Corin was acutely aware of the dull aching in his eyes as they eased open only to slam shut reflexively, offended by the harsh artificial light. A grunt of discomfort escaped his lips. The noise immediately summoned a distinctly female form to his side. Her hands were on his face and her warm breath invaded his nostrils. A lightly scented perfume sweetened her aroma.

'Jesus Christ, Doc. Get me off this table. I'm okay,'� he mumbled, not fully coherent. He tried to get up, but his limbs wouldn't move. They were secured to the examining couch with sturdy medical fasteners.

'Shhh'�easy,'� the voice was disembodied, but betrayed a tone of sincerity and concern. ''�coming out of a prolonged hypersleep.'� Corin missed the first part of what she said. 'Concentrate on my voice. Do you understand me? Your vision will clear momentarily. I'm going to flood them with a rinse that will ease the discomfort.'�

The woman used her thumbs to lift his eyelids and squirt the warm liquid over his pained orbs. Eventually, he was able to open his eyes with little discomfort.
'Are we back on Earth,'� Corin asked. It was always his first question, funny how he cared so much for the place where he spent so little of his time. As his vision cleared he noticed how attractive his attendant actually was. Her face was pleasing and strangely comforting, but everyone he had known would be long gone by now. The woman was in her mid-twenties dressed in a smart business suit that hugged the curves of her body, no one that he recalled knowing. Still, the hint of freckles on her nose, the wavy auburn hair and the slightly rounded aspect of her cheeks were so familiar. Those eyes'�

Fifty years in hypersleep was a long time. As a freighter pilot, he had missed generations of life on Earth to ferry supplies between galaxies. His acquaintances never lasted long. They were taken away by time and old age, while Corin remained in his prime with the outward appearance of a man in his late twenties.
'No, we're actually on our way to New Earth.'� The figure moved closer, clasping his hand and kissing him on the cheek. 'I've missed you for so long.'� Tears rolled from her cheeks and dampened Corin's face.

He squirmed uncomfortably. 'As much as I appreciate the sentiment, who are you?'� He tried to sit up but remembered that he was still restrained. 'Could you get these off of me?'�
Sobbing softly the woman collected herself and undid the belts holding him down. Corin sat up and swung his legs over the side to the table, adjusting the hospital garment to retain his dignity.

'Careful,'� the woman said, moving closer. 'Your motor responses will be unsteady for another thirty minutes.'� Her voice was soft and soothing. She looked deeply into his eyes. 'Are you sure you don't remember me'�father?'�

The last word caught his attention and brought his focus onto her. 'Jillian?'� It couldn't be. She should have been an old woman by now in her early fifties. 'It's not possible.'�

'It is...you've only been gone for fifteen years.'� She stared at him expectantly.
Corin looked into her eyes and knew it was her. 'My baby'�what happened?'�

'Your ship was lost on the way to New Earth.'� Her gazed dropped to the floor tiles. 'They said there was no hope, that we should give you up for lost. I cried so hard that day, Daddy.'�

'I'm so sorry, baby.'� Corin reached out and pulled her to him. The feeling was odd. The last time he held her, she was eight and a wispy little girl. Now, she was a grown woman. 'You know that I did it all for you. It was the only way to give you a decent life. I'm so sorry.'� Tears began to moisten his eyes and he kissed her forehead. 'I did it for you.'�

'I know,'� Jillian said, her voice was muffled against his chest. 'And I did this for you. I took the money they gave us from the insurance, went to school and formed this company. We build ships and hyperdrives. The trip to New Earth only takes months now, no need for hypersleep.'� She backed away so that he could see her face and the look of pride. 'For the last two years, we've been looking for you'�and now we've finally found you. I knew that we would.'� She began sobbing again, tears of uncontained joy.

'It's okay, baby girl. Everything's okay.'� He pulled her to him once more and kissed her cheek. His breath was warm against her skin. 'I love you, my little darling and I promise I won't leave again.'�

'I love you too, Daddy.'�
'Jillian, I'm so proud of you.

Want to comment on this Flash Fiction? Sign up to Edit Red and you will be able to comment on Flash Fiction and get access to: Upload your own stories and poems, get readers and their feedback, promote your work...