Engagement [Book 3: SEKTOR V Trilogy]

Chapter 4: Or Thirteen Days...?

Chapter 4: Or Thirteen Days...?

Maddy was sitting up in her hospital bed listening to a string of syllables the Walfords were sharing with her. Maddy didn't doubt that these sounds were legitimate words from the English language strung together in such a manner that they formed coherent sentences. Currently, however, her brain was too pre-occupied with the Walfords physical appearance to bother processing any other ancillary information. A mere five months earlier, she vividly recalled interacting with both Clyve and Miranda on the ship. And yet what stood in front of her now seemed utterly impossible.

Arguably, Clyve Walford was Næsta Kynslóð's best electrical engineer while his wife Miranda was the youngest Ph.D. (17) she had ever known. Miranda was a biologist who specialized in studying life in extremely inhospitable areas. Given their species' current tenuous hold on survival, Dr. Walford's skill set could turn out to be particularly valuable down the road. But none of these particular details occupied Maddy's brain at the moment. No, all she could think of was how they looked!

Of course, Maddy intellectually comprehended what she was witnessing but none of that made any of this less surreal. Everything Smithson had described to her was all in the hypothetical. Witnessing your friends and colleagues age over 22 years essentially overnight was like watching the aftermath of a car wreck as you slowly drive by on the interstate. It simply was impossible for her not to gawk. Back on Black Hole One Miranda was one year younger than Maddy. Not anymore! Now...biologically at least... she was either 61 or 62. And yes, she looked every bit of it. Clyve was in his mid-forties five months ago but now he had to be 67...maybe 70? The crazy thing about this 'conversation' they were (not really) having was how mesmerized both parties were of each other's physical appearance.

Finally, Clyve broke off the small talk (that never registered anyway) and said what everyone was thinking.

"Wow."

Maddy realized that no further verbal explanation was needed as each party continued to silently stare wide-eyed at each other. After a moment, Maddy broke the silence...

"I guess Einstein's 'theory' really needs to be officially upgraded to law," she said with a smile.

Miranda and Clyve both laughed but that didn't stop them from continuing to look at her with awe. Then Miranda turned her stare to Clyve and pinched him.

"Ok, that's enough, Casanova."

"Ow! Why did you go and do that?"

Miranda turned back to Maddy and said, "In all seriousness Maddy, I want to thank you for understanding and letting me return with him. Had I stayed, I would have been no use to you or anyone else on the ship."

"Of course Miranda, I completely understood at the time. I would have wanted the same thing if I were in your shoes. So there's no need to thank me. I'm just so thrilled that you both are doing well, and from what I have been told, that Clyve's heart is as good as new!"

Clyve chimed in.

"Yes thank you for sending her back to me Maddy. That said, couldn't you have waited a couple of months? Having a wife in her 40's would be pretty sweet right about now!"

The words barely got out of his mouth before he was punched...hard, on the arm, multiple times.

"What? What'd I say? Look at Maddy. Come on, give an old guy a break!"

"Oh don't you worry, I can and will break something for you! You better watch it old man. I still can make your life quite miserable!"

Miranda tried to keep a straight face but broke out laughing, as she gave Clyve additional phony soft punches to his chest. Clyve grabbed Miranda close to him. As he did this, he looked over at Maddy and mouthed a silent "thank you" that only Maddy could see.