At just after twelve, Mike was walking down Manoel Island road, the sun was shining and the day was warm. As Mike got halfway down the road, he saw the pram, then the woman waving at him, as Mike got closer, he realised it was Maureen and Debbie. It seemed, that while Mike was away, Maureen would walk Debbie up the road, in the hope that she would fall asleep and Maureen could get on with a few jobs around the flat. As they all walked back together with Mike pushing the pram, and Maureen with her arm around Mike's waist, Maureen was saying, that since he had been away Debbie had been a right little madam, playing her up, at every chance she got.
Back in the flat, Debbie was laid on the rug, on the floor, Mike and Nann were sat on the sofa looking down at her, but were still able to have there kiss and cuddle, they had been away from each other for almost six weeks and somehow needed that little bit of quality time together, Nann got up and made them both a cup of tea, when she came back into the lounge, Michael was on the rug with his daughter, he was making her giggle, and she was kicking her little legs in the air but also enjoying the attention she was getting from her daddy. Nann stood at the door watching what was going on, she put the two cups on the table and sat down again. With Debbie now in her cot for her afternoon nap, Mike told Nann what had been going on onboard the ship and how the ship's company felt about it all. "So," Nann said. "The new captain wasn't on the pontoon when you got back here." "No," Mike said. "And when the Admiral left the ship after his visit, he said something very strange to me, me, a simple Able Seaman, he said, look after your new captain." " That is strange," Nann said. "I wonder what he meant by that. Look, love, I need to nip out to the shops, can you keep an eye on your daughter." Nann looked at the clock on the wall. "Please don't let her sleep past three, or she won't sleep tonight." then putting on her lightweight jacket and kissing Mike, she made for the front door.
Mike let Debbie sleep until the allotted time, he had no wish to upset Nann's routine, as he said to himself, she has to look after our daughter, I bring home the money, and if I upset things, then Debbie won't know what is going on. Mike shook Debbie very gently, as he looked down at her in her cot, she looked up at him and gave a sort of smile, her eyes seemed to light up when she saw her daddy, she put her hands up to be picked up which Mike did, he then took her into the kitchen to grab the bottle of milk that Nann had made and then headed for the lounge, sitting on the sofa, his feet up Mike placed the bottle to Debbie's mouth, and she started to drink. When Nann walked back into the flat with a load of shopping, she saw this fantastic picture, Mike was laid on the sofa, his eyes closed, Debbie was laid across his chest, a half empty bottle of milk in Mike's lap and Mike was very quietly singing to his daughter, You are my Sunshine. Nann stood listening for a little while feeling very happy that the three of them were together again. Nann broke into Mike's sort of dream saying. "I really do wish I had a camera at this moment in time, what I see in front of me would make a lovely picture." Mike opened his eyes, looking at Nann he said. "If you go into my grip, you will find a present for you, I was going to save it for you for Christmas, but I think you need it now." Nann went into Mike's bag and came back with a beautiful new camera. "Darling, this is fantastic, where did you get it." She pointed it at Mike, looking through the viewfinder to make sure she had them both in the picture, she clicked the shutter button on the top of the camera and as she held it she heard this strange little noise coming from the camera, in fact, it caught her by surprise, she almost dropped it on to the floor. "What was that," she asked, Mike, looked at her and smiled. "That my love is the winding mechanism, it winds the film on every time you take a picture." Nann took another picture, then a third. "This is fantastic love, thank you, and to think, no more winding on the film, I can take a real of film without having to worry." "Yes, love," Mike said. "And when you come to the last picture, the motor in the camera, will rewind the film back into its little box ready for you to replace it. Oh and sweetheart, there are four new films in the bottom of my bag, each with 36 pictures on each, so you will have a lot of pictures to take over the coming months of, well whatever you feel like." Nann came over to her husband and leaned down and kissed him, Debbie was also looking on, so Nann kissed her as well, on her forehead. "It's a lovely present," Nann said. "Thank you, thank you very much, I think I will keep a picture record of Debbie growing up, and our lives together, and I can also send pictures to both sets of parents, they will love that."
In bed that night after Debbie had fallen asleep in her cot, Mike took his wife into the bedroom, and once under the covers, they sniggled in close to each other. Mike was very tired after there trip back to Malta, plus all the problems they were having on the ship and the crew, so Nann didn't press her husband to maker love to her, as Mike closed his eyes, she whispered into his ear. " Darling, tomorrow is our special day." as she went to kiss him goodnight she realised Mike was already asleep.
Mike was up early in the morning, he had something to do, but he just could not remember what it was, he went to the bathroom and had a shower and shave, then made his way into the lounge, Nann was already there getting Debbie dressed and feeding her, but she did not look happy. It was at that moment a little light went on in his head. "Sorry love, happy anniversary." he walked over and gave her a kiss, Can I buy you a present later." "I would have rather had you last night, or this morning," she grumbled. As Mike sat alongside his wife Debbie put her hands out to be picked up by her daddy, Mike held her in his arms, Nann stood up and looked at her husband. "What do you want for your breakfast." Oh, just tea and toast," he said, Nann could see that there were other things on his mind to do with the ship, and at the moment, these seemed more important than trying to remember there so called special day. Fifteen minutes later with Debbie on the rug with her toys, Mike was sat at the table eating a full fried breakfast with his wife beside him. "Don't worry about our wedding anniversary, you have bigger problems to sort out, and we." she kissed his mouth. "will have loads more anniversaries to celebrate."
