Not So Loud(!)

After the second day, even Renton was starting to worry. Eureka hadn't woken up since she had soundlessly collapsed two days before on the hill. All the members of the Gekko – save Stoner, who wouldn't be able to make it – arrived, and permanent "Welcome Home" party decorations were set up in the overly crowded Thurston living/dining room, so that even if Eureka woke up in a moment's notice they would be able to celebrate.

Perhaps it wasn't clear, about Renton: he wasn't, like the others, worried that Eureka was ill – even Mischa said that there was nothing physically wrong with her, and that it was probably just fatigue, coupled with over-excitement – he was worried that the Gecko members would have to leave before everyone got a chance to greet Eureka after so long. Holland and Talho could only stay till the end of the week, and everyone else would be leaving one or two days after them. He, unlike the kids, who had hardly left their Mama's side, passed the time in much the same way he had before Eureka arrived, though reminiscing with the other members of the Gecko was refreshing.

With the exception of Stoner, Gidget, Moondoggie, and Mischa, the rest of them had stayed on as permanent members of Gekko state; and in correspondence with Stoner, had begun an anti-government, media campaign. They were determined to sort through the chaos of those days, that, although two years past, were all too present in the social, cultural, and political minds of the people. Who could say if they were successful? It was hard enough evading the military, let alone being able to spend precious time gaging public opinion. Ray=Out was selling: every copy Stone printed was eagerly bought and distributed, and that was enough proof for the Gekko.

Though the Gekko remained, the ship was K.O.'d and, it's leader was no longer Holland Novak. Hap and Kengo had assumed duel command of the Gecko Base of Operations [location undisclosed].

Neither Talho nor Holland had much to do with the decisions made by the rest of the crew. It was only, Holland didn't know how else to live; and even if Talho could have adjusted to a quiet, anonymous life, she wouldn't force Holland to do the same. It might sound sad, but the pair were perfectly happy. Well. . .almost perfect, anyways: Holland still longed, on those days when the wind blew sublimely by, to ride the waves.

You could imagine how ecstatic the past two days had made Holland. As soon as the company had returned with Renton and Eureka, Holland snuck out of the house with Renton's board – a perfect replication of his own – and felt himself being led by the trapar to the hill overlooking Belforest. He stood there, motionless for almost a hour, until Talho came looking for him. Somehow, she knew just where he'd be.

At first, she struggled what to say. She imagined how he must feel: maybe the greatest reffer the sport had ever known, separated from the one constant in his life since childhood, only to be reunited, unable to embrace that love because of his mutilated body.

"Holland. . ."

Talho was shocked. Holland Novak looked back at her with tears in his eyes and the widest grin she had seen him wear in living memory. "It's just like I remember."

"Holland. . .I don't–"

"I don't know how the Novaks and the Thurstons got inter-tangled like they did, but I'd bet it had something to do with this town." Holland lifted his arm, holding his reff board out toward the canyons some distance away. "Over fifteen years ago, just there. . .a stupid kid thought he could ride the waves like a pro, and ended up falling over four stories."

Talho had heard this story only once before. "He fell and landed without a scratch–because. . ." Holland's voice was becoming choked with tears. "–because his brother had protected him." Dewey had lost a leg, but Holland was spared a life. "And the man who found us was Adrock Thurston. . .it all began with a fall. And maybe, just–just. . ." now both Talho and Holland were sobbing. "if I hadn't–then we never would have met Adrock: never have followed him: never ruined. . .everything."

Talho searched for the right words. She wanted to say so much. That what had happened was horrible. That maybe he was right. That she had come to love him because of it. That he was going to be a father because of it. But what came out was, "Renton and Eureka met because of YOU! THERE SAFE BECAUSE OF YOU! WE'RE ALL SAFE BECAUSE OF YOU. . .You. . .YOU IDIOT!"

The silence of a few seconds seemed endless. Till Holland smiled with tears once again, and said, "Yeah, and I'm still the same idiot kid. So I waited for you to come. . .So you can watch me retake the crown."

Talho's tears stopped and her voice steadied in shock, "You don't mean to–you couldn't be that–HEY!" Holland had gotten a running start, then– "You one-armed fool, you're going to KILL YOURSELF!"

