Trip Of A Lifetime

by Jannette Johnson

The last time Don went on a vacation, he’d met his beautiful wife. Right from the first moment he laid eyes on her, he knew she was the only woman for him. When their precious daughter Lizzy was born, he felt life couldn’t get any better. Then Lizzy got sick. Very sick. And Don learned quickly that parents will do almost anything for the sake of their children.

Don put the worn photo of a smiling little blond girl with pig-tails back in between the folds of his wallet. How he wished she were here, healthy and happy, but the hospice was the best place for her right now. Until she could be admitted to the Research Center on Jupiter.

He rummaged through his wallet for a folded sheet of paper. It was crinkled and dog-eared, and pieced together with tape. He turned a corner back slightly, just enough to see the embedded gold letterhead and printed first paragraph.

-

Case Reference 11825-06

Dear Sir or Madam;

Your application for medical coverage for juvenile female dependent (file number 8776) has been reviewed by our Medical Board…..

-

Heavy footsteps forced his eyes from the paper and he tucked it neatly away and returned the wallet to his pants pocket.

“Come on, Matilda!” he shouted, as he heaved the last of the luggage into the back of their beaten-up hovercar. “I want to make the Space Highway before rush hour traffic.”

“Hold your sea horses!” came the hoarse reply from the entrance of their home. “I need to make sure I have everything. I‘m not spending a long weekend at the Ritz Neptune without being prepared.”

“Prepared for what?” He watched Matilda stroll towards him, her plump torso barely contained within a tight pink jumpsuit.

She dropped a small matching carry-on bag next to the hover-car. “Anything!” She opened the door and loaded an overflowing handbag into the front seat. “It’s the Ritz Neptune, for crying out loud. I read that celebrities always stay at fancy hotels like that.” There was an exhilaration in her voice that made Don smile. “We could be rubbing shoulders with famous people.” She turned and gave him a curious look over her shoulder. “But what I don’t understand, is why after all your lectures about being frugal, you went and spent so much money on something so frivolous.”

“This isn’t frivolous,” He smiled. “It’s a celebration. Getting that promotion at work wasn’t an easy thing for you, and I wanted to take you someplace special to celebrate.” He skulked away from her to the driver’s side of the vehicle. “Besides, we need to live a little every now and then.”

“But why one of the moons of Neptune? She questioned “Why Triton? Isn’t that a little remote for a vacation?”

“I overheard my boss say he and his wife spent their last vacation there and really enjoyed it,” he said, as they both got into the vehicle. “Said it was the best time of their lives.”

“Well, I hope so,” She flopped around on her side of the bench seat. “Because after this weekend, I doubt we’ll have enough money to go anywhere for a very long time.”

“I know,” Don put the key in the ignition. “That’s why this promotion came at the right time. We’ll go to Triton and live it up for the weekend. Don’t know when we’ll ever get another opportunity to celebrate again.”

The hovercar shuddered as it came to life. Don quietly whispered a prayer, hoping the hydrogen boosters under the trunk would push out enough torque to escape the planets gravity. Being one of the older models with an exhaust port, it was more prone to acting up than the newer models. The new Saturn Series had emission converters that were completely self-contained. But, they were too expensive. There was no way Don could save up for a new vehicle. Not now. Maybe in a few years.

Orbital buoys with flashing lights marked the boundaries of the freeway as they traveled away from the planet. The drive was speedier than usual, especially for a Friday. One check in his rear-view mirror and Don could see the beginnings of the evening rush hour traffic already starting to build up. They’d have to make it to the moon onramp quickly, if they were going to beat the long weekend traffic.

“Look,” Matilda pointed a plump finger at the window next to her. “Isn’t that Fred and Emily? She never told me they were going away this weekend? And what are they driving?”

Don took a quick peek. “That can’t be them. They have a green hover-car.”

“It is them,” Matilda was shocked. “When did they buy that?”

“I don‘t know,” he said. “I haven’t spoken to him in months. That new promotion of his keeps him pretty busy.”

Matilda gave him a sour look. “Why can’t you get promotions like Fred? Then maybe our credit would improve and you could get a new hover.”

“I’m trying, but the boss doesn’t seem to care for me.”

“Care for you?” Her face scrunched up as she spoke. “Don, he doesn’t even know who you are. I keep telling you, you have to be more assertive if you want to get things out of life.”

Don flicked on his turn signal. “I know, and I tried. Remember two months ago when that shipment of important contracts went missing? I let Upper Management know it went to the wrong destination.”

