CHAPTER 45 - BEDTIME

Abigail used the side edge of her scoop and made a circular motion in the pale-yellow mixture, allowing for a round even portion. Moving the full scoop over a plate, she emptied the scrambled eggs onto the flat surface and then handed the plate to the person standing in the breakfast line in front of Elizabeth.

The man wearing a crew uniform took the plate and frowned at the meager portion before placing it onto his tray and then moving forward without a word.

"He looked kind of upset. Don't you usually give two or three scoops of scrambled eggs?" Elizabeth asked curiously.

She hadn't eaten in the cafeteria in three days, preferring to take her meals with Jack, who had been moved out of the infirmary after a day and was now confined to his berth under doctor's orders.

At least Elizabeth let him think it was the doctor's orders. Yesterday, the ship's doctor had actually told Elizabeth that Jack could get up and move around, but Elizabeth had decided to keep that information from her husband.

This was the first morning since the space debris bombardment that she had agreed to leave his side long enough to eat in the cafeteria.

Abigail handed Elizabeth an apple, a plate with a scoop of eggs and a piece of toast, and a large bowl of oatmeal, kale, and flax.

"We're on restricted meals until we get to Earth. I've got to find a way to make our food last these extra weeks its going to take us to get back home. I sent Jack's tray to your quarters already," she replied.

The space debris which had hit the ship earlier in the week had caused considerable damage to three engines and some thrustors resulting in the transporter no longer hurtling through space.

For the past three and a half months – up until a few days ago-, the ship had been speeding through galaxies like a fancy sports car on a highway with no speed limits or traffic lights along its route. Now, since the damage, it was moving along like a family's second car stuck behind a tractor on a two-lane country road.

"Have they said anymore about the damage? I thought they were hoping to repair some of the engines."

"We going to be chugging along as best we can. They're estimating the best we can do is fifty percent of our usual speed," Abigail explained. "But don't worry, you'll still get your usual caloric intake. Doctor's orders. And Jack's", she added with a smile. "Despite his injuries, he sent me a message yesterday to confirm that you won't be shortchanged on your meals."

Elizabeth frowned and looked around the room. "I feel guilty. Getting a full portion while everyone else gets less."

"Don't worry about it," Abigail said. She handed a plate with a single scoop of eggs to the person in line behind Elizabeth. The woman took the plate and moved around Elizabeth to continue through the line.

"You're not the only one on full rations. Anyone under the doctor's care gets full meals while they recuperate from their injuries. I've got five, including you and Jack."

Elizabeth took her tray of food and a box of juice and moved across the cafeteria towards her usual table. She paused before she was halfway to her friends.

A man sat by himself at the table to her right. She had seen him before. Not often, but more recently now that he was allowed out of his room without an escort.

Turner. I can't remember his first name. Some kind of scientist, she thought.

This morning, he had caught her attention because he was holding an opened book in one hand while eating his breakfast. Anyone with a book intrigued her.

She tilted her head, furtively glanced at the object in his hands, and tried to read the words printed on the cover.

"You're reading 'The Island'. About the leper colony", Elizabeth said in surprise. "It's one of my favorites."

"Mine too. It's got romance, intrigue, historical facts. I know that most people think paper novels are antiques but I like the feel of the paper between my fingers. My wife was a collector of books."

"Me too! Does she still collect? Your wife?"

The man motioned to the empty seat across from him, tacitly inviting Elizabeth to join him.

"She's passed away, but we were married for thirty years," the man replied as Elizabeth set her tray down and then sat in the offered chair.

"Her name was Paige", he continued. "When she met me, she decided it was fate. I used to tease her that she married me just to get my last name," the man said with a smile.

"Fate?"

"Paige Turner. Her being a book lover, she couldn't ask for a better name."

Elizabeth chuckled when she agreed that it was the perfect name for a book lover. "Do you have children?"

Her question caused the man to smile even broader.

"A son named Roman –".

"The French and German word for novel," she interrupted with a laugh.

The man nodded in agreement. "And a daughter named Novella. I told you that my wife loved books."

As Elizabeth ate her breakfast, she found the man to be good company. She soon realized that after eating with the usual group of friends for months, it was nice to have a conversation with someone new.

After talk about books, home towns, and the man's children, Elizabeth finally asked the question that had been on her mind.

"Why'd you stow away?"

"They wouldn't let me go to Coal Valley", the man responded with a shrug. "I wanted to go. I've studied for decades. I know everything about anthracite, growing plants in areas with soil lacking nutrients. Biological hazards. Microbiology. They wouldn't approve me, so I just decided to go anyway. It's been my life's dream."

