If the good people of Olympus Cooperative could look after each other, then why not the brides? Already, eighty-nine of the hundred gals, by my count, signed up on the Martian Bride Network site, and I tell you what, they were chatting back and forth like a blackbird flock.

Not that men don't chat — they do. But for some, it's like the tenth circle of hell. My Pa, for instance. Walt will chat some, but there were limits before his eyes glazed over.

Kiran brought us a basket of apples from his orchard, and oh, they were good — nothing like fresh from the tree. Like most crops 'round here, the trees were genetically modified for Mars conditions, but fortunately, they kept the taste. He even brought some less-than-perfect apples for the chickens' pecking pleasure.

After dinner, Riya and Kiran went outside to stargaze — at least, that's what they said. Given that clouds were rolling in, I suspected the stars were in each other's eyes. But I was happy for them.

That gave me some time to check in with the Martian Bride Network again. The gals have been busy catching up.

Looking through the posts, I came to some conclusions. Most of the gals, maybe all, signed up for the Mars bride program to get away from really bad stuff back on Earth, and not to hook a husband. But unlike me, they had read the fine print, and the arranged marriages were just the price of safety. Can't say I blamed them for that. Turned out, though, there were good men on Mars, and many gals were happy with the husbands picked for them.

Also, it wasn't cheap to send us women here. The Mars Council paid part of the cost, because, well, Mars needed women, but each husband also paid a hefty sum for their bride. And in my experience, shady dealings went with big money like ice cream with pie, only not near as tasty. When you boiled it all down, us women were sold like livestock.

That got me wondering, what husband had they had picked for me? But I skedaddled before finding out, which was probably lucky for whatever man that would've gotten stuck with me. Like Pa said, I was a difficult woman. Might as well own it.

Apparently, Riya told the gals about my adventures.

Janus: Mavis, did you really run away? What did the Broker think?

Mavis: Didn't much like it the first time I tried. Locked me in my room, so in the middle of the night, I snuck out the window and crawled down on a sheet.

Elena: Badass!

Mavis: Just hard-headed. Didn't want to get hitched.

Elena: Then who is this Walt you're living with?

Mavis: My not-husband. Just a business partner. We got a land claim near Olympus Mons. And chickens. We got chickens.

Janus: Riya told us what you did for her.

Elena: Total badass! Heard you taught her prick husband a lesson.

Mavis: Damn right. Mess with the Martian brides, and you get arse whupped!

Spent the next hour catching up with the gals while Riya was outside doing who-knows-what with Kiran. I was the only one who didn't get married, which set me up for good-natured ribbing. Some didn't believe Walt and I had no romantic complications — but to be honest, not sure I believed it, either.

It wasn't all happy chat, though. Some gals were unhappy with their matches, even scared. But we were there to support each other. One thing I learned from history class was that when there were other options available, women left bad marriages.

An hour of social media was all I could handle, so I signed off. Not a minute later, my com-viewer buzzed.

"Mavis?" an accented female voice said. "This is Elena."

"Elena," I answered, "what's up?"

Elena came from Saint Petersburg. The history books told me the former Russian Federation, like the former United States of America, broke up over a century ago after both countries bankrupted themselves with endless conflicts and military spending. Now the World Council pretty-much ran things, overseeing the regional governments. That didn't stop the conflicts, but did put a lid on them. Another thing they did was establish a worldwide common language, called Standard, so everyone could communicate.

"I, uh, need a favor," she said in a timid voice.

"Okay?"

"My husband kicked me out, and I have nowhere to go, and, uh--"

"You can stay with us," I offered without hesitation.

"If it's not too much trouble until I find a new place. I promise to help out."

"It's okay, Elena. You are welcome here."

"Thank you, but," Elena responded, then paused, "Amahli needs a place to stay, too. She left her husband--" Her voice trailed off.

Amahli was a quiet young gal from South Africa. "She can come, too. Might get cozy here, but we can make room."

