Cruising for Love

We stopped at a little bistro overlooking the water, yet out of the town area. Ed told me that by wearing his uniform he got discounts in each shop. I laughed and told him I didn't mind being seen with him in uniform and it was something I could get used to.

Over lunch, Ed told me he had received an email back from Nadia that simply said, 'Ha, ha- pull the other one dead beat.' Ed had explained that on top of the more than adequate child support he provided, he also paid for the children's school fees at a private school and for piano lessons for Bella and trumpet for lessons for Ted.

"Ed, you know you are definitely not a dead-beat-dad, don't you?" I asked as I stroked his hand. He smiled and told me that at times he felt more dead beat than most dads he knew. He talked of many of the stewards working on the ship for months at a time sending all their earnings home to their families. I suggested he was doing something similar in the amount of child support he was paying and the extra fees he also picked up.

When we returned to the ship we both sought out Suzy's help. I had never seen my sister in lawyer mode before. She suddenly turned into a ruthless bitch. We found a quiet room on board where we knew we would not be interrupted. Suzie used her mobile knowing an Australian number would come up.

"Mrs Smith is it? I'm sorry, Mrs Williams. It's Suzanne Simpson here from Burrows Simpson Law in Sydney. I believe you are turning down reasonable requests from my client Edward Smith. I'm sorry? No, one day every six months is far from adequate and reasonable.

"I believe he has offered for them to join him on a cruise? I'm sorry Mrs Williams however your seasickness has nothing to do with this, I understand you have not been invited.

"No Mrs Williams, I do believe Captain Smith has made adequate arrangements for the children to be looked after by his partner, Katherine. I'm sorry Mrs Williams, but it would not matter if his partner was a scullery maid, however I have it on good authority that she is a highly qualified nurse who has run both inner city Emergency Departments and also looked after the health needs of a community on Cape York for six years or so.

"No, I'm sorry Mrs Williams, but you have been granted permission for the children to travel to Japan and Bali in recent years so I hardly think a cruise of the South Pacific is going to be an issue, especially when Captain Smith needs to ensure it returns to Sydney on the correct date.

"No Mrs Williams, I have no idea what Bella or Ted want, but perhaps you might like to put one of them on so I can ask them."

Suzy's tone changed all of a sudden, "Hi sweetie, my name's Suzy and I'm a friend of your Dad's. Dad wants to know if you and your brother want to come on a cruise with him for Christmas or perhaps the New Year. Oh sweetie, I know Dad would love to hear that. Can you put Mum back on please?

"So Mrs Williams, Bella just told me she would love to go on a cruise with her dad, are you going to deny her this wish? OK, well now that I have ascertained the wishes of the child in this matter, I will lodge paperwork with the Family Law Court in Sydney tomorrow, and you will be called to appear in person within the next week."

Suzy was looking to the sky with her fingers crossed as she said the last sentence, but it obviously worked. "Mrs Williams, thank-you very much for agreeing to this, I'm sure your children will be very excited and I'm sure my client will look forward to my email telling him of these developments. Goodbye."

"Suzy, you were brilliant!" Ed and I screamed in unison.

"Bella sounds like a really switched on kid by the way, Eddie- she told me in front of her mother that she and Ted always want to spend more time with you, but Mum just says no."

"Suzy, I can't really afford to pay hefty legal bills and when you were suggesting court in Sydney, I was hoping you were joking! However, I believe there is a family suite still available on the Christmas cruise if your family is not doing anything else!"

Suzy hugged Ed and he joked that she almost hugged as nicely as me.

The last few days as we sailed back to Sydney were almost surreal. We had another formal evening where I wore the red dress to many lovely comments. Ed gave me the earrings he had purchased in Noumea- stunning diamonds that I insisted were too generous, however could not wait to wear! Ed and I made love as much as we could. Suzy, Dean, Eleanor, Austin and I were the last to disembark in Sydney. Terry was to captain the ship for the three-day cruise, and we all knew he would be great.

Ed flew to Melbourne to collect Bella and Ted. I had arranged to meet them at Sydney airport. Austin had insisted on making a sign to greet them just as he had to greet me, and he also insisted he come with me to collect them. Ed greeted me with a huge hug and a kiss in front of his children before he introduced me. It was a little awkward at first until Ed broke the ice, "Oh Austin, I'm so glad you're here, can you please lend Ted the Dr Pottyface book- I think he'll love it!"

Over dinner we all bonded, and Ed had insisted that I join them in their motel for the night. When Ed was using the bathroom, I confided in Bella and Ted that I was not used to looking after kids that weren't sick, but I was hoping they could both teach me. It was awkward at first, however at the end of the first three days it was like we were a family that had been together for years. Even without the constant love making, Ed was kind and generous. Christmas was a glorious affair with far too much food which we all ate together as a family. Ed even took his children to the bridge to use the satellite phone to call their mother and stepfather. He later told me he had to bite his tongue when they would not shut up about how gorgeous and lovely and cool Katie was.

