Part 29 (1/2)
Gibbons spent all of a half second reviewing certain factors in his mind. ”Dora.”
”Yes . . Ernest?”
”My name is not 'Ernest,' nor is it 'Lazarus.' My right name is Woodrow Wilson Smith. So since I am no longer 'Uncle Gibbie'-and you are right on that point; 'Uncle Gibbie0146 is gone and will never be back-you might as well call me 'Woodrow.' ”
”Yes, Woodrow.”
”Do you want to know why I had to change my name?”
”No, Woodrow.”
”So? Do you want to know how old I am?”
”No, Woodrow.”
”But you want to have a child by me?”
”Yes, Woodrow.”
”Will you marry me?”
Her eyes widened slightly. But she answered at once: ”No, Woodrow.”
Minerva, at that point Dora and I almost had our first-and last, and only-quarrel. She had been a sweet and lovable baby who had grown into a sweet-tempered and utterly lovable young woman. But she was as stubborn as I am-with the sort of firmness that can't be argued with, because she would not argue. I pay her the respect of believing that she had thought this through, all aspects, and had long since made up her mind to bear my child if I would let her-but not to marry me.
As for me, I did not ask her to marry me on impulse; it just sounds like it. A supersaturated solution will crystallize almost instantly; that's the shape I was in. I had lost interest in that colony years earlier, as soon as it stopped presenting real challenges; I was itching to do something else. At the top of my mind I thought I was waiting for Zack to return . . but when the Andy J Andy J. finally did orbit in that sky, two years overdue-well, I learned that it was not what I had been waiting for.
When Dora made that amazing request, I knew what I had been waiting for.
Surely, I tried to argue her out of it-but I was playing devil's advocate. In fact, my mind was busy with what and how. All the objections to marrying a short-lifer still remained. My even stronger objections to leaving a pregnant woman behind me-shucks, dear, I didn't spend a nanosecond on that that.
”Why not, Dora?”
”I told you. You are leaving, I will not hold you back.”
”You won't hold me back. No one ever has yet, Dora. But -no marriage, no child.”
She looked thoughtful. ”What is your purpose in insisting on a marriage ceremony, Woodrow? So that our child will bear your name? I don't want to be a sky widow . . but if that is what it takes, let's ride back to town and find the Moderator. Because it really should be today. If the books are right about how to figure it.”
”Woman, you talk too much.” She did not answer this; he went on: ”I don't give a hoot about a wedding ceremony-certainly not one in Top Dollar.”
She hesitated, then said, ”May I say that I do not understand?”
”Eh? Yes, surely. Dora, I won't settle for one child. You're going to have half a dozen children by me, or more. Probably more. Maybe a dozen. Any objection?”
”Yes, Woodrow-I mean No, I do not object. Yes, I will have a dozen children by you. Or more.”
”Having a dozen kids takes time, Dora. How often should I show up? Every two years, maybe?”
”Whatever you say, Woodrow. Whenever you come back-each time you come back-I'll have a child by you. But I do ask that we start the first one at once.”
”You crazy little idiot, I believe you would would do it that way.” do it that way.”
”Not 'would'-shall. If you will.”
”Well, we're not not going to do it that way.” He reached out and took her hand. ”Dora, will you go where I go, do what I do, live where I live?” going to do it that way.” He reached out and took her hand. ”Dora, will you go where I go, do what I do, live where I live?”
She looked startled but answered steadily, ”Yes, Woodrow. If this is truly what you want.”
”Don't put any conditions on it. Will you, or won't you?”
”I will.”
”If it comes to a showdown, will you do what I tell you to? Not give me any more stubborn arguments?”
”Yes, Woodrow.”
”Will you bear my children and be my wife till death do us part?”
”I will.”
”I take thee, Dora, to be my wife, to love and protect and cherish-and never to leave you . . so long as we both shall live. Don't sniffle! Lean over here and kiss me instead. We're married.”
”I was not either sniffling! Are we really married?”
”We are. Oh, you can have any wedding ceremony you want. Later. Now shut up and kiss me.”
She obeyed.
Some long moments later he said, ”Hey, don't fall out of your saddle! Steady, Betty! Steady, Beulah! 'Durable Dora, who taught you to kiss that way?”
”You haven't called me that since I started to grow up. Years.”
”Haven't kissed you since you started to grow up, either. For good reason. You didn't answer my question.”
”Is that one of the things I just promised? Whoever taught me to kiss, it was before I was a married woman.”
”Mmm, you may have a point there. I'll take it up with my legal staff and have them write you a letter. Besides it might be native talent rather than instruction. Tell you what, Dora, I'll refrain from quizzing you about your sinful past . . and you leave mine alone. A deal?”
”Yes indeed-for I have a very very sinful past.” sinful past.”
”Piffle, darling, you haven't had time to be sinful. Swiped some sweets I had fetched for Buck, maybe? Very sinful.”
”I never did any such thing! But lots worse.”
”Oh, sure. Give me another of those native-talent kisses.”