Chapter 4 – Life goes on
Kwame had explained the situation to the others, so Wheeler hadn't needed to do more than introduce his old friend. They had welcomed Trish kindly, Gi getting excited about having a baby around, though Wheeler noticed that she avoided looking at him. Ma-Ti too didn't say much to the fire planeteer, but given their recent conversation about his relationship with Linka, he wasn't entirely surprised.
Linka didn't return until it was time to make dinner. She washed her face over to get rid of any tear stains and she was one of those people whose eyes recover quickly, so she didn't look as if she'd been crying at all. The Russian had to make herself eat, during what seemed like an interminable dinner and feeling that the others were watching her reaction, she also had to keep up a false cheerfulness, though she did not join in the conversation very much.
The two Americans kept everyone laughing all evening by relating stories from their childhood, even Wheeler cheered up as he and Trish reminisced and he found he liked having his old girlfriend around. Trish sat next to him on the couch and he tucked his arm around her, liking the familiar contact. It was strange how comfortable it seemed after spending years living for the few brief moments when Linka let him hold her. It felt normal, the way it had felt that night back in Brooklyn. The fire planeteer couldn't help but compare the two beautiful women, and remembering how it was between him and Trish when they first met, he found himself thinking about what Ma-Ti had said, why he bothered with Linka, and realised he couldn't answer the question anymore, even to himself.
The wind planeteer was relieved when the party finally broke up and she could go to the relative peace of her hut, but just as they reached the door Kwame called out, "Wait a minute, where is Wheeler going to sleep? Trish has his room!"
The American girl shrugged, "We can share, it's no problem."
Linka looked away as the colour fled from her face and her stomach started to turn over. Please don't! she begged silently. Somehow, despite the fact that Trish was already pregnant with his child, the idea of her sharing a room with Wheeler made the pretty Russian feel ill and she knew she wouldn't be able to stop thinking about them, even though it was the last thing in the world she wanted to think about. His cabin is opposite mine, what if I hear something?! Bozhe moy, how can any of this be happening? It just keeps getting worse!
Wheeler was going to agree with the suggestion, it wasn't a big deal for him and Trish after all. Then he saw Linka's reaction, he was the only one that did and it made him pause, his heart thumping in his chest. For a second he considered agreeing anyway, but then realised he couldn't. Even though he now knew there was no chance of her ever wanting to be with him, he'd always be looking for the slightest indication that she cared because he didn't want to be with anyone else. That's why I don't give up, he thought, I don't have a choice.
"No thanks hon," he replied with a smirk. "It's only a small bed and you're gonna be like a beached whale soon!" His friend hit his arm, but she was laughing. "I'll take the hammock in here." He added.
Relief flooded through Linka at Wheelers words and she continued on towards her room with a lighter heart.
As the week progressed, Linka found more and more things to keep her busy, to help her avoid the group activities. Fortunately there were more than enough conservation campaigns on-line that could benefit from her help and would welcome the involvement of a planeteer.
Wheeler would never be uncomfortable with Trish herself, but he wasn't comfortable with the idea that everyone thought they were a couple. He agreed with Kwame that he had a duty to take care of Trish and her baby, but he wasn't going to pretend that there was more than that between them. The fire planeteer became quieter and more serious but he didn't take any interest in his pregnant friend.
"Wheeler, can you take me to America this afternoon please?" Trish asked one morning, when she'd finally tracked him down by the eco-copter. "I'd forgotten, I have an appointment at the hospital for a scan."
The American didn't look very happy, "Sorry hon," he replied, indicating the mess around him. "If you'd warned me earlier I wouldn't have started this, but the copter needs some work done and it's gonna take a while. I can't leave it like this and then take the geo-cruiser in case there's an emergency."
"Couldn't one of the others fix it?" the young girl asked anxiously.
Wheeler shook his head, "No they're useless at this stuff. We used to share all the work, but it was pretty obvious that some of us were better at something's than others. You do not wanna try my cooking!" He grinned at her but seeing she looked a bit upset added, "I'm sure one of the others wont mind running you over for the scan, then I should have time to fix this before it's needed."
Trish sighed, "Okay, it's just that I feel a bit awkward asking any of them…"
"They wont mind," he assured her blithely going back to his work, "they'll probably enjoy it." The girl sighed and went away and a little while later, the fire planeteer saw her enter the geo-cruiser with Kwame.
When Trish returned from her check up, Wheeler was nowhere in sight and she didn't see him until dinnertime. Since her ex-boyfriend neglected to ask how her scan went, Trish asked him if wanted to see the picture they had printed for her.
Wheeler shrugged, "Sure." He took it and then pulled a face, "You can't see a thing!"
Kwame was clearly irritated by Wheelers behaviour. The African hadn't been able to see anything either, until it was explained to him, but then he'd been awed by it. However, he held his tongue while Trish patiently pointed out the baby's features, although he nearly did say something when Wheeler shrugged and turned the photo over to an excited Gi. What stopped him was that he noticed how hard Linka was trying to remain in the background, she obviously didn't want to have to make a fuss over the baby either.
