Ch. 6
John couldn't help but notice a rather frustrated look across his friend's face as Brains came into his room that evening.
"Is everything okay, Brains?" he asked, sitting up on his bed. The scientist looked up, as if he were surprised to see John there. He smiled distractedly.
"F-f-fine, thanks. H-has Mr T-tracy, ah, c-called in, um, yet?"
"Not yet. He's not due for another five minutes or so," replied John, checking his watch. He examined the swirling pattern on the hotel room carpet for a moment. "Brains, remember I told you about Maria? The woman I went to see today?"
"The w-w-woman Gordon was, ah, t-teasing you about? Yes."
"We're getting married."
Brains' face broke into a huge grin. "C-c-congratulations, John!" He shook John's arm with more force than John had thought possible. John thanked him.
"I'm telling you so you can wind up my brothers by looking smug, having heard the gossip before them," said John with a mischievous smile. Brains chuckled ruefully, shaking his head.
"No, y-y-you just, ah, c-c-couldn't k-keep it, um, to yourself," he said. John laughed.
"You know me too well."
"Tracy Island calling John Tracy. Come in, John."
TB
Jeff drummed his fingers on his desk, waiting for a reply. Everyone was in the living room, wondering why they'd been called from their various pursuits to listen to the daily update from John. They'd seen their father call each of his sons thousands of times, his protectiveness of them all simply accepted into ordinary routine. Gordon in particular was rather grumpy, and wet; he'd been swimming when Scott had hauled him out of the water and dragged him up to the lounge. The only other person who displayed any sign of anticipation was Grandma.
Jeff had decided to make the call through Thunderbird Five, so Alan was present too, gazing out from the picture frame that normally housed his portrait. Jeff was sure he saw a smear of chocolate at the corner of the baby Tracy's mouth.
"This is John Tracy, go ahead, Dad." John's face gazed out of his own portrait, Brains peering over his shoulder. Gordon started to hum Maria again, only to get a clip round the head.
"How're you doing, boys? How's Brains' conference going?" Though Jeff spoke lightly, he felt his heart thumping in anticipation.
"It's g-g-great, Mr Tracy. I, ah, d-d-did my t-talk today, and, um, h-have s-s-spoken to, ah, Graham R-r-radcliffe, who has d-developed ah, a new f-f-fabric that can w-withstand, um, heat b-b-better than our c-current material."
"That sounds great, Brains, we'll talk more about it when we get back. John? Anything new with you?"
"I talked to Maria today."
Jeff nodded for his son to continue, holding his breath.
"She said yes."
Grandma gasped in delight, and Jeff released the breath he'd been holding, smiling. Suddenly, he wished he could hug his son. Behind him, his sons and the Kyranos were getting confused.
"Who's Maria?"
"What did John ask her?"
"What's going on?"
Scott figured it out first. He whistled.
"Nice one, Johnny-boy!" On screen, John's normally pale face flushed pink.
"Your brother," said Jeff, turning to the rest of the room's occupants, "is getting married."
TB
Brains couldn't help but laugh as John reeled away from the screen, deafened by the cheers and whoops emanating from the tiny but powerful speakers. Once John had recovered, he cautiously leaned back at the screen again.
"Thanks, guys," he said, shaking his head with a big grin plastered across his face. To Jeff, he said, "Maria's gonna try and get some time off later this month, so she can come and see everyone. That alright?"
"It's more than alright, son," replied Jeff warmly. "Anything else to report? No? Then you'd better get some rest. I'll call you tomorrow evening."
"Oh, ah, M-m-mr Tracy?"
"Yes, Brains?"
"J-just so you, ah, know, the c-c-conference will, um, be t-transmitted on, ah, Friday, after its c-c-completion. There will b-b-be a speaker from, ah, NASA and another f-f-from Jodrell B-b-bank."
"Thanks, Brains. And I look forward to seeing yours too." Jeff smiled at them and cut them off before Brains could think up a witty retort.
"Phew, that was exciting," said John, leaning back in his chair. "I think I might come with you tomorrow, have a listen to these speakers." He got up and gazed around the room. Eventually, his gaze alighted on a key ring dangling from the front pocket on his bag. It had a photo of Maria on it. He sighed. Then he thought about the reception that would probably await him back on Tracy Island. Suddenly, marriage seemed a lot more daunting than it had earlier.
"We're in for some fun times ahead, Brains," he said.
TB
Many, many miles above, Alan leaned back in his own chair the same way John had done. The screen's view of the Tracy lounge blinked out of view to be replaced by the International Rescue logo.
He wasn't sure what he felt. He was happy for John, that much was certain. Yet, at the same time, he felt a vague sense of panic. After a moment's contemplation, he realised what it was.
Tin-Tin.
The two of them had been close for years, yet neither had had the nerve to get closer. They would do things together, talk quietly, and tease each other. Alan had always felt jealous when Tin-Tin's admirers appeared, or when she showed interest in another man. Usually, these men were musicians, TV stars, that sort of thing, and he knew most young woman acted the same. Deep down, he'd known she wouldn't really run off with someone else, just like that. She was just teasing him.
However, each time she did this, it scared him. He was afraid of losing her.
But at the same time, he was scared to get closer to her.
John's announcement had really brought it home to him. The money, after all, had always been on Alan getting married first, if any of them. The odds on John hadn't been that high, what with spending half the year in space and being, in Gordon and Alan's opinion, one of the quietest, almost most boring people on the planet.
Interesting how things had worked out, then.
Alan looked at the photos tacked up around the control room on Thunderbird Five. There were plenty taken by John, fancy, artistic ones. A few were holiday and childhood snapshots, some more recent. Alan caught sight of one he hadn't noticed before.
That had to be John's handiwork, no one else but Virgil took photos like that, and Virgil hardly ever came up there.
Surrounded by bright green leaves and exotic, orange, red and pink flowers, sat Alan and Tin-Tin, hand in hand, watching something far off.
Alan stiffened his resolve. When he was next planet side, he was going to have a chat with Tin-Tin.
i've already written the next chapter, so expect it to be updated in the next couple of days, really. now that i've sorted out exactly where i'm going with this, it's getting a lot easier to write each chapter. before, maria wasn't even gonna exist. now, however, i'm glad i did put her in. there's a lot more i can do when i've got two or three stories running alongside each other, so long as people don't get confused XD