by M B Panichi
Big George jumped up and planted his paws on Shaine’s chest, pushing her back against the car with his bulk. She playfully rubbed the Newfoundland’s massive furry head. “Hey, Big George, you remember me?”
The dog barked excitedly and licked her face. Shaine wiped off the slobber with the back of one hand, rubbing George’s ears with the other. “Stupid dog,” she cooed. “I missed you too, ya big softy.”
“So who’s your friend?” Toby asked again.
Shaine pushed the dog off her chest and draped an arm around Toby’s shoulders. Morgan had come around to lean on the front fender, watching with a cautious smile. Shaine reached out, catching Morgan’s hand and gently pulling her toward them. “Toby Martin, this is Morgan Rahn. Morgan, my nephew Toby.”
Morgan smiled. Toby grinned and stuck out a hand, firmly shaking Morgan’s.
“Hi, Morgan. Welcome to the farm!”
“Hi, Toby.”
Big George lumbered up and stuck his big, wet nose into Morgan’s stomach. Morgan immediately backed away, eyes wide.
“George, sit!” Shaine ordered sharply. The dog dropped his butt to the ground, looking anxiously between Shaine and Morgan.
She wrapped an arm around Morgan’s waist. “It’s okay, Morg.”
Toby took hold of George’s collar. “Don’t be afraid of George. He’s just big and harmless.” He grinned. “You can pet him. He won’t bite you or anything.”
Morgan shot a worried glance at Shaine.
“Let him smell your hand first, like this.” Shaine demonstrated, easing the back of her hand toward George’s nose, letting him sniff her skin, then she petted his head and scratched behind his ears. “Go ahead.”
Morgan tentatively put the back of her hand near Big George’s damp black nose. He studied her with curious, gentle eyes, shook his head a little and sniffed, then happily slobbered her hand with a big pink tongue. Morgan jerked back with a choked yelp.
Toby exclaimed, “He likes you!”
Shaine said gently, “It’s okay. It’s his way of saying hello.”
Morgan bit her lip and reached out again, touching the big dog’s head. Carefully, she ran her fingers through his fur. Toby scratched George’s other ear. The dog leaned into the scratching and gave a big, loud yawn of contentment.
Morgan shifted away again. George leaned forward and pushed his head under her hand.
Shaine grinned. “He wants you to keep petting him.”
“You’re sure he won’t bite?”
Toby said, “He won’t bite. He yawned because he’s happy and excited.”
Tentatively, Morgan copied Toby, scratching behind George’s ears. She grinned after a moment and ran her fingers down George’s thick neck, laughing when he leaned against her legs, his bulk pushing her backward.
Voices called across the clearing and two women hurried from the house. Shaine waved. “Mom! Leese!”
She grinned and slipped from Morgan’s side to meet Jeannette Ichiro halfway. Her mom hadn’t changed much. She had the same short, stout frame that Shaine remembered, though gray strands highlighted her red hair. Shaine wrapped the older woman in a bear hug, dwarfing her in her arms.
“Oh, Shaine, honey, it’s good to see you!” Her mom hugged her tightly, laughing even as tears leaked from her eyes. “I’ve missed you so much!”
Shaine kissed the top of her mom’s head. “I missed you too, Mom.”
Her sister stretched her arms around both of them. Shaine laughed. “Hey, Leese.”
“Shainey, it’s been too damned long, sis.”
Leese was small and compact like their mother. Her hair was dark auburn, falling in loose waves past her shoulders. She was rounded some, but not overly heavy, her eyes a pale hazel. Shaine released her mom and squeezed Leese. “Missed ya, Leese.”
They all stepped back. Shaine watched as her mom looked past her to Morgan who still petted a very content Big George’s head. Jeannette’s eyes sparkled, her smile wide and welcoming. “And you must be Morgan.”
“Mom, Leese, this is Morgan Rahn. Morgan, this is my mom, Jeannette Ichiro, and my younger sister Leese Martin. Toby’s mom.”
“Welcome, Morgan,” Jeannette said happily. Morgan held her hand out, but Jeannette ignored it and wrapped her in a hug. Surprised, Morgan stiffened for a second before she relaxed and tentatively returned the hug.
“Thank you.”
