Sam waved to the men in the nondescript white van, indicating they should follow her. Five minutes later they were unloading the highly sensitive equipment onto her front lawn.
"In here, guys." She said, striding down the foyer. Opening the parlor door, she pointed to the space she had cleared of furniture in one corner of the big room.
After they had gone, Sam wandered back to the parlor and sank down into one of the wing chairs. The jumble of modern, technical computers and equipment looked ridiculous in the old room. It was all so shiny. Sam sighed, knowing she should stop stalling and get busy setting it all up. She knew that Jake would expect her to be online as soon as possible.
Chapter 9
It’s too nice to be stuck inside behind a desk, Sam thought longingly as she gazed out the window. Dutifully, she tried to return her attention to reading the latest batch of print - outs. Carefully checking each column against the previous one, looking for any kind of deviation at all.
Screw it, she muttered, tossing them into a pile.
She grabbed her jacket and headed outside, deciding to take the well trampled cliff path to Hockamock Head. It was one of those pristine days that can happen in Maine only in very late spring when the mud season is finished. The sunlight made dappled patterns through the newly sprouted leaves, which blew sharply in the constant breeze from the Atlantic.
As she got closer to the Head, she was joined by an enthusiastic Spike, who unexpectedly bounded out at her from a clump of bayberry bushes.
"Hello there, good boy," Sam stroked the soft, burnished fur on top of his head,
"where’s your partner hiding himself, huh?"
But even as she asked the question she spotted Happy a short distance away. He was smoking his pipe, perched on top of a faded blue Ford Fairlane that was missing all four of it’s tires.
"Looks like someone’s playing hooky." He commented dryly as Sam settled herself beside him on the sun - baked hood.
"You caught me," Sam grinned, "don’t tell anyone."
They sat looking out at Jericho Bay in a companionable silence, both enjoying this peaceful moment in their own way. Sam could count seven working lobster boats out there pulling traps. She shaded her eyes from the glare of the sun, trying to see if one of them was the Sea Bitch, Kevin Dodge’s boat. But they were all too far out for her to easily decipher any of the lettering on the sides. Giving up, she leaned back lazily on her elbows, raising her face up to the warm sun.
Happy proceeded to pack his pipe with his standard Cherry Blend. "Still eavesdropping on outer space?" He asked as he patted his pockets for a match.
"Yep." Was Sam’s only reply. But in that brief moment, the relaxed, contented expression had left her face to be replaced by .... what? Happy wasn’t sure. He just knew that suddenly she looked worried and tired.
"Do you recall what you kids used to call me when you were back in school?"
Asked Happy, drawing on his pipe. "Crazy Joyce." He finished, nodding his head up and down.
"God, Happy, were we that shity to you?" Sam slipped her hand into his as she tried to remember. "All just because you were a little different."
"Yep," joked Happy, "that’s me ...... just a round peg trying to fit into a square hole and always ending up in splinters."
"Kids can really be cruel, Hap. But you know what I remember the most?" Asked Sam. "I remember when I stopped being afraid of your difference and got to know you. You’re to blame for my obsession with astronomy, you know. >From the first time you pointed out Orion to me when I was ten years old, I was hooked."
"Maybe," he mumbled. "Anyway, Sammy, know what the kids call me now?"
Sam shook her head.
"Crazy Joyce." Happy said with a chuckle. "Some things don’t change. Probably aren’t meant to."
There was a comfortable stillness between them, only broken when Happy spoke once more. "Well, I may or may not be crazy .... damned if I know the answer to that one. But, Sammy, I’m still here for you if you need someone to talk to."
"Just like the old days, Happy." Sam said, reaching over to give him a quick hug, which only served to make his face go deep red with embarrassment.
"Go on with you." He said roughly, pushing her off the Fairlane’s hood. "Don’t you have any work to do?"
