Chasing the Stars (29 page)

And she was right! I resigned myself to a full-body scan, blood tests, the works. I remembered how my dad had been the same. If I came into the medical bay with a cut or a graze, he’d perform a full battery of tests. It had to be a really annoying doctor thing. I looked at Liana. The sadness in her blue eyes that I’d noticed the first time I saw her hadn’t gone away. If anything it was more pronounced.

As she passed her MMS slowly down then up my body, I asked, ‘Doc, where were you born?’

‘On Earth, the same as you,’ said the doctor.

‘Is that where you met your husband?’

‘How did you know I was married?’

I shrugged. ‘When Nate and I came to ask you to be a witness at our joining ceremony, you kept telling us that being joined was a serious business and not a bed of roses and that we’d have to work at it and whatnot and you spoke like you knew what you were talking about. I know you never mentioned a husband when you were talking about your son, but I just assumed.’

‘Well, you’re right. I was joined actually.’

‘Where did you meet your husband?’

‘He was the chief engineer of the first Earth vessel I worked on. I took one look at him and I knew I’d found my soulmate.’ Doctor Liana was staring somewhere past my shoulder into her memories, a slight smile playing on her lips. ‘He was an amazing man, fiercely loyal, loving and the best damned engineer the Authority ever had, mostly self-taught. That’s how good he was.’ The doctor glanced at me and gave a rueful smile. ‘But that was a long time ago.’ She viewed my readings on her mobile scanner.

‘So what’s the verdict?’ I asked. ‘Will I live?’

‘Would Nathan let you do otherwise?’ said the doc drily. ‘That guy dotes on you.’

‘The feeling is mutual,’ I smiled. ‘In fact, sometimes I . . .’

‘Yes?’ the doctor prompted. ‘I don’t know what I’d do if he ever stopped loving me,’ I admitted.

‘He won’t,’ said the doctor.

I shrugged, feigning nonchalance.
Move on, Vee!
‘I know I’ve said it before but thanks again for agreeing to be a witness at our joining ceremony. Nate and I really appreciated it.’

‘You’re welcome, and you don’t have to keep thanking me,’ Doctor Liana replied. ‘Mind you, Catherine wasn’t too thrilled with me. She verbally kicked my derrière all around this room.’

‘Oh dear. I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t be. It does Catherine good once in a while to realize she can’t control everything in her life, including her son. In fact, especially her son,’ said the doctor.

‘So you’re not one of those who thinks I should hand over this ship to her?’

Doctor Liana gave me a horrified look. ‘Don’t you know how to run this vessel?’

‘Of course I do,’ I replied with indignation.

‘And you’re the legitimate commander?’

‘Yes I am.’

‘Then I don’t understand your question,’ said the doctor.

She made it sound so simple. Maybe I was worrying about, if not nothing, then too much. So what if some of the colonists still viewed me with suspicion? I’d just have to show them with my actions that my age had nothing to do with my experience and competence. And if after all that they still couldn’t accept me? Well, that was their problem. I refused to make it mine.

And then there was Nathan.

I could wish he hadn’t blurted it out like that about the two of us but maybe it was for the best. Maybe it would convince some of the doubters that I really was on their side and wouldn’t betray them to the Authority. Or maybe it wouldn’t make any difference.

Or just maybe I shouldn’t care so much about the opinions of others.

‘So, Olivia, what d’you think of married life?’

‘So far so good.’ I shrugged.

The doc gave me a studied look. ‘Is everything OK with you two?’

I nodded. ‘Yeah. Nothing I can’t handle.’

‘Hhmm. And how’s your sex life?’

‘Doc!’

‘What? I’m your doctor as well as your friend, remember. Any problems in that area?’

Was I really having this conversation?

‘None whatsoever, thank you.’ I couldn’t help my smile as I revisited a memory or two.

‘Ooh, that smile on your face is verging on obscene,’ said the doctor.

Face on fire, my smile vanished, making the doctor laugh.