"Why wouldn't they let you go?"

"I didn't pass the physical. I'm fifty-five years old and have too much wrong with me."

"Your limp?"

"Nah. That's since birth. It doesn't get in the way."

"One of my roommates on the voyage to Coal Valley had allergies," Elizabeth offered. She took a sip of her juice before continuing. "He got a medical waiver."

"That's because everything is so sterile, there's not much likelihood of allergens in space or Coal Valley, which is still pretty desolate, so a waiver is a no brainer for someone like your roommate."

"He was allergic to my perfume," Elizabeth noted as she thought about Carl. "It used to make him sniffle and sneeze."

"Then why'd you wear it?"

"That was to entice my other roommate."

"Did it work?"

"He married me".

The man couldn't help but smile. "Kind of harsh for your allergic roommate to have to go through the sniffles for your love life."

"Yeah. I felt a bit bad but it was worth it. Jack just . . . .well. . . he just made me feel all tingly. Still does," Elizabeth gushed. "If you've ever met my husband, you'd understand."

"I have met your husband and I can't say he made me tingly. Not even when he put handcuffs on me."

"Oh, that's right. He took you into custody," Elizabeth said guiltily. "He was just doing his job."

"I know," the man agreed in a forgiving tone before continuing with his explanation about his ailments. "It wasn't my limp or allergies. It was my asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. The powers that be thought that I'd be too much of a risk. That I wouldn't be productive enough."

"I'm sorry," Elizabeth told the man. She realized that she truly meant it. "My dream has always been to be a teacher. I can't imagine if I couldn't do that."

"I've seen you with the kids on the ship. You're good with them. And I'm sorry that I slowed the trip down by a bit for a few days when we had to dock up with Pegasus. You husband wasn't too happy with me."

Elizabeth smiled and put her hand on her tummy. "We're expecting. I just want to get home to Earth and have a normal pregnancy without space worries."

"You're lucky. You being a teacher. That's a level three, right?"

"Yes, it is."

"And your husband is in law enforcement. That's a level two. And both of you on this two-year assignment, that gets you quite a few points. You'll be able to have several children."

"Jack wants to have a whole clan," Elizabeth answered with a smile.

The man sitting with her was correct. She and Jack would be allowed to have several children due to their occupations and duties. This pregnancy had taken her and Jack by total surprise due to its timing, but they had known that they wanted to have children.

Years ago, after decades of over-population, followed by a five-year drought and famine that had covered most of Earth, the World Committee had issued restrictions on child bearing. Each Earth Citizen was granted the right to have a child, or more than one, based on what the citizen provided to Earth. Those citizens who worked to save Earth from further destruction were rewarded. Those citizens that greedily used up resources were not. It was harsh to some, but necessary to save the planet.

Citizens in the highest level, Level One – which was made up of scientists, engineers, and doctors, earned the most points. Military, law enforcement personnel, and some medical technicians were in Level Two. Farmers and school teachers, such as Elizabeth, were in Level Three. Each level was assigned a number with Level One having the most points and Level Ten having the least.

Citizens in the lower levels - such as athletes, entertainers, artists, hair stylists, and shop keepers - were not without hope. While it was more difficult for them to earn points and they rarely earned enough for more than one child, the numerical system rewarded those who, in addition to their regular jobs, did charitable work or who volunteered for hazardous or experimental duties.

Elizabeth had once met a Level Ten citizen who, by doing volunteer work among the sick, had earned enough points to have three children. Unfortunately, by the time the woman had accumulated her points and found time to have her children, she discovered she was barren. Unable by law to transfer her points to another citizen, she and her husband had been blessed with the gratitude of their devotion to Earth but never blessed with adding children to its population.

Between Jack's Level Two rating, Elizabeth's Level Three rating, and each of them earning a large number of points based on their duties at Coal Valley, the couple was luckier than most of the world.

They had love and would be legally allowed to have children.

Elizabeth smiled as she walked down the corridor. Their trip back to Earth was taking far longer than anticipated, but she reasoned that she could handle another four weeks. She could even handle sharing quarters with Becca and Candy, eating doctor-prescribed meals, and protecting herself from radiation exposure. It would all be worth it.

She was getting closer to home, to starting a real home with Jack.

A home with a yard, and a sun, and sunsets. A home that was furnished with soft plush furniture in a variety of patterns; not the sensible plastic and metal government-issued furniture that had been provided in Coal Valley. A home that actually belonged to the two of them and they never had to leave if they didn't want to.

"I'm just getting ready to leave," Jack told her as he closed his laptop when the door slid open and he saw Elizabeth enter their living quarters.

