Olivia started walking towards Kalvin's quarters as soon she left the dining room, wanting to talk to Melvin. As the captain, Kalvin had some special facilities, including a larger cabin designed like a small home, with a tiny living room, two bedrooms, and a bathroom. One of those rooms belonged to Melvin, which is why Olivia wanted to go there. Olivia hesitated for a moment before knocking on the door. She knew that Kalvin was still angry with her. But after knocking a few times with no answer, she decided to open the door herself, feeling apprehensive. Olivia pushed the door open, peering inside. The living room was neat and tidy, but her eyes immediately went to the group gathered there. Kalvin was lying on the couch only wearing a pair of trousers, his muscular athletic torso exposed, surrounded by three young women vying for his attention. They leaned in close, their body language and attire suggestive, all intent on captivating the captain. Kalvin was lying on the sofa his head lying on the lap of the girl named Grace who was a nurse. The girl who was wearing a mini skirt and a high-waist blouse was sitting on the arm of the sofa crossed-legged. The other girl who was sitting on the table in a tight mini dress more like a party dress was a chef named Anne. Kalvin seemed to be having fun with the intentions of poor girls. Olivia felt a twinge of discomfort at the intimate tableau unfolding before her. Kalvin was visibly shocked by Olivia's sudden entrance. Both he and Olivia felt an overwhelming sense of discomfort in the tense embarrassing situation. Kalvin worried about his mistake of forgetting to lock the door. He stood up hurriedly grabbing his t-shirt lying on the table."I'm sorry, I..." Olivia struggled to speak, flustered by the embarrassing circumstance she had stumbled upon."What are you doing here?" Kalvin asked, his voice annoyed and complaining as he hurried to cover up and dress himself. The three young women quickly straightened themselves, sensing the shift in the atmosphere. Their previous alluring demeanours were replaced by a more sheepish, guilty air. Olivia averted her gaze, trying to find the right words. "I, uh, I was looking for Melvin. I needed to speak with her about something important."Kalvin shot her an irritated look as he pulled his shirt over his head. "Well, as you can see, this isn't really a good time," he said tersely. An awkward silence hung in the air, the tension palpable. Olivia could feel her face burning with embarrassment, wishing she could disappear from this mortifying situation."I'll, um, I'll just come back later," she said meekly, already starting to back towards the door.Kalvin nodded stiffly, his jaw clenched. "That would be best," he muttered, his tone clipped.

As Olivia was hurrying out of the room, she heard Melvin's voice calling out.

"Olivia, wait! I'm coming too," Melvin said, rushing out of her own room and quickly closing the door behind her. She looked at Kalvin and the three girls with an annoyed expression, rolling her eyes before hurrying to catch up with Olivia.

"What's your business with her?" Kalvin asked in a rough voice.

"I gotta fix what you've messed up," Melvin said, shooting Kalvin an irritated glare. Kalvin seemed a bit taken aback by her response.

"Leave," he said, looking at the three girls with a soft, commanding tone.

"See you later," Grace said, kissing Kalvin softly on the lips before starting to walk away. Kalvin appeared more annoyed than pleased by the gesture.

Melvin closed the door after the three girls had exited, shooting another angry glare at Kalvin.

Once safely in the hallway, Olivia let out a shaky breath, her heart still pounding from the awkward encounter she had just witnessed. Melvin looked at Olivia, sensing her clear discomfort with the situation.

"Don't misunderstand. He doesn't sleep with any of them," Melvin said in an awkward voice, trying to clarify the nature of Kalvin's interactions.

Olivia looked at Melvin uncomfortably. "Just kissing, I get it," she replied, her tone indicating her desire to move past the topic.

"Sorry for the inconvenience," Melvin said, her voice taking on a rougher edge, "but why did you come to me? We're not friends - I made that clear. Don't think I'll forget everything I went through just because you talked to your mom. It was a deal, after all, remember?"

She continued walking down the hallway with Olivia, her words carrying a hint of resentment.

Olivia matched Melvin's stride, responding firmly, "I came to ask you to join me, to tell the truth to Tara and Curie. Don't think I'll forget your rude manners either. I just want to fix what my mom messed up."

Melvin suddenly stopped walking, and Olivia turned to look at her, a sense of surprise on her face.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

"Why? What's wrong?" Olivia asked, concerned by Melvin's reaction.

Melvin's expression was one of worry. "Do I need to join?" she asked, her voice laced with apprehension.

Olivia could sense the hesitation and uncertainty in Melvin's demeanour, and she reached out a hand, placing it gently on Melvin's arm.

"I think it's important that we're all on the same page," Olivia said softly.

Olivia looked at Melvin sympathetically. "It will be easier to face this if you come with me, I think. But it's your decision," she said gently.

Melvin gave out a heavy breath. "Okay," she said softly, starting to walk away. However, she pointedly pulled her arm away from Olivia's touch in a rather rude manner.

