covered by white sheet, with all kinds of types attached to her body. She
looks tired, dark circles under her eyes, her lips swelling. I lean forward
slowly and brush her wavy blonde hair with my hand. They feel like silk and
they are shining like silk as well.
“She is fine. Don’t
worry,” says Dr. Akio.
“What happened?”
“Same as you. A chair
hit her head. You think we should bolt them on the floor?”
“Her status?”
“All vitals are fine.
It took you seven days to wake up. For her, maybe longer. How about yourself?”
“You are the doctor.
You tell me.”
Akio freezes for a
second and then squeezes out a smile, but no word.
“Anyone else is
injured?”
“No.”
“It must be a big
rock?” I try to be funny.
“Oh, yes,” says Akio
nodding like those shaking head toys.
I pull over a chair
and sit next to Lily.
“Commander, we are
all very worried about you.”
“Thanks. Now leave me
alone.”
Akio smiles politely
and leaves the medical bay.
I just sit there
looking at Lily. We are going to get married once we reach Jupiter. This is her
idea. She always likes to be the first and she told me that we would be the
first couple entering Jupiter. Thank God, we don’t have other couples onboard.
I told her that I would make sure no one else get married so that we could
claim this honor.
“Lily, you gotta wake
up. If not, we can’t get married.”
Lily turns to her
right side and the sheet slips down to her waist.
I am holding my
breath and looking at her without a blink.
Nothing except her
rhythmic breathing.
I sigh, lean forward
and pull the sheet over her shoulder.
Suddenly a weird
feeling stings me like a bee. I freeze there and let it sink in. It is like
those moments when you sense something wrong but can’t put a finger on it.
What is it?
Something is missing.
Something is missing!
I slowly grab the
edge of the sheet and pull it down to her waist where it rested several seconds
ago. Looking at her from this angel reminds me the way she lies in my arms, her
soft body, her scent and her smooth skin. I scan up and down, but can’t really
figure out what is missing. I hold her left hand in my hands and kiss its back.
The ring! The wedding
ring I bought for her is gone.
I quickly search
around the bed.
Nothing.
Then I comb every
inch of the medical area.
Still nothing.
I remember see the
ring before I passed out, so it must be in the kitchen. It probably went off
when the chair hit her. She never takes it off. It must be in the kitchen. I
head to the kitchen right away.
Thank God-the kitchen
is only about the size of a two-car garage. On one side, we have sink, pantry,
fridge and cabinets. On the other side, an oval table and ten chairs take all
the leftover space. I used to complain how small this kitchen is, but now I am
grateful. I kneel on the ground and start looking. I believe it is still here.
If someone already found it, he or she would give it to me.
Soon I am soaking in
sweat, my knees hurting as badly as my head. I don’t care. I will find it. I
will find it!
One hour ticks away
and I get nothing.
If someone found it,
would he or she give it to me?
OK. Let’s think about
it.
NO. 1, Lock. He is
one of my best friends and he will be my best man in the wedding. If he found
it, he would give it to me. Besides, he is married. What does he keep a ring
for?
NO. 2, Jim. I know
him less than two years. He is a Briton with some royal lineage. He is rich and
care for reputation, a little too gentleman though. He wouldn’t even pick it up
if he saw it. One funny fact about Jim is he can’t bear the sight of blood and
he keeps a blindfold in his pocket just in case there is a blood test.
NO. 3, Bud. Except
his duties, he seems to only care about his own stuff. We have to take one guy
from India and if I had an option, I wouldn’t take him. He might take the ring,
because he comes from a poor family. You know what they say: if you were born
poor, you have it in
looks tired, dark circles under her eyes, her lips swelling. I lean forward
slowly and brush her wavy blonde hair with my hand. They feel like silk and
they are shining like silk as well.
“She is fine. Don’t
worry,” says Dr. Akio.
“What happened?”
“Same as you. A chair
hit her head. You think we should bolt them on the floor?”
“Her status?”
“All vitals are fine.
It took you seven days to wake up. For her, maybe longer. How about yourself?”
“You are the doctor.
You tell me.”
Akio freezes for a
second and then squeezes out a smile, but no word.
“Anyone else is
injured?”
“No.”
“It must be a big
rock?” I try to be funny.
“Oh, yes,” says Akio
nodding like those shaking head toys.
I pull over a chair
and sit next to Lily.
“Commander, we are
all very worried about you.”
“Thanks. Now leave me
alone.”
Akio smiles politely
and leaves the medical bay.
I just sit there
looking at Lily. We are going to get married once we reach Jupiter. This is her
idea. She always likes to be the first and she told me that we would be the
first couple entering Jupiter. Thank God, we don’t have other couples onboard.
I told her that I would make sure no one else get married so that we could
claim this honor.
“Lily, you gotta wake
up. If not, we can’t get married.”
Lily turns to her
right side and the sheet slips down to her waist.
I am holding my
breath and looking at her without a blink.
Nothing except her
rhythmic breathing.
I sigh, lean forward
and pull the sheet over her shoulder.
Suddenly a weird
feeling stings me like a bee. I freeze there and let it sink in. It is like
those moments when you sense something wrong but can’t put a finger on it.
What is it?
Something is missing.
Something is missing!
I slowly grab the
edge of the sheet and pull it down to her waist where it rested several seconds
ago. Looking at her from this angel reminds me the way she lies in my arms, her
soft body, her scent and her smooth skin. I scan up and down, but can’t really
figure out what is missing. I hold her left hand in my hands and kiss its back.
The ring! The wedding
ring I bought for her is gone.
I quickly search
around the bed.
Nothing.
Then I comb every
inch of the medical area.
Still nothing.
I remember see the
ring before I passed out, so it must be in the kitchen. It probably went off
when the chair hit her. She never takes it off. It must be in the kitchen. I
head to the kitchen right away.
Thank God-the kitchen
is only about the size of a two-car garage. On one side, we have sink, pantry,
fridge and cabinets. On the other side, an oval table and ten chairs take all
the leftover space. I used to complain how small this kitchen is, but now I am
grateful. I kneel on the ground and start looking. I believe it is still here.
If someone already found it, he or she would give it to me.
Soon I am soaking in
sweat, my knees hurting as badly as my head. I don’t care. I will find it. I
will find it!
One hour ticks away
and I get nothing.
If someone found it,
would he or she give it to me?
OK. Let’s think about
it.
NO. 1, Lock. He is
one of my best friends and he will be my best man in the wedding. If he found
it, he would give it to me. Besides, he is married. What does he keep a ring
for?
NO. 2, Jim. I know
him less than two years. He is a Briton with some royal lineage. He is rich and
care for reputation, a little too gentleman though. He wouldn’t even pick it up
if he saw it. One funny fact about Jim is he can’t bear the sight of blood and
he keeps a blindfold in his pocket just in case there is a blood test.
NO. 3, Bud. Except
his duties, he seems to only care about his own stuff. We have to take one guy
from India and if I had an option, I wouldn’t take him. He might take the ring,
because he comes from a poor family. You know what they say: if you were born
poor, you have it in
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