Merman - Romance

Just when... Part 51

“Zombies are still out there and there are still millions of them,” Ridec pointed out.

“But one day that won’t be so,” Rick put in and Jessell smiled.

“Give up Ridec, you’re not going to get him down.  These people are happy and you should be happy with what you’ve accomplished.”

“I am happy with what I’ve accomplished,” Ridec said resting his hand gently on Jessell’s stomach.

“That is quite obvious sir,” Rick said with a grin and Jessell chuckled.

“Once I can get more of these zombies cured then I can take my wife and soon to be baby back to our home,” Ridec said.  “Merpeople have never been born on the land before.”

“We have tanks, I’ve been instructing the men to keep them filled in preparation for the birth,” Rick said.

“Jessell is a princess; she needs to be home in her kingdom.  It’s my fault she’s here in the first place,” Ridec explained.

“She is our princess too,” Rick said.

“You don’t have to sell me on staying Rick,” Jessell said patting Ridec’s hand that was resting on her stomach gently.  “I’m in no condition to fight my way back to the sea and protect Ridec and my baby.  I shall be here for at least another three months, Ridec is sure to have solved all the problems by then.”

“Ridec has become quite the fighter, you should see him when we go out on supply runs,” Rick said grinning but then crunched up his face when Ridec glared at him angrily.

“Supply runs?  You let Ridec go on supply runs with you?”  Jessell demanded.

“He’s cap…”  Rick began but Jessell cut in.

“I forbade you from leaving this compound.  I agreed to stay here with you on the condition that you put yourself in no danger.”

“They wouldn’t know the chemicals I needed,” Ridec muttered and felt the sting of Jessell’s hand across his face.

“Maybe I should go,” Rick said but neither of them was listening to him.

“You wanted me to help these people, how can I help if I don’t have the things I need.  I needed special equipment that wasn’t here and …”  Ridec’s words were cut off by another slap to the face.  He folded his lips.

“He was never in any danger Princess,” Rick said.  “We went out with many guards and we were all committed to protecting him.”

“And how many of the guards came back?”  Jessell demanded.

“Just leave us alone Rick,” Ridec said.

“I’m so sorry, I just thought…”

“Just leave us alone,” Ridec repeated.

Rick held down his head despondently.

“I just came to say that the patients for today are already waiting in the compound for your attention,” Rick said and quietly exited the room.  He hated that he had caused Ridec’s beloved to be angry with him.  Rick knew that Ridec’s every breath came from Jessel’s joy and he sweated Jessell from every pore in his body.

“I’m sorry,” Ridec muttered as soon as the door closed behind Rick.

“Don’t touch me.”

“I knew how anxious you were to get back to our home and I thought that my presence with the guards would hurry things along.”

“I’m anxious to get back with you, not alone,” Jessell pointed out.

“I won’t go out there again,” Ridec said.