Chapter twentyone
Nann was looking at herself in the mirror, she had decided to wear the dress that Michael liked so much, then checking her makeup and her hair, she went into the front room where her mother in law was looking after a little fair haired girl, she was beautiful, with grey green eyes and a cheeky smile that Dorothy loved. As her mother walked into the room the little girl saw her and reached out to her, Dorothy handed the little girl over to her mother, and as Nann took her daughter into her arms and held her, she kissed her cheek. "Well my little angel, are you ready to get dressed and meet your daddy. Both mother and daughter went into the bedroom where Nann dressed her daughter Debbie in the same little version of the dress that she was wearing, The daughter's dress had been made by Dorothy, who was very proud of her daughter in law, and her new granddaughter. As they both came back into the front room, Dorothy remarked how beautiful they both looked.
The three of them were standing on the stone jetty in Portland Dockyard, they were not alone, there were other wives and families milling around. Nann Debbie and Dorothy were all stood together, then someone pointed, and they all looked towards the harbour entrance, there coming through the gap they saw her, one lone minesweeper, she looked weatherbeaten, the paint on her hull now patchy, she had come through some very stormy weather, and it showed. She was making her way towards them, there were cheers of joy as the little ship came alongside. Nann was pointing and waving. "There's daddy." she was saying. "There's daddy." then she heard her name being called. "Maureen, Maureen." As she watched the ship get closer, she felt a hand on her shoulder. The dream faded and Nann opened her eyes, she was in bed in the flat in Malta, and stood beside her was Mike with two cups of tea.
"Where have you been," he asked her, Nann rubbed the sleep from her eyes then looking up at him she smiled. "I have been back in England with your mother and our daughter, we were waiting for the ship to come back into Portland harbour, I even wore the dress you like so much." Mike sat on the bed, leaned over and kissed Nann's mouth."Come on love, drink your tea, I have to go in an hour." Nann put her arms around Mike's neck and whispered into her ear. "Darling, make love to me, give me a baby." Mike pulled away from her. "We have already talked about that," Mike said. "No babies until after the wedding." "I know," Nann said in exasperation. "I know." she gently punched him in the chest. "Always the practical one, that's why I love you so much, you keep me in check."
In the lounge Mike and Nann were sat at the table eating breakfast, Nann was a little saddened that Mike would be away from her for the next month but also happy that Mike was going to get his first taste of life at sea. "By the way love," Mike said. "Do me a favour, Anita, Shinners wife will be coming int the N.A.A.F.I. shop in the next few days, I would like it if you would try and make friends with her, Shinner is my workmate, and well, it would be nice, if you two could hit it off." "Of course love," Nann said. "I would love to meet her, and if we do as you say, hit it off, then maybe she would take on the job as my maid of honour. I don't' really want bridesmaids unless daddy knows of any of his friends out here with small children."
Nann got up from the table. "Just going to make sure your bags ok, then I will put it into the hall. When Nann returned, she was in her uniform ready for work. Mike picked up his cup and went out onto the balcony, Nann followed him, they stood, their arms around each other kissing. Mike heard the car horn, looking down he saw Shinner and gave him a wave, Mike finished off his tea then with Nann close on his heels headed for the front. Then with one final kiss, Mike picked up his bag and headed down to Shinner, making one final look up at the balcony, and seeing Nann looking down at him, he blew her a kiss and climbed into the back seat of the car, they drove away heading for the ship.
