Starting Over: Nerites
Copyright© 2025 by Quantum Mechanic
Chapter 13
Science Fiction Sex Story: Chapter 13 - Cheyenne is a plains world dedicated to production of livestock for sale to other human-occupied planets. Jean has a great job there, but he's offered a better job on a watery planet, and an opportunity to develop his own homestead. In order to take the new job, he has to uproot and transplant his young family. It's not easy going, and once there, the troubles have just begun.
Caution: This Science Fiction Sex Story contains strong sexual content, including Ma/Fa Romantic Heterosexual Fiction Science Fiction Cheating Massage Oral Sex Pregnancy Slow
More new beginnings...
Alex hadn’t said anything about buying Hardy’s farm for a whole three days after the party, and Josephine thought the issue was dead. Then he dropped his bomb.
“I think I want to take Hardy up on his offer,” he said, mildly.
Jo was confused. “What offer is that?”
“You know,” he scoffed, “his offer to sell me the farm and his businesses.”
“Why on earth would you want to do that?” she cried. “You make great money doing what you do now. You’ve never run a business before, and we’d have to completely change our lifestyle in order to do it! What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking,” he returned grimly, “that it’s time we changed our lifestyle. I’m thinking that our lifestyle may be one reason why we have been strangers to each other for so many years, and I’m thinking that I want to pay much more attention to you, and to have you pay much more to me. I’m thinking that being out there, together, running things together, might help that happen.” Then he fell silent.
Jo considered what he’d said, with knots in her stomach. It was definitely not in her plans to move to the swamp.
“Look, Alex, I’m a city girl. You knew that from day one. I’ve never wanted to ‘rough it’ for more than a day or two at a time, and only then for recreation.” She paused for a breath, then went on, “I want us to be closer together, too. Just as much as you do, but can’t we be closer in an urban setting?”
Hearing this, Alex felt deflated. “Maybe we could,” he grumbled, “but there are a whole lot more distractions.”
“What if I’m not ready to give up some of those ‘distractions’ yet?” she asked. “I like theater, museums, libraries. I like to occasionally go out at night, and buy a drink I didn’t have to make. I’d like to hear a band playing or go dancing every now and then.
“If we’re up to our necks in farm work and running a couple of businesses, we won’t have time for any of those things, and even if we did, we’d be too tired to enjoy them. We might not even have enough money to afford them.”
She could see that he was heartbroken over not receiving her full support, but then she would be heartbroken if she suddenly had to become a pioneer wife. There had to be a way to compromise.
“Look,” she said, “what if we keep the apartment for awhile? Our lease lasts another several months. We might have to pay the rent anyway. That way, we could spend at least some weekends here in town.”
“We have a sublet clause, and the housing shortage in Poliniriton pretty well insures that we could unload it. Besides,” he responded, “we probably couldn’t afford to maintain two residences.”
Jo searched her mind furiously for ideas, and finally hit on one that might work.
“What if I went back to work to pay the rent?” she offered. “I wouldn’t have to have many clients. Our lease also allows use of the apartment as a professional office, so I could meet them here. We wouldn’t even have to change the furniture. I could spend my evenings and weekends with you on the farm, and commute into Poliniriton on days when I have to meet clients.”
Alex wasn’t sure that this would work, but he knew he was out of his league arguing with Jo.
“I’d like to make Hardy an offer before the end of the month,” he said. “If, by then, you can open a practice, and make enough to pay for the apartment, working no more than three days a week, you have a deal. I’ll still need your help running the other businesses.”
Jo breathed a sigh of relief. Because of her “pro bono” work, she’d kept up contacts relevant to her field of expertise, so she was confident she could get enough lucrative, paid referrals to meet his conditions.
This could work! If I move out to the boonies, I’ll have to give up the volunteer work anyway...
... working with paying customers won’t be a great stretch...
... I get to keep my apartment ... and some of the advantages of city living ... and, for a little while at least, Jean...
Yeah, this could work!
“Deal!” she said simply, and then before he could disrupt of her life any further, she distracted him in the most effective way she knew.
He didn’t mind at all.
It was nearing the end of his lunch hour, and both Jean and Jo were panting from exertions that had led to some fairly intense climaxes. Because Alex did not return to the construction camp, it had been a while since they had an opportunity to get together, and the forced separation had only fed their hunger for each other. As their pulses and breathing slowed, and they were again able to speak coherently, she filled him in on Alex’s plans.
