Their walk back to the commons room was quiet. She had her arm slung around his waist and his was around her shoulder.
"Something else is still bothering you," he says.
"I was just thinking how Walker's family betrayed him and how Liliya's deceived her. I wonder what made them do that…and if our lives are so similar to theirs…would that happen to us?"
"No. Walker's parents turned him in because they didn't want to lose him, to never see him again…my parents couldn't care less about me not being around. They probably don't even notice I'm gone."
"Do you honestly believe that?" she asks.
"Yeah…but I don't care. I know they care about me…it's just not tearin' them up that I'm not around…I was never around much when I lived there either. As soon as I was old enough to be a little more independent, I was always looking for excuses to get out of the house. What about you? Do you think your family would have deceived you like Liliya's did to her?"
"I would hope not. But I…I do not know…and I think that is what is bothering me. Not knowing. I saw many similarities between her brother and my brother. The way her brother was trying to find Walker and then struggled with having to lie to her…Mishka would have been like that. Except I do not think he would have lied…and I know my Grandmother would not have done anything to hurt me, but Liliya's Grandma did not really do anything to go against her father…"
"We can't think their families are anything like ours...I think the similarities end at Walker and Liliya. The only reason we even know about their families is because we asked Gaia for details on what happened to them. We know what our family members are like, and we know they wouldn't do what Walker and Liliya's family did."
"Maybe you know that...but I am not so sure," Linka says sadly.
"What do you mean? You just said that although her brother reminded you of Mishka, he wouldn't hurt you like that by lying."
"My father. I...I do not know...what he would have done. I was 14 when he died. He loved me, I loved him...I knew this. I know this...but I would not describe our relationship as close. He came home from work, did some work around the house, we had dinner, he would ask how my day was, he would do more work around the house, and by the time he came in for the night, it was time for me to go to bed. He and Mishka were close because Mishka would help him with the chores around the house. They talked about sports, and work, and Mishka's girlfriends, school and what Mishka's plans were for the future. I think the only thing that my father knew about me was that I got good grades in school, and that I liked birds. The day before he died, he came home from work, and I was playing my keyboard...'Flight of the Bumble Bee,' by Korsakov. Do you know what he said to me?"
"I don't know…did he ask what piece you were you playing?"
"Nyet…he said 'When did you learn to do that?' I was playing a very fast, complicated piece, and that was the reaction I got. He did not even know I played! I was furious. I went to bed angry and when I woke up the next morning for school, I was still angry…I had it all planned out, when he came home from work and asked me how school was, I was going to ignore him…except he never came home."
"I'm sorry Babe," he says as he hugs her to him. "How did he die?"
"Mining accident. There was a cave in. I stayed up all night, for as long as I could, waiting for news of a rescue. Something deep down told me that he was gone…that there was no use waiting for good news. Might as well just prepare for the bad news. I fell asleep on the couch and woke up when I heard Mishka shouting 'No!' over and over again. And then, I did not cry. I wanted to…I knew that I should have been…but I could not."
"You were in shock. That's normal. Different people cope in different ways. Some keep their emotions bottled up inside and not let others see them…that's you. But you turned out ok, so you obviously dealt with it in your own way," Wheeler says.
"Do you want to know what I did?"
"If you want to tell me."
"I will show you."
She gets up from the couch, walks over to the keyboard which is set up next to the entertainment center, and begins playing Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee."
"Hey! I've heard that song before!" he says upon recognizing the tune.
"I know you would recognize it once you heard it," she smiles and says as she continues to play.
"So that's some big time Ruskie composer who did that song?"
"Da, BIG time Ruskie," she closes her eyes and keeps on playing the fast paced pieced.
"Damn…that's amazing how fast you can go! Were you this good when you 14?"
"Nyet…I was better. It has been a while since I have done this."
"Yeah, but back then, you probably had the music in front of you, right?"
She shook her head, no.
"NO?!" he exclaims. "Wow. I don't even know what to say."
She finishes and walks back towards the couch.
"And that made me feel better in some weird way," she explains sadly.
He stands up as she approaches and hugs her to comfort her.
"That was amazing. You're amazing. So much talent…I don't even feel worthy of being in your company…brains, beauty, talent…You could win a Miss America pageant, hands down…err, I mean Miss Russia…do you even have that? Do you know what I'm talking about? I'm just rambling now…I'll shut up…"
"Or I will shut you up," she says as she reaches up to kiss him.
When they part, she says,
"And do not ever say that you do not feel worthy of being with me. It is I who should feel unworthy of you. You are the kindest, most trusting, most forgiving person I know. You have inner beauty as well as outer. And you have talents of your own."
"I do?" He asks.
"Da…not that I have much to base my judgment on, but you are a very good kisser."
"Oh yeah? You're not so bad yourself. You're really good actually. Are you sure you don't have more experience than you're letting on…"
"Nyet…I just have a really good teacher."
"Well, like all talents, practice makes perfect…wanna help me practice?"
"It would be my pleasure," she says as they kiss.
They move to sit on the couch without breaking contact. Linka leans back, drawing Wheeler with her as he presses her into the couch.
