TRWD14

My Journal
By Harriman Nelson
14

The rest of yesterday was uneventful except for icebergs as we skirted around Scotland’s most northern islands, the Royal Navy making sure we were out of harm’s way by signaling us continually with updates from the surface. It was a matter of courtesy to allow them do what our instruments had no problem doing without telling them to get lost, which is pretty much I’m sure Lee and Chip wanted to tell them.
In spite of our instruments and the signals from on top, Lee made sure all the exterior cams were on our monitors, and lookouts were posted in the Observation Nose. Even though we were below periscope depth, and kept our distance, the damn icebergs were known to have a nasty habit of breaking apart. Despite all precautions, it was a disconcerting night. I don’t think I was the only person aboard who didn’t sleep well. I wondered if Lee had even gone to bed at all.

Emmie wasn’t feeling well this morning, so I insisted Will take a look at her. While I could walk, my ankle was still very painful despite the ace bandage around it. I refused to let Emmie go to Sick Bay on her own. And as Lee had arranged an on call volunteers’ for me until further notice, I called Sick Bay to summon the lucky victim to help me, though I’d be using a cane.

Kowalski had the duty this morning, and had arrived quickly. “It’s probably just a bug, ma’am,” Ski said, as we headed to Sick Bay, “we all breathe the same air and…”
“You know damn well that our revitalization filters trap just about any known virus,” I interrupted sourly.

“Skipper?” Sparks called out over the PA, “the vice-president on the videophone for you again, er, I mean Acting President Hodges.”
It took a minute for Lee to respond, breathing hard.
“Secure line, Sparks?”
“No sir. Where should I pipe the call through?”
“My cabin. I’m afraid everyone would have to plug their noses if I came down to the Radio Shack just now. Been working out. Tell Mr. Hodges that I’ll be a couple of minutes. But go ahead and scramble the videophone to wait mode.”
“Aye, sir.”
“Cheech,” we heard Sharkey comment, “can’t that guy leave you alone, Skipper?”
“Not a problem,” Lee panted, “Winston and I were getting ready to stop anyway. Not as young as we used to be.”

Before we knew it Emmie and I were met at Sick Bay by Will, who took Emmie’s arm and led her behind a screen while I took a seat near his office.
I was almost biting my fingernails. A screen? Just because she’d been tossing her cookies? But then, I realized, the fact that as a woman, a little privacy was warranted as Sick Bay couldn’t actually be closed to the crew.
“Admiral?” Will returned to me a moment later, “why don’t you go have some breakfast…”
“I can’t leave her alone!”
“I’d rather you did. It’s a doctor/patient thing.”
“But she’s my wife!”
“Ski, please take the admiral to the Wardroom for some coffee. I’ll call when he can return.”
“But,” I began to complain.
“I can have the captain order it,” Will interrupted. “Go ahead, Ski.”

I’m sure the crewmen’s ears were burning by the time we reached the Wardroom, I was so pissed off. When we got there, I ‘almost’ flung the cup of coffee Ski poured for me onto the deck in fury. It wasn’t long before everyone who could, vacated the premises while Ski retreated to the corridor in his own ‘wait’ mode.

I suppose most husbands get pissed off when they’re kept out of the loop, but damn it, this was Emmie. My sweetheart. My love, my….
“Admiral?” A corpsman’s voice came over the PA, I think it was Frank’s, “Doc needs to run a few additional tests on Mrs. Nelson. He said it would take about an hour or so but for you not to worry.”
”Not to worry? Not to worry?” I exploded and popped out of my chair, wincing in pain.
“Easy, sir,” Ski said, having rushed in, pushed me back down into the chair, and picked up the mike. “Can’t you tell him anything? The admiral’s pretty concerned, Doc.”
“The tests I need to run on Mrs. Nelson require time and a degree of privacy.”
“I demand to be informed!” I yelled to be heard through the mike in Ski’s hand, " What tests? Why can’t I be there? Why…”
“Harry?” Emmie’s voice came over the air, “stop acting like a big baby, and do as you’re told. Let Will do his job.”
“But sweetheart…”
“We’ll let you know when the tests are over. Now, get something to eat.”
“Yes, dear.”

Cookie hurried out from behind the ‘tween though’ and sat a plate of scrambled eggs. hash browns and buttermilk biscuits in front of me at my table.
“Ski?” he asked, “bring over some of the condiments. Butter, honey, and whatever else he likes. And help yourself to anything too. I don’t think anyone will mind you being here.”

I hardly managed to chow down anything. But it wasn’t too long before Will called over the PA for me to come on down to Sick Bay. He didn’t say any more.

I didn’t have to urge Ski to leave his third blueberry muffin. He was at my side within a second helping me out and down to Sick Bay.

Mrs. C. was just outside the Sick Bay door, tears rolling down her face.
“Oh God, oh God,” I began to whimper.
“It’s all right,” she told me, grabbing my arm. “She’s fine…”
“Sweetheart? What is it? What’s wrong?” I almost shouted, as I rushed in to Sick Bay.
“Nothing’s wrong,” Will said, “but...”
“Mrs. C. is crying.”
“As I was trying to say, Harriman,” Mrs. C. said, joining me, “these are tears of joy!”
“Joy?” I asked, totally confused.
“Well, yes,” Emmie said, “that is, if you don’t mind changing diapers all the time and midnight feedings.”
“Wha…”
“That’s right, darling. We’re going to have a baby!”
“Could be twins, actually,” Will said, grin on his face from behind her.

