Stella went back into the kitchen where she found her mother looking shattered. She put her arms around her.
“When did you turn 16? How did you know?”
“We have been keeping track of Earth time via Mahmoud. He worked it all out and added the conversion to the Translator. Li turned 16 last month. That was one of the reasons she was determined to come on this trip. She’d always been promised a big party for her 16th and then her parents told her they were going to be away. She says that sounds unbelievably petty now but it was very important to her at the time. I was 16 four days ago. I got married the same day. Well actually the next day. It was after midnight. Mum I’m 16, I’m allowed to marry under New Zealand law and British and some states of USA.”
“No you’re not. Sixteen is the age of consent not the age you can independently decide to get married. That’s 21 if you’re insisting on using New Zealand law, not 16. You needed my consent to get married.”
Stella blushed as she remembered that that was true and realised that she had got it wrong. She gasped, very embarrassed. She had got it wrong and then some. Parent’s consent, necessary in almost all cultures? Or all? How could she have forgotten that? But she honestly had.
“I forgot that,” she said in a small voice and Kelly, looking at her face could see the shock and the truth in her expression.
Kelly sighed. Now what could she do? Tell her to forget it?
“Kaz said you don’t need your parent’s consent in Niseyen culture.”
“You are not Niseyen.”
“Mum this isn’t Earth. I’m sorry. I got mixed up between consent and marriage age. I thought they were the same. Like they are for Niseyen.”
“You didn’t tell me. Any of the above. You didn’t tell me what you were thinking or planning. We’ve always discussed things.”
“I turned 16 the day of the War. We were busy.” Stella said somewhat understating the fact. But she had been considering marriage long before that. That fact remained unsaid between them. She stayed there for a while but Kelly stayed silent.
Upset, Stella left and went to see Kaz. She didn’t know what to tell him. She had told him she could Choose once she turned 16. How could she tell him she was old enough to sleep with him without him being prosecuted but she was not old enough to marry him unless she had Kelly’s consent. Which she didn’t. She had forgotten the little problem of parental consent. It wasn’t his fault. And she hadn’t meant to lie. Not knowing what to say and how to tell him she just told him she and her mother were disagreeing and Kelly thought she was too young to Choose and should have discussed it with her first. That at least was true. A few minutes later Kaz and Az bravely went in to see Kelly. They sat down either side of her.
“Piss off.”
“OK, you’re angry. I can live with that. But we have to talk with you about the girls. I asked you to come with us. Az thinks it’s a good idea too. You may be surprised at the reason. Will you hear me out?” He took her silence as consent. “The girls are coming to an unknown planet, an unknown culture. It is different. Very different in some regards. We are concerned. What happens if they decide they don’t like it there? What happens if they decide marrying us wasn’t the smartest idea they ever had? What happens if they decide they want to leave?”
Az continued, “We are well aware you may try to influence them against us but our main concern is for the girls. You being there would make them feel more secure. And much happier. We all want you to come. Family is very important to us. We don’t yet know where we are going to live or what we are going to do. We may come back here. Stella and Li may re think things if the Defence System arrives. But we all would like to stay together. So we would like you to come too. So does Li. I don’t think Stella realized how bad alienating you would make her feel. She is far more upset than she is letting on. She desperately wants you to come. But she also wants Kaz. If you make her choose between you, she will choose Kaz. She already has. Will you please reconsider.”
Kelly burst into tears and leapt up her thoughts in turmoil. Kaz went to comfort her and she lashed out with a terrific punch knocking him to the floor. Kaz was dazed and soon bleeding profusely from a cut above his eye. Kelly looked at him in horror. “Oh God, I’m sorry,” she said.
Stella, Sarah and Li ran in as they heard the crash. Sarah promptly left. Li stood there looking shocked. Stella ran over to Kaz, crying. She put her arms around him and sobbed. Az grabbed a cloth and pressed it against his brother’s head to stem the bleeding.
“I’m alright, I think,” Kaz said.
Bert hurried in a few minutes later, fetched by Sarah. He surveyed the scene. One in shock and one down and bleeding. He’d deal with the latter first. He reached up and took down the medical kit he had put in the kitchen. Without saying anything, he sewed Kaz up putting 7 sutures in. Stella held his head in her lap, still crying.
“Have you got any ringing in your ears?” Bert asked as he routinely checked Kaz’s pupils.
“What’s ringing?”
“Any funny noises?”
“Yes. That noise you get when your brain gets a pounding. Bloody Hell!” He said the last two words in plain English. He reverted to Universal. “I come through a couple of wars with hardly a scratch and then get laid out by my mother.” He sat up, holding his head and groaning.
Az laughed. He realized Kaz was putting on a bit of a performance. Kelly moved towards Kaz and Stella leapt up and stood in front of him glaring at her mother her fists clenched. There was blood all over her front. Az looked at the guilt and anguish on Kelly’s face and the fury on Stella’s and grabbed Stella figuring Kaz was safe. Kelly might not be though. Stella started crying again and Az cuddled her. As Kelly was also crying, he put his other arm around her.
“Bloody Hell,” Kaz grumbled. “I get punched out and he gets to cuddle both the girls.”