That evening
Tuesday
St John's, Antigua
Position: 17.1327° N 61.8632° W
1,331nm logged
The Type 45 Destroyer, HMS Dragon
The three-year-old, five-hundred-foot destroyer was festooned with flags and bunting from bow to stern and bright floodlights lit up her hull from the waterside. On the dock there was a small Royal Marines band playing some gentle music as people arrived. At the base of the gangway a very smart and well-armed Royal Marine stood guard. Beside him were two sailors armed with L85A2 assault rifles and Glock 17 pistols; evidently, the Royal Navy took their security seriously.
After showing our invitations, we were waved up the gangway towards the flight deck at the stern of the warship. At the top of the gangway we were met by a Royal Navy Lieutenant in a short-sleeved white bush jacket, matching trousers and white leather shoes.
"Lieutenant Lawrence. Welcome aboard Her Majesty's Ship Dragon, Mrs Lizewski, Mr Lizewski."
"Good evening, Lieutenant, we meet at last," I replied, offering my right hand which Lawrence took and kissed! I blushed – I had never had my hand kissed before.
"Mr Lizewski," Lieutenant Lawrence greeted with a shake of Dave's hand – Dave seemed somewhat relieved! "Mr Williams, Miss Bennett; welcome aboard. This way please."
..._...
We were escorted into an enormous marquee that had been erected on the even bigger flight deck. Inside there were tables of drinks and some food. The marquee had been decorated with flags and I could see through into the capacious hanger, in one corner of which was one of the ship's two Wildcat attack helicopters. I had noticed a twin at the far aft corner of the flight deck outside the marquee, as we had come aboard.
There were many people already present, sipping cocktails and talking amongst themselves. I noticed Ryan and Cathy talking to a senior Royal Navy Officer. Lieutenant Lawrence led us in that direction.
..._...
"Ah, Mindy, Dave!" Commander Ryan Bennett announced. "Please meet my opposite number, Commander Richard Perrin, Captain of HMS Dragon. Commander Perrin, please meet Dave and Mindy Lizewski and my daughter Chloe and her, err partner, Joshua Williams."
We all exchanged pleasantries, before conversation began.
"So you own that white beauty down the dock, Mrs Lizewski?"
"I do, Captain," I replied, pleased that the Atlantic Storm had been noticed.
"I understand that you are all enjoying a break away from Chicago?"
"Yes, we have had a very stressful few months."
"I bet you have," Commander Perrin commented with a wink, "– complete with getting involved with that idiot, Mitchell!"
I blanched at the mention of Commander Mitchell, but rapidly pulled myself together. I scowled and looked to Lieutenant Lawrence for support.
"All is well; the Captain wouldn't rescue the Commander if he were drowning!"
"Too true – that idiot was a very bad example of a Royal Navy Officer. My apologies young lady. Anyway, I understand he is gone."
"Indeed he is!" Lieutenant Lawrence continued. "He was only an Acting-Commander, so when he literally fell flat after that job, well done by the way, he lost his half-stripe... Guess who got it, too!"
"Spook here, managed to worm his way into Mitchell's job – from next week he is Lieutenant-Commander Lawrence, no less!" Commander Perrin advised.
"Congratulations!" I said and I was genuinely pleased for the man.
"The Captain is well aware of the assistance that you gave HMG, both in the UK and the other month. He is a firm believer in what you, and your team, do in Chicago," Lieutenant Lawrence went on.
"Now, I must go and see to our other guests," Commander Perrin said cheerfully. "Please avail yourselves of the drinks – except for you two of course; there are plenty of soft drinks available!"
Chloe scowled.
The steward came towards us with drinks.
Mindy was first.
"Horse's Neck, ma'am?"
"I suppose," Mindy replied curiously, taking a glass and peering into it dubiously.
"It's a cocktail, ma'am," The steward explained. "Brandy, ginger ale and lemon peel."
"Thanks," I said taking one for myself, smiling at my wife's obvious hesitation.
Chloe reached over for a glass, but the steward deftly span his tray 180-degrees, revealing a pair of Cokes.
"Would the young lady prefer a Coke?" The steward asked smoothly, politely and rather pointedly, without missing a beat.
Chloe grimaced and then scowled, annoyed that her attempt at an alcoholic drink had been dashed, yet again.
"Yes, the young lady would, thank you!" She replied curtly, accepting the soft drink.
"Sir?"
"Thank you," Josh said as he took his Coke, smiling at Chloe with a patronising expression.
The steward moved on and we sipped at our drinks. It was a surprisingly friendly atmosphere and we all felt very at ease. Lieutenant Lawrence moved off to talk to some other people, leaving us to chat together.
..._...
"Not bad!" I commented, as Ryan and Cathy came over to join us.
"Nobody does this better than the Royal Navy, remember that," Ryan commented. "The Brits were doing Statecraft a hundred years before the United States were even remotely considered. Nobody is better – never try and outtalk a Brit – it never happens!"
"Well, you should know, dear daughter!" Cathy grinned looking at Chloe.
"Why?" Chloe asked defensively, a little worried about the response.
"Well a certain Brit talked himself into your knickers, or should I say, he talked you out of your knickers!" Cathy explained and then laughed as her daughter's mouth dropped open in shock and she blushed in acute embarrassment.
"Not fair..." Chloe moaned.
"But very funny!" Josh added with a grin.
"You ever want to see me with no knickers on..." Chloe began, but then shut her mouth and walked over to look at the helicopter.
We all laughed at Chloe's discomfort and chatted for a few minutes. Josh wandered over to join Chloe, while we continued to talk.
I was chatting with Chloe,when we were approached by a Royal Marines Commando Colour Sergeant.
