Chapter Nine
“Well that should about do it Cornelius. Think you can handle it?”
Cornelius nodded absently, as he gazed fixatedly at the game of block outline shapes before him, which even now he was learning to manipulate with his fingers. “How utterly intriguing this is! Language through the manipulation of geometric shapes with corresponding mathematically derived principles used throughout to create a chemistry of infinite possibilities.” Cornelius mused as gleefully, as a young child, as his old mind grappled with the challenge of learning an entire new set of skills that utilized in part the concepts that he had already mastered in life.
Christy and I gazed fondly at the old man absorbed in the pursuit of a new avenue of interest. As grand as the discovery of all the simple game had unlocked for me my mind however was elsewhere.
My gaze turned to Christy who still sat on my one leg. Her eyes met mine and her innocent smile was betrayed by the look of passion in her eyes for me.
This time our kiss however was not one of goodbye, but rather of a new beginning. Her hands closed about my face as we tasted each other’s lips passionately.
The loud clearing of someone’s throat had us both looking at Cornelius startled. Looking over the rim of his glasses at us he said, “Perhaps you two love birds had best get yourself a room somewhere.”
Christy gazed forlornly past me towards the rear hatch and said, “But there are no rooms!”
That’s what she thought!
Motioning to the heads-up display I said to Cornelius, “Everything is on autopilot. I expect we’ll get where we’re going in about a week. I might or might not see you before then.”
Christy’s face turned ten shades of red and I marveled at the beauty of a simple blush. I’d never had the joy of being with a woman who could and now I had the honor of causing this woman no end of blushing for the rest of my days.
Sounding as if her tongue was tied Christy said in deep mortification, “There are no rooms Logan!”
Smiling I reached my hand up and dipped it beneath the neckline of her dress. She gasped and looked even more mortified, as I pulled my hand free and set Mark down on the dash of the ship.
Cornelius stared at the appearance of Mark in consternation. Gesturing between the two I said, “Cornelius meet Mark. Mark meet Cornelius. You two can keep each other company while I get accustomed to the joys of matrimony.”
I stood up and transferred Christy from sitting on my thigh to laying draped across my arms. She stared at me out of a mixture of desire and embarrassment as I walked toward the back hatch.
A little past halfway across the length of the ship I set her down on her feet and she stood there awkwardly glancing from me to her gaping grandfather still seated at the forward end of the ship. I waved my hand across a panel of lights on the wall and a panel of steel seemed to virtually materialize behind me cutting off all sight of Cornelius.
Gasping Christy held her hand to her mouth as she fought to stifle a nervous giggle. Wrapping my knuckles on the steel partition I said, “See proof, soundproof, and only able to be opened from this side. Are you satisfied?”
Turning from the wall of steel to me she came closer with a smile only to say, “Not till I’m all yours Mr. Collins.”
“That can be arranged Mrs. Collins.” I said, as my lips lowered to hers, even as my hands seized onto the priceless gift that she was.
*****
Cornelius glanced away from the steel partitioned blast door to Mark and shook his head and said, “I don’t know about this younger generation. I surely don’t, but then who can argue with divinely appointed passion. If ever there was a rose it’s my Christy and if there ever was a thorn it would be Logan. Together they make the complete rose don’t you think?”
Mark’s little head bobbed, as if in agreement and thus an amicable relationship of sorts began between the aging professor and the little field mouse from a prison south of the border.