Chapter 2
September 3, 1999
We landed on a rather nice planet yesterday. The climate will be fine for our hydroponics garden. We've found a lot of vegetation that looks like it'll be edible, but we still have to explore a bit more. There are these adorable creatures that have been peaking out from behind trees at us. They look like a cross between a squirrel and a cat, and have lovely caramel covered fur. They walk on four legs and can climb, but they sit on their back feet when they eat and use their front paws as hands. They seem to like these berries that are juicy and sweet (more jam!) and what looks like walnuts that fall from certain trees. I wonder if we should give one to Penny for her birthday? It's only a few days away.
This might be a good place for the wedding and honeymoon (that we never had). I'd love an evening ceremony under the light of the two moons. Even though my parents have been wonderful about allowing us our private time, we need to get away and let go and enjoy each other without worrying about someone hearing us. I'd like totry to get back that feeling we had on our first night together. It was incredible! I had no idea that he could be so sensual. Oh, that mouth and tongue! I wish I could do the same for him.
Camp was set-up and the family was enjoying some down time before retiring for the night. Judy brought out two glasses of iced tea for her father and husband, who had worked all day trying to fix the landing strut, but the ship was being quite stubborn about this repair. She noticed that not only did Don look exhausted, but his face was pained. She went behind him and started to massage his shoulders, but he shrugged her off.
"Not right now, Hon," he muttered.
She moved around in front of him and asked, "What's wrong?"
"I'm just tired."
"And…?"
Irritation flared in his face. "And that's it."
"Oh, no… you're more than tired. I can see it in your eyes. What hurts?"
"My legs are cramping up. I probably just need to stretch them out." Not wanting to sit through a reprimand, he escaped by adding, "I'll go find Smith and see if he can work with me before we turn in."
As he motored his way into the Jupiter, Judy turned to her father. "I'm starting to get worried about him, Dad. It's been six months now, and he hasn't made any more progress in his rehab."
Always the optimist, John countered with, "But he can still make progress over the next year."
"How much more? The first six months are when the most progress is made. Not only that, I read that chronic pain can start months after the initial injury. I just hope that not what this pain is."
Hoping to ease her fears John added, "He worked all day without a break. It's probably just muscle strain. I'll be sure he doesn't do that again."
"No break? He knows better than that. I'm going to go check on him. Good night, Dad." She gave her father a kiss on the cheek and turned to go. As John watched her leave, he wished for the hundredths time that it was he and not Don who was sitting in that wheelchair.
Settling into bed was more difficult than usual for Don. Dr. Smith had given him a muscle relaxer for his spasms, but it hadn't kicked in yet. He found it especially disconcerting to feel pain in his legs, and yet not be able to feel a touch. Judy gave him a massage but it gave him little relief, and just added to the sensory confusion as he watched her. She helped him turn over and as her hands moved up his body, he finally started to relax when she kneaded his back and neck.
"Don?"
"Hm?"
"Dad said you didn't take a break today."
"Yeah."
She was frustrated with his nonchalant attitude. "You can't do that!"
"Yes, mother."
"It's not funny! You need to take care of yourself." As she continued to rub his back, she asked, "Did you clean out your catheter today?"
"Just did."
"You know you need to do that at least three times a day."
Now he was frustrated with her mothering. "Come on, Judy, give me a break! It's only the first time that I've missed."
"Well it was one time too many." She finished with his neck and then stroked his cheek. "You feel warm. I think you have a fever."
The medication was starting to take effect and Don couldn't keep his eyes open. He mumbled, "I'll be okay. Just let me get some sleep."
"After I take your temperature."
Judy ran down to the medical bay to grab a thermometer, but, by the time she came back to their room, he was fast asleep. Not having the heart to wake him up, she kissed his cheek and lay down beside him. It was going to be a restless night.
The stream rolled lazily by as they sat near the edge, Don in his chair and Judy on a rock beside him. Her hand was on his right thigh, sensuously rubbing back and forth, and he was hypnotized by its movement. He rested his hand over hers and moved to her rhythm. Although he couldn't feel her touch, he was excited by the intimacy of her actions. She moved as if she wasn't even aware of what she was doing. The sun overhead was warm and strong, but then it intensified and became stronger, its rays focusing on his legs as if through a magnifying glass. The heat became unbearable, and he pulled Judy's hand away, not wanting her to be burned by the sizzling beams that melted the skin off his legs. He screamed in pain as his legs shriveled into thin columns of bones.
A distant sound penetrated the fogginess of her mind, and she jerked awake to hear her husband moaning and thrashing around in his sleep. Heat radiated from his body and she tried to wake him, but he unconsciously pushed her away. She decided to wake her parents to help her get him down to the medical bay.
It didn't take long to diagnose the situation. Don hadn't taken care of himself in the time that they were setting up camp and working on the repairs. He had neglected to keep his basic self-care routine on the schedule that kept his digestive and elimination systems working properly. As a result he developed a urinary infection that had traveled up to his kidneys. They needed to set-up an IV with antibiotics and fluid to keep him hydrated until his fever went down.
The mid morning sun was already high in the sky when Don awoke to find Judy curled up next to him and an IV line in his hand. He had no memory of being brought down to the med bay, but he expected Judy to be furious with him for whatever it was that got him down here. She stirred and he prepared himself for her lecture, hoping that he could keep his mouth shut so that he wouldn't make it worse for either of them.
Her gorgeous blue eyes opened and she snuggled in closer to his body, kissing him on the cheek. He waited… She put her arm around his chest and kissed him again. He turned his face towards hers and she lovingly kissed his lips. Staring into his hazel eyes she caressed his face.
"Your fever's down. How do you feel?"
"Like a dish rag." (Here it comes.)
"You scared me last night."
"I'm sorry." (It's my own f---ing fault.)
"Hey, that's going to happen. Now you know that you can't slack off... Hungry?"
(Where's the lecture?) "No."
"Well I am. I'll be back in a few minutes."
He watched her leave in wonderment. (Why the hell does she still love me?)