"Thank you so much, Mavis." You could frost a cake with Elena's relieved voice.

"You're welcome. Us Martian brides gotta look out for each other, ya know?"

After promising to pick the gals up at the train station, I hung up. Not two seconds later, my com buzzed again — Walt. My heart jumped a little bit.

"Hey, not-husband," I answered.

"Hey. I may have to stay in Ares Central a bit longer. We figured out who set the fire, but they ran off. Someone must have warned them."

"Okay."

"So, what's happening there?"

"Well, umm," I hawed, then paused.

"Mavis, did you find more trouble?"

"No. Yes. Maybe?" Little spiders crawled down my spine — I should had consulted Walt first. "I might have agreed to let two more Martian brides stay with us. Just for a while?"

Walt's responding silence twinged my gut, but then he let out a rolling laugh. "That's my not-wife, the savior of lost souls. You're going to have to get more beds, though."

We talked some more about nothing in particular, and when the call ended, warm fuzzies had surrounded my heart. But then a deep rumble pulled me from my thoughts, and I froze. Was that Martian thunder?

Before I could consider the implications, Riya burst through the front door with soggy hair dripping water and a wet t-shirt clinging to her slim body. "Mavis, it's raining!" she exclaimed with glee. "Come on!"

With an extended hand, Riya pulled me into the wetness, joining an equally gleeful Kiran. Closing my eyes and tilting my face upward, I let cold raindrops pelt my happy face. Soon, I was just as drenched.

The sky's gift meant more than just water, but also hope and renewal. Unable to contain the joy, I raised open hands to the heavens and shouted, "Woo hoo!"

And so, hands within hands, we danced, splashing across the growing puddles while hoopin' and hollorin' like crazy people. It was a farmer thing.

*****

Two afternoons later, I picked up Elena and Amahli at the train station. Elena was a tall blonde and cover-model beautiful, with full lips and icy blue eyes. Tight black leggings and jacket displayed a trim form with curves in all the right places. Why would a man reject her?

While not as tall, Amahli had a more athletic kind of beauty with a strong, muscular frame. Long, wavy black hair framed a dark oval face and deep brown eyes. She wore simple olive cargo pants with a brown long-sleeve t-shirt, and might have been intimidating if not for a wide, sunshine-like smile.

We embraced on the platform, three women from three parts of Earth with Olympus Mons in the background. What were the odds of that?

"You are most kind," Amahli said with her own kind of accent.

"Like I said before," I replied. "Us gals gotta look out for each other."

The women's mouths gaped at the scorched landscape as we drove out to the farm. But after the rain, if you looked close, tiny green spears poked through the ash — hopeful signs of rejuvenation.

"Hell of a range fire," I explained. "And someone set it. Walt's in Ares Central now lookin' for the culprits."

Riya's smiling face and warm garlic naan scent greeted us in the house. It was just us girls, plus Godzilla out back, our self-appointed head of farm security. The rooster checked out the new gals, and after I put in a good word, he approved, then went back to his harem.

Around the dinner table, Elena and Amahli explained their situations.

"Life was hard," Elena said. "To survive and support my mother, I sold myself." Dropping her eyes, she took a long breath. "After mother died, I couldn't do prostitution anymore. When I heard about the Mars offer, I went for it. The husband they gave me seemed good, but when I told him about what I did, he called me a whore and threw me out." A single tear traced Elana's cheek.

We all reached across to cover Elana's hand, and I said, "We can't judge you for that. You deserve better than him."

Nodding, a half-smile came to her face.

After a few quiet moments, Amahli told her tale. "A soldier, I was. And when the government fell, and the purges began, I signed up for Mars. But--" Her voice dropped off, and she glanced around, looking into each of our eyes. We stayed quiet, allowing her to gather the courage to continue. "I'm lesbian."

Elana raised an eyebrow. "I thought they only wanted straight women?"

