“I knew that as crazy as it seemed to you at the time, we were falling in love,” Valia replied. “What I meant by that statement was that our love would make it unlikely that I would ever see my homeworld again, and although you would probably never leave your world, your life would never be the same as it was before we met.”
“If what happened to me is detrimental, I welcome it,” Greta said. “I am sorry that you may never see your home again.”
“When I am with you I simply do not care,” Valia smiled.
With a wave of her hand Greta removed their nearly invisible pubic hair permanently, then watched as their fingernails changed to a deep chocolate brown and the hair on their heads grew six inches longer. “The day I looked in the mirror and saw your image staring back at me was the happiest day of my life,” Greta said. “When I am with you I simply do not care.”
“Chocolate brown, a good choice for shopping,” Valia giggled.
“So I don’t forget to bring home some Godiva, I know how much you and Krystyna love those truffles,” Greta grinned.
“Cho-o-o-colate,” Valia laughed.
“How did you ever exist on your world without coffee and chocolate?” Greta asked.
“I couldn’t, that’s why I came here.”
“And I thought you came here for me, sniff,” Greta cried.
“Are you expecting a call from Teddy?” Valia laughed.
“Yes, as a matter of fact I am.”
Greta’s phone rang, it was Teddy, “Good morning Mr. Allen,” Greta answered.
“What, how, I mean how did you know it was me calling?” Teddy asked.
“Caller i.d.?” Greta asked.
“But I am calling from a pay phone,” Teddy replied.
“Precisely, you are the only person I know who still calls from a pay phone,” Greta giggled. “Valia says hello.”
“Yes, well at least pay phones do not give you brain cancer like those little phones you all carry,” Teddy laughed. “Girls, the storyline has changed and we will be shooting portions of the movie in various places in Europe, is that ok with you, I mean, you are going to need passports.”
“Where do you plan on taking us Teddy, and what do you plan on doing with us?” Valia asked.
“Amazing, that is actually one of your lines in the script, well if you drop my name it is,” Teddy replied. “About six countries, I think, let me see here,” he continued, the sound of him leafing through and dropping what was undoubtedly the script, “no more than eight.”
“Teddy don’t worry, we already have our passports ordered since we have a photo shoot planned over there,” Greta said.
“Photos, yes a photoshoot, yes well that is good news for the planet I can tell you,” Teddy snickered.
“Don’t you like our photos Teddy?” Valia asked.
“I, I love your photos, don’t be silly, I, girls I am happy to hear you are ok with traveling across Europe, I will be in touch.”
“Thanks Teddy, goodbye,” the twins chimed as Greta hung up the phone.
“Mirrors,” Greta said.
“Mirrors?” Valia asked.
“I think I want to do a shoot outdoors with mirrors, you know I have never loved mirrors as much I do since that fab day in Philadelphia when I saw your image gazing back at me.” Greta replied. “Yes mirrors, no one round mirror that we can play with, is that ok with you?”
“I will dream of the possibilities,” Valia replied kissing Greta tenderly on the lips.
When Jamina called to say they were on their way, Greta asked her to stop at the Best Western and see the man at the front desk for a package coming to her. She then told them to take their time, do some shopping alone if they like, and to meet them in front of Macy’s at three p.m. “That gives us a few hours, what would you like to do?” Greta asked.
“I’d like to drop off a copy of My Misty World at David’s before shopping, and I would like to build a snowwoman on Sunday in the park.” Valia replied. “How about you, what would you like to do?”
“Drop off My Misty World, buy a new hat, stop world hunger, create worldwide peace, see our planet from the moon, and help you build a snowwoman on Sunday.”
“She is going to have to be tall.” Valia laughed.
“With killer curves,” Greta laughed. “Wanna watch me tinkle?”
“Love to,” Valia replied following Greta into the bathroom.
