Tempest
Chapter 2
"I just think we should leave her with the other refugees." Tom argued. Mike actually felt sorry for the other people in the wardroom. Russ, Meylan, Sasha and Kara. It was almost like watching a ping-pong bouncing back and forth.
"We are not doing that." Mike insisted.
"I agree with not leaving her with the other refugees. She is still healing and she has been a great help on this ship. But, has Commander Garnett figured anything out on a Visa?" Meylan asked.
"No. The President is stalling." Mike said.
"There is another option." Kara said. All eyes turned to her.
"What's that?" Tom asked.
"Someone could marry her. She would become naturalized at that point. Its not like there is anyone to check if it's a valid marriage now, anyways." Kara answered.
"That is INSANE!" Tom said immediately.
"I actually had thought about it. I just wasn't sure how Antonia would feel about it." Mike remarked.
"Clear the room." Tom demanded. Meylan shot Mike a look before the room emptied. "Did you hit your head too? You are still grieving for Christine. You shouldn't make emotional decisions right now." Tom said, a bit more calmly.
"Christine has been dead for almost two years. She would have wanted me to move on. If there's a timeline for such things, I believe I've adhered to it. Besides, I suspect I will grieve for her for the rest of my life." Mike answered.
"Yes, but marrying some woman you just met, who doesn't speak English, isn't the answer." Tom said.
"Neither is leaving her in Europe, still recovering and with people she doesn't know." Mike argued.
"So…you would take her back to the US, put her in a house and leave her for months at a time? That sounds so much better." Tom asked.
"She'd be safe." Mike retorted.
"Mike—this is insanity. What are you going to do with a wife? If you're lonely…I'm sure there's still dating websites. I'll see if Granderson can set you up a profile." Tom offered.
"No. And I managed quite well with a wife for nearly twenty years." Mike reminded him.
"You and Christine were fighting like cats and dogs." Tom replied.
"Yes, but we had also been married for twenty years. I would have come back and compromised a bit and she would have given in a bit and we would have been fine. That's what we had been doing for years because that's a normal marriage. Darien was compliant and would do anything you would say. Christine was not compliant. She loved getting a rise out of me." Mike said.
"Do you honestly think you can be happy with someone like Antonia? She doesn't even know English." Tom asked.
"She can learn and I can learn Italian." Mike insisted before walking out of the wardroom and immediately running into Antonia. "Did you understand any of that?" Mike asked her gently. He led her away.
"Si." She finally said about the same time they got to galley.
"It…would not…be a normal marriage. Just to make sure you were taken care of. Do you understand that?" Mike asked.
"Si." Antonia said.
"I…will find Azima. Maybe she can explain this better." Mike said.
"I…under…stand." Antonia replied before pointing at his wedding band and then her own.
"I would get us new ones." Mike promised. It seemed like a very awkward conversation. "Is this something you'd want? I would not expect…you know?" Mike asked, knowing he was not articulating what he was thinking well.
"Si. Si." Antonia repeated.
"Antonia, I am serious. It would be a marriage of…I guess convenience. I would have no expectations." Mike said. Antonia reached up and stroked his cheek.
"Amore mio." Antonia replied before walking into the kitchen area. Mike would have to figure out what amore mio meant but with a call to the bridge, it wasn't the right time. He just hoped Antonia understood him.