Station Chronicles III: Martin Advance by Mary Brick

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The Station Chronicles: Martin Advance (5/6)
by Mary Brick

CHAPTER 5

(Bess)

"He what!" Jane screamed out loud.

"Shhhhh," Bess said frantically. She ran out of her room and glanced around the small unit. No-one was there. Racing back to her room, she closed the door and returned to her place on the bed. "If my father comes home and hears you, we'll both be dead!"

"Tell me, tell me, tell me. Everything! Don't leave anything out!" Jane whispered.

"Jane, I've told you everything! How we met, what we did, and that he proposed to me!" Bess looked at her friend, still in shock at the events that occurred only 12 hours before.

Jane looked in awe at her friend. "Bess, are you sure?"

"No, yes...oh, I don't know!" Bess moaned. "It's all so crazy! But I do know one thing. I do love him. That I know."

Jane's eyes welled up with tears. For all the dreams that Earth women had of a better life, they were a realistic group and not easily taken in by flights of fancy. If Bess said she loved this guy, then it must be true.

"Oh, Bess!" Jane reached over and hugged Bess tightly as they both started to cry. "I'm so happy for you!"

Bess leaned back and looked at Jane's tear-streaked face and started to laugh. "What's so funny?" Jane asked indignantly.

"Both of us! Carrying on like a couple of fools. Jane, I can't marry Morgan!"

"What!"

"Think about it. I've known him for two days and I'm going to marry him? Get serious. He's sure as hell not going to move down here. So, what am I supposed to do? Pack everything up and move to the stations? Leave my father?" Bess' eyes widened in shock. "My father! What am I supposed to tell him? "Daddy, I've met a wonderful man and fell in love in two days and I'm marrying him and moving to the stations'? Oh, he warned me this would happen." Bess fell prostrate on her bed, totally drained from the seesawing emotions of the past two days.

Jane couldn't believe her ears. "But, Bess, this is what you've dreamed about!"

"That's just it, Jane. Dreamed. It's all a dream. It isn't real. It's a fantasy. A wonderful, sublime fantasy that I'll cherish all the days of my life, but that I can't possibly hope will come true."

Jane's heart broke at the look of sheer anguish on her friend's face. "Bess, I'm the last one to tell you what to do. Only yesterday I was telling you to grab onto Joey. But this is different. I can see it in your eyes."

Bess' face softened as she thought of Morgan. His crooked grin, his soulful blue-black eyes, his look of adoration when he thought she didn't notice. He loved her, of that she was certain. But would it be enough?

***

(Morgan and Bess)

Morgan stunned his supervisor with a request for another planetside assignment. "The sooner the better," he had said. The report Morgan had given was pretty much as expected. The accident was due to basic equipment failure and no further investigation would be necessary. So, why not? If the man wanted to go, who was he to stop him?

And so, two weeks later, Morgan found himself at the restaurant with his heart pounding and his palms sweaty. He couldn't wait to see Bess again. He walked in and went to the counter. A strange woman was clearing away some dirty dishes. Morgan looked around. Bess was nowhere to be seen.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked.

"I'm looking for Bess. Is she here?" Morgan asked.

"No, today's her day off," was the response.

Morgan was momentarily stunned. It never occurred to him that she wouldn't be here. Frantically, he realized that he didn't know where she lived. For that matter, he didn't even know her full name. "I can't believe it,' he thought. "I asked this woman to marry me and I don't even know her last name!'

"Could you tell me where she lives?" Morgan asked. "It's important."

Jane looked Morgan over. She knew who he was. She even thought about torturing him for a while, but he looked so pathetic. Taking pity on him, she wrote Bess' address on a piece of paper, gave it to Morgan, and watched in amusement as he bolted out the door. "Bess has nothing to worry about,' she thought. "That man has it bad!'

Morgan hailed an autocab and gave the address. Mentally urging the vehicle to go faster, Morgan took no notice this time of its shabbiness nor the bumpiness of the ride. Seeing Bess again was the only thing on his mind.

The autocab stopped at a residential area. Morgan jumped out and checked the address. Finding the right building, Morgan entered what passed for a lobby. Not willing to wait for the elevator, he walked up the three flights of stairs and found the right unit. He knocked on the door and began anticipating the look of surprise on Bess' face when she saw him. However, the look of surprise was on Morgan's face as the door opened. For standing in the doorway was Maynard Klempt.

It was obvious from the expression on Klempt's face that he remembered Morgan all too well. "Mr. Martin," he said with contempt. "What are you doing here?"

"I, uh, I must have the wrong address," Morgan stammered. He prayed he had the wrong address.

Then he heard her voice.

"Daddy, who is it?"

Daddy?!

Bess came up behind her father and saw Morgan standing in the doorway. "Morgan!" she cried in surprise, her eyes shining with happiness.

Morgan put his hands up to cover his face. "Oh no," he groaned. "This can't be happening."

Maynard Klempt stepped back and looked at his daughter. "Bess," he said dangerously. "Do you know this man?"

