The Recruit
Chapter 3
Christine knew she had been wrong to keep the girls from Mike. She also knew, it was only a matter of time before Mike found them with Katie attending the Academy. She had not anticipated him pulling her in for a hug.
He smelled the same. For the most part, he looked the same, other than being older. He was the same with Hannah. With Katie, he was keeping a professional distance. She just hoped that he didn't forget that Katie needed him too.
Christine was glad that she had fixed a soup that could stretch. She just ate a little less. After dinner, both girls went upstairs to work on homework so Christine began clearing dishes and cleaning up. Surprisingly, Mike began helping her.
"So, Katie and I haven't had much of a chance to talk. Where have you been?" Mike asked as he dried dishes and put them away in her small kitchen.
"A little town in Tennessee." Christine answered.
"Couldn't you reach out?" Mike asked.
"Honestly, yes. But, by the time news started coming through; it was about the same time you were taken POW. I thought it was best to stay hidden and start going by my maiden name. It was obvious you and your crew were being targeted." Christine explained.
"That's plausible." Mike said.
"Then you all become like celebrities. I remember Hannah playing with friends and coming home with a card, like a baseball card, with your photo on it and all your career achievements. Nothing about your family. Just what you had achieved." Christine continued.
"And you didn't want that for the girls." Mike said.
"Precisely. Was I wrong? Probably. But, they had a semi normal childhood." Christine said.
"Only without me." Mike answered sharply.
"Mike; if you had found us, would you have been home? Would you have retired?" Christine asked.
"True." Mike admitted.
"And now you are the head of the entire Navy. I'm assuming you aren't a regular instructor at the Academy?" Christine asked.
"No. I am just filling in for Tom." Mike answered.
"And once he's back?" Christine asked.
"Well, before I was going to move on with my life, or my career at least. Now, I'm not so sure." Mike admitted.
"All that I will say to that affect is to tell you a quote from a book that I read recently, a Nicholas Sparks book called 'Nights in Rodanthe.' It is " While I sleep, I dream of you, and when I wake, I long to hold you in my arms. If anything, our time apart has only made me more certain that I want to spend my nights by your side, and my days with your heart." Take that however you'd like. If you're staying; I am upstairs. The second door on the right." Christine said. She went upstairs and left Mike to his own devices.
Mike looked at the kitchen towel for a moment. Christine did have a point. Would he have been home to watch his girls grow up? He walked out to his truck and got the bag he packed. As he walked through, he locked the front door and checked the others. Lights were shut off and he climbed the stairs. He looked into Katie's room and smiled. She was reading on her bed with her legs tucked under her.
"Don't stay up too late." Mike warned. He stepped into the bedroom and kissed the top of Katie's head. "I have to be careful with you. Right now, you are in a precarious place within your class. But, trust me; I am thrilled you spoke up today. At school, I have to be a certain way but I will be different at home." Mike told her.
"I figured that would be the case. I guess you're staying?" Katie asked.
"I believe so." Mike answered.
"I'm glad." Katie remarked.
"We will talk later. You just don't stay up too late." Mike said. He gave Katie another kiss on the forehead and smiled down at her. "I love you, sweetheart and I am proud of you." Mike told her.
"I love you too and we're pretty proud of you too, Dad." Katie said. Mike smiled down at her before leaving her to her schoolwork. He wished Hannah a good night, gave her a kiss and told her he loved her before heading into Christine's bedroom.
It was simply decorated with cheap furniture and was smaller then the girls' rooms. Christine walked in from behind him, after apparently showering.
"I wasn't sure if you'd stay." Christine remarked.
"I was afraid that I was being presumptuous for packing a bag. Figured, even if I had to sleep on your couch, I wanted to be here." Mike admitted. Christine sat down on the bed and lotioned her hands.
"No couch for you, although this bed isn't much better." Christine replied.
"It'll be fine." Mike said. He had taken his uniform shirt off and was standing around nervously.
"Mike, stop being nervous. Its not like you." Christine said.
"I suppose so." Mike agreed. He looked through his bag and then back at Christine. "Do you have just the one bathroom?" Mike asked.
"Are you suddenly modest?" Christine asked with a chuckle.
"No. I just need to use it and to brush my teeth." Mike answered.
"Yes. Just the one. This townhouse was all I could afford. The bathroom is the door at the end of the hall." Christine answered.
"Okay. I'll be right back." Mike answered. He grabbed his toiletry bag and his pajama pants and a t-shirt before heading to the bathroom. A moment later, he came back into the bedroom and smiled. Christine was now laying down, reading. "Some habits never change." Mike remarked. He hooked his cellphone to the charger, setting the alarm and then climbed in next to her.
"Yeah. I like to read to relax." Christine admitted.
"Christine, Katie did mention that you were having trouble with your boss. The waitressing job, I believe?" Mike asked.
"Yeah. He wanted me to sleep with him. Of course, I said no." Christine admitted.
"Have you quit?" Mike asked.
"Not yet. I really need the job. I like my other job. Its helping at a bakery." Christine said.
"You don't need either job anymore, but if you want to stay working at the bakery; I am fine. I also want to start looking for a bigger place." Mike said.
"Is this permanent? You said you were just filling in for Tom." Christine asked.
"I am only filling in, but it could become permanent. I need to do some evaluating. I also have to consider Katie. If I stay at the Academy; I refuse to not claim her. She's my daughter but that can negatively affect her career." Mike said.
"She has dreamed about being in the Navy since she was thirteen and we couldn't find you." Christine said.
"She has the makings of a good officer and I don't want to derail that." Mike remarked.
"I was worried that you would forget to be her dad and would just be her Admiral." Christine said.
"It would be easy but I want to not hinder her. I just have to figure out what that means." Mike admitted.
"Sounds like you have some soul searching to do." Christine said.
"Yes, but my mind won't change about being here with you all. Just career wise." Mike said.
"Good. So, I need to be at work early. The bakery job. I know the normal pattern would be for us to have sex, but can I claim a headache?" Christine asked.
"Yeah. I do too. I have to take talk to the commander of the Academy. I don't want it to seem like I am favoring Katie but I also need to be upfront." Mike said.
"Perhaps it would have been better if I had approached you before she started." Christine remarked.
"It wouldn't have changed anything. I just don't want to cause her any problems within her class. The Academy can be very competitive. I would like to say hazing doesn't happen but I would be naïve." Mike said.
"And you're worried Katie will get caught up in that?" Christine asked.
"Not as an aggressor. A victim of it." Mike answered as he settled into the bed. Christine was right, it wasn't the most comfortable but it felt good being next to her.
"She's pretty level-headed, Mike. Honestly, if it wasn't for Katie; I'm not sure Hannah and I would have made it. She reminds me a lot of you. Smart, resourceful, strong." Christine commented.
"And Hannah?" Mike asked. Christine put her book on the nightstand, shut her light off and curled into his side.
"Hannah has always been a joy. I couldn't have done without her either. The girls are different but in the best ways. Hannah loves to joke and has the sweetest heart." Christine answered.
"She's not changed much." Mike remarked.
"No. And honestly, Katie hasn't either. Just matured. She was always very solemn." Christine said after a yawn.
"Go to sleep. I love you." Mike said. He kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms around her.
"I love you too." Christine said before giving him a kiss on the lips. If they weren't both so tired; it might have been passionate. Within just a moment; Christine fell asleep and Mike soon followed.