“Gregor will find something for you,” Mycos said. “He is with Sally in the little sitting room.”
“Thank you,” she wrapped her arms around Mycos, Heidi, and Lydia. “Heidi, you okay?”
“Yeah, just checking stuff,” Heidi said brushing the blond hair back from Abby’s face.
“Kay,” Abby said and skipped off to find Gregor.
Justinian listened intently as Trinity described the conditions of the hospital she worked at. His head popped up as the others came in.
“Is something wrong,” Justinian asked concern shading his eyes.
“I’m worried,” Heidi said softly.
Carol explained what they wanted.
“Of course,” Justinian said. “We can do a scan.” He moved to the table and offered a hand to her. Once she lay on the table, he asked, “Would you like me to put the scan on the larger screen?”
“Yes,” Carol said.
Heidi lay on the table and turned her head towards Mycos and Lydia. Mycos smoothed back her brown hair. He kissed her forehead and murmured to her. Lydia held her hand.
“This is incredible,” Carol said. “The details are leaps and bounds ahead of anything we have.”
“We are attempting to convince your government to purchase these,” Justinian said.
“Is there a way to zoom in,” Carol asked. Justinian zoomed in to show Heidi’s uterus.
“You can see everything,” Trinity said. “Diagnostically, this is incredible.”
“Do you need a different angle,” Justinian asked turning it in different directions. “When I reviewed her scan, everything appeared normal.”
“It does,” Carol said. “I see no anomalies, everything is formed properly.”
“Is that,” Trinity said pointing to the screen.
“An egg,” Justinian said.
“An egg,” Heidi said. “I don’t want to be pregnant.”
“You can only get pregnant if you have sex,” Trinity said.
“I don’t want to have sex,” Heidi said tears rushed to her eyes.
“SShhhh,” Mycos soothed. “You will not. No one will force anything. This is the beginning.”
Carol tore her eyes from the screen and came to her side. “This answers your question though.” She explained how it worked again. Heidi sat up and looked at the screen. Carol pointed out the different parts of her reproductive organs.
“If I don’t have sex, I’ll have my monthly soon,” Heidi said. She looked at all the adults in the room.
“Yes,” Carol said. “You don’t need to worry.”
“I’ll need supplies,” she said. “Can I have my own room?”
“Of course,” Mycos said. “Privacy is important.”
“Can I start learning about biology and anatomy,” Heidi asked.
“We have many programs on it,” Justinian said. “If you have questions, I am happy to answer them.”
“Thank you,” Heidi said.
“Do you know how to search for them,” Mycos asked as she hopped off the bed.
“I think so,” she said. “If not, I’ll ask one of the men. Will they know about me getting my monthly?”
“Not unless you tell them,” Mycos said. Heidi hugged him and skipped out of the room.
Trinity looked at the screen. “This would go a long way in helping,” she said.
“Milord,” Justinian said. “Could we do a donation?”
“Like we did for the school,” Lydia asked.
“Yes,” Justinian said. “The scanner along with some of the healing devices could make a difference at Saint Catherine’s.”
“Perhaps you and Doctor Trinity could write up a proposal we could take to the head of the hospital,” Mycos suggested.
“Doctor Alexander Wykes will want to see this in action,” Trinity said. “We should involve him.”
“If you bring him, I am happy to demonstrate,” Justinian said.
***
“The children are doing well,” Emily reported. “I’ve got a seven-year-old who caused trouble in class. She started the programs and was very resistant until she discovered she could work at her own pace. She’s reading at what we consider college level. Her math skills are in the high school range. No one knew she was gifted.”
“The teachers are able to address students’ needs more specifically,” Elaxus said. “They are thrilled with the results they are seeing.”
“One of our twelve year olds has severe dyslexia and by utilizing the audio for the lessons, he’s making progress,” Emily said. “Behavior problems are down. The violence in the school is down.”
“A success all around,” Lydia said.
“The men are wonderfully helpful,” Emily said beaming at Elaxus. “Whenever there’s a question, they promptly provide the needed support.”
“We only want to aid you,” Elaxus said.
“We’ve sent a report to the school board,” Emily said. “I field inquiries from other schools on training and how to get the programs.”
“The mayor has contacted us,” Elaxus said. “He wants to know how to negotiate with the Hylatians to get more.”
“He can contact us,” Lydia said.
“Will these be very expensive,” Emily asked.
“I don’t know,” Lydia said realizing she had no idea how much they were.
“It’s just,” Emily hesitated.
“Tell her,” Elaxus said.
“If school districts have to limit the number they can purchase, it means the poor schools will lag even further behind,” Emily said.
“I’ll talk to Mycos about it,” Lydia said. “Perhaps a clause in the contract about starting with the poorest neighborhoods.”
“If there were some way to guarantee equitable distribution, it would give the poorer neighborhoods a chance,” Emily said.
“Tell her about the other,” Elaxus said.
“We’ve had an influx of homeless children,” Emily said. “Technically with no home address we aren’t supposed to allow them in.”
“But you are,” Lydia said.
