**Writer's comment: Thanks for the additional feedback. I feel rather uncomfortable about posting such a long story – there's still quite a bit to go! – but it's only fair to continue as long as there's somebody still reading it.**
Finally, the last day of classes for the semester was over. Frank and Andrea had arranged to meet a small group of their colleagues for some celebratory drinks at the Denton Arms, a cozy bar about two miles from campus. Despite a temperature hovering around 30 degrees, Frank decided to walk to the bar, in hopes that the brisk temperature and the exercise would help him think.
Andrea's revelation had stunned him, although in retrospect he realized it made perfect sense. Surely some part of his subconscious mind had recognized her as one of his own people; he doubted he could ever achieve such a bond with any Earthling, no matter how attractive, charming and intelligent. It also made her nonchalance with regard to his sexuality and transvestism much more understandable, as neither propensity would elicit so much as a raised eyebrow on Transexual.
He thought back to the conversation with his mother that had taken place Saturday night, via the audio transducer Andrea had in her possession. Although normally Queen Electra was the most refined and self-contained of women, she had been unable to hide her emotions upon hearing his voice.
"My dear, when I was informed of your death, it was as if the most important part of me died with you. Words cannot possibly express how much it means to have you back. It is nothing short of a miracle." She paused, trying to fight back the tears that were threatening to conquer her composure. "I will be eternally grateful to Andromeda for finding you."
Frank was having trouble maintaining his own composure. "The most difficult aspect of my exile here on Earth has been the knowledge that you believed me dead. Knowing you were in pain was a constant source of heartache for me. And if we are speaking of eternal gratitude, you certainly have mine for bringing Andrea…er, Andromeda into my life. She is precious beyond all measure. I can no longer imagine life without her."
He could practically see his mother's delighted smile. "I knew that young woman was something special. I'm so very pleased you agree with me."
They ended up speaking for over an hour, filling each other in on what had happened in their lives over the past two years. Before ending the conversation, his mother had one rather startling bit of news for him.
"I'm sure Andromeda has informed you Riff Raff and Magenta are now in custody. Since only you know exactly what happened the night they departed for Transexual, I thought it only fitting that you be the one to pass sentence on them once you return."
Frank was taken aback. While on the one hand the prospect of revenge was highly appealing, he now felt more responsibility to be fair than he would have two years ago. The knowledge he now held their lives in his hands was simultaneously exhilarating, sobering, and a bit frightening. "Thank you for telling me. I will give the matter all due consideration."
His thoughts were brought back to the present, as he found himself outside the Denton Arms. He entered, and found he was the first of his group to arrive. He decided to order a beer and sit at the bar until the others showed up.
"A bottle of Budweiser, please."
A young man, with dark hair and glasses, was sitting a few seats down from Frank, moodily nursing a gin and tonic. At the sound of Frank's voice, he looked up sharply. His eyes widened in shock. He got up and walked over to Frank.
"You!" He sounded remarkably like he had one certain night two years before, upon discovering an unexpected guest in his bedroom.
"Brad!" Frank was equally shocked, not to mention more than a little dismayed. He suspected he was about to take part in a highly unpleasant conversation. Why hadn't he ordered a glass of straight whiskey when he'd had the chance?
Brad glared at him. "I thought you were dead. What the hell are you doing here?"
"Shut up!" hissed Frank. He grabbed his beer and dragged Brad to a table at the back of the bar.
The two of them settled down at the small table, staring at each other in wary silence. Finally, Frank spoke.
"I'm sure the past two years haven't been easy for you. I'm terribly sorry for the part I played in that."
Brad looked at him bitterly. "You completely destroyed my life, and all you can say is you're sorry? That's the best you can do?"
Frank sighed. That was the kind of reaction he'd been expecting. "I don't know what else I can do. I can't undo the past. For what it's worth, the events of that night had a profound effect on my life, as well. I've come to very much regret the way I treated people, including you and Janet. I was completely wrong to do what I did to the two of you. That being said…I don't know that assigning complete blame to me for the way your life has turned out is a particularly constructive attitude."
"And what exactly does that mean?"
Frank looked him straight in the eye. "It means that you might have been able to save your relationship with Janet, had you responded differently to what happened."
Brad froze. "What would you know about it?"
Frank's reply was as matter-of-fact as he could make it. "I'm a professor now, Brad. I teach various science courses at the College of Denton. Janet is a student in my freshman chemistry class."
From the look on Brad's face, Frank wouldn't have been surprised to see steam coming out of his ears. "And I suppose you took the opportunity to turn her into some sort of sex slave. She's always been obsessed with you."
Frank fought to control his temper. "I've done no such thing. There's absolutely nothing improper about my relationship with Janet. She's my student, and nothing more. However, when she walked into the first class and saw me, she was obviously more than a bit surprised by my apparent resurrection. We had a long talk about it that night." He paused to take a badly needed drink from his bottle of beer. "During the course of the conversation, the subject of your marriage came up."
For a moment, Brad seemed almost afraid to respond. All he could bring himself to say was "And…?"
Frank chose his words carefully. "And Janet noted that you had become intent on controlling every aspect of your lives together, which is something she simply couldn't accept. She believed it indicated you hadn't been able to come to terms with what happened that night. I received the distinct impression she might have stayed with you, had you not changed so dramatically."
Brad's knee-jerk reaction was denial. "How dare you try to push the blame off on me. There's no way Janet would have stayed with me…after she'd been with you, she decided I wasn't sexy enough for her."
Frank looked at Brad unhappily. The issue of Brad's sexual prowess, or lack thereof, was something he'd sorely wanted to avoid addressing. Apparently he wasn't going to be so lucky.
"Brad, you don't understand. What upset Janet wasn't that you weren't 'sexy enough'. She was upset because you weren't willing to accept any suggestions on how to improve. If you'd made more of an effort, she would have been considerably more patient. She wanted the relationship to work…she wouldn't have married you if she didn't."
That final comment stopped Brad in his tracks. As much as he hated to admit it, Frank's words made sense. Was it possible that, in the final analysis, he really was to blame for the failure of his relationship with Janet? It had been so easy to lay all the blame at Frank's doorstep, and see himself as the innocent victim…no painful self-analysis required. He should have realized that life is seldom so simple.
When he finally answered Frank, his voice was quiet. "Maybe you're right." He shook his head. "I was trying to be forceful and dynamic – to be more like you, I guess. I thought that was what she wanted, but instead I ended up pushing her away. How could I have been so stupid?"
Frank smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "As someone who's been completely indifferent about relationships virtually his entire life, I'm in no position to answer you. But it's a good sign you recognize that your approach to your relationship with her was counter-productive."
Brad stared down at the table. "Not that it does me much good now. I've lost her forever. She's obviously starting a whole new life without me."
Frank wondered what his response should be. As far as he could tell, Janet wasn't dating anyone. Should he tell that to Brad? He'd already involved himself in Brad and Janet's relationship once, with disastrous results. He told himself it was different this time…that he was trying to be helpful, not harmful. What was the worst that could happen?
He decided not to dwell on that question too much.
"The final exam for Janet's chemistry class is next Thursday afternoon. If I can get her here afterward…say around 5:00…could you be here? Would you want to talk to her? I can't say what would happen, but I'm sure it would mean a lot to her to hear what you just told me."
A ray of hope flashed across Brad's face. "Really? You'd do that?"
Frank smiled. "Well, it's really the least I can do. So we're on?"
"You bet we are!" He was silent a moment. "By the way…why are you alive?"
Frank sighed. Not again….
