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“Won’t be much longer,” Clyde said, the ‘wave screen rolling just enough to make his image fuzzy.
Phee pouted back. “It’s already been too long,” she muttered, glancing down, feeling both petulant and guilty.
“It’s been three days,” Clyde said gently, “felt more like thirty, though.” His admission made her feel slightly better. Slightly.
“Three hundred,” she said, unable to stop the grin that betrayed her.
Clyde huffed and nodded, and they fell quiet, just looking at each other as static popped over the connection. The image rolled again and Clyde winced. “Gorram debris field. Might lose you, Core Girl.”
“Impossible, Mr. Logan,” she said softly. “But your children will be waking up hungry soon.”
“Yeah,” he said softly, his expression the very picture of wistful.
“Not even two more days,” she said, forcing a smile that felt too tight as one of the twins (Becky, it was absolutely Becky) cried out.
“Be home before you know it, Mrs. Logan.”
The connection wavered again and Phee kissed her fingertips and held them up to the lens. Clyde’s image rocked again and faded with a hiss. Ah, well.
A second cry echoed and she hurried away from the communications panel.
“Mama?” Cari rubbed sleepily at her eyes. “Baby cry.”
“Yes, they do,” Phee agreed, patting her daughter’s shoulder and urging her back into the bedroom.
“Hungy, Mama?”
“Hm? Yes, they probably are. Baby tummies don’t hold a lot,” Phee hummed as she scooped Becky up into one arm and wished she’d taken Mellie or Laertes up on their offers to stay the night as Rusty stirred in his bassinet, but he settled back to sleep with a sigh. If things went as they usually did, she’d be able to at least get Becky changed and start feeding her before he woke up again. “It’s late,” she said to Cari. “Come on, back to bed.”
Cari huffed but crawled back into the big bed where she’d been sleeping with Phee while Clyde was away on the supply run and a scheduled Alliance check in regarding the fueling station and medical services they offered in exchange for keeping their little moon theirs. They were nearly ready, and there was an Alliance funded space station in deep orbit of the same planet their little moon rounded, which in theory would offer protection and services, though they were all wary of anything so freely offered by the Alliance.
Phee sighed and adjusted her hold on Becky, then ran one hand through Cari’s dark waves, so like Clyde’s if a bit curlier.
Less than two days, now, and with three very small children the time would pass quickly. It always did, even when Clyde was home.
Cari drifted off quickly, not even stirring when Rusty woke and cooed, amusing himself blowing bubbles and kicking his feet until Becky was settled once more and Phee scooped him into her arms.
Later, with the twins settled and Cari snoring softly as she sprawled across the pillows, Phee closed her eyes for just a few hours. The twins were sleeping a little longer, at least. She drifted, tense and still listening for even the slightest noise, until exhaustion took hold and dragged her down into a dreamless sleep until morning.
Once the little ones were fed and breakfast cleared away, Phee hovered in front of the closet, fingers trailing longingly across the soft fabrics of Clyde’s shirts for a moment before she sighed and pushed to the back corner, hesitating before decisively grasping a simple dress of rough woven material. She was in need of the mood lift. She checked in on the babies, Cari off with Aunt Mellie and cousin Maggie for some play time, then ducked into the master bath.
The dress had always been loose, and though it was less so, it fit, and she breathed a sigh of relief, some unrealized tension flowing out of her shoulders as she rocked slightly and the skirt flared lightly and swished against her knees. She checked for any new cortex bulletins or missed ‘waves, then grabbed the portable comm unit set to monitor the twins and a basket. One of the benefits of living dirtside was the garden, and the first berries of the season should be ripe. Phee hummed a tune of the Triumph settlers as she worked, as if the forgotten melody had been unearthed along with the dress from the depths of the closet, and by the time the twins stirred she had enough fruit for a tart or cobbler or small batch of jam, as well as some carrots and a handful of snap peas.
Cari had lunch with Mellie and Maggie, and went straight down for a nap once back home. Phee decided perhaps some sleep would be to her own benefit as well, and the twins usually slept longer in the afternoon than any other time.
One more day.
Phee put away the supper dishes and checked the pie in the oven as she listened to the quiet, straining for even the slightest noise. She was almost sure she’d heard something, but the babies were sleeping, and Cari was with Lee, guaranteed to come back completely exhausted and possibly already asleep.
It must have been the wind or the river.
Or her overactive imagination.
She busied herself slicing the rest of the strawberries for breakfast until the pie was done. She pulled it from the oven and hummed, very tempted to dish some up before it even cooled and top it with a little cream.
“Pretty as a picture.”
She yelped and spun, hands pressed to her chest. “Clyde! You’re home!”
He straightened from where he had leaned against the doorframe and smiled, tired but real. Phee swayed, dress swishing, as her eyes burned. “H-How?”
Clyde crossed the room slowly. “Shortcut through a debris field,” he said with a shrug. “Couldn’t use the autopilot, had to trade off with Dayton.” She tilted her chin up, watching as he approached. “Tucked Cari in at your brother’s, but she’s already out enough I doubt she’ll remember. Twins asleep?”
She nodded, too overwhelmed to speak. Clyde winced. “Had hoped to get here in time to see all of ‘em awake.”
“You said it would be another day,” Phee replied.
“Should have been,” he admitted, so close she could feel the warmth of him, smell his skin and hair. “But I couldn’t miss our anniversary.”
Phee frowned. “That’s not for a few months.”
“Says the one who’s wearing her wedding dress.” Phee gasped and her face warmed, but (finally) Clyde pulled her into his arms and she relaxed for the first time in days, practically melting against him. They stood that way for a while, just the two of them, everything finally right again.
“I really missed you, Mr. Logan,” Phee whispered.
“Missed you more, Core Girl.”
Phee scowled, sure that was impossible but knowing it was pointless to argue. “You’re home now,” she said.
“That a mixed berry pie I smell?”
“For dessert tomorrow,” she confirmed, looking up at him, the expression on his face making her laugh.
“Why not now? Seein’ as I’m back early.”
“Too hot.”
“Breakfast?” he asked hopefully.
“Poor example to set,” she said with a playful frown. “Dessert for breakfast? Throws off the whole day!”
Clyde sighed and kissed her nose. “Guess we best get to bed, then, so tomorrow comes faster.”
Phee yawned and Clyde echoed her. “Catchin,” he mumbled.
“It’s been a long few days.”
“That it has. Ain’t slept proper since before we left. Need you beside me, Mrs. Logan. Gotta know my Core Girl’s a’ight,” he mumbled.
“Come along, Commander,” Phee said. “Off to bed with you before you’re asleep on your feet.”
Clyde laughed and moved more quickly than she expected, swinging her up into his arms. “Ain’t that tired, woman. Got us an anniversary to celebrate. Five years now since you tricked me into marryin’ you!”
Phee squawked then slapped one hand over her mouth, lest she wake the twins early, as her husband carried her off to bed.
“One way or another, I get my dessert tonight,” Clyde said as he shouldered the door open, and Phee couldn’t really argue with that.
“Happy anniversary, Mr. Logan,” she whispered as he lowered her to their bed, playfully slipping her finger under one suspender and snapping it lightly against his chest. “I’m glad you’re home.”