His by Right (19 page)

            Before heading out, she opened the ash tray canister near the front doors leading into the lobby, and reached underneath where a roll of extra bags were always kept. Tearing one off, she held onto it to use as a makeshift umbrella in the event she didn't make it home in time.

           
Home. Well, at least I'm back on Earth. That's what I wanted, wasn't it?

           
Her mind was blank as she hurried down the busy sidewalks. On top of losing her job, she knew she would also have to leave her motel room, but where would she go? Seeking out a new town was the only option open to her, but it couldn't be too far away from where Bajud would return for her.

            And he would return. He would. She trusted that fact above all others. Neeveer would send him back for her.

            She turned the corner where the bank was located. The flashing sign above it told her it was a little past nine PM. The temperature was already dropping, and the wind was picking up. Across the street was an army surplus store. She'd visited it several times. The last time, she'd gotten a backpack, or as the clerk called it, a rucksack. At the time, she had no idea why she'd gotten the impulse to buy it, but now she was glad she had.

            Wetness splattered on her arm. Fat raindrops were starting to fall. Meredith hurried the last three blocks, but got as far as the end of the street when the skies open up. The plastic garbage bag helped somewhat, but her lower half was getting drenched.

            A Laundromat down the way remained open twenty-four seven. She ducked inside and prepared herself to wait it out, hoping the downpour would let up, or at least lessen enough to allow her to make it the rest of the way to the motel. There were two other people inside with her. One of them, a matronly woman, was sitting in a chair near the vending machines and reading a paperback. A child about four ran back and forth nearby. Along the back wall where the dryers were located, a young woman was placing a load inside a drum. Meredith ignored them and turned back to watch the rain.

            "Hey, Miss, I like your belt." It was the little girl.

            "Thank you."

            "How'd you get it to light up like that? Does it have batteries in it?"

            Light up?

            Meredith glanced down to see the waistlet glittering in the dankness of the overhead florescent lights. Stunned, she lifted the jeweled chain to examine it closer.

            The child was right. The evadium gemstones were emitting their own pale, opalescent radiance.

            Meredith burst out of the Laundromat and began running, oblivious to the rain and the fact that she was getting soaked. She had no idea how long Bajud would wait. All she knew was that she had to get back to the landing site as quickly as possible.

            A taxi drove by, and she remembered the money tucked inside her pocket. She hailed the cab and said a prayer of thanks when the driver pulled over.

            "Thank you! Thank you so much for stopping!" she gasped as she climbed into the back seat.

            "Hey, I'm off the clock, but you looked like you could use an act of kindness," the older man replied. "Where to?"

            "Ebbonsville Road."

            He turned around to give her a surprised look. "That off of Blue Diamond?"

            "Yeah. West." Taking the money from her pocket, she shoved all of it toward him. "I need to get there as soon as possible."

            He took the wad without question and began driving. Since he was off the clock, she knew he would be able to keep the money for himself, but to take her all the way to where she needed to go remained iffy.

            She caught him glancing at her via the rearview mirror. "You from around here?" he asked.

            "I work at the Double Deuce." There was no sense in telling him she'd just been fired. Thunder rumbled overhead, and lightning flashed in the distance.

            "Wow. This sucker means business. The Double Deuce, eh? At the end of your shift?"

            She managed a smile. "Yeah."

            "You live up off Ebbonsville?"

            "I'm meeting someone there."

            "That area is pretty deserted, especially at night. You sure you're gonna be okay if I leave you there all alone?"

            "I'll be fine. Thanks."

            The driver concentrated on the road. Meredith got the impression he wasn't familiar with the small county roads outside of town, and having to drive them in the torrential downpour wasn't helping.

            "Whereabouts off Ebbonsville do you want to be let out?"

            She knew exactly where. Two weeks ago, she had borrowed a pedometer from one of the teenage girls who worked in the kitchen with her. The spot where Bajud had dropped her was approximately six point four miles from the city limits sign.

            "Six point four miles east of the city limits sign."

            "How far out is the city limits sign?"

            "I have no idea." That was one measurement she hadn't thought of taking. Another bolt of lightning punctuated her reply, followed by more rolling thunder.

            He glanced back at her. "You'd be a big help if you kept your eyes open for that sign for me."

            "Deal."

            She had no way of knowing how long it took them to reach the pick up point. Fortunately, the road was pretty much a straight shot, allowing the taxi driver to keep a more consistent speed, in spite of the storm. The windshield wipers were hard pressed to keep up with the torrential rain, causing the driver to remark, "Damn, this one's a real gully washer!"

            She couldn’t agree more. She also prayed Bajud would understand that the inclement weather would slow her down. Another quick glance down at the waistlet gave her hope. As long as the jewels remained lit, there was always hope.

            The road seemed to go on forever. Eventually, they passed the city limits sign, although the taxi's headlights barely made a dent in the water-filled darkness. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment to alleviate the burning sensation in them caused by the strain of staring out over the hood, when the car began to slow.

            "Are we here?"

            "Yep. Six point four miles, exactly what you told me."

            The taxi pulled onto the shoulder, and they sat there listening to the pounding on the roof. Lightning cracked, sounding like it was right on top of them. The earsplitting boom made her jump with fear.

            "Are you sure you want to get out in this?" the driver asked, worried for her.

            She tried to see out the side window, to no avail. If Bajud was out there, she couldn't see the ship.
But please be there. Please. For God's sake, I'm begging you. Please still be there waiting!

