Cosmopath - [Bengal Station 03] by Eric Brown

then said, “A holiday. A short break. We all need a rest.”
     
    “A holiday? Not away from the Station? Li needs-”
     
    He interrupted. “No, not away from the Station. A luxury hotel on Level One, west side.”
     
    She just laughed and shook her head, knowing better than to ask him where he’d get the money to pay for it.
     
    “I have a couple of things I need to clear up here. But I’ll get back in about an hour. Be ready to leave then, okay?”
     
    She nodded, wanting to ask him what all the hurry was about.
     
    “I’d better get off. See you soon, Su. Love you.”
     
    “Love you too, Jeff. See you.”
     
    Pham danced towards her, pulling Li after her like a rag-doll. “Was that Dad?”
     
    Sukara nodded. “We’re going on holiday, kids. A big hotel.”
     
    “Will it have a pool?” Pham asked.
     
    “I think it probably will,” Sukara said.
     
    “And pets?” Li chipped in. “Pets from the stars? We went to the pet shop, Pham. I saw ice-mice! Ice-mice, ice-mice!”
     
    “Well, probably not alien pets. But you never know, it might have aliens staying.”
     
    “Aliens with ice-mice!” Li cried, and they ran off laughing and yelling again.
     
    They arrived at the apartment thirty minutes later, and while Pham fixed herself and Li a quick meal, Sukara filled two cases with clothes and toiletries. While she packed, she wondered about what Jeff had said about a break. It was unlike him to act on impulse like this; he usually discussed holidays with her and the girls.
     
    She finished packing and sat on the bed. She could hear the girls, crashing about in the kitchen. Soon the smell of toast and tomato soup drifted through the apartment.
     
    She tried not to think about the future and Li, and told herself to be brave when Jeff arrived; but when she heard the outer door slide open, and he called her name, she broke down and ran into the lounge, sobbing.
     
    She hit him in a rush and he caught her, reassuringly solid. He held her to him, stroking her hair, repeating soothing words while she cried. “The doctor said it was leukaemia, Jeff. He said Li had a seventy per cent chance of getting better.”
     
    “That’s good odds, Su,” he said softly, stroking her hair. “She’s going to be fine.” He looked around the room. “All packed?”
     
    She nodded.
     
    “Fetch the girls. I’ll get the insurance details. Where’s the pin?”
     
    “In the bedroom, the unit on my side, top drawer.”
     
    He was gone two minutes while Sukara rounded up Pham and Li. They were sitting at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, munching sopping toast, clown’s smiles of tomato soup expanding their mouths.
     
    “Come on, you two. Eat up. We’re going on holiday.”
     
    They crammed toast into their mouths and jumped from the high stools.
     
    Jeff called from the bedroom, “There’s a flier waiting. Let’s get a move on.”
     
    “Hear that, girls? We’re going in a flier.”
     
    Jeff emerged from the bedroom, tucking the insurance policy pin into the breast pocket of his imitation leather jacket. Li yelled when she saw him and launched herself. He picked her up, hugged her to him and kissed the top of her head. Pham nuzzled against his legs.
     
    Sukara leaned against the kitchen door, watching them. She felt a hit of emotion in her chest, swelling. She wanted to cry out loud that she loved them so much.
     
    Jeff smiled across at her. “C’mon, let’s get a shuffle on, girls.”
     
    He led the way from the apartment, Li on his hip and Pham clutching his hand. Sukara hurried after them.
     
    They took the upchute to Level One. A flier was waiting outside the chute station, from the taxi firm Sukara knew the Kapinsky Agency used. They climbed aboard and the driver took off and banked south-west without waiting for instructions.
     
    Li bounced about on Jeff’s knee, peering out excitedly. Pham looked up at Sukara and smiled uncertainly. She wondered if the girl had picked up on her