Chapter 13
After a surprisingly peaceful breakfast together, Wheeler headed off to meet Commander Clash and Linka made her way to the lab.
"Good morning,'" she called brightly as Georgie looked up from her microscope. "Have you seen the Trans today?"
"Yeah, I had breakfast with them, they went dolphin watching." Her friend grinned. "You're up late, fun night?"
Linka felt her cheeks warm but she said, "if you mean did I sleep well, then da."
Georgie grinned wider but didn't tease her further, "can you start on the soil samples from the Phalaenopsis? Unless you've got your own work to do first?"
"I told you I am free to help you today," Linka replied, fetching the first sample. "I find your research fascinating."
Mrs Tran came to join them a little later, and as an able scientist herself, soon became absorbed in the work along with the other two.
They took lunch later than usual and it wasn't until then that Gi's mother remarked on the absence of her husband. "I left him helping Wheeler and your soldier friend, but I'm surprised he didn't come to find me when they stopped to eat."
"That probably means they have not stopped," Linka said with a sigh, "Wheeler is normally very aware when he needs to eat, but he can also be competitive and if the Commander wanted to press on, I doubt he would have objected."
"That sounds about right," Mrs Tran agreed, thinking ruefully of her own husband, "I hope they are at least remembering their sunblock!"
After quickly confirming their assumptions with Gaia, the three women packed a picnic and took it out to share a meal with the workers.
The men were pleased by the interruption, and the food, and welcomed them. But although Wheeler and Linka managed to sit relatively close together, there was no opportunity for privacy and they couldn't do more than exchange a smile without drawing attention to themselves.
When they'd packed the remains of their meal away, the women opted to stay and help. The work went well and everyone was cheerful despite the circumstances.
Linka was feeling that it was a good day, until Gaia appeared at her side, "Linka, can I borrow you for a little while?"
Though she answered cheerfully and didn't let the immediate fears the request conjured up show on her face, she couldn't help but think it must be bad news.
"Hi." Gi didn't make an attempt to smile but she actually felt a little better for seeing her friend, even if it was only on a screen.
Linka settled back into the geo-cruiser's pilot chair, curling her legs beneath her in preparation for a long chat. "How are you doing?"
The Water Planeteer shrugged, "I feel like I'm waiting on a jury verdict… except I don't actually feel much of anything, I'm stuck in a weird limbo."
"What do the doctors say?"
"That he's stable… I don't know. They're hopeful, I guess? They say he's making progress, but I don't see any change." She sounded a little panicky as she continued, "Alda is sitting with him so I can get some rest, like I could actually sleep away from him." She sighed. "Sorry… I know I'm being really ungrateful, everyone has been kind and supportive, I just…"
Linka sighed, "It is ok to feel like that Gi, you love Pontus, of course you feel that way. I am sure everyone understands."
"I do love him Linka, I really do." She shook her head, "Wheeler was right, I spent way too much time thinking about my wedding day when I should have been concentrating on Pontus and our future, what if…"
She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence for which Linka was grateful, "Nyet, do not think like that. You need to listen to the doctors, they would not give you false hope. I know you are scared but Pontus needs you to take care of yourself, he will need you when he wakes up, and he is going to wake up, Gi."
Gi gave a small smile, "When did you get all positive? I expected a healthy dose of logic but not the extra pep talk."
Her friend blushed slightly and shrugged, "Pontus loves you too, he will fight to get back to you, I am sure of that. And he was fine with the wedding, did you see the way he looked at you when you were excited about something or other, you make him happy."
Her eyes filling with tears, Gi thanked her, "but what if he doesn't feel that way anymore? What if he wakes up and realises I'm not worth everything I've put him through? I made him give up his whole life practically and then I nearly get him killed!"
"Stop it." Linka said firmly, "You are talking nonsense. Pontus did not see it like that, and it was not your fault that he was injured." she ignored the fact that she had been ready to blame herself the day before. "If he ever regretted anything it was not leaving his home, but letting you have the left side of the bed, and he would have done far more if it made you happy."
That drew a genuine laugh from the Asian woman, "he did kinda sulk about that, huh?"
Linka smiled back, "Just a bit. That is better."
"Thanks." Gi wiped away a few tears, "I think spending time with Wheeler must be good for you if you're making jokes."
Again Linka shrugged, but when she would have turned the conversation to Pontus' family, Gi forestalled her. "I didn't screw that up too, right?"
Not following Gi's line of thought, Linka shook her head in confusion, "What?"
"You and Wheeler… when we spoke it seemed like you were getting close again," Gi told her remorsefully, "Please don't tell me it got messed up when everything went to hell here?"
Linka shook her head, reluctant to talk of her own feelings when they were so opposite to her friend's mood. "We are fine."
Gi put her head in her hands, "It did! My crazy idea didn't just wreck my life, it derailed my best friends too."
"Gi for goodness sake!" the Wind Planeteer exclaimed in exasperation, "Will you stop blowing everything out of proportion? None of that is true but the last thing you need to worry about right now is my love life."
Having somewhat recovered her control, Gi shrugged, "It's better than worrying about mine. I'm sorry Linka, I'm really not as unstable as I probably seem, I just can't talk to anyone here the way I can to you."
Linka nodded, doing a good job of hiding the way her heart sank, "I will come there, tell Kwame I will swap places with him."
"That means a lot to me, thank you." Gi said, "But there's really no point in you doing that. I sit with Pontus most of the time, you'd have nothing to do, and I can talk with you like this just as easily. Besides I'm pretty sure my mother would have a fit if you came here and refused to bring her with you."
Linka grimaced making her friend smile again, "If it wasn't for Kwame I don't think she'd have let me go in the first place, thanks for being there, I know you'll help her."