The walk had been just what she’d needed. The fresh sea air had helped to jump start her brain. For the remainder of the day, Sam diligently picked away at the immense pile of paper, reducing it to only a small pile of paper.
Finally, sighing with fatigue, she pushed her chair back and did a couple of quick neck rolls, easing the tension in her shoulders. Glancing at the tall clock in the corner, she realized that she had a bit over an hour to shower and change for her big night on the town with Per. Okay, she thought, just enough time for one more sheet.
Sam spotted it almost immediately. She couldn’t have missed it even if she had wanted to. It practically jumped up at her from the paper. A distinct spike. Not only that, but a prolonged and sizable spoke. She marked it with the highlighter, conscientiously noting the day, month and time of occurrence in the margin of the paper.
Despite herself, she was trembling with excitement. Professionally, she knew that all coordinates needed to be checked and triple checked. Nonetheless, Sam instinctively recognized what she had before her spread out on the desktop. A
genuine, Goddamn, cosmic greeting card.
Chapter 10
Her mind totally engrossed in her finding, Sam immediately forgot everything else, including her dinner date with Per.
According to the date on the print-out, the atypical spike had occurred just three days before. Sam couldn’t believe how calm she was acting. Inside she felt as if she were ready to boil over. After all these years of listening, we finally have one, she thought to herself. She had always wondered if it would even be possible to recognize such a message if one were actually received. Back in 1977 a forceful signal had been picked up that couldn’t be explained before it had just as rapidly disappeared. But this time, there was no doubt about the validity of what she had found. This was a planetary message that was so unusual it couldn’t help but stand out against all the natural, every day radio waves that were floating around out there over vast, interstellar distances. This one had made a series of tell-tale blips rather than merely random noise, thus allowing it to be picked out easily from all the garbage.
Quickly glancing at her watch, Sam punched Jake’s private office number into her deskphone. Even though it was well after six PM, she knew he would still be in his office.
"I’ve found it." She flatly stated. "Of course, I’ll double check it with Goldstone, but I’m certain in my findings. I’m faxing it to you now."
"Hold on," Jake practically shouted into his end of the phone, as he dropped the receiver to retrieve the fax. "Christ, Sam ...... it looks damn good. Very possible indeed."
She realized that she had never heard Jake excited before. Come to think of it, she couldn’t remember ever having seen him show emotion about anything.
"I’ll stay on this and get back to you with any changes." Sam broke the connection.
However, before she could take her hand off the phone, it rang loudly making her jump. "Hello", she said breathlessly.
"Hi there". said Per. "I’m afraid that I will be a bit late in picking you up this evening. I hope this doesn’t cause a problem."
Sam quickly tried to refocus her thoughts. "Per," she said, "could we please make dinner for another night? I’m terribly bogged down with something here at the moment."
"Well, I see no reason why we can’t postpone." replied Per. "Shall I ring you tomorrow, then?"
Surprisingly, he sounded disappointed at the prospect of their canceled date. "Yes, please." responded Sam. "Per, I am truly sorry about this. I was very much looking forward to dinner with you tonight."
"No worries," Per said warmly, "I’ll speak with you tomorrow, Samantha."
Then he quietly rang off
.
Her social life neatly taken care of for the moment, Sam quickly switched gears once again.
She worked through the night, stopping only once to make a quick peanut butter and jelly sandwich which she wolfed down with a tall glass of milk before she hurried back to her small bank of computers. She set up an immediate direct line with Goldstone Deep Space Tracking in the Mojave Desert, which allowed her to start fine pointing all possible coordinates with their team. She spoke with Jake three more times during the night, keeping him promptly updated on all new data as promised. By three in the morning, she had located two more hydrogen frequencies, obviously ET’s radio frequency of choice. They were both substantially stronger and closer in proximity than the first find had been. As Sam worked, a definite pattern was gradually starting to unfold.
At last, as outside night was slowly blurring into dawn, Sam wrapped herself in a throw and slipped into an exhausted sleep, head down in her arms on the desk.
