34
“That was good, Mom,” Rev said, letting out a burp, which made Neesy and Kat break out laughing.
“Rev! Manners! But, thanks,” his mother said. “It wasn’t hard with everything at the market.”
“Yeah, you said that, but that doesn’t make sense. Everywhere else, there’re shortages.”
“Now that we can go back home, all the little artisan farms are harvesting, Rev. The Centaurs didn’t destroy the crops. And without all the refrigeration and processors, most of the harvest can’t be saved. So, the farmers are trying to salvage what they can, and we get these lovely vegetables.”
“I guess. But it still seems odd when everywhere else has shortages. We’re still eating G-rats on base. Can’t hold a candle to this. What did you call it again?”
“Ratatouille. It’s an old-time recipe. And I’m glad you liked it.”
And he really did like it. He wasn’t just saying that. Somehow, his mother was actually becoming a good cook—as good, if not better, than the family autochef.
“Why don’t we go sit and relax until you have to leave. We’ll clean up later,” his mother said.
They moved to the living room, and Rev took a seat on the couch. Kat waited until he was seated, then sat on his left side, snuggling close. It was as if he had a little protector for his missing arm. Neesy took his right side, and his parents took their loungers.
“So, what were you telling me about school in the camp?” he asked Neesy.
“Oh, yeah. It was way worse. We had paper books!”
Rev laughed. “And what’s wrong with paper?”
“They’re heavy. And you have to turn the pages.”
“Oh, poor Neesy. I feel so sorry for you.”
She stuck out her tongue at him.
“Where did they get physical books?” Rev asked his dad.
“Part of the civil defense stores. Probably been there for a hundred years. They don’t need power, after all.”
Makes sense.
“I like real books,” Kat said.
“There you go. Good for you,” Rev said.
“Why don’t you take your nose out of Rev’s butt, Kat.”
“Neesy! Language! We don’t talk like that in this house. You apologize right now!”
Neesy scowled, but she said, “Sorry, Kat.”
Rev tried not to smile. With all the swearing in the Marines as common as breathing, Neesy’s nose in the butt comment was nothing and kind of funny. And probably deserved—Kat had been sucking up to him. But he kept a stern visage on his face.
“She didn’t use to talk like that until we got to the camp,” his mother said. “It was not a good environment.”
Rev glanced at his father, who looked like he was also fighting a smile. He caught Rev’s look and winked.
“Neesy took real good care of me in the camp,” Kat said, a peace offering.
That started a conversation on life in the camp. Rev mostly sat back and just listened, prompting them every once in a while. He was merely soaking it all in. He’d been so worried about them during the invasion, afraid he’d never see them again, so now, he was happy to just bask in their company. It would have been better if Grover were there, too, but he’d volunteered to be part of a community clean-up crew, and he was on duty that afternoon.
But finally, it was time for him to leave. The girls complained, asking him to stay longer, but he told them he had an appointment that he couldn’t break. He made his goodbyes and promised to try and come back soon.
He was feeling pretty good as he walked down the street. He had a long haul to get to where he was going. What few autocabs survived the invasion were relegated for priority trips only, and a Marine on liberty didn’t classify as that. But it was OK. The fall day was warm with just a hint of the coming winter, and his belly was full. Most of all, he and those he loved were alive. How could he complain?
It took him forty minutes to reach the park. He stood there a moment before he spotted her sitting on a bench. Circling around, he came up from behind.”
“Hey, Angel Wings! Fancy meeting you here.”
Mala turned around with a smile and said, “I thought you’d stand me up again.”
“I said I’d be here.”
“Yes, but when I’m competing with your family . . .”
Rev nodded in defeat. He had stood her up once before to stay with his family longer.
“And I stand heartily chastised for that long past mistake, milady,” he said, making a dramatic bow that would have put D'Artagnan to shame.
He hopped over the back of the bench and landed in the sitting position beside her. “So, what do you want to do?”
“You asked me to meet you,” she said with a humph. “You don’t have it planned? You don’t have your team to meet?”
“I’ve been welded to them for the last two months. I think they can survive without me for an evening.”
He didn’t say that even on a port and starboard duty section, every bivvie had weapons stored inside, and so there had to be someone left behind on watch. Tomiko, with no family she wanted to see, had volunteered to take the first watch. And it was only then that he thought to see if Malaika’s platoon would be off on the same day.
“Fair enough. And I feel the same way.” She put her hand on his knee and added. “I needed to get away for an evening, and you’re pretty good company for a snake eater.”
“And you’re not bad for a straight-leg grunt. And now that we’ve exhausted our compliments for each other, we need to figure out what we want to do.”
“Well, I might know something.”
“Give.”
“See that lady over there?”
Rev looked across the park where an older woman was sitting facing them. When she caught his gaze, she nodded with a knowing smile.
“Yes, I see her. So, what? You want to invite her over for a threesome?”
Malaika laughed, her trill like a little girl, and gave him a mock slap on his arm. “In your dreams, Marine. No, I was talking to her earlier, and she said there’s a little bar down the street that came through the invasion intact, and that included a couple of kegs. She said the owner, who’s her son, has rigged up a way to cool it, and he’s open for business.”
“His mother is shilling for customers? Good mom. But we can’t pay. The system’s still down.”
“She said he’s taking IOUs.”
“Like, we write on a piece of paper that we’ll pay this guy later?”
“Yep.”
“Well, then I don’t see how we can’t support such an entrepreneurial enterprise.”
Rev stood, made a half-bow, and presented his right arm to Malaika. “Will you accompany me, fair lady, to imbibe on alcoholic beverages?”
She giggled again, a tiny laugh coming from such a physically substantial woman. “Why I declare, fair sir. I would be most honored.”
She stood and linked her arm in his, and together, they strolled down the street to find out if the beer was really cold or not. Cold or warm, however, they intended to possibly tie one on.