POSSIBILITIES
By
Deb Wilson
Timeline: At New Pacifica
Author's E-Mail: DWilson163@aol.com
Possibilities
by Debra Wilson
"Waah!"
"You're holding her wrong," said Morgan. "I am not!" hissed Alonzo, struggling with the squirming bundle in his arms. "What's wrong with her?""Is she hungry?" asked Morgan, stepping back carefully. "She just ate..." Alonzo readjusted his careful grip on the tiny bundle, which continued to wail. Only now tiny arms and legs were starting to jerk.
"You're going to drop her!" warned Morgan. "You burp her?" "Yes," Alonzo scowled, remembering the previous day's incident. There was no way he was going to forget burping again, Elizabeth had thrown up all over him.
He moved the baby over to the changing table. Gently laying her down. "Hey...shh..Elizabeth...it's all right," he murmured over and over in a gentle mantra.
To no avail, Elizabeth only cried harder and louder. Morgan took a breath and stepped up to the pair.
"Whompf!" Morgan stepped away again, holding his nose. "I think she needs changing."
"I can tell Morgan," said Alonzo, one hand on the baby's middle, the other reached under the table for a fresh diaper.
"You sure you've got the hang of it. I mean you are kind of new at this," began Morgan. "I could get--"
"I know what I'm doing, Morgan," Alonzo concentrated on the task. He tried to breath through his mouth. Then to hold his breath.
"Ewww."
"Morgan!" Alonzo quickly removed the soiled diaper, grateful the infant had stopped crying. She seemed more interested in watching her two adult companions. Alonzo put the dirty diaper aside, reaching for a moist cloth to wipe Elizabeth.Thankfully she endured his ministrations calmly. Yesterday she had thrown a fit when he had changed her.
"There, all done," he quickly had her dressed. Lifting her gently, he adjusted her until she was cradled in his arms.
"You're really getting the hang of this," said Morgan, enviously. "I really can't believe it."
"It's not so bad," replied Alonzo, walking in a small circle about the nursery. "Once you get used to it."
"But all the screaming, the fits...." began Morgan. "Are worth it..for times like these," Alonzo looked down as Elizabeth yawned, her blue eyes opened as she fought impending sleep.
Within a few moments she was asleep. Alonzo placed her in the crib. "Sure, she's easy to deal with now. Feed her, change her, she sleeps. Wait till she's older. Teething...growth spurts.." Morgan began pacing. "Crawling, you'll have to watch her every minute!"
"Shhh! You'll wake her..." said Alonzo, grabbing the man's arm and yanking him away from the crib.
Alonzo glanced back, she was still asleep. "Come on Morgan, Don't tell me you don't thinks he's worth it. I know Bess likes kids."
"Bess wants a big family," sighed Morgan. "I don't know that I can take it." "You've done fine so far," reminded Alonzo. "But you're better at this than me," said Morgan. "I didn't think that would be possible."
Alonzo shrugged, a keeping watch on his sleeping daughter out of the corner of his eye. "Let nature take its course, Morgan."
"But so many things can go wrong."
"Look at what's happened to us so far," replied Alonzo. "Everything from the crash to getting here. New Pacifica's great, we've found some intact pods. Supplies...It's life Morgan, take a chance." He moved back to the changing table, carefully discarding the dirty cloth diaper into a nearby hamper."A chance on what?" asked Julia, standing in the doorway. "Julia!" said both men, startled.
"What's going on here?" she asked, advancing into the room. She looked around suspiciously."We were just watching Elizabeth..." began Morgan. "Elizabeth..." she prompted, slipping between the two men to the crib. She stared down at the baby.
She turned back toward them, a puzzled expression on her face. "This is where you two have been slipping off to for the past few days?"
Both men stared at the floor. "Well?" "Now Julia.." began Morgan.
"It was his idea," said Alonzo. "It's his program." "Hey! I never invited you along! Beside that's not my daughter--" "Wait a minute...." Julia interrupted them. "Whose is she?" "Yours," said Morgan.
"Mine," said Julia. She took a breath. "Start at the beginning." "Bess wants a family, only I'm not so sure. So I thought I'd see what it's like," Morgan said quickly. "I wrote the program and gave it several variables.""Then how is that *my* daughter?" asked Julia. "I can explain that," said Alonzo, she turned her gaze to him. "I found Morgan in the program and kind of barged in. I was curious."
"Curious..."
Alonzo was actually blushing, Julia noted. Deciding she did not want an audience for this conversation she turned to Morgan. "Bess is looking for you.""Oh, I'd better get going. You're not going to tell her, are you?" "No, Morgan." Julia promised.
Morgan turned off his gear and disappeared from the room. A noise from the crib caused Julia to turn toward it. Alonzo joined her. "So did you satisfy your curiosity?" she asked, watching the VR infant slip back into sleep.He got redder, she hid another smile, amazed to find herself blushing as well. "It's OK," he said.
"Okay..." she sighed. "Alonzo, this isn't a real baby..." "I know that," he said. "But I wanted to be sure." Julia hesitated, this was not a conversation she was sure she was ready for, especially not one in a VR nursery with a VR baby. She deactivated the program.
Alonzo flipped the VR gear away from his eyes, blinking in the sunlight. Morgan was nowhere to be seen in the meadow. "I overheard you and Bess talking..." began Alonzo.
Julia bit her lip. That conversation had been about Bess' desire for children, but it had made Julia think and say things that surprised herself.
"Alonzo, a baby requires a lot of commitment..." "I know that," he said, remembering the past few days experience. "It's kinda scary and fun though."
Julia smiled, taking his hand. "Alonzo, we have time. The Colony Ship won't be here for at least three months. Besides, you aren't sure how long you're going to stick around yet."
He reached out to pull her close. "I'm staying awhile..." "How long is that?" she asked, meeting his gaze, uncertain what she saw there.
Alonzo traced the side of her face with a finger. "You're asking a guy who thinks a 100 years is a snap," he reminded her. His lips brushed her cheek.
Julia fought down the flush creeping along her face. She couldn't think when he did this. "We don't..want to rush into anything..." she began, as he nuzzled her neck.
"Make you a deal," said Alonzo, catching her eyes again. "What?" she smiled.
"Let nature takes its course," he said. "And we'll see what happens." "Alonzo..." she started to protest automatically. "The colony ship will be here," he said, "in three months. They'll be other doctors around to treat people. It won't rest on your shoulders....""All right. We'll let nature take its course," she agreed, accepting his kiss.
Alonzo smiled, suprised she had given in so easily. "What were you doing out here anyway?"
"Oh!" Julia had forgotten. "Danziger's looking for you. He wants to know if you'll fly the hover back to Cargo pod 12 for the rest of the supplies. They're ready to start wiring the electrical systems in the hospital."
"I'll talk to him. The hover's ready," he smiled, letting her go, suddenly awkward. "I'd better go.. Tonight?"
"Tonight," she promised, smiling shyly in return. "Coming?"
"I wanted to get some more samples. The herbs have high vitamin content, I want to examine them further," said Julia, gesturing across the meadow."All right," he headed back into the woods. Julia smiled, turning to walk across the meadow. She paused, turning back to see if she was alone.
She flipped the VR gear back into place, re-activating the program. Elizabeth was beginning to stir. Julia looked down at the waking infant. After a moment she went back to sleep. Julia smiled, considering the implications of her deal with Alonzo.
Moving to the door, she shut off the light and deactivated the program. "Let nature takes it course," she said and smiled.
-The End-
DWILSON163@AOL.COM
This text file was ran through PERL script made by Andy. Original text file is available in Andy's Earth 2 Fan Fiction Archive.