"Leave to go where?" Elizabeth asked in surprise.

"To the lounge. I'm going to watch the games."

"Games? What games?"

"I told you earlier. It's the North American World Series. They were last month but we don't know the outcome yet. Someone sent us the tapes."

He did mention it to me, but really, how important can baseball be? she thought as she remembered hearing some of the men mention the games to Jack when they had stopped by yesterday.

"I want you to stay in bed," Elizabeth objected.

"Normally those are a man's favorite words from his wife. But, in this case, you're not joining me in bed. So you'll have to excuse my lack of enthusiasm."

"Why don't you finish that paper for that one course you're taking?"

"I already did. You said you'd proofread it for me," Jack reminded her.

Elizabeth moved out of the way as their roommate came out of the shower room and moved past her.

The woman grabbed a bra and pair of panties from her locker and then moved past Elizabeth again. At least, Elizabeth assumed there were panties in the woman's hands, but given the scarcity of fabric she suspected that they were thongs.

Elizabeth sighed when she remembered that she had promised to read the paper before Jack had to submit it. With everything going on, she had put it from her mind.

"Sorry, I'll get to it today. Why don't you work on the other class in the meantime?"

"I took the final exam yesterday. Can I get out of bed now, teacher? The ball game's calling me," he responded with a smile.

"I'm sorry but you're not going anywhere," she replied simply. "You just had very serious surgery."

"That was three days ago. You've been treating me like an invalid ever since then. I am fine."

"You almost died."

"That was before the surgery. When I was stuck under a pile of rocks. Now I'm tired of being stuck in bed."

"You should have thought about that before you were on a transporter hurtling through space and allowed a pallet of rock specimens to fall on you. Now stay", she ordered and then gave him a quick kiss.

"The only way I am staying in this berth is if you stay with me."

"You know I can't. I just came back to check on you. I've got to get to the messenger center and answer my education assessment, plus I have an appointment with Doc, and then I have to meet my students for class. I haven't taught since the debris bombardment."

"Then I'm going to the lounge" Jack declared. "It's just for a few hours."

"No, you are not."

"It's the World Series!"

"I don't care if it's the Intergalactic Olympics, you are not going," an unpersuaded Elizabeth responded simply.

"There's no such thing as the Intergalactic Olympics. You really know nothing about sports," Jack said in mild disgust at Elizabeth's lack of understanding of the importance of the World Series.

"Whatever", she replied dismissively.

"If you're not staying, then I'm not either," Jack decided. He swung his legs over the side of his berth.

"Get back in that berth!" she ordered. "If you even try to leave this room, I will throw such a fit, that the that the captain will ban the World Series. I mean it."

As Elizabeth went to locker to get her toothbrush, Jack gave a pleading look to Becca who had opened up her curtain after changing and was walking past them to put away her towel.

"I don't mind staying and keeping you company, Jack," Becca volunteered.

"You don't have to do that, Becca. He'll be fine," Elizabeth said as headed towards the sink.

"I don't mind. I don't have to work today. And I stopped seeing the guy in air purification so I've got nothing better to do."

"I'll even crawl into your berth with you so we can play a game of cards or something," the attractive roommate added as she looked at Jack.

"Crawl into bed with him?" Elizabeth's eyes got wide and she quickly came back into the room.

"Since he can't get out."

"Cards would be fun," Jack replied agreeably. "It will be kind of squished in here, but if I can't hang with the guys in the lounge, I'm okay with cards."

"Cards in his berth? The two of you?" Elizabeth asked but no one seemed to hear her.

"Poker okay with you, Becca?"

"I only know Strip poker," she said in a friendly voice in response to Jack's question.

"Better make it gin rummy then," Jack noted as Becca handed him a deck of cards.

"Cards in his berth? The two of you?" Elizabeth repeated more loudly this time.

Becca shrugged. "Unless he wants to take a shower or something. I can help him to the shower."

"He is not to get out of bed!" Elizabeth objected as she imagined Becca with her perky breasts in a wet tee-shirt holding Jack steady under the spray of water. "He does not need a shower!"

"Okay, a sponge bath then. Is that okay with you, Jack?"

"I guess," Jack answered agreeably. "If you don't mind, since I'm stuck in bed anyway. A nice game of cards and then a sponge bath. Sounds good."

"Jack", Elizabeth gasped, but Jack pretended not to notice as he ran his hand through his hair.

"I could use a shower or bath. It's been a few days."

"No problem. Candy can help. She should be back soon. It will be fun. Why don't I crawl in with you now and we play until she gets here?" Becca suggested as she moved toward Jack's berth.

