Page 104 of Seduced By the Mermen
“No regrets?”
After a pause he says, “None.”
“It’s good that you love what you do.”
There’s another shift in his face. “It’s the best.” He takes my hand. “We’re about to go through the airlock.”
“We’re not through the airlock yet?”
He laughs. “When Forrest said he’ll have no problem catching up to us, he meant it.”
There’s a thud that I recognize as the gate of the airlock closing. Water covers the side window, and I have a Midwestern pang of guilt for not waving goodbye to Forrest even though he couldn’t see me.
“As soon as we’re out of the city, we can slide the observatory dome up.”
“Observatory?”
“Yes, it’s the real selling point for this specific model of voyager. You can really see everything around us.”
And I’m immediately taken back to the observation platform at their apartment and my time with Sterling.
“This one will be different than the one at home. Here, the animal population and currents are controlled by the city. But out in the open ocean? There will be swaths of nothingness and then suddenly vast amounts of life. It’s fascinating. The best part, I think, will be that the window is visible from the bed.”
The days roll together. And the only constant is Sterling not moving from the pilot seat. Zion makes dinner with some help from Delmar and myself before we stumble as a trio into the bedroom. Where I’m getting the best sleep of my life. I don’t know if it’s the lull of the ocean or not worrying about Marlee and Annabelle for a change.
I stretch with my eyes closed, feeling the empty bed next to me.
There’s the mechanical glide of the outside door. “I’ve made you breakfast, and if you get hungry after that, there are some snacks in the cupboard.” Delmar smiles at me and dips his head, holding my cheek as he kisses me.
“I should get up.”
“Take your time. Have a shower when you’re ready.”
“You could come with me.” I hold on to his hand.
“I’m going to force Sterling to move his ass out of the chair.”
I laugh. “You do that. He shouldn’t be the only one having the fun.”
“I think I’m the one who’s been having fun.” He gives me another kiss and closes the door.
I stare at the food and then wrinkle my forehead at the comment about the snacks in the cupboard. Delmar’s adorable, always wanting to take care of me.
I shuffle off to the shower, the computer controls of which I’ve finally figured out so I don’t come out looking like a boiled lobster or an ice cube. I’m humming and drying my hair when I let the bathroom door slide back into place. But there on the bed is a fully dressed Sterling, fully passed out.
I watch him for a bit. He’s not nearly as intimidating with his feet hanging off the edge of the bed. From the chair on the other side of the room, I take a fuzzy blanket and cover him up. He grunts and rolls to his side, pulling the blanket with him.
The tray Delmar made me is missing some of the food. But that’s a good thing. Not only has Sterling barely been leaving the pilot seat, he’s hardly eaten anything. Or at least he’s never taken me up anytime I’ve offered to get him something.
I take the Veiled City version of a wrap and tuck it into a sack. With care, I step onto the bed and reach for the ladder that leads to the small observation area. I shimmy to the front, where I’m sitting over the piloting area on a cushion, and eat my breakfast in the dark with only the voyager’s headlights for company. Zion was right when he said there would be areas of nothingness.
It’s freeing. The quiet, nothing but the whirl of the motors behind me. The pitch blackness surrounding us. I’m sure I will never forget this trip.
After a good while, I tuck my napkin into the bag and contemplate heading down.
“What are you doing up here?” Sterling’s voice cuts through the emptiness, and I jump.
I place my hand over my heart. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you come up.”
