Chapter 26
Flashback
Dylan was the XO on the Launceston and Nikki became XO on the Hammersley.
The day was coming to an end and Kate was sitting in the officers' mess with her dinner, eggy bread, when Nikki came in carrying her plate.
Kate looked up, "Enjoy", she said between bites.
Nikki sat down, "Thanks, same to you, although yours is almost finished", she grinned.
Kate smiled, "Bomber makes the best eggy bread ever".
They felt the swell of the ocean.
Nikki reached into the pocket of her DPNU jacket, "Before I forget. RO gave me the latest weather report", she said, handing the paper to Kate.
Kate's eyes scanned the paper and Nikki watched her face carefully. As expected, an irritated frown appeared followed by a grimace.
"Why now?", was the only thing Kate said as she handed the paper back to Nikki.
"A typhoon is crossing the Coral Sea and a massive depression will hit the east coast in the next few days with torrential rain", Kate repeated the fatal sentence written on the paper.
"I'm sorry Kate", Nikki said.
"I prayed that the bad weather would take another way, be delayed or faded out, but it didn't help. I better leave my white shoes in the box and wear wellies and a raincoat", Kate said bitterly.
"Kate, your wedding is only three days away. Then it'll just be a bad memory", Nikki said trying to sooth her.
Kate looked at her sadly, "Nik, love, if you believe that, then write a letter to Santa".
Nikki smiled sheepishly.
"You're my maid of honour. What will you wear if it's pouring down?", Kate asked.
"Uh… my raincoat, I presume?"
"Over an evening gown? Nice sight", Kate grumbled.
"Hmm… And, uh…you?", Nikki dared.
Kate looked at her bewildered, "I bloody don't know! I've raked my brains already, but everything I can think of is hilarious! And I can't think about the feast afterwards. It's a party in the garden and on the beach. Can you imagine?", Kate ranted.
"Kate, calm down. Everything will be fine, the Alamanda Great Barrier Reef Chapel has a roof. Believe me", Nikki said.
And I don't believe a damn of it. We're going to be soaked, but she needs to hear this crap now.
It worked, because Kate smiled at her. "Yeah, you're probably right".
"Tomorrow, we're back at base. So, what are you going to do?"
Kate sighed, "Dylan won't be back until the day after tomorrow. So, I'm going to check everything. The chapel, the catering, my dress, calling Dylan's brother for wedding rings. And look around to arrange something for a backup plan. A banquet hall. After that? No much more. After a few days, we sail again. Our honeymoon is planned for three weeks, then we have a long shore leave ".
Nikki smiled, "Of course, Princess Perfect want to keep a check on everything. Well, I'll keep a check on you".
Kate looked at her with annoyance.
"Uh-uh, that's my duty as your maid of honour. Moreover, we're going to take you out for your hen night".
Kate raised both hands, "No! Don't even think about it! I'm not twenty anymore".
"Uh-uh, no buts. You can't say no to an order from the base commander".
Kate's eyes widened, "What? Is Maxine involved?"
"Absolutely. Better yet, it was her idea. So, what can I do? She's a superior officer and you have to follow orders blindly", Nikki said with a saintly hypocrite air.
"Oh you! Now, all of a sudden, you're blindly following orders. Well, I'll be damned. And…who is we?", Kate asked suspiciously.
"Well, Maxine, Bomber me, and you of course. You don't have to be afraid. We're going to eat some food, have a few glasses of wine and go to the karaoke", Nikki said.
Kate sighed, "I have to be sober the next day, don't forget that!"
"You can trust me. Word of honour!", Nikki said.
The weather deteriorated and rain was pouring down by the time they arrived in Cairns. Just in time, because the storm was going to hit the coast in the following days.
Kate dressed in her white uniform in her cabin to go to Navcom. Irritated, she tied her hair in a bun.
Why can't I go to Navcom with my DPNU in this weather? A raincoat, my boots and a cap are much better than these white things. The raincoat won't prevent my trousers from sticking to my legs like a second skin and it will take days for my shoes to dry out. Max, why can't you change that stupid rule?
She put on her raincoat and planted her hat firmly on her head to prevent the wind from washing it into the water. Shaking her head she put some files into her briefcase.
This is another stupid thing. We send everything by e-mail, but they still need signed papers. Fortunately, they no longer need stamps on them!
She went outside and suppressed a curse when a rain squall hit her face. Kate walked down the gangway. The rain made the metal of the gangway extremely slippery and the smooth soles of her white shoes didn't help matters. She took a long step to reach the quay, but her foot slipped and she fell. Her leg hit a metal edge and she heard a dull crack and a sharp pain shook her body. She gasped for breath and blacked out.
Pete and 2Dads saw the accident. Pete yelled for another sailor to warn the X and rushed to her. 2Dads yanked the door open and yelled "Bomber! Urgent!". He ran towards the galley, the wardroom and finally towards her cabin to find her. He banged on the door, "Bomb! Are you there? We need you!".
She had just changed into civvies and opened the door, "2Dads, what's going on? World War Three?"
"Bomb, you have to come. The CO has fallen and it doesn't look good!", he hastened to say.
"Shit!", she grumbled and pushed him back. She ran to the sick bay to grab the first aid kit, then to the gangway.
The sailor reached the bridge where Nikki was sorting the used charts, "X, I'm sent by Buffer. The CO had a nasty fall!".
