First Woman on Mars by John Minichillo

Author:John Minichillo [Minichillo, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781951393991
Publisher: Spaceboy Books LLC
Published: 2019-09-23T18:30:00+00:00

“Are we supposed to,” Brian Clark said, “talk about it so much?”

“Why not?”

“If some things are better left unsaid.”

“It’s been since Ronny,” she said. “Are you surprised?”

“I think I knew that,” he said, “but it’s like riding a bike, right?”

“I’m not like a bike,” Peg said.

“I just meant…”

“It’s okay. How long has it been for you?”

“Two weeks,” he said without skipping a beat.

“Wait, what?”

“Ten days exactly.”

“I thought,” Peg said. “I mean you’ve been pining for me.”

“I have,” Brian said. “But there’s this woman in my building.”

“Are you dating her?”

“Not exactly.”

“You got lucky?”

“You could say it like that.”

“Here I was feeling sorry for you.”

“You and I weren’t going anywhere. You made it obvious.”

She reached over the platter of splayed apples and pears to take his hand and to salvage the date. “A girl wants to be the only one. Let’s forget about her.”

“You’re going to Mars,” Brian Clark said. “You can’t be nervous about being with me compared to that.”

“I don’t have a date with Mars.”

“Am I doing okay?”

“This is nice,” she said.

When the platter was taken up and the cheese pot disassembled and carried away, the chocolate was brought over by a different waiter who moved awkwardly and placed the next round of items on the table clumsily, so that the pot nearly tipped over and he caught it and held it, though Peg and Brian were sure he couldn’t do that without burning himself. He wore dark glasses inside the restaurant and his toupee slid around with each exaggerated gesture. He didn’t speak but appeared to be concentrating on a memorized set of instructions. The new waiter was Agent White, and Peg suddenly wanted to leave.

Brian Clark sensed her discomfort, and once the waiter was gone, he said, “Do you know him?”

“He’s just so odd,” Peg said.

“Suppose they get Swiss immigrants coming over for jobs?”

“You think he’s Swiss?” Peg said. “Why would they come here? Don’t they pretty much have it made?”

“I don’t know,” Brian Clark said. “He’s not from around here.”

“Do you believe in UFOs?”

“I suppose so,” he said. “I don’t know.”

“Can you get the check?” she said. “Can we go?”

“Is there something wrong?” he said. “Don’t you want to try the chocolate?”

“I made you a promise,” she said, “and I want to go.”

Brian Clark waved over the first waiter, settled their bill, and they left.

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