Chapter 35 River
River
“Morley is going to have your guts for garters if she finds out we’ve done this,” Kit grumbles. She really needs to get laid. I can’t be doing this with sexually frustrated Kit. She’s so grouchy!
“She isn’t going to find out, and even if she did, Morley isn’t going to go against the admiral, is she?” I reply confidently, ignoring her eye rolling.
“I still don’t understand how you pulled this off, Riv,” Cheddar says, pulling on her tub hat. Her uniform is pristine and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her boots so shiny. I love that she’s put so much effort into this.
Grinning, I place my own hat on and adjust it until it’s perfect. “I shamelessly played on the guilt our dear admiral feels for being such an arse to me and upsetting Cleo.”
Boot snorts out a laugh and fist bumps me.
“Does he feel that guilty he’s alright with breaking like a dozen rules?” Kit asks seriously.
“Looks like it. Now, are we all ready? Because the time is approaching and Honor will kick my arse if I mess up her timings.”
Boot pulls open the van door and we all step out. I can’t even imagine what the public must think. We’re like a friggin’ military clown car. Sailor after sailor dressed in their number one uniforms step out onto the street.
It has taken every bit of clout I have to get this done, and I’m sure I’ll be doing the crew’s scut work for the rest of my life, but fuck, it’s going to be so worth it.
I may have told Cleo a tiny white lie about my deployment.
Yes, the ship was delayed by three months, but we still stuck to the same schedule.
So instead of a seven-month leg at sea, we only had to do four.
None of us knew that until we were already out at sea, but because I’m an awesome girlfriend, I kept it to myself so I could surprise Cleo on her birthday.
It’s been super hard keeping the secret.
Even harder for Cheddar, who, for some reason, can’t keep her mouth shut about anything where Cleo is concerned.
All my girlfriend has to do is point one of those lovely eyebrows a certain way and Cheddar word vomits.
Cleo finds it highly amusing, whereas the rest of us are less enthusiastic about it.
Kit threatened to shave off Cheddar’s hair if she opened her mouth about the inner workings of our bunk ever again.
So far I think Cheddar has refrained from airing our dirty undies.
“So how’s this working, Boss?” Drum Major Peacock asks. He’s the man in charge of the Plymouth Royal Marine Band today. I presume he’s doing his buddy Admiral Carter a solid. As I said, I’ve pulled in every favour and got the admiral on my side to pull this off.
“Alright,” I say, shaking out my body. “Just like on parade, guys. The band up front doing your thing and the rest of us marching behind. Cleo will be outside the restaurant, waiting. We’ll march up, I’ll salute right, and then we’ll halt, come to attention and right turn.
You then play Happy Birthday and we’ll do the rest. How’s that? ”
Peacock smiles. “Not exactly trooping of the colours, is it? I’m sure we’ll get through it in one piece.”
“Pipe down, smart arse.” I laugh. There are a number of people stopping to take photos and videos, so the likelihood Captain Morley is going to find out about this is getting higher by the second. Cleo’s worth a telling off, though.
We get into formation and wait for my watch to beep. We’re just around the corner from the street Cleo should be standing in. She’ll probably hear us before she sees us, which makes me smile.
Peacock looks back at me and gives me a nod before returning to his station.
Holding his staff in the air, he signals for the band to start.
Obviously it’s not the full band, because even I couldn’t pull in enough favours for that.
But there are enough musicians here to solidly belt out the Britannic Salute.
I’m not an officer, and usually I wouldn’t be the one to salute, but today we’re mixing it up. As the band gets into the swing of it, I call to the squad. “Parade…by the left…quick march!”
I kind of get why officers like to do parade drills now. It’s cathartic shouting at a bunch of no-good sailors. My lips curl as I laugh at the thought of telling Kit, Cheddar, and Boot what to do. That’s incentive enough to start ranking up, I think.
Getting my head back in the game, I march along with my squad and around the corner. Remaining in line and professional is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do as soon as I spot Cleo looking exquisite and…yep, totally confused.
My heart is hammering in my chest. My palms are sweating inside my gloves. Every muscle in my body wants to break formation and run to her, but I hold steady. Professional. Controlled. Even though I’m anything but.
She’s probably wondering what the bloody hell a Royal Marine Band is doing marching up the street blasting out a well-known and beloved tune. Hell, even I can’t help but sing along to it in my head.
We carry on marching in perfect formation. As we get to the marker I scouted earlier in the day I call to the squad again, making sure my voice is loud and clear. “Parade…eyes…right!”
Every head turns to the right, their eyes fixed.
In my peripheral, I see Cleo bring her hand up to her mouth.
I’m pretty sure her shoulders are shaking too, so there’s a decent chance she’s crying.
We march to another marker and I salute her.
I may have sent her a cheeky wink as we passed. Can’t let her be a total mess.
We pass the group outside the restaurant and when we’re clear, I continue to call to the troop. “Parade…about…turn.”
In perfect symmetry, the squad about turns and marches back towards Cleo.
“Parade…halt. Left…turn!”
As soon as the squad is facing the restaurant and all the crying and laughing people, Drum Major Peacock signals the band with his staff and the music changes to the poshest rendition of Happy Birthday I’ve ever heard.
