The Space Merchants

by Wendie Nordgren

  The lady had done a really great job with my hair. When Yukihyo had complimented her and kissed her hand, she had practically fainted. My eyes were once again lined in black which was something I really liked. After my shower I put on my comfortable black pants and grey shirt and took Thunderdrop to get his breakfast. Gram was very relieved when I told her that I would be staying on Arachne while Tora went to Malta.

  "Don't be sad, darling. Two weeks seems like a long time to you because you are so young, but it will be over before you realize it. We all want to spend time with you. I may have only had a few days with you, but I already love you as though you are my own granddaughter."

  I spent the day cleaning and then made a chocolate pie from one of my grandmother's recipes. I kept it hidden until after dinner and then placed it on the table as a surprise. I spent the entire trip back to Arachne cleaning and making sure everything was perfect. The evening before our arrival, during the last dinner we would have together for two entire weeks, I remembered something. Yukihyo knew all of the particulars of my deal with Mr. Gregory, and I knew he could do a better job than I could, but I had another errand I needed done. Hiroshi or Phillip, do either of you think you will have time to make a personal delivery for me?"

  Phillip said, "I'll have time. What do you need, Cupcake?"

  "I bought a gift for Ms. Laura when I was on Arachne. Will you give it to her and explain what has happened?" Phillip's eyes glittered with amusement.

  "Cupcake, are you asking me to visit a brothel for you? I'd be delighted. I don't mind if I do, and I'll deliver your gift while I'm there."

  "Thank you, Phillip." I looked at each one of them. "Do you think we will be going back to Malta?"

  Hiroshi said, "Lady Teagan Alaric Montgomery Lee, we have been offered a much more profitable arrangement. Our new family made us an offer that only a madman would refuse. Even with that aside, the Laconian planetary system contains worlds of stunning beauty. You will find them to be far more intriguing than Malta."

  "It sounds really exciting, but Arthur Jr. made a shop, and I feel bad about abandoning the Gregories," I said.

  "Trust me. I will work out a deal between Felicia, Mr. Gregory, and the new merchant. Okay?" Yukihyo asked. I took a deep breath.

  "Okay."

  Sensing my feelings, Yukihyo said, "I will explain to them what has transpired. They would never want you to be in any danger out of loyalty to them." Yukihyo covered my hand with his strong large hand. I nodded.

  "I have something I need to tell you all," I said. I stood up and walked over to the cold storage. I opened the door and pulled out a three-layer chocolate cake and placed it on the kitchen table. Their eyes lit up. I put plates, a knife, and forks out for them. "Just so you know that I'm thinking of you and missing you while we are apart, there are four other cakes on the bottom shelf of the cold storage. You can share two on the way there and two on the way back to me." I wasn't sure they heard me and half of the cake was already being devoured. I made us cups of coffee.

  That night in bed with Yukihyo, I dissolved in tears while I laid in his arms. "This is our last night together for two weeks. I don't want to be away from you," I sobbed. I felt a very smug satisfaction coming from my husband. I sniffed and lifted up to look at him. His chest was wet with my tears. I wiped my hand through them. "What are you feeling? I'm despondent and you're not. Won't you miss me at all?" He wiped my tears away with his thumb.

  "You know I will miss you, but I won't have to worry about your safety. Feeling how much you love me and want to be with me, does not cause me any sadness." Yukihyo spent most of the night repeatedly showing me what it did make him feel.

  I woke the next morning feeling sore and tired in a very good way and with a satisfied smile of my own. Yukihyo sat watching me in a pair of blue pajama bottoms with a cup of coffee in his hand. "You look incredible like that," I said. He handed me the cup as I sat up and held the sheet against my chest.

  "You look beautiful with your sleepy eyes and your tousled hair. Remember last night wife. When you begin to feel sad and miss my arms around you, imagine what I will do to you after two weeks without being inside of you." My eyes grew wide and I blushed. "I promise you I won't be allowing you to leave our bed the next morning as I am allowing you to do now. I will try to be gentle, but I may be completely mad for you once I return," Yukihyo said. I blushed an even deeper shade and sipped my coffee while he went to shower. I put my cup down on my vanity and followed him.

