldn't help myself and grabbed it before she could put it away and saw your photo in it. Then she told me the entire story. As easy as could be huh? "

Mike and Helen roared with laughter. "Now we understand the reluctance of Maxine when we talked about you."

"Yeah, indeed, almost each time when we see each other we have an argument about something and each time I'm right", Nikki chuckled.

"Hey, why are you both laughing again?" she asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Nikki, you've changed after all these years, you're not anymore the prudent Lieutenant from then", Helen said.

"Yep, you're right. More people say that. I've changed more than I thought. But uh, you both started with it, a very good apprenticeship. Being perfect and having the guts and Knocker knows it. Actually I'm the senior of the patrol boat commanders in Cairns and the second in command of Navcom. Hot Max can't do me much."

Mike filled the glasses again and Helen passed a tray with snacks.

"You called her The Queen and Hot-Max", Helen asked.

I want to hear her version of that story.

"That was really great! The first day after your so called death we had to leave. Mike didn't show up and I contacted Maxine. A couple of hours later she dropped him at the quay."

She looked at Mike, "Sorry to say but you stank a couple of hours to Whisky big fella."

She looked again at them both, "But you had to see Maxine, a dress, a couple of sizes too small and no undies. I don't know where she came from but it was hilarious", Nikki told and she roared with laughing.

She got serious again and frowned, "The Queen, of course, nothing is good enough. Barking orders and she has always comments on what we do at sea. But she's safely behind her desk, and we have to pick up the pieces huh", she grumbled.

"Oh, I'm wishing to be there so I can see her face", Helen said laughing.

Nikki looked all of a sudden in the direction of Kate and David and she motioned to them with her head. Both were chatting to each other and they forgot all the rest.

"Hmm, they seem to understand each other good."

"Yeah apparently", Mike added.

"How old is Kate?", Nikki asked.

"Almost 16", Helen said.

"Yeah, David is almost 15. Nah, holiday lovers, you know that", Nikki replied uninterested.

"How was Maxine when she was back about a year ago?", Mike asked.

Nikki rubbed her chin, "Hmm, let me think. … Confused. You would expect a more cheerful person after a holidays, but she gave me the impression that she needed a holidays. She was distracted, not always to the point. Weird. It was like she was concerned about something. I knew she went to you, but uh… did something happen when she was here?"

Helen made a face. "The chief of the smuggler gang was here at that time. He caused some troubles and Maxine helped us out."

"Hmm, this is another piece to the puzzle. When I asked her what the matter was she said she was fine and that she had resolved the problem that the Fed's couldn't. Very strange. Does this ring a bell to you?", Nikki asked.

Both shook their head as innocent as could be. "Nope, nothing."

They chatted for hours. Days passed and finally the Tomasewski family had to leave.

They all stood together, luggage stored in the car, not really knowing how to end it. It was Mike who started the first.

"Right, Nikki, Pete, David, thank you for coming. It was fun to see our friends again."

"Yeah, for us too. I'm so happy to see you both finally together", she said while she embraced him. Next she took Helen's shoulders with her both hands. "Well I really hope that it will not take another 15 years before we see each other back," she said with glassy eyes.

"No, certainly not Nik. Actually we have enough communication tools to keep in touch", Helen said huskily trying to keep strong.

Both looked at the youngsters.

"Hmm, they can get alone with each other huh?", Nikki remarked.

"Oh, holidays lovers, within two weeks they see somebody else", Helen said shrugging.

"All right, see you! We have a plane to catch!", Nikki said stepping in their car.

Mike wrapped his arm around Helen's shoulders when they looked how the car drove away.

Helen swallowed and took a deep breath. "I can't get used to it", she said difficultly.

"You'll see, we'll see them back sooner than you think", Mike replied.

"How?"

"Don't know, just a stomach feeling."

"I know your stomach feelings, a good Flemish stew and a good Trappist", she replied with a smirk poking him.

"What's the matter?", she asked him because he kept on looking in the direction where the car has left.

"Hmm, she isn't the same anymore. Not in a bad way, but she has changed", Mike said.

"Yeah, not even a little bit. More confident, nothing can hold her, I would say. Honestly, if I wouldn't know it's Nikki, I wouldn't recognise her anymore", Helen added.

To be continued