ONE WEDDING OR TWO?
By
Lizzy
Timeline: On Way To New Pacifica and At New Pacifica
Author's E-Mail: heckercw@voicenet.com
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
I've got a problem with this one, folks . . . no name. I just couldn't come up with one appropriate enough. If anyone comes up with something *please let me know!!*. It took me a while to decide on using this particular story, since I had a number of variations on my computer, some that date back all the way to *March*.Right now I'm experiencing a bit of a dry spell (if you hadn't noticed) because I have this problem with filling *spaces* in between stories, like, I can think of a story, but it comes *after* one I haven't written yet. Yeah, I know it stinks, but hey, that's life.
Also, A.j. brought something to my attention . . . guess what people, Manya Bogdanov does not exist! Let's all congratulate her on that one, folks. It seems when I counted up the crew, I forgot to include Eban in the count (since I always think of her as being dead). Oh well, one little mistake.
(please forgive my lack of name)
P.S.: Name you see now was found after story was already sent to list. -Andy
ONE WEDDING OR TWO?
by LizzyDevon Adair sighed, contented. She sat on top of the ridge of rocks bordering the beach of Ocean Pacifica, watching the sun rise on what was probably one of the most important days of her life. There was a light breeze ruffling through her shoulderlength auburn hair. She didn't mind it was messing it up, she could do it over again easily.
The early morning sunlight reflected gently off the ocean waters. The sound of the waves crashing gently upon the shore almost lulled Devon back to sleep. The stirring of the others 'round the colony reminded her she would soon be needed to start breakfast. But perhaps they would forgive her on this one, special day.
However, Devon knew that wasn't the way to think. She was needed, and she shouldn't use the situation to mooch out of chores. Especially since she was the one to volunteer for the breakfast watch.
Devon jumped lightly to the ground five feet below the ridge, her bare feet sinking into the soft, cool sand. She trudged toward the water where she dipped her toes in, testing the water. It wasn't warm enough to bother going for an early morning swim. Instead, Devon turned to face the colony of New Pacifica, population 26, soon to be 1,026.
Yes, the colonists would be arriving in just a few months now, and Devon would be there to greet Dr. Vasquez, to shake his hand, to thank him for making this moment possible. She and the rest of the group had been through so much the past two years. They started out as being strangers, but now some of them were planning on getting married.
Julia and Alonzo . . . Devon smiled slightly. They had started out frustrated with each other, their relationship strictly patient/doctor. There were times Julia Heller seemed to want to give up on her ornery patient. Then Devon recalled how happy they had been on they day they'd arrived at New Pacifica, when 'Lonz had proposed.
Yes, Devon thought, that was happy. And soon, she too would have her happiness, with John Danziger, his daughter True, and her son, Ulysses. Yes, in just a few hours, they would be a family . . .
"Devon!" the sound of Bess Martin's voice shook Devon out of her reverie. Devon turned to see the younger woman standing on top of the ridge waving. "We need your help now. No mooching!"
Devon smiled, and jogged through the sand towards the rope ladder on the side of the rockface.
"Happy?" commented Bess, noting the smile on Devon's face. "Is that a rhetorical question?" Devon asked as she quickly climbed the ladder and stood next to her friend.
Bess shrugged and walked toward the entrance to the New Pacifica General Hospital. The building was barely large enough to hold 1,000 people. It had taken a good year to build. At least, that's what Basil Sherwood had told her. Basil had been one of ten people that crash-landed in pod #4 only a few miles from New Pacifica. They'd immediatly set about to construct the hospital using the supplies found in a number of nearby cargo pods. Of course, a little looting of Grendler caves had also been necessary . . .
There was already a bustle in the kitchen. Magus, True, and Uly were helping cook some vegetable stew for breakfast (*Oh yum, veggies again,* she couldn't help but think), while others were already setting up for the wedding dinner.
"Morning mom!" ten year-old Uly grinned, turning to face his mother, who smiled back, giving him a hug.
"Morning sweetie."
True proudly presented Devon with a ladel full of vegetable stew, which she gamely took a sip of. It didn't taste as bad as some of the things she had eaten on this planet."Morning to you too, True." Devon said, handing the ladel back to her soon-to-be daughter. "It tastes pretty good. What do you need my help for?"
"Dishes!" she heard someone call from behind her. Devon turned to find Julia Solace elbow deep in soap suds, scrubbing some of the mess kits. "Alonzo," she glared at her fiance who was busily scrubbing beside her, "'forgot' to do them last night."
Devon nodded knowingly. She didn't blame them, since the two had to be distracted. They were still arguing over a wedding date. Alonzo insisted they wait until the colony ship came, but Julia had been hoping on sometime a bit sooner.
