The Space Merchants

by Wendie Nordgren

  "That sounds fair to me, Eliot?"

  "Agreed," he said. The shop keeper scanned a thousand from me and three thousand from each of my cousins.

  He said, "Please allow me to wrap the Lady Alaric's gift. I will return in a moment."

  "I hope she likes it."

  "She will love it," Simon assured me. The man returned and handed a bag to me that held a box with a large bow.

  "Thank you, sir. It looks very pretty." He brought three slim bags out.

  "Please accept a small gift." He gave each of us a bag. I looked inside and pulled out a framed copy of our picture together. I saw myself with my two strong handsome cousins, my blood relations. My eyes went all blurry and began dripping all over again. Thunderdrop jumped to my head to avoid getting wet.

  "Don't be alarmed. She cries when she's happy and smiles fiercely when she's angry," Simon told the shop keeper. "Do you have a square, Eliot? She ruined my last one earlier today." Eliot started patting at my face with his silk square. I sniffled.

  "I'm okay. It's just seeing the picture makes having a family seem so real. Is my nose red?"

  Eliot said, "Was Simon's shirt red?" Eliot guided me to the transport so I wouldn't trip.

  When we arrived back at Sherman and Gina's expansive home, we discovered the ladies playing cards, and the men playing a stones. "Did you have fun shopping?" Gram asked.

  "Clack," ZeeZee responded.

  "You did? What did you get?" Gram asked. Eliot laughed and pulled the transport and light activated ball out of ZeeZee's bag. ZeeZee examined his purchases and then pushed his ball toward the stones players. Simon and I put Cass and Thunderdrop's toys down for them to play with as well. Gina clapped in delight as they played.

  Sydney said, "ZeeZee is playing. That is a joy to see."

  "We got you a present, Gram," Eliot said.

  "You did? How thoughtful!"

  "It was Teagan's idea," he said.

  "Go give it to her," Simon told me.

  I blushed and took the bag over to Gram. She kissed my cheek when I handed it to her. I kissed her cheek back. It was soft. I moved back to stand with Simon and Eliot. Curious, Sherman and Ethan came over to look.

  "What a pretty package," she said, taking it from the bag. She unwrapped it and opened the box. "It's beautiful." She looked up at us and back down. "Gina, Sydney, it's the color of our babies' eyes."

  "Open it Gram. It's a locket," I said. She smiled and opened it. Then, her smile became more brilliant and radiant than any star I had ever seen through Tora's skylights.

  "Oh!" Gram's hands trembled. "Put it on me!" Sydney helped her slip the chain over her head. "Thank you, children. This is a beautiful gift, and I will cherish it. Come here and let me kiss each of you." Eliot knelt at her feet for his kiss as did Simon. I wasn't sure what to do. When I got close, Gram grabbed me, pulled me into her lap, and covered my face with kisses. She didn't stop until I was giggling. Then, she let me up.

  "Mother, Father, we have shared our cousin enough. We are taking her back to Stewart."

  "She just got here. She hasn't even spent the night with us," Sherman complained. Simon went to him.

  "She has done enough today. It will be different when Yukihyo returns, but I can't stand to see her cry again. Eliot and I will bring her back over here after breakfast." I kind of felt annoyed and that I should argue, but then I thought he might be right. Simon and Eliot loaded toys back into the transport. Ethan came out and moved the carved box from his transport to Simon's. He gave me a gentle hug and waved to us as Simon drove us back to his house.

  I did let out a sigh of relief when I stepped inside of Simon's entry way. I felt a branch of Thunderdrop's tree. I moved my head from shoulder to shoulder. Tension had made it sore. Stewart brought in our bags. I walked through the dining area to the living room and sat on an end of a couch near the fire. A storm had begun to grumble outside. Eliot and Simon placed the toys on the floor between the couches. "Scooch down here, Teagan," Simon said as he patted the floor beneath my place on the couch. I slid off to sit on the floor. He took my vacated seat and put his hands on my shoulders and rubbed my neck.

  "Ow."

  "Yes, I imagine so. Your neck and shoulders feel like petrified webs." I closed my eyes and listened to spider claws sliding against color shapes. I yawned. Then, I yelped when Simon hit the sore spot right between my shoulder blades. "Sorry." He moved his hands back to my shoulders and neck. Then, he pushed his thumbs in a line behind my skull. "Better?"