George barked, pushing his head between them, making everyone laugh. Leese said, “Welcome, Morgan. It’s great to meet you. Come on, we’ve got lunch on. Toby, grab their bags and bring them up to Shaine’s room.”
The tall young man whined, “Geez, Mom, do I look like a butler?”
“And put a shirt on before you sit down at the table.”
Shaine popped the rear cargo hatch on the Racer. “Thanks, T.” She slapped his shoulder playfully, then put an arm around Morgan’s waist and guided her toward the house.
Jeannette directed Shaine and Morgan to chairs in the bright, open dining room, refusing their offers to help in the kitchen. She and Leese bustled back and forth, carrying platters of sandwiches and raw vegetables to the table, along with vegetable dip, potato crisps and pitchers of iced tea.
Toby trundled back down the stairs and gave Shaine a dirty look. “What’d you have in that one bag? Weights? Geez.”
Shaine smiled sweetly. “A gal’s gotta stay in shape,” she quipped. And carry an assortment of weapons in locked cases, she thought. She never traveled without being prepared. She hadn’t since she left the EG.
He grabbed a glass and filled it with tea, then filled a plate for himself.
Shaine swallowed a mouthful of chips. “Hungry much?” she teased as he piled on a third sandwich.
“Hey, I’m a growing boy,” he protested, dropping into a chair opposite Shaine and Morgan.
Leese commented wryly, “He’s an endless stomach.”
There was a commotion at the back of the kitchen—male voices talking and the screen door slapping open and shut.
Jeannette’s voice directed, “Leave those dusty boots in the mudroom, or you’ll be mopping after lunch!”
“Where’s my girl?” a booming voice demanded. Two men came through the kitchen. Shaine stood to greet her stepfather and her brother-in-law. Kent Ichiro was a small, wiry man with dark eyes and straight black hair pulled into a tight braid at the nape of his neck. He crossed the room and wrapped Shaine in a bear hug. It didn’t seem to matter that she was taller. With just the strength of his personality, he still seemed larger. Shaine hugged him hard, smelling dust from the fields, exhaust from the combines, and a hint of his favorite cologne. “Hi, Dad. I missed you too.”
He slapped her on the back. “Damn, it’s good to see you, Shaine. You’re looking good, girl.”
She playfully backhanded his stomach. “You too, Pop,” she returned. She turned and gave her brother-in-law a hug. “Hey, Mike.”
“Welcome home, Shaine.” He returned the hug and ruffled her hair. Mike was even taller than Shaine, broad-shouldered and muscular from years of manual labor. His light brown hair was matted from the ball cap he’d been wearing, his skin deeply tanned.
“Dad, Mike, this is Morgan Rahn. Morgan, this is my dad and my favorite brother-in-law.”
Greetings were exchanged as the men pulled up chairs. Lunch was a boisterous affair. Talk ranged from news on Moon Base to news on the farm, what everyone was doing with their lives, updates on family and friends, the weather and sports. Toby expounded excitedly and passionately about being involved in a series of protests against the reopening of a nearby nuclear power facility that had been empty for over a century.
Shaine was proud of him. He’d grown up so much. He was a university student now, a bright and intelligent young man. Both she and Morgan asked him questions about the power facility. He believed it all came down to corporate money and greed versus good sense. Shaine suspected her nephew was an idealist in the making. She was too jaded for idealism. She’d seen
the results of corporate money and greed when she worked for Mann-Maru Corporate Security. On the upside, Mann-Maru hadn’t always been the bad guy.
The one thing nobody brought up was why Shaine and Morgan were spending time at the farm, or the facts of Morgan’s notable parentage. Shaine had given her mom a quick summary of the situation and warned her not to bother Morgan about the recent media harassment. She was relieved that her advice had been taken seriously.
Shaine relaxed into the familiarity of her family. Jeannette still directed everything. Leese teased her incessantly. Her father alternately treated her like his little girl and the soldier that she’d been. Toby still apparently worshipped the ground that she walked on, and seemed to be passing that worship on to Morgan. Shaine slouched back in her chair, feeling comfortable and happy. Her stepdad and Toby peppered Morgan with questions about what it was like to live on Moon Base or in the ’Belt.