Matilda‘s thin painted-on eyebrows rose with pride. “And you got a pat on the back and a positive recommendation in your work file because of it. But if you really want to advance Don, you’re going to have to do something that makes you stand out. Grab the bull by the horns and don’t let go.”

He slouched forward. “But I need an opportunity for that, and they never seem to come my way.”

“Sure they do. You just have to know how to look for them.” She shifted slightly toward him on the bench seat. “I knew you were the perfect opportunity when I saw you.”

Don blushed. “That was a good day for me too.”

His mind began to wandered back to a time when he and his wife were happier. To their first little apartment overlooking the downtown core. The one without a kitchen, and the bathroom that doubled as a closet. They joked about how cheap it was going to be to decorate and all the money they would save by eating out, not knowing how expensive prepared food could be. Then came the nights they had to eat by candlelight to save on the electricity bill. Don remembered one candle-lit dinner in particular which led to the conception of his precious Lizzy.

His daydreaming took them to the Mars Turnpike, and he snapped to attention as the flow of traffic increased. How he loathed merging with oncoming traffic. People went much too fast on the Expressway, with some drivers completely ignoring the markers altogether. How more people weren’t killed was beyond him.

“Once we’re on the Expressway,” he said, eyeing the traffic for an opening. “it’ll be just a few hours until we reach Triton.”

“Good,” Matilda said. “That should put us there in time for supper. I’ll have to change once we get there. I hope you didn’t bury my blue luggage in the trunk.”

“No, I knew you’d want that one first, so it‘s right there up front.”

Mars was a beautiful sight to see. The copper colored dust that hung in the air gave a mystical and serene air to the planet. It topped Earth as the best place to live, even if the cost of living was the most expensive.

“I wonder if there’s anything good on satellite,” Matilda reached over to the dash and turned the knob. “Mars has the best broadcasts.”

Sounds of static filled the compartment of the hovercar as Matilda searched relentlessly for some signal. The abruptness of an announcer’s voice startled Don. The deep voice penetrated the static and filled the hover. It was the same news they had on Earth, only for some reason it seemed to mean more coming from a Mars satellite. The broadcast was full of the usual sports scores and news articles on politics, weather for the different regions of Mars, and a travelers forecast if you were planning on venturing to Earth. Then a feature story began. It was an in-depth article on the cost of healthcare for the outer worlds and how the Government was looking into making it more affordable. Don’s ears perked up. Especially when he heard the price rate for donated organs. This was just what he wanted to hear. Maybe Lizzie could get the treatment she needed sooner. But just as the story got underway, Matilda cranked the knob.

“Too depressing,” she said, tuning the radio into other stations. “We all know a trip to the hospital costs an arm and a leg. Nothing the Government is going to do can change that.” She shuffled around on the bench seat.

“I hear some people go to desperate lengths sometimes. You know, selling body parts for cash.”

“I can believe that.” Matilda said, then smiled at him. “Good thing I have a job that provides us with good healthcare.”

“Too bad you still need a reservation just to see a doctor.”

Don gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. It made his blood boil that he needed a recommendation to get Lizzy into see the right doctor. Something that wasn’t covered by any insurance plan.

They entered the Columbus Tunnels, which immediately cut off any transmissions from Mars. The tunnels; long cylinder tubes with repulsers built into the sides, was the only way to pass through the asteroid belt that separated the inner and outer planets. Once on the other side, Don signaled for a left lane turn and began merging in with oncoming traffic. After the tunnel, the Expressway forked off into two new highways. One heading to the two gaseous giants, the second heading for the outer worlds. Traffic thinned out somewhat. Most of the flow seemed to veer off toward Saturn and Jupiter. People heading to the resorts on the moons, no doubt, Don thought to himself. But he didn’t mind. Where he was headed was just as special.

The next few hours were spent in relative quietness. Matilda had fallen asleep on her side of the bench, and by the sounds of her snores, she was in a deep slumber.

Don was grateful for the solitude. He shifted in his seat as he reached for his wallet, with the crumpled piece of paper still neatly tucked inside. He’d grappled with the notion of throwing it out several times, but always returned it to the safe spot next to his daughter’s picture.

-

Medical costs for treatment have been construed as follows;

Doctor (Specialist): 25,000.00

Transplant (Two major organs): 10,000

Medication and Aftercare: 55,000.00

Transportation To Medical facility And to Recoup Hospice: 16,000.00

Total cost: 106,000.00

Please be advised that these prices are set by the Company with payouts proceeding once we have received verification of income and your first repayment installment ….

