We do not own "Sailor Moon" nor any of the characters.
SAILOR MOON ETERNAL
"The 6th Season of the Sailor Moon Saga"
By Haruka Kou
Chapter 24: Secrets of Married Life
"Time to wake up, lover." Turning the car engine off, Alex gently nudges the figure sleeping peacefully next to her the entire two hour plus drive.
"Mmmmhh." Sayer was still dead tired, off in dreamland.
"Wake up!" Alex, then not too gently, shoves his head and pinches him hard.
"ALLY!" Sayer sits up, rubbing his pinched spot with a twisted lip. "Isn't there some easier way to wake me up?" He asks, looking right into her eyes.
"Yeah….but we don't have time right now." Alex smirks, getting out of the car to greet the onslaught of welcome home friends rushing to the Ferrari parked outside of Terry and Susan's rural home.
Alex's eyes sparkle to see the beloved cousin she had not been separated from for long ever since they had been together.
"Amara!" Michelle races to Alex's arms, the two soul mates sharing a warm embrace. Alex exchanges a look with Michelle's curious eyes.
"I suppose there's no use in asking, you two have obviously had a wonderful honeymoon." Michelle says in her flirtatious manner, giggling, her eyebrows raised.
"Yes, we have." Alex answers aloud, popping her red faced new husband playfully on the cheek.
"A very good time." Sayer's embarrassment melts away with one flash of her dazzling smile.
"You're looking thin, Sayer, but I'm surprised you're not in worse condition." Robin, standing behind Michelle, comments snidely.
"What's that supposed to mean, Rob!" Sayer had a vague idea that Robin was insulting his wife somehow. Robin just continues to smirk nastily, until both Alex and Michelle gave him a threatening look.
"Hi hi!" Tara smiles brightly, running out the door to greet the couple, but Alex thought she noticed something different in her eyes.
"Sayer, Alex. It's so good to see you." Terry comes out of his house, his own wife on his arm.
"Happy New Year, you two!" Susan sings out, looking oh-so-charming and fresh in the new year. She was wearing a neatly pressed apron, obviously in the middle of making dinner, from the Italian aroma escaping the front door.
"Oh, Susie! Are you a sight for sore eyes!" Sayer's mouth waters at the sight of Susan in an apron and the thought of food - good home cooked food! He bounds up to his sister-in-law.
"Tell me you're cooking dinner. Tell me, tell me!" He childishly grabs on her astonished sleeve. "Oh, hey, Ter." Sayer halfheartedly calls out in greeting to his brother, much more interested in Susan's culinary skills at the moment.
"Sayer?" Terry asks in wonderment at what his strange behavior meant, but then again, Sayer was constantly being strange.
"We got snowed in," Alex begins to explain.
"Poor Sayer." Robin snickers under his breath, resulting in a poke in the ribs from Michelle, while Alex completely ignores him.
"And ran out of food. We made it though, on a few boxes of chocolates and those fruit flavored surprises you left for us. I've been eager to thank you." She gives Terry a crooked smile, a new understanding of the man she once thought was a cold stiff.
"I'm glad you enjoyed them." Terry smiles back.
"Oh yeah! We really enjoyed them!" Sayer winks at him. Terry didn't realize until now how much he missed his silly brother.
"Come on, Susie! I'm hungry! What've we got? Spaghetti? Your stuffed shells? I'll eat anything! Oooh, that smells good!…." His mouth was going a mile a minute as he drags Susan back into the kitchen, and "helps" her put the dinner on the table.
"Nice, isn't it? The way your husband just walks out on you for another woman?" Alex teases, as she and Michelle follow them in, arm in arm.
"At least there's that..."Alex lets her mind take a reprieve from the anxiety pressing in on her for a few moments.
"I feel it too, Amara. This morning, I felt the waves crashing roughly again." Through Alex's smiles, Michelle's keen sense could pick up that her cousin had gnawing thoughts much like her own.
"Have you told the others?" Alex was, through all of this normalcy, a soldier, still in control.
"Robin knows -no one else - yet. I didn't want to frighten them without consulting you first. Amara, what do we do?" Michelle's soul was crying out for reassurance from the one who had always pulled her through what she could not understand.
"What we always do, what we've always done. Together we'll make it. Together we're strong." Alex calms Michelle's growing anxieties over the storm both knew was on the sunsetting horizon on this first day, of the final year of the millennium…
Susan's homemade spaghetti and sausage hit the spot indeed as Sayer hungrily wolfed down more than enough to make up for the past week of less than filling meals. Alex was not half as rabid, finding her companion's conversations and story telling more uplifting than any meal for her worried mind. Alex sensed the same in Michelle, and the need to protect her as well as Sayer now - and even beyond them there was one more - the Princess - Serena -- to whom she was bound to by duty, by destiny, by love.
"You're quiet, Ally." After dinner, everyone retires to the living room for coffee and a movie. Susan sits on Terry's lap, with Tara, now living with them, snuggled close to Michelle on the settee during the heartwarming old movie "Old Yeller". Robin, leans back in his chair, not terribly interested in dogs, as he much preferred cats, and Sayer plops on the floor near the couch against Alex's legs.
"Am I? Just tired, I suppose." Alex decides to keep her forewarning suspicions from her happy-go-lucky companion for as long as possible.
"Let's go home then." Sayer winks at her, and gives her arm a squeeze.
"Ally's a little tired - all that driving you know - so we're going to be going, uh, home." Sayer suddenly remembers the apartment he was offering his new wife wasn't his alone. The thought of having Robin hanging around wasn't very pleasant…
"Oh yes! Don't worry, it's all been arranged. Alex, you and Sayer can take full hold of his apartment - I mean your apartment." Michelle smiles, the thought of her tough cousin and wacky Sayer setting up house was quite amusing. "Robin is staying at my place." Michelle states proudly.
"WHAT!" Alex jumps to her feet about to throw every objection in the book at them, now that she could no longer keep that close an eye on her beloved and that shrimp.
"My apartment in the penthouse -so he's close to the recording studio of course, Amara dear." Michelle says, giving her cousin a smirk. Secretly, she did want Robin to stay at her mansion where she resided, but for some reason, he had refused.
