Rating: T


A Sequel to a special Birthday Dinner

A month after the Captain's birthday, Martha began getting strange
dreams. She didn't know at this time that her dreams had something to do
with the fact that she had been witness to the fiery kisses between Mrs.
Muir and the spirit of Captain Gregg.  When she had come home that
birthday evening, she had peeked into the kitchen to see how far her
love intrigue with that special dinner had gone, and she had seen more
than she had ever expected.  Now, however, she was having nightmares
about it and didn't know why.

But a week after her first dream, she learned the truth about why she
was having these dreams. Saturday night she went to bed, fell asleep
immediately and now was dreaming this dream again.

Martha was in the kitchen when she heard something strange from
upstairs. 'What was that?' she thought. A short time later, a door was
opened in a hurry, followed by fast footsteps, then another door was
opened and then closed and then suddenly there was silence. 'What's
going on upstairs?' Martha thought further. 'Sounded almost like Mrs.
Muir's steps. If I don't know better, I'd swear that she is....'  Her
thoughts stopped.  'No, no, that can't be right, anyway. I'd better take
a look, maybe she is ill and needs my help.'   Martha went out of the
kitchen and hurried up the stairs to the bathroom. Ms. Grant wasn't sure
why but she had the feeling she would find Carolyn in there.

She stopped at the door and eavesdropped. All was silent in the bathroom
so Martha was a bit worried. She put her right hand on the door knob and
wanted to open it, but it was locked tightly. So she called from
outside, "Mrs. Muir, are you in there and are you alright?" but she
didn't get an answer.

Carolyn couldn't answer because she was fighting with her nausea and had
to be sick. Now Martha was really worried but then she heard a
well-known noise, as if somebody was quite ill. So she called again.
"Mrs. Muir, shall I call the doctor for you?"

After Carolyn felt a little better, she called back. "No, Martha, I
don't need a doctor." And then she opened the bathroom door and came
out. But she had a pale face. "No need to be worried, Martha. I'm really
alright. Please, you can leave me alone."

"Mrs. Muir, you are not alright." the housekeeper protested. "You look
so pale. If I don't know better, I could swear you were...."

Ms Grant couldn't continue because Carolyn stopped her. "Martha, don't
say it."   She almost snapped, knowing exactly what Martha's thoughts
were. "I'm not pregnant, is that clear? I'm sure I must have eaten
something when I was in town which I maybe shouldn't have eaten, that's
all. I'm really alright. If you'll excuse me, I've some writing to do."

"Very well, Mrs. Muir, I'll leave you alone. But...." Ms Grant stopped,
noticing Mrs. Muir warning glance. She knew the subject was closed with
that. But she knew otherwise, and her thoughts continued. 'Mrs. Muir is
pregnant, I'm quite sure of that. But why did she deny it so decidedly?
Maybe she and the Captain had a fight again. That can only mean one
thing, Captain Gregg is the father.'  A bit snubbed, she turned her back
to Carolyn and made her way downstairs. While walking downstairs, she
had to put that impossible thought away. 'Stop that thought of yours.
You know perfectly well that such a thing can never happen. Captain
Gregg is a spirit, he can't make children anyway ... or can he?" Now Ms
Grant was totally confused.

Then she heard something that made her realize she was right. Mrs. Muir
was pregnant, because Martha heard the Captain's voice saying, "Carolyn,
my darling, we both know you are pregnant and I'm the father. Why did
you tell Martha a lie, not the truth?"

"Oh, Daniel, I can't. Please help me!"

"My dear, I will. We can't hide it from Candy and Jonathan or Martha for
long. You, know we have to explain it some day."

"I know."

These words awoke a startled Martha from her sleep. Now she sat
vertically in her bed. "Oh my God, Martha, what a crazy dream." she
thought aloud. "But what if that dream is true and Mrs. Muir is really
pregnant. No, no, Martha, forget that immediately."

And then her conscience whispered. 'The truth now, Martha, wasn't it
that for which you had aimed when making that special dinner for two for
the Captain's birthday? And now remember exactly. What did you really
see when you peeked into the kitchen to see how far your love intrigue
had gone? And what were your thoughts after you saw it?'

'Stop!' Martha inwardly yelling. 'Alright, alright, I admit, I've wanted
another baby around here, Mrs. Muir married to Captain Gregg, so Candy
and Jonathan have a new father.' Now her guilty conscience bothered her,
so she couldn't sleep any more.