In the car Mike was introduced to Anita, she was beautiful, jet black hair and olive skin, as they talked, Mike got the impression they had met before. It transpired, that they had, her family home was in Peita, and Anita lived in the side street by the Palmer's old flat, it turned out, that it was Anita's younger sister that used to sit in the window looking across at him. "Well I'll be a monkey's uncle," Mike said. "So Anita, how old is your sister. "Anita looked at Mike in the rearview mirror. "She's a year younger than me." Mike put his hand on Shinners's shoulder. "You know what mate," Mike said. "We use to sit in our windows looking at each other for hours, I really fancied her, she was a real corker." Anita giggled. "Still is mate," Shiner said. "Isn't she love." "She is," Anita replied. "And would love to meet up with a good looking sailor, but he would have to be a Catholic I'm afraid, she wants to stay with her family and the church." "I do wish I could have talked to her, but whenever we got to that stage, some woman would close the curtains and drag her away from the window." Anita looked round at Mike and smiled at him. "That would have been my mother, she had a dislike for the British when it came to her daughters, she wanted then to both marry Maltese. When I went and married.." she placed her hand on Shinner's shoulder. "This man.", she said "Not only did it break her mother's heart, but I was told destroy the church of Rome in Malta. Not that I believed a word of what she said, she is perfectly ok, and as far as I am aware, the church is going from strength the strength. Not that I am worried, I have found my soul mate, and to be honest, he is all the church I need." she laughed. By the time they had gotten to the ship, they were firm friends, Mike asked Anita to try and meet up with Maureen, he would like them to be friends. "I would love to meet her," Nann said. "It's always nice to have new friends". At the ship Anita and Shinner were kissing, Mike picked up Shinner's bag and headed across the square to the gangway, he felt Shinner alongside him and handed over the mans bag. "Thanks, mate," Shinner said, then turning around he waved to Anita as she headed away from the square and home.
Chapter twenty-two
Onboard, things were really moving, in the mess, the lads were in their blues ready for sea. Mike and Shinner had a quick cup of tea before joining the rest of there mates in getting the ship ready for sea. On deck, all the lines were singled up and a small crane was standing by to remove the small gangway, at 07-45 the whole crew were called to get ready for sea, Mike was on the bridge for entering and leaving harbour, it was also his place for cruising stations, but when the ship was at action stations, he was on the fo'c's'le as second loader on the 40/60, a 90 rounds a minute anti aircraft gun. His job was to hand the clips of ammunition to the first loader who was stood on the gun, Mike had to follow the gun as it trained left and right, so it was a job for someone fit and adgile. But at this particular time, he was on the bridge with the skipper, navigator and jimmy, plus our young midshipman, the lowest member of the officer's ladder. As the lines were slipped at bang on 08-00, the order was given, slow ahead starboard, slow astern port. As the propellers started to turn the ship moved, away from the pontoon, once there was time and space to turn, the ship was turned round so that the bows were facing the entrance into Sliema and Bossington made her way out into the Med, with the rest of the minesweeper squadron.
Out at sea, some half mile off, the whole squadron was told they had to clear a channel for the rest of the ships to safely come out of the harbour at 10-00, that gave the ships some two hours to get organised, so with the cutting gear streamed all three ships went into action. Of course, it was only an exercise, no mines were found, only three 45 gallon oil drums that had to be sunk, one by each ship. Jammy was our ships marksman, and with a rifle, he did try to sink the drum. He was hitting it, but it wouldn't sink, and as the ship came closer to the drum Mike asked the skipper if he might try, only with a Lanchester, while under training he had won a cup for his marksmanship with the Lanchester and pistol. The Lanchester was a small machine gun that was used for close arms fire. Mike was given the go ahead, and went to the arms locker, picking up the weapon and two full magazines, Mike went on to the upper deck, and once there he took aim at the drum, 30 rounds later, the drum was cut in half and sank below the water. "Well done peddler." Jammy said, "I should have done that in the first place." back on the bridge the skipper wanted to know where Mike had learned to shoot like that, Mike said that whiles under training, Mike had never gone ashore, preferring to save his money, so after writing to Maureen, he would take himself down to the shooting range and fire off a few rounds, mainly 9mm, he loved the pistol and submachine gun, but could not get on with the rifle, "Well Palmer, I think after what we have seen today, I think we will make you our small arms second marksman." He looked at the other officers on the bridge, and they nodded in agreement.
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