Jack pulled his legs back into his berth and quickly scooched over for his roommate.

"Have you ever had two beautiful women give you a sponge bath before?"

"I haven't" Jack thought pensively. "But I'm –"

"No, he has not," Elizabeth adamantly declared. "And he is not about to."

"I could try it", he offered.

Elizabeth threw her toothbrush onto her berth, marched over to Jack's locker, and pulled out his shoes. "Let's go, Jack. I'll walk you to the lounge."

"I thought you said I had to stay here. With Becca and Candy to take care of me," he responded innocently as he made no move to leave his berth.

"Move!" she ordered.

'But I'll get a sponge bath," he protested.

"MOVE!"

Jack swung his legs off the side of his berth and Elizabeth bent down in front of him.

"I'll put your shoes on you. I don't want you bending your abdomen too much. You need to promise to be careful, okay?" she asked as she slipped his shoes onto his feet.

"I promise. You do realize that I'm not going to be playing in the World Series . Just watching."

"I can't believe what I have to deal with", Elizabeth muttered under her breath as she began tying the laces on one of his shoes. "I'm guessing no woman on Earth has to deal with this."

"Did you say something?" Jack asked.

"No," she replied and then went back to muttering. "A nice relationship with the man I love. That's all I'm asking for. That and a healthy Earth baby."

While Elizabeth finished with one shoe, she moved onto the other shoe. While her head was still bent down, Jack silently mouthed a thank you to Becca, who returned his smile.

It wasn't until they were in the elevator that Elizabeth realized she had been had.

"She wasn't really going to give you a sponge bath or shower or play strip poker, was she?"

"Nope." Jack tried to keep from smiling as he refused to look at Elizabeth and instead kept his eyes focused on the illuminated number indicating the levels of the ship.

"And you wouldn't have let her even if she wanted to crawl into your berth, give you a sponge bath, or help you in the shower, would you?"

"Nope."

"You played me so you could go see the ball games."

"Yep." Jack grinned broadly, bounced on his heels, and continued to look at the changing numbers.

Elizabeth slammed her hand on the red stop button causing the elevator to come to an abrupt halt. She turned to face her husband and gave him a stern look. "What was in it for Becca?"

"She wanted the room for herself and her boyfriend."

"I thought they broke up?"

"Nope."

"She lied and you went along with this little impromptu acting job? So, she gets the room and you get to hang out with your mates in the lounge and watch sports?"

"Yep."

"Okay, stop with the monosyllabic answers and string together a few more words for me," she ordered.

"Look who's acting all righteous. It's not like you haven't used our roommates to get what you want."

"What is that supposed to me?", an insulted Elizabeth shot back.

"I seem to recall that you had Seth and Carl keep me in the dark when you were trying to get me back after I broke up with you," Jack reminded her. He pulled out the red stop button and the elevator began moving again.

"That was different."

"How?" he asked with raised eyebrows.

"I was trying to entice you and you were ignoring me."

"I'm still trying to ignore you," Jack chuckled.

He stopped laughing when he saw Elizabeth's injured look.

"C'mon, Elizabeth. You've been babying me for days now. You practically spoon-feed me. The only time you let me out of the berth is when I have to go to the bathroom. I am fine. I can leave our living quarters. I am not going to fall apart."

"I'm just", she stopped talked and sighed. She knew she was probably being overprotective but she couldn't help herself. "I was just worried about you," she retorted in a huff.

"I know. And I appreciate that." Jack moved closer and put his hands on her waist.

"I was so worried about you," she said barely above a whisper. "I don't want you . . . leaving me. Ever."

Jack looked her in the eyes. Understanding the meaning of her words.

"I am not going to leave you. Ever. Not until we are old and gray and falling apart with a dozen grandchildren. And even then, I probably won't."

Elizabeth gave him a small smile.

"And if you let me go watch the games, I'll let you give me a sponge bath or take a shower with me later," he said seductively into her ear as he leaned his head close to hers.

The couple was still kissing when the door slid open.

"I told you that they're always kissing!" six-year old Tess remarked as she stood with her parents waiting to enter the elevator.

UP NEXT: CHAPTER 46

"THIS IS A LOCK DOWN. THE SHIP IS ON IMMEDIATE LOCKDOWN. DOORS ARE NOW LOCKED. ALL PERSONNEL WILL REMAIN IN THEIR CURRENT LOCATION UNTIL THEY ARE CLEARED TO BE MOVED."

Elizabeth looked around the empty room and wondered how long she would be imprisoned.