Chapter 11
For the next few days Sam worked feverishly. Stopping only when necessary, such as when her stomach growled from hunger. The ensuing days and nights seemed to blend one into the other. Her resolution to give up cigarettes literally going up in smoke as one after another burned down in the ashtray beside her on the desk. She was in constant contact with Jake in Boston as well as the team at Goldstone. Everyone involved was obsessed with the recent findings. This was momentous and they all knew it.
Occasionally, her house phone would ring to leave messages from either Martha or Per on her answering machine. They would both have to wait. Sam could not take the time to speak with them right now. But, as usual, she underestimated Martha’s persistent nature.
Becoming concerned after three straight days of silence, Martha stopped phoning and showed up on her doorstep in person early Thursday morning.
"What the hell’s going on here?" She snapped at Sam as she pushed her way past her friend into the foyer. "I’ve been calling you for three days straight."
Turning around, she took a good look at Sam. "When was the last time you got any sleep? You look like shit. Are you sick or something?" Impatiently shifting from one foot to another, Martha waited for an explanation of some sort.
Sam rubbed her forehead tiredly. "I’m sorry, Martha. I’ve just been really tied up with something the last few days." Martha followed her into the study where they both sat down.
"I didn’t mean to worry you." Sam finished lamely.
"Well, you have worried me - and Per, too. Jesus, he’s driving me nuts with phone calls. Is your machine broken or what?"
"No, it’s working fine." Sam mumbled. Giving herself a mental shake, she sat up straighter. "Look Martha, I can’t explain right now, but I’m working on something that’s very important. Believe me, when I can go into details, you will be the first to know. You’re just going to have to trust me for now." She got to her feet. "Come on, I’ll walk you to the door."
"Are you kicking me out?" Asked an incredulous Martha.
"Damn straight. I’ll call you." Promised Sam as she firmly closed the front door on her friend.
But Martha’s intrusion had broken her concentration. She rang Jake.
"I’m taking the 7:00 ferry in the morning. I should be in Boston by noon time."
"Good," Jake responded, "I’ll set the meeting up. Everyone will be here. Drive safely, Sam. We need that data."
He hung up before Sam could reply. What a warm bastard, she thought, freshly remembering why she had stopped working for the insensitive s.o.b.. Doesn’t matter, she reminded herself. What I’ve found is beyond all that.
As she headed upstairs for a much needed soak the phone rang. It was Per. This time Sam picked up. Slightly out of breath from her race up the stair, Sam sank onto the bed as she answered the phone.
"I’m here, Per." She said loudly over the mechanical recording.
"Samantha! How nice to find you in. Have you been away?" He asked.
"Sort of." Laughed Sam. "Per," she asked spontaneously, "how about that dinner tonight? Are you free?"
They agreed on an early meal that evening. After having spoken with Per, Sam realized she was too fatigued to move. Her longed for bath would have to wait.
She rolled over and slept deeply for the first time in days.
Chapter 12
Sam stayed comatose for a solid ten hours. When she awoke around seven, it was with dismay to see how late it had become. Regrettably, all thoughts of a leisurely soak left her as she settled for a hasty shower instead. She really didn’t know if she would be able to pull this evening off. How could she possibly sit over a quiet dinner chatting about pleasantries when she knew she was on top of the most stupendous revelation of her life? Or anyone’s life, for that matter.
Sam was seriously beginning to regret her earlier spontaneity when she heard the old VW pull in. What the hell, she thought. I have to eat sometime, don’t I?
Rapidly grabbing a sweater off the bed she ran downstairs to let Per in.
"Good evening, Samantha." Smiled Per as he clumsily handed her a tiny bouquet of May flowers.
At her astonished look, he said, "This is the traditional custom, I believe?
Flowers for the lady?"
Shaking her head, Sam took the straggly bunch out of his hands. "Anyone ever told you that you’re quaint? Where did you get these?" She carefully stuck them into a vase on the hall table that held a bright display of tulips.