It was too late, Holland had jumped off the cliff and, "Here–We–GO!"

Holland caught a wave, but his stance wobbled on invisible streams, and it seemed as if he would fall over at any second. Just then, he shot higher into the air, souring back toward Talho,

"CUT–" The wave was about to break, he could feel it. . .just another second, then–

"BACK" The wave broke, and Holland shot straight up, hanging upside down, suspended in air and time for another eternity, then–

"DROP–" Here it was: the crucial moment. Would the board settle, or would it crash. Holland was only a meter away from Talho's outstretched hand, then–

"TURN!" The board, inches away from crashing onto the hill, leveled out and Holland zoomed passed Talho.

"YYYAAAAAAHHH–" Befor Holland could finish his celebratory coo, he had lost his balance and fell hard onto the grass.

"IDIOT!" Talho yelled as she ran to his side. She rolled over his body, her face leaking at least three different fluids. He was laughing, and Talho couldn't help but smile.

On the morning of the fourth day, in Renton's room, a sleeping Eureka had begun to stir. Not quite awake, but certainly not asleep, she grasped around, like a child in the womb, for something corporal to touch. Her fingers and toes clenched the sheet that covered her body; but it wasn't the feel of the sheets that she noticed. It was the smell. It was–It smelled like–

"Mmm. . .Renton" A smile grew across her subconscious face, and Eureka stretched every inch of her body. As her limbs and torso contorted every which way, Eureka was trying to become comfortable again; it seemed the smell had unsettled something within her. And as she began to repose she thought, 'But. . .it's not a bad feeling. . .'

"Aammum. . .hot." Eureka gently wiggled out of the sheets, and opened her eyes. There was no one there. Though she didn't know it – the attic bedroom being devoid of windows – it was the early morning. The kids and everyone else were still sleeping, except Renton who had begun his morning ritual – which, as a matter of fact, began in the backseat of an old car, which was his temporary bed while Eureka was in his.

You may wonder how Eureka was cared for during these four days. And it may please you – or disappoint you – to know that she wasn't just left lying in Renton's bed. As soon as he got the chance, Renton had pulled Talho, Hilda, and Gidget aside to talk to them about the situation.

"So. . .um, yeah!" Renton stubbled to begin.

"Spit it out, kid." Hilda demanded.

Renton's face was reddening more and more every second. "Well, I don't know how long it will be till Eureka wakes up, s–"

"If she does wake up," Gidget said, absent-mindedly. Talho elbowed her in the side.

"So. . .yeah! I was wondering. . .ifyourwouldn'tmindlookingafterher!"

"Eh!" chorused the three.

Renton tried to compose himself. He needed to say this, just in case. "It's just. . .I won't be able to do some stuff. . .cause I'm a–a guy." Renton's eyes were determinately looking toward a crack in the floor.

A look of comprehension on Gidget's face: and exasperated "pauh" from Talho: and a mischievous grin came to Hilda's mouth.

"Ohhh. . .like what kinda things?" Hilda said, all too innocently.

"Don't be like that! You know what I mean!" Renton yelled, and immediately looked around, as if to see if anyone would come running to hear this embarrassing conversation.

Gidget caught on, and continued: "So, you want us to change the sheets on the bed–"

And Talho, allowing herself some fun, "And change her clothes–"

Hilda delivering the finishing stroke, punctuating each word with an increasingly seductive look from all three women, "To. Bathe. Her."

Renton was struck silent with embarrassment, searching for some words of redemption.

"Bbuuttt," began Gidget, with an inquisitive look toward the ceiling, and a finger on her lip.

Then the three chorused, leaning in toward Renton, "Wouldn't you want that privilege, Renton!"

And now, Renton was shocked into some response: "Not so loud(!)" Renton motioned downward with his palm, and a "sush" finger over his mouth. "You all know it's not like that, Ok? Eureka needs someone, and I wouldn't ask if there was another way." But the seed of the idea of him bathing Eureka was already growing rapidly in his mind. And he felt the need to justify the imagined questions in his mind, succeeding only in putting his foot in his mouth.

I digress. . .Eureka felt hot.

Note: I'm trying to keep to weekly updates. Feel free to scold me mercilessly if I don't.