“The time has simply streamed by. You have so many interesting things to talk about,” observed Markus gallantly. Tiran felt something leap within her. She could hardly understand it, but she knew she liked the attention. It made her feel so alive.
“I have to get home. It’s late,” Tiran apologized as she stood. “But thank you, I really enjoyed it.”
“Any time, Tiran,” Markus replied, as he helped her into her coat.
“Bye, then,” Tiran called a bit awkwardly, as she hurried to the door. She could feel his eyes following her out into the cold.
♦
Her breath was rising before her eyes as she stopped in the light of the porch to open the front door of her home. She hurried into the house, stamping her feet on the mat in the hall.
“Tiran?” called a nearly hysterical voice. Her mother rushed into the hall. “Oh, Tiran! Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick. Kendra just went to alert security that you were missing!”
“No, no, I’m just fine. I just lost track of time, that’s all.”
“Where have you been?” her mother demanded.
“I was in the café with a friend,” Tiran said a bit hesitantly. She was embarrassed that she had forgotten the time. She noticed that her mother’s eyes were red and puffy.
“When Kendra came back from the library and said you had left before her, I just about went frantic. Don’t you know how dangerous it is? Don’t you?” her mother reprimanded, her voice high-pitched and strained. “No one is safe anymore! Morek-Li himself was killed today.”
“Mom! I think you’re totally overreacting! I am just fine! I was under the eyes of security cameras the whole time. Don’t worry so much!” Tiran broke around her mother and stormed up the stairs. As she reached the top, she heard the front door open and Kendra’s voice call to her mother. She stomped into her room and slammed the door. Why did her mother have to get so jumpy? Nothing was going to happen to her in the middle of the International Complex. It had the strictest, most advanced security on the whole planet. She flung herself down on the bed, tears filling her eyes. Her mother just had to go and ruin one of the best nights of her life.
Tiran was just starting to drift off to sleep when a soft knock came at the door. “Come in,” she called sleepily.
Kendra slipped in the door and came to sit on Andie’s bed. “You okay, Tiran?” she asked gently.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just don’t understand my mom. I’m just a couple of hours late and she goes berserk! You come home that late all the time, and no one has a meltdown over it,” fumed Tiran.
“Yeah, that’s not fair,” Kendra responded sympathetically. Both girls were silent for a moment. “I think her nerves were just already stretched to the breaking point. I convinced her to go get some rest.”
“Where’s my dad, anyway?” Tiran asked, calmer now.
“When Mr. Damato was killed, the Union recalled him. He had to leave for Tyre this evening, I guess.”
Tiran heard the news silently. She hated when her father was gone. Likely he would be gone for months to that planet where the Council met, and she didn’t even get to tell him goodbye. Sometimes she wished her parents were something normal, like teachers or librarians.
“So, Tiran . . .” Kendra hesitated, “where were you tonight, anyway?”
“Didn’t you get my note?” Tiran frowned.
“Note?”
“You were busy at the research station, and I didn’t want to interrupt you. I left a note for you at the checkout desk,” Tiran explained.
“Oh. It must have gotten lost. Wish I had gotten it—would have saved you some trouble tonight.”
“No kidding! Anyway, I went to the café with Markus.”
“On a date?!” Kendra squealed, and then clapped her hands over her mouth.
“It wasn’t a date! It was just, you know, drinking chocolate with a friend.”
“If you say so,” Kendra returned skeptically. “So how was it? What in the world did you have to talk about with someone so old?”
Tiran frowned in concentration. “I can’t really remember what we talked about. I just remember that I felt so comfortable with him, and the time just flew by. That’s why I was so late. I didn’t even realize it had been so long.”
Kendra was silent for a moment as she twisted her hair around her finger, like she always did when she was thinking.
“Did you tell Aunt Andie who you were with?” she asked finally.
“No way! There are some things my mom just wouldn’t understand. I know she would just freak out again. You know how she can get.” Tiran felt a bit guilty as she said it. It was a little bit like deceiving her mother. But it’s not really, she told herself, I’m not lying to her. She doesn’t need to know every detail of my life anyway. After all, I’m nearly an adult. So the next day when she wrung permission from her mother to go with Kendra to the library, she explained to her mother that she just wanted to do some extra studying for an assignment that her tutor had given her. Her mother was still upset about the night before, but she gave Tiran permission anyway. Tiran left with Kendra with only a slight twinge of guilt.
At the library, she spent ten whole minutes flipping through the pages of a book detailing the economies of the different Union planets before going in search of Markus. She reasoned that since she had studied something her tutor wanted her to learn, she hadn’t really lied to her mother. But when her ten minutes were up, she hastily left the book on the table in the study lounge and went searching among the stacks for Markus. She spent a delightful ten minutes with him, and when he asked her to go for a walk with him the next day, she gladly accepted.
