Be Happy - This Is Your Day

The word count, including this line, is 1,000.

"Be Happy - This Is Your Day"

     Thovus was looking at his Main Viewing Monitor. But he didn't look very happy about doing it. He was talking to a Ciria - his five year old daughter. "It's only been fifteen months I have seen you. That's not even a year since I have been gone," said Thovus.

     "But it's almost my birthday. And you promised me you would be here for it." Said Ciria.

     "I know I did. And I will be there. It just took me a lot longer than I thought it would take to finish by latest job. I did contact you every week to talk to you though." Said Thovus.

     Ciria looked very sad. "I know that you did. But it's not the same as you being here."

     "No it's not the same. But I also had to get your present too," said Thovus.

     Thovus looked down at the cute alien doll in the opened box next to the chair he was sitting in. Then looked back at his daughter and said, "I have your present right here. And I will be home before your birthday I promise."

     "What did you get me?" Said Ciria.

     "You know I'm not going to tell you that. But good try. I'll see you in a few days," said Thovus.

     Suddenly Thovus hears footsteps coming toward him. It's his latest Love Marlai. She has six cupcakes, with a single candle in each one of them, on a metal flat round tray with four small legs attached to it. There are two cupcakes on the top with the other four in a semi-circle underneath it to form a smile.

     The candles weren't lite. But they do look like they were lite because there is a light glow on the top of each one of them. "You do still like Small Cakes don't you?" asked Thovus.

     Ciria looked first at the Small Cakes. And then at the female who was placing them on an upward wing attached to the chair Thovus was sitting in. "Oh it's you. Now I see why you are going to miss my birthday celebration," said Ciria.

     "I'm not going to miss anything. I will be there even if I have to walk all the way there." Said Thovus.

     "And you know I don't like it when you act like that toward Marlai. I know you don't like her. But you are almost six. And I was hoping you would at least try to get along with her," said Thovus.

     "Why should I? I don't like her. She took you away from Flori, said Ciria.

     Thovus didn't know how to respond to that. After thinking about it for a few seconds he said, "Marlai didn't take me away from Flori. That was all my doing. I still Love Flori. But I also Love Marlai too.

     "I know it's hard for a five, six, year old to understand it. But on Unam a man or a woman can have more than one Lover. And whether I have one Love or more doesn't mean I love you any less." Said Thovus.

     Ciria smiled. "I know you love me. And I know you can love more than one woman. But I don't have to like it do I?"

     "No you don't have to like it. But you do need to be nice to Marlai though," said Thovus.

     "I know you don't like me. But I like you. And I hope you will like me someday too." Said Marlai.

     Ciria had to think about that for a minute. Then she said to Marlai, "Maybe someday I will - when I'm a lot older. But right now I don't like you. And I don't want you at my birthday celebration."

     Marlai lifts the Small Cakes up so that Ciria could see them. "I created these for you. And I understand that you don't want me at your birthday celebration. If you don't want me to come I will not come.

     "Thank you for the Small Cakes. But it doesn't change my mind. I still don't want you to come to my celebration," said Ciria. Then she added, "And I will try to get along with you better. But right now this is the best I can do."

     Thovus could have stopped them from talking to each other. But this was the first time they had talked to each other this long. And he didn't want to take the chance that they might not talk to each other ever again. He didn't think that would happen. But why take the chance.

     "I want you to be happy. And I hope you will be." Said Marlai. Before someone could respond Marlai left.

     After Thovus heard Marlai's footsteps slowly fade away into a distant nothingness he looked up at Ciria and said, "I hope you're happy."

     "You're mad at me aren't you?" Said Ciria.

     "No I'm not mad at you. But I think you could have been a whole lot nicer to Marlai. I also think you should ask her to your birthday celebration," said Thovus.

     "I'll think about that. But at the moment the answer is still no." Said Ciria.

     "Time is almost up. But before I go I wanted to tell you I am almost home," said Thovus. Then he added, "After I stop off at my Second House I will come back home. I should get there in plenty of time for your birthday celebration."

     Thovus reach up to the control panel in front of him. But before he could push a button, or pull a level, the Main Viewing Monitor shut down on its own. He leaned back in chair and stares out the Main Viewing Monitor at Unam.

     This time it was Thovus who was sad. It showed on his face. And the way he was sitting in his chair. "I really do hope you have a happy birthday. Even if I'm not there."

The End?