She was having a hard time dealing with all the problems of being part of the sandwich generation. Caring for Elmer was bad enough, but having Bobby thrust upon her was wearing her down. Granted, he was no longer a toddler, but he did qualify as a person of the younger generation. Given the fact her sister was incapable of giving the youth the proper guidance he so desperately needed, it was her job to provide that.
The knock at the door startled her at first. She quickly got up with a book in hand. As she opened the door, to her surprise, she saw Charles Hill standing on the porch with a bouquet of flowers in hand.
“Charles?” Jenny said with surprise.
Charles handed Jenny the flowers. Before taking them, Jenny quickly turned and set the book on the table with the cover down.
“I thought you had a meeting.”
“I won’t be missed.”
“So, what are these for?”
“I thought we could start over.”
“What do you mean?”
“I wanted to tell you I’m glad you’re back.”
“Do you want to come in?”
Charles glanced around and then turned to Jenny. “How would you like to go for a ride in the desert like we used to do?”
Jenny dropped the flowers and wrapped her arms around Charles. They kissed passionately.
Jane walked across the driveway when she observed Charles and Jenny at the front door. The exchange puzzled her. Jane just turned around quickly and headed back to the shed, not wanting to disturb Jenny.
* * *
It had been a long day for Bobby, one he was glad to put behind him finally. Ever since viewing the contents of Shelby’s locker earlier that evening, he regretted not seeking her out sooner. So much of what and how he felt about school was the feeling of having no real bond with anyone. Now he had a lot to make up for. Especially seeing there were only two and a half months left of the semester. He only hoped that if he buckled down, he could offset all the bad grades he had acquired earlier in the semester.
Bobby finished his sundae and then nervously glanced around the still-crowded ice cream parlor.
“So, are you going to the prom?” Bobby asked finally.
Shelby was startled by Bobby’s inquiry. Not thinking he would ever participate in anything so conventional.
“No, are you going?” Shelby asked, hoping there was a reason for him asking.
“I was waiting to ask you if you wanted to hang out with me.”
Shelby smiled at him innocently. “Sure. You still going to be in school?”
Bobby just rolled his eyes and grinned. “If I have anything to do with it, yes.”
“What time was the board meeting?”
“You know about that?”
“Everyone knows about that.”
Bobby glanced at the clock on the wall again. “I think my fate has already been decided.”
“If you don’t get expelled, what are you going to do?”
“Lay low, for one thing.”
“What about the future?”
“Now that I got my SATs, I’m sending out applications for colleges.”
“You haven’t done that yet! Christ, Bobby, you should have been doing that eight months ago.”
“I’ve got an edge on the competition.”
Shelby raised her hands. It was frustrating listening to Bobby, and she feared that he had not changed after all.
“This is what I don’t like about you,” was all she could think to say.
“It’s all going to work out. I have it under control.
Shelby just stared at Bobby’s confidence and then settled back. It was useless to worry about him if he would not help himself. She only hoped he had not waited too long to apply to colleges, but then she wasn’t aware of his SAT scores.
CHAPTER 22
John was busy working on the navigational panel, checking for loose connections. He was on the floor looking up, tightening everything he could, and then checking the electrical pulse to make sure the circuitry was grounded. John was so busy he had not noticed Jane at the spacecraft entrance watching him.
“You almost finished with that task?” she asked.
John glanced up, hitting his head on the bottom of the navigational station.
“Oh,” he yelled.
“Serves you right,” Jane snapped.
John slid out from under the navigational panel and just stared up at Jane for the longest time.
“What’s your problem?”
Under normal circumstances, a remark like that would have gotten him in trouble. It was insubordination for him to address a superior officer like that.
“You have been spending too much time with the earthling and not enough time getting the craft operational.”
“We were to observe them, I thought.”
“Is that what you are doing?” Jane asked with an apprehensive look.
“Well, yes,” John stood up nervously and just stared at Jane.
Jane stepped closer to John, making him uncomfortable, but all he could do was stand there with his back up against the navigational panel. They stood face to face for the longest time when Jane grabbed him suddenly and kissed him passionately. John responded, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close to him.
* * *
Bobby and Shelby walked hand in hand down the street. As much as he wanted to get lost in the moment, his thoughts were filled with the board meeting at the school that evening. He hoped above all else that the potion they put in the coffee did the trick and he was indeed out of trouble.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Shelby asked.
Bobby turned to her and laughed. “Not on your life.”
“Why, what were you thinking?”
“I was just wondering what your father would say if he knows about us.”
“What can he do?”
“Ground you, for one thing.”
“I’ve listened to my mother, and he wasn’t an angel when he was growing up.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to welcome you dating me with open arms.”
Shelby put her head on Bobby’s shoulder and then kissed him on the cheek.
“You let me worry about him.”
As they near Shelby’s house, Bobby slowed his pace. He wasn’t terrified of Shelby’s father but didn’t want a confrontation with him that night. He did not want to ruin a perfect evening with Shelby. Once they walked up the path to the front door, they stood there for a moment before Bobby reached over and kissed her gently.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he whispered.
Shelby smiled up at him as the front porch lights suddenly came on, startling the two. Bobby quickly released Shelby, fearing her father making his appearance known. He was aware that he would eventually have to face him, but he was not willing to do it just then.
* * *
The sun rose over the ranch. Spot lay on his backside next to the front porch, completely exhausted. Mario Lanza was belting out “Santa Lucia” disturbed the quiet of the still morning. Birds took flight out of fear.
Inside the ranch, Bobby sat at his desk sleeping over an open chemistry book. He slowly raised his head when he realized it was only Mario. He grabbed the book and walked out of the room, down the stairs, and hurried into the living room over to the stereo and turned the music off. Just then Elmer walked out of the kitchen with a cup of coffee in hand. Bobby turned to Elmer.
“It’s Saturday, can’t we sleep in?” Bobby argued.
“It’s a beautiful day out there.”
Bobby glanced at the clock. “It’s also seven thirty.”
Elmer just held up the coffee cup. “Want a cup,” he asked with a cheerful grin.
Jenny walked down the stairs yawning as she approached the two. She turned to Elmer and then looked surprised at the chemistry book in Bobby’s hand.
“What’s up with all the racket?” she snapped.
“Gramps rolled in a little while ago. From the so
unds of Mario, I think I might have a new grandma soon.”
Elmer handed Jenny the cup of coffee and then turned to Bobby with a grin.
“Don’t you have school