Beg, Steal or Borrow – Where's My Husband 1
by Lieutenant Vincent Tan
Post Details
The rain trickled down the fogged up window of the taxi, making tiny rivulets that distorted the view. The contrasting blurs and magnification lead to a surreal blending of the green fields and grey sky. Finally, the green was replaced by grey concrete and slivers of yellow light as the farms gave way to the main street of the small town.
A tall, broad man, still fit despite nearing fifty, nodded his thanks to the driver when the vehicle stopped. Paying one and a half times the meter, he gathered his jacket around him and made a quick dash from the curb, through the rain and onto the porch of the house at the end of the main road. He sneezed as he rang the buzzer.
The door was promptly opened by a young boy, dressed in school uniform and ready for school. Despite his Asiatic black hair and tan complexion, he had inherited his mother’s wide brown eyes. The tall man gave him a smile and in a rough Irish brogue said, “Top of the mornin’ to ya, champ!”
The young boy laughed in delight as the big Irisher lifted him up to give him a cuddle. By this time his mother and sisters had arrived to see who had come to visit on such a miserable day. “Patrick, good to see you!” the mother said, rushing to usher the newcomer in and shut the door against the cold and wet.
“Christina,” Captain Patrick O’Connor nodded his greeting to the owner of the house. “Sophie, Sam,” he said in greeting to the two girls and, finally putting his godson down, “and Teddy. How are we all?”
“Good, Patrick,” Dr. Christina Tan said as she the group moved down the hall and into the kitchen area. It was always pleasant to have an old family friend visit. “I’m sorry it’s a bit of a mess. It’s usually like this in the mornings…”
“You should see our place,” Patrick said, moving aside the morning paper so that he could sit down on a stool at the counter. “But of course, we don’t have children to mess things up.”
That comment drew a chuckle as coffee was poured and toast offered to Patrick and just like that, the Tan family resumed their usual morning activities. “What brings you down here on a miserable day, like today?” Dr. Tan finally asked when everyone had breakfast of one sort or another in front of them.
“Business, unfortunately,” Patrick said, munching on his toast. “My CMO has taken maternity leave again – it must be her seventh kid; Caitians really push them out – and I’m after Vincent to replace her on a temporary basis. I heard he was looking for something after the XO job on the Lively didn’t work out…”
“You didn’t hear?” Sophie Tan said, looking up from her fruit salad. The teenager was going through a health phase. “Dad was seconded by Admiral Uhlan to be CMO on that new ship of his.”
“No he’s not,” Patrick responded instantly. He decided to clarify, “I had a chat with the CO of the USS Franklin and he told me that Admiral Uhlan took his CMO for the Thor.”
“That’s odd,” Christina said, thinking things over. “Admiral Uhlan came here and asked for Vincent to join him on the Thor. Vincent is definitely on that ship with Admiral Uhlan…”
The children continued to eat their breakfast, completely oblivious that the two adults were looking at each other in contemplation. “I’ll given the Admiral a call,” Terrance said at last, “and double check things.”
The thought of not knowing where her husband was and what he might be doing really dug at Christina. “Please do, Patrick.”
“I’ll be back for dinner then,” Patrick said, taking his empty plate and mug to the sink.
TBC
The Tan family and Capt. Patrick O'Connor played by Vana
by Lieutenant Vincent Tan
Post Details
| Title | Where's My Husband 1 | |
| Mission | Beg, Steal or Borrow | |
| Author(s) | Lieutenant Vincent Tan | |
| Posted | Fri Aug 14, 2009 @ 9:46am | |
| Location | Tan family home, Warragul, Australia | |
| Timeline | MD 10 - 0800 local time |
A tall, broad man, still fit despite nearing fifty, nodded his thanks to the driver when the vehicle stopped. Paying one and a half times the meter, he gathered his jacket around him and made a quick dash from the curb, through the rain and onto the porch of the house at the end of the main road. He sneezed as he rang the buzzer.
The door was promptly opened by a young boy, dressed in school uniform and ready for school. Despite his Asiatic black hair and tan complexion, he had inherited his mother’s wide brown eyes. The tall man gave him a smile and in a rough Irish brogue said, “Top of the mornin’ to ya, champ!”
The young boy laughed in delight as the big Irisher lifted him up to give him a cuddle. By this time his mother and sisters had arrived to see who had come to visit on such a miserable day. “Patrick, good to see you!” the mother said, rushing to usher the newcomer in and shut the door against the cold and wet.
“Christina,” Captain Patrick O’Connor nodded his greeting to the owner of the house. “Sophie, Sam,” he said in greeting to the two girls and, finally putting his godson down, “and Teddy. How are we all?”
“Good, Patrick,” Dr. Christina Tan said as she the group moved down the hall and into the kitchen area. It was always pleasant to have an old family friend visit. “I’m sorry it’s a bit of a mess. It’s usually like this in the mornings…”
“You should see our place,” Patrick said, moving aside the morning paper so that he could sit down on a stool at the counter. “But of course, we don’t have children to mess things up.”
That comment drew a chuckle as coffee was poured and toast offered to Patrick and just like that, the Tan family resumed their usual morning activities. “What brings you down here on a miserable day, like today?” Dr. Tan finally asked when everyone had breakfast of one sort or another in front of them.
“Business, unfortunately,” Patrick said, munching on his toast. “My CMO has taken maternity leave again – it must be her seventh kid; Caitians really push them out – and I’m after Vincent to replace her on a temporary basis. I heard he was looking for something after the XO job on the Lively didn’t work out…”
“You didn’t hear?” Sophie Tan said, looking up from her fruit salad. The teenager was going through a health phase. “Dad was seconded by Admiral Uhlan to be CMO on that new ship of his.”
“No he’s not,” Patrick responded instantly. He decided to clarify, “I had a chat with the CO of the USS Franklin and he told me that Admiral Uhlan took his CMO for the Thor.”
“That’s odd,” Christina said, thinking things over. “Admiral Uhlan came here and asked for Vincent to join him on the Thor. Vincent is definitely on that ship with Admiral Uhlan…”
The children continued to eat their breakfast, completely oblivious that the two adults were looking at each other in contemplation. “I’ll given the Admiral a call,” Terrance said at last, “and double check things.”
The thought of not knowing where her husband was and what he might be doing really dug at Christina. “Please do, Patrick.”
“I’ll be back for dinner then,” Patrick said, taking his empty plate and mug to the sink.
TBC
The Tan family and Capt. Patrick O'Connor played by Vana