Devon found she was even happy doing dishes. It seemed nothing could bring her down that day . . .
John Danziger didn't seem nearly as excited as his fiancee. He slept in four hours past dawn, and was surprised no one woke him, not even his bride. Rubbing his eyes lazily and blinking at the sunlight that leaked through the curtains covering the window in the wall of his small hospital room.
Glancing at the watch and checking the date, he suddenly remembered the event that was to take place that afternoon. Getting up quickly and buzzing his teeth over the sink in the small bathroom, he ran out into the hallway.
Scanning the hall and noting the complete absence of any sound whatsoever, he figured all the others were either A) still asleep, or B) in the kitchen. Deciding the latter was more likely, he took off down the corridor to the kitchen of Walman's affectionately named "Grendler Bar & Grille".
Ducking beneath the low ceilinged entrace to the kitchen, he waved a cheerful hello to everyone who was doing the dishes after breakfast.
"Where is everybody?" Danziger asked, noting that more than half of the group wasn't in the kitchen. Perhaps he was wrong after all.
"They went to help Devon get ready." Linda Magus said as she rinsed a dish and handed it to Will Baines.
"You didn't forget, did you?" Baines asked him, knowing full well that wasn't the case.
"No, just nobody woke me up this morning." he said, backing out of the kitchen doorway and back into the hall, "So, I guess they're in Bess's room?" Bess Martin had volunteered to help the two of them coordinate the wedding.
The room was on the first floor, a floor below the one he shared with Devon. The only others who had a room on the just-completed second floor were Julia and Alonzo.
All the other colonists were flocking about the cramped spaces of the Adair home, most helping Devon search for an appropriate outfit to wear to the ceremony. True was carefully curling Devon's wet hair around some short, thick sticks, obviously in an effort to style it.
"I've got it!" Bess exclaimed excitedly, pulling a white turtleneck and white pants out of one of Devon's still-unpacked bags. A lot of her clothes had been left packed, since she only needed enough to last through the week. "These are perfect. It's not exactly a traditional wedding dress, though."
Devon looked over slowly, trying not to upset True's careful work. Her face lighted up and she said, "Yes, see Bess? That's the outfit I was looking for. I'm surprised it's still white after all its been through." Just then she caught sight of Danziger, who was trying to blend in in the corner of the room.
"It's about time you woke up." she smiled forgivingly. "Up late last night? Perhaps with Alonzo, helping him figure out yet more ways to disagree with poor Julia?" she said jokingly. "Well, I suppose I'll have to forgive you, seeing as we're going to be married in a few hours . . . "
He returned her joking smile. Resisting the urge to completely ruin the careful hair job his daughter had been working on, he approached Bess and asked her, "And what, may I ask, am I supposed to wear?"
Bess shrugged. "I dunno. Now if you two would agree to do this in VR like Morgan and I suggested . . ." she stopped when the two of them glared at her. They had been through this many times. They had both agreed it was too artificial. They compromised and decided to have the reception there, though.
John sighed. "I guess I'll just have to look in my stuff." "Yes, I guess so." Bes said, taking the outfit she had chosen for Devon and carefully laying it out on her bed. "I can get Morgan to help if you want, he has quite a taste in clothing." She tossed a playful glance to her husband Morgan, who was wearing mismatched clothes, his long scraggly hair not even in his usual neat ponytail.
"No, that's not necessary." John shook his head vehemently at the very suggestion.
"Yes, John has good taste too, I trust." Devon turned back to the mirror True had set up in front of her and surveyed the job. Then she turned to the eleven year old. "Okay, your work is done. I'll take them out in an hour. Now, um, go see if you can help Uly out, I know for a fact he has no taste."
True grinned evilly and nodded, dashing out the doorway. Devon shook her head and tried to relax, even though her hair looked like it was very, very painful. Danziger sighed and took a seat on her bed. Raking his fingers through his hair, he moaned jokingly, "What on earth did my daughter do to your beautiful hair?"
Devon chuckled, "Oh, it'll look better when it's done." Bess nodded in agreement, studying the girl's work from a distance. Morgan had exited moments before, leaving just the three of them. The woman suddenly took a look at John's hair, and made a disapproving face. "Are you *sure* you don't want a haircut?" she offered, holding up a pair of scissors.
Danziger put his hands up in the air, as if to ward her off, "No thanks."
Bess shrugged and placed the scissors back on the bed stand. Then she said to Devon, "I'll be at the 'Grille cleaning up, Devon, if you need me."