"Oh." Alex settles down, and Sayer giggles at the whole situation, especially at Robin's sour expression. That was classic!
"Thanks, 'chelle. Thanks, Rob." Sayer says, still chuckling as he hustles Alex out the door with a few quick goodbyes to Terry, Susan and Tara. And Sayer gives Alex cause to smile on the short ride into the heart of the city with his light hearted tales as the two of them begin their new lives together.
The first month of the final year of the millennium thankfully passes quietly over the city of Tokyo and those residing there. Well, as quietly as possible - Sayer and Alex's fiery arguments over the joys of living together became quite legendary in their apartment building's gossip circles.
But somehow, they hang on—their love was strong enough to bring them through each other's idiosyncrasies, adapt to them and finally, accept them. (Though Alex's hard line stance on a 50/50 split in everything, including the cooking and cleaning, drove them to eat out most of the time, or at Susan and Terry's well run household, where they were always welcomed. It is on one of these such night's that the unlikeliest of married couples find themselves at the home of Sayer's brother and his wife's picture-perfect marriage. Sayer and Alex (as usual) were in a heated discussion over a certain topic, controlling the conversation at the table on this cool evening.
"You want me to believe that girl was in your dressing room just for an autograph?" Alex points her fork up to Sayer accusingly.
"That's all she said she wanted." Sayer pleads innocent though secretly in his mind he could tell from that little red-head's ahem attire and advances on him that she was far interested in something more than just his signature. "Geez, Ally, I can't help it if women still crawl all over me. They don't know I'm married - you've kept it such a good secret." Sayer starts to fight in his own defense.
"Yeah, but-" Alex starts to object even though she was more responsible for their hush-hush relationship than he was. Well, Pymm the promoter too insisted, after his little nervous breakdown at the hospital upon hearing of Sayer's marriage, that they keep it quiet.
"And I don't see you announcing your marriage to all your adoring fans." Sayer twists his lip, drawling out the word "fans" with insinuations, knowing just how Alex attracted a crowd in her racing circles.
"I-I just thought it was unnecessary." Alex says, caught proverbially with her pants down.
"Good. So did I." Sayer says, popping a big piece of roast beef into his mouth in an uppity manner.
"Good." Alex pokes at her plate, then crosses her arms, looking away from her difficult sparring partner. Terry, more accustomed to their verbal fights, that did, once in a while become physical as Alex was not afraid to belt her husband during an argument and Sayer not a lamb to the slaughter himself, exchanges a knowing smile with his wife and Tara. They graded this one as a mild case and after a long, tension-filled pause, Susan bounces up to clear the table, as Tara quickly joins her in washing up and serving the coffee.
"Hey, Ter. Let's go drink our coffee outside. It's getting stuffy in here." Sayer says, his point of anger reached, her easy distrust of his loyalty in question as he flashes Alex an angry look.
"Thanks for dinner, Susie. You always outdo yourself." Sayer's angry look does a 180, giving Susan the sweetest of smiles and a warm squeeze of her shoulder as he then strides past his own wife without so much as one glance. He holds the door open for Terry, who kisses Susan on the cheek tenderly, then shrugging, follows Sayer outdoors.
Holding her building temper long enough for Sayer to be out of earshot, Alex slams her fist down hard on the kitchen table making all the remaining silver jump.
"DAMN! That man!" Alex growls, taking Tara and Susan aback by her ferocity.
"What's wrong, Alex? You're not really jealous, are you? I don't think Sayer really would-" Susan tries to comfort her dear friend, sensing this was more than the usual passing row.
"No. No. That's not it. I know he wouldn't - he wouldn't dare." Alex goes over to where Susan and Tara were exchanging dishes, glancing out the window at the culprit blowing off some steam with Terry outside at the basketball hoop they put up on the driveway for him. "It's just - oh, never mind." Alex looks down, a strange bit of embarrassment on her usually confident features.
"Tell us!" Tara prompts with understanding eyes as she dries the dishes.
"It's silly." Alex shakes her head.
"Oh, Alex. Is it because Sayer forgot your birthday yesterday?" Susan asks in her soft voice.
"How did you know it was my - who told you?" Alex asks, certain she never told Susan or any of the others, save Michelle of course. She always thought it weak to divulge in such a trivial thing as one's birthday. But this year was different for some reason. Alex indeed did share this point of information with someone else. She did not expect a gift or even a card - just the simple acknowledgment that he remembered what she had said once in a while—that he cared enough to keep his sieve-like mind focused long enough to prove to her that he was truly listening when they shared intimate things.
"We have our sources." Susan smiles mysteriously, keeping secrets her age-old specialty. "But Alex, even if he did forget, you know how Sayer is. Don't hold it against him."
"Yeah, I know how brainless he is, but that's not the point! It's not my stupid birthday that matters, it's the fact that he never pays attention to what I say. And someday, not listening to what I say could prove fatal." In her strict duty as a Sailor Soldier, Alex tries to justify her hurt feelings.
"Yes. But I'm sure he doesn't mean to ignore you, Alex. Because everyday I see you together, he gives you his ultimate gift of attention - his love. There need not be anything more said or done or remembered. I know Sayer loves you. Even if something as easy as to miss as a date slips by him." Susan explains the degree of love to Alex wisely. Alex stops to reflect, realizing she was truly being silly. Sayer honestly gave her his love, his smile, his shine readily any time of the day, without hesitation. So what more did I expect on my birthday? I need no other gift than that.
"You're right, Susan. See? I was just being silly. It was really unlike me, I'm sorry. I'm just not myself these days." Alex gazes out the window, confused about her other ominous feelings, until she sees and smiles at the dark-haired husband who was just then expertly dunking a basketball, but instead falls and scrapes up his knees.
"I guess I'd better get out there." Alex chuckles, giving her wise "elder sister" Susan a hug and wide eyed Tara a quick pat as she pops out the door to rescue her mate.
"Thanks for dinner!" She says, her face bright and lively again as she races out onto the basketball court where Terry was leaning over his bleeding brother. Alex gathers up her accident prone Sayer and carries him to their car with a wave goodbye to Susan and Tara through the kitchen window.
