His Better Half

2

Early September, 2159

It was a Saturday morning, and T.D. found Annie sitting in her bed. He was taller than his sister now, and she had filled out even more, looking much like their mother. "Annie, we gotta get to our chores," he whispered as he closed her door behind him.

Annie turned to him and said, "T.D., can you take care of 'em for me again. I know I'm asking this a lot, but I really don't feel good."

T.D. sat by her and pulled her into his arms. "Annie, don' worry 'bout chores. If you feel crappy, I'll cover for ya. I loves ya, an' I'll do anythin' to help ya feel better."

Annie turned to face her brother and said, "I loves you, too. Always and forever. Just like we always said."

T.D. saw a tear running down her face and kissed it away. "Just like we always said, sweetie. You take a nap, Annie. I got the chores," he said. He bent down to kiss her forehead again, but she lifted her face and they kissed. Then they looked in each other's eyes, then closed them and kissed again, tenderly.

As he closed the door, he wiped his own eyes.

– o O o –

Late spring, 2160

The twins arrived home after school one day, and as they entered their kitchen through the back door, Annie called out, "Ma, I'm feelin' sorta tired. I'm gonna get a lay down for a bit, 'til I can help with supper."

After reading a note he found, T.D. said, "Annie, this says Pa's took Ma to the clinic."

Coming into his arms, Annie asked, "Is something wrong with her?"

"Here's the note he left – says he got back from the VA and found her here lyin' on the floor. I guess it wasn't long ago – he'da been done with the livestock by noon, then the VA after lunch."

"I hope she's OK," Annie said as she read the note.

"Yeah, me, too," agreed her brother. "You go ahead and get yer lay down. I'll let 'em know if they get back soon"

"OK, but let me know when it's after 4:00 so I can get on supper."

He squeezed her and said, "Annie, don't worry 'bout supper. I'll take care of it. Let me help you up to bed for your lie down." He helped Annie up the stairs to her room, then out of her school clothes.

He caressed her as he helped her into bed. As he pulled the blankets over her, she smiled up at him, and he kissed her forehead. "You go to sleep. I love you, Annie, and I want you to feel better."

– o O o –

The clinic passed Marie on to the hospital in southern Chicago. From her hospital bed, Marie told her husband, "Dear, I know I'm not doin' well, but Annie's not doin' so good herself. Please take good care of her?"

"I give her food an' make sure she gets to school an' gets her sleep. What else can I do? I even let her off her chores now'n'then when she's feelin' poorly."

"You know I mean take her to see the doctor. Don't wait 'til ya see her on the floor, like me. Remember, back when she broke her arm? The doctor told us then she found somethin' in her blood. Maybe this is part of that?"

Ted's eyes went cold. "That doctor just wanted our money. She's strong as a horse. Nothin' she needs but good food and hard work."

– o O o –

Tests run during that hospital visit found that Marie had an advanced cancer. While the doctors used the normal treatments, the cancer had spread further than they were able to treat. Marie never returned home to her family. Just under a year after she entered the hospital, Marie Hamton passed away.

Annie stood with T.D. and their father as the pastor gave the ceremony at their mother's grave. Many of the townsfolk came, as they'd grown up with Marie and Ted.

Annie's face was paler than it should be, and covered with tears. She was leaning heavily on T.D. As he helped her stand, T.D. was trying not to cry. Their father said simply, "She was a good woman, liked by all I knew. I love her more'n I could ever show. I'm gonna miss her bad."

– o O o –

Annie and T.D. were sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for their father to change from his Sunday best. "Annie, you are looking more pale. How are you feeling? Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I'm really tired all the time. And when I brush my hair ... well, it's sort of pulling out, like it's not really all attached no more."

"Annie, we gotta get Pa to get you to the clinic again – or even the hospital. After losin' Ma, we can't lose you, too. You're in bad shape, and we gotta find out how to fix you up!"

– o O o –

Early fall, 2162

They were sitting in the clinic after Annie had been examined, discussing her illness and school.

T.D. said, "So Mr Thompson fine'ly figured out why you ain't in class and that he's really gotta pass along your test and study stuff."

"Why? Does he think I'm skipping classes?" probed Ann. "You gave the principal the doctor's notes, why does he think we're making this up?" Her once lovely brown hair was now patchy, and she wore a bandanna to cover it. Her body was withered, showing the ravages of the disease she had.

While the twins were talking quietly, they were trying to listen to their father as he talked to the doctor.

Dr Amananth said, "Mr Hamton, we need to do more treatments. We have done the bone marrow grafts from T.D., but they don't appear to have completely taken hold. We've done all the work we can, but if she doesn't get better help soon, I'm not sure what will happen.'

Mr Hamton glared at the doctor, saying, "Doc, after losing Marie, I'm not happy with you lot. What else do you feel we can afford?" At this, T.D. and Annie stared at each other.

"Mr Hamton, I assure you there's a group who has more capabilities than we do here, much safer procedures, as well as more advanced technologies. You'd have to transport her, but ..."

Mr Hamton's eyes went stern, and he interrupted, "You mean Atlantis, don't you?!? I got nothin' to do with them! Don't even talk about them near me! They ran away with our tech, killed my wife – I'll see them in hell before I bow to them!"

T.D. cried, "But Pa, this is Annie we're talkin' about!"

His father snapped back, "Shut up, T.D., we're goin'! Annie, once you get all cleaned up, we're headin' home! This is two wasted hours of my life I'm not gittin' back!"

– o O o –

"Hello, is this Dr Amananth?"

"This is – who am I speaking with?"

"Sir, I'm T.D. Hamton. I was there when you saw my sister earlier today. Look, I'm callin' 'cause she needs help bad, and Pa is too stubborn or pig headed, or whatever, to get it for her. He's out now, or I'd'a not been able to call you. You said that Atlantis may be able to help her?"

"Yes, son, but as a minor, she'll need her father's permission to travel there."

"Doctor, she is my better half. There is nothing I wouldn't do for her. Tell me how to find them, and I'll take get her there as soon as she no longer needs him."

"The two of you will be 18 and legally adults in about a year?"

"Yessir."

"Well, I'm hoping she is able to hold out that long, but here's what you need to do at that time ..."