A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys, please continue. I love that you all have so much faith in our favourite American, but he's not naïve enough to not know what they're thinking! There should be 9 chapters in all I think, depending on how long they turn out to be.
Chapter 5 – Future Plans
Trish sighed and fidgeted under the tree as she sat watching the planeteers play in the water. Seeing her discomfort Kwame jogged over, "Are you uncomfortable out here?" the African asks. "I can get you a cushion or something?"
The pretty girl smiled up at him, grateful for his thoughtfulness, but shook her head. "No thank you Kwame, I'm fine."
The earth planeteer sat down beside her and said, "Now we both know that isn't true, I may not have known you as long as Wheeler, but I can already tell when something is wrong."
Trish smiled at him and then turned her gaze to the other planeteers who, (except for Linka who was no where to be seen,) were playing with a beach ball in the water. "Wheeler could probably tell if he bothered to look." she said sadly. Then her mood lightened again as she returned her attention to her new friend. "I really appreciate everything you have been doing for me Kwame, I want you to know that, but you don't have to worry about me. When I've had the baby I'll find a way to support myself..."
Kwame's anger showed in his eyes as he replied, though his voice remained kind and gentle. "It is for Wheeler to provide for you and your child. He cannot leave here to earn money so it is right that you have a home here."
Trish shook her head, "If Wheeler wants to help out with the baby then he can, but we're not a couple so it's not right for me to stay here." she looked troubled and before the earth planeteer could prompt her she continued, "I feel bad about Linka, can you convince him to talk to her? I've tried but he told me if I said anything about it he'd leave."
Kwame frowned, "He can't do that, but it has never been wise to interfere between those two." the African shook his head as now he too watched his team-mates. "The truth is there is no explanation you can give that will make a difference to Linka. They have never been a couple you know, I don't think he even managed to get her to kiss him, and not for want of trying."
"Is there something wrong with her?" the American asked in surprise, making her companion laugh.
"No, I do not think so." Kwame mused, "I think he made too much of a fuss about it. He laughs and jokes and makes a public display, whereas Linka is a very private and serious person."
The African looked into Trish's eyes, "You would forgive a... weak moment with an old love, Linka will not. No matter how she feels for him or he for her, and I can only guess at both. By his actions he has ended any hope he had of winning Linka over and he knows that."
Trish bit her bottom lip, feeling very guilty. "When I've gone and things go back to normal, he'll talk her round, I know he will."
"Perhaps, Wheeler can be very persuasive." Kwame agreed, though only because he could see the pretty American was becoming upset. "Now tell me, was Wheeler the only thing on your mind?"
Trish looked at the earth planeteer and remembering the beginning of the conversation, laughed, "He wasn't on my mind at all to start with." She shook her head, "You have a beautiful home Kwame but I'm a city girl, I'm bored and I miss my painting."
Kwame was surprised, "Why? I mean you can paint here can't you?"
"Can I?" the young girl asked, "I didn't like to."
The African's face broke into a grin, "Of course, and if that is what it takes to make you happy I will help you get set up." He stood up and held out his hands to help her rise. "You brought your things with you didn't you?" Trish nodded as she let him pull her up. "Good, then we will get them and I will carry them for you, while you are picking a subject."
Trish's face was wreathed in smiles for the rest of the day as they wandered about the island picking scenery for her to draw, she even convinced Kwame to sit for her.
"You are very talented Trish," the African said after a while, "The sketches you have done are amazing, you should sell your paintings!"
Concentrating on her work, Trish nodded, "I intended to, I was negotiating with a gallery before this happened." She rubbed her growing belly. Looking up she added, "If I can get enough work together to sell while I'm getting ready for motherhood, and recovering after the labour, I'm hoping I'll be able to afford a flat."
Kwame shook his head and said quickly, "Then I think painting is by far too strenuous a pastime, you should give it up immediately." He was only half joking.
"Oh, Kwame," Trish blushed in surprise, "Thank you. I don't think anyone would agree with you, but it's nice to know I'm not completely in the way." Her eyes filled with tears as her hormones kicked in and the earth planeteer, forgetting his own embarrassment at what he'd said, moved to comfort her.
Tucking his arms around her so that she could lay her head on his shoulder Kwame said, "Of course you are not in the way, you are welcome here for as long as you like." Then he gasped as he felt movement beneath the hand that was resting on her belly.
Giggling, Trish said "He's a bit restless today."
"You didn't tell me it was moving!" Kwame complained, "And how do you know it's a he? The doctors have not told us yet."
Leaning into her friends embrace, Trish moved his hand along her bump so that he could continue to feel the baby's activity and she smiled as he gasped again. "I've been able to feel him for a while, I didn't tell you because I didn't realise you could feel it outside yet. And I just know."
They sat like that until the baby settled down again, and then for a little while longer, until Kwame recalled the situation. "We should get back." he said, trying not to release her too abruptly.
"Sure." The American replied a little sadly, gathering her art equipment together and thinking, The sooner I get myself organised and get out of here, the better it will be for everyone!
Linka finally managed to set up another environmental fair, with Gi's help, this time in Oklahoma. They had decided to stick with America for the time being, since they seemed open to the idea.
Trish had declined to accompany them, her increasing size making it difficult for her, but all of the planeteers were in attendance and Linka had arranged it so that they each had a different table, to discuss their preferred topics, interspersed with local environmental groups.
Mid afternoon, a local school teacher and her assistant brought along their class, to help them with a project they were doing. Somehow, Wheeler ended up arranging a space off to the side for them and entertaining them with stories about the planeteers.
"He's good with them!" The teacher commented to Linka as they stood listening to the impromptu class
The Russian nodded proudly, "Da," then with mischief in her eyes, "They have the same mental age."
The teacher laughed, "I saw you with them too when we came in, you'll make a good mother someday."
Linka was still watching Wheeler as the teacher spoke and the smile faded from her face. "Nyet, I cannot see myself having children."
"Oh? I'm sorry…" the woman began, but Linka shook her head.
Forcing herself to smile again, the Russian said, "It is only that being a planeteer is a dangerous job, and being pregnant would make it more hazardous. The planet is my priority anyway."
The teacher said she understood, though she still looked sympathetic, and they went back to watching Wheelers 'class'. Nearby, Kwame shook his head sadly and returned quietly to his stall.
Linka raised her hand to her neck to feel the pendant concealed under her t-shirt. She wasn't sure if she wore it for comfort in the thought that Wheeler did care for her in some way, or as some obscure form of punishment for still caring for him, either way it didn't help.