The twins freshened up and got dressed before heading down for a quick stop in the studio where Valia made a copy of My Misty World. Once outside, Greta hailed a taxi, their first stop Starbucks. They then made a quick stop at David’s to drop off the cd. “Eighteenth and Eight Avenue,” Valia told the driver getting back into the taxi after leaving the cd in the mailbox.
“So close to home?” Greta asked.
“Dah!”
The taxi pulled up down the block from Ellen Christine’s Millinery shop. “Come,” Valia spoke in a perfect imitation of Garbo.
“Be gentle,” Greta sighed.
Valia took her hand and led her into the boutique, where they were greeted by the owner/designer. The brightly lit room was awash with gorgeous hats, a hat lover’s paradise, especially a woman’s hat lover.
“Hello ladies, let me know if I can be of any assistance,” Ellen said.
“Garbo, we love Garbo,” Valia said, continuing her perfect imitation of the divine Ms. Garbo.
“She was quite the hat lover, I have one that I have titled ‘The Garbo Fedora, inspired by the hat she was wearing in the classic photo of her sitting on a trunk.”
“Marvelous, may we see one,” Valia smiled.
“But of course, it is right over here.”
“In each color available please,” Valia said, “for each of us.”
“Do you already know your hat size, we custom make them to your own size,” Ellen said.
“You can measure us?” Valia asked. “I think my sister has a larger head.”
Greta slapped Valia gently on the arm. “Well, since she is paying, can we have one of those for each of us as well,” Greta said pointing to another marvelous hat, and that one and, uhm, that one?”
Ellen was not quite sure if they were kidding but she began measuring them for their hats starting with Greta. When she finished Greta noticed Garbo standing in the corner looking at a different hat. Tell her to modify it to be a bit stiffer with a slightly larger brim, Garbo smiled.
But of course, do you like my other choices? Greta thought.
I do, Garbo laughed before vanishing from sight.
“Your measurements are precisely the same,” Ellen said, “Seven and a quarter for future reference.”
“Could you fashion them with a material that is a bit stiffer with a slightly larger brim?” Valia asked, smiling up at Greta.
“But of course,” Ellen replied.
Valia paid for the order and told her where to deliver them when ready. “May we have at least one each of the fedora within the next week,” she asked, “we will be traveling to Europe sometime in the near future?”
“But of course, every hat you chose is the perfect hat for the shape of your faces.”
“Thank you,” Greta smiled as they left the shop and stepped back out into the crisp cold November air.
“Thanks for waiting driver,” Greta said, looking at Valia’s fingernails as she closed the door. “Thirty Rockefeller Plaza, do you know the Godiva Boutique?”
“Yes m’am, Thirty Rock it is,” the driver replied.
As they stepped out of the taxi, the breeze felt colder than it did back at the hat store as the sky started to become overcast. Greta found herself wishing she already had her hat. The twins ran into the Godiva Boutique and left with three shopping bags full of chocolates. “You are good for your economy,” Valia giggled.
“Thank you sis, you’re so generous,” Greta grinned as she reached for her cel phone.
“Hello luv, we are just about finished, how are you doing?” Jamina asked.
/> “We have filled a taxi with stuff and need to head back home, why don’t you take your time, go check into the Chelsea, the room is in your name by the way, then come to our place when you are ready,” Greta replied.
“It sounds like a plan, sometimes holiday shopping is more than I can bear,” Jamina laughed. “I will call when we are on our way over to your place.”
Greta instructed the driver to take them back to their apartment. They stopped a Krystyna’s apartment and dropped off the first shopping bag of chocolate. “For all you do for us, enjoy,” Valia said.
“Dziekuje,” Krystyna said. “You know I have a weakness for chocolate.”
“And well you should, it is a bit of an aphrodisiac,” Greta winked.
They headed up to their apartment where Greta plopped on the couch without removing her coat. “Twoje oczy sa jak dwa ksiezyce,” Greta said.
“The moon, really?” Valia smiled, putting the chocolate in the refrigerator. “Mam chlopaka,” she said quietly.
