Month 14 Day 10
1857 Hours
Bugalu
“Fine. Why?”
“So it really was just that one day?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now, in light of the stunning
news I got during supper that day, we really need to have a private talk.” She’s got to be made aware of what to expect
on her wedding night. Or before, because Smythe might not have the patience to
wait that long. Haven’t seen much of pa
lately, but we can’t have him come out in full force and have her beat up her
husband.
The lights dimmed and the movie started.
They lowered their voices to slight whispers. “How long do you need? I’ll have
to figure out when to fit it in.”
“What do you mean, fit it in?”
“Well, I have things I do almost every
evening, and when I don’t, then Smit finds something for us to do together.”
Her face went pink at this mention of her betrothed.
They’re
having dates? Well, I don’t know why that surprises me. Funny thing, I never
hear anything about them doing things together.
“I don’t know how much time I’ll need. It all depends on...”
“That’s enough of that,” said a gruff
voice, and Mac was pulled out of her chair and up the aisle toward the exit.
“Smit!” Mac hissed, identifying her
abductor. “What are you doing?” The crowd in the theater was divided between
shushing her and watching her being pulled from the room by Smythe. Although,
it wasn’t as if she were resisting.
Surprised, not knowing if he should be
alarmed, Bugsy got up and followed. Smythe seemed to have an uneven temper when
it came to Mac, and Bugsy might have to intervene.
Outside the theater, he followed the
pair down the hall to a privacy room, and managed to slip his fingers in the
doorway before it closed all the way. He’d listen, for now, and only intervene
if he needed to.
“Sit down, Colleen,” Smythe told the
redhead.
He’s
not yelling. That’s good. If he yelled, that might remind her of pa, and that
could really spell trouble.
“What’s the problem, Smit?”
And
she seems fairly calm, too, for having been pulled out of the theater in front
of everybody. Just a slight quiver of nervousness in her voice.
“I didn’t think I’d have to remind you—again—that
you’re engaged to me.”
“You don’t need to remind me. I am very
much aware of it, ever since you confirmed it last week.”
“Since you are engaged to me, I
shouldn’t have to point out that it is not acceptable for you to have dates
with other men.”
“Of course not.”
“And yet you went to the movies with
Bugalu.”
Woops.
I should have thought that through a little better.
“Yes, we go every Friday. But it’s not a
date.”
He heard the engineer sigh. “Two people
have a meal together, go to the movies and then have pizza, as well as... Well,
that sounds like a date to me.”
And
with any other man, it would be. But not with me. Or MacGregor, I suppose.
“Not with Bugsy. That’s just... family
time. We adopted each other back at the Academy, so it’s the same as if we were
brother and sister.”
“But you aren’t brother and sister.”
Now Mac sighed in frustration. “I just
told you, we’re the same as brother and sister.”
Careful,
Mac. Some people have trouble believing that’s possible.
There was a pause, and apparently,
Smythe was gathering his thoughts, because he tried a new argument. “You say
your Friday nights with him are family time.”
“That’s right.”
“But you and I are about to form a new
family unit. A family consisting of me, you, and, uh, any children we have.”
“Oh!” She made a gurgling sound, paused
to clear her throat, and got out, “That’s right.”
Why
did he mention children? Fleet marriages seldom involve children.
“That family unit won’t have room in it
for adopted brothers.”
“But... he’ll be your, um,
brother-in-law.”
“Not in the eyes of the Fleet. Or in
anybody else’s eyes.”
Wow.
That’s rough. Trying to remove me from her life already. Instead of slowly
letting us drift away from each other. Don’t know how well she’s going to take
to that.
“But... it’s just Bugsy,” she protested
softly. “And MacGregor.”
Probably
should have left that unsaid for now, Mac.
“MacGregor!”
“He’s adopted me as an uncle. I mean,
he’s an adopted uncle to me.”
“Colleen, you have to understand that I
want you. Only you. At least for a while. No brothers, no uncles, no friends to
get in our way of learning to know each other.”
“Yellow Dog, too?” she asked in dismay.
There was a pause before he said, “I
suppose I can’t begrudge you some time with your female friends.” Then he went
on, more briskly, “It’s why a couple traditionally goes on a honeymoon together
after the wedding; to get to know each other without the distractions of
extended family and friends. It’s one reason why I don’t want a long engagement.
And why I’ve been disappointed by all the distractions you have, practically
every night. And especially movie night with Bugalu. I tend to see that as my
time to be with you.”
“We’re together on Monday nights.”
“Yes, working on a project together.
Technically, we’re on duty for those 3 or 4 hours. And last time, afterwards, you
and I were together. It’s that kind of togetherness I’m looking for, Colleen.”
They
were together after the Monday night project? Doing what? He can’t mean what it
sounds like he means.
“Well, that’s... fun,” she stated
softly. And then, more firmly, “I won’t have sex until we’re married, Smit.”
Yikes!
It sounds like...
Smythe gave a little groan. “Then marry
me quickly, before you completely drive me out of my mind.”
“Fine. 2 weeks?”
2
weeks? Why is she in such a hurry?
“I think I can wait that long.”
“Okay. Since you interrupted my non-date
with Bugsy in favor of us time, what do you want to do?
“I’ll make sure the door is locked,” Smythe
stated.
Bugsy pulled his fingers free from the
doorway and ran down the hall and around the nearest corner. If Smit objects to me taking Mac to the
movies, he’ll for sure object to my listening in on a private conversation.
And if that’s the kind of activity
they’ve been doing during their ‘us’ time, no wonder I haven’t heard anything
about it.
No comments:
Post a Comment