by K. D. Jones
“You’re getting better.”
She laughed. “Yes, this time it took fifteen seconds for you to throw me instead of ten.”
Kyle reached down to offer a hand, helping her up with ease. “You just need to plant your feet and settle your weight there. You already have some basic skills, so with enough training you’ll be as good as any of our soldiers.”
“My basic skills are just simple self defense. My father made me and Rachel take classes so that we could defend ourselves against an attack. We didn’t really learn any offensive moves.” Maggie wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Kyle snorted. “I can’t imagine your sister doing any of this.”
“She didn’t like it, but she did learn it. I’m sure she’s never had to use any of it to protect herself, though. Why should she? She lives in a damn bubble.” Maggie’s thoughts went to two days previous, when she went to visit her parents at their dome. It had been a major culture shock for her.
***
She felt strange going through those gates. The small building’s doors opened to reveal stairs. It led down to a platform and an elevator. They rode the elevator down miles beneath the surface. She was expecting to see conditions similar to what she had been used to over the last five years. Low lights, cool air, a muggy smell, and people huddling together. But when those elevator doors opened, it was a different world altogether.
The first thing that hit her were the lights. It was hard for her eyes to adjust. Kyle handed her a pair of strange-looking sunglasses. She looked at him quizzically.
“We use these shades when we have to be on planets with extreme light. On the Eclipse, the lights are kept at a moderately low level, so your eyes are used to that. Here, the humans have brightened their lighting system adding UV rays. It’s brighter.”
She put the shades on and was relieved to be able to see. She stepped out of the elevator. She was standing on a ledge that wrapped around the interior of the dome. From there, they took escalators down to the bottom level, a large plaza area. It had plants and trees, like a park. The open center stretched upward for miles. She could see that there were several levels. Each level had shops and hallways. It was like a huge mall. Children raced across the plaza, laughing and playing. Their clothes were pristine and the children looked so healthy. This was nothing like her subway home.
“Thank you for bringing Margaret.” Her father said, greeting Devlon first. He turned to her and made a move towards her but stopped himself. He looked undecided on how to greet her.
Maggie crossed her arms over her chest and looked up. “Hi … Dad.”
“Maggie, your mother has lunch ready. Why don’t I take you to her, so you can visit while I meet with Commander Estro in private.”
“Sure.” She followed him down the left hallway. It was well lit. There was a door with a medical symbol on it. She assumed that was where their doctors were located. They entered what looked like another courtyard. When she looked up, there were balconies on each level.
“These are some of our apartments. We have three main buildings here that accommodate leaders, the military, and our medical personnel. There are other buildings like this built in four areas surrounding the main dome center,” her father explained.
Her father entered the main entrance of the middle building. There was another elevator, which they took to the top floor. “The top floor belongs to my family alone, so I have special key access.”
The door opened directly into a large entryway. It looked like something out of a magazine. Maggie stood in the center and turned in a circle to take in all the lavish furnishings.
“Maggie?” Devlon called for her to follow them.
He led her to the dining room, where plates and plates of food were already on the table. Her mother came out of what she assumed was the kitchen and her face lit up at seeing Maggie.
“Oh, honey, I tried to make all the things you used to love to eat. It’s not the same, but I think I got it as close as possible.” Her mother bit her bottom lip nervously. The gesture reminded Maggie of herself.
“I’m sure it will be fine. It smells delicious,” Maggie said. She took the seat that her mother indicated for her to use. Kyle sat next to her. Rachel came out of the kitchen carrying a glass pitcher. She set it down in front of Maggie.
“Sweet tea,” Rachel said shortly, before plopping down in the chair across from Kyle. She ignored Kyle, which Maggie thought was very rude of her, but her attention quickly went back to the pitcher sitting in front of her. Sweet tea!
“I haven’t had that in years,” Maggie whispered in awe. She looked up and saw Devlon and her father disappear into the hall.
“They’ll be back in just a few minutes,” her mother reassured her, taking the seat across from her. “Dig in.”
Rachel immediately loaded her plate full and ate. Maggie was careful to only take a spoonful of each item, leaving enough for others. Kyle followed her example. She lifted a spoon of what looked like mashed potatoes. She took a tentative taste. It was mashed potatoes.
She ate everything that she had put on her plate. Her mother frowned at her. “Have as much as you want. Surely you are hungrier than that.”
“Not everyone has eaten yet. I don’t want to eat all the food,” Maggie told her.
Her mother still frowned, looking puzzled. “We have plenty of food. You can have seconds and thirds if you like.”
Kyle helped himself to a second plate. But Maggie was floored at hearing they had such an abundance of food. She didn’t want to hurt her mother’s feelings. She had gone to a lot of effort to make the foods she loved as a child. Maggie shook her head. “I’m still not used to eating every day or eating this much. I might make myself sick.” That was true, though over the past week her appetite had been growing steadily thanks to the treatments that Jared had been giving her.
She was relieved when Devlon and her father returned. They sat down and ate. There was small talk, a few questions about Maggie’s recovery. Her mother was fascinated with Drastan culture.
