Day 28 - 1000 Word Challenge

And now, the rest of the story.

(Day 28 - 1756 Words)

It was the next afternoon before Shae woke up and she thought that they were under attack again. There was banging and cursing and electrical popping sounds. She jumped out of bed and almost fell over when the boot tripped her up. She barely caught herself on the door frame. She also cried out, which stopped the noises for the most part, which was even more disconcerting.

Thom came around the corner of the hall, he was wearing one of her aprons, a flowery, frilly number. He had a knife in one hand and a spatula in the other and flour on his nose. He looked a little sheepish.

“What is going on? It sounded like a full-fledged battle out there.”

“Sorry, Shae, I didn’t mean to wake you up. I was trying to make pancakes, and then the stove was not heating correctly, so I tried to fix that, and since I didn’t have my tool, I was using a knife, and then the pancakes started to burn. I tried to flip them but they went up into the lights and fell back down into the open circuit and started popping. I guess I’m not a short-order cook. But you do look lovely in my shirt and your bed-head and the little boot.” Thom was grinning by this time, as Shae was laughing, nearly bent over double.

“Just turn everything off and I’ll do it, Thom. The stove is finicky. You are pretty cute in my apron, too. Maybe I just need to chain you in the kitchen until you figure it out.”

Thom pointed the spatula at her and made mock threatening motions with it.

“Oh, no you don’t, Miss Shaedine! I’ll have to swat you with this if you try to chain me up.” They were both laughing loudly now and didn’t hear the doorbell at first, but it was followed by knocking.

“Go get the door! I have to go to the bathroom and I’m not dressed,” Shae started limping that way.

“I could just go let them in and see you in all your glory.”
“Don’t even think about it, Thom Johnson.” Shae slammed the bathroom door.

Thom was still laughing as he went to the door. He looked out the camera port to see who it was and was surprised to see Mike and his partner Kamiah Shandorman. Thom opened the door.

“What’s going on? Is there another attack?” Thom spoke quietly, so that Shae wouldn’t hear.

“No, just checking on you both and bringing some news.” Mike pushed on the door to open it wider. “Where is, Shaedine?”

“None of your business, Mike. Come on in, what is it?”

“What is that smell? It smells like burnt pancakes.” Kamiah was sniffing and moving his way in, ducking through the door frame.

“I was trying to cook pancakes for Shae and had a little incident.” Thom admitted.

Shandorman looked at Thom, took the knife and spatula away from him and marched on past. Mike and Thom looked at each other and both shrugged.

“I like the new outfit, you looking at other work while you wait for the strike to end?” Mike raised an eyebrow suggestively. Thom looked down and then quickly removed the apron and tossed it behind the couch.

“You are a butt, Mike.”

Mike just grinned and then sat on the couch, legs stretched out.

Shae had made it back to the bedroom and dressed while the guys were talking, just loose pants and another of Thom’s shirts, she was barefoot on the one foot and booty on the other which made her walk lopsided.

“What’s going on, Thom?”

“Ah, there she is! Don’t you look charming.” Mike was continuing his backhanded compliments, obviously in a good mood. Shae pointedly ignored him and looked at Thom.

“Kamiah is cooking in the kitchen, and Mike is trying to break the couch. They said they had news, and that they were coming to check on us,” Thom said in a quick catch up.

“In my kitchen? You were bad enough.” Shae limped on through the room and into the kitchen. She could hear Mike and Thom trading gibes.

Kamiah filled the whole kitchen it seemed. He could reach from one side to the other without moving his feet. He had already cleaned up the pancake messes, had a new bowl mixing and had the stove sizzling perfectly. Shae just stared.

“My mother and father ran a shuttle stop and I helped while I was growing up. So, yeah, I know cooking and cleaning. You need to talk to the landlord about this stove, it isn’t up to regs.” Kamiah, didn’t even turn to look at her as he spoke.

“Go ahead and have a seat back out there, I don’t want to trip over you.” Kamiah jerked a thumb back over his shoulder. Shae just turned and complied.

*

They were all enjoying the pancakes. Shae and Thom sitting at their little table, Mike on the couch balancing the plate on his knees and Kamiah sitting on the floor, the plate on one hand while he ate with the other. Shae thought that they were even better than hers and made a mental note to ask for the recipe.