Keeping fairly quiet on the ride back to their apartment, once inside Alex immediately goes to work on Sayer's skinned knees, breaking out the oft-used medical kit, and not so gently applying the antiseptic to his leg.
"It's gonna sting." Alex announces after the fact.
"Now you tell me." Sayer grits his teeth at the pain manfully peeking at Alex as she finishes cleaning his "wounds."
"Ally, I'm sorry about before. OUCH! Honestly, I didn't know who that girl was and I don't care who knows I'm married. I'd shout it from the highest roof if it was up to me! But you don't have to tell anyone if you don't want to, just as long as you still don't mind having me around." Sayer bites his lower lip sweetly.
"Starr-of course I don't mind having you around. I-" Smiling, Alex just stops short of saying those three little words, but her eyes finish the sentiment for her.
"I do too, Ally." Sayer says softly, knowing her now so well they could read each other, as they lean into each other for a -.
"Oh! I almost forgot!" Then with a jolt, he suddenly pulls back and reaches into his top pocket to produce a little red jewelry box.
"I got it a few days ago but I wanted to have it engraved so…" Sayer sticks it out to her surprised eyes. "Sorry it's a little late. Happy Birthday. I hope you like it." He smiles in anticipation, totally unaware that this was what had upset her earlier.
You did remember! You were listening. Alex silently smiles, accepting the gift, elated to just have had him remember her as she opens the little box and finds a gorgeous ruby and diamond ring shining in splendor back at her.
"Here's the engagement ring I promised you, a little late. This one's real - look at the inscription." Sayer says pointing at the gem sparkling even in the dim lighting.
"Sokova, keep the name - along with my heart."
"I can tell you write song lyrics." Alex whispers sarcastically, her voice choking with emotion.
"It's beautiful." Alex takes it out, and slides it atop her silver band. "But this one's real too." Alex says meaningfully, showing to him that it wasn't the ring, but the thought that came with it. Both rings now had special meaning to her.
"Yeah and how many girls can say they got their wedding ring before their engagement ring?"
They laugh at this happy thought, all forgiven, though Alex couldn't help feel "something" in the air, something suspicious about to happen, though she and Michelle both decided not to share their premonitions with the others until the time called for it to be known.
Later that night, Sayer awakens, vaguely but very aware of Alex's presence, and dazzled by the deep red sparkle of the ring on her finger. It reflected crimson on his cheek and as the sun slowly rose, shooting a beam of reddish sunlight into their bedroom.
I love you, Ally. Sayer's mind sings as the ring reminds him of the promises they'd sworn to each other- of the life he wanted to live always, in her arms….when the glimmering red beam of light streaking across the ceiling reminded him of someone else, too.
Someone else he would die to protect, and to live his life for too. As friendly and playful as their relationship had become, filled with the warmth of familial love and caring, and more than all that- Fireball was his Princess. The one he swore to protect, the one he vowed to care for no matter what. Not guilt, exactly, at leaving her and their newfound homeworld behind, it was more of absence. A small piece of his otherwise full and overflowing heart wanted to see Fireball again. To tell her he loved her still-and missed her. To share with her the overwhelming happiness he'd found in Alex, which didn't take anything away from the feelings his passionate soul had always had for his Princess. Just it was here, on Earth, with Alex, that he felt he should be now. Yet still, Sayer missed his "sister."
"I miss you too, darling Sayer. So much so sometimes I feel I may cry." Fireball's sweeping voice transcends the millions of miles into Sayer's mind, into his heart.
"You are so special, my dear one. I've known since you returned to me, that you were not long for Janus—for my world any longer. Deep inside, the companionship you've longed for called you once again to the Earth. I could never stand in the way of your caring passionate heart, my Fighter. I'd never want to, for you are so precious to me."
Sayer could feel Fireball's spiritual arms wrap around him in a warm embrace. Her scent was so potent, so familiar as tears come to both their eyes, though across the distance, at the sweet concern for her "little" brother she had adopted to her life, her soul, her heart, so long ago.
"You have given me so much. You presence is still here with me. My life is full now too. You and I will always love each other, my little one. I am here for you and you are here for me." Fireball's ghostly presence touches one hand to her heart and the other on Sayer's chest over his, as her contact fades with a warm smile. "You're in good hands now, I know." Her final whisper disappears into the rising sunlight dazzling Sayer's eyes, a soft tear of gratitude falling from his cheek to Alex's arm.
"Are you drooling on me, Starr?" Alex's green eyes snap open, her mouth smirking as she gazes down at her lover, totally unaware of what had just passed between him and his Princess. Sayer takes one look into Alex's beautiful eyes, and knows that despite all their arguing and bickering, here was a person who truly did understand his soul. Though as different as night and day, his sweet, gentle Fireball too saw this tough-soldier named Amaralexis Sokova as just what Sayer Starr needed, and he concurred wholeheartedly.
"Just trying to tell you how nice and moist my lonely mouth is." Sayer teases, out of his reverie, his eyes having a sweet nostalgic look in them.
Accepting that open invitation, Alex leans down and tastes those indeed moist lips with a slow kiss. They drift off to sleep a little while later, the morning still early. Sayer drowsily notices the ruby ring gleaming again, the gold illuminated around it, reminding him of Alex's golden glow, symbolizing the two important women in his life, whose love was the bond wrapped around his heart.
The crisp days of winter slowly melt into the warmer rebirth of spring. Marriage settles in despite little troubles for our argumentative pair, while another marriage flourishes brightly, blossoming in the fresh springtime.
It was a normal occurrence to see "Mrs. Starr" at the musical rehearsals, helping Terry with memorizing lines, makeup, and of course, her hobby of fashion designing.
On one such morning, Susan awakens him with a soft kiss "Happy Birthday, Terry darling." Her tall, responsible husband was merely 20 years old this day, and Susan could hardly believe how young he was. But in terms of love, age has no limits, she herself was over 1000 years old.
"Good morning, my lady." Terry smiles with a laugh. "How are you feeling?" Terry was growing more and more concerned with her health, as in the last few weeks, she had been tired and worn out.
