All for you

Chapter 14

Day 2 in Base

Liz knocks at my door at 0845. I grab my phone and walk out to meet her.

"Good morning. How did you sleep."

"Uhh I'd say pretty well. Ooh and by the way the food was great last night and this morning."

"That's good. I'm pleased. Because you have a big day today. We have to finish the paperwork and then you need to go and get your uniforms tailored and fitted."

"I'm actually excited for that."

We walk back to her office. We walk through the door at 0902 and work right through till midday.

"Ok I'm actually starving. Do you want to go get lunch?" Liz stands up and makes an irresistible offer.

"Reading my mind."

We have a quick lunch before she walks me over to a big shed looking building. Inside is a long desk and behind are floor to ceiling shelves with uniforms, shoes and other equipment stacked high.

Liz walks up to the desk and talks with a lady. She writes some stuff down and hands it over.

"Ok Ivy. This is the expert uniform fitter. She's going to sort you out with everything you need. I'm not going to lie, you might be here a few hours."

I nod and watch Liz leave.

"Hi, I'm Amy. We have a lot to do."

She leads me over to a bench next to a change room.

"Average size top, pants and shoes?"

"Top average 14, pants, 14 and shoes, 9."

"Awesome give me a minute and I'll get some stuff for you to try on."

I sit quietly and wait. I realise; no one has said anything about my age. I am younger than enlistment allows you to be but no one has said anything. Have there been kids my age join? And I'm a girl. What the he'll am I talking about, there are tons of women in the navy.

Amy returns with a stack of thing for me to try on.

"Oh yeah and we supply mandatory underwear as well. You have to wear it while on base. I'll need some more sizes from you."

I give her the sizes she needs and I take some things into the change room to see how they fit.

I try on the basic stuff first: singlet top and t shirt. They both fit fine.

"How many of each do I need?"

"Basic stuff you need 8, uniform that goes over the top of that, you need 4. You get one top and one bottom of the formal uniform, one pair of boots, 8 pairs of undies and socks and 3 bras."

"And all of that fits in one bag?" I ask astonished.

"Well it does if you pack it in right. And we give you a second bag of stuff like toiletries and all the other stuff you need."

I try item after item on. It's basically a workout, a really good arm workout. A few things don't fit perfectly. Amy pins and marks out the adjustment that needs to be made and takes them away to be tailored. Even just trying these uniforms on, I feel very proper and like this is all coming together and that it is not just one big deluded dream.

"You can't take any of this stuff today. You will need to come back for it all. We have to tailor some of it. The other items need you name, rank and job tag put on them. Come back in a week and it should be ready."

"Awesome. Thank you very much."

I walk out of the shed and back to the main building to find Liz.

She's in her office when I do find her. I walk in to find a woman sitting on the couch. I don't know a lot about the navy but I do know that she is dressed in the formal uniform, she has a lot of badges and her name tag starts with COM. I just walked in on the fuckin Commander.

Not a fantastic start. I stop instantly and lock my hands behind my back.

"Madam. I'm very sorry."

"It's ok. I don't expect you to know better yet Ivy."

She stand up and greets me.

"Commander Maxine White. Nice to finally meet you."

"Ivy MackIntosh. Honoured to meet you."

"Don't flatter me." She says jokingly. "Anyway, I was hoping you could meet with me tomorrow morning. I have some things I would like to discuss with you and also you will need to talk with Mike Flynn, your captain aboard Hammersly. Finally you will need to also meet with a psychologist for an assessment that you must pass before you can sail with Hammersly."

"Yes, of course madam. What time would you like me to meet you."

"Well I was just discussing with Elizabeth here but she will pick you up at 0830 and our  meeting will commence at 0900."

"Certainly. I'm looking forward to it."

"Do you have your uniforms yet."

"No not yet. I have just come from fitting all my uniforms."

"That's ok come with me now because you need the formal uniform to get into NavCom."

Liz salutes Commander White. I walk out with the Commander, catching a glimpse of the time: 1518. I'm exhausted.

I follow the Com to the uniform shed again.

"Amy. I need a uniform for Ivy for tomorrow."

"Which uniform does she need Ma'am?"

"Formal. She's coming to NavCom tomorrow morning."

"I haven't started tailoring it yet Ma'am but I will get started now and I will have it delivered to where she is staying."

"Ok thank you Amy."

I smile at Amy and follow the Commander outside.

"You can go now. You don't have to follow me."

I stand straight with my hands behind my back waiting for something.

"You haven't been taught to salute yet have you?"

"Ahh, no madam."

"Ok show me what you know."

I raise me hand to the side of my face, in like with my forehead.

"Ok good but just told your down a bit. Yeah there you go. Fantastic. Ok try now."

I salute her.

"Dismissed."

I relax.

"I'll be waiting for you tomorrow."

"Looking forward to it."

I walk back to my apartment.