Jeff Tracy emerged from his bathroom wrapped in his bathrobe, rubbing a towel over wet hair. Spending eight years stuck so far away from earth had given him a much greater appreciation of such luxuries as the shower, standing still with warm water pouring over him. So much so that he still showered twice every day…just because he could. Outer space really was barren of water. In his small part of it, at least. Even now, almost two years after being rescued, he still at times pinched himself, to assure himself that he was not about to wake up from a wonderful dream to find himself back on that barren asteroid, way outside the solar system.
Discarding the towel, he wandered over to his balcony and leaned on the rail. The sun was peeping over the horizon, sending golden rays across the blue sky. Down in the pool, Jeff could see Gordon was already out there, powering up and down, the golden sun glinting off his wet hair.
Sitting on one of the loungers beside the pool, elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands, idly watching his younger brother swimming, was John. Jeff frowned slightly. Something was not quite right there…
John looked round when his father perched on the edge of his lounger and snaked an arm around his shoulders.
"How are you doing son?" Jeff asked him quietly. John half shrugged, and then grinned.
"You smell nice. Had your shower at last, eh?"
Jeff laughed.
"Very funny John. I hope you never have to learn just how amazing it is, to have as much water as you will ever want or need, right at your fingertips."
"Actually dad…the water supply on Five is not unlimited…"
His father smiled and nodded.
"True, but you can, at least, get your tanks refilled in just a few hours."
After a few moments' silence, Jeff nudged his son gently with his shoulder.
"You want to talk about it?"
John startled, then sighed heavily.
"I…it's…I think…"
Jeff waited patiently for John to collect his thoughts together. John huffed and rolled his eyes and tried again.
"It's just that…um…its Amelia."
Jeff tried not to jump to conclusions. He remembered what John had been like when he had learned about his first love Ellie and her unflattering decision to become a nun. Jeff had met Amelia when she had accompanied John to a Tracy Industries business reception in New York, and he was quite sure that the young woman had no such plans to enter any convent, whatever John's fears. He was also convinced that in the short time the two had been seeing each other, they had fallen head over heels in love.
"Is she okay?"
John nodded.
"I love her, dad. I can't get her out of my mind. I know she isn't perfect. She's grouchy if she gets woken up too soon, she is has occasional inexplicable bouts of moodiness every so often, nothing bad or anything, but she always apologizes and makes up for it afterwards. I love her smile, her laugh, the way her eyes shine…she has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen and…what? Dad, what?"
John broke off when he caught his father chuckling.
"John, your brothers have been telling me for the past few weeks that you are in love; and between you and me, I have even overheard the girls plotting to hijack you both and strand you on Mateo if you don't realise it soon."
John nodded slowly, trying to work out the logic of that one.
"Right."
"So…what is your problem then son?"
John opened his mouth, then closed it again and let out a slight sigh. Jeff felt for him. John was not the most skilled of his sons at analysing or dealing with his own emotions.
"I fell in love before dad, and I don't want the same thing to happen again."
Jeff nodded.
"I know you were badly hurt by Ellie, but John, Amelia Payne is not Ellie Yeates."
"Ellie loved me dad, she said so at the time, but it didn't stop her leaving me. I couldn't…if I lose Amelia…I can't…"
Jeff was dismayed to see a fat tear roll down John's cheek, and he cradled his son's face against his shoulder. After a moment, John pulled back and smiled half shyly.
"Sorry."
"It's okay John."
Jeff brushed red hair from John's eyes and then cradled his face with both hands.
"Amelia loves you, John. She…loves….you. If you don't want to ever lose her, you know what to do about it. Don't make her decisions for her. That isn't fair. Have you told her anything about Ellie?"
John shrugged.
"Some, but not everything. She does know I got badly hurt once before though."
"So, she won't be the one to hurt you again, John. Are you really afraid that she'll reject you?"
John pushed the heels of his hands into his eyes and thought hard. The love in Amelia's eyes whenever he arrived, whenever they kissed…that was plain to be seen. As for Ellie, he had known she was somewhat religious and had thought nothing of it. With Amelia, the subject of religion had never come up, but he had the distinct impression that it was a subject that had never crossed her mind. In truth, she was the last person alive to go into a convent. There was so much she had spoken of wanting to do in her life. Places she wanted to see some time. No, he didn't think that of her. Not really. She was his through and through. So what really was his problem?