Morgan seemed to be handling the attention well. Jeannette caught Shaine’s eye and winked. Shaine couldn’t stop smiling.
After lunch, Shaine and Morgan helped Leese and Jeannette with cleanup, then Shaine brought Morgan up the back stairs to her bedroom at the top of the dome. Shaine opened the door into a room bright with summer sun. The top third of the domed ceiling was made of clear glass panels. Shaine looked up at a crystal blue summer sky. Her bedroom was neat and orderly but remained the room of a teenager with dreams. Colorful posters covered the concaved walls, EG recruiting posters, a favorite thrash band in concert, soccer and grav-ball action shots.
A double bed took up the middle of the wall opposite the door. The comforter was a solid navy blue. Several pillows in primary colors rested haphazardly against the headboard. There were built-in closets and a dresser to one side, a functional student desk against the wall on the other. Framed holos covered the top of the dresser. A shelf with a handful of knickknacks hung above the desk. Beside the desk sat a low bookcase overflowing with books and journals. An outdated computer terminal rested on top of the desk. A pair of speakers were mounted on the wall to either side of the shelf.
Shaine closed the door quietly behind her.
Morgan cocked her head as she looked around. “Strong and comfortable,” she murmured, “like you.”
Shaine raised a brow at the comment and moved behind Morgan. She slid her arms around Morgan’s waist and nuzzled her neck. She breathed in Morgan’s essence and tasted slightly salty skin, closing her eyes with a sigh. “Mmmm. Not how I would have described it,” she murmured. “You know you’re the only girl I’ve ever had up here.”
Morgan twisted around in her arms. Shaine lost herself in Morgan’s kisses. Morgan locked her arms around Shaine’s neck. Shaine backed Morgan up until the backs of her knees hit the bed and tumbled both of them onto the soft mattress. She rested on her elbows over Morgan’s body. Morgan grinned up at her.
“So,” Morgan murmured, “are we going to christen your bed?”
Shaine captured Morgan’s lips again, delving deeply, leaving no doubts as to her intentions.
Chapter Two
“Up and at ’em, sleepyhead.”
Morgan groaned and buried her face into her pillow, hiding from the bright sunlight dousing the room and rudely invading her comfortable sleep. She decided living on Moon Base with no windows wasn’t such a bad thing.
The mattress shifted as Shaine sat down beside her, rubbing her back through the thick comforter. “Time’s a-wasting,” Shaine sing-songed, her breath warm as she breathed into Morgan’s ear.
Morgan mumbled, “Are you sure it’s morning?”
“Mmmmmhmmmm.” Shaine’s weight settled over her. Morgan felt hot breath at the nape of her neck as Shaine nuzzled her skin.
“Jesus.” Well, now she was awake. At least, her libido was. Shaine teased her neck and shoulders with teeth and tongue, sending goose bumps down her skin and sending her blood flooding south.
Grinning, Morgan shifted, forcing Shaine to roll off her. She wriggled around until she faced Shaine on the bed, worked a hand up from under the quilt and slid it around Shaine’s neck, pulling her in for a kiss.
“You’re a tease,” she accused against Shaine’s lips.
Shaine chuckled, kissed her hard and rolled off the bed to her feet. “Yup, I am.” She whipped the quilt off Morgan’s body.
Morgan made a sleepy half-attempt to get the quilt back before falling back onto her pillow with a sigh.
Shaine tossed a sleep shirt and shorts onto her chest. “I even made coffee.”
Morgan sighed and sat up, fumbling to pull the shirt over her head.
A few minutes later, she followed Shaine downstairs and into the kitchen. Shaine put a cup of hot coffee into her hands and Morgan sipped at it gratefully with her eyes still half-closed. With an indulgent grin, Shaine guided her to a stool at the breakfast bar between the kitchen and dining room, then turned to get her own coffee.
As Shaine sat down beside Morgan, Jeannette breezed into the kitchen with a cheerful good morning. Morgan raised her cup in silent greeting.
“Morning, Mom.” Shaine gestured toward her partner. “Don’t worry, she’ll come to after a cup of coffee.”
Jeannette chuckled as she got a mug from the cupboard. “Not a morning person, Morgan?”
