Chapter 24 Happy Ending
As a scientist, Brains was constantly fascinated by physical phenomena. The effects of gravitational pull, the constant tug of power as opposed to inertia, the attraction of two masses for one another, so it was with some detached interest that he watched Virgil and Marie literally gravitate into one another's arms.
"You didn't call" Marie said sourly, but curled an arm around Virgil's waist.
"I thought you didn't want me to." Virgil shot back tipping her chin up gently with one hand.
"I missed you." She said softly, her other hand reached up shyly to stroke his cheek
"I missed you, too." Virgil said huskily.
Some overwhelming physical force seemed to take over and the two engaged in a sizzling kiss that even Brains found a little too personal to observe. He rescued the bouquet of roses that was threatening to be scattered on the floor.
"I'll p-put these in w-water." He muttered taking them out of Virgil's hand, who acknowledged the gesture by using the free hand to pull Marie closer. An interesting phenomena the scientist was bemused to notice. He didn't think they could get any closer, but they did. He realized that he was gawking and scrammed to the kitchen with his ears burning.
Even though he thought he took his time putting the roses in water, they were still at it when he came into the living room. He sighed, he knew when his presence was no longer needed.
"Y-you shouldn't b-be on that n-new leg too m-much." He said quietly, not expecting to be heard as he went to leave.
"I got it." Virgil said and picked Marie up in his arms.
"You won't drop me?" Marie asked, and the question seemed to be more important than just for that moment.
"Never." Virgil averred in a tone reminiscent of giving an oath.
Brains was glad to close the door of the apartment behind him. The hall seemed to be about 20 degrees cooler than the heat generated by the two lovers.
"How does a tropical island sound to you?" Virgil settled her onto his lap on the couch.
"Like I've done it before..." Marie leaned happily on his shoulder.
"Nice tropical island, palm trees, big house, indoor bathrooms. No sand fleas."
"Sounds a little better..." She traced the line of his jaw with her finger.
"Lots of nice people there. My father, my brothers, Brains, Kyrano, Tin Tin, Granny..."
"Hold up there! You have a grandmother?" Marie clutched the front of his shirt.
"Uh yeah. A lot of people have them...uh didn't you?" Virgil looked remorseful.
"No. I've always wanted one." She paused. "I don't suppose she bakes cookies?"
"Yeah. But mostly cakes, chocolate cake." Virgil licked his lips and then thought of something better to do with them.
After a few minutes...
"So, tropical island, family, friends, genuine grandmother...what else can I offer you?"
Marie was very silent for a moment and quite still. She wondered if Virgil could hear her heart beating very loud and very fast. She loved him. He loved her. So, why hesitate?
"Virgil. I'm kinda a forever type person..."
"Darn it I knew I was forgetting something." Virgil shifted the girl off his lap and stood up patting at his pockets. He pulled a small box out of his trousers.
"Granny caught me pinching her roses and gave me this. She told me I would need it." He flicked it open with his thumb. Nestled in the creamy silk was a simple squared cut emerald in an antique gold setting.
"I'm a forever kinda person too. And just so you get the point loud and clear..." Virgil got down on one bent knee and presented the ring for her finger. "Marie Ryker will you marry me?"
"She said 'Yes'!" Gordon reported gleefully. "Brains just radioed in."
"Then I can get out of this dumb suit." Alan grouched.
"Oh c'mon Alan it is no worse than a space suit."
"Space suits have amenities, if you know what I mean." Alan twisted uncomfortably. "The zipper guys?"
"Speaking of suits." Scott said edging towards the door. "White or black tux?"
"Oh, I don't know. What about uniforms?" Gordon replied moseying in the same direction.
"The ones with all the medals from crackerjack boxes?"
"It was only one." Gordon grinned.
"Yeah at an admiral's inspection no less."
"Scott! Gordon! Will you undo the zipper?!"
"The zipper?" Scott said from the doorway. "It's been broke for a long time."
"You'd better talk to Granny, she'll cut you out of it." Alan's two older brothers dashed out of the room barely concealing snickers of delight.
"But Granny and Tin Tin went shopping...YOU EVIL DEVIL-SPAWNED BROTHERS..."
"...so Scott is the serious one, I'm the handsome one, John is the quietest, Gordon the noisiest."
The two paused for a kiss.
"And Alan?" Marie prompted. "What's Alan like? He's the one I've not met yet."
"Well, Alan will be the one in the banana suit."