Mike walked to his ship, it only took him around twenty minutes from the flat, once onboard he went down to the mess ready for the afternoon watch. It was very quiet in the mess, Jan was sitting at the mess table filling out a load of paperwork for his married quarters, he and his wife were hoping to move in within the week. As Mike walked in, Jan said. "Hello, Peddler, what gives." Then he looked at Mike a big cheesy grin on his face. "Of course," he said. "You haven't' heard the news, have you." "What," Mike asked. "What news." "We were told last night, the Jimmy is now our new skipper, and, Mr Baker will be staying on as the new Jimmy until we get back to England, also your messmate Shinner, who was due to leave in the new year, has volunteered to stay with the ship and take her home as well. Seems that the new skipper spoke to the Admiral and asked if he could have a crew who could be looked on to do the ship proud, and the Admiral agreed that the ship's crew he had at the moment was the best, and it was agreed that they would stay with the ship until they got back to its new base at Portland." "That's fantastic," Mike said. "Soi t looks as if everything is looking up, again.
At just on Twelve Mike and Jock were in the gangway ready to start there stint, although it was cloudy, it was still warm for December. Mike checked all the books including the ships log to see if there had been any write ups while he had been off duty, Jock nudged his arm. "Skipper's coming," he whispered, as the skipper came on to the gangway Mike saluted him. "Congratulations sir," Mike said. "Thank you Palmer." the captain said. "I trust all is well." Mike looked at him and smiled. "It is now sir," he said. "I will be in my cabin if I am needed." he said, Mike saluted him again saying."very good sir." and the skipper turned and walked away. Five minutes later Mr Baker came up to the gangway. "Good afternoon sir, what can I do for you." then they both broke out into broad grins, Mike shook Mr Baker by the hand and patted him on the back. "You deserve it, you really do, what you did back in Gib, had to be done, if you hadn't done it someone else would have." Mike laughed. "Probably me, but I would now be back in Portsmouth in clink." Mt Baker looked at Mike. "Palmer," he said. "You look after the safety of the ship. and I will look after the crew's welfare, deal." Mike again shook Mr Baker's hand. "Deal," he said.
Christmas that year, Mike was duty on the 25th from twelve, so Nann planned to have Christmas dinner on boxing day, it was only really the two of them, so it was very quiet. In the evening both Shinner and Anita joined them with there new son James, they were now very firm friends, Anita and Maureen spent long hours together shopping, drinking coffee and talking babies. The two girls had started a coffee morning at the N.A.A.F.I. club on Manoel Island for all the wives of the minesweeper squadron, they would all meet up on a Thursday and talk about anything and everything from shopping, to hairdressers, and with both Nann and Anita being now very much shop savvy, they were able to give good advice to the other wives. The new skipper's wife asked Maureen one Thursday if she could join the group as well, and once she got involved, it was decided that the wives should spread their wings slightly to involve the children, so, a Christmas party was organised, with someone playing father Christmas, and the wives organising food and small presents for all the children to take home with them. As this little group became a sort of club for the wives. It was decided that all ships in Malta who were stationed out there and had their wives with them, should be invited to join them, so by the time they were into the middle of January, the small group, had now become a proper club, with a chairperson, and a treasurer, and seemed to be going from strength to strength.
One day whiles Mike was on duty, Shinner asked if he might have a word with him in private. It would seem, that he, Anita and their son James were walking down the main street in Valletta when they were stopped by Anita's mother and younger sister. When they saw James, they were overjoyed at being a grandma and auntie, but as they were all talking, the local priest from there church at Peita also came on the scene and told both mother and younger daughter they should not speak to Anita, as she was not part of there church so was dead to it. "I did my nut, and then let rip. I asked the priest who the hell he thought he was. I asked him what right he had to stop a mother talking to her daughter. Then I really had a go and told that moron, that blood was thither than any religious voodoo. Trouble was mate I was getting so annoyed, a crowd started to gather and in the end, the naval patrol was called and I was marched away, now I don't know what to do." Mike had listened to Shinner, then asked. "Have you been put on a charge?" "I don't know, they said a report would be sent to the ship, and then they let me go." Luckily enough Anita was waiting for me outside the patrol H/Q with James, and we went home. Anyway as I was being dragged away, Anita was having a right old go at the priest in a language he understood, namely Maltese and Latin, and by all accounts, he walked away with his head in his hands very upset. "Well," Mike said. "I would leave it at that, if your mother in law wants to see her grandson, then leave the door open for her, but tell her, she can visit her daughter at your home, and if religion is mentioned, then she will be asked to leave." Shinner thought for a moment about what Mike had said to him. "Your right, if she wants to see her grandson, she can, but as soon as she starts talking about the Roman Catholic Church, she will be asked to go. Anita has made her bed and is very happy with it, she likes the way our church doesn't bully, just lets you get on with life. We have already agreed, that when James reaches 18, we plan to sit him down and discuss all the religions with him, then he can make up his own mind as to what church he wishes to follow, it will be his choice, and no one else's."
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