I spent time over the cruise with Charles and Helen in the clinic on board and found it was a lot like the nursing I was used to- nursing on the fly in the middle of nowhere, however I did always have a doctor present with me, not one at the end of a teleconference line!

No one was shocked when I handed in my resignation. Ed took a week off and came with me as I packed up my things ready to start my new life. There was a huge party in my honour and Barry made a speech asking I give back the condoms as he preferred it when I didn't have a husband. We may not have been married legally yet, however we both had accepted we were all but married.

We timed it so we could rejoin the ship in Cairns. Even though the cruise had started in Sydney and we were joining it late, a state cabin had been saved for us so the Captain could use the Captain's cabin. Helen was still the official nurse for the next few weeks, however as soon as Ed had forwarded my CV to the HR department, he received a call asking how they could ensure they got this nurse. Ed told them he was pretty sure she would agree!

Bella and Ted joined us for another cruise at Easter. We docked again in Noumea, however Marion asked if I could spend the day with her shopping. The clinic was only to be open for a few hours and Charles offered to hold the fort, so we went and browsed boutiques. Neither of us purchased very much but we had a wonderful day.

The following evening was another formal evening and Ed asked that I wear the dress I wore on the first formal night which was essentially our first date. He had never requested me wear anything in particular before, however I readily agreed. As I was coming back from the clinic shortly after 4pm to prepare myself for dinner, I heard my lover's voice on the loudspeaker,

"Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight is our singles night on board this ship. I have been sailing these routes with this company for many years now however last December, I did something I had never done before, I filled out the singles survey and asked to be matched to a passenger. In my mind, I had hoped to be matched to a stunning woman I had met at my cocktail party on the first night of the cruise, but figured I would roll the dice and tell the world that my ideal date was peeling prawns as the sun set over the water, not knowing that her response was shucking oysters watching the sun set over the water.

"I'm joined here on deck tonight with my beautiful children Isabella and Edward Jr, don't worry ladies and gentlemen, their mother is the Twilight fan! Because I have a question we would like to ask my princess, my beautiful Katherine, Katie, darling, will you marry me?"

"Katie, will you be our stepmum?" Bella and Ted chimed in with. I stood in the corridor and tears streamed down my face. I started running, I knew I had to head straight to the bridge.

Terry was waiting for me, "Took ya long enough!" he joked as he held open the door for me.

Ed knew what my answer would be as I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain again, she has said yes! And please be safe tonight everyone- respect each other and unless the other party has specifically said yes, please don't push yourself on them, it gives me too much paperwork and I want to spend the night with my fiancée."

Ed turned to me and was on one knee, "Katie, I love you with all my heart and have done since I laid eyes on you as you queued to meet me last December. Thank-you for teaching me to love again. I know you won't wear a ring when you nurse, but on nights like tonight I hope you will wear this to show the world my love for you." Ed placed the most amazing sapphire and diamond ring on my finger. The sapphire was a deep blue in some light, however in others it had a slight green tone. Bella told me she has seen it in Noumea and told her dad that it reminded her of both of our eyes.

We were married in December. At first we had thought of having a wedding on board, however soon after Easter Suzy had rung me to say that she was pregnant at 40 and had conceived on the second cruise over Christmas, however it had taken her a few months to work out why she was feeling so tired all the time. Ruth and Lucas were born in late September and both screamed as Ed and I exchanged vows. Bella and Eleanor were my bridesmaids and Ted and Austin were Ed's best men.

Although we tried very hard it took over eighteen months for me to conceive. I worked until I was legally able to and Ed worked on for another few months, ringing me every day. He was able to take 12 months parental leave combined with the other leaves he had owing to him and Rupert William joined our family having both his parents with him for the first ten months. Ed was commissioned Captain of a brand-new ship and only agreed if Charles was appointed doctor and Terry and Nicolai were also alongside him. I made the suggestion that Diego be made head steward, and this was readily agreed to. Naturally, I was the ship's nurse, however we also put out feelers for a nanny to live aboard with us. Bella had just finished her high schooling and after much convincing from me, Ed agreed to let her come along as nanny, as long as Ted came in the school holidays as he had been.

As we sailed from Circular Quay on our first cruise in our new home, we sat on our much larger deck. Rupert was at my breast (Smith men obviously loved their boobs!) and Ed was holding me as he shucked oysters. Ed told me he had had to smuggle them on board, and I was never to tell the chef. As the sunset, we knew we had to get ready for our cocktail party. I loved looking at the women's faces as they first caught a glance of my husband. Yeah, he was incredibly sexy, but hey, he was all mine.

With Bella in the cabin next door and Rupert usually asleep either in the cot next to our bed or in our bed we had to be quiet with our lovemaking. As Ed always reminded his daughter, she was now 18 and if she could hear us, then we could hear her too! But they are her stories to tell, not mine!