ALWAYS IN OUR HEARTS
Alonzo woke to an empty bed. He reached for Julia but she wasn't there. Then he remembered what day this was. It was the day he was leaving G889.
They had finally reached New Pacifica. After all the hardships and almost losing Devon out there....He refused to think of it any more. It would be hard enough to say good-bye to all of them. His mind was made up. He packed his few belongings.
The main group had landed and unloaded the new colonists and the supplies. There was a ship taking the crew back to the stations and he was going to be on it. He didn't belong here anymore. Too many families and kids. Better to be hoping the stars. He wondered if he would have to adjust to cold sleep again. He had it down pat before G889.
On the way to the transport, he stopped to see Devon. She was so busy with administrative work, he hardly saw her anymore.
"Alonzo." She came over and hugged him. "I hoped you'd stop by before you left. I was going to go to the transport if you didn't. I want you to know, we would never have made it here without you. It was your link with the Terrians that made so much possible."
He smiled at her. "Well, it was Uly they were really interested in. I'm glad it all worked out." He seemed suddenly embarrassed. "You know Devon, John is a good man."
Now it was her turn and she colored slightly. "I know. I'm glad he decided to stay."
He grew uneasy, not knowing how to end this. "Yea, well, I guess I'd better be going."
She searched his face. "Did you--"
He cut her off, "I figured I'd save my good-bye to Julia for last."
She came to him and hugged him one last time. "If you ever decide to come back, you know you can. We all love you."
He nodded and turned to leave but not before she saw his eyes fill.
Alonzo wandered through camp, seeing so many unfamiliar faces. A new life and beginning for so many of them. He silently wished them well. He said his good-byes to the people, who over time, had become his friends. Baines, Cameron, Walman, and Magus had all decided to stay. The Martins were going back with him. Danziger made him promise to stop by if he was ever in this part of space again. He kidded him back saying Danziger would be an old man with grandchildren by then.
He put it off as long as he could. There wasn't much time left. He climbed the hill that overlooked the sea where he knew she waited. He picked a few of her favorite flowers along the way. This day, the sea was the color of her eyes.
"Julia..." he began and his voice broke. He took a deep breath and smiled the little boy smile he always used to disarm her. "You know it's funny, before I came to this planet I could never dream." The smiled faded. "Now that's all I seem to have left." He looked away for a moment. "I hope you know why I can't stay. It's just too hard."
There was only silence.
Tears rolled down his face. "Julia... I'll always love you."
Then he knelt down and gently placed the flowers by the small wooden marker that said:
Dr. Julia Heller... Always in Our Hearts.