"What?", she asked frowning and quickly walked to the window to look outside. She saw Kate lying on the quay with Pete leaning over her. "Shit!", she cursed and ran towards the gangway.
Nikki and Bomber arrived near Kate almost at the same time and were soaked before they even reached her.
"Damn!", Nikki cursed, seeing the odd angle Kate's leg was making.
"Ambulance X, now! It's a fracture of both leg bones. It's a nasty fall", Bomber yelled at her.
"Okay!", Nikki replied and rushed to the bridge to call Navcom.
At the bridge she called Maxine.
"Maxine White speaking", she heard on the other end of the line.
"Ma'am, this is Lieutenant Caetano. We urgently need an ambulance. The CO broke her leg".
"WHAT?", exclaimed Maxine, forgetting her role.
"Uh, yes ma'am, her leg, the left one", said Nikki, realising how stupid that sounded. It won't change anything whether it is the left leg or the right. A fracture was still a fracture.
Maxine closed her eyes, "Why now? Damn! Okay, okay, I'll send one right away".
One hour later, at the Cairns Naval hospital.
Nikki was sitting in one of the chairs, waiting for news. Her uniform was drying, but was still damp. She was hungry, thirsty, tired and worried, a perfect combination for feeling unhappy. She was biting her lower lip. In her mind, it took too long to put a leg in the plaster cast.
"Here, babe, a good hot espresso. You'll come back to life", she heard Pete say.
She looked up and smiled as she saw him enter the waiting room with two cups.
"Thanks! You're my saviour", she said, accepting the cup.
"Any news?", he also asked as he sat down.
"Nope! It takes too long in my opinion".
At the same time Maxine and Bomber entered the waiting room. Bomber had swapped her wet clothes for drier ones, but Maxine was still in uniform.
"Is there any news?", Maxine asked.
Nikki shrugged her shoulders.
A doctor entered behind Maxine. "Are you here for Lieutenant Commander McGregor?"
They all turned around and he noticed Maxine first, "Hello ma'am. The operation went well. It was a double fracture, of the tibia and fibula. The leg is in a plaster cast. That will last six, seven weeks and then a few more weeks for physiotherapy", he said.
"Right. And when will she be able to leave the hospital?", Maxine asked.
"She's asleep now and if there are no complications, she will be able to leave tomorrow", he said.
"Can we see her?", Nikki asked.
"Yes, but not everyone at the same time. She's in room 307", he said.
"Did anyone tell Dylan?", Maxine asked, frowning, to the people around her who were looking at each other.
"Uh, no. Can you… do….that?", Nikki asked.
Maxine nodded, "Yes, I will. The crews remain under my responsibility".
This is the downside of being a CO. Unpleasant things are for me too.
There wasn't much they could do in Kate's room. She was asleep. Maxine noticed that Nikki was yawning and looked unhappy.
"Listen, go home, relax, have a bath, drink something and have a good night's sleep. I'll stay here. Someone must be with her when she wakes up otherwise she will panic", Maxine said.
The others nodded and left the hospital.
Maxine sat down and looked at her friend.
Why now? The most important day of your life screwed up in a split second. The only good thing is that you can go home tomorrow. But then? Yeah? What about the damn weather outside? I hope you have backup plan.
Right. I'm calling Dylan!
She stood up and headed down the corridor to call Navcom. At Navcom they put her through to the Launceston. She quickly got Dylan on the phone.
"Lieutenant Mulholland speaking".
"Dylan, it's Maxine. Look, I'm afraid I don't have any good news. Kate broke her leg", she said.
"What? She broke her leg?", Dylan asked in disbelief.
"That's it. It's a double fracture, of the tibia and fibula. The operation went well and if there are no complications, she will be able to go home tomorrow", she said.
"Jeez! We're going to get married the day after tomorrow! What? What?", he asked, raking his brains.
"Dylan, you can get married. She'll be sitting in a wheelchair, and I'll stay with her tonight. Nikki will be with her tomorrow".
He grumbled something, "A wheelchair. She'll be delighted!", he said sarcastically.
"That's something I'll have to deal with when she wakes up.
"Hmm, That's not going to be an easy task, I'm with you. Thanks for telling me and staying with her", he said.
"Dylan, I'm going to leave you now", she said and ended the call.
Maxine returned to Kate's room and sat down in chair next to her bed. She tried to make herself a little comfortable while she waited. Finally, she dozed off until a moan was heard. She opened her eyes, yawned, and saw Kate stirring. She sat down and waited.
Kate opened her eyes and moaned again. She looked around, "Huh? Max?"
"Hey Kate, how are you feeling?", Maxine asked.
"Wha..what am I doing here? I can't ... move", she slurred dizzy with narcosis.
"Kate, everything's going to be all right. You're in hospital".
Kate frowned, "In hospital? For what?"
"You broke your leg, Kate. It's in a plaster cast".
"Huh?, Kate mumbled and closed her eyes when she remembered.
"Fuck! I slipped on the gangway. I heard a crack, a sharp pain and then everything went black", she said.
"Kate, You broke your leg in a fall, but the doctor said everything would be fine".
Kate sighed, "God, I feel …. tired", she murmured and dozed off.
Maxine sank back into her chair.
It's normal. The narcosis is over and she wakes up, but her body makes her sleep again. What a terrible situation to live in two days before the most important day of your life. A broken leg and the worst weather in years. She'll realise it tomorrow when she wakes up.
She made herself comfortable in the chair again and closed her eyes.
To be continued