“Waaaaah,” Greta cried, “I knew it, is it Teddy, Henri, the taxi driver?”
“Bardzo mi sie podobasz,” Valia purred.
“I am confident I would be able to make you forget any boyfriend that came into your life,” Greta smiled. “And if I couldn’t I wound render him impotent,” she laughed. “Thank you for the compliment by the way.”
“I am sure you could,” Valia said. “I will be in my studio if you need me darling sister.”
“Yes, I know.”
Greta spent nearly an hour picking up around the apartment and answering emails. She then made reservations at Sardis, wanting to actually eat the spaghetti this time. When Jamina called she told her to come right over, and to take a taxi because parking was hard to find everywhere in Manhattan on a Friday night.
Jamina is on her way over, are you too busy to get the door when she arrives? Greta thought.
She did not get a reply.
Are you with your boyfriend again? Greta giggled in thought.
There was still no reply.
In a blink she appeared in the studio where she found Valia’s studio Macbook closed. “Where is Valia?” she asked.
She had to leave, said not to worry, and that she was really getting hungry, a chorus of plants replied.
“Did she say where she was going?”
No, but she was in a hurry.
“Don’t do this to me.”
Greta’s world seemed as though the bottom dropped out of it. She pleaded with Valia’s plants to do all they could to try and locate her. “We’ve never been separated,” she said before she began to cry, returning to the upstairs apartment. She was about to lose it at the thought of not being able to locate her, at the thought of never seeing her again when the doorbell rang.
She is in the Pocono Mountains, Greta’s favorite plant Myra reported. She said she is sorry she did not let you know where she went, it was an emergency, she was needed to help, and that she would meet you at Sardis.
Greta started shedding tears of joy. “Ask her if she is going to want a salad or just a lot of pasta?” Greta smiled. “And tell her I am going to kick her,” she stopped before finishing as the doorbell rang again. “Jamina,” she said running down the stairs to let her in.
“I hope we are not interrupting anything,” Jamina smiled reaching to give Greta a hug and a kiss.
“I, uh, no, as a matter of fact Valia is not here at the moment, she had to run out and help a friend with something,” Greta smiled.
“Greta this is Tammy, Tammy my dear friend Greta.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Tammy said. “Jamina just adores you, and that automatically makes you a friend of mine.”
“What a sweet thing to say, thank you,” Greta said. “Come on girls, it is the top floor,” she said letting them lead the way so she could secure the door behind them.
Once they made it upstairs, Greta took their coats and proceeded to open the package Jamina brought from the hotel for her to reveal a round mirror.
“I’ve seen that before,” Jamina said.
“Yes, there is probably one in most of the rooms at that hotel, I wanted this one for sentimental reasons.” Greta smiled, staring at her reflection in the mirror. As she did she could not help but wonder if Valia was safe. Somehow she felt that she was.
“I hope you are hungry, because it is dinner at Sardis tonight, my treat for being so kind to bring this up for me.” Greta said.
They sat down and did what good friends do when they have not seen each other for a while. Greta could not help but think of Valia every second they were together, especially each time she looked at a very healthy and happy Jamina.
Out in the Poconos, Valia had just assisted in the birth of twin Trokasian females. Just as she had arrived in her studio, they contacted her asking for assistance. From their ship on the far side of the moon, they transported her to the site of one of their crashed shuttlecraft. The crash sent one of the crewmembers into a life threatening premature labor due to the injuries she sustained. When an alert member of the crew ran a scan of the area and saw that a member of Valia’s species was on the planet, they immediately asked for her assistance knowing the healing powers of her species. Valia was not able to save the crews equivalent of a surgeon who was killed in the crash, but she was able to free the female and deliver her twins. Once she knew that all were stable, the Trokasians transported their surgeon, the mother and her twins back to their ship. Valia activated the self-destruct on the shuttle per their instructions and was transported back to her studio before the shuttle vanished in a bright flash of light.