-

Matilda coughed, and he quickly stuffed his wallet back into his pocket. If she’d seen him reading instead of watching where he was driving, she’d have a fit. And he didn’t want anything to spoil their weekend.

She yawned and stretched out in the small cab. “Are we there yet?”

“Not yet. But the off ramp should be coming up soon.”

“There it is,” She pointed to red and blue flashing buoys that led off to another expressway. “Time to start getting ready.” Matilda opened her purse and began applying makeup in the vanity mirror, as Don slowed the hovercar down in preparation for the turn. The vehicle shuddered as he geared down, causing Matilda to smudge her eye shadow and send a bright blue smear towards her left ear.

“Now look what you’ve done!” Her face contorted with anger, but seeing Don trying to hide his smile lightened her mood.

“I’m sorry.” he said, trying hard not to laugh.

She reached over and swiped the eye shadow brush across his cheek, and both of them began to laugh.

The rest of the journey was uneventful. The odd space transport or hovercar would pass them going the other direction, but, other than that, the lanes were void of traffic. Neptune in the off-season was the perfect place for vacation. Apart from the fact there weren’t as many people, everything was cheaper.

Much to their surprise, they arrived at Triton a full 30 minutes before the supper hour. Neptune, hovering in the horizon, was a cool blue against the blackness of space. Even from a distance, you could see flashes of lightning from the storm clouds that smothered the planet.

“Watch out for that geyser,” Matilda pointed to a swirling mass of dark blue to her right. “If we get caught in that I don’t think the hover will be able to make it back out.”

“Don’t worry,” Don gripped the steering wheel tight as they descended towards the glow. “That thing is kilometres away from the hotel. We won’t be driving anywhere near it.”

As they entered the protective dome that surrounded the multi-level hotel, squeals of excitement and anticipation burst from Matilda, and even Don had to admit, he was glad the long journey was over. All he wanted to do was sleep for the next few hours, but there were things that still had to be done.

The hover pulled up to the front doors and sputtered to a stop. Don quickly jumped out and ran around to Matilda’s door to open it for her. She slowly stepped out, her face done up with makeup and walked haughtily into the building.

The lobby was incredible. Everything sparkled silver and gold with accents of dark oak wood around the oversized windows and doors. The eyes were immediately drawn to a large enclosed fountain in the center of the room. The liquid shimmered a metallic blue as it gurgled and flowed over white slab rocks and into an erratically carved basin. The enclosure led up to an opening in the ceiling where mint blue flecks of nitrogen floated harmlessly out into the Triton skyline. Even the artificial plant-life seemed to denote elegance as it glistened with speckles of crystal dust.

They walked up to the oak reception desk where an employee in an old style expensive uniform waited patiently. Don felt a little awkward as he stepped up to the gold inlay counter. He hadn’t been able to change his clothing after work and the long ride in the hover had done nothing to improve his appearance.

“May I help you?” the desk clerk’s tone was vaguely snobbish as he gave the couple a once over.

“Yes, we have a reservation for the weekend,” Don said. “The name is Phelps.”

The clerk look down at his ledger. “I’m sorry, but I don’t see the name on my list. Are you sure you booked with this hotel?”

“I‘m positive,” Don said. “I booked the room weeks ago. Take another look please.”

The clerk looked at them down the bridge of his nose. “I’m sorry, but one check will suffice. At The Ritz Neptune we are meticulous about everything we do. If my ledger does not have your name, then you have not booked with us.”

“That’s impossible,” He looked frantically at Matilda then back at the clerk. “Just check to see if you have any reservation for Phelps. ”

An incommodious look hovered on the clerk’s face as he gave a quick glance through the leather-bound ledger. “There is no reservation under the name Phelps.”

Don faced Matilda again as her face became flushed, then drained of colour, and Don knew, the desk clerk was about to face the wrath of Matilda.

“How dare you,” Her tone made it quite clear she was not impressed, as her words reverberated off the marble walls and intensified within the lobby. “Do you think that just because you work is such a fine place as this, that you have the right to snub your nose at us! We are hard working people, and I have half a mind to report you and your hotel to your head office.”

The clerk stood his ground. “I cannot give you a room if there is no reservation.”

“Are you calling him a liar?” That seemed to cause a slight twinge of panic. And Don knew it was the reaction she was looking for. “Do you make it a habit of calling all your patrons liars?”