At first, Jean was somewhat annoyed. His amantè having a husband around was cutting deeply into the time she had available for him. The prospect of having him around full time did little to warm Jean’s heart. He did begin to warm to the idea, though, when she told him about her plans for jumpstarting her counseling practice.
“If you’re coming into town several days a week,” Jean observed, “we could commute together, whenever I’m not in the field.”
“That might eventually work out,” Jo replied, “but I think we should wait. It’s too early in the game for us to be that friendly in public. Hell, as far as most people are concerned, we don’t know each other that well.”
“I suppose you’re right,” he agreed, disappointed, “but you know, it wouldn’t really be that much time. My job still requires that I spend most of my time in the field. When things return to normal, I’d only get to see you two or three days a month, anyway.”
They bantered about the possibility a little longer, but eventually shelved the idea, pending a future discussion. They had more important things to do, with the meager time they had remaining.
Beth stood hesitantly before the comm unit, considering her next move. Jean had left for the field a few days before, after having managed to avoid it for a full six weeks.
It was an “at school” night for the girls, and she had been completely alone, all day, for the first time since before Hardy had become her lover. Jean had been very attentive, while he was home, and Beth was accustomed to getting nearly as much attention from Hardy, when Jean was away. Although she had known it well, before meeting Hardy, loneliness was an unfamiliar and unpleasant feeling, again.
She hadn’t seen or spoken to Hardy since the tense discussion over her intention to abort. At the memory of that encounter, the pain flared anew. As committed as she was to going through with her planned abortion, she also longed for her lover. She missed his voice, his touch, his embrace. She missed the terrible, wonderful, passionate thrill of their lovemaking. It was devastating to think that he could just disappear from her life.
Did I really just tell him to get lost?
Yes, I did. And it looks like he took me at my word...
I meant it at the time ... do I still?
If our being together depends on having this baby, I do...
Can he back down?
Maybe ... only one way to find out...
She punched in the code for Hardy’s comm station, and waited. Her spirits sank when the automated answering sequence started up.
He must be making his rounds ... it is pretty early in the day...
The comm prompted her, and she decided to leave a message.
“Hi Hardy,” she said, “I found something of yours today, here at the house. Drop by for coffee anytime, before I have to go pick up the girls tomorrow evening, and I’ll give it to you.” She broke the connection.
That should seem harmless enough, even if someone else sees or hears it ... and in a way, it’s true...
Heaving a sigh of disappointment, she returned to the business of maintaining a household.
Josephine returned to an empty house after a long day’s work. Counseling wasn’t strenuous in the physical sense, but it can be emotionally draining. The hour-long commute home by airboat simply added to the strain. As she entered the house, she saw the comm’s indicator showing three messages waiting. The first two were from Alex, reporting his whereabouts and intentions. It seemed that he would be having dinner with a custom services client this evening, so she was on her own.
When she hit “play” for the third message, she got the surprise of her life. There, on the screen, in living color, was Beth Pasteur. After listening to the message, it was clear to Jo that Beth was attempting to revive her broken relationship with Hardy.
I wonder if she realizes how transparent that was ... She obviously doesn’t know that he’s gone, for good...
I guess it’s up to me to break the news...
She hit the “callback” button to connect with the Pasteur’s comm station. A very surprised Beth answered the call. Before she could say anything, Jo introduced herself.
“Hi Beth,” she said. “Remember me? I’m Josephine Trebien. We met at Hardy’s place awhile back.”
“Ummm ... yes ... uh ... What can I do for you?” Beth responded cautiously.
“We actually,” Jo started, “it’s more like, what I can do for you. You left a message on my comm for Hardy.” She paused as Beth’s face registered confusion. She continued, “I see you didn’t know that Hardy had sold his operation to us.”
Beth shook her head, mutely.
“Yeah, it was final two weeks ago. It took some quick stepping, but we now hold the land grant for Hardy’s old place, and Alex is now running the brokerage and equipment repair businesses. He spent the last few weeks following Hardy around, getting introduced to the customers.”
“I didn’t think you could sell a grant...”
“Well, you really can’t, but if you time things correctly and have all of the paperwork in place, the ‘buyer’ can be positioned to receive the grant the moment that the ‘seller’ gives up his claim. It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen. And, at least on paper, we didn’t buy, the land, just the businesses.”
Beth looked as if she were about to break out in tears. She looked hopefully at Jo, and started, “Do you know...”
“Give it up, honey,” Jo interrupted gently, “He’s gone. For good. He won’t be back.” Beth’s shock was clearly visible.
“How could he ... how did you know...”