“They’re even further behind,” Emily said. “Their parents drop them off and pick them up at the end of the day. There are a few who have no parents. I’m afraid I’ve broken a number of rules. Most of them are girls. You know what the gangs are like. I’ve allowed them to stay in the school.”
“I think this is an excellent use of the building,” Lydia said.
“Several of us have brought in blankets and put them in one of the unused classrooms,” Emily said. “They take extra food at lunch. Some of the children have started leaving things for them like fruit and chips. I’m concerned if anyone reports them, the girls will be forced out.”
“At a guess, they’re not all in the age range for the school,” Lydia asked.
“No,” Emily said.
“Let me talk to Mycos about this,” Lydia said.
“We’re doing media tours once a week,” Emily said. “I want every child to get the benefit of these. The government needs to get off their bums and get more of these.”
“It’s our goal,” Lydia said. Emily rose and walked towards the door. Lydia followed. Elaxus stayed near Emily, linked hands with her.
“I have one more thing to say,” Emily said. “Elaxus and I are dating. If you hadn’t come to our schools, I wouldn’t have met him. It may sound completely selfish but I’m so happy you picked our school. He’s dear to me, very dear.”
Lydia leaned over, embraced them both. “I’m happy for both of you,” she said. Elaxus stiffened looked beyond her.
“Lord Mycos,” he said.
“Elaxus,” Mycos said coldly.
“Emily shared with me she and Elaxus are dating,” Lydia said turning to Mycos. “It’s great news, don’t you think?”
“It is,” Mycos said. “Is this why you were hugging him?”
“Them,” she corrected him. “Yes.”
“It was good to see you,” Emily said not noticing the tensio
n between the other three. “Get me answers soon.”
“Of course,” Lydia said.
“Lord Mycos, thank you,” Emily said. She stepped forward to hug him. “Without you, my students wouldn’t be excelling as well as they are now.”
“It is my pleasure,” he said as he and Elaxus exchanged some dark looks.
Mycos followed Lydia into the small sitting room. “You should not hug other men,” he growled, dragging her into his arms.
“Don’t,” she said putting a hand on his chest to stop him from pulling her closer. “Why shouldn’t I? I’m not interested in Elaxus and he has no interest in me. You know this. What difference does it make if I hug him because I’m happy for him and Emily?”
“You are mine,” Mycos said.
“I’m not property,” Lydia said. “I suppose my clothing is yours since you bought it. Do you think the things you’ve bought me mean you own me?”
“That is not what I mean,” he said but he stepped away, seeing her anger and fear.
“Don’t tell me who I can and cannot hug,” Lydia said. “I have excellent instincts when it comes to people. Your men are safe and respectful. You know this and I know this.”
“You are my mate,” he said trying to explain.
“Not your property,” Lydia said.
“No,” he said.
“Don’t you trust me,” she asked.
“I trust you,” he said.
“Will you be this way throughout our time together,” she asked.
“What way,” he asked.
“Possessive, jealous, unreasonable,” Lydia said.
“You hugged another man. You touched him,” Mycos growled.
“You don’t trust me,” Lydia said. “You say you love me but you don’t trust I’ll be faithful to you. How is that love?”
Mycos didn’t know how to explain it to her, how to make her understand. “I trust you,” he said again. “On my world, women do not touch others.”
“Your mother never touched her brothers or friends of your father,” she asked.
“Of course, but not until after the first year,” Mycos said.
“What’s so important about the first year,” Lydia asked confused.
“A couple spends a lot of time together in the first year,” Mycos said.
“Having sex,” Lydia said. “Is this about sex? Fine, let’s just do it.” She took off her sweater.
“It is not the sex,” he pulled her into his arms as he saw her panic, stopping her from undressing. “It is about the intimacy, the connection.”
“Are you not getting enough intimacy,” Lydia asked.
“I do not know,” Mycos said. “On my world, you and I would be in seclusion. I know this cannot happen here. I ache for you. I need you near me.”
“I don’t know the answer,” Lydia said. “I spend time with you. We do intimate things. I’m confused why this is such a problem. I don’t want to do those things with anyone else. I didn’t think I wanted to do them with anyone until you came into my life.”
“I know,” he said. “We will work on it together.”
***
“I’ve taken several patients to the scanners,” Doctor Alexander Wykes said as he walked down the crowded corridor of St. Catherine’s. “People with different diseases. Your scanner is a diagnostic dream.”
“It is,” Mycos said. He drew Lydia closer to him as a man leered at her. She cringed and trembled in his arms.
“One of my toughest cases I brought to your man Justinian,” Alexander said. “I considered the man incurable.”
“He had an advanced case of what we call Lonakers,” Justinian said.
“Those are painful,” Mycos said wishing he could get Lydia away from this hospital.
“It took seven treatments,” Alexander said. “In here. It will be less crowded.” He stepped out of the main corridor and into an exam room. “This is a terminal disease here. It appeared after the plagues. We call it Mentis Morbum. The mind is slowly attacked. It starts in the pain centers. The earliest symptoms are pains in the hands and feet. The pain grows, sometimes at an alarming rate, to incorporate the entire body. It moves from the pain centers to other areas of the brain. Sometimes it attacks the vision or the hearing. More often it attacks the speech.”