"If you will excuse me, sir, but you must be Joshua Williams – you look strikingly like him."
"Excuse me?" Josh asked a little confused.
"I knew your Dad, Paul – we went through basic and a few wars together, lad. I'm very sorry for what happened to him."
"Thank you."
"I also knew your Mother, Sarah – I was your Dad's best man at their wedding. I remember you being born too; your Dad was over the fucking moon, if you'll excuse my French, young miss."
Chloe blushed slightly.
"I remember you... Jim Reynolds," Josh exclaimed. "You used to come around when I was younger; when we lived up in Arbroath."
"That I did and yes that is me. Your Dad would be very proud of you, right now, Jackal, my lad! You're doing good, living up to his expectations, and I'm very impressed by your choice in women, too – very Shadow-y! A United States Navy Commander's daughter no less – not bad, Joshua!" Jim turned to Chloe. "You look after this lad, young miss, he's a keeper, and I can promise you that."
"I know, thank you," Chloe replied a little confused.
Chloe and Josh both found themselves back with Chloe's parents who were chatting with Commander Perrin.
"You expecting to become a Grandmother any time soon?" Commander Perrin enquired, as Chloe joined the group and he completely ignored the horrified look that he had generated on her face.
"I would hope not, but eventually, it might be nice..." Cathy Bennett replied before she indicated her daughter and Josh. "Mind you, even the randiest rabbits known to mankind take more time off than these two!"
"Mom!" Chloe exclaimed, blushing madly and peering around to see who might have overheard her Mother.
"Don't get me started!" Commander Perrin laughed. "The moment my youngest daughter – she's nineteen by the way – the moment she discovered the joys of sex, that was it – squeaky bedsprings morning, noon and night!"
"Tell me about it!" Dr Bennett replied with a chuckle.
"I even suggested to my daughter that she should buy shares in Durex!"
"I'm certain that Chloe and Josh buy in bulk – at least, I hope so..."
"Mom could we please change the subject from our... Uggh!"
..._...
Further humiliation for Chloe was averted when they were joined by two more people, a shapely woman in her late forties and a young girl of maybe nineteen-years-old.
"Ah, finally!" Commander Perrin exclaimed, embracing the woman and giving her a kiss.
"Hi, Daddy!" The girl said in greeting as she hugged her Father.
"Commander Bennett, Dr Bennett, please say hello to my wife, Alexandra, and my daughter, Cassandra..."
"Oh, please don't call me that – call me Cassie!" The girl interrupted with a glare at her Father.
"Alexandra, Cassie, please meet Commander Ryan Bennett of the USS Churchill and his wife, Dr Catherine Bennett."
"Very pleased to meet you," Cathy replied. "The blushing creature beside me is my daughter, Chloe and with her is her boyfriend, Joshua."
"Hello," Chloe said.
"Good evening," Josh added politely.
"An Englishman!" Cassie exclaimed, then she winked at Chloe. "Too many damn Yanks!"
"Born and bred. I'm trying to convert a few of these traitorous colonists!" Josh replied with a laugh.
"The thirteen colonies are ours, Joshua – it is far too late for an insurrection now!" Commander Bennett laughed.
"Just let me know, Josh and my Royal Marines will support you," Commander Perrin chuckled with a smile at his opposite number.
Cassie Perrin studied Chloe for a moment and then she scowled at her Father.
"Please tell me that you have not been discussing my sex life, nor been telling that appalling condom joke?" She complained.
"A British Naval Officer never lies!" Her Father responded with a sly smile.
"Oh, God!" Cassie exclaimed, blushing slightly. "Chloe, Josh – my apologies, come with me. There is a much better place to sit and chat up by the Phalanx guns, than down here with this lot!"
Cassie grabbed Chloe's hand and headed for the helicopter hanger.
"Cassie knows this ship almost as well as her Father," Alexandra Perrin commented as the three kids vanished.
Cassie took us up two gangways to a point on the upper deck where we sat down in the shadow of a six-barrelled Phalanx, twenty-millimetre, radar-controlled cannon – yeah, I had spent enough time onboard warships to know what was what!
"So, where do you live?" I asked Cassie.
"A small town – you'll never have heard of it..."
"I might..."
"A town in Scotland, called Stirling..."
"Outside Falkirk?"
"How could a Yank know that?" Cassie demanded, very surprised.
"We spent some time in Falkirk, earlier in the year," Josh replied. "We have friends there."
"I spend a lot of my life there, while Dad is away at sea; I miss him when he goes away," Cassie said quietly.
"I know what you mean – I don't see anywhere near enough of my own Dad and yeah, I miss him..."
"It's not easy being the daughter of a sailor, but I love my Dad and I know that he loves what he does," Cassie added.
"I have to agree!"
"So," Cassie said, turning to Josh. "What's your story and how do you end up romantically involved with a Yank?"
"My Dad was a Royal Marine – I grew up following him around places like Poole and Arbroath. Then he left the Royals and we ended up in the US. My Dad got involved with a bad crowd and then... Well, he was killed."
"Oh, I'm sorry..."
"Shit happens!"
"Tell me about it..."
Cassie was not tall a tall young woman, about an inch over five-feet.
Her shoulder length dark brown hair hung loose and matched her dark brown eyes. She was obviously very intelligent and seemed to be very much a Daddy's girl. Almost as much as another girl, I thought, as Cassie and Chloe chatted together.
It was turning out to be a very nice evening. As the girls chatted, I looked out over the dock and I could see the Atlantic Storm moored alongside ahead of us. She was lit up from stem to stern and looked very beautiful in the fading light. It was strange meeting a colleague of my Dads, especially one that I had actually known. It was a first for me and it had stirred up some varied emotions inside.
What did my future hold for me?