“Does your people have meals like this?” she asked Devlon.
“We do on our home world, but we don’t often eat together while on missions. But since Maggie has been with us, she has insisted that we eat together at least one meal each day. It has been very enjoyable.” Devon smiled at her fondly. She could feel the heat rising to her face.
“If you are done eating, I would love to give you a tour.” Her mother looked at her hopefully.
Maggie nodded her head. “That would be nice.” Kyle helped her out of her chair. She had been showing him, Jared, and Devlon manners. She smiled at him. “Thank you, kind sir.” She then looked up to find her sister glaring at them. What was her problem?
She followed her mother down the hallway. Kyle was behind her, then Devlon, her father, and last was Rachel, trailing behind grumbling about something. Her mother showed her the bedrooms. Each one was spacious, clean, and inviting. Then she stopped at another door and looked at Maggie, biting her bottom lip.
“And this is your room. You can change it to however you like.” She opened the door and Maggie froze in place.
It was the same size as the other bedrooms. This one had a white and beige color scheme. There was a bookshelf in the corner with a chair in front. It would be the perfect reading spot. She could see herself sitting there for hours, reading books and daydreaming, something she had loved to do when she was younger. But she was no longer a child. She could never be that child again.
“No.” She shook her head and turned around to go back down the hallway.
“Margaret, get back here right now!” her father yelled.
Maggie stopped by the door and waited for the fight that was about to happen. She looked her father in the eyes, refusing to cower before him. Something she had never done before.
“What do we have to do to bring you home?” her father asked.
“I can’t come home. You left me in the street. I made my own way and
survived. I will never come home again. This isn’t my home. Why can’t you understand that?” She wished she hadn’t said that. Her father’s face paled and he looked like he had been punched in the gut. “I’m sorry. I don’t mind spending time with you all and getting to know you again. But I am not the child you once knew. I am a grown woman and I have my own life to live. You can accept that, accept me, and be a part of my life. Or you can ignore my wishes and keep trying to impose your own visions of who I should be on me, which will only succeed in alienating me. It’s your choice.”
She looked at Devlon. “I would like to go home now.” He didn’t argue or question her about it, he simply ushered her out of her parents’ apartment and out of the dome.
***
Maggie was sad over how that visit had turned out, but everything she said had needed to be said. She had received a few messages from her mother, apologizing, but nothing from her father. She supposed he had made his choice. She sighed. Kyle misunderstood her change in mood.
“You are tired. Go get your treatment. We’ll practice again tomorrow.”
She was a little tired. “Okay. See you at dinner.” He waved as she left.
She went to the medik level. Everyone knew who she was and greeted her. She watched as Jared treated an injured soldier. He told jokes, which helped distract the soldier from pain. She would never have thought someone as serious as Jared could be funny, but he was. She wondered if his brothers knew that. He looked up and smiled at her as soon as he saw her. He finished up and sent the soldier on his way.
He looked at her wearing a training uniform. “You’ve been training with Kyle again?”
“Yes. He says I’m getting better, but my backside says differently.”
“Do you need me to check it out for you?” He wiggled his eyebrows.
Maggie rolled her eyes at him. “Stop that.”
“Just joking.” He ushered her into a private room and closed the door. He used a scanner and took her vitals. He put them in the computer and smiled. “It looks like this will be the last treatment that I will have to give you. Will you miss seeing me every day?”
“I’ll still see you every day, silly. We live in the same suite.” She smiled at him. “I can’t believe I’m done with treatments. This is great.”
Jared walked over with the treatment serum. He moved her ponytail out of the way and she tilted her head to the side. He rubbed the injection site, then injected the healing serum. Then he surprised her when he leaned down and kissed the spot on her neck. His mouth lingered and she could feel his warm breath over her skin.
“Jared?”
“Maggie, you don’t have to be with Liam. You could choose to be with me,” he offered. He moved around to face her. Then he lowered his lips to hers.
Chapter 16
Maggie was stunned. Jared pressed his lips to hers more firmly but she refused to open for him. She found the strength to push him away. “Stop.”
Jared caressed her face with such gentleness. “We could be so good together. My brother is a fool for leaving you alone so long.”
“He’s doing his job. I understand that.” This was all her fault. She had spent too much time alone with Jared and he mistook her friendship for something more. “Jared, I am with your brother.”
He pulled back to look at her. “Do you truly care for him?”
“Yes, I love him.” It was the first time she had said that out loud. It felt right.
He nodded and released her, stepping away. “I hope my brother knows just how lucky he is to have you.”
She wanted to make light of the situation. “Well, if he doesn’t, you can tell him.”
“I will,” Jared said seriously.
“Uh, Jared … are we okay? I don’t want to lose our friendship.” Maggie didn’t have a lot of friends. Losing one would be devastating.
He smiled at her gently. “Of course not. You will always be my friend. If you need me for anything, I will be there for you.”