"Yes, Daddy, I do. He's the one I was telling you about."

Klempt looked at his daughter's happy face and remembered the glowing way she talked about him for the past two weeks. He also remembered telling her about the man who apparently refused to help them get the mining conditions investigated. She had agreed with him that such a man must be totally worthless. He considered telling her that they were one and the same, but he couldn't. At least not yet, not until he had a chance to talk to Morgan first.

Morgan stood in the doorway, his life hanging in the balance. He was afraid to say anything until Mr. Klempt did. He held his breath and prayed, but the man said nothing. Finally, Klempt opened the door wider and motioned for Morgan to come in. Morgan started to breath again as he crossed the threshold. Bess wrapped him in a bear hug, and Morgan held on to her as if for dear life.

Klempt watched them for a moment. He recognized love when he saw it, and he knew that these two were in it deep. He knew then that he would never say anything to Bess about Morgan. He could never hurt her that way. But, he determined that he would make sure that this man never hurt his daughter, either.

"I suppose you two would like to be alone," Klempt said. "I'll be in the other room."

Bess leaned over and kissed her father on the cheek. "Thanks, Daddy," she said as she watched him walk down the hall and disappear into the other room. Bess then led Morgan to the living room. She stopped and turned to face Morgan.

The two weeks Morgan was stationside were torture for Bess. Her feelings changed with the hour. She knew she loved Morgan and that he loved her. But her fear of it not being enough kept her in turmoil. She determined to tell him that maybe they had better not talk about marriage just yet.

Until she saw him at the front door facing her father. Something passed between them. What it was she didn't know. But her father seemed to pass immediate judgment on Morgan and that judgment was not in his favor. Bess knew in that moment that she would defy even her father to marry Morgan. It wasn't a child's wish to oppose a parent, but a woman's desire to be with the man she loved. It was at that moment that Bess knew that no matter what happened in the future, she would have enough love to sustain them both.

"I've missed you," she said, hugging him again.

"I've missed you, too," he replied as he leaned in for a kiss. It was as wonderful as the first time, and Morgan didn't want it to end. But he was extremely conscious of Bess' father in the next room and that had a dampening effect on his exuberance.

They sat close on the sofa and caught each other up on the events of the past two weeks. It didn't take long and they fell into a comfortable silence, just enjoying being together again. Morgan suddenly remembered something and reached into his pocket. He brought out a long, flat box which he placed in Bess' hands.

"Oh, Morgan, you shouldn't have," Bess exclaimed in delight. "What is it?"

Morgan smiled shyly. "It's sort of an engagement present. Open it."

Bess opened the box and peeled back the tissue paper. Nestled on a bed of cotton was a bracelet made of onyx set in silver. Actually, it was simulated onyx set in simulated silver, sitting on a bed of simulated cotton for that matter. But to Bess it was perfect all same.

"Oh, Morgan, it's beautiful! Here, help me put it on."

Morgan clasped the bracelet to her wrist. "I'm glad you like it," he said, taking her hand in his.

"I do. I promise I'll never take it off." She hugged him tightly. "But I didn't get anything for you," she said in dismay.

"That's okay. This is all I need," he whispered as he kissed her again and again.

***

Morgan and Bess spent the following weeks planning their life together. As certain as they were in their love for each other and their decision to marry, there was hesitancy in finalizing their plans. When Morgan finally admitted that he was afraid of telling his father that he wanted to marry a girl he'd known for such a short time, especially an Earth girl, Bess sighed in relief. She had been afraid that he had changed his mind after all. She admitted that she was having similar feelings about telling her own father. They laughed at the absurdity of their feelings. They were adults, and it wasn't like they were doing anything wrong. After all, they were only getting married.

The day finally came when Morgan took Bess to meet his father and announce their impending marriage. Though he had warned her that Preston Martin would be rigorously opposed to their marriage, Morgan hoped that when his father actually met Bess, he would see how wonderful she was. Preston had been coolly polite while in Bess' presence, but once he had Morgan alone, he let him know how displeased he was.

"I cannot believe that you would actually jeopardize your already shaky career by marrying this woman," was Preston Martin's angry assessment of his son's choice of a marriage partner.

Morgan wasn't surprised and, had the situation been about anything else, Morgan would have taken the criticism without comment. But this was Bess he was maligning, and Morgan actually stood up to his father for the first time in his life.

"Bess is a wonderful woman and the best thing that has ever happened to me," Morgan said firmly. "She may not be what you consider a suitable wife. But you know what? I'm not marrying her for her suitability. I'm marrying her because I love her."

"Is that right?" Preston said derisively. "I don't seem to recall love being such an important factor the first time you married."