When the sound starts, Kit, Cheddar, and I reach around our tunics and pull out the concealed folded cards Boot made for us. Unfolding them, we stand in a row and hold the cards to our chests. ‘Happy Birthday Cleo’ is displayed in big, bold letters.
My eyes dance with laughter as I watch her.
Cleo’s shaking her head, laughing uncontrollably.
I can’t stop the smile from stretching across my face.
I look to the side and see my bunkies, and the rest of the squad I corralled into taking part, all beaming.
Yeah, the extra scut work is so worth bringing this kind of joy to the woman I’m definitely in love with.
Finally, the band comes to the end and falls silent. So does everyone else. I pass my cardboard sign to Kit and step forward into Cleo’s space. She has tears running down her face, and she’s looking at me like she can’t quite decide if this is real.
“Pretty romantic, if I do say so myself.”
Cleo snorts. Honor hands her a tissue. After a few moments, she shakes her head and looks me dead in the eye. “Pretty proud of yourself right now, huh, Dawson?”
“You could say that, Ms Carter.” We smile stupidly at each other for a few seconds before Cleo launches herself into my arms. I hold her as tight as I can and inhale her scent until it’s burned into the back of my nose and throat.
“I can’t believe you did this,” she says into my neck.
“Happy birthday, baby,” I reply before swallowing my nerves. “I-I love you, Cleo.”
Yes, it’s the first time I’ve said it, even though I’ve felt this way for months.
She pulls back and frames my face with her hands. “I love you so much, River!”
The kiss breathes new life into me. I’ve missed her so much, and it’s quite rude, in my opinion, that I’ve had to wait this long to touch her. Bloody Morley and her punishments.
“Er, Riv?” Cheddar calls.
“Oh fuck,” I say, turning to the squad. “Squad…fall…out.”
“About bloody time,” Kit grumbles, but she’s smiling. She rushes over with Cheddar and Boot to sweep Cleo up in a hug. Reluctantly, I let her go and step away. Peacock is waiting for me outside the throng of partygoers.
“Thank you so much for this,” I say, shaking his hand.
“It’s a pleasure, Dawson. Plus, the admiral was quite persuasive.” He laughs.
Grinning, I nod. “I can imagine.”
“Are you okay if I take this lot back to base? We’ve got a concert tomorrow.”
“Absolutely, although you’re all more than welcome to stay for a few drinks.”
Peacock looks at his band and laughs at their enthusiasm. “Alright. One,” he calls.
The rest of my squad are introducing themselves to Cleo and her guests. I’ve not met most of them myself, so it’s nice to do the meet and greet with my buddies. Sort of takes the pressure off, although I do get a few overly enthusiastic comments about the surprise I pulled off.
Eventually I make my way back to Cleo, where I intend to stay for the rest of my shore leave. Three beautiful weeks with her. I can’t wait.
The guests filter back into the restaurant, but Cleo pulls me back.
We wait until we’re alone and then she kisses me within an inch of my life.
I’ve missed her soft lips and warm tongue.
The feel of her skin ignites me, and I’m quite ready to throw her over my shoulder and whisk her to the nearest bed.
“Soon, darling,” she coos against my mouth. “You look so fucking good, River.”
“I thought you’d appreciate it.” I smirk.
“Won’t you get in trouble for all this?”
I shrug. “I’m not too worried. I’ve got friends in high places, don’t ya know. Plus, we changed in the van around the corner, so we’ve only broken the rules a little.”
The rules on wearing our military uniform in public have relaxed some since the days of IRA attacks, but not enough that I’d be allowed to swan around London in my number ones without there being an official parade or something.
“Well,” she purrs, “I’ll need to send a thank you note to those friends in high places.”
“It was your dad.”
She stills and bites her lip. “Really?”
“Yeah, Cleo. He made all of this possible. Maybe it’s something we can talk about tomorrow. Today is your birthday and I want you to unwrap your present soon.”
Her grin is back. “Are you my present, Leading Hand Dawson?”
Oh, yeah, I got my first promotion. It feels pretty good to have a direction. I’d be proud to get to Petty Officer by the time I serve out.
“I am indeed. So we need to get you back to your party, mingle for an hour, and then I’m kidnapping you for the next three weeks.”
She gasps and takes a step back. “You’re here for three weeks?”
“I—if that’s okay. I know you’ll have to work, but I don’t mind dossing in your apartment. I’ve never spent much time in London, so I can do all the shit tourist stuff while you’re out. Um, if that’s okay? Or I can get a hotel…that’s not a problem.”
Cleo puts her fingers to my lips. “You’re rambling, Dawson.”
“I know,” I reply, but it’s muffled.
“I want nothing more than to have you here. But…I can request holiday and come to Portsmouth with you if that would be easier?”
“Yes to the leave request, but no to the going to Portsmouth bit. It’s time for something new,” I say, pulling her back into my arms.
Cleo smiles, plucks the tub hat off my head and puts it on her own. It’s too big for her and falls to the side, making her look utterly adorable.
“Aye aye,” she whispers.