“So what was the news?” Thom asked as he cleared his mouth with a drink of water before taking another bite.

“Oh, yeah,” Mike said. “There had been a reward for information leading to the capture of the captain of the Lekthish ship. The patrol commander said that, with Thom calling the police and me calling headquarters, that it at least counted part way, even though the guy wasn’t captured, he still got what he deserved. So, once everything clears, maybe a couple of days, then the two of you will get a deposit.”

“What about you and Kamiah?” Shae asked. The news was still sinking in.

“Oh, we are patrol, so it’s just in a day’s work for us. We’ll get a combat bonus on our regular paychecks.” Mike commented before taking another huge bite. Despite the stack having started out 8 pancakes high, there were only a few bites left on his plate. Shae took another bite of hers.

“How much? Do you know?” Thom asked. Shae listened intently. Maybe they could get his multi-tool back out of hock.

“Nah, that’s above our paygrade. But, it won’t be just chump change. Probably a couple hundred credits.” Mike answered after finishing off the last bite.

Shae’s wrist comp beeped from the bedroom.

“Can you get that, Thom? It’s Maricia’s message tone.” Shae asked.

Thom went to the bedroom and brought the watch to her. Shae looked at the message and tears filled her eyes as she looked back up at Thom.
“What is it, babe?” Thom got up and came around to kneel down next to her.

“Maricia just told me the strike is over!”

“Why didn’t the Union call you, Thom?” Mike asked.

“My watch was in the Zip car, I’ll have to eventually get it replaced. Maybe with some of the money from the reward. That would sure come in handy.” He hugged Shae, relief showed in his shoulders.

“Well, we’ll let you two get all blubbery by yourselves and we’ll head on out,” Mike teased. He picked up the plates and stacked them all in the kitchen. Thom turned to him, standing as Mike came back through to the door. He stuck out a hand in a handshake, which Mike grabbed and then pulled Thom into a bro-hug. Then Mike gave Shae a quick hug and kiss on top of the head.

Kamiah shook both of their hands and he and Mike headed out.

Thom leaned against the door for a moment, his head tilted back and eyes closed.

“Shae. There’s something else.”

“What, Thom?” Shae was worried now. The sound of Thom’s voice was a little shaky.

“I called Ben, the guy who helped us last night. I talked to him for quite a while this morning while you were still out of it. I explained a little more about the fight in the diner, and all the trouble with you losing your job. How tough it’s been. And I told him more about the strike and my multi-tool. And then he came by with an offer. I told him I couldn’t make a decision without talking to you first. And he said he wouldn’t expect any less.”
“What are you talking about, Thom. What offer? What does he want?”

“Shae, Ben is in charge of the colony ship that is heading out soon, the one that Maricia was telling you about.”

“Wow, okay. That’s pretty cool.” Shae answered. Thom opened his eyes and looked at her.

“He said he needed people like us. Couples that were independent, that worked hard, that were willing to do the right thing to help people and be loyal to friends and each other. He wants to offer us a spot on the colony ship.”
“But, how would be pay? I’m sure the reward wouldn’t be enough for that. Plus the things that you have to have once you get there. And in the advertisement is said they wanted married couples with no kids.” Shae was going over all the things and the credit signs in the back of her mind were giant.

“Hon, we are half way there. We don’t have kids, Ben brought me my multi-tool from the pawn shop, and he brought this as a place-holder.” Thom strode over to her and got down on one knee. He pulled a box from his pocket. Inside was a simple ring with small sparkling stone on top. Shae’s eyes grew wide and her face felt like it was burning up.

“Will you marry me and go with me to the new colony? It would be a great opportunity for me to have my own shop, you to have a diner if you wanted. Ben said he would provide the funds and supplies for it, if we were willing to give it a shot. I know you will miss…” Shae interrupted him with a fierce kiss.

It was a few moments before they both could breathe again.

“Yes. Yes, Thom Johnson, I totally will marry you and I’ll follow you where ever you go. I love you, Thom.”
“Very well, soon to be Mrs Shadine Johnson. I’ll let Ben know. Oh, and you can let your family know, that will be living in the colony on the planet Prayer.”

_
The End