Chapter 15

“Catherine, I have to get well enough to return to work. John and Elizabeth are both senior to me in the department, so I have to show willing.”

“Quite so, Kathleen dear, but from what I can understand, you can take as much time off as you need to get fully back to normal. The Colony expects you to be conscientious about your work responsibilities, but they also want you to be fully fit, so you are an efficient and reliable worker. I like the concept of everyone working to do their best without loads of complicated rules and paperwork. When you are trusted, you feel you can dare to get back to work faster. I know I am raring to get back to my star charts, even though we are officially on honeymoon.”

Kathleen stood steady, despite her nakedness, then she shivered. “I had forgotten the nights can get cold here, Catherine. Can you pass me the robe from that chair?”

“I can, but you should go fetch it yourself, Kathleen. You must get used to doing things you had trouble with previously.”

Kathleen started to frown, then accepted her responsibility and stepped forward, slowly. Finding herself stable, she continued to the chair. Unsure about the riskiness of bending over to pick the robe, instead she bent her knees to lower herself, and picked up the garment that way. Catherine observed and approved as Kathleen stood again.

“Way to go, girl!”

Kathleen cautiously slipped the robe over her shoulders, and pulled the sides over to close it, then tied the loose belt. “That’s better!” She declared.

Catherine asked her, “Are you coming with us for breakfast?”

Kathleen nodded. “I presumed that was why you were here.”

“Damn. No. I am here to make sure you don’t backslide in your exercising. If you want to fuck my husband any time soon, you have to prove you are effectively back to normal. Got it?”

“Got it. But I get to have breakfast with him today?”

“With US, but that means with him as part of the deal. I like being with my man, and breakfast is one of the times I am sure of that togetherness.”

“Okay. Will you walk with me, just in case my balance is not right?”

“Naturally, as soon as you are dressed. You and I are going to be best friends for ever, so we start with being there for each other.” She thought for a moment. “Are you up for the walk to the canteen, or do you want something very simple in our rooms, like a bowl of cereal?”

“I need to set myself a target, so I think let’s aim for the canteen. I will be hungry when we get there, if I am not knackered, trying to keep my balance.”

“The trick is not to think about your balance, Kathleen. Think back to when you first learned to walk as a child. When you stopped worrying about it, your balance was just there without you thinking about it. We need to get you back to that point. Dependence on that walking aid had the bad effect of making your body depend on it to be there. Consciously you know you don’t need it now, but your body has been conditioned to expect it to be there. Once your body recognises that the aid is no longer needed, you will end up walking normally.

We need you to be able to walk confidently up the aisle as the new bride, don’t we? In part, you are doing this for your parents. They will be so proud of you, back to being their lovely daughter, unhindered by any aids.”

Kathleen mused, “On that line of thought, I would love to be hindered by kids – my own children. That would be marvellous!”

“We could do that together, Kathleen. Of the two of us, me and Elizabeth, I am the one that wants lots of children. We could be bringing up our children together.”

“Yeah. But first, I have to get back to walking normally.”

“Correct. Time you got dressed, my girl. Get that robe off, and your underwear on, quick as you can.”

Kathleen rushed to do so, for a few moments forgetting about balance, in her hurry. Catherine watched, then as Kathleen’s face reflected the realisation, she told her,. “Perfect! That was what I meant. You forgot about balance, and just did it.”

Kathleen face lit up, and she leaned forward to kiss Catherine. “Thank you, Catherine.”

Tears came to her eyes, and she hugged Catherine in her joy. She stood back, and reflected again at what she had done. “I did it again: came to you without thinking, and did it without losing my balance!”

Kathleen finished getting dressed, then they went next door to John and Elizabeth. Catherine left it to Kathleen to impart her news.

“John, Elizabeth: I took a few steps without thinking of my balance, and I managed!”

Elizabeth gushed her wonder, “Well done, Kathleen. That deserves a kiss.” She came over and kissed Kathleen, then stood by for John to do the same. He stood for a moment, then twigged his response. He quickly came and kissed Kathleen as well.

“Sorry to be slow, Kathleen. I am a mere man, and I can be a bit of an idiot at times.”

