CH 2
2002
Midshipman Kate McGregor was at Watson bay doing a navigation course where she met and fell in love with her instructor lieutenant Mike flynn. They have been having a secret affair for two months till one day when they met up at a hotel. Kate was waiting for him for an hour when he knocked on the door. She opens the door with a smile as he steps into the room, closing and locking the door.
"Mike, what's wrong?"
"Kate, I'm sorry"
"sorry for what"
"I can't see you any more" Kate was shocked.
"what? Why, I thought everything was going great besides us breaking the rules, what happened?"
Mike walked her over to the bed and they both sat down. "You got your dreams of becoming the chief of the navy one day, i don't want to stop you reaching your goal Kate"
"Mike I told you that after we first met and you told me you're a small ship person whereas I'm a big ship person"
"Yeah that one difference between us"
"True. but in the last two months have been amazing Mike and I've been doing a lot of thinking myself. As you pointed out to me that there is a difference between working on both ships and one day i'll have to do six months on the fremantle class patrol boat for the experience"
"Yes you do and then you will know why I would rather be on them than the frigates"
"So this is it for us"
"Yeah" Mike stood up then Kate did.
"I love you Mike, I wish things could be different for us both"
"I love you Kate" tears were falling down Kate's cheeks.
"I wish we didn't have to break up Mike"
"I know but one day we might get caught"
"I know. I got another month left on the course" they both hug and kiss.
When they pulled apart they looked each other in the eye then they kissed which became passionate. They fall onto the bed where they slowly remove each other's clothes and make love.
Afterwards, Kate looks up at Mike as they get their breathing under control. "I wish there was a way we can be together, Mike. I don't want to give up on you"
"You dream"
"Dreams change Mike, one day it will happen. Now all I want is to be with you"
"What will happen if you get posted here in Sydney and I'm in perth"
"We will work something out Mike, for now I want to spend much time with you. If and when the time comes, we will somehow work it out" Mike kisses her.
"We will work it out Kate" they kiss passionately once again.
Week later Kate learns from Mike that he has been transferred to a frigate in Perth when Kate finishes her course, she has done another one which lasted for a month. When completed and passed her courses she learned she was also of a frigate the HMAS ANZAC which is based in Perth which made her happy since that is where Mike is.
They manage to spend two nights together when both ships are in port and both get shore leave. When Kate got a letter about HMAS ANZAC going to Iran for a tour and she was going to be staying on board for her tour. She was shocked when she told Mike the news when he was on shore leave and she got six hour shore leave so she met up with Mike at her apartment where they spent that time in bed.
"Kate you knew that you might be going overseas for a tour one day"
"I know but wasn't expecting it so soon"
"Well you are the top student in all of your classes and have been nominated for the sward award. That is why the fleet command recommends you for the posting. It would be a good experience for you"
"True, we are going to be away for four months next year"
"Four months, is a long time Kate"
"True, we can make it work"
"I know" they kiss once more.
Two months later Mike and Kate went out to dinner since they both got the night off. HMAS ANZAC returned from being away for the month and Kate got twenty four hour shore leave and ship Mike on leave in two days. So Mike books a table at a restaurant two weeks early as soon as Kate text him to let him know what night she got shore leave. That night they both enjoyed a romantic candlelight dinner with soft music in the background.
"Mike this is a surprise, I thought we were staying in tonight"
"I know but I want to make tonight special"
"special in what way" Mike got up and walked around to Kate's side then got down on one knee as he held onto her hand.
"Kate, I've been doing a lot of thinking about us and thinking about the day we almost broke up and how hard it has been for us to be together when both ships are in port. I don't want to wait any longer and wherever i'm posted i hope you get the same posting but not as Kate McGregor but as Kate flynn" Mike manages to open the box with one hand. "Will you Kate agree to be my wife Kate Flynn, will you marry me?" Kate was shocked then smiled.
"Yes, yes i will marry you" Mike got the ring out of the box and slipped it on to her finger then she hugged and kissed him.
while people close by clap since they witness the wedding proposal. they broke apart and stood up at the same time then kissed once more. Then they look around and they both smile as they realize what just happened then they sit down and hold onto each other's hand.