♦
As the days passed, she gradually began spending more and more time with Markus. The time galloped by and soon the winter was just a memory. The grass sparkled with dew and birds twittered madly, hidden in the newly unfurled green leaves of the trees lining the campus walks. It was a beautiful time of year, Tiran’s favorite. And in the middle of the day, right after lunch, she had a cherished, secret ritual. Markus would meet her at the bench near the botany pond and they would walk in the Biodiversity Park for an hour or two before Markus had to go to work. These stolen hours were the highlight of Tiran’s life. Tiran and Markus would amble a bit aimlessly through the paths leading through the plants gathered from all over the galaxy. They would talk and talk and the time would fly past nearly as quickly as it did that first night. Tiran came to know quite a bit about Markus: the kind of clothes he liked to wear, his favorite music, how he longed to return to Urok. Markus was not a huge reader, but Tiran would chatter to him for hours about books she had read and loved. Tiran basked in the attention that Markus lavished on her. He always seemed extremely interested in what she had to say, and that alone was a novelty to Tiran. Hardly anyone ever seemed to be interested in what she thought about things.
This particular afternoon she had managed to come a bit earlier than normal. Her tutor had been ill and so lessons had been cancelled in the morning. Tiran’s mother was gone, off with her old friend Jerrapo. Kendra had class, and her father had not yet returned from Tyre. A few weeks ago she had started sending text comms by terminal to Markus. This morning she had sent him a note letting him know she could come earlier today, but she didn’t know if he had gotten the note. As she eagerly walked toward the bio park, she hoped that he had gotten the message. She tingled with the anticipation that she might get to spend even more time with Markus today.
He was waiting for her on the park bench. She saw him as soon as she rounded the corner into the park. Her eyes sparkled with pleasure, and she hurried toward him.
Markus rose as she reached the bench. “Tiran, you are simply glowing today! It truly made my day to get your message this morning!” He smiled broadly.
“Mine too. I’m so glad you could come! I hoped you would get the message in time. I
love the time we get to spend together, and usually it is so short.” Tiran sat down on the opposite end of the bench, a bit demurely. Markus slid over to close the gap, and she was terribly aware of how close he was. It excited her and scared her a little, at the same time.
“Since we have more time today, I have a suggestion,” Markus began smoothly. Tiran looked at him questioningly. “Let’s go off campus today. I know a great restaurant not too far away that serves some Urokian dishes. I will treat you to lunch!” he proposed. Tiran bit her lip. Off campus meant out of the International Complex. It meant leaving the safety of the security net of the Armada, and things had just been so scary lately. Plus, she had promised her parents she would never leave the Complex.
“I’m sorry, Markus. I would love to go, but I just can’t leave campus. I wish I could,” she apologized, a bit hesitantly. What if he was angry? However, she fretted for no reason. Markus was silent for a moment but recovered quickly and took it all in stride.
“Of course! It is dangerous out there, and I do not want to risk your safety. I forget sometimes, since I do not live in the Complex myself.” Tiran relaxed in relief. She didn’t want to admit it, even to herself, but she really was afraid of venturing out into the city.
“Where do you live?” she asked, trying to change the subject.
“Oh, nowhere really exciting. It is a tiny flat about four blocks from here or so. It is close enough for me to walk, fortunately. Only in the winter it feels about ten times as long.”
“If only you could live here too. Then you wouldn’t have to walk so far. Still, it must be nice to have your own place. I wouldn’t mind having my own place,” Tiran sighed, a bit wistfully. “No one telling you what to do. It must be peaceful.”
“And a bit lonely,” Markus added.
“Lonely?” Tiran repeated. “But you have so many friends! I can’t imagine you are lonely that often.”
“Friends are all good in their place, yet sometimes I just wish for something a bit more,” Markus explained softly. “A family would be nice.” Tiran glanced sideways at Markus. Most men his age already had a wife and kids, if they wanted them. She wondered why he had never married. She wanted to ask him, but she didn’t quite dare.
“I am all alone, you know,” Markus continued. “My mother died when I was born, and I did not have any siblings. My father died during the revolution, as did most of my relations.” He gazed out over the park, as if he was looking at something in the distance. Markus seemed unusually pensive, and a bit vulnerable. Tiran had never seen him look quite like that. It made her want to comfort him. She slipped her hand into his. “You’re not completely alone,” she ventured. “You have me.”
Markus turned to face Tiran, his brown eyes piercing hers. Tiran blushed and dropped her eyes. She was afraid he would think she was a silly little girl. Instead, he gently lifted her chin to face him again. Then, without a word, he kissed her. It was a short kiss, but Tiran felt electrified by chills. She suddenly felt like her world had turned upside down.
“I have never felt like this before, Tiran,” Markus confessed. “You are in my thoughts night and day. I know there is a big difference in our ages, but when we are together, those years just seem to disappear. You make me so happy I am almost afraid.”
“Afraid of what?” Tiran questioned gently.
“I hardly know. Perhaps I am afraid it cannot last,” Markus sighed and wrapped his arms around Tiran. She had never felt so warm and safe. She pressed closer to him, as if she could reassure him if she could just get close enough. Tiran was not afraid at all. For once she felt completely secure. Markus loved her, and that was all that mattered.