"I'm fine—just a little queasy, probably from that cheesecake we had last night." Susan smiles, not wanting to mar her husband's day with any worry.
"Are you sure you don't want me to take off today? We can stay home and rest." Terry suggests, still anxious about her.
"Don't be silly. Today is a busy day for me, and I'm perfectly fine. Really." Susan tells him, she having planned a surprise backstage party for him at the rehearsals.
"Very well, but take it easy, my lady. Promise me?"
"I promise." She vows with a sweet kiss to his lips.
"That was great everyone!" The director's voice could be heard booming somewhere above the stage.
"Loved that final kissing scene with Sandra, Rob. You're turning out to be quite the ladies' man, aren't you?" Sayer jabs his brother, winking wickedly as he towels the back of his perspiring neck. Robin makes a face at Sayer in return.
"Yeah, well, at least I didn't "accidentally" slice a nice slit up my leading lady's skirt in the sword fight scene." Robin ribs back, never at a loss for exchanging sharp words with Sayer.
"Robin, Sayer, really. Try to get along?" Terry says, playing mediator as always, but right now as the noontime bell rings, Susan is nowhere in sight. He begins to worry, knowing Susan without fail was at his side at this time, with sandwiches, kind words and companionship. Where is she?
"SURPRISE!" The girls, along with the "in on the secret" cast and crew sing out "Happy Birthday, Terry!" Bright smiling faces proffer gifts and a catered lunch festival.
"Susan," Terry smiles at the beautiful woman he knew was responsible for the celebration and bows to his lady, kissing her hand. "You are too good to me."
"Nothing is too good for you." Susan whispers back, before Mina, Serena and Lizzie, dying to get the party rolling, start screaming and giggling all at once.
"Presents! Presents! Here's mine! Can we have cake soon? Oooh, Terry, you look sooooo handsome in that! Can I have tickets to the show when it opens? You were so great!"
"Hey! What about us!" Sayer says sarcastically, he and Robin both feeling just a trifle left out.
"Yeah, what about you?" Sayer doesn't even have to turn to recognize the angry tone of his wife's deep voice behind him. She was standing in her racing car outfit, arms crossed, her look foreboding.
"What exactly is this 'Sandra' to you, Robin, dear?" Michelle stands in a similar pose behind Alex, with an even more accusing face.
"And what is this I hear about a 'slit skirt', Sayer, DEAR?" Alex cracks her knuckles threateningly. Robin and Sayer exchange guilty, defeated looks.
"Skirt? What skirt?" Sayer giggles at Alex's raised eyebrows. When she turns, he mouths silently to Robin "BIG MOUTH".
"I think you boys have some explaining to do." Michelle coos, her face smiling, but her eyes were ablaze. Robin gulps and looks daggers at Sayer.
They go behind the curtains and to add to the birthday theme, the partygoers could hear loud bangs and pops. They never realized that those "special effects" were two poor boys being given their UraNep just desserts.
Driving home, a while later, Susan, in her excitement, almost forgets her doctor's appointment. She didn't enjoy these visits much, having to avoid many questions and even spin some fables about her age, birth and other pertinent information. But Terry insisted she have a check up to see why she was so tired of late and she agreed.
On her way there, the ill feelings came back, but she considered it nervousness and the running around she had just done. She parked the car and walked into the office, only to collapse into the arms of the nurse she was conversing with.
"Mrs, Starr! Mrs. Starr!" Susan comes back slowly into focus under the bright white lights of the doctor's seeing room, to the soothing voices of the several nurses around her.
"I'm sorry. I must've..fainted. I do..sometimes, now. I'm working too hard, I'm sure." Susan tries to explain away her weakness to the worried group of medical professionals surrounding her.
"Don't worry about me. I'm fine. Just here for a check-up." Susan keeps smiling, trying to disguise the feelings beginning to overwhelm her again.
"Of course you're fine, Mrs. Starr." The old doctor's crackling voice comes out somehow warm and gentle. "You're in excellent health, my dear." He takes her hand, pats it softly, "Considering your condition, that is."
"My condition?" Susan asks, worry filling her eyes. The pain was so intense at this particular moment, that her mind raced to think which of the many illnesses it could be…
"You don't know yet, dear?" His mysterious eyes behind his glasses frightened her all the more. Susan shakes her head in a daze, not wanting to be sick. She didn't want to be a burden on thoughtful Terry.
"Then may I be the first to congratulate you, Mrs. Starr. I'd say in a little over 6 months, you're going to have a baby!" He finally smiles. Who couldn't at the immediate reaction overtaking Susan's lovely features.
"A baby? Are you certain?" Susan whispers dreamily, happiness evident on her face. She couldn't believe the event she's prayed so hard for was suddenly staring her right in the face.
"Yes, a baby. I've been practicing over 30 years now, Mrs. Starr. I'm fairly certain this time too." The doctor smiles at her naïve sweetness.
"A baby! A baby! Oh, Terry darling!" Susan suddenly, uncharacteristically jumps up, bubbling with delight, and hugs each face around her. She couldn't begin to describe what she was feeling. Oh Terry darling! I'm going to have a baby! Our baby! Susan's smile was contagious as the doctor attempts to calm her down with a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"I take it your husband will be pleased?" He smiles, always glad to see this kind of young mother, the care and attention of a willing father made all the difference in the mother's emotional and physical well-being at this time.
"Pleased? Oh yes! Very pleased." Susan attests her own feelings of joy overwhelmed any small pains she had felt before.
"Yes, I'd say in about six months time." The doctor confirms again, more to himself.
Time, Susan's mind hears the word so important to her very soul. Yes, Great Time, I thank you for this chance you've given me. First my Terry—my freedom with him and now….
Susan's heart bursts in bliss, her eyes fill with tears, at the thought of her once impossible dream was now becoming reality.
Far across town, back at the musical rehearsals, Terry feels a sudden surge of unknown happiness course through him -the bonds Time that their love had forged-and he feels his lady's soft touch on his soul.
BONG!