Morgan froze and prayed that Bess couldn't hear them in the other room. He had never told Bess about his first, disastrous marriage. It had been a youthful folly that only lasted three months. Nevertheless, even in that short a period of time, Morgan had cheated on his wife. The affair had had no bearing on their decision to divorce. However, Morgan feared Bess wouldn't see it that way after she told him of the appalling way that men treated women on Earth. Within days of meeting Bess, Morgan had managed to get all traces of the marriage removed from the station records in the hopes that she would never find out. It was the one secret he would always keep from Bess.

"I knew you wouldn't understand," Morgan said sadly.

Preston rolled his eyes. "What's to understand? You've got the hots for some gold-digging Earth Res and have convinced yourself it's love."

"I don't have to sit here and listen to this," Morgan said, amazed at the fearlessness in his voice. "Frankly, I don't even know why I'm here. I don't need your permission and I don't want your blessing. Bess and I are getting married. I just thought you'd like to know."

Preston Martin was stunned into silence. Knowing this was his only chance at keeping the advantage, Morgan left the room. Grabbing Bess by the hand, he left his father's house forever.

***

Morgan knew that telling Bess' father of their decision to marry would be equally as difficult. At first, Morgan felt that if he could stand up to his own father, he'd have no problem with Bess'. However, the longer they put it off, the longer Morgan had to think about it. And the more he thought about it, the more agitated he became. Morgan had had very little contact with Bess' father when he saw her on Earth. The worst time was when he first asked to take Bess stationside for a visit. The meeting started off badly when Klempt asked him "What is it about my daughter, Mr. Martin, that makes you want to take her stationside?" and got progressively worse as Morgan tried to find an answer that would satisfy him. He never did, but he did manage to get his permission. Morgan was certain that it was more his desire for his daughter's happiness than anything Morgan had said that made him agree.

Apparently, Bess' happiness meant a great deal to Maynard Klempt for he offered no argument as Bess calmly told him that she was going to marry Morgan Martin. He was even civil to Morgan at the simple, Catholic ceremony that Morgan had agreed to have on Earth just so he could attend. Afterwards, he went with them to the shuttle terminal to say good-bye as Bess left Earth to start her new life on the stations. While they waited, he took Bess aside. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a small pendant on a string. It was a lucite disk with a tiny flower inside.

Pressing it into her hand, he said, "I'm not a sentimental man, but when I saw this it reminded me of you. The last wildflower on Earth. I want you to have it so you'll always remember who you are and where you come from."

He hugged Bess tightly for a long time. Releasing her, he placed the pendant around her neck. Over the loudspeaker, they heard the announcement that the shuttle was ready for boarding. Joining Morgan, Maynard Klempt took Bess' hand and placed it in Morgan's.

"Make sure you take care of my daughter, Mr. Martin," he said solemnly.

Morgan looked from Bess to her father. "You have my word."

Bess hugged her father one last time. "Don't worry, Daddy. I'll be all right," she said, her voice cracking with emotion. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, too, little girl." Giving her one last squeeze, he released her and watched her board the shuttle. It was a long time before Maynard Klempt could bring himself to leave and return to his now empty home.

***

Morgan and Bess quickly adjusted to the routine of married life. Not needing to work, Bess filled her days turning Morgan's bachelor unit into a cozy home. Each day was a new adventure for Bess as she searched the stores for new treasures. She was continually amazed at the abundance of items available, for the stores on Earth were never so well stocked. At first she was shocked at the prices, but soon realized that Morgan's salary would allow her to more than satisfy her needs. Bess was quite adept at making something from nothing, so she was able to decorate their home without causing undue anguish to her frugal nature.

Selfish with each other as only newlyweds can be, Morgan and Bess were quite content to spend most of their evenings alone. This suited Bess just fine. Though she would never admit it to Morgan, Bess was uncomfortable with most of the people Morgan introduced her to. They were all born on the stations and, therefore, had a superior attitude towards her. Morgan seemed unaware of this, and Bess didn't tell him for fear of coming between him and his friends, especially since most of his friends were people he worked with. Bess was highly conscious of presenting herself well to them. Though she knew Morgan loved her, she also knew that if he could hide the fact that she was born and raised on Earth, he would. But since that truth would eventually come out in even the most casual of conversations, Bess was always on guard to make sure she gave them nothing to gossip about. Class distinctions were rigid on the stations. The slightest hint of taint would ruin a career or cause one's place in the social pecking order to slip.

Eager to be with his new wife, Morgan didn't spend as much time at work as he had before. He also stopped volunteering for planetside assignments now that Bess was permanently stationside. This troubled Bess because she had hoped she could accompany Morgan on those trips to visit her father and the friends she had left behind. It eventually became a source of consternation between them as Morgan constantly found excuses not to go to Earth. He told her she was a Station Resident now and should forget about her former life. This Bess refused to do. Though her trips never lasted more than a few days, Morgan holocalled her frequently, begging her to come home. And when she did get home, he would sulk for hours. In due time, his good spirits would return, and he would again be her sweet, loving Morgan. So Bess' trips to Earth became more and more infrequent. She eventually convinced herself it was a small price to pay to keep her husband happy.

END OF CHAPTER 5

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