As the words were running for freedom out of the captain's mouth, he found his mind transported in time, to 1944, a late night at Button House.
The captain had been drinking, perhaps more than he should have done.
The French had raised their white flags to surrender and the Germans would be here soon. He felt excited, ready for war, but deep down, the captain was scared; he knew better than to bring up his feelings.. most of the time.
"Lieutenant Havers, would you come to my office." The captain slurred. Havers always made the captain nervous, he wasn't sure why, and he didn't understand how he could feel like this when he himself was higher ranking.
"Of course sir." Havers responded. Being called 'sir' certainly had an effect on the captain, the blush in his cheeks would rise every time the word passed the lieutenants lips.
The captain held open the door as he let his second in command enter the room. He sat informally upon his desk as he ushered the lieutenant to a leather seat.
"Now I want to tell you this as a captain does to a lieutenant." Although he wasn't sure they did. He stumbled to his feet, Havers rose with him and held onto him as not to fall over. "I have feelings for you Havers, and I feel it is my duty and responsibility to tell you. Now I don't expect you to feel the same-.." He stuttered. Before he could finish his sentence, the lieutenant's lips pressed against those of his superior. They were warm, soft, and supple; the captain thought as his second in command pulled away.
"As do I." Havers smiled. "But we mustn't let the others know about this. We mustn't let this get out. "
"Yes yes, of course, I understand. Might we devise some sort of code when we converse around the other officers or to communicate when we are apart?" The captain suggested.
"We could use a name that isn't ours in correspondence," Havers explained. "How about Andrew.. or Daniel.. or Wiliam would do, wouldn't it?"
"Operation William." The captain interjected. "Yes!- William, I have always loved that name, fantastic isn't it." The captain commented as he took another swig of his whiskey.
"Now close the door lieutenant. You are my well-mannered commanding officer, aren't you?"
YOU ARE READING
second in command - a BBC ghosts story.
FanfictionThe Captain X Havers When Allison asked if the captain had anything to share, he reveals and retells the story of his death as well as his more painful life.