"I am not sure I am much help," Linka replied dubiously, "Georgie is more patient than I am."
"Georgie stayed? I'm glad…But don't think I don't know you're still avoiding talking about Wheeler. And don't say I don't need to worry about it, I need something happy to think about!"
The Russian laughed softly, "if that is the way you want it, I did not want to say the wrong thing."
Gi looked closely at her and then perked up, "You're trying not to smile! Something did happen between you!"
Keeping her features as closely schooled as possible, Linka said, "we have decided to try to make things work, da. We are taking care of each other so you really do not need to worry."
"Then you definitely don't need to be here," Gi said with a genuine smile, "I'm so happy for you, I've been rooting for you two for years!" She yawned, "You probably don't believe it but you have made me feel a bit better, I think maybe I'll try for some sleep after all."
Linka agreed she should get some rest and they signed off, promising to talk again the next day.
Not feeling like returning to the others, the wind Planeteer headed to her cabin to answer some e-mails.
When Wheeler got back to their room several hours later, Linka was still sitting at the desk typing on her laptop.
"I thought Clash would never call it a day! I need a shower." He stripped his shirt off and dropped it on the floor, then glanced at the back of Linka's head, picked it up again and put it in the washing basket she kept in the corner. "Georgie offered to cook tonight, and I figured you wouldn't mind since Mrs Tran will probably want to help again."
"That's fine," she said quietly, not looking up from her work.
He walked over to her and leant down so that he could see her face, "you ok?"
She reached out to cover the hand he'd placed on the desk with her own and smiled up at him. The smile was genuine but she still looked sad. "I am fine."
"No you're not, what's wrong?" He knelt down beside her, bringing them closer, though his head was now lower than hers. His free hand came to rest on her hip.
Linka sighed, relaxing a little under his touch, "I spoke to Gi. There is no news, "she made haste to reassure him, "she just needed someone to talk to... She is hurting."
Wheeler nodded, not sure what to say.
"I was going to call Grandmuska today but I could not, I feel too bad about being unable to help Gi, to be excited for myself." She leant down and kissed his forehead. "I do not want to send mixed messages."
"I know Babe." He told her, sliding his arms around her and resting his head on her chest.
Linka hugged him close, kissing the top of his head and then after a little while said, "You need a shower."
He laughed, "Wanna join me?"
"I have a week's worth of e-mails and reports to write…" she replied apologetically, running her fingers through his hair.
"Ok." He stood but bent down to kiss her, taking his time to enjoy the softness of her lips and remind her of the connection they shared. At last he pulled away to see that she was smiling and that this time it reached her eyes. He winked, and after one last tender brush of his lips, "Won't be long."
She watched him go thinking how lucky she was, her eyes shining a little brighter as he finished undressing before heading finally into the bathroom.
The water came on in the shower and Linka sighed. Shaking her head at herself, she stripped her clothes off in record time and followed him.
It was reasonable to assume that Wheeler knew the temptation he presented to his wife but it was with genuine surprise and delight that he greeted her when she slipped in beside him, and the look on his face made her burst into joyful laughter.
As he wrapped soapy arms around her and pressed his lips to her neck Linka had to acknowledge to herself that she'd laughed more in the last week than she had in years, and that nearly all previous occasions since she'd joined the Planeteers had involved Wheeler in one way or another.
She leant into his embrace, enjoying the way his wet naked body felt against her own, but when his hands began to roam she pulled back just far enough so that she could grab the shower gel. "We are washing, remember?" she teased as she rubbed the liquid between her hands.
He didn't object, then or when she began rubbing the newly created foam over his chest, in fact he moaned softly as her fingers traced a downwards path over a well-defined stomach but circled upwards again before things got interesting. What he did do was create a lather of his own, starting immediately with her breasts and giving them far more attention than necessary to wash away any sweat.
They took turns washing each other's backs from top to tail, Linka going first, and then Wheeler surprised her by reaching for her, his fingers doing more than simply rinsing away the soap, "Yes or no?"
She smiled and leant back against him, "Da."
Sometime later, having turned the water off, Linka settled into Wheeler's arms at the bottom of the shower, his legs bent on either side of her as they recovered from their mutual pleasure.
After a few minutes of comfortable silence just enjoying the other's presence, he hugged her closer, "You're going to go and stay with Gi, right?"
She shook her head, "Of course not, she said I should not… and besides, we cannot go down to Oceanus and leave Gi's parents here, especially with Commander Clash fixing the boat."
"We can't," he said softly, "but you can. You're her best friend, and I know it's killing you not to be with her."
She tightened her grip on his arms around her waist, "It would kill me not to be with you. We just got back together..."
He pressed his lips to the crook of her neck, "And it'll drive me slowly crazy to be apart from you, but we're good, nothing is going to change that." He raised one hand to rub the ring that was still hanging around her neck.
"Are you sure?" she asked, proving how well he'd read her feelings.
"Yeah… she's the closest thing I've ever had to a sister. There's no point in you both being miserable alone." He sighed, "I don't want that, I'd never want that."
The Wind Planeteer turned in his arms so that she could embrace him, "That is the point Yankee, I am not alone and miserable. I have you and that makes me happy, no matter what else is going on, but she… she has no one there that she feels she can open up to."
"Ma-Ti and Kwame are there… Alda too." He pointed out.
Linka shrugged, "but she called me, I should be there for her… but I cannot go if it will make you unhappy."
He kissed her and she returned it. Finally he said, "I told you, we'll be ok, I promise." He saw the gratitude in her eyes and began to formulate a plan, "Give Kwame a call and get him to swap with you tomorrow. I'll take you down there, then when we're done with the boat - if Pontus is still taking a nap - I'll join you and we can decide what to do then, ok?"
She nodded, smiling through the tears in her eyes, "Ok."
To be continued…