A Stroll Home
WHO: James Chase and Jilleen Simmons WHERE: Caprica City, Caprica WHEN: Hours after the Charity Event "Jim catch you next time," he shook the host's hand with a strong grip.
"Yo tak'car of Jill, ya hear," replied the overweight and balding media executive for one of the Colony's premium publishing companies. Jim's thick Lower Leonis accent was strong after a few drinks.
"You bet." James glided his hand on Jill's lower back as she said her good byes to Jim's wife, and then wrapped his arm around her waist, to urge her that it was time to leave. They shared a non-verbal system of communication as a married couple. The little pull of his hand on her waist, told her that he wanted to leave and he had enough of socializing tonight.
It had been a big adjustment for him after they been together for a while to keep up with her social networking. It was fun the first couple of years but the constant stream of small talk and being on his best behavior became too much for him. Special Forces training was easier than the politics involved in Jill's social network. It even strain their marriage until they were able to come to a compromise. He simply wanted some quiet time on his days off from work, and she always wanted to do an activity, but somehow they had found a middle ground.
Jilleen had spent nearly her entire life socializing. He did not. They were opposites in that regard.
On the city sidewalk, he felt Jill's grip tighten around his arm while they walked together. "Did you have a good time, my husband?" she asked with a slight alcoholic slur.
He reached around with his other hand to pat hers. "I did." He looked down into her eyes which were lit up by the light of the lamp post overhead. "Wine makes me happy." he smirked.
"Me too." She smiled in return, and they continued to walk toward their apartment building a few blocks down the street.
James sobered up during the walk. His veteran instincts were on the alert for mislaid packages or devices that could be an improvised explosive. Rationally he knew he would not encounter one in the streets of Caprica City, but still there could be other dangers. His senses were heighten when they neared shadows or met others approaching in the dark of night. He could not help but be ready for any possibility, especially with his wife by his side.
His experience on Sagittaron was entirely different than his wife's current assignment as the senior aide-de-camp for the Commander of the Colonial Expeditionary Forces, which gave him some comfort because she would not be directly in harms way. Also the situation as of today on the step-child colony of the Kobol was less violent, since the assassination of Tom Zarek a year earlier.
Before then, especially during his tour with the peace keepers, there were constant conflicts between factions who wanted either wanted to break away from the Colonies or wanted control of their own piece of territory, and in some instances to force their ideology. Those groups still exist in silence secretly plotting a new unified front against the puppet government.
"Are you okay?" asked Jilleen.
"You seem to ask me that a lot since we've been together here lately?"
"What, can't a wife be concern for her husband?" she replied with a tilt of her head.
He nodded. "I was thinking, that's all."
"I can see that." They continued to walk toward home. "Doctor Hayward is having a baby."
James stopped in his tracks. "Are you serious? Blake told you she was pregnant. Wow. I never thought our flight surgeon would ... Does Jon know?"
"Jon who? You don't mean Colonel Jon Randell, your ship's XO?" She asked and then received a nod from him in reply. "Blake that sneaky vixen. Its know wonder she did not tell me the name of the father."
'I'm just guessing. She was leaving his quarter's one day when I went to see him about something, and Blake had a surprised look on her face as if I caught her, almost in the act. I heard rumors before but thought nothing of them."
"Don't tell anyone. She hasn't told the father yet, and if Colonel Randell is indeed the father that's something else," she gripped his arm. "Promise me you won't"
"I promise." He touched her cheek with the back side of his finger. "Why did you bring it up in the first place?"
"It made me think about us, and what we talked about the other morning." She tilted her head, and her eyes looked to the side. "I don't know. I'm a little jealous."
"That she is seeing Colonel Randell?" He felt her fist strike his arm. "Ouch."
"Yeah, you remember that mister. Now take me home before I change my mind about you having your way with me."
He grabbed her hand. "Copy that." They hurried home.