One evening about a month after Trish came to live on Hope Island, Linka arrived at the kitchen to find her, Kwame and Ma-Ti already there and Trish was making dinner. "Yo Linka," the American greeted her, "I thought I'd give you a night off, I ought to do more around here."
Linka murmured her thanks, as Kwame protested that she needn't do anything, but she wasn't happy about the gesture at all. Perhaps I should give you my ring as well! She thought ungenerously, You have taken everything else I care about here.
The Russian felt Ma-Ti's eyes on her and she hoped fervently that he hadn't picked up her thoughts. Rising to get a drink to cover her embarrassment, she was slightly relieved when Ma-Ti's voice appeared in her mind, "Do you resent Trish cooking Linka? She only wanted to do something nice for us…"
"I know Ma-Ti." The wind planeteer replied silently, pushing her feelings aside and smiling at him as she sat down again. "I guess I have become a little possessive of the kitchen, I don't really mind."
The South American regarded her for a moment, but as he could no longer feel any animosity coming from the wind planeteer, he grinned and asked out loud, "Do you know that Wheeler has a first name Linka? Trish has been telling us that he doesn't like it, but she wont tell us what it is!"
Linka also knew that Wheeler didn't like people using his given name, since he was named after his father, and that he wouldn't appreciate her telling Ma-Ti. At the same time however, the need to prove she knew as much as Trish was very strong at this moment, and annoying Wheeler something of a bonus. "His name is Joey." She stated and seeing astonished looks from the others, added, "I thought Wheeler was a strange name, even for an American so I asked him, it was shortly after we came here."
"Asking him is one thing," Trish said, "I'm just surprised he gave you an answer… and an honest one at that!"
Linka stiffened, "Wheeler would not lie to me."
The American girls eyes widened as she suddenly realised why Linka had always been so cold towards her, but fortunately for Linka they were interrupted just then as the object of their debate entered the room, followed by Gi.
"Hey guys, what's cooking?" Wheeler asked.
Oblivious to what had just passed between the two women, Ma-Ti and Kwame immediately said "Hello Joey!" in perfect unison.
Wheeler glared and turned to Trish, "Don't look at me Wheeler, I told them you had another name but I'm not stupid enough to repeat it!"
Surprised, the American planeteer turned back to look at the only other person who could have given him away and raised his eyebrows questioningly, waiting for an explanation. Linka shrugged returning his gaze defiantly, expecting as the others did, for him to explode at her. Instead he shook his head and looked away, asking Kwame about something else entirely and leaving a cold, empty feeling in the pit of Linka's stomach.
Later that night Trish and Wheeler had an argument. None of the others were close enough to overhear, and neither of them would say what it was about, but Trish was upset and sulky as if she had lost.
Three night's later, Trish is still doing all the cooking and Linka and Wheeler haven't spoken since she told everyone his name. Unable to sleep, Linka heads to the kitchen to get a warm drink, pausing only to remove the necklace Wheeler gave her, as she catches her reflection in the mirror.
The Russian is surprised to see the light on, and when she enters, she finds her Yankee team-mate making cheese on toast. "Oh!"
Wheeler flushes, "I, er, I was hungry… Lin when are you gonna start doin' the cooking again?" He blurts out.
"I noticed that you have not been eating much but I thought maybe it was to do with the argument you and Trish had…" she replied.
The American nods, "And I suppose that's the reason no-one else is eating much either? Except for Kwame that is, he's too polite. Trish's cooking sucks Babe! Can't you take over again? Please?"
The wind planeteer felt better than she had in days and couldn't stop herself from grinning, "I will ask Kwame to have a word with her." and then as she thought of something, "But only if you will forgive me for telling them your first name." The Russian had started to warm some milk for a hot chocolate, and she now concentrated all of her attention on it so that she didn't have to see his response.
Wheeler smiled, pleased that his lovely friend had felt bad about breaking her promise of silence and knowing that he'd forgive her anything if she asked. Instead of answering the beautiful girl, he walked up behind her and slipped his arm around her waist bringing his other hand around in front and offering her his midnight snack, "Want some?"
Surprised by his sudden affection and then made to laugh, she twisted to look up into his eyes. He winked at her and gave her a squeeze to show that he wasn't annoyed anymore. Smiling happily she found that she was suddenly very hungry, "Da please, do you want some chocolate."
"Da please." The American gave her another squeeze and then went to put some more toast on."
The two friends sat sharing their meal until they heard the dawn chorus, laughing and joking, talking about anything and everything as long as it wasn't personal. When they did finally decide to go to their beds Wheeler said, "This was nice."
"Da, it was." The wind planeteer agreed.
They stood looking at each other for the longest moment, before they let reality sink back in.
"Good night Yankee." Linka said quietly.
"Sleep well Babe." He replied sadly, before they both turned and left.