I will pass on the salad, just a lot of pasta, Valia thought.
Traveling to Sardis in a taxi, Greta shrieked when she heard Valia’s thought. I should order you a steak, rare for scaring the crap out of me, she thought.
You would not like me as a carnivore, Valia giggled. I am so sorry, but I did not have time to explain.
So, you will just have a lot of explaining to do later, Greta grinned. Please don’t waste time taking a taxi, we are a few blocks away and I can’t wait to give you a swift kick in the, she stopped being asked a question by Jamina.
“You must let me pay for this taxi,” Jamina said.
“Don’t be absurd my dear friend, this evening is entirely on me.” Greta said slapping her on the hand.
The taxi pulled up at the restaurant, Greta gave the driver a hefty tip, and they went inside.
“Ms. Garbova,” the hostess said, “it is so good to see you and your sister again.”
A huge smile appeared on Greta’s face as she sensed Valia’s presence behind her just as the hostess spoke.
“Yes, it is going to be good to actually eat the pasta this time, don’t you agree sis?” Greta said.
“Yes,” Valia replied.
“Valia, what perfect timing,” Jamina said turning to give her a big hug and a kiss before introducing Tammy.
As they settled into dinner, Valia explained in thought what she did and whom she did it for between the table conversations they continued to have with their friends.
Greta was so happy they were back together Valia could have been telling her anything in any language.
After dinner, Jamina and Tammy said they were going to call it a night. “We are staying until Sunday morning, so after a good night’s rest we will step out to see some sights tomorrow,” Jamina said.
Greta could not have been happier to hear her say that. They dropped them off at the Chelsea. “Say hello to William Burroughs if you are lucky enough to see him,” Greta smiled.
“You can be sure I will if I see him,” Jamina laughed.
After telling the driver where to drop them off, Greta sat in the back seat in silence, for about 12.796 seconds before she jumped at Valia kissing her madly. Promise me, no matter how much of an emergency it is, you will never leave me not knowing where you are again, she thought.
I promise, Valia replied.
When they
exited the taxi after paying, Valia just stood on the sidewalk looking up at the moon, the left half of it glowing brightly in a last quarter phase. “It is beautiful is it not?” Greta asked.
“Yes,” Valia replied wrapping her arms around her. “Close your eyes, and don’t be afraid.”
When she did, the twins were transported to the Trokasian ship on the far side of the moon. “You can open them now,” Valia said.
“I could only offer you four out of six of your suggestions for what to do this weekend,” Valia said softly as Greta found herself standing at a large window gazing back at Planet Earth from the moon. “Come, let me introduce you to the twins,” Valia smiled. Greta followed her through a few doors that seemed to evaporate to let them through and reappear behind them.
“Can we get doors like that?” she giggled.
“My world gave them the technology,” Valia replied. When the final door seemed to vanish before their eyes, the small crew of the ship was gathered with the new mother and her twins. Their skin was a light orange in color, with very large eyes, tiny noses and mouths. They wore clothing, but it was nearly impossible for Greta to tell the males and females apart.
My first Close Encounter with beings from another world that really look like they are from another world, Greta thought. Will they understand me?
Yes, Valia replied as the crewmembers thanked her one after another.
“What you are becoming is one of the greatest species in the galaxy,” the mother said. Her large eyes seemed to communicate how happy she was that she and her twins survived the ordeal.
“I know,” Greta smiled.
After one more look at the planet from the moon, Valia kissed Greta deeply and wrapped her arms around her. In an instant they were transported back to the sidewalk they were standing on earlier.
“I think I am going to have pleasant dreams tonight,” Greta said as they walked up the stairs to their apartment.
“Oh, you are not going to sleep yet,” Valia grinned, her eyebrow turned up as their clothes found themselves laying in a pile at the foot of their bed.
No, not yet, Greta thought as they melted into their love for each other.
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