When looking at the clock, she knew it was too early on a Sunday morning
to get up. But she couldn't sleep any more, so she got out of her bed,
put on her bathrobe and made her way to the kitchen. Maybe a glass of
warm milk could bring her emotion down, so that she could sleep a little
bit longer without that dream.

Walking into the kitchen, she found Carolyn in there, drinking a glass
of warm milk. "Mrs. Muir, what are you doing up so early this Sunday
morning?" she wanted to know.

Carolyn, with her back to the door, turned around when hearing the
housekeeper's voice. "Oh, Martha, I couldn't sleep any more. That's why
I'm downstairs. And may I ask why you are up so early?"

"I couldn't sleep any more either, so I thought I should  drink a glass
of warm milk to cool my emotion a bit." Martha answered. 'Oops,' she
continued in her thoughts. 'Why did I say that: 'cool my emotion a bit'?
I must getting soft in my head. I hope Mrs. Muir didn't notice it.'

But Carolyn had. "What do you mean: 'cool your emotion a bit'?"

"Oh, nothing, really. It only slipped out of my mouth, that's all."
Martha was really nervous.

"Very well, Martha. I think there is still enough warm milk in the pot
on the stove so you can have a glass too." Carolyn knew by the look on
Martha's face that something was still bothering her. She wanted to ask
what it was but then she didn't.

"Oh, good." was Martha's short answer, taking a glass from the cupboard,
going to the stove, taking the pot and pouring the milk in her glass. 
Putting the pot back, she walked out of the kitchen without a further word.

Martha was hardly out the kitchen when Daniel appeared before Carolyn
and said. "My dear, Martha seemed a bit absent-minded to me, if you ask
me. Has she told you why she is up so early on this Sunday morning? I'm
thinking not."

"No, she hasn't told me anything, only that she couldn't sleep any more,
that's all. Wonder why? If I didn't know better, I could swear she is
having nightmares about something."

"What brings you to that thought?"

"Because every time I want to speak with her about dinner, she invades
me very skillfully. And then she babbles something like: 'My eyes must
have played a trick on me that evening.  It couldn't be that that
special food had such a magic'." Carolyn told him. "I wonder what food
she means?"

"Mhm. Makes me wonder too." And then to Daniel came a very curious
thought and he began laughing when it hit him as to what food Martha was
referring.

"What's so funny, Captain? You should tell me immediately before I...."
she stopped because in that moment it hit her too and she was laughing
with him. "Oh Daniel, now everything is clear to me. She must have
peeked into the kitchen on your birthday without us noticing it. Now I
think I know what she thought when she saw us...." she didn't finish.

"Carolyn, my dear, I think I know what she is thinking right now
about...." Daniel didn't finish either.

"But we both know I'm not pregnant. I should tell her that before she
feels more guilt." Carolyn said.

"I think that would be the best, my dear. I think Martha will feel much
better after you have talk with her." Daniel was about to vanish but
Carolyn stopped him.

"No, Daniel, wait. We both will talk with her about that evening. Is
that clear?" Carolyn ordered with a commanding voice.

He wanted to protest but saw the determination on Carolyn's face. "Very
well. We both will speak with her." And together they made their way to
Martha's bedroom.

Carolyn knocked at Martha's bedroom door and called. "May the Captain
and I come in, please? We have to talk with you."

"Of course!" Ms Grant said from inside. "Come in, please."

Daniel and Carolyn went in. "Martha," Carolyn began, "the Captain and I
think we know what's still bothering you."

"You do!" Martha was totally perplexed. "Well then, before one of you
begins, I should tell my story first."

"Okay, Martha, you first." Daniel and Carolyn said at the same time.

And then the housekeeper began making her conscience easier. She told
them about the special cookbook she had received and what had been in
her mind after she had read all the things in that book. And then she
had wanted to make that dinner for two. After she had finished, she
asked, "Are you both angry with me now?"

Carolyn and Daniel looked at each other and then at Martha. "Look,
Martha," Daniel began. "You did it for persons you care for and Carolyn
and I can't blame you for that or for your wish that we all could be a
real living family. But we three know that can never happen in the way
we all want it. I'm not alive any more."

And Carolyn continued. "Martha, what you believed you saw on that
evening was merely a illusion. You know that. I've had my dreams too
but...."

"Don't say a further word, Mrs. Muir. I completely understand that. Now
that we have talked about the whole thing, I'm sure I won't having any
more nightmares." Now Martha felt better.

But the following night, something peculiar happened. Carolyn and Daniel
spent a very fiery love night together and Martha's wish was coming true.

The end   


Third Story