“Madam, please, if you would calm yourself down for a moment-”

“Calm myself down?” Her tone rose to an almost screeching level. “ Don’t you tell me what to do. First you insult us, now you’re telling us what to do! Who do you think you are?”

Don began to feel a little hot under the collar as other guests of the hotel directed their attention toward them. Or more precisely, Matilda.

“I have never seen such a worse run operation than this hotel. You lose our reservation and then blame us. I plan on filing a complaint with every tourist outlet and travel agency in the solar system. I work for a very large company, and I will make sure not one single employee stays at any of your hotels, and I will mention your rudeness to your superiors. By the time I’m finished with you, no one will want to stay at your hotel. I can guarantee it!”

Don looked nervously over at the desk clerk. He could see small beads of sweat forming on his brow as he frantically searched his ledger. “I don’t have anything open until tomorrow-”

“Tomorrow!” Matilda screeched. “Do you have any idea how far we’ve travelled? We’ve come all the way from Earth, and you expect us to spend the night on the street in our vehicle?”

It was a full blown panic attack as now a second person went over the registry looking for an opening.

“We have a room coming available in a few hours,” The desk clerk hastily turned the digital schedule toward her. “It’s on the sixth floor, facing the indoor water park.”

Matilda became calm. “See that it’s ready when we come back.”

She turned on her heel and stomped out of the lobby, ignoring the whispers and stares from the other guests. Don kept his head low and followed behind.

The Doorman quickly opened the beveled glass doors for them, and received a low insulting scowl from Matilda for his trouble. Don smiled as he passed by, and received a sympathetic smile in return.

Once inside the hover-car, Don hunched over the steering wheel and listened to Matilda carry on. Other vehicles that pulled up next to them could hear her shouts. One man even shook his head in sympathy for Don.

“I’m sorry,” Don said, hoping it was safe to speak. “I know I made a reservation at that place.”

Matilda took a deep breath. “It’s not your fault, but when we get home you better get in touch with what ever agency you booked through. They should be made aware of the serious lack of courtesy in that establishment.”

“ What should we do now?”

“Well, we can’t go back for a few hours,” Matilda said. “and I’ve been sitting in this stupid hovercar for so long by backside hurts. Besides, we need to get out and have something to eat.”

They pulled into a motel just down the road from the Ritz Neptune. This one wasn’t as glamorous; there were no shining spotlights or a doorman, but it beat driving around an unfamiliar city.

“What are we doing here?” she asked.

Don pointed at the sign. “You pay by the hour here. I know it isn’t the Ritz Neptune or anything, but I thought we could get a room for a few hours, stay here until our room at the other place is ready, and maybe get a bite to eat.”

“Right now, anyplace is better than that dump we were just at.” she shifted in her seat.

“Good idea.”

After a few moments, Don came back out and got into the hovercar. “The restaurant isn’t all that good, but the desk clerk told me of a real nice place just up the road.” He handed Matilda the keycard as he reached down and popped open the trunk. “I got us a room with a shower, so you can get cleaned up and change if you want. Then we can go out to eat.”

“See, now that was what I meant by being assertive.” Matilda said, as she took the key and got out. “I knew you made that reservation, and I wasn’t going to let some snob tell me otherwise.”

“You scared the crap out of him, Matilda,” Don said, as he walked back and began searching for the blue luggage bag. “There’s a difference between being assertive and being a bully.”

Matilda walked away from the hover-car. “He was being rude, Don. Sometimes if you want something bad enough, you do what you have to, to get it.” She strolled down the cement walkway and stopped at a room with the number four on the door. “Don’t ever forget that.”

Don followed behind and placed the bag on the floor just inside the motel room. It was dark, but cozy, with a fake fireplace in the far corner. It was sparsely furnished with just a double bed and a table with two chairs. The entertainment area consisted of a video screen embedded within a fake stucco wall.

“Here’s the bag you wanted.” he said.

“Naw, that one has my fancy dinner clothes. I don’t need that one.”

“But aren’t we going out to dinner?”

Matilda flopped herself down in a nearby chair. “I’m not going to get dressed up for some one star diner, Don. I’ll just wear the clothes in my pink bag.”

“What pink bag?”

“The one I brought out with me when we were leaving.”

Don remembered seeing the bag in her hand, but not in the back of the hover when he closed the trunk. Matilda saw the look of confusion on his face and came to the same realization he did.

“You forgot the bag, didn’t you?” she said.

“I’m sorry. I just had so much on my mind, it didn’t click in that you wanted to take it too.”