Kathleen accepted his kiss, then held him by the hand, to say, “John, I don’t care if you are not quick to grab a kiss from a girl, but as long it is a kiss from me, Catherine, or Elizabeth, I am not bothered how quick or slow you are.”

Catherine commented, “Kathleen is now behaving as a wife-in-training, John, so you will have to remember to treat her as a wife-to-be, and give her as many kisses and cuddles as you can.”

John leaned down to give Kathleen another kiss, then said, “That reminds me. We have to get the gen from Admin about the possibility of Kathleen’s Dad coming here to work. I should go to Admin with her to do that. Anyone else want to come along?”

Catherine declared, “Unfortunately, I have to examine star field images from The Personalia, and make a start on identifying any that are visible from Earth. This is the start of the whole project, so I have to put some effort into this.”

Elizabeth looked at John. “If there is nothing urgent for me to attend to, I’ll go along with you. Is that okay, boss?”

“Yes, fine. We can’t get a start on our house yet, so we can go to Admin together.”

The trio arrived at the Admin Office and joined the queue of supplicants waiting to be seen. John pointed out to Kathleen that as they had walked to the office, she had been less and less ‘grabby’, and spending more of her time walking by herself; admittedly only a few inches from either him or Elizabeth.

This made her happy, and she remarked quietly, “Perhaps we can have sex earlier than I expected, John.”

He looked around, and shushed her. “Not in public, Kathleen. However, let me say that I hope you are right.”

Eventually it was their turn, and John pushed Kathleen to the front. “Tell the man what you want to know, Kathleen.”

She explained, “My father in the United States was injured in a workplace accident and now is on workman’s compensation. He is a qualified plumber, so I was wondering if there might be a place for him in the Colony.”

The official responded, “We are always looking for tradesmen. How badly is he injured? Can he hold down a job?”

“I don’t think he could do plumbing full time, but he could teach the trade, I believe.”

The man seemed more interested. “Now that could be useful. We have a number of young men without jobs but keen to learn, so if he could teach plumbing, that would be a great asset to have. Have you discussed immigration with him?”

“Not as yet, sir. I am planning for my wedding, and want my parents to come for that, but if he was able to work in the Colony, they could perhaps just emigrate from the USA to here.”

The official was willing. “Right, miss. Just give me the names and address of your parents, plus their ages and any other medical conditions that might affect them, and we can get them vetted for coming here. There are very few we have to refuse; usually criminals or people with illnesses we can’t cope with here.”

Before Kathleen could possibly refer to herself, John stepped in. “We understand. We’ll leave it with you to contact them about it. Thanks for your help. Are we finished, Kathleen?”

She turned to look at him, saw his face implying silence, and agreed. “Yes, finished. We need to see about our wedding, John.”

“Preliminary arrangements only, Kathleen. We don’t know when your parents could be present, yet.”

“Well, can we speak to the parson and find out when there are slots available for a wedding ceremony?”

“Yes, we could do that. Let’s provisionally look for a date about a week from now, and see what he has available around then.”

“Seems fair. I hope to be ready for sex well before that, my darling John.”

“This has really got you going, Kathleen, hasn’t it? But you have to remember this: sex isn’t the driver for a relationship, just an integral part of the male-female link. What is sometimes more important is the way you live with each other, and love each other.

It is being able to cooperate with each other, day by day, for years on end. It is being happy to be with each other; caring for each other in times of need. It is being able to laugh or be sad with the other spouse, when that is what they need at the time.

It is so many things. It might be commiserating when a pregnancy becomes tiresome for the woman or even worse, a pregnancy is lost. It may be worrying together about your child’s illness. Sometimes it is just being able to sit quietly near the other, doing nothing in particular, just being there with the other person. Do you see what I am getting at?”

“Yes. The sex part can be nice, but being able to live FOR each other is even more important. I get that; I do, really. I am simply too young in experience terms. In relationships, I am still a sixteen-year-old. I gave up on relationships when I was so badly injured. To me, the chance of a meaningful relationship was zero. I am bouncing back. That is why I am so keen, John.