The school bell signals its final farewell to the noisy crowd of children happily screaming of their freedom for the rest of the day. Once a lively member of this crowd, Sammy Hart now finds himself hanging back from the loud boys he used to call friends, instead spending most of his time with a shy and timid girl named Tara Tomoe. The other boys were still frightened of the "mouse" as they tended to call her, thinking her strange and "uncool" at the same time.
Sammy often found himself rushing to her homeroom across the hall, enduring the endless teasings of their classmates when he shared lunch with this girl, or walked her home often on their bicycles to her rural home on the outskirts of the city.
Lunch was skipped on this particular day, as Tara was whisked away by Sammy's older sister for some birthday party or other such nuisance. She had returned to school so late that day, that she had to make up an important exam after school. After quickly finishing the test, she leaves the building to find someone leaning against it, waiting for her.
"Hi, Tara! How'd the test go?" Sammy asks kindly, quite unsure about talking to a girl, but then again, she wasn't just "any" girl. Sammy had become quite enamored of her as of late.
"Fine. Thank you." Tara answers in her polite, quiet way. "But you didn't have to wait for me. Susan knew about the test and should be here in a few minutes." Tara glances back at the monstrous school clock hanging on the Crossroads Junior High School building.
"I-uh-just though you'd want some-uh-company while you're waiting for her." Sammy nervously fusses with his bicycle straps.
"I always appreciate your company, Samuel." Tara, nervous herself, smiles shyly as they walk along the school's lane edge. Blushing red, Sammy looks down and spots a tiny, little delicate pansy flipping its assent to him in the breeze.
"Here." Scooping it up, he hands it to the girl next to him.
"Pretty." Tara puts it in her hair, smiling sweetly. "Thank you." Tara's large, mysterious eyes lock with Sammy's.
"Tara….I was thinking." He says, embarrassed, pulling away from her gaze.
"Yes?" Tara looks up, waiting for the boy's coming question.
"Are you…? Could you…?…Maybe….Do you want to go to see a movie tomorrow? It's Saturday and…I've already bought the tickets." Sammy says, all in one rush.
"A movie? I-" Tara says in surprise, just realizing that Sammy was asking her to go on her very first date when a familiar car horn blows in the direction of the street where the school stood. She sees Susan happily waving to her from the driver's seat I the car.
"Well?" Sammy swallows hard. This had taken every ounce of his courage to ask this pretty girl out on his first date too.
"Well…" Tara's mind races as she glances back and forth to where Susan and the car waited for her. "All right!" She smiles brightly, feeling a strange giddiness within her, all the way to her fingertips.
"All right?" Sammy repeats in disbelief that she had accepted.
"Yes!" Tara nods her head up and down as she skips off jubilantly towards the car.
"I'll pick you up at 2 o'clock okay? The movie starts at 2:30!" Sammy calls after here, his little heart bursting with pride in his own bravery.
"That sounds very nice!" Tara waves as she bounces into her car.
"Goodbye, Sammy! I'll see you tomorrow then!" Tara says as she closes the back seat door behind her.
"Bye!" Sammy calls out.
"Have a wonderful day, Samuel! Don't you look handsome today! Isn't it beautiful out today?!" Susan happily sings out the window, bubbling over as she pulls away. Sammy and Tara exchange "weirded-out" looks though the car window as they drive off. Susan was usually so sublime and quiet, and now she was singing along to the tune, which happened to be a Three Lights hit, playing on the radio. Tara momentarily puts her own joys of young romance aside as she wonders what has happened to Susan in her few hours that have passed since she last saw her. She had never before seen her so….happy….
"Here you are"
"Owner of my heart"
"Just the way that love should be"
"And there is something I must say to you"
"If you promise to believe, that it's you I'm living for"
"And I could not love you more"
Susan's lilting voice echoes through the sedan as she sings the words to the newest hit the Three Lights had just released. It had immediately gone to Number 1, due to its oh-so-romantic style and powerful lyrics.
Quietly enjoying the music, Tara, an observant girl, knew something important was "afoot."
"Susan?" Tara asks, pushing those thoughts away, going back to her own ecstatic emotions, "Is it all right if Sammy and I go…out tomorrow? To a movie only of course." Susan turns down the radio just as the song ends.
"Of course, Tara! Of course. That's wonderful! Samuel's such a sweet boy!" Susan happily sings out, though Tara wondered if she was really paying attention to what she had said.
"Do you think Terry-papa would mind? I probably should ask him if it's-" Tara begins to say, more to herself, knowing that Susan was out of it for some reason.
"Terry-papa? Oh! Terry-papa!" Susan sighs blissfully at how well the name suited her strong husband. Tara blinks in astonishment as her calm, serene guardian explodes into a sea of reveling giggles as they pull into the driveway. Susan rushes out of the car, (actually running!) to the front door, and dashes in.
Tara, curious, follows after her, but doesn't find her in the kitchen, living room, nor even in her bedroom, let alone anywhere else in the house for that matter.
"Susan-mama!" Tara calls, wondering where she could have disappeared to so quickly.
"In here, Tara dear!" Susan's happy voice calls back from the guest room, that had once been Michelle's room. Tara had never been in it once since Michelle-mama had moved out.
Tara goes into the room, her youthful eyes astonished at what she sees - a baby's room - a nursery-fully decorated, even the soft carpet in shades of lavender purple. Little deer prance about on the wallpaper, stuffed dolls everywhere, and a baby crib in the center of the darling room. One look at Susan's blissful face is all Tara needs to understand.
"Susan? Are you-?" Tara asks, biting her lip in excitement.
"Yes!" Susan nods up and down, a smile spreading across her face. She holds her arms out to Tara and envelops her in a hugging embrace.
"Oh Susan! That's so wonderful! Does Terry-papa know yet?" Tara asks. She knew personally of the warm feelings these two could lavish on a child.
"No-not yet." Susan says, touching Tara's cheek softly.
"Then what a nice birthday surprise it will be for him!" Tara smiles back, glad to be a part of their joy.
"Yes. But don't say anything to him yet. I want to wait for just the right moment to tell him."
The right moment, the right words...
"Terry darling" Susan whispers at the thought of announcing to him her pregnancy. Susan dreamily sighs, tenderly touching her tummy that held such a precious treasure within her.