The next thing I remember was the stink of ammonia under my nostrils that Will was waving under my nose and that a crowd, including Jiggs, were making way for Lee, who was running toward me, barefoot and in a bathrobe, his hair dripping, Winston at his side, also soaking wet.
“What happened?” Lee demanded urgently, as he fell to his knees in front of me.
“Just fainted, Skipper,” Will said, “Mrs. Nelson’s tests just overwhelmed him a little.”
“Oh God, oh God…Emily?” Lee rose nervously expecting the worst.
“No, sweetie,” Mrs. C. laughed, “she’s fine. Harriman’s fine. We’re all fine. You’re just going to be a big brother.”
“In about seven and a half months, Skipper,” Will added.
“I…I can’t believe it! Congratulations you two,” Lee embraced Emily then bent down to squeeze my arms.
“This calls for a celebration, Captain,” Jiggs said. “Permission to break out the booze?”
“None for the admiral nor Mrs. Nelson,” Will ordered.
“I have a better idea than booze, anyway,” Lee said and reached for the mike, “Attention, all hands, we’re going to have a baby! 1…I mean, Harry is. I mean Mrs. Nelson is.”
“Twins, maybe,” Mrs. C. added into Lee’s mike.
“Cookie?” Lee continued, “Ice cream and cake for all hands… Will? What are they anyway, boys or girls, or one of each?”
“We could know in about a half hour if it’s just one baby or twins, and gender tests take a bit longer. But not all couples want to know until the main event.”
“Lee, sweetie?” Mrs. C. interrupted, “you still have soapsuds in your hair and you smell like wet dog. I know Winston can’t help it, but you….”
“Never mind that now. Let’s go get that ice cream,” Lee added, grabbing my shoulder and Emmie’s.
“Don’t you think you ought to get yourself dried off and dressed first?” Emmie asked, “You’re a little damp.”
“Oh,” Lee said sheepishly, “Join you in a minute. Er, maybe you ought to go get dressed too, Harry.”
“It can wait. It’s time to celebrate. By the way,” I said, suddenly remembering Lee’s phone call, “everything okay in Washington?”
“Yes and no….”
“Well,” Jiggs said, “I think Mr. Hodges is taking up too much of your time, Captain. He has advisors, doesn’t he?”
“Jiggs is right, son,” I said. “You’re a submarine captain again, not a politician.
“Tell Hodges that,” Lee sighed.
“I may just do that for you,” Jiggs said, “You look a bit haggard.”
“I get dark circles under my eyes all the time, even when I’ve had a good night’s sleep.”

Soon I found myself back at my table, my unfinished meal still there.
The mess specialists were setting bins of ice cream on the countertop and tables, and stacking bowls, spoons, sprinkles, chocolate and strawberry’s syrups, etc. with them. Soon the Wardroom was filled with off duty officers and I knew the Crews Mess was cluttered with the same.

“Skipper?” O’Brien’s voice came over the PA. “Mr. Morton wants to know if you’ve gotten yourself cleaned up and there aren’t any more soap suds all over his nice clean deck. Doc said you were trailing them all the way back to and from your cabin.”
“Oh, good grief…”
“You want me to put you on report, Skipper?” Chip asked, on the PA.
“Pick, pick, pick.”

I didn’t have much of an appetite for the ice cream. I was too proud and too worried about Emmie and our new lives. And we had yet to discuss if we wanted to know what sex the child or children were to be, a big decision . Perhaps it was my age, but I still believed one treated sons and daughters differently from each other. And how to decide on the name or names?. There were so many to choose from now, even names that had no gender attached.
Should I simply retire as co CEO of the institute? Should I refrain from going on missions with Seaview? Should I hire a baby nurse, a nanny, governess, tutor, etc. etc.
“Sweetheart?” Emmie asked, “what’s wrong? You’ve let your ice cream melt clean away.”
“I’d rather just look at you.”
She blushed her sweet blush and if Jiggs and Mrs. C. weren’t there, and if I had the full use of my legs, I’d have swept her into my arms, and carried her off to our cabin for a little cuddling. Or more.
“I understand congratulations are in order,” Chip said as he entered.
“Thank you, Chipee,” Emmie said. “Please, join us?”
“Well, I did give O’Brien the conn. And I never turn down ice cream. By the way, Admiral, did you know Lee just got another call from Hodges, right after I fussed about the soapsuds? Scrambled this time.”
“Shit,” Jiggs said.
“It could be nothing,” I said.
“It was,” Lee, his hair damp but combed, said as he, in uniform, semi dry Winston at his side. “Now, is there any strawberry ice cream left, and chocolate syrup?”
“A bit,” Chip said, “there’s more vanilla though.”
“Oh well, it’s better than nothing. Now,” he asked Emmie and me, “have you two decided about finding out if I’m going to have a brothers, sisters, or one each or one by itself?”
“We haven’t really had the time to discuss it, son,” I said, “especially as we don’t know yet.”
“I think they should wait to find out about the gender,” Mrs. C. said. “So much more exciting that way.”
“Lee?” Joe called from the entry, in flannel shirt and jeans, just as Lee had scooped out a serving of vanilla ice cream and poured chocolate syrup over it.
“Sorry to interrupt ,but,” he added, nodding for Lee to join him outside of the Wardroom.
Lee sighed, but took his bowl of ice cream and a spoon with him as he left.

“What now?” I muttered.
“We’ll know soon enough,” Chip sighed, taking his bowl and spoon along with him as well as he departed.