  I dressed in a light purple dress with a full skirt that almost reached my ankles, my new black boots, a black long-sleeved sweater, and my jewelry. I left my hair, full of tousled curls, down and falling around my shoulders and down my back. Yukihyo had helped me pack the night before. I knew our wedding picture would be in every home I visited, so I left our pictures on the table, but took the newly transferred recipes of my grandmother with me. If I got bored, I could read through all of them at least. Tora was being refueled, and Hiroshi planned to leave upon its completion. I found all of Thunderdrop's toys, but he agreed to leave his color shape on Tora. Panic started to grip me. "What am I doing? I can't do this." Yukihyo came through the door. He kissed me.

  "When you start to feel this way, call me. We can agree to call each other every morning after we wake and each evening before we sleep. Is it a deal?" I took a deep breath, breathing him in. My eyes began to ache with tears and the end of my nose tingled. I couldn't answer him yet. He held me and waited. Thunderdrop held onto my shoulder.

  "Yes, it's a deal." Yukihyo had already taken my bag down to the transport bay and now picked up Thunderdrop's backpack.

  "Chirp chirp chirp!"

  "I know. You want to play with your friends," I said to him.

  Yukihyo gave me his arm. I took it and let him take us down in the lift. The ramp was down, and Hiroshi and Phillip spoke amiably with Ethan and Sherman. They had brought Ethan's large transport. Sherman strode up the ramp with a huge grin on his face and scooped me up. "It's good to see you again! Everyone has missed you." He put me back on my feet. Ethan waited until we were on the ground to give me a hug.

  "Did you enjoy your trip to Scipio, Teagan?" Ethan asked.

  "Yes, thank you."

  "Are you ready to go?" Sherman asked. I froze, feeling the panic again. I took a deep breath. I stepped closer to Hiroshi and gave him a long hug. I did the same with Phillip. I found the courage to lift my focus from their belts up to their eyes.

  "I will miss you both very much. Be careful."

  In a gruff voice, Hiroshi said, "I will miss you little sister and Thunderdrop. I enjoy watching him push his transport across the floor more than most of the movies we watch." Thunderdrop blinked at Hiroshi, and then jumped to his chest. Hiroshi rubbed Thunderdrop between his leg and cephalothorax. "You will keep her spirits up for me, won't you?" Hiroshi asked Thunderdrop.

  "Chirp."

  "Look here, Cupcake. Don't get all weepy. We'll be back. When you're missing me, get Simon to take you shopping," Phillip suggested.

  "He wouldn't be able to afford it, Phillip," I said.

  "Well, that's real sweet of you to say, but he can afford it," Phillip said as he gave me a wink and a peck on the cheek. Yukihyo wrapped his arms around me from behind and kissed my left cheek.

  "Lady wife, I will call you tonight before I go to bed."

  "I guess that will make being away from you a little more tolerable," I said.

  Hiroshi said, " I placed some credits into your account. Please, spend them as you wish."

  "Thank you, brother. Would you two please promise me not to go and fight in any matches while you are on Malta?"

  Yukihyo said against my neck, "I promise that I will work, eat, sleep, and think of you. I will have no time for anything else."

  Hiroshi said, "I too will conclude my business arrangements, and then we will return here."

  "I'll keep them out of trouble," Phillip assured me.

  Yukihyo gave me a chaste kiss, but
said in a whisper, "Remember what I told you, and I will call you tonight." I nodded. Thunderdrop jumped back to me. Ethan offered me his arm. I took it and turned with him toward the transport.

  "I'm not turning around and making eye contact with any of you because we all know what will happen. Just be back here in two weeks, or all three of you are in trouble." The three of them had the gall to laugh.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  I soon discovered the reason for the large transport. "Chirp chirp!" Waiting inside were Cass and ZeeZee, but Simon and Eliot weren't with them. The three spiders began making noises and blinking at each other. At least Thunderdrop was happy again. He had seemed kind of depressed since we had left Arachne. I waved goodbye to part of my family as Ethan's driver began to take us away from the land port to join the other half of my family. Two sets of ice blue eyes looked at me. "I'm relieved to have you home," Sherman said. From the corner of my eye, I thought I saw Gary from the Hadrian. I frowned.

  "I thought I just saw one of Eric's men," I said.