Driving home as soon as he could get away from the set, Terry arrives at the door of his home. Susan drops what she is doing in the kitchen, rushing to his eager arms with a tender embrace and kiss, in which the observant Terry can feel something…different…in his wife's demeanor.
Is there a slight tremble about her? He wonders as he looks her up and down.
"Happy Birthday, darling! Did you have a very nice day?" Susan does a very good job of masking her over jubilant emotions, this woman of secrets wanting to keep hers for just a little bit longer.
"Yes, I did, thanks to you, my lady." Terry shakes off his curiosity, chalking it down to excitement over the birthday party she had held for him earlier that afternoon.
"You really are the most wonderful wife a man could ask for. You're too good for me, you know, princess." Terry kisses her again.
"How could I be too good for you when you're the most perfect husband?" Susan asks coyly, taking off his jacket and leading him to the dining room where Tara awaited them.
Tara anxiously looks from Terry to Susan and back again to see if the secret had been revealed, but from his casual expression and regular actions, she knew that Susan had not yet told him of the wonderful news. Tara could easily see Susan's dancing eyes, laughing with excitement, and she herself remains silent on the subject as she had promised. But, she couldn't help but be anxious to tell Terry of the new addition soon to join the family. Our family…my family… She thought to herself, smiling as she helped Susan serve Terry his favorite meal -shrimp scampi—on this 20th birthday of his.
"Shrimp scampi? You're spoiling me." Terry teases them as they all sit down to the delicious looking dinner.
"I know it's your favorite, darling." Susan says sweetly.
"Especially when these hands make it for me." He reaches across the table and takes Susan's hands delicately.
"Both my ladies." Terry doesn't forget to include Tara, kissing her hand sweetly with a fatherly smile. Susan noticed from this exchange once again, that he would make the most perfect father in the world for their baby.
After saying Grace and a bit of gossip from that afternoon's party, Tara's schoolwork and test scores, she decides to share the rest of her day's eventful news.
"Terry papa?" Tara watches him gently chastise Susan for barely touching the food on her plate as he lifts a forkful up to his wife.
"Tara, dear?" Terry smiles as his obedient wife takes the food with a grateful smile.
"Is it all right…if I…go to the movies tomorrow?" Tara's question starts out simple.
"Of course. What would you like to see? An outing to the theatre does sound like a pleasant diversion to pass away one Saturday afternoon together." Terry says, thinking she meant for all of them to go.
"Not with us, Terry darling." Susan gently corrects her husband, "but with Sammy Hart." Terry picks up Susan's tone to mean a budding romance between their charge and the Moon Princess' brother.
A bit overprotective, and a thinking man who knew all too well a teenage boy's intentions, he assesses the situation, thinking of his responsibility to Tara's well-being and also the consequences to Tara's youthful heart. He himself had come to like Sammy and felt that maybe he could trust him with his Tara…
"Certainly, Tara. If you believe you are ready, we believe in your judgment as well. Sammy is a very nice young man." Terry says in his fatherly way. Tara, very happily, gets up and hugs him for his thoughtful decision. She was a wise child beyond her years who realized that Terry-papa was considering her with his caring way and still came to a trusting conclusion that was more than satisfactory in her grateful eyes.
Susan smiles as she watches this conversation, and begins to clear the table, imagining again what a perfect father her Terry would be.
With dinner over, the two girls listen in rapt attention in the conservatory as Terry's low voice recites poetry. When the poetry reaches a romantic air, Tara, very considerately, gets up to go to bed.
"Good night, Terry-papa. Happy Birthday." Tara kisses him as she sees in his poetry book the poems she had written for him and Susan, compiled together words of her gratitude and love for her new family, written in a girlish handwriting.
"Good night, Tara and thank you. You are a very sweet and talented young lady." Terry kisses her good night.
"Good night, Susan-mama" Tara didn't always attach "—mama" to Susan's name, but stressed it a bit tonight, exchanging a knowing, happy look with her guardian.
Susan clears away the drink glasses and returns to find Terry playing the piano, singing along a new tune. Joining him on the piano bench, she snuggles up close as he sings ballads of love with the passion he felt deep inside.
Later that night, Susan was unable to sleep at all, and could no longer hide the secret, feeling the time was finally right.
'Terry darling," Susan coos into Terry's ear, leaning on his chest tenderly.
"Hmm?" He murmurs in reply.
"Terry darling," Susan repeats, realizing he was drifting off to sleep again.
"Hmm?" Terry, half asleep and half awake, was only certain that Susan's warm touch was close to him.
"Terry darling…" Susan says calmly, the silence about to be broken by her next few words. "I am with child." Susan says softly as Terry snaps awake at this announcement.
"With…child? Oh Susan! My love!" Terry props himself up, taking a good long look into Susan's beautiful eyes.
"Our baby." Susan whispers, touching her stomach tenderly, her eyes filling with tears. So overwhelmed with joyous emotions was she as she sees the happiness reflecting back at her in Terry's eyes as well.
"Our baby!" Terry's hand joins hers, as Susan feels the love and caring in his hand, knowing the miracle conceived from their love was within her.
"Susan, my lady." Terry delicately caresses her cheek and she closes her eyes, burying her face in his hand. She couldn't begin to describe the feelings as her far-off dream was suddenly becoming reality.
"I love you." Susan whispers.
"I love you." Terry whispers back, both filled with dreams of what was to come. They were both certain there could be no two happier people on the face of this wondrous Earth than they. Their eternal love for each other was beautified yet again in God's joyous gift of a child.
The morning dew already disappeared from the grassy fields outside the window. The Saturday sunshine beams into her second story bedroom as Susan slowly awakens, sparkling with a radiant light which shines ten times brighter as another figure enters the room.
"Good morning, my lady. Or should I say "good afternoon?" Terry kisses his wife sweetly and offers her a variety of breakfast foods.
"Did I sleep that long?" Susan whispers softly, glancing at the wall clock. The excitement of yesterday, the thrill of their news all contributed to this usually early rising woman's overtired, well-deserved rest.