  "Yes, thank you."

  "Now, Stewart is making you a bath. Soak until your fingers shrivel. He has placed pajamas, a fluffy robe, and socks out for you. You will put them on. Then, you will come down here for supper. Then, you will go up to bed. Understood?"

  "Yes, Gina. I mean Simon." He pointed to the lift. I got up and went to my room. Everything was just as he had said.

  I sat, with a plate of stuffed mushrooms and little pieces of meat in a thick gravy, wearing pink pajamas and a soft fluffy robe with pink flowers on it. "Gram loved her necklace," Simon said. I winked at Eliot.

  "Yes, it was a very nice store and the shop keepers were very helpful," I said. I giggled and batted my eyes. Eliot managed to smile.

  "What?" Simon asked.

  I simpered, "How may I serve you, Lord Montgomery? You look so hot. Let me fan you with my eyelashes." I batted my lashes at him. Eliot howled with laughter, unable to keep a straight face any longer. Simon shook his head and joined us.

  "Dessert, sir?" Stewart asked.

  "We know someone who wants to give Simon some dessert," Eliot whispered. I accidentally made a snorting noise.

  "Yes, thank you, Stewart." Simon ignored us.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  The next morning Thunderdrop woke me up by walking from the back of my head and down to my feet over and over again until I woke up. "Why?" I groaned.

  “Chitter chirp chitter."

  "Fine." I dragged myself out of bed and opened the door, so he could get out, but before I could crawl back under the blankets, Stewart appeared.

  "Good. You are awake, my lady." He handed me a cup of coffee. I took a sip.

  "Stewart, I feel we know each other well enough for you to call me Teagan, if you want." Stewart bowed to me.

  "Lord and Lady Montgomery await your presence this morning. Lady Montgomery had things delivered for you earlier." One of the Montgomery butlers carried bags into my room and left.

  "Earlier? What time is it?"

  "The sun has just risen," he said. I yawned. Then, I showered and dressed in what Gina had sent me to wear. The dress was a light blue with a sheer overlay of delicate silk. Wide straps at the shoulders met under the arms, laced back and forth down to each hip, and then fell to the hem at each side. Gina had even sent undies and shoes in the same color. I brushed my hair and put it up in a high ponytail. Then, I put on my necklace and my grandmother's bracelet with the three sapphire spiders on their metal lace web. I had placed my framed photos on the table. I picked up the picture of Gram, Ettie, and Ethan and traced her face with my finger. A knock startled me.

  "Come in." Simon opened the door.

  "You look beautiful. Mother has changed our plans. We are having breakfast there, and I am not allowed to give you a second cup of coffee until it is in one of mother's cups."

  Forlornly, I said, "She knows how to motivate me, doesn't she?" Simon stood by me and gazed down at the picture in my hands.

  "It isn't just you. ZeeZee, Cass, and Thunderdrop are the only ones of us who have been permitted breakfast." Simon extended his arm to me. I put the photo down and accompanied him out. Eliot had already begun loading all of the spiders into the transport. I climbed in behind them. While it seemed like a long drive, I discovered that Simon's property and that of his parents combined and covered many miles. I yawned a few times on the way there and stretched, trying to wake up. Early morning fog floated around tree trunks.

  "What's that?" I asked. It looked like a
white curtain floated across the road.

  "The young spiders enjoy playing this prank. They leave lines of silk over the road. The strands stick to our transports and require effort to remove," Eliot answered.

  "They sound bored. Maybe you should leave some toys out for them like a big color shape." ZeeZee clacked in agreement prompting my cousins to consider my idea.

  Gina and Sherman waited for our arrival on their large shaded landing in front of their massive doors. Gina hugged me and kissed my cheek. She said, "Don't you look pretty! Come in! Come in! Breakfast is ready. You must be hungry." Fighting another yawn made my eyes water. Sherman pulled out a chair for me and another one for Gina. The spiders had gone off to explore the grounds, having already enjoyed their breakfasts.

  "Simon, I have to get more spider food. Please don't let me forget." I lost my battle against another yawn and wiped at my eyes with the back of my hand. Chuckling, Sherman poured me a cup of coffee. "Thank you," I mumbled.

  "Simon, I thought I told you to be sure Teagan got to bed early," Gina scolded her son.

