[Fiction] Dirty Secrets, Part 2

[Doctor Nova Madigan]

Fat chance, Meghan thought archly. While the current uneasy peace was a marked improvement in the state of affairs, she could plainly see that her viewpoint, Nova's viewpoint, and Ptesan-Wi's viewpoint were too far apart. Neil's idealistic dream would likely remain just that.

Neil, I love you, but my God you are a hippie sometimes, Nova thought. In contrast to her inner monologue, she nodded once, showing minimal agreement.

"Do we really have anything further to discuss, as far as this matter is concerned?" Nova asked. "We've managed to find a peace of sorts. I don't know if it's really a wise idea to push our luck."

[Neil Preston]

It is never a comfortable sensation to feel your parent's words coming back to haunt you. In this case, haunting was appropriate. His father was much more the critic of human nature, and if not their weaknesses then at least the aspects that Neil found frustrating.

People embrace their differences. They cling to them to keep from drowning in a sea of human blandness. We don't fight each other because we are different, but because we are too much alike.

Neil lived his life feeling that quality of life all around him. Each unique, but all were vibrant. At he sat in this room with four separate worlds and came to the realization that if he didn't take each for their own uniqueness, he might lose them all.

There is the world we want, the world we live in, and the world we want to live in.

He wanted to live in a world with each of these women and that meant ...

"We should stick with the peace we have." Neil spoke the words with a sense of finality.

... he would live in the worlds they offered.

[Ptesan-Wi]

"I think we've probably accomplished plenty for one day," Ptesan-Wi agreed. And I have the sad feeling that we've probably accomplished as much as will occur anytime in the near future. I love my brother-in-law, but his hopes are the kind that usually wind up as dust in reality's wind.

[Doctor Nova Madigan]

"Okay, great!" Meghan said with an abrupt burst of enthusiasm. She sprang from her chair and clapped her hands once. "What say we adjourn from this den of secrets and have some cookies or something? Did I mention we have cookies? We do. We have cookies. Chocolate-chip cookies." Meghan looked around the room expectantly, hoping that her attempt to bulldoze everyone into a better mood would not be too transparent.

Nova smiled and rubbed her eyebrow, supressing a chuckle.

"I could use a cookie," she said. Nova stood up, cracking her shoulders luxuriously as she did. Adjourning to the kitchen sounded like a brilliant idea to her: the sunny atmosphere and smell of good food would be good for everyone's disposition, she hoped.

[Ptesan-Wi]

"It's hard to argue with a good cookie," Ptesan-Wi said with a smile. The effort that Mithril was making was pretty clear, but that didn't make it any less of a good idea; there was just nothing more to be accomplished on more serious matters today - or anytime soon, most likely - and if there was to be any real hope of ending the day on a positive note, it would be through something both inconsequential and fun.

She gracefully stood - still glowing with her soft white aura and azure eyes, though she had long since stopped noticing - and waited for the little gathering to move to the lighter venue of the kitchen.

[Neil Preston]

Neil nodded with growing enthusiam to Meghan's suggestion. It was important to be grateful for what you had.

"I've developed a nova-sized hunger," Neil grinned to Mithril. It was true. Neil rarely paid attention to his hunger. It was always there, but something he had become so used to pushing to the back of his mind. A good cookie would be perfect right about now. Neil slid an arm around Nova's waist and leaned in to kiss her just behind her ear.

Still, they were the hosts, so Neil held back and motioned Ptesan-Wi to be the first follow Meghan to the kitchen.