  "I'm sure you did. He had a stealth ship follow Tora here. One of Eric's special teams will be quartered near you," Ethan said.

  "We had a long uncomfortable talk. Eric said I could go where ever I wanted to go, but that it would be safer for me here, and allow him to focus his attention elsewhere."

  Sherman said, "I know this was a difficult decision for you, but it was the right one. They'll be back before you know it."

  "Eric sent an additional ship to shadow Tora. He wanted me to let you know to ease your mind. However, when you speak over the vid-screen, you must not mention either it or your security in case your transmissions are being monitored. Do you understand?" Ethan asked.

  "Yes, sir."

  Sherman said, "We have also taken under advisement that the safest and most defensible of our estates is Ethan's. Also, he has plenty of room to house the additional security that Eric sent to guard you."

  "You would also have ZeeZee protecting you," Ethan cajoled.

  "Click," came from ZeeZee. I inclined my head to the massive spider.

  "With Thunderdrop, ZeeZee, and Cass protecting me, the guards probably aren't necessary."

  "Chirp."

  "Will you stay with us?" Ethan asked.

  "Yes, sir. Thank you." Ethan and Sherman seemed relieved at my response. My room at Ethan and Sydney's house had the large square corner bathtub. It wasn't as large as the one at Sherman and Gina's house, but it was fabulous. I would be soaking in hot water tonight.

  Sherman said, "What are you thinking about?"

  Turning my head to him, I smiled and said, "the bathtub." Sherman's mouth turned up at the corner. The driver turned down the long flowered drive to the Alaric estate. "I wonder what Eric's men will think of his family home when they see it," I said. It was elegant, stately, spanned across the beautiful landscape, and would be my home for the next two weeks.

  The driver pulled to a stop under the large covered awning that reached from the house and across the drive. The driver walked around and opened the transport door. Sherman stepped out, offered his hand to me, which I accepted, and helped me from the transport. Ethan stepped out next, followed by three happy Arachnean Silk spiders. A butler opened the door, and the spiders marched through it. Sherman and I followed Ethan. Sherman withdrew his arm as we cleared the door because Simon loomed out of nowhere, picked me up, and whirled me around. I clutched at his shoulders and laughed at him. "Put me down!" Simon lowered me to the floor. Not to be outdone, Eliot picked me up with an arm behind my back and another behind my knees. He whisked me from the foyer, with the balconies that overlooked it, and into the large living room, where Gram, Sydney, and Gina greeted me. Eliot placed me on a couch in between Gram and Gina.

  "I am so glad you are home. I didn't have enough time with you," Gram said. Gram's soft wrinkled hand reached for and held mine.

  "Well, you have me now," I said.

  Gram sighed and said, "I am so relieved to have you home. I worried about you constantly. I think I would have grown sick if we had not spoken each day." I kissed her cheek. I smiled at her.

  "I remember talking twice a day, Gram." I saw the butlers carrying Thunderdrop's and my bags up in the lift.

  Gina said, "I hope you packed lightly. We did a little shopping for you while you were gone."

  I found out that a little shopping meant that half of the walk in storage was full of dresses, gowns, robes, and shoes. More items filled the drawers. A small ten-inch vid-screen rested on a stand on one of the bedside tables. Ethan assured me that he had all of my contacts loaded into the menu. I lined all of Thunderdrop's toys on the floor to the left of the bed. I didn't want to step on any of them on my way to the bathroom. I had left the door to my room open, and Eliot now stood in its frame. "Are you all settled?" he asked.

  "Yes, but I didn't really need to pack, did I?" Eliot leaned his shoulder against the door frame which he filled with his height.

  "All of that was with father urging restraint. He suggested you might enjoy shopping for yourself." I grew thoughtful.

  "Do you think it would be wise for me to leave the house?"

  "You don't have to worry about your safety on Arachne. Aside from your security teams, the other clans, the enforcers, shopkeepers, and citizens have been put on alert. We and the other clans have increased security and surveillance on our lands."

  "You're kidding," I said. Eliot's midnight black hair fell to his shoulders in layers. His pale blue eyes held no humor.

  "No, I'm not. Our people haven't forgotten the Parvac War. Many of Gram's generation survived it and refuse to allow any of our people to ever again be taken from us. Now, I have been sent to escort you to lunch."