Gi enters the room, unoticed by the others, but she is paying more attention to checking her cell phone messages than she is paying to her surroundings, she is only half aware of the red head on the couch, but isn't paying any attention to what he's doing and who he is with, until she looks up midway through her sentence.
"Wheeler have you seen Linka-aaaaaah…?"
Wheeler quickly pulls away and is shocked to see his friend looking at him with her mouth gaping open. From where she is standing behind the couch, all Gi can see is Wheeler leaning over someone, but she can't see who. Obviously she's caught him in the act of a pretty serious make out session, but the back of the couch prevents Gi from seeing that it's Linka.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know you had…company." Gi's voice has a touch of anger in it. No wonder she couldn't find Linka…she was probably off hiding somewhere, upset and feeling horrible that Wheeler had brought some floozy to the island and was flaunting it all around. Gi was fuming now. How could he do this? She felt the need to stand up for her friend since Linka had too much pride and would never let him know how she really felt.
"Seriously Wheeler! Do you have to do that right here? I mean, first of all, I…and I'm sure the others would agree…do not appreciate you using the couch that WE ALL use to…you know…
"But I wasn't doing that…"
"Secondly, there's no privacy here so anyone can just walk in on whatever it is you were about to do. What if Linka had walked in and seen you?"
Wheeler looks over the back of the couch at Gi the whole time she is ranting at him. Then he looks down at Linka, then back at Gi.
"Uhhh…"
"I know that's probably what you were hoping for, so you can make her jealous, but do you have any idea how upset this would make her?" Gi continues.
"I am ok with it," Linka says as she sits up and looks over the back of the couch at Gi. "But thank you for caring."
"Wha--? You were…with him…? And you…? No wonder I couldn't find you all night!" Gi stammers.
"I have been on a date with Wheeler...and you are right, we should not be behaving like this in the common room. This whole awkward situation could have been avoided. Honestly though, we just came here to watch TV…then we started talking and then…kissing," Linka says as she curls up against Wheeler's side, and he puts his arm around her.
"So Sandi was right! You two have had something going on! For how long?"
"Actually, when Sandi said that, it was not true," Linka explains. "This just started…last night? This morning? An hour ago? I do not know…"
"It's a long story and complicated. All that matters is that it happened," Wheeler says.
"Finally!" Gi adds.
"We are going to watch TV now," Linka says, looking at Gi, then Wheeler to let him know that they needed to cool off for a while. "Do you want to join us?"
"NO! Uhh, no...no thank you. I uh...am working on something...in my room. I'll be in my room all night...for the rest of the night...so if you need me...if you need to tell me anything...later...that's where I'll be," Gi hints to Linka that she wants details.
"Ok. Don't think we'll be needing you...but if we do...you sure you'll be in your room?" Wheeler says in his usual smartass fashion.
"Yeah. And Kwame and Ma-Ti will probably be in their rooms for the rest of the night too...if you're wondering where everyone is...just so you know. You won't be seeing us...because we'll be..."
"In your rooms?" Wheeler asks.
"Yes. Goodnight," Gi finishes her stammering rant as she hastily makes her way to the exit.
"Goodnight," Wheeler and Linka say in unison before looking at each other and laughing.
"I think we have just made Gi the happiest person in the world!" Linka says.
"Well, she's gonna have to get in line behind me, because I'm pretty sure I'm the happiest person in the world right now," he says as he reaches out to touch her cheek.
"Da. Me too," she smiles back at him while leaning into his touch.
Wheeler and Linka are sitting on the couch watching a game show on TV and guessing the answers. Wheeler has his feet proped up on the table in front of him and Linka has her legs lying across his as she lays back against the arm of the couch.
"You painted your toenails to match your shirt!" He notices.
"I did."
"Must've been a special occasion for you to get all dolled up like that!" he teases.
"It is not often that I have reason to wear anything other than my Planeteer shirt...and these shoes just did not look right without painted nails!"
"Never thought I'd say this about feet, but they look cute," he says admiringly as he unconsciously runs his hand from her knee, down her calf and back up.
She chuckles at his awkward statement.
"Umm, thanks..."
"I like that I can do this now," he says as he looks down at where his hands are caressing her legs.
"Do what?" she asks, knowing what he means, but wanting to hear it for herself.
"Touch you…without needing a reason. Not because I'm helping you up into the Geo Cruiser, pulling you out of the way of danger, or checking on an injury…but just because I can…because I want to…because you want me to…at least I hope you do."
"Da. I do," she says as she smiles at him. "And I like that I can do this," she puts her arm around his neck to pull herself up into a sitting position and kisses him.
"Yeah, I like that we can do that now too!"
She rests her head on his shoulder as he continues to hold her while they watch TV. Once the show is over and another, uninteresting, game comes on, Wheeler rests his head on top of hers and asks,
"So what now?"
"It is getting late. Maybe we should go to bed."
"Yeah," he sadly agrees. "It's a been a long day."
To Be Continued...I know, I'm drawing it out. Next chapter is the last one, I promise...
Jimjamrn, your "knocking" will have to wait a little longer!