"Do you like the ring?" Kate looks at her engagement ring.
It was one carat round diamond in a six claw white gold setting, set on a three millimeter wide yellow gold band.
"I love it Mike"
"I'm happy that you are Kate," he said, smiling back.
Hour later they were at Kate's place and in bed making passionate love.
The next morning they made a number of phone calls letting family and friends know about their engagement.
two months later in the beginning of December Mike and Kate got married at the Sydney Harbor View lawn with the opera house and bridge in the background. There were sixty guests at the eighty percent of the guests live in Sydney. Mike had two groomsmen who are both offices and live in Sydney and Kate had Val and another friend as bridesmaids.
Kate was wearing a sweetheart neckline dress that flowed down to princess skirt with the top part of the dress and bottom edging covered in lace and pearls. She was wearing a sapphire and diamond tiara and double vail. She was carrying a bouquet of mixed white flowers.
Her bridesmaids dresses had a clover green thin strap scoop neckline that flowed down to A line skirt. They are both wearing pearl necklaces and wearing white roses in their hair and carrying the same type of bouquet as Kate but smaller. Everyone witnessed Mike and Kate say their wedding vows and exchange wedding rings till everyone clapped as the minister said.
"I'm happy to announce Mr and Mrs Mike and Kate Flynn, fair winds to you both" since he is navy minster and knows that Mike and Kate are in the navy. Everyone got up and walked over to congratulate them on their wedding.
"Mike congratulation"
"thanks…. Stewart, Ryan, Duncan White, this is my beautiful wife Kate. Kate this is Stewart White, Maxine's ex-husband and my, well now our god sons Ryan and Duncan."
"It's great to finally meet you Kate, Mike told me a bit about you."
"You to Stewart" they shook hands.
After having their photos taken. Everyone started heading to the lion gate house for the reception and more wedding photos. On the way the limo that Mike and Kate were in stopped not far from the swimming pool and got out with their photographer who was following the limo.
They walk over to the railing where the photographer took two more photos since behind Mike and Kate are the two frigates. When they finish they get back into the limo and head to their reception.
At the reception everyone enjoyed themselves eating, drinking and dancing. Mike and Kate cut their two tier round wedding cake that got rope hearts and blue anchors in the middle with the bride and navy officer on top with a blue glass archway in the back round and small anchor dangling from the middle of it.
It was late when everyone cheered Mike and Kate on as they were getting into the waiting limo and saying their goodbyes to everyone as they were leaving. They went to a hotel for their wedding night.
The next day they flew up to Cairns where they were spending a week on the Fitzroy hotel island for their honeymoon. The day they returned to cairns, they were staying at the hotel for the night. Since it was a hot afternoon they walked down to the navy docks.
"Mike why are you bringing me here?" Kate asked as they walked along the docks then stopped next to one boat.
"Cause Kate sees this boat there" Kate turns and looks at it
"Hammersley" then she turned to him "your first posting when you were a midshipman"
"Yep and I loved it back then so i hope you understand what i meant about smaller boats." he said smiling at her.
"Yes I do" She kissed him then they carried on walking with their arms around each other.
The next day, they flew back to Perth where Kate moved into Mike's apartment and got settled in before ANZAC left three days later for a month of training exercises before returning back for ten days before leaving for their deployment to Iran.
On Christmas day Kate opens her Christmas present from Mike. It was a yellow gold locket with the letter 'K' and a small anchor engraved. there was a note saying 'open me' so she opened the locket and read out what it said.
"To my loving wife Kate, I look at you and see the rest of my life in front of my eyes. You are the love of my life. i love you, Love your husband Mike" She noticed two rings engraved next to 'i love you' which made her smile.
"Wow Kate that was beautiful, you are so lucky" one of the female lieutenants said.
"thanks, I love and miss him"
"Is he going to meet you on the docks when we return from our training?"
"I don't know, it will depend on when Darwin is going to dock or not"
"Well I hope it is Kate. You and Mike haven't had much of a marriage so far"
"I know, even when we were going out together and getting engaged, it was hard but we managed to spend as much time together as we can"
"that is good to know."