There was a sudden rap on the door. “I’m sorry. Am I interrupting?” A very attractive middle-aged woman cautiously entered the room, holding several brochures in her hands. She smiled at Don in a way that caused all the day’s troubles to melt away. “I’m Missy, the desk clerk. I thought you might want these.”

“Thanks,” Matilda smiled. “But we don’t need anything. We’re not staying long.”

The woman tucked a few strands of blond hair behind her ear. “That’s alright, keep them anyway. They may come in handy.”

Don took them from her and smiled brightly. “Thanks. I’m sure they’ll come in handy.

Matilda eyed the woman suspiciously. “Don, honey, would you get me something to drink, please.”

There was a sickening sweetness to her tone that let him know she was jealous of the desk clerk.

“There are some refreshments in the mini-bar.” Missy pointed behind Matilda to a fake wooden panel in the wall.

Matilda glared at her. “And have you charge me some outlandish price.”

“No. Please, it’s on us. Anything to make your stay here more pleasurable.”

Matilda stood and walked toward the panel. “Trust me, we’re not staying.”

Don waved as Missy left the room. “So, why don’t you choose some place to eat dinner.”

Matilda opened a bottle of water, taking a few sips before sitting back down in her chair. “What am I going to wear, Don? The only thing that’s decent enough to wear here, you left back on Earth in front of our home.”

“Then how about if I run to the restaurant and bring something back for you?” he said hoping this would satisfy her.

Matilda didn’t answer him right away. He could see her mulling the idea around in her head as she drank from the free bottle of water. “Alright. Just make sure you get me something I like. None of this weird native food.” She took another swig of water. “You know what I like, right?”

Don smiled. “I know exactly what you need.”

He shut the door behind him and began walking toward a group of neon signs on the far side of the road. His body was growing tired, and he hoped he would have enough energy for the rest of the night. There was still a few more things that had to be done before he could call it a night and get some sleep.

The walk down and back took longer than Don expected. He had a hard time trying to find a place that served the right kind of food, something that wasn’t – as Matilda put it- ‘native’. What ever that meant.

As he rounded the corner, he noticed flashing lights coming from the vicinity of the hotel. More precisely, from just outside the small room he’d booked. A small crowd gathered several meters away from the front door, with several emergency vehicles filling the small parking lot.

Immediately, Don ran to the room. The door, already open, was letting the local police and EMT people pass through. Don walked up to the edge of the room and peered inside. There, on the floor, was the dark bedspread draped over a body. His hands began to shake as he stepped into the room.

“There he is,” The soft voice of the desk clerk greeted him. “That’s the man that was with her.”

It was a burly officer that approached, but Don didn’t look at him. He was too transfixed on what lay under the sheet.

“Excuse me, sir,” the officer spoke delicately. “Are you Don Phelps?”

He could barely find the breath to speak. “Yes.”

“I hate asking you to do this, but we need you to identify the body.” The officer turned and nodded to an older man who stood next to the bedspread. Slowly, the older man bent down and pulled back the cover at what looked like the head. He carefully lifted one corner, and exposed the contorted face of Matilda.

“Do you know this woman?”

“Yes, sir,” He didn’t take his eyes off her. It was a chilling sight. Her dark hair was strewn untidily across her face; a deathly pallid complexion had replaced the red mottle he was accustomed to. “Her name is Matilda. Matilda Bentley.”

“Can I ask what relationship you have with the deceased?”

Don swallowed hard. “She’s my girlfriend. We’ve only been going out a few months.” He looked miserably at the officer. “I brought her to Triton for a celebration. We were going to celebrate her new promotion.”

The officer nodded and the sheet was lowered down over the head. “I’m sorry for your loss. The coroner says it was natural causes. Too much stress on the heart.”

Don was quiet for a moment. “It’s my fault,” he whispered. “She got angry with me because I‘d screwed up. She said she wasn’t but-” He made a fist with his right hand and started banging it against his forehead. “If only I’d double-checked everything!”

The officer reached out and grabbed a hold of his wrist. “It’s not your fault.” He motioned over his shoulder to the older man. “The Coroner said she was pretty unhealthy to start with. You’re not to blame if she doesn’t take care of herself.”

“But I-”

“It’s not your fault!”

Don sat on the edge of the bed as the EMT wheeled Matilda’s body out of the room. He could do nothing but stare at the floor, thinking about the last time he’d been in the same room as EMT’s. The memories of the frightened looks on his daughter’s face as she left their apartment for the hospital, her mother by her side.