Devon nodded in appreciation, and Bess left. Then she sighed and looked at her image in the mirror, John reflected on the bed behind her. "Has Yale set up on the beach yet?" she asked him. Yale was going to serve as preist, and was organizing the construction of a makeshift alter on the beach.
"I don't know," John shrugged, "I haven't been outside yet." Devon smiled at his reflection. "Well, I'm sure he'll see it's done right. This is going to be fantastic." she said.
"Yeah," he agreed.
"Hey, 'Lonzo, I hear the costume lady would like to see you," Julia said, peeking her head through the door into the room she shared with her fiance. He was lying on the bed, apparently deep in thought. She smiled and entered, dropping into the chair across the room from him.
"Tell Bess she can wait a minute or two," Alonzo mumbled, staring up at the ceiling.
"I don't know if she'll like that. She's determined to make everything perfect," Julia said.
He chuckled, shaking his head and sitting up on the bed. "A perfectionist, eh? Damn annoying, if you ask me."
Julia shrugged, "Depends on how you look at it. Wouldn't you like everything to be perfect on *our* wedding day?" Smiling even wider, she got up from the chair and crossed the room to lie down on the bed beside him.
"That a question?" he remarked, looking her in the eyes and brushing his hand against her cheek. "'Course I want everything to be perfect for us." He leaned down and kissed her tenderly. This seemed to impress Julia, so she saw fit to continue with:
"So . . . when *are* we going to get married?" This caused Alonzo to groan and draw away, sitting up again. "Not this *again* Julia. I . . . I thought maybe today we could give it a rest. Just today, for Devon and Danziger?"
Julia sighed, sitting up as well. "'Lonz, we really ought to give this some thought. Listen, I *know* it's not your style to plan things ahead, but I'd really like to know when this will happen."
Though it quite obviously bothered him, he sighed. "Fine, fine Julia. We'll talk about it." Julia nodded thankfully. "But the only reason I'm doing this is because you mean so much to me."
"Of course," she said, "Now, why is it you object to getting married as soon as possible? I think it's quite obvious the two of us are in love, I mean--"
Alonzo put up a hand to silence her, shaking his head. "Julia, it's not that. I want to wait until the Colony Ship arrives. A lot of my friends are on board: Sheila, Mullowney, Hawkins . . . it'd just be nice if they could be there."
"I know that, Alonzo, and I respect that," Julia said, getting up off the bed and beginning to pace the length of the small hospital room. "But . . . Do you think they'd really mind it? I mean, after they're here for what . . . three weeks? You'll never see them again!" Alonzo closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath, then opened them again to watch her pace back and forth. *She's right,* something inside her said, *You will never see them again. What's the point? You love her, don't you?* And another part of him answered enthusiastically, *God, I love her!* *Then what's the problem, Alonzo?* And just when he was about to agree with her, some dark, accusing voice inside him declared, *She's insecure! She's afraid it won't work out!! She wants to marry you so you can't get away!*
Before he knew what he was saying, he blurted out, "What's *wrong* with you, Julia? Are you insecure or something? Do you think I don't *love* you?"
Julia stopped her pacing, her arms dropping solidly to her sides. She stared at him in disbelief. "*Insecure*?! *Insecure*?! *You're* the one who's insecure, Alonzo. You want to wait until the end of the year! You're the one who wants to wait, you must think we're not right for each other!"
His jaw dropped open. He wanted to apologize, explain that he'd had a temporary lapse of sanity, but the words didn't come. "J--J--J--" was all that came out. It was too late, thoug, Julia had heard about enough.
Turning on her heel, she flung the door to the hallway open and swiftly exited the room.
*Crap,* Alonzo thought, *What have you done NOW?*
"What do you think it'll be like, Yale?" Uly turned to his tutor, interrupting the lesson he had been giving. True wasn't there that day since, for some reason, Uly's mother needed her to help. But he was there, listening to Yale's boring speach on the reason why people built space stations.
The old cyborg started, not expecting to be interrupted. "What Uly?" Uly frowned thoughtfully. "Y'know, Mom being married to John. That'd mean True and I are well . . . brother and sister, and that's too wierd for me."
Yale let out a hearty laugh at the boy's question, and gave him a pat on the back. "Don't worry, Ulysses, you'll get used to it."
"You'll still teach us, though, right?" Uly asked, concerned. He looked up into the clear blue sky, where the colony ship was somewhere out in space. "Even after the ship comes and they start a school?"
Yale sighed, "Well, Uly, that will be up to your parents, won't it? Besides, I'm sure I may even be a teacher there."
Uly nodded. "Yeah, I guess so. Still, me and True . . ." "Uly,"
"Yes, Yale?'