Olivia was puzzled by Melvin's abrupt shift in demeanour, but she didn't let it deter her. She began to follow Melvin down the hallway.

Carl went to the main control room called 'the bridge', but realized Kalvin wasn't there. He remembered it was Kalvin's day off and turned around to head to Kalvin's quarters. As Carl approached the door he paused, then he knocked gently, lost in thought about how Kalvin might react. After a moment, Kalvin's face peeped out of the opened the door."Hey," Carl greeted him."Hey," Kalvin replied, his voice carrying a hint of laziness as he stepped aside, gesturing for Carl to enter. Carl stepped into the spacious living quarters, his eyes taking in the neat and tidy surroundings.

"I heard it was a quiet, hard night," he said, making an attempt to start a conversation

."Yeah, there was a small storm that passed through," Kalvin explained, moving towards the cupboard in the corner of the room.

"Your girlfriend was here a moment ago," Kalvin continued, a trace of embarrassment lacing his words.

"Didn't she tell you I'm a bad guy?"Olivia was here?" Carl asked, his brow furrowing in surprise and curiosity.

"Yeah, I was having some private time with a few girls when she burst in. Apparently, she was looking for Melvin," Kalvin said, his tone almost amused as he returned to Carl, holding a tin of biscuits

"Oh, she was looking for Melvin to discuss things with Tara and Curie. She might be thinking you're a bad guy now if she caught you with those girls," Carl said, trying to use humour to ease into the difficult conversation.

"Really?" Kalvin responded, a smirk playing on his lips as he took a biscuit from the tin.

"The highest crime on her mind is mistreating girls," Carl said, offering Kalvin a sympathetic smile

."I meant no harm, just hanging out," Kalvin said, his voice carrying a tinge of awkwardness.

"I get it, but Olivia thinks differently," Carl said, his expression shifting to a more serious one as he looked at Kalvin. There was a moment of silence. Kalvin was grabbing another biscuit.

"Um, I heard the news from Olivia. I'm sorry for all the hard times," Carl continued, tactfully broaching the sensitive topic.Kalvin was taken aback by Carl's words. He put the biscuit down on the table, his fingers gently crushing it into crumbs. The sound of the delicate pastry breaking apart filled the quiet room. As he heard Carl's wordsKalvin's grip tightened around the biscuit. His jaw clenched, and he stared down at the biscuit, watching as it disintegrated in his palm. Carl watched Kalvin's actions realizing how hard it could be for him. Letting out a heavy sigh.

"Now you too think I'm the bad guy," he asked in a low voice.

"No, no, not at all. It wasn't your fault. I don't like those chancellors either. I just tolerate Elsa because she's Olivia's mom. I understand we all live in a different world now, and we have to make hard choices sometimes. But Olivia thinks everyone needs to be a perfectly good guy, and that makes her distance herself from others. Even so, she's still a good girl," Carl explained. Kalvin looked at Carl, a sense of wonder in his expression.

"So you don't think I'm a bad guy?" he asked. Carl looked at Kalvin with empathy, sensing the turmoil within the other man. He spoke in a voice filled with understanding.

"No, I don't judge you. Everyone makes mistakes. If you're wondering why I tell you so, it's because I lost my parents when I was 14. They were tired of working all the time and got addicted to some kind of drug. Then they were caught up and executed. We all have a criminal history. It's a tough time after the nuclear war. We all struggle. So it's fair to make mistakes."Kalvin faked a smile, but it was tinged with sorrow and regret.

"I never wanted to do that. My mom raised me to be good and look at me now. I've brought shame to Bell. My brother is angry with me."Kalvin's voice grew emotional, and he sniffed, reaching up to cover his eyes as he fought to hold back tears. The weight of his mistakes and the disappointment of his family seemed to press down on him, threatening to overwhelm his composure. Carl moved closer, placing a reassuring hand on Kalvin's shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay. I know it's not easy, What matters is that you try to do better, to learn from your mistakes. Your family, they just wants the best for you. They're frustrated, but I'm sure they still love you."

Kalvin looked up, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I just want to make them proud, you know? I never meant to disappoint them." He let out a shaky breath, the vulnerability in his voice palpable. Carl gave Kalvin's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"I know, man. And I believe you. We all stumble sometimes, but the important thing is that we keep moving forward, learning and growing. Your family, they'll see that. Just give them time, and keep trying to be the person you know you can be."The two men sat there in silence for a moment, the air thick with unspoken empathy and understanding. Kalvin's shoulders slowly began to relax, the tension in his frame easing as Carl's words sank in.

" Thank you, It meant a lot. I was wishing Maxwell was here to talk to me by the time you came" Kalvin said in a voice full of thanks.

" It's OK" Carl said gently standing up.

"Is there anything else I can do? " Carl asked getting ready to leave.

" Can you just let it spread as a rumour? I don't dare to tell others " Kalvin said in a vulnerable voice.

" Ok," Carl said gently nodding.