Damaged Goods - Part 4; You Reap What You Sow

Prologue:

Malcolm Reynolds is in trouble. That about sums it up!

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Damaged Goods Part 4

A man entered the front door of his modest living quarters on the simple moon of Velxar, near the planet of Whittier. It had been a long day and he was ready to prop his feet up and rest his weary bones. He was looking forward to enjoying a quick meal and a short, but quality filled visit with his family before bedtime.

“ Daddy!” A young girl of maybe six years of age ran in from a side room and gripped her father by the leg.

“Hello my little diamond.” The man spoke to his young daughter. “How was school today?’ The girl frowned. She didn’t like school, the man knew. Then he thought how odd it seemed that his younger daughter Gabriella hated school, and yet her older sister, Amanda, had loved it.

His thoughts continued on to his eldest child. She would be fourteen now, and possibly at the head of her class at the government run school of academic studies. Certainly a smart girl, a genius in her father’s eyes. He felt a swell of pride rolling up inside his chest. Two years gone, he missed her so.

A pretty, dark-haired woman came and stood leaning against the doorway of the family’s kitchen. She looked at her husband, arms folded across her chest.

“ Work called.” She spoke. “ Sent a wave. An emergency down in sector-6. Something about fresh air not making it’s way up the ventilator shaft. Want you to return ASAP.”

He smiled, took the woman in his arms, and gave her a light kiss.

“ Looks like a cold supper tonight,” he said.

Her expression hardly changed. Only the wisp of a smiled. She knew that in a moment he would be returning to his job. Did she like it? NO! Was it necessary? Maybe. All that she truly knew was that her husband spent numerous hours in the service of his employer, time that she wanted him to spent with her…. and his family. Time that she hoped one day they could get back.