"I lied on the form." Amahli turned her face down. "I had to, you see? Amos, my husband... He was a good man, and I hated to break his heart, but I couldn't--"

Reaching over, Riya offered Amahli a side hug. "It's okay. Earth can be cruel, and we all have our stories. We are here for you."

Amahli caught my eyes and her lips turned up. "You, Mavis, your story was different. You're the only one who didn't marry. Did you ever meet the man they chose for you?"

"Nope," I answered, "and don't want to, neither. I ain't interested in any romantic complications." Each gal, in turn, smirked at me, and Riya covered her mouth like she didn't believe me. "What?"

*****

A few days later, Walt came home to find a house full of women — kinda like Godzilla with his hens, but without breeding privileges. We all giggled after he shook his head and muttered, "Oh, my God..."

Poor Walt had to listen to girl chatter and wait his turn for the bathroom. And Elena had, shall we say, lax standards about nudity? I took her aside and advised her to stop torturing my not-husband.

But the biggest adjustment came when Riya gave up her spot in the bedroom bed to Walt. With me. She wouldn't take no for an answer, and claimed one of three roll-out mattresses in the living room with the other gals. Then I knew for sure that Riya and the other gals conspired to add complications to my life.

After Walt and I slid into bed, we just laid like firewood, staring at the ceiling and not saying anything. Eventually, he turned toward me and muttered, "Is Riya trying to hook us up?"

"Pretty much."

"This is awkward."

"Well," I said, rolling on my side to face Walt, "we did almost kiss down by the creek." Good God, he was tempting me without even trying.

"That's when the fire started. Maybe in more ways than one." He inched closer to me until only a breath separated our lips. "So, if I kiss you now, might some of your trouble rub off on me?"

"Guaranteed."

"Worth it."

That was a corny line, but it melted my heart, meaning Walt accepted me just the way I was, trouble and all.

When Walt opened his arms, I scooted into a strong embrace and our lips connected. It started soft and gentle-like, sending little electric tingles down my spine. But I wanted more. Molding myself against my bedmate, I wrapped a free arm around his neck and pressed in harder, bringing my tongue into the tussle. Walt didn't resist in the slightest. The kiss shined warm light into the depths of my soul. I'm not saying angels actually sung, but I could've sworn I heard a heavenly chorus.

Eventually, I had to come up for air. "Damn, that was good," I whispered as I nuzzled into his shoulder. "Maybe complications ain't so bad after all."

"Maybe not," Walt replied with a chuckle. "Want to do it again?"

Raising my head up, I put on a big grin. "Might be able to talk me into it. Only, you don't have to talk."

So, he convinced me. Again and again.

These moments changed me, changed everything. From now on, life became complicated, but I didn't want simple anymore. And life became risky, but I didn't want safe.

We could've taken the next big step, and I would have let him, even welcomed it. But Walt didn't ask. Besides the three conspiring women on the other side of a thin door, we both wanted to savor the new feelings, letting them soak in. Later, I silently promised, later.

*****

Next morning, after Godzilla woke us up, Elena and Amahli helped with breakfast and the chores. But for me, it all went by in a happy haze. After lunch, Walt excused himself to go into town for more supplies, partly because we had two more mouths to feed. On the front porch, and away from prying eyes, I pinned him up against the wall for a long kiss, and the warmth surged through me again.

"Hmm," he said with a grin, afterward, "I just might come back for more of that."

I poked him in the chest. "You'd better."

Staggering back inside the living room with a happy buzz, I pulled up short to three smirking female faces. "Tell us everything," Riya blurted out.

My cheeks warmed. "Umm, about what?"

"Come on, Mavis. You've been glowing."

"Well, I guess things got kinda complicated," I confessed, looking away.

"Details!" Amahli exclaimed. "We need details. I'll make tea."

Sitting around the kitchen table with a steaming mug in my hands, I began my deposition. But before I got very far, a loud buzzing sound passed overhead and settled out front. "What's a flyer doing out here?"

Peeking through the front window, my heart dropped like a stone. "The Broker is here," I loud-whispered to the others. "And he looks none too happy."