5. Miscommunication
The change in Tiran came about so gradually Andie almost missed it. Tiran had always spent a great deal of time at home. Though she had a few friends, she had not been very involved with them. They were mostly acquaintances she met at the University or the children of other Complex employees. She would casually join the activities she was invited to once in awhile. Mostly she was a loner, preferring to read in the privacy of their home. In fact, until Kendra came, it seemed Tiran had never really had a close friend. When Kendra had come to stay it was as if Tiran suddenly had a sister and a best friend. Tiran started going out with Kendra all the time, and Andie approved. She liked to see Tiran going out and doing something, instead of hiding in the house all day. Yet then Tiran had started to go out more and more often by herself. She seemed to be flying in the clouds she was so happy most days, but she seemed to be living in another world when she was at home.
It finally dawned on Andie that her daughter was acting like she might be in the middle of her first major crush. When Tiran continued to talk of some guy named Markus, Andie was sure of it. At first she was amused listening to Tiran’s frequent references to things she had learned from Markus, and then a bit worried. Why did Tiran never bring this Markus to meet her? Andie asked Tiran about him but Tiran suddenly got wary and practically refused to tell her anything.
Kendra would tell her little more but she did learn one vital thing from her niece. Markus was a night librarian at the University library.
Finally, one evening when she knew Tiran was at home reading, she made the short walk over to the library and asked the desk clerk if she could speak with Markus. The desk clerk pointed her to a man shelving books in the sorting area. She thanked the clerk and walked over to the man. He was bent over retrieving books from the bottom shelf of a rolling cart.
“Excuse me,” she interrupted quietly. “Are you Markus?” The man looked up and straightened. She was immediately taken aback. She had expected a young man, perhaps college-aged. This man was probably older than her, though not by much.
“I am. May I help you?” he asked politely. Andie could feel his eyes appraising her. He was dressed nicely, though conservatively, and he had a pleasant look, but for some reason she didn’t quite trust him. Maybe it had something to do with the protective way she felt about her daughter.
“My name is Andrea Morten. I don’t think we’ve ever met, but I believe you might be a friend of my daughter Tiran.”
“Of course, Tiran Morten. She is a great girl. We talk a lot when she is in here. She is very charming and very mature for her age,” he explained smoothly.
“I’m glad you think so,” Andie answered, with complete hypocrisy. She didn’t want this slick older man thinking her daughter “charming”! “I understand you have been spending time with her even outside the library,” Andie continued.
“Of course. We met once for chocolate, and once or twice we have walked around campus together,” he answered quickly. A little too quickly, in her opinion. Just who was this man? What did he want with Tiran?
“Did you know that my daughter is still a minor? She is not even a University student yet,” Andie stated flatly.
“I cannot believe it! She does not seem that young,” Markus protested.
“So,” Andie continued as if she hadn’t heard him, “I have come to ask you to please leave my daughter alone. I don’t know what you see in her, but I don’t think a friendship between the two of you is in her best interest.” Andie had the pleasure of seeing the man’s composure finally rattled. He stammered for a bit about how he never meant to offend anyone, and of course he wouldn’t meet with Tiran if it was against the wishes of her parents. Andie thanked him and returned home, grateful that she had been able to handle it without going to security. Yet all the same she felt sorry for her daughter. Of all the handsome young men running around the University, Tiran had to fall for someone older than her father! Why couldn’t she just choose some nice young student who was mature and considerate and patient and—Andie suddenly laughed at herself. She did expect too much in a boyfriend for her daughter, but she still felt she had done the right thing. It would be much better in the end. Hopefully Tiran would understand that.
She w
atched Tiran carefully after that. She was sorry to spoil her daughter’s crush, but in her experience, older men like Markus were after younger girls for all the wrong reasons. She didn’t want to see Tiran’s life ruined. She even tried to talk about Markus to Tiran, trying to find out what she felt about it, but it did no good. Tiran withdrew into herself, and Andie was left wondering what had happened to her daughter. They had had an easy enough relationship before and Tiran had always seemed to confide in her. Now she was lucky to get monosyllablic replies. It was maddening but Andie tried not to fret too much. She had always heard raising teenagers could be like this. In fact, remembering her own teenage years, she thought that perhaps she was getting off lucky.
Casey finally returned home from his latest trip to Tyre shortly after the University term had ended and summer had begun. She told him all about Tiran and Markus and how frustrated she was, but she could barely get Casey’s attention. He seemed preoccupied every waking moment. Finally, he agreed to have someone do a little checking up on Markus just so she could find out more about him. Andie tried to be satisfied with that.
However, everything took a turn for the worse the next morning. Andie stood silently and watched as Casey packed his bags for yet another trip to the Assembly Station on Tyre. She folded her arms and summoned all her self-control to not shout at her husband. He had only been home two days, and he was leaving again. Inside she seethed with anger. Why couldn’t Casey just tell them no for once? He did have a family after all; wasn’t he ever going to get to stay at home for a week straight? Probably the Security Council didn’t care whether he did or not, but surely even they had to see that the point of an ambassador was to actually be involved on the planet he was assigned to? How could he do that if he was forever away having stupid meetings with stupid people who didn’t understand Corizen at all?
Casey didn’t even seem aware that she was waging a furious battle with herself. Well, that didn’t surprise her. He had hardly noticed her at all since he had been home. Not that it had actually been that long. Only two days.
Corizen Rising Page 5