Shoshone Station: The Galactic Consortium season 2

Episode Seven: Homecoming #3

They talked of nothing on the way up to Sophia's apartment. Sophia made them a simple dish of noodles. "So, I figured you and Micah would be married by now."

Shaelynn blushed and looked away. "Well, first they blamed me for you running off. Then he did some stuff. Short version, the elders aren't happy with the match. At least they haven't ruled it out and told me to marry another. I would run away if they said that. I think they suspect that might be the case, so they keep the hope alive for both of us."

"And here I thought I was the rebel," Sophia commented as she sat a bowl in front of her sister. "You, talking of running away."

"Oh, you're still the rebel. I talk of running away; you did it."

"What 'stuff' did Micah do?"

Shaelynn shrugged. "It was on the worksite. I never got a straight answer. Was mouthy to an elder or something. You know Micah."

"And that makes him unworthy?"

"You know the elders."

Sophia snorted. "Just want to punish him."

"They'll punish us worse when they find out I came here," Shaelynn said. "Probably will forbid our marriage, tell me I must marry the oldest, meanest man they can find. But I had to come."

"Why?"

Shaelynn sat her fork down and choked back a sob. "It's Mom."

"Did something happen? Is she okay?"

"It's a lump. In her breast. Doctor Brigham says its cancer."

Sophia stared at her in shock. "Is it bad? Will she have to have surgery? Chemo? What's the prognosis?"

Shaelynn pushed away from the table and rose, pacing the room and pressing her palm to her eyes to hold back the tears. "Dad!" she spat. "And the elders. They say . . . they say the oncologist isn't from the Order. And it's God's will anyway."

"What?" Sophia spat. "What does that mean, God's will?"

"You know. They don't want her to have treatment. God's will? Probably just too expensive."

"And Dad agrees?" Sophia suspected or had accused her dad of lots of bad things, but she couldn't imagine he'd go this far.

"He's getting married, again. Business has been good. They're giving him some blond bimbo from the next parish over. My age! God, can you imagine? My new stepmother graduated the same year I did."

"And they wonder why outsiders say shit about us," Sophia said. "He's really getting married again?"

"Yeah, so what does he care about Mom? She's just a first wife that he outgrew when we were kids."

Shaelynn sat again, and Sophia put her arm around Shaelynn's shoulders. "So, what is he thinking?" Sophie asked in a hushed voice.

"Let Mom die. Most of the kids are out of the house anyway. Marry me off. Brevick's turned out to be a good worker." Brevick was their younger brother. "So Dad will let him come stay with them, or with his other stepmom. One less household to support. More money to spend on his new wife."

"What are we going to do?" Sophia asked.

"I was hoping you could talk to her. You should anyway. If only because it might be your last chance. But maybe you could talk some sense into them."

"Dad? Unlikely. Especially now," Sophia said. "Mom. God, I don't know Shaelynn. I hate the thought of her sick, not getting help. But what can I do?"

"I'm sorry, you're right. I can't ask that of you. You've escaped that hell. I can't ask you to go back. I shouldn't have come." She started to rise.

Sophia caught her and pulled her back down. "Stay a while. You are right. I should know about all this, and I'm glad you came. I'm glad I know. The thought that she could have died and I wouldn't even have known about what she was going through . . ." She turned away. "Why don't you stay the night? Give me time to think. I'll try to figure something out."

"Thanks, Zach," Shaelynn said. She gave Sophia an uncertain look. "Umm, Sophia."