Chapter Twenty-Nine: Return
"Hi, Hoshi…Malcolm."
"Trip," Malcolm said. He rushed to Trip. Both men clasped hands and hugged. Malcolm laughed happily. "What? How? When?"
"I'm alive," Trip said, simply.
"Yes, I see that. But how?"
"Trip," Hoshi uttered.
Malcolm and Trip gazed at Hoshi.
She walked to Trip. Her hands touched his face and she closed her eyes, remembering his features. "You're alive," she said with disbelief.
"Yes." Trip grabbed her fingers and placed a gentle kiss on them. "I'm alive, Hoshi."
She was about to kiss him but he backed away. She looked at him, shocked.
"I…I'm married," he said.
"Married?"
This time, she backed away from him. He came closer to her. "Hoshi…"
"No," she stuttered. "You stay the hell away from me!"
She ran out of her room.