"And why not? You're sleeping for two now after all and eating for two as well, darling." And like a faithful attendant seeing to his queen's every whim, Terry sets out his wife's array of breakfast delights. Susan, though touched and grateful, takes one look, and her fragile stomach decides against it.
"Thank you, darling, but - I don't think I'm up to it right now." She never was much of an eater-having never had to eat in the Doorway of Time-and often had to be prompted to eat by her caring husband. Susan was about to discover that his gentle prodding could become firm in it's good intention.
"Susan, you must eat. I've spent my morning reading the few books in the library that touch upon the subject of pregnancy and birth and they all agree that the healthiest babies are the result of the mother's nutritional balance early on." Ever the scholar, Terry's eager mind thrived on whatever literature he could find on this now pressing subject.
"Yes, Terry darling, but I don't think I can-" Susan, though the well-prepared meal looked scrumptious, could not bring herself to eat it.
"Just a spoonful or two. That's all I ask." Terry says with a firm smile, spooning some eggs to her lips.
"Darling, I…" Susan starts to shake her head.
"Susan, please?" The look in his eye gave Susan a glimpse of just how doubly overprotective her already protective Terry was going to be through the next few months. How sweet you are, Terry darling. How wonderful it feels to be watched over, cared for, loved by someone so special. Susan smiles softly as she accepts a tiny nibble of the spoonful. Terry didn't want to push her too much, but just felt an overwhelming responsibility weighing down on him-what he read in those books worried him too. He knew Susan was a delicate woman and this danger, no matter how slight nowadays, and the pain that would come to her, was somehow all his fault.
"There." Terry is satisfied after she takes a few small mouthfuls and removes the tray, sitting lightly on the bed's edge, stroking her dark hair lovingly.
"Are you feeling all right, darling? I think you should get some rest now. Yesterday was very strenuous for you." Terry gently fluffs her pillows, intending for her to rest quietly the rest of the day.
As he watches her drift off to sleep, holding her hand, he was certain the child was going to be a girl -he wanted it to be a girl - so that she would be as beautiful as her mother…
"Darling? Didn't we promise to meet Alex and your brother at Alex's important car race event today?" Susan responsibly remembers.
"Ah yes. Well, I'll tell them to go on without us-" Terry starts to say.
"Please, can't we go? I'm feeling fine…really." Susan smiles her sweetest smile, fluttering her eyelids (that always got him).
"I don't think the hustle and bustle of a race track is a suitable place for you in your condition." Terry says authoritatively, knowing the raucous crowds, smoke and dust from the vehicles. But upon seeing her disappointed eyes, Terry concedes a bit.
"We can stop by their apartment and tell them the news before they go to the race. That will give you your chance to talk with Alex and Michelle. That's it, isn't it, my lady?" Terry says knowing full well all Susan wanted to go to the racetrack for was to tell everyone their good news.
"Yes, that will do nicely." Susan replies as a knock comes on the door.
"Susan, can I see you for a minute? Just a teeny, tiny second…" Tara barges in their room, looking for a little womanly advice. Her first date was weighing so heavily down on her mind.
"Of course, Tara dear." Susan says in a motherly way, as she leaves Terry with a kiss to help Tara.
"Did you tell him then?" Tara forgets her own little worries for a moment.
"Yes! He's so pleased." Susan smiles brightly, hugging Tara's thin shoulders as they go into her room.
"I knew he would be. Terry-papa will make a good father, and you'll be a good mother, Susan." Tara said from experience.
"It's all so wonderful!" Susan sighs.
Suddenly, a look of pain crosses her face as Tara asks "What's wrong? Does it hurt?"
"No, no. Not that much." Susan smiles, every inch of herself rejoicing in feeling such pain. For she knew that with such pain she was a step closer to having her long forgotten dream from a thousand lonely years ago, come to fruition. "What did you want to see me about, Tara?" Susan changes the subject upon seeing the concern in Tara's eyes.
"I just wanted to ask you if my hair was nice enough for a-for a-" Tara stumbles on the cherished word.
"Date?" Susan smiles at her sweet innocence, remember how shy-terribly beyond shy-she was on her first date (official one anyway) with Terry, which seemed like a lifetime ago.
"Your hair is beautiful! It suits you perfectly." Susan strokes her hair, trying to imagine what color hair her baby was going to have.
"Thank you. May I wear the new silver necklace Papa just sent me?" Tara asks, fingering through her jewelry box.
"Of course. This is a special occasion, isn't it?" Susan says as she clasps the expensive necklace around Tara's slender neck.
"Yes, it's very special. Susan…I'm so excited!" Tara whispers, giving her beloved guardian a hug, pushing away the horrible vision of the future she had been having these past few weeks…
"I want to be happy like this always!" Tara hugs Susan tighter, as they talk about babies and Saturday dates, chatting away the morning together.
THUMP THUMP THUMP!
"Hi." Sammy's unusually meek voice shows he was just as nervous as Tara, in this, the first step of their relationship.
"Hi." Tara answers, meeting his eyes for a second, then quickly pulling away.
"Are you, um…you look….oh…these are for you." Sammy hands over a little bouquet of white and pink pansies and carnations to her.
"Thank you, Samuel." Tara toys with the sweet fragrant flowers, the two of them nervously standing in the doorway, uncertain of what to say to each other as Terry comes down the hall with a book in his hand and his eyeglasses on.
"Good afternoon." Terry says politely. "Won't you come in for a drink on this warm day? Or have some cookies before you go? I can easily cook something in just a few minutes…" Terry says, until Susan arrives, taking her husband's arm.
"Susan." Terry gives her that "don't overexert yourself" look that she was getting quite accustomed to seeing, as he pushes his glasses up firmly. Susan smiled at how cute he looked in eyeglasses.
"Yes, darling." She replies easily.
"Oh, no, thanks, um, sir, ma'am, but the movie starts pretty soon and it's a long ride so we've got to get going." Sammy smiles, as he and Tara head out with a wave.
"Would you like us to drive you-" Terry starts to call out, realizing the distance the poor boy has to bicycle and now with a passenger no less. But Susan stops his sentence with a tap on the lips.
"Let Sammy show off a little, darling. Not that he really needs to. Tara's quite taken with him, you know." Susan says, arranging Tara's flowers in a vase on the desk.
