Holography 3

As A Reminder and a Promise

by

Pat Foley

Chapter 7

In his office at Council Keep, Sarek was striving –and failing – to concentrate on a priority report that required his attention. He kept thinking of Amanda – and how anxious she had looked that morning. He went to the window instead and looked out. From this vantage, he could see the towers of the Academy. Where his wife was teaching.

Part of him felt unutterable relief at that. And part of him was torn. There had been a certain comfort for him in her chattel status. He reminded himself of the drawbacks of that status. He was musing so, he didn't hear the attendant enter.

"Leader?"

Sarek stirred. "Yes?"

"This is the standard time for our conference."

Sarek blinked. "Not today. Have my aircar brought round."

"Yes, Leader."

Sarek flew to the academy, not even sure yet why he was going there. He just knew he had to.

He did not have to look up her schedule. He always did so, at the start of a new term. Checked it once, and then it was consigned to his eidetic memory. He had little need to do so, but he always checked. He liked to know, where she was, when she was.

So his steps went unerringly from his aircar to the location of her class for this time period. The class was just ending, students beginning to rise, some to cluster around her. Part of him was relieved to see her, and looking so well, unflustered.

And part of him was relieved that it apparently did not stir the slightest twinge of possessiveness for him to see her in this, her natural milieu. It had been the worry that had been plaguing him all morning. Could he really let her go back to teaching? Would the vrie rise up at this new stimulus and claim him again? He had taken some risk in releasing her. He hadn't been free of the chronic fever that long, and for weeks the healers had urged caution, fearing relapse.

He watched her, and felt unutterable relief that he did not feel the slightest twinge of that rush of possessive anger. The ghosts of vrie which had haunted him for months had apparently been banished. He could see her, back teaching, surrounded by others claiming her attention, and not feel the slightest distress. And no more concern than usual at the thought of her out and about on his world, a world which was, after all, alien to her. Nor did she look stressed or overwrought. She was, in fact, smiling, as she turned from one student to another. And then something, some tug from their bond, even as tightly as he was shielding made her look up and see him.

Their gazes locked. He had not meant to disturb her, had given some thought to leaving unnoticed, if he could. He did not want her to think he'd reconsidered, that he now regretted releasing her. For a moment, he worried that might be the case. But then she…smiled, in surprise, widening to welcome, exactly as she would have before, if he'd come to see her here. As if the months he'd held her confined, had made no difference to her, or to her feelings for him. He found that astonishing too, that she could have forgiven him so thoroughly, so completely.

The students clustered around her saw him too and took their leave. And she smiled again, arching, amused, a look that brought back the memories of twenty years flooding back to Sarek, the look that had made him want her as his own.

"Come to be educated, have you?" She inquired.

He approached her, amused in turn, and relieved. "I came to see how went my educator's first class."

"It went very well." She laughed lightly. "I was a little nervous at first. But I suppose in some respects it is like falling off a horse."

"That is one of your finer non-sequitors, my wife. I will, however, play the student and ask how."

"You just have to dust off your clothes, shrug off your bruises and get back on."

He looked down at her. She didn't seem aware of all that she was saying in her comparison, but if it was too apt in that regard, he would not call her on it, however that reflected on him. "And you feel ready for a race?"

"Well, a trot around the park, anyway." She smiled up at him.

They walked down the corridor to her office, the pair of them getting more than one surprised look, and those that would have waylaid Amanda with greetings or questions about her return letting her pass by when they saw whom she was with. She put down her teaching materials at her desk and looked up at him. "I've another class in fifteen minutes."

"Nor can I stay. I just came to…see how you were."

"That was sweet of you."

He half smiled. "An inaccurate characterization, but one I will gladly accept."

"You have your moments. And how are you?"

"I am quite well. Very well. The better now, for being assured that you are."

"The characterization stands, my husband." She smiled and reached out to run a finger down the front of his tunic. "I could wish, though, that I didn't have a class in fifteen minutes. There are certain disadvantages to this life."

"Twelve point two, to be exact, my wife. I would see your wish," he glanced around, "and raise it," and he kissed her, "but I can also take a hint, and the leave that it implies."

"Bye."

Sarek paused, half way out the door, considering, "Perhaps you might be free for lunch?"

Amanda was already glancing through her notes for the next class. "'No really provident woman lunches regularly with her husband if she wishes to burst upon him as a revelation at dinner,'" she said absently.

"I take it that means no," Sarek said, amused in spite of himself.

Amanda looked up from her notes. "Sarek, you know that I have back to back classes all day." She gave him a look. "You signed me up for them."

"Indeed. In truth, neither am I free. I was considering – what was your phrase – playing hooky?"

"On the first day? You know that's impossible."

"Undeniably true, and yet, as you, I might wish otherwise."

Amanda looked up. Eyed him and seemed reassured by what she saw. "I'll see you this evening. Where I will thank you, properly, for your visit." She blew him a kiss, "And your support."

"Indeed," Sarek promised. And found it more than possible to take his leave, with that in mind. But he did look back, once. And was reassured by a return of the smile that he had first known in her. He took that with him as well.

To be continued...