  "He did, but I couldn't fall asleep."

  Gina said, "Why? Are you getting a cold?" She felt my forehead.

  "No."

  "What's wrong?" I thought about falling asleep to the sound of Yukihyo's heartbeat.

  "Nothing." I hid in the coffee cup.

  "I know what's wrong. Don't worry. He'll be back before you know it. I'm sure he misses you, too," Simon said as he put a donut on my plate.

  "It feels like he's been gone forever," I said. I felt hands on my shoulders, big, strong, warm hands.

  "Then, it is good that I left Hiroshi and Phillip to complete the remainder of our business." My heart leapt up with me as I sprang from my seat and threw my arms around Yukihyo. I breathed him into my lungs.

  "You're back! I've missed you so much." I lifted up on my toes and kissed every part of his face and wrapped my arms around his neck. Yukihyo lifted me into his arms and carried me to an alcove off of the foyer.

  "The past three nights have been unbearable," Yukihyo said. He set me down on my feet and placed his hand behind my head. He kissed me, crushing his lips to mine with tender passion. I slid my arms around him, flattened my hands against his butt, and pulled him forward to press against me. Need for Yukihyo burned through me, and my heart pounded against my chest. I could feel his need for me through the fabric between us.

  "Is the transport outside?" I asked. I heard a lady clearing her throat. I froze.

  "Teagan, dear. Bring Yukihyo back to the table. It's time for breakfast," Gina stood two feet away.

  "Yes, ma'am. We'll be right there." I thumped my head against Yukihyo's chest.

  "Eventually, lady wife, I will get you alone." I gazed into his eyes.

  "Not if Gram comes over. I have so much to tell you."

  "Teagan!" Gina called.

  Yukihyo and I sat next to each other during breakfast. Some sugar from a pastry clung to the corner of his mouth. I wanted to lick it off. Sherman coughed. Yukihyo smiled his beautiful smile at me, but used his napkin. There had to be some place in this house where I could hide him. Thunderdrop clicked wildly across the floor and hurled himself at Yukihyo chirping and flattening himself to Yukihyo's neck.

  "Ha, ha, ha! Hello, to you, too! I see you have protected our lady in my absence. For this I am grateful to you." I scowled at him.

  "Yukihyo, three days was a bit much. I hope it won't become a bad habit." He ran a hand down Thunderdrop's back.

  "I believe our agreements will require minimal future supervision."

  "Let's go to the living room. We have plenty to discuss amongst ourselves," Sherman said as he stood and pushed back his chair. Sherman pulled out Gina's chair, as Yukihyo pulled out mine.

  Yukihyo place my hand on his arm, and all of the anxiety that had started to build up within me at the prospect of telling him what had happened in the past two days, flowed from me as our bond washed it away. "I don't have the words to tell you how much I needed you to come back," I whispered to him.

  During breakfast I learned that Hiroshi had introduced Yukihyo to Simon, Eliot, and Eric shortly after his rescue, and that they had all been on friendly terms since then. My husband knew my blood relations much better than I did. I had just met Eliot and everyone else. I had known Simon for a few weeks, but he was always there for me when I needed him, and I trusted him. However, I was more a stranger to my own family than Yukihyo, and I knew Yukihyo far better than I knew my family. I guess we had him in common. I wondered if they felt the same way. Yukihyo turned to sit on a couch and pulled me down to sit closely beside him. As he wrapped our fingers together, I nuzzled his neck. I finally felt truly safe again.

  "Teagan, what were you saying last night at dinner about the jewelry store clerk?" Simon asked. I touched Yukihyo's fingers with my other hand and lifted our clasped hands to my heart, bending my head to kiss his knuckles.

  "Who?" I asked.

  "I believe our cousin refers to the woman whose eyelashes you now mimic with your husband," Eliot said. I hugged Yukihyo's arm to me.

  "Our cousin?" Yukihyo asked.

  "A lot has happened in a short amount of time." I started with Lady Ling wanting to know if I were related to her, and ended with Simon, Eliot, and I giving Gram the locket with the picture of us together inside of it. "The shop keeper gave us larger framed copies," I said. Yukihyo traced the web design of my grandmother's bracelet with his fingers.