"Like I am with you?" Terry says softly, as Susan repeats "Like I am with you."
"Well, I hope she's not that taken with him." Terry fatherly, and with a little worry in his voice says as they watch the two bicycle off to the city.
A while later, Terry and Susan walk up to the Starr & Sokova residence, and find no answer to their repeated ringing of the doorbell.
"Yeah?" Alex finally opens the door, looking rather disheveled and upset.
"Oh, hello, Alex. I'm so sorry but we can't make it to your car race today." Susan starts gently.
"Hmph. That figures." Alex says sarcastically, pouring herself a drink and leading them to the kitchen, off-handedly offering them both a drink.
"Don't bother talking to Ally. She's in a bad mood today." Sayer says, sitting on couch nonchalantly, playing his video games.
"I am not! Just because there's a flu epidemic going around on the track, they had to go and cancel the race." Alex crosses her arms, indeed in a bad mood, standing over them.
"See? You are in a bad mood. I was right! I'm just glad you didn't catch the flu, too! You're really rotten when you're sick."
Terry raises his eyebrows, wondering how his brother could say such things to his own wife.
"No, I caught something worse - you." Alex presses the cold glass to Sayer's neck, causing him to shriek and spill the cold water all over the carpet.
Terry and Susan watch this argument in amusement.
"Sit you two." Alex orders once she shows who's boss, Sayer finding himself flat on his back, his video game controller wrapped around his neck.
"Thank you." Terry nods politely, used to seeing Sayer in awkward positions nowadays. However, upon looking around, he finds nowhere to sit, with all the clutter about.
"Alex, did you have a party last night? I'll gladly help you tidy the apartment if you'd like." Susan says, busying herself by clearing off the love seat so that she and Terry could sit.
"Susan." Terry with one word, tells her not to clean up after them.
"A party? Well, I guess you can say that, but it's always like this anyway.' Sayer says blatantly honest, not caring a bit as Alex blushes slightly.
"Alex, why didn't you ask for help? I'm fairly adept at housekeeping now, so I can teach you-" Susan starts to say innocently.
"I'm not cleaning up after his mess." Alex, firm on the subject, folds her arms, and gives Sayer a sideways glance.
"My mess! You're part of this too!" Sayer answers back, not taking this lying down.
"I clean up after myself. You're the slob! I'm not here to be your maid, Mr. Starr. It's a matter of principle." Alex says in her stubborn way.
"Alex, it's not principle, it's good housekeep-EEEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!" Susan's calm voice squeaks into a screech as she, continuing cleaning, lifted a discarded paper plate and a creepy crawly roach comes scurrying out, disturbed from his tasty lunch. Instinctively, Susan, terrified of insects, leaps without a second thought into Terry's arms as he immediately came to her rescue.
"Susan darling! It's all right. It's only a tiny insect." Terry tries to calm his wife down, holding her tightly.
Alex and Sayer both spring into action, one with a rolled up newspaper, and the other with a slipper and
SMASH!
Both paper and slipper come down with a whacking thud, while Sayer trips up in Alex's long legs, both of them smashing down to the floor in a crashing heap, and everything going down with them.
Yet, the nasty little uninvited guest keeps on crawling under the TV cabinet, totally unaware his small life was in danger, leaving the room behind him in total chaos.
"Susan, don't. In your condition, you shouldn't be so excited." Terry continues to soothe his terrified wife, wondering how his serene, calm lady could transform into a scared, whimpering girl at the sight of a minuscule little creature.
"What condition?" Michelle's airy voice enters the room as she just lets herself and Robin in.
Sayer and Alex were both trying to extricate themselves from one another as one of the new party comments on the state of their apartment.
"Ick! What a disgusting mess! We heard screaming and I knew it had to be you, Sayer." Robin crinkles his nose, making a sour face at them.
"Gee, thanks, Rob." Sayer says sarcastically.
"You try to live with him." Alex points an accusing finger as she forcefully shoves Sayer away from her.
"I've already been there. No thanks." Robin says smugly.
"Was that a roach I saw?" Michelle raises one high-class eyebrow at the low class thing.
"Where!" Susan says, panicking again, as she was just getting settled down.
"It's gone, Susan darling. Don't worry." Terry kisses her forehead comfortingly.
"You're going to have to fumigate the place now." Robin looks around the living room with disdain.
"Good idea, shrimp. Michelle, can you put me up for a few-" Alex starts to ask, it only being an unnecessary formality, she and Michelle were that close she didn't have to ask.
"Oh, Alex, I'm sorry but the mansion's being worked on right now for-uh-a special remodeling." Michelle smiles sideways at Robin, his eyes suddenly scared, knowing exactly what she meant.
"I'm going to be staying at my place here in the city…with Robin." Michelle coos dreamily, looking into Robin's unsuspecting eyes.
"What! You didn't tell me!" Robin's high pitched voice says, really quite attached to living alone - especially knowing what fate (and Michelle) had in store for him soon.
"Oh, didn't I?" Michelle says coyly, knowing he could do nothing about it (it was her apartment after all), and maybe this could be her chance to really get to know Robin even more…
"Oh, thank you, Michelle. We will." Alex smirks, helping her husband from the ground. She knew Michelle very well herself.
"'We will what?'" Michelle asks flat-toned, turning to Alex with trepidatious curiosity.
"Yes, we will stay with you at the apartment. It's very kind of you - both to ask." Alex smirks facetiously, raising her eyebrows. Michelle's hopes of her chances alone with Robin were sinking.
"You're welcome, Amara dear." Michelle sighs, knowing it was a losing battle to fight with Alex.
"Hee, hee, Rob." Sayer snickers as Robin rolls his head in his hands now. Not only losing his pleasant bachelor pad to Michelle's fancies, but to Alex's torture as well.
That settled, everyone calms down to a cup of tea Terry makes, with Susan still clinging to him in fear of small intruders.
Suddenly Michelle remembers her question from before as she sips her tea. "So Susan, what is this about your condition? Do tell." Michelle says in a very curious manner, wondering what new emotion she was feeling intensely from Terry and Susan both.