‘I’m just teasing, Vee. Not about your smile – that
was
obscene – but it’s lovely to see a young couple who aren’t afraid of life for a change. I know I questioned you both long and hard before agreeing to be a witness at your joining ceremony and insisted you sort out a method of contraception, but I hope you understand, I had to make sure that you and Nathan fully understood what you were letting yourselves in for.’

‘It may have been spur-of-the-moment, but it wasn’t done on a whim or for frivolous reasons,’ I said. ‘I really do . . . care about him.’

‘The way I care about all my patients?’ teased Doctor Liana.

‘Not quite,’ I said drily.

‘That’s what I thought.’

My face was beginning to burn again. Why did I find that one word so hard to say? I didn’t find it hard to feel, that was for sure. The way I had fallen for Nathan so hard and so fast still amazed me. I’d jump in the way of a Mazon blast for him without even thinking about it.

‘Nate and me, we just . . . fit. We understand each other,’ I tried to explain.

‘I gathered that from the moment I saw the two of you together,’ said Doctor Liana. ‘You two reminded me of me and my husband. That’s why I finally agreed to act as a witness.’

‘Did you tell the commander that?’

The doctor raised an eyebrow. ‘Are you kidding? Besides, she did most of the talking, not me. I just let her get on with it. I find that’s the best thing to do when Catherine goes off on one.’

I smothered a laugh. I did like Doctor Liana. She was a no-nonsense, straight-talking woman. I knew where I stood with her.

‘Doctor, what . . . what d’you think of Anjuli?’ I couldn’t help asking.

‘Anjuli? She has interesting clavicles.’

I wasn’t really looking for information about her collar bones. ‘Is she . . .?’

The doctor looked at me expectantly waiting for me to continue.

‘Never mind,’ I sighed.

She gave me a curious look but didn’t press. ‘OK. Your scan is complete. You’re as fit as a flea.’

‘I could’ve told you that,’ I replied. ‘Any chance of something for my headache now?’

Doctor Liana brought over a small plastic vial and snapped it in half beneath my nose. ‘Inhale,’ she instructed.

I leaned over it and did as she asked, inhaling deeply. A smell of something intensely minty hit my nostrils and caught in the back of my throat, making me cough. Moments later, my headache was considerably less painful.

‘Great. Thanks,’ I said, jumping off the bed. ‘Why didn’t the painkiller I took earlier work then?’

‘You had a tension headache,’ said the doctor. ‘Are you feeling particularly stressed at the moment?’

‘No more than usual,’ I lied. ‘And usually I can handle a headache with a standard painkiller patch. It didn’t seem to work this time though. Thanks, Doc.’

‘Any time. And, Vee?’

‘Yes?’

‘Take it easy. If something is worrying you, don’t bottle it up. That’s probably why the painkiller you took didn’t work. OK?’

‘Thanks for the chat, Doc.’ I headed for the door.

‘Vee, remember, you can tell me anything. I’m here for you,’ smiled the doctor. ‘Doctor-patient confidentiality is a sacred thing! I told Catherine that when she was ranting at me for not letting her know about you and Nathan, and I’m telling you the same thing.’

‘Doc, can I ask you something?’

‘I don’t know. Can you?’

It took a moment to realize what she meant. She was questioning my grammar! My dad used to do the same thing. It was annoying then too.

‘
May
I ask you something?’ I amended ruefully.

Doctor Liana grinned at me. ‘You’re the only one I’ve ever met since leaving Earth who understood what I meant when I asked that. Bravo! What’s your question?’

‘You said you want to go back to Earth, but won’t the Authority just send you back to Callisto?’

‘No. I’ve served my time,’ said Doctor Liana sombrely. ‘All I want to do now is go home.’

It’d been a bastard of a day. My shift on the bridge with Mum in charge was exhausting. She had me checking this and analysing that all over the ship. My arse hadn’t been stationary in any one place for longer than fifteen minutes at a time. And to top all that, Anjuli had cornered me at least five times to ask, ‘Have you spoken to her? Am I reinstated yet?’

Until finally, I snapped. ‘Anjuli, for God’s sake, give me a chance. Vee and I aren’t even sharing the same shift.’

‘When will you get to speak to her then?’ frowned Anjuli.

