The Betrothed
Part 35
A quiet group of four sat around the common room dining table a few mornings later, sipping their coffee and reflecting on the events of the last few days. Anthony, Jessica, and Richard had just left to return home, and they were enjoying having just the usual group present, just their own little extended family. Angela and Jimmy exchanged a few words every now and then, usually remarks on the newspaper or the always-unlikely prospects of snow; Darrick and Abby communicated more silently, through squeezes of the hand or, increasingly, through the now-completed bond.
Darrick had yet to stop marveling at the new sensation in the back of his head, this awareness of his wife that never left his consciousness. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking – not unless it was a particularly strong and clear thought – but he knew she was there and had a good idea of how she was feeling, and they were both becoming increasingly adept at using it as a mode of basic communication. But most important was the feeling of absolute love and acceptance it gave him; with this bond complete, he knew he would never feel alone. No, it wasn’t a magic ticket to marital bliss, but it did get them a good bit of the way there. It also left him feeling like a complete idiot for thinking that the incomplete bond was an acceptable substitute. If only I had realized that earlier, think of all the trouble that could have been averted.
His memories of said trouble were somewhat vague. Richard had admitted to “muddling” their memories while they were still asleep. “No one should have to remember what you went through” he had said; normally, Darrick would have balked at such an intrusion, but from what he could recall, he couldn’t help but think that Richard may have been right on that one. Those memories were bad enough.
One thing that was all too vivid in his mind was the knowledge of his parents’ deaths; he knew that Meredith’s was never far from Abby’s. Richard and the Martins had been sketchy on the details, but he knew that they had given his lives for his, and that knowledge was so overwhelming that he had just pushed it to the back of his mind, to be dealt with at a later time, with maybe a little bit of perspective. Even more so was the knowledge that, by saving him, they had saved the world. This was a responsibility he truly could not run away from; indeed, it had already followed him once. It made Richard’s parting wish of “Stay well” have a very different implication indeed.
But for now, all of that was far away. This morning was for one last breakfast with friends.
“So what are ya’lls plans now?” Jimmy asked, taking another sip. Darrick and Abby looked at each other. Darrick could feel her uncertainty through the bond, and it matched his own.
“Richard’s taking care of my parents’ and Meredith’s funerals,” he said, starting with what he knew. They had explained everything to Angela and Jimmy, so they both understood what had happened, even if they were still having a hard time believing it. “So we’ll be there for those, of course. After that . . . we don’t really know. I’d like to finish my degree, but it’s too late to get back in before the fall. And I know Abby would like to work more on her art. But . . .” He trailed off. He and Abby had discussed a few notions, but there was one more idea that had been nagging at him ever since learning of the cost that had been paid to save their lives, and that he had been keeping secret, not sure of what to do with it.
“What my husband is trying to say,” Abby smoothly took over, “is that we would like to finish out the year we had planned with you. I still have more than enough money to keep paying you rent, though I suppose we could put it in the bank and write you a check like normal people now, if you want. If you still want us, that is.” A flash of wry humor came through the bond, to Darrick’s delight. Not too surprisingly, Abby had not been in a very humorous mood the last few days. “We promise no more psychotic breaks, home invasions, or divine interventions.”
“You’re always welcome, dear,” Angela said with a chuckle. “For a year or ten. Though if you can keep things a bit calmer, I would appreciate it.”
“Always a good idea to take some time to clear out your head and think over your options,” Jimmy remarked.
“I don’t think I need to,” Darrick said, his nebulous notions taking clearer shape. Abby turned to him with a cocked eyebrow, and he directed his next words directly to her. “Abby, my love, I’ve been thinking a lot the last few days.”
“Didn’t the doctor ever tell you no thinking for at least five days after death? You’ll get a brain cramp.” Joking aside, Darrick knew that Abby was very curious to hear what he had to say.
“I find it hard not to do a little bit of self-evaluation after death,” he said. “Abby, I can’t help but feel that what happened was largely my fault. I wanted to leave because I didn’t want the responsibility that everyone kept trying to foist on me.”
“You couldn’t have known what would happen, Darrick!” Abby said.
“And there’s no point beating myself up about the past, I know,” he said, taking her hand in both of his. “Everyone’s been telling me that the past few days, and I think I believe it. What I’m concerned with now is the future. I ran because I didn’t want a responsibility I didn’t choose. But what I’m coming to realize is that I did choose it. I chose it when I chose you.”
“Darrick, I’ve never once expected you to bow to Atlantean expectations.” Now she was annoyed and feeling accused. Darrick hastened to reassure her.
“I never said that you did. But when I chose you, I chose your family, your people, and everything that came with it. That’s what marriage is, I think. I can’t just take the fun and leave the responsibilities behind. They’re all one and the same.”
Abby leaning in close, her expression fierce. “Darrick, our marriage should not be a chain to tie you up. Did Richard try to tell you that I secretly want you to kowtow to them? Because if he did . . .”
“Nothing like that. I’m not saying that I think we should just slavishly accept whatever they want to make us into, but we can’t just ignore it all either. There has to be some balance we can find between what we want to be and what they need us to be.”
Abby was quiet for a moment, but Darrick could feel that she was torn. She had spent the last few years of her life trying to find that balance, and had yet to hit it. But, maybe, we could find it together.
“I still want to stay here for a while,” she said, “and maybe some time back in San Francisco. There are so many people there I want you to meet, so many things I want to show you.” Now she was smiling, and Darrick met hers with one of his own.
“I’d love to,” he said. “We have our whole life together ahead of us. We owe it to the world to make it a good one.”
Eventually, Angela and Jimmy excused themselves to take on the business of the day. Darrick and Abigail Knight continued to talk, a nice relaxing morning at home, with their whole bright future ahead of them.