The room seemed unnaturally quiet once everyone was gone. All that remained of Matilda’s presence was the blue carryon bag and a stain of the spilt bottle of water. The remaining liquid had long ago soaked into the carpet and was now being cleaned up by the desk clerk.

Don walked out into the parking lot and stood by his hovercar. Even though Matilda had died, there was a certain sense of relief within him. An implicit knowledge that things would get better.

“From what I heard,” spoke a voice from behind. “That was one nasty woman.” Don turned to see the Coroner walking towards him. He looked tired as he wiped his forehead with his sleeve. “I had several people come up to me and say she raked the desk clerk at the Ritz Neptune through the coals. Threatened his job, too.”

“Yeah,” Don replied sarcastically. “She called it being assertive. I thought she was just being a bully. ”

“Well, if it’s any consolation, she died a quick but painless death.” The Coroner smiled at Don. “Some poison tends to act like that.” He turned and glanced back into the hotel room. “Missy is cleaning up the rest of the contaminated water now. There won’t be any traces left of what happened here tonight”

Don motioned toward the emergency vehicles. “What about the police?”

“I’ve already told them what happened. She had a heart attack, plain and simple. They won’t start an investigation unless I say so.”

Don watched the woman pick up the last of her cleaning rags and walk out of sight. “Was there any damage to the organs?”

“I don’t think so, but I won’t know until I cut her open.” He placed his hands on his hips as he continued. “I chose that poison because it doesn’t deposit itself within the fatty tissues, so there won’t be any transfer to a new recipient. But that’s not to say the damage she did herself won’t be there.”

There was a flash of anxiety in Don‘s eyes. “If there is any damage, you can fix it, right?”

“I have an associate with a regenerator pod in case the organs are too badly damaged. He’ll be able to tell me what kind of price we’ll get on the open market. It might be that we can exchange Matilda‘s organs for the ones Lizzy needs.” Both men were quiet for a moment as the emergency vehicles pulled out of the parking lot and the calm returned to the night. Then the old man smiled. “Lizzy sends her love. I told her I was going to be visiting you and her mom, and she wanted me to tell you that she’s being a good girl in the hospice.”

“Let her know that we love her and miss her.” Don smiled, happy to hear his daughter was in good spirits.

“I’ll pass the message on to my wife. She‘s going up to see Lizzy in a few days with some new toys.”

“You two are going to spoil her.”

“Ah, what are Grandparents for.” The older man beamed with pride as he placed one hand on his son-in-law’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. This will all be over soon.”

He gave Don a reassuring nod then walked away. Don inhaled deeply, slowly letting the air escape from his lungs as he watched the older man climb into the last emergency vehicle and drive off. It was almost over. Months of planning, scrutinizing over every last detail, making sure that no loose ends would be left dangling. He pulled out his wallet again and removed the crinkled paper.

-

However, due to your Employment Classification as Level Five, the sum requested is over the allotted amount for your annual income level and therefore, the requested amount and application has been denied.

Matilda Bentley,

Finance Supervisor,

Galactic Medical

-

There was no emotion as he re-read the final paragraph. He had been as meticulous and cold as Galactic Medical. He had shown none of his true emotions during the time he spent with Matilda. She was business taken care of. Nothing more or less. He liked to think she would have been proud of him. He did what she’d always told him to do; he was assertive, and he indeed got what he wanted.

“This could be it.” Missy said, walking up behind him.

“What could be it?” Don questioned, turning to face her.

The desk clerk walked up and leaned against the hover next to Don. She had the same baby blond hair as his Lizzy. “Daddy says that if Matilda’s organs are in good shape, he can sell them on the market as soon as next week He even thinks that it could be enough to pay for Lizzy’s treatment and get us a nice place on one of the outer moons for her recovery.” The woman rubbed Don’s arm. She saw the unease in his face at the mention of Matilda‘s name. “You’re a good person Don, doing what you had to for the sake of your child. Don’t forget that.”

She was right. They had taken a big risk and it paid off. Chances were Lizzy would be all right now. He would finally have his family back together.

“You are so beautiful,” Don smiled. “I love you.”

Missy returned the smile. “I love you too.”

About the Author

Jannette Johnson’s passion for writing began in her teenage years.  Her stories vary from science fiction to dark fantasy-depending on her mood and the creative muse that whispers in her ear.  She has one short story published with BRAVE BLUE MICE, and is an editor for the online ezine FLASH ME MAGAZINE.  In her spare time she looks after one husband, one son, two cats, an odd assortment of tropical fish, and one ghost dog.

©2009 Jannette Johnson