Grinning from ear to ear, Per sheepishly admitted, "Your front lawn."
Taking Sam’s arm, he propelled her out the door and into his van.
"Buckle up," he said in serious voice, turning the key over, "I’m afraid my driving is not very precise as of yet."
Having sad that, he preceded to grind every possible gear searching for reverse as he backed the vehicle up, turned it around and roared down the driveway.
Gripping her seat with both hands, Sam was visibly relieved when, five minutes later, they pulled into the Blue Goose parking lot.
"Where on earth did you learn to drive?" She asked as she thankfully scrambled out of the bus, feeling bruised and battered by the short drive.
Rather than answer her, Per commented, "Isn’t it a lovely sky tonight?" Sam looked up at the twinkling stars that, with the onset of darkness, were just starting to make their presence in the universe known. Which one is it? She thought to herself. Would it be any that we could see from here?
"Shall we?" Prodded Per, as he held the restaurant door open for her.
Not only was the Blue Goose the best restaurant on the Island, it was the only restaurant on the Island. That is, if you didn’t count the hot dog stand that ran from June through the end of August down at the ferry terminal. The owners of the Blue Goose wintered in Florida and had just reopened for the season.
Consequently, Sam and Per had the place virtually all to themselves.
"The service here should be excellent." Stated Per, looking about at all the empty tables.
"Don’t count on that." muttered Sam, who knew the proprietors.
He really is attractive, thought Sam as she sat back sipping her after dinner brandy and listening to Per talk about his recent travels across the country.
She is lovely both inside and out, thought Per, as he watched Sam laugh uproariously at one of his stories.
After dinner, they decided to go up to the old lighthouse on Hockamock Head.
Through silent, mutual agreement, Sam drove. She peered hard into the darkness as they went past Happy’s property, but she didn’t see any lights on. Happy strongly believed in the ‘early to bed and early to rise’ concept.
"Have you met Happy Joyce yet?" She asked Per, as they settled down onto a grassy spot by the cliff. It was a lovely night. The moon had climbed just high enough in the night sky to send long, shimmering threads bouncing vibrantly on top of the ocean waves.
"I have," replied Per, "he certainly is .......... different." He finished lamely, for lack of a better wo
rd.
"Different isn’t the word," chuckled Sam. "I’ve known him my entire life.
Believe it or not, he’s the one who first sparked my interest in astronomy. If it hadn’t been for Happy, I might never have left here and pursued my career."
"Of course," she said reflectively, "that might well have been all for the best."
Suddenly, her face had that same fragile, withdrawn look it had worn the very first time Per had met her. Wanting only to somehow give comfort, he reached over and pulled her to him. After spending some time sitting quietly in the calm refuge of his arms, Sam disengaged herself and slowly got to her feet.
"Come." She said, holding out her hand to him.
"Touch me here," she murmured, guiding his hand to her breast. Her rapid intake of breath told him that he had found the spot. Per couldn’t believe his senses.
She felt so good under him. I could lose myself in this woman, he thought. Never before had he felt so completely connected to another being. It was as if he’s always known her. And as if she had always been a part of him.
Sam was fully alive now and terrified by it. So many conflicting emotions were racing through her thoughts that she felt entirely overwhelmed by them all.
Better not to think at all .... just allow yourself to feel, she silently told herself. It had been so very long since she had given herself permission to feel
..... to need ....... to want .....
Much later, Per watched as she flicked her ash in the general direction of the ashtray on the bedside table. "Disgusting things." He commented. "Why don’t you quit?"
"Okay," Sam agreed amicably.
"When?" He asked, surprised at how easy that had been.
"Soon," she replied, lighting another.
Chapter 13
The next morning was glorious. A true precursor of summer. This was Happy’s favorite time of year. His old body didn’t ache as much in the warmer months.
THE ZOO Page 4