"Don't worry."
Uly shifted uncomfortably in his position next to John. They stood in front of all the gathered Advance team, as dressed up as anyone could get on this planet. He glanced around at all the familiar faces, noting they were all happy. He had an itch he really wanted to scratch, but thought he'd look foolish. He kicked nervously at the ground, waiting for the wedding to start. It was the worst thing he'd ever been through.
He had been sick the first eight years of his life and couldn't run around and play. Now that he was healthy, though, he always wanted to run. That's why standing still really got on his nerves.
John, noting the boy's discomfort, looked at him with a friendly face. It didn't comfort him. It instead reminded him of the endless hours of putting up with True he'd have to do. He *had* been, in a cruel sort of way, looking forward to the Colony ship arriving. That was a few months ago, though. Before all THIS happened. John and True were supposed to leave on it and head off back to their happy little space station and never be seen again. His mother had taken care of that, though.
Uly became even more nervous when the procession got lined up down the aisle they'd made with rocks. First True, the flowergirl, Kitty the koba, the other flowergirl, then Julia and Alonzo (who seemed to be ignoring each other, for some odd reason), then Morgan and Bess, and then his mother and Baines (who'd agreed to give her away since Yale was acting as the priest). Sighing deeply, he awaited the sound of the music to begin.
John sighed deeply, awaiting the sound of the music to begin. And when it finally did, he had to resist the urge to grin. He watched with a slap-happy look on his face as True marched up the aisle, practically dumping the flowerpetals on the ground, in front of her koba, who mimicked the motions perfectly. Then Julia and Alonzo followed, staring straight forward, grim looks on their faces (*What's up with them?* he thought briefly, then dismissed it). Then, of course, there was Morgan and Bess, and Bess was practically dragging Morgan down the aisle. He apparently had forgotten something important. John was really happy he hadn't picked him as best man.
After the last of the bridesmaids and men had marched up the aisle, the true wedding music began, and John nearly found himself humming "Here comes the usher, his name is Toilet Flusher" as Baines led Devon down the aisle.
Devon looked stunning. Even without a wedding gown, she was absolutely radient. Her hair was finished, and it hung in curls on her shoulders. She wore a flower necklace True had made her that morning, and a pin he recognized as being something Uly had made when he was three.
As she approached him, a smile upon her lips and a sparkle in her eyes, he took her hands and pulled her closer--not too close, 'cause that would be stupid. He almost thought he heard her chuckle at that.
Then they all turned their attention to Yale, who was acting as the priest. He cleared his throat and folded his arms before him.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to celebrate the joyous union of these two souls, John Danziger and Devon Adair. We have watched them struggle through many hardships to get to this point in their relationship, so now, let us celebrate." he intoned. "Please take hands." Devon and John did so, John almost eagerly. Looking into John's eyes Devon smirked, holding back a laugh of excitement. "Do you, John Arthur Danziger," he looked to John, who had a glazed look on his face, "Take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, so help you God?"
"I do." he uttered the words like they were the most sacred on Earth.
Yale then turned to Devon, who was beaming. "And do you, Devon Margot Adair take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, so help you God?"
"I do." Devon smiled happily at John, then at Yale, then at True and Uly who tried their best to ignore the fact that the entire group's attention was focused on their parents.
"With the power invested in me by, uh, by, well, I guess by our lovely mayor Devon herself," the assembled group chuckled at that remark, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. Now you may kiss the bride." Yale announced proudly.
John did, gladly, as did Devon. And when they finished, they took hands and nearly danced back up the aisle, followed by the rest of the assemblege.
They sat in a white ballroom, surrounded by waiters carrying trays of hors d'ouevres. They were surrounded by many people which they knew, who were laughing and talking and dancing, and trying desperately to start conversations with them. And yet, they remained completely oblivious to everyone else in the room, staring into each others' eyes, and this totally disgusted their children.
"It's not right." Uly remarked from across the room where he was seated at a table next to True, poking a fork at the virtual plate of chicken before him.
"I think it's disgusting." True said, trying to pretend she enjoyed the taste of the fancy plate of food she had been served. They were, of course, talking about John and Devon. They weren't referring to the marriage itself, which they had straightened out months before. It was the staring deeply into each others' eyes they just couldn't get over.
Uly stared at her. "What do you mean *you* think it's disgusting, True. You were the one that, a few months ago, was telling me how perfect they were for each other, and now you're telling me it's *disgusting*??"
True shrugged, and poked at her food. "Well . . . you know I didn't think it mean that they'd be doing *that*," she said, nodding in their direction. "It's so weird. Why do they do things like that?"