           
She pulled on the door handle.

            "Want me to stay, just in case your ride doesn't show up?"

            Meredith gave him an apologetic smile. "I don't have any more money."

            "It's okay. I got a daughter about your age. If circumstances were different..."

            "I understand. Thank you, but no thanks. I'm sure he's out there. Somewhere."

            "A young man. Now it makes more sense. All right. Good luck, young lady. I hope he makes it."

            She glanced at the wet garbage bag lying on the seat. It would no longer do her any good in this storm. She was already soaked to the bone. Steeling herself, Meredith opened the door and dashed out of the cab.

Chapter Thirty

Home

            The area was black and empty, and devoid of other vehicles. She hurried across the road and into the desert. The wet sand kept trying to suck in her loafers, making walking difficult.

            Rounding a small boulder, she finally stopped. Leaning against it, she tried to peer up into the sky as she struggled to keep the rain out of her eyes. Another bolt flashed nearby, and her heart nearly jumped into her throat.

           
Is that the ship?

            There was a form hovering overhead. Not directly above her, but close enough to reach if it landed somewhere nearby. In the rain, it was hard to tell if it was the Alcatian craft, or something else.

           
Please. Please. Oh, God, please let it be him!

            Lightning speared the underside of a nearby cloud, revealing the angular structure of the craft. It was the Alcatian surface ship. He had come for her!

            But something was wrong. Something about the ship.

            The air around her sizzled as a bolt struck a small shrub less than a hundred yards away. Meredith flinched from the brightness, glancing upward barely in time to see that ship appeared smaller.

           
As if it's going up, back into space.

           
"Noooooo!"

           
It couldn't be, but it was. And when the next fork of lightning lit up the night, her eyes proved it was true. The ship was heading upward, away from Earth. Away from her.

            She had been too late. Bajud had given up on waiting for her.

            "
Noooooo!"
She screamed again, and jumped up and down, waving her arms, hoping that somehow he would see her tiny figure in that three dimensional representation. "Bah-jooood! Come back!
Come back! Don't goooo!
"

            Huge sobs shook her body, but her eyes never left the sky. She knew he couldn't hear her, but how could she let him know she was here? She had come back because she'd discovered life really meant very little to her without someone to share it with. Without someone who cared about her, and wanted to share it with her.

            Without Neeveer.

           
He does care about you. He claimed you for life.

           
For life. Suddenly, it all made sense. She believed him now, and she was willing to give Neeveer the chance to show her.

            Except that chance was never going to happen.

            The rain was letting up, albeit slightly. Meredith bowed her head to look at the waistlet. The jewels were losing their light. The glow was diminishing, along with all hope. She lifted her face to the sky one last time as tears poured down her face.

            "Come back, Bajud! Please! Come back!
Neeveeeeer!
"

            The air whooshed around her. For a moment, she thought the clouds were spawning a twister, until something whistled. Or, at least, she thought it was a whistle.

            Meredith turned around, expecting to see the taxi driver trying to get her attention, but the road was barren. Wet, cold, and miserable, she leaned against the boulder behind her and wept.

            The next bolt of lightning was far to the west. The storm was moving on. Off in the east, the stars were beginning to sparkle as the black clouds drifted away. The rain continued with a steady beat.

            She shuddered. She was defeated. She'd made the wrong decision the moment she'd stepped into the survey shuttle, and now she would have to pay for it for the rest of her life.

            "Merry."

            She raised her head. It was her imagination. That, or her ears were playing tricks on her. Getting to her feet, she walked around the rock and stared at the stretch of desert that extended for miles. What she wouldn't have given for a flashlight.

            "Merry."

            This time, there was no mistaking her name. Nor the voice behind it.

            "Neeveer?"

            She blinked, and he was there. An immense black shadow in the night, standing a few yards away, silently watching her. Silently waiting.

            "
Neeveer!
"

            She had no recollection of running into his arms. All she knew was that he was holding her, filling her with his warmth and the heady scent of cinnamon.

            "You came back for me! You came back!"     

            She planted kisses on his face and neck as his body trembled. Wrapping her arms around him, she held on tightly.

            "I thought you'd given up on me. I thought you had left."

            "The storm was affecting the ship. I had to move out of the way before I could land again." He pulled her away slightly and looked deep into her eyes. At that moment, the clouds parted, allowing the moonlight to brighten the desert around them. Meredith gazed up into his face and saw it glistened with wetness. Was it the rain, or tears? Could Alcatians cry?

           
Does it matter?

            She took a shuddering breath. "I thought Bajud was coming for me."

            "He is with the ship. We finished our mission early and returned home." At her surprised look, he explained. "I took an extended leave of absence to come find you."

            "You took off from your work?"

            The expression on his face was almost comical. "I admit, my superiors were shocked at my request."

            "I bet you've never asked for a day off in your life, have you? Not even to take sick leave."

            "No."

            She almost laughed, when he gathered her back into his embrace and held her there so tightly, she could feel his heart beating through her chest.

            "Take me back, Neeveer. I want to be with you, for however long you'll have me. Take me home with you."

            "I thought you said this was your home. Your Earth."

            "No." She emphatically shook her head. "My home is wherever you are."

            "Are you sure?"

            "Yes!"

            "There can be no coming back. Never again."

            "I don't care. I love you, Neeveer. I love you, my
seela.
"