“Thanks, Jared. For everything.” She stood up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek before leaving. She could feel his eyes on her as she left. She hoped Jared would find someone who would fall head over heels in love with him. He was such a good man and deserved happiness. She touched her lips, still feeling Jared’s kiss. If she weren’t already in love with Liam, Jared would be a real temptation.
“Penny for your thoughts.” Devlon had come up behind her and she jumped. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.
She smiled up at him. “It’s okay. I was sort of spaced out.”
“Are you okay? How are the treatments going?”
“Jared said that that was my last treatment.”
“That’s great!” He reached out to give her a hug. He was getting better at these. She had hugged him for the first time a few days ago when he had said something kind to her and she was missing Liam. He had seemed surprised at the contact as much as she was, but then he returned the hug. He must have needed that as much as she did. Now he made a point to hug her every day.
She talked to Devlon a lot now, asking questions about Liam’s childhood. At first Devlon was resistant, but soon he seemed to want to talk to her, to the point that he would sometimes seek her out. She learned a lot about Devlon, too. He had married the woman his family had chosen for him, not someone he had been in love with. She had not been his hala asawani, love mate, but he did come to love her. She was a mediko on his home world. He was a military man and was fully involved in his career, leaving her home with their boys while he went off on missions. He admitted that it was selfish of him and that he knew that the boys hated him because of it. Maggie tried to reassure him that his sons did not hate him, but he would not listen. She made it a goal of hers to prove to the Estro men how much they did care for one another. But her other goal was to take care of her tribe.
“When can I visit my tribe? I’m worried about them,” she asked Devlon and Liam every chance she could.
“As soon as Liam is back. We will try to make contact with your tribe leader.”
She sighed. “Okay.” They were about to part ways as he was heading to command deck. “Dinner is at nineteen hundred. Don’t be late,” she told him.
“I wouldn’t miss it for anything.” He smiled at her.
She had started making Kyle, Jared, and Devlon share dinner with her. They sat around the table, and she cooked the meal with some help from Kyle since she didn’t know how Drastan food was prepared. She hoped that it would bring Devlon closer to his sons. There were times of awkwardness, silence, even glares. But they were slowly getting the hang of having a family meal. She couldn’t wait until Liam returned so he could join in.
She frowned, thinking about him. She hadn’t heard from him today or the day before. Devlon assured her that he was fine. But she worried about him. Please God bring him back to me safe and sound.
***
Liam frowned. Another useless trip. He thought this time would prove different. There were signs of life forms, but his team found nothing but signs of the life forms having passed through. There was also a lot of radiation interfering with communications. He would have to leave the area before he could contact the Eclipse.
He missed Maggie fiercely. Not seeing her face or hearing her voice over the vid communicator was torture to him. No more waiting. The moment he returned, he planned to claim her as his. He couldn’t wait. He worried about her.
His father had told him that the visits with her parents were not going well. He worried that Maggie would simply refuse to see them. Liam wanted to be there with her to help her.
“Captain, we are picking up a signal twenty miles to the north.”
Liam sighed. “Let’s check it out, Lieutenant.”
“Yes, sir.”
***
“That was delicious.” Devlon said patting his stomach and leaning back in his chair.
“It was.” Jared agreed.
“Well, you can thank Kyle for it, because if he hadn’t bee
n helping me in the kitchen, it would have burned to hell and back.” She laughed, picking up the dishes and carrying them into the kitchen.
Kyle blushed. “I just showed her the correct temperature to cook the Larder bird without burning it. She did everything else.”
“You are being modest. You really know your way around the kitchen. You cooked that noodle thing for lunch the other day. It was fantastic,” she gushed.
“He has always had a way with food. He didn’t get that from me or his mother. His grandmother taught him,” Devlon said with pride in his voice.
Kyle looked up with surprise on his face. “How did you know that?”
“I know I was gone a lot while you boys were growing up. Your grandmother was gracious enough to help raise you while I was away, after your mother … But she kept me updated on everything that you did. I knew she was teaching Kyle how to cook because he seemed to enjoy it so much. She told me about Liam’s sports activities.” He looked at Jared. “And when I was unable to make it to Jared’s graduation from Medik School, she recorded it on her vid communicator and sent it to me. I am sorry that I wasn’t there. I failed you and there is no excuse for it.”
Maggie had to fight not to step in and say something. This was what she was hoping would happen, that they would open up to one another. But now there was an awkward silence in the room. She didn’t know what to do about it. Finally, Jared spoke, with brutal honesty.
“I was angry at you for the longest time for leaving. Especially when Mom died, you stayed for weeks, then seemed to just up and go without any thought for the rest of us.”
“I was grieving. I loved your mother, despite what you might think. She was chosen for me, but I grew to love her. But we were so different. She always encouraged me to follow my career and I encouraged her to follow hers. Unfortunately that led me to become an absentee father for you and Liam. When Rosha died, I was suddenly responsible for a newborn and two young boys. I was unprepared and handled the situation wrong. I am very grateful that your grandmother was there to step in and handle things. I really screwed them up.”