  "This explains much. It is why I was able to form a bond with you. Like blood has made us compatible." I met Eliot's eyes and felt fear as I began to suspect Yukihyo's thoughts had led him to thinking about my heritage. It might please him that a great-great grandparent of mine had been of his species, but what would he feel if my grandfather was an enemy of his people. Fear and panic began to war within me. Yukihyo stood bringing me with him. "My lady wife and I will go for a brief walk, with your consent, Lord Montgomery."

  "Family calls me Sherman."

  Yukihyo inclined his head, "Sherman."

  We walked out of the house, down a path, and over a small wooden bridge before he spoke. "Why are you afraid?" he asked in his deep soothing monotone. I examined the grain of the wood railing with intensity. Thunderdrop climbed up the railing and jumped to a low hanging branch. Yukihyo stood behind me and wrapped his arms around me. Against my temple he said, "Wife?"

  "What if..." I had to force the words out. "What if my grandfather was one of them?" Yukihyo turned me in his arms and kissed the tip of my nose.

  "Then, we have in common that the Parvacs have hurt those who are dear to us."

  "What if I'm...." He stopped my words with a kiss.

  "Please don't let something from so long ago cause you pain. Look around." I looked at all of the trees and flowers. We walked over to a stone bench nestled under a flowering tree.

  "It is beautiful. So, you're saying I should enjoy all of the good things and not let things I can't control hurt me?"

  "Yes, but I meant I finally have you alone." Surprise and desire raced through me at his words. He unfastened the closure at his waist and sat down on the bench. I lifted the front hem of my dress out of the way, and the bench proved to be less cumbersome than the seats of the transport had been.

  In time we made it back to the house. I had tried to smooth out the marks my fingers had made in the shoulders of Yukihyo's shirt. The bench had done nothing for my knees. I went into a bathroom to tidy myself up and to look for Band-Aids. Gina came looking for me. "Is everything okay between you and your handsome husband?"

  "Yes, Gina. Everything's great."

  "What are you doing back here then? I thought I would find you in need of a silk square."

  "No, but do you have any Band-Aids?"

  Concerned Gina asked, "Why? Did you hurt yourself? Let me see."

  "No, Gina. It's nothing, really."

  "Show me right now," she demanded.

  "Fine." I scowled at her and showed her my knee
s.

  "How did you manage that?" Then she smirked and said, "Oh."

  "I'm just trying to protect the dress, Gina."

  Gina looked me in the eye and with a small smile said, "Yes, I suppose it's good that it is still even in one piece." Gina cleaned and bandaged my knees.

  When we entered the living room, all of the Alarics had arrived. Gram fussed over Yukihyo. "Well, Teagan sure has found a handsome husband for herself," she said. I blushed as Gram smoothed the fabric at his shoulders that I had wrinkled. Gram asked Yukihyo, "When can I expect new babies to play with?" My face began to burn right along with my knees. "Well, there you are Teagan! Where have you been hiding? Come to Gram." She held her free hand out to me.

  Sherman said, "Now that all but Eric are here, we have family business to discuss. Yukihyo, our families owe you a great debt. Had you not sensed a compatibility with Teagan, she would have remained lost to us. However, we have gained a daughter, who had been stolen from us, and she has made our clan greater through her marriage to you."

  Ethan continued, "Teagan, we wish for a public acknowledgement of our filial ties. As is your birthright through your bloodline, Arachnean citizenship is yours and is extended through you to your husband, Yukihyo Lee."

  "I'm a citizen of Arachne? Thank you. I don't know what to say."

  Gram patted me and said, "Ethan and Sherman have argued over which family claims you. We ladies have decided we should all share you and want you and your husband to add Alaric and Montgomery to your name."

  "Actually, I want you to change your name to Lee Alaric Montgomery," Sherman corrected.

  "I think Montgomery Lee Alaric sounds more poetic," Ethan suggested. I made eye contact with Yukihyo over Gram.

  "You offer clan ties to us between both of your esteemed families. This is a great honor," Yukihyo said. I felt strange emotions from him. Thunderdrop jumped to Yukihyo's shoulder. Family had meant everything to his people. Hiroshi had adopted Yukihyo to ease his horrible loss.

  "What about Hiroshi?" I asked. Yukihyo looked at me with white eyes sparkling with gold and blue pulses.

  "As long as his name remains, he will be pleased."