Part 35
A quiet group of four sat around the common room dining table a few mornings later, sipping their coffee and reflecting on the events of the last few days. Anthony, Jessica, and Richard had just left to return home, and they were enjoying having just the usual group present, just their own little extended family. Angela and Jimmy exchanged a few words every now and then, usually remarks on the newspaper or the always-unlikely prospects of snow; Darrick and Abby communicated more silently, through squeezes of the hand or, increasingly, through the now-completed bond.
Darrick had yet to stop marveling at the new sensation in the back of his head, this awareness of his wife that never left his consciousness. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking – not unless it was a particularly strong and clear thought – but he knew she was there and had a good idea of how she was feeling, and they were both becoming increasingly adept at using it as a mode of basic communication. But most important was the feeling of absolute love and acceptance it gave him; with this bond complete, he knew he would never feel alone. No, it wasn’t a magic ticket to marital bliss, but it did get them a good bit of the way there. It also left him feeling like a complete idiot for thinking that the incomplete bond was an acceptable substitute. If only I had realized that earlier, think of all the trouble that could have been averted.
His memories of said trouble were somewhat vague. Richard had admitted to “muddling” their memories while they were still asleep. “No one should have to remember what you went through” he had said; normally, Darrick would have balked at such an intrusion, but from what he could recall, he couldn’t help but think that Richard may have been right on that one. Those memories were bad enough.
One thing that was all too vivid in his mind was the knowledge of his parents’ deaths; he knew that Meredith’s was never far from Abby’s. Richard and the Martins had been sketchy on the details, but he knew that they had given his lives for his, and that knowledge was so overwhelming that he had just pushed it to the back of his mind, to be dealt with at a later time, with maybe a little bit of perspective. Even more so was the knowledge that, by saving him, they had saved the world. This was a responsibility he truly could not run away from; indeed, it had already followed him once. It made Richard’s parting wish of “Stay well” have a very different implication indeed.
But for now, all of that was far away. This morning was for one last breakfast with friends.
“So what are ya’lls plans now?” Jimmy asked, taking another sip. Darrick and Abby looked at each other. Darrick could feel her uncertainty through the bond, and it matched his own.
“Richard’s taking care of my parents’ and Meredith’s funerals,” he said, starting with what he knew. They had explained everything to Angela and Jimmy, so they both understood what had happened, even if they were still having a hard time believing it. “So we’ll be there for those, of course. After that . . . we don’t really know. I’d like to finish my degree, but it’s too late to get back in before the fall. And I know Abby would like to work more on her art. But . . .” He trailed off. He and Abby had discussed a few notions, but there was one more idea that had been nagging at him ever since learning of the cost that had been paid to save their lives, and that he had been keeping secret, not sure of what to do with it.
“What my husband is trying to say,” Abby smoothly took over, “is that we would like to finish out the year we had planned with you. I still have more than enough money to keep paying you rent, though I suppose we could put it in the bank and write you a check like normal people now, if you want. If you still want us, that is.” A flash of wry humor came through the bond, to Darrick’s delight. Not too surprisingly, Abby had not been in a very humorous mood the last few days. “We promise no more psychotic breaks, home invasions, or divine interventions.”
“You’re always welcome, dear,” Angela said with a chuckle. “For a year or ten. Though if you can keep things a bit calmer, I would appreciate it.”
“Always a good idea to take some time to clear out your head and think over your options,” Jimmy remarked.
“I don’t think I need to,” Darrick said, his nebulous notions taking clearer shape. Abby turned to him with a cocked eyebrow, and he directed his next words directly to her. “Abby, my love, I’ve been thinking a lot the last few days.”
“Didn’t the doctor ever tell you no thinking for at least five days after death? You’ll get a brain cramp.” Joking aside, Darrick knew that Abby was very curious to hear what he had to say.
“I find it hard not to do a little bit of self-evaluation after death,” he said. “Abby, I can’t help but feel that what happened was largely my fault. I wanted to leave because I didn’t want the responsibility that everyone kept trying to foist on me.”
“You couldn’t have known what would happen, Darrick!” Abby said.
“And there’s no point beating myself up about the past, I know,” he said, taking her hand in both of his. “Everyone’s been telling me that the past few days, and I think I believe it. What I’m concerned with now is the future. I ran because I didn’t want a responsibility I didn’t choose. But what I’m coming to realize is that I did choose it. I chose it when I chose you.”
“Darrick, I’ve never once expected you to bow to Atlantean expectations.” Now she was annoyed and feeling accused. Darrick hastened to reassure her.
“I never said that you did. But when I chose you, I chose your family, your people, and everything that came with it. That’s what marriage is, I think. I can’t just take the fun and leave the responsibilities behind. They’re all one and the same.”
Abby leaning in close, her expression fierce. “Darrick, our marriage should not be a chain to tie you up. Did Richard try to tell you that I secretly want you to kowtow to them? Because if he did . . .”
“Nothing like that. I’m not saying that I think we should just slavishly accept whatever they want to make us into, but we can’t just ignore it all either. There has to be some balance we can find between what we want to be and what they need us to be.”
Abby was quiet for a moment, but Darrick could feel that she was torn. She had spent the last few years of her life trying to find that balance, and had yet to hit it. But, maybe, we could find it together.
“I still want to stay here for a while,” she said, “and maybe some time back in San Francisco. There are so many people there I want you to meet, so many things I want to show you.” Now she was smiling, and Darrick met hers with one of his own.
“I’d love to,” he said. “We have our whole life together ahead of us. We owe it to the world to make it a good one.”
Eventually, Angela and Jimmy excused themselves to take on the business of the day. Darrick and Abigail Knight continued to talk, a nice relaxing morning at home, with their whole bright future ahead of them.
The End
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