THE END
As a scientist, Brains was constantly fascinated by physical phenomena. The effects of gravitational pull, the constant tug of power as opposed to inertia, the attraction of two masses for one another, so it was with some detached interest that he watched Virgil and Marie literally gravitate into one another's arms.
"You didn't call" Marie said sourly, but curled an arm around Virgil's waist.
"I thought you didn't want me to." Virgil shot back tipping her chin up gently with one hand.
"I missed you." She said softly, her other hand reached up shyly to stroke his cheek
"I missed you, too." Virgil said huskily.
Some overwhelming physical force seemed to take over and the two engaged in a sizzling kiss that even Brains found a little too personal to observe. He rescued the bouquet of roses that was threatening to be scattered on the floor.
"I'll p-put these in w-water." He muttered taking them out of Virgil's hand, who acknowledged the gesture by using the free hand to pull Marie closer. An interesting phenomena the scientist was bemused to notice. He didn't think they could get any closer, but they did. He realized that he was gawking and scrammed to the kitchen with his ears burning.
Even though he thought he took his time putting the roses in water, they were still at it when he came into the living room. He sighed, he knew when his presence was no longer needed.
"Y-you shouldn't b-be on that n-new leg too m-much." He said quietly, not expecting to be heard as he went to leave.
"I got it." Virgil said and picked Marie up in his arms.
"You won't drop me?" Marie asked, and the question seemed to be more important than just for that moment.
"Never." Virgil averred in a tone reminiscent of giving an oath.
Brains was glad to close the door of the apartment behind him. The hall seemed to be about 20 degrees cooler than the heat generated by the two lovers.
"How does a tropical island sound to you?" Virgil settled her onto his lap on the couch.
"Like I've done it before..." Marie leaned happily on his shoulder.
"Nice tropical island, palm trees, big house, indoor bathrooms. No sand fleas."
"Sounds a little better..." She traced the line of his jaw with her finger.
"Lots of nice people there. My father, my brothers, Brains, Kyrano, Tin Tin, Granny..."
"Hold up there! You have a grandmother?" Marie clutched the front of his shirt.
"Uh yeah. A lot of people have them...uh didn't you?" Virgil looked remorseful.
"No. I've always wanted one." She paused. "I don't suppose she bakes cookies?"
"Yeah. But mostly cakes, chocolate cake." Virgil licked his lips and then thought of something better to do with them.
After a few minutes...
"So, tropical island, family, friends, genuine grandmother...what else can I offer you?"
Marie was very silent for a moment and quite still. She wondered if Virgil could hear her heart beating very loud and very fast. She loved him. He loved her. So, why hesitate?
"Virgil. I'm kinda a forever type person..."
"Darn it I knew I was forgetting something." Virgil shifted the girl off his lap and stood up patting at his pockets. He pulled a small box out of his trousers.
"Granny caught me pinching her roses and gave me this. She told me I would need it." He flicked it open with his thumb. Nestled in the creamy silk was a simple squared cut emerald in an antique gold setting.
"I'm a forever kinda person too. And just so you get the point loud and clear..." Virgil got down on one bent knee and presented the ring for her finger. "Marie Ryker will you marry me?"
"She said 'Yes'!" Gordon reported gleefully. "Brains just radioed in."
"Then I can get out of this dumb suit." Alan grouched.
"Oh c'mon Alan it is no worse than a space suit."
"Space suits have amenities, if you know what I mean." Alan twisted uncomfortably. "The zipper guys?"
"Speaking of suits." Scott said edging towards the door. "White or black tux?"
"Oh, I don't know. What about uniforms?" Gordon replied moseying in the same direction.
"The ones with all the medals from crackerjack boxes?"
"It was only one." Gordon grinned.
"Yeah at an admiral's inspection no less."
"Scott! Gordon! Will you undo the zipper?!"
"The zipper?" Scott said from the doorway. "It's been broke for a long time."
"You'd better talk to Granny, she'll cut you out of it." Alan's two older brothers dashed out of the room barely concealing snickers of delight.
"But Granny and Tin Tin went shopping...YOU EVIL DEVIL-SPAWNED BROTHERS..."
"...so Scott is the serious one, I'm the handsome one, John is the quietest, Gordon the noisiest."
The two paused for a kiss.
"And Alan?" Marie prompted. "What's Alan like? He's the one I've not met yet."
"Well, Alan will be the one in the banana suit."
THE END