Morgan squinted in the bright morning light. “Not so much,” she mumbled. “I think it has something to do with the whole sun coming up thing. Don’t have that so much, out-system.” She rubbed her eyes with the back of one hand. “Too bright.”
“What do you girls have planned for today?” Jeannette asked as she joined them at the breakfast bar.
Shaine said, “I thought I’d take Morgan around the farm, walk the perimeter, introduce her to the animals.”
Morgan smiled doubtfully. Being outdoors was still somewhat odd for her—the hugeness of it—all that open sky without a dome. And animals. She wasn’t so sure about animals. Other than Big George, the only animals she’d ever known were her grav-ball teammate Ally’s two house cats. She liked them. They were soft and warm, and when she’d slept over at Ally’s, they’d curled up around her, and it had been nice. She liked to feel them purring. Farm animals were another story. She hoped they could just look at them from a safe distance. Somehow, she had a feeling that Shaine was more the “up close and personal” type.
Jeannette said, “That sounds like a lovely morning.”
Morgan watched Jeannette turn a mom-like look on Shaine. “I hope you’re going to make Morgan some breakfast before you head out.”
Shaine sighed heavily, reminding Morgan of a nagged teenager. “Of course I will. We were just doing coffee first.”
Jeannette smiled approvingly. “I have to be in town for a book club meeting this morning, so lunch is on your own. There’s fixings for sandwiches in the cooler.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Ichiro.”
Jeannette raised a brow at Morgan.
Morgan felt her face flush. “Sorry. Jeannette.”
Jeannette chuckled and patted Morgan’s arm. “Thank you, dear. No formalities here.” She finished her coffee and stood up. “Time for me to get going. You girls have fun today.”
* * *
The morning sun beat down on Morgan’s head and shoulders as she and Shaine toured the farm. She wore a pair of cut-off cargo work pants and a tank top. Shaine had methodically covered all her exposed skin with a strong sunblock. She wore her work boots as always and was glad for the extra support. It was disconcerting to walk on the uneven ground rather than smooth tarmac or flat artificial grassy areas.
Hand in hand, she and Shaine sauntered along beside the low fence bordering a paddock that held several cows and horses. Big George wandered with them, coming and going as he investigated smells and bounded heavily through the high grass, always circling back for a pat on the head and reassurance that she and Shaine were still with him.
Morgan marveled at the natural wonders surrounding her. A light breeze occasionally
broke the humidity of the August morning. The air was thick with new and interesting odors. Shaine identified the pungent scent of cow and horse dung for her. The wind carried the faint taste of wood smoke and the sound of the cultivators working in the west field. Their footsteps on the narrow path brought up the dusty, sweet smell of grass.
They hiked up a small rise. Shaine boosted Morgan onto the rough wooden fence rail and sat beside her on the top rung. Morgan gazed around. The fields stretched to the horizon where gold and green melted into blue. A haze of dust hung in a thin line where the sky lane crossed the field. Morgan realized it was the sky lane they’d flown in on. The occasional cargo transport or air car passed in the distance with a flash of light reflecting on metal.
Morgan counted twenty cows and three horses grazing and snuffling in the hay. Shaine said there were more cows out in the north fields. Occasionally, Big George barked and rushed through the grass, flushing a handful of birds or sending small animals skittering through the underbrush. Crows cawed as they fought over some small rodent or another. Songbirds twittered from perches on the fences.
Beautiful, Morgan thought. Of all the things she’d read about or seen in vids, she never expected to be on a farm. Yet here she was, sitting on the edge of a field with her lover. Amazing.
Shaine caught Morgan’s hand in her own. “I thought maybe we could saddle up a couple of the horses and go for a ride,” she said.
“Ride? I don’t know how to ride a horse!” Morgan protested. She watched the huge animals wandering around chewing grass and couldn’t imagine actually sitting on one.
Shaine grinned. “No worries, Morg. It’ll be fun. You can ride Hoss. He’s gentle, and he’ll follow my lead. You won’t have to do anything but hang on.”
Morgan nodded dubiously. They’re so big. And alive. And they can buck me off, like in the vids. What if Hoss doesn’t want to let me ride on him? Still, she could see that Shaine was excited, and Shaine wouldn’t make her do something dangerous. Right?
Shaine put an arm around her shoulders and gave her a half-hug. “I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.”