Sci-Fi fantasy from an unknown author
Amaranth Rose 045
In Chapter 45 — the mother meets her child
Chapter 44 can be found here: https://medium.com/@gjsittler/amaranth-rose-044-a4f8e653399e
The entire series is listed here: https://gjsittler.medium.com/list/this-mortal-coil-081bdde292a6
Chapter 45: Catherine meets Doria — sort of
Late that night Griffendahl awoke. He was hungry, as usual. Doria was awake, fussing slightly. He changed her diaper, and she settled, but she was wide awake, chewing on the toy swamp lion.
“I’m hungry too,” he said. “Let’s go raid the larder.” He tapped on Mellick’s door. Mellick answered, wrapped in his robe, obviously wide awake. He looked quite well loved.
“Care to join us? We’re on a pantry raid.”
Mellick looked at his daughter. He started to reach for her, then drew back uncertainly.
“We — I — “ he stammered.
“You’re both welcome to come along,” Griffendahl urged. “The more the merrier, as Debbie says.”
“Give us a few moments to get dressed, My Lord.”
Catherine looked at the baby curiously. She too looked quite well loved, Griffendahl thought.
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“I didn’t know you had a child, Lord Griffendahl.”
They were at the kitchen door, which was locked.
“I don’t. I’m just taking care of her for a friend. Would you take her for me for a minute? I know I’ve got the keys to this place somewhere in one of my pockets.”
Catherine took the baby in her arms. Doria snuggled up to her happily. She smiled. “She’s a sweet baby. Very trusting and friendly.”
“Her father loves her very much,” Griffendahl said as he finally found the key to the kitchens. “He’s a good man. I know of few better.” He proceeded to pull food out of the refrigerators. He found some juice and gave that to the baby.
“So, what have you two worked out?” he asked, eating his sandwich in one hand while holding Doria and her bottle in the other.
Mellick reached over and took Catherine’s hand. The smile he gave her was warm and genuine.
“We’d like to be married as soon as possible.”
Griffendahl nodded. He glanced at the clock on the wall.
“Can you wait five hours? If it’s a real emergency, I’ll get the Justice of the Peace out of bed for you, but I’d rather not. He’s been known to throw people in jail for that. I’d rather not try out the accommodations.”
They laughed.
“I’m sure we can find something to do for that long, Lord Griffendahl,” Mellick said. He was smiling, holding Doria in his arms. Catherine reached over and kissed him. In that moment they looked like any ordinary young family on Raznack. Griffendahl smiled at the tableau.
“We’d better be going,” he said. Their dishes were rinsed and stacked in the sink. Doria was yawning in Mellick’s arms. She fell asleep as they walked back to their quarters. Mellick put her in her crib gently; she did not wake. He bent and kissed her forehead.
“Sleep well, little precious,” he whispered softly. Then he went to his room with Catherine, and he did not sleep.
Chapter 46 is published here: https://gjsittler.medium.com/amaranth-rose-046-5e429eda91cf
NOTE: Comments and claps are encouragement to publish more. Since the author is deceased, there won’t be any edits, other than spelling or punctuation correction.