  Lunch ended up being an amazing mushroom and pasta dish drowning in a thick creamy herb sauce, served with slabs of crusty bread for wiping up any sauce that remained. We spent a quiet day together inside. Thunderdrop and his friends played outside, but checked on us from time to time. I said, "I think Eric's soldiers deserve at least today where I stay put and allow them to get accustomed to their surroundings." Gram patted me.

  "That is very thoughtful of you." After dinner, Sherman and Gina went home for the night. Soon after, Simon kissed my cheek and left for his home as well.

  After Gram went to bed and Thunderdrop returned to me tired from playing with Cass, I said good night, and we went to our room. Thunderdrop climbed up onto the fluffy white bed and went to sleep. I decided to enjoy the big bathtub and wait for Yukihyo to call. I filled the tub with comfortably hot water and soaked until I shriveled. Wrapped in soft thick towels, I found cute pink pajamas with shorts rather than pants. I dried my hair and tidied up the mess I had made. I climbed inside of the soft covers and had begun to doze when the vid-screen beeped. I sat up and tapped it. Yukihyo sat on my grey couch amid purple and fuchsia pillows. He wore pajama bottoms and a sleep shirt.

  "Good evening, my wife."

  "I can watch you speak to me with your beautiful mouth, but I'd rather be kissing it," I said. He groaned.

  "How was your first day back?"

  "Perfect, except for the three of you not being here."

  "What did you do?" I told him about visiting with everyone, the food, the tub, and the storage unit full of clothes.

  "Wait! I can show you." I picked the vid-screen up from its stand and aimed it at Thunderdrop. "Here is our sleeping spider baby. He wore himself out playing outside with Cass all day under ZeeZee's supervision." I got out of bed, walked into the bathroom, and directed the screen at the tub. "Look at this thing. I only got out of it because my fingers were all shriveled." I turned the screen back to me.

  "Lady wife, what are you wearing?" I looked at my pink pajamas.

  "Aren't they cute?" Yukihyo's eyes became clouded.

  "No, they are not. They are torture. Rather than sleeping, I will be thinking of you wearing those."

  "I'm sorry, Yukihyo. Try to get some sleep. I love you."

  "I love you.
Good night." He ended the transmission. I fell asleep giggling to myself about Yukihyo's pretended distress.

  I woke up to a soft groaning noise and realized I was making it. I had a terrible cramp in my stomach. Thunderdrop ran his claws through my hair. I kneaded at my stomach with my fist. Then, I went to the waste unit. Nothing helped. I curled up in a ball on my side while Thunderdrop did his best to comfort me. It felt like my stomach was being twisted inside with a fork. I stayed still and dozed off again for a while. My vid-screen beeped, and I rolled over and tapped it. I lifted it and brought it over to rest on my blanket covered thighs. "Good morning, lady wife," my sleepy looking husband greeted me.

  "Good morning. Did you manage to get any sleep?"

  "Some. I find comfort in being surrounded by all of your things."

  "Yukihyo, have you thought about either moving all of your things into my quarters or moving my things into yours?"

  "I will think about that today and talk to you about it tonight."

  "Okay. I love you, husband." I ended the transmission as a cramp intensified. "No more mushrooms," I told Thunderdrop. A knock sounded against my door. "Come in." Gram entered and placed the vid-screen back on its stand.

  "Something is the matter." I shook my head.

  "It's nothing, Gram."

  "Well, I want company in the sunroom. Will you get dressed and join me?"

  "Yes, ma'am. I'll be down in a few minutes." Gram patted my hand and closed the door behind her. I laid my head back against the pillows, took a deep breath, and told Thunderdrop how much I really wanted to stay in bed.

  Instead, I got up, brushed my teeth, washed my face, and stepped into the storage closet. I found a caramel colored dress with decorative red lace accents and matching shoes to wear. I changed, threw my pajamas into the laundry basket, brushed my hair, and followed Thunderdrop into the lift. We found Gram in the sunroom. Thunderdrop began investigating flowers, and I sat down and had coffee with Gram. She said, "You look beautiful this morning. I picked that dress out for you, and it looks even more beautiful on you than I imagined."