He looked up at his father, and he could see the answer in his dad's eyes. Jeff Tracy could see through a six-inch plank. He thought about his younger brothers Virgil and Gordon…and even Scott. They had all had their own moments of fear despite knowing how their partners felt about them. He remembered Scott confiding how scared he was of proposing to Kayo in case she turned him down. Gordon had been even more scared, considering the identity of his lover, and the changes that would have to happen to one or both of them if any marriage between them should happen.
And yet, when Scott had proposed to Kayo, she had squealed and jumped into his arms. When Gordon had eventually plucked up the courage to propose to Lady Penelope, she had kissed him long and full on the lips and had replied with…according to Gordon…something like; "Of course I will, darling. What took you so long!?"
He smiled suddenly.
"Actually, I think I am more worried that I'm not good enough for her, but I suppose I ought to let her decide that for herself, shouldn't I, dad?"
Jeff kissed John on the forehead.
"So, are you going to propose to her when you meet her on Saturday?"
John bit his lip, frowned, and then shook his head.
"No, dad." He replied, all doubt seemingly gone from his features. "I'm going to do it right now. Can I borrow the jet?"
Amelia Payne groaned and hit the snooze button on her alarm clock. The noise did not stop. She sat up, blinking tiredly and peered at the time. Ten more minutes before her alarm was due to go off! How she hated waking up before the alarm! There was always the slight resentment of being awake when you didn't want to be, and the determination to go back to sleep until the alarm awakened you at the right time. Then, she would spend the rest of the day battling a sleep headache.
She became aware of the noise again and shook her head, realising that it was the front doorbell. That new buzzy thing John had installed for her. Her previous doorbell had been the kind that played pretty tunes, and she had often sat and enjoyed listening to the tune rather than remember that it represented someone waiting impatiently at her front door.
It had happened to John once too often, and he had confiscated the pretty doorbell and given her this hateful buzzy one instead. It had worked though. She always rushed to answer the door now, if only to stop her visitor from pressing the bell a second time. When she had complained she liked the tunes from the doorbell, he had, aggravating man, downloaded all those tunes onto her phone for her so that she could listen to them anytime she wanted to.
The buzz came again, and she grabbed her dressing gown and, yawning widely, she hurried to the front door and opened it.
John was stood there, a huge bunch of red roses in his arms. He handed them to her. She took them automatically, still shocked at finding him there.
"John?"
She stood aside, and he came in and closed the door quietly, then took her free hand and led her into her lounge. She watched as he sat her down; and began to pace in front of her. She knew better than to try and interrogate him. He would find his own words in his own time. It didn't take long.
He quickly stopped pacing, turned to her and smiled. It was the smile he saved just for her. It told her of all his love for her, and yet seemed slightly shy at the same time. She found it irresistible. He dropped to his knees in front of her and clasped her one free hand in his own.
"Amelia, I…it has taken me a long time to find you. I love you and I don't want to ever lose you…"
"Johnny, you won't lose me…ever…"
His smile deepened, and he reached a hand into his pocket and brought out a small red velvet box.
"Amelia…my Amelia…will you marry me?"
Carefully laying the roses beside her on the sofa, she cupped his face with both hands, then leant forward and kissed him passionately on the lips. When they parted, she kissed the tip of his nose.
"Stay right there, don't move a muscle. Before I answer you, I have something to give you."
She was back in less than ten seconds. In her hand she had a small black box. Smiling, she handed it to him.
"Yes I will marry you, John Tracy."
She took the little red box he gave her and opened it. Inside was a beautiful engagement ring, in white-gold if she was not mistaken, with a small red ruby stone surrounded by tiny white diamonds. She heard a hiss of surprise and looked up. He was holding in his hand the ring she had bought for him. Also in white-gold, no stone of course, but the band was beautifully etched with an intricate design of stars.
"Its…its…"
Words failed him. Amelia smiled lovingly.
"I love you, John. I…I bought that ring for you as soon as I knew I wanted to be your wife…I hoped ever since I would be able to give it to you."
He hugged her tightly, then grinned at her.
"So, when exactly did you buy it?"
She blushed.
"Um…the first time we met? When I got my heel stuck in the paving slabs and you had to help me? I spent two hours in the hospital being treated for minor burns to my leg. I…I dreamt about you that night, and the next, and the next. On the third day I went out and looked for that ring. I had it etched especially for you. You'll find it engraved on the inside."
Eyebrows raised in surprise, John looked carefully at the inside of the ring.
"Dearest John, my star and my love. Your Amy"