Kate also saw wedding photos of them both together. She closed her locket and put it away before leaving to get some breakfast with the other three female lieutenants since she was promoted before she and Mike got married and he was promoted to lieutenant commander himself.
When Mike opened his gift from Kate it was a compass watch. he turned it over and read the engraving. "Mike this watch will help you find your way home back to me, i love you, Kate." Mike smiled as he put the watch on his wrist then went to get some breakfast while thinking about Kate.
After New Year both Darwin and ANZAC were in port. Mike waited for Kate on the Wharf. When she saw him, she smiled as she walked off the ship and into his arms for a hug and kiss. "miss you," Kate said.
"miss you Kate, let's go home"
"Sounds good to me" they kiss once more before walking away while talking about different things.
When they arrived home they took their uniforms and underwear off before having a shower together where they made love there then they spent the rest of the day in bed talking, eating, drinking, making passionate love and sleeping since Mike was home two days before ANZAC returned to Perth.
The day ANZAC was leaving Mike, Ryan and Duncan who they were spending the weekend with Mike and Kate since they wanted to get to know there god mother since they only saw each other twice since the wedding and other family members of the crew was on the wharf waving at them as the ship slowly started leaving port.
Mike watched the ship till he couldn't see it any more, then he and the boys left to return home while talking about what they were going to have for lunch. Mike and Kate managed to keep in contact by email messages to each other while she was overseas.
The day ANZAC returned from its tour, they were greeted by a number of boats, subs and pleasure boats. When docked, families were waiting for their loved ones. It took another two hours before sailors and officers started leaving the ship and into loving arms.
When Kate was next to the steps she looked around looking for Mike when she saw him waving at her with a bouquet of red roses in hand which made her smile. she picks up her two bags and walks down and onto the wharf just as Mike reaches her. Kate dropped her bags then she saluted him, which he did in return since Mike was in uniform.
"Welcome home Kate"
"It's good to be home Mike" they hug and kiss which it became passionate then they broke for air.
"I love the roses, thank you, they are beautiful"
"just like you Kate" they kiss once more.
"Let's go home" he said as he passed her the roses then picked one bag up while Kate picked the other one up.
Then he held onto her hand as they slowly worked their way towards the exit and over to where his car was. Hour later they were in bed making passionate love, something that they missed and craved for. During the next week they spent a lot of time together doing what normal couples do together plus they both rostered for duty at different times which they both understand.
Week after ANZAC returned from overseas, everyone who was on board received their two metals. Few days later Darwin left for its patrol. ANZAC was in port for another week before they left for their patrol. While both ships were out and on patrol Mike and Kate managed to keep in contact with each other.
Two months later Kate was on the wharf when Darwin docked. She waited till she saw Mike and smiled at him, which he did in return when he walked off the ship and into Kate's arms for a hug and kiss.
"Welcome home sailor," Kate said.
"It's good to be home"
"Let's go home"
"Great idea" the kiss before walking towards the exit with their arms around each other.
That night while in bed after they made love and Kate snuggled up to his side. "Mike there something i need to tell you" he looked at her
"What's wrong"
"I've applied for a shore posting" Mike moved till he was on his side looking at her.
"Shore posting, why"
"Remember when I returned from my overseas tour"
"Yeah, I remember, what about it" Kate kissed him
"I'm pregnant." Mike looked at her in shock.
"Pregnant, are you sure"
"Yes I found out this morning when I went to see the doctor, he ran the tests, we are going to have a baby" Mike smiled then kissed her passionately till they came up for air.
"Kate this is wonderful news, does captain Cole know about the baby"
"Yes, he said he would take care of the transfer straight away and that i'll have shore posting here in Perth since your base here"
"that good of him"
"Yeah, so you're happy"
"Very happy" they kissed and made love once more before falling asleep in each other's arms.
The next day they call family and closest friends about the baby news. Everyone is happy for them. Mike's Family is looking forward to meeting their grand baby, niece or nephew.