BUT, it is not just any man. It is you, John. I watched how you, Catherine, and Elizabeth interacted. That told me a great deal about you.

You love them, and they both love you, but you do NOT take advantage of that love. You allow them to grow along with that love, so that they are benefiting in so many ways. I was amazed to find Catherine was so young; even younger than me. She is so mature now, but talking with her I realised she was not always this way. You helped her to that maturity of vision.

That is what I needed, and at that moment I began to truly love you. You have done nothing to diminish that feeling, so I am happy to commit my life to being with you and the girls. You three are becoming my family. Elizabeth and Catherine have made me welcome. I don’t know why, but they seemed to see something in me that gelled with them and with you three as a unit.”

“Kathleen, I am pleased that you think in this way. If the Admin department are happy, you can get in touch with your parents and invite them to our wedding. It will be a small affair, without the other parents being present, as I don’t see much point in inviting them again. This one is for you and your family. I want them to find you fit and healthy, and I hope, happy.”

Before she could say anything, he went on, “Kathleen, I must be clear with you about marriage on Home colony. It is completely different from Earth standards.

On Earth, it is easy to get married, and it is also relatively easy to get out of marriage. Some girls aim to marry a well-off man for a short time, then get a divorce settlement that gives them money, or a house, or both, to support them for their future. Such marriages have no long-term commitment.

In this Colony, it is the other way around. The law makes it clear that marriage is for keeps, with no easy get-out. This deters anyone from a short-term view of marriage. The other deterrent is the rule that anyone seeking to leave a marriage without a fully justifiable reason – such as physical or mental abuse – leaves with nothing. In cases of abuse, the perpetrator is the one who leaves with nothing. They would most likely also be banished to Earth for the crime.

Nothing means exactly that; no recompense; not even the children born of the marriage. The assets, including children, stay with the remaining marriage partner or partners. So the flexibility of extra spouses is a bonus for the partners, but the commitment is all-encompassing, and multiple spouses have to care for each other. Your choice is important and intended to be for life. Make sure you are clear on these facts before we have our wedding, my dear.”

“Oh, yes, John.” Kathleen was ecstatic. “Catherine and Elizabeth have encouraged me, and I am looking forward to being your wife, part of your family.” She pressed her breasts against John, to show her enthusiasm. She purred as she did so. He noticed his own pleasant reaction, and at the same time how stable Kathleen was on her feet as she stood beside him.

He pointed in the direction of the wedding chapel. “Shall we see if the clergyman is about, girls?”

A smile lit her face, and she took a step forward before reaching back for John’s hand, partly for reassurance in her walking, but mostly for the love she felt at his touch. Elizabeth looked fondly on, and came along behind them.

The wedding chapel was not currently in full action, but people were starting to set up for another wedding ceremony. There were around half a dozen people working away with bunting, flowers, and cleaning the long carpet runner that led out of the door. John tapped one of the workers on the shoulder.

“Pardon me, but where is the parson?”

The man straightened, looked at John, and said, “Inside, in the vestry at the back. He is preparing for his next ceremony.”

John said “Thanks”, and led the way into the building. Elizabeth gave Kathleen a hand, as the girl worried about climbing the steps to the front door. John was ahead, and didn’t notice. At the top of the steps, Elizabeth looked to Kathleen, gestured with her head, and raised her eyes, as if to say. “Men!” Kathleen merely smiled at her in agreement.

Inside, Kathleen and Elizabeth smiled as they walked up the aisle, remembering the recent wedding they had participated in, and thinking ahead at the same time. This time they went as a set, all the way to the little office that was the parson’s lair. John knocked on the door.

The man’s voice invited them, “Enter.” John opened the door and they went inside.

The parson looked at John and blinked in surprise. “Oh. Mr. Freeman, isn’t it? What can I do for you, sir? I recognise one of your brides, but this young lady was the bridesmaid, I think, though there is something different about her.” His eyes widened, and he declared, “Young lady, you were using a walking aid when I last saw you! Is that not so?”

Kathleen simpered at the recognition. “Yes, sir. I had an operation, and I am cured.”

The parson’s brows furrowed. “You are recovered from an operation, already? Amazing.”