Which was the final straw. ‘Right. That’s it. Anjuli, stop pushing.’ I spoke very quietly, at this point somewhere beyond severely pissed off. Anjuli became very still as she regarded me.

‘Here I am, backing off very slowly,’ she said. Never taking her eyes off me, she took slow, exaggeratedly careful backwards steps away from me. OK, I admit it – that made me laugh. I’ll say one thing for her, she could always tell when she’d pushed me too far and it was time to retreat. Literally.

And the worse thing of all about my day was I’d only seen Vee once during my entire shift. She was coming out of our quarters when I was walking along the corridor towards the bridge after completing another of Mum’s assignments. Instead of waiting for me, she’d frowned and entered the bridge ahead of me. By the time I’d got there, Vee was having a quiet word with her brother. I went to my station next to him, smiling at Vee in the hope that she’d come and speak to me once she’d finished her chat with Aidan. Nothing doing. Once her conversation with her brother had finished, Vee headed straight for the exit without a backwards glance.

I mean, what the actual hell?

By the time my shift was over, I was mentally and physically wrecked. I paused outside our quarters, hesitating before entering. If I didn’t know any better, I’d’ve said Vee was giving me the cold shoulder. If that was the case, then I had no idea why. Surely not because I’d agreed to help Anjuli?

Placing my hand against the palmlock, I headed inside only to stop abruptly at the sight before me. Our quarters glowed with the flickering light of at least thirty different artificial candles scattered around the room. The bed was strewn with white and red flower petals. There was a strange whiff in the air, not unpleasant but definitely noticeable. And in the centre of the room stood Vee, wearing a burgundy cloak which completely covered her body from neck to toes.

What was going on?

Vee smiled at the confused expression on my face.

‘What’s all this?’ I asked suspiciously.

‘I thought I’d do something special for you,’ Vee replied.

‘What’s that smell?’

‘Cinnamon spice. It makes all things nice. Do you like it?’

Not really, no.

‘So what d’you think?’ asked Vee.

I took another look around. ‘It’s very . . . colourful.’ I frowned. ‘You know I’m a guy, right?’

‘Oh. You don’t like it?’ Vee’s smile faded.

‘No, I didn’t say that,’ I spoke hastily. ‘It’s great, really.’

Vee burst out laughing. ‘I’m just pulling your leg, Nate. All this is for me, not you.’

‘Thank Christ for that!’

‘Your sense of humour will be the death of me,’ I said ruefully.

‘
This
is for you,’ Vee winked. And she opened the cloak, letting it slowly slide down her arms and back onto the floor. The breath left my lungs in an audible hiss.

God, but she was lovely – both inside and out. I couldn’t imagine ever growing tired of her. The more I saw her, spoke to her, spent time with her, the harder it was to imagine my life without her in it.

Damn! I really,
really
had it bad.

Vee sat on the bed and held out her arms towards me. I didn’t need a written invitation. Stripping off in about five seconds flat, I sat down beside her. After a prolonged kiss, we lay down. I didn’t reach for her. She didn’t reach for me. We just lay on our sides, watching each other.

‘You OK?’ I asked softly.

She nodded. ‘You?’

‘Yeah.’ But I wasn’t. Not entirely. ‘Vee, did I do something to upset you?’

Vee cupped my cheek with her hand, which I immediately kissed. ‘No, you didn’t. This is my way of making it up to you. Sorry if I made you worry. I was just feeling a bit . . . fragile today.’

‘Why fragile? Aren’t you feeling well?’

‘No, it’s not that . . . To be honest, my brother said something which upset me and I was stupid enough to let it get to me,’ said Vee.

‘What did he say?’

‘It doesn’t matter.’

‘Tell me what he said.’

‘Nate, trust me. It really doesn’t matter.’

But it did.

‘It was something about the two of us, wasn’t it?’ I realized. ‘I’m gonna have a word with him.’

‘Nate, no. It was my fault for listening to him and for letting his words crash around in my head causing havoc. I’ll sort it, OK? Please?’ Vee pleaded.

Inside I was seething. What had he said? Obviously something negative about me.