Uly snorted, "You think that's weird? You shoulda seen what I saw them doing once! My Mom promised me no chores for three days if I didn't tell you, so I can't say exactly, but oh man . . . "
"You're sick!" True exclaimed, "Like I *really* wanted to know that!"
He shrugged and took a sip of soda from his glass. Just then Bess Martin walked over, dressed in a glamorous white dress. "Well hello Uly, True," she said. She looked at Uly specifically and said, "Uly, may I have this dance?"
Seeing as True was no longer willing to speak to him, he took Bess's hand and the two of them swirled out onto the dancefloor.
Julia looked across the table at Alonzo guiltily. She knew he hadn't meant what he'd said those hours ago, that he was lamenting the fact that the words had ever passed his lips. Though she had to swallow her pride to do so, she figured that she ought to apologize first. "'Lonz," she said in an effort to catch his attention.
However, he was off in la-la land, staring at the chandelier that hung above their head in the glittering ballroom. "'Lonz!" she repeated, louder this time. His attention snapped down to G889, and he smiled with relief when he saw the look on her face. "Julia, listen, about this morning--"
"I know," she smiled, sighing. "I didn't mean it either. If you'd like to get married when the ship comes so your friends could be there, that's fine with me."
"Are you sure, Julia?" Alonzo said, beginning to feel a little guilty he hadn't brought the subject up himself and apologized first. "I mean, Sheila and the gang don't *really* need to be there . . . and a summer wedding *would* be nice."
She shook her head. "No, no, Alonzo, I couldn't take that away from you. Besides . . . maybe Dr. Vasquez would like to come. Who knows, after teaching him about the Terrians and everything for a week or two, we could be the best of friends."
Alonzo raised a suspcious eyebrow. "The *best* of friends?" "You know what I mean," she said teasingly, then offered a hand to him from across the table. "Why don't we dance?"
"Well, I think that we ought to hear our newlyweds speak!" Morgan Martin exclaimed insistently, holding up his glass of champagne. "I don't think the two of them have said a word to anyone but each other for the past hour!" Everyone nodded in agreement, and looked expectantly to to Devon and John.
Devon, as well, looked to her husband and said, "You first." "No, I can't," he said, grinning, "Ladies first, remember?" She looked at him through narrowed eyes, but then stood up from her seat at the table and smiled. "Well, I guess I'll go first," she said, looking down at him. "Uh, where shall I begin?"
"How about the beginning?" Basil Sherwood suggested brightly. No one laughed, except for Ross Parker, but he *had* to.
"Thank you for that lovely suggestion there, Bas. Anyhow, I suppose I ought to." She took a deep breath. "Uh . . . there's just so much to say . . . " She looked to John for inspiration, and that was all she needed. "If someone had told me a few years ago that I'd be moving to a planet halfway to another galaxy and marrying a man named John Danziger on the shores of a new planet, I wouldn't have believed you. In fact, I may have slapped a lawsuit on you." Several of the people stifled giggles, but other than that no one seemed to fine the joke that funny. "Anyway, John . . . when I fell into that river a few months ago--" This, they seemed to find hilarious, laughing quite heartily, "I never would have guessed that the man who saved me would one day be my husband." She paused thoughtfully for a moment, "That *night*, maybe, but that day . . . "
"I think we've heard enough," John interrupted, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. Devon grinned at him, looking down at him.
"Why don't *you* get up here, then?" She asked, grabbing his hand away from his glass of champagne and dragging him out of his seat.
He looked around at the gathered tables of the Eden Advance Team, draped an arm around her, and said, "All I've got to say is, she's mine, fellas. Any complaints can be filed directly to *me*." Several of the men in the group waved him off, turning back to their drinks, and in some cases, women.
Devon shook her head, grinning, and gave him a playful swat with her napkin. The two of them took a seat at the table that they now shared with True and Uly, who had returned from the dancefloor at the announcement of a speech. The moment they were seated, Julia and Alonzo stood up at their table, which they shared with Charlotte O'hara and Walman.
"Julia and I have something to say," Alonzo said, apparently the elected spokesperson for the couple. "We just wanted to let you know that we're planning on getting married two weeks after the Colony Ship arrives." He looked to Julia, who was beaming at the rest of them.
"Oh goodie!" Bess exclaimed, "I'll help!" "Much appreciated, Bess," Julia smiled. Walman stood up and said, "Enough talk, let's get back out on that dance floor!"
-The End-
Was that pointless? I found it sort of pointless . . . =(. I like it, but frankly I haven't much use for it . . . Oh well, had to do something, eh?
Next one should be better!
heckercw@voicenet.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.