“I am aware of what it does,” Mycos said.
“Early research has been dismal,” Alexander said. “In more than ninety percent of those diagnosed, the patient takes their own life before the pain becomes intolerable.”
“This patient had not reached that stage,” Mycos asked.
“He had and was on the downside of the disease. We estimated he only had weeks to live,” Alexander said. “Seven treatments later and he’s cured. Cured. This is unheard of.”
Lydia kept her arm around Mycos, trembled. “Would this have cured the plague,” she asked softly.
“I don’t know,” Alexander said. “There are living samples of it but it’s too risky to infect someone to see if their technology could have cured it. Who did you lose?”
“My parents,” Lydia said. “They died in the room across the hall.”
“I’m sorry,” Alexander said reaching out to touch her arm.
Mycos frowned, wanted to pull her away from him. Lydia turned her face into his chest. “Mycos,” she murmured. “I can’t …”
“I am sorry,” he murmured. “Perhaps we could meet at a later time?”
“I’m sorry. If I’d known, we wouldn’t have met here,” Alexander said. “I’ll make this quick. I’ve spoken with the administrators of the hospital. They’re willing to bring in your devices and use them.”
“Not here,” Lydia said.
“Excuse me,” Alexander said.
“This area is too chaotic,” Justinian said. “I have discovered it is best to have a quiet and calm area. This area is not conducive to proper healing.”
“There are some rooms in the back,” Alexander said. “I can show you.”
“Justinian, can you,” Mycos asked.
“Yes, milord,” Justinian said.
“This way,” Alexander said. He turned back. “I’m truly sorry. We lost a lot of people in the plagues. I share your grief.”
Lydia nodded but turned into Mycos’ arms wanting the comfort she found there.
“We will go back to the transport,” he whispered. She nodded but clung to him. He wanted to push everyone out of the way. Their guards moved in closer, cleared a path for them to get out of the busy hospital ward.
Once back in the transport, Lydia curled into her seat staring at the outline of buildings. She saw the small apartment they lived in a few blocks over. It was a nicer neighborhood then. She remembered her parents both getting sick, the call she made for help. The rough treatment by those who came. She shuddered, put a hand to her mouth.
Arms warmed her, held her. “Tell me,” Mycos said.
“I called for help,” she whispered. “It’s what they taught me to do. I called and these people came. They dressed in protective gear covering them so we wouldn’t contaminate them. They put them on beds and pushed them out. That floor, we were brought there. There were no nurses or doctors. People lay on the gurneys dying. No one helped them. My parents were pushed into the room with three other people. I stood between them. The other people died. The smell. The sounds.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I thought I.. but …”
“Tell me the rest,” he said.
“My mother tried to comfort me,” Lydia said. “She told me not to touch anything or eat anything. Her last words were about how to protect myself. My father was too far gone by the time we got there. He died hours before her. I wanted to curl up and get comfort but my mother wouldn’t let me. She died. She died. I stayed with them. I didn’t know what else to do. The whole floor was locked down. They wouldn’t let me out.”
“How long were you in there,” Mycos said rubbing her back.
“I don’t know,” Lydia said. “People in the protective ge
ar came in to clear out the dead bodies. When they found me, they took blood and put me in a locked room. Then I was taken from the hospital to social services and then to the foster home. It was all … horrible.”
“Mo chroin,” he said hugged her close. Landros brought a blanket, tears slid down his cheeks. Mycos held her, grieved with her.
“It was better on the street,” she whispered.
“You should have told me,” he said. “You did not need to come.”
“I did,” she said shuddering. “I’m the donor. I’m the one everyone looks to for this good deed.”
“No,” he said. “You will never return here.”
She curled into him, hooked her arm around his neck and pressed her face into his shoulder. She cried for her parents. Mycos held her close, held her until her tears stopped and she slept.
***
Lydia sighed, warmth enveloped her. She heard a heartbeat. Opening her eyes, she realized she was in her bed, lying on Mycos. “Mycos, why are you in my bed,” she asked confusion warred with sleepiness.
“I needed to be with you,” he murmured kissing the top of her head.
“What time is it,” she asked. They had been at the horrible hospital. She told Mycos how her parents died and that’s the last thing she remembered.
“It is a little after two in the afternoon,” he said.
“You have meetings,” she said starting to pull out of his arms.
He held her close to him. “Sssshhh,” he said. “Your need was more important than meetings.”
“I don’t understand,” Lydia said. She realized she wore only her bra and underwear. “Did you take off my clothes?”
“Yes,” he said. “You would have been uncomfortable sleeping in your clothes. I did nothing inappropriate. You are under the covers and I am not.” She lay on his chest.
“You should have woken me,” Lydia said.
“You were worn out,” Mycos said. “I could not leave you alone. You were sad and grieving. I needed to be here with you to help you through it.”
“Oh,” she said. “Is this part of the mate relationship?”
“I love you,” he said. “When you hurt, I hurt. Yes, it is part of the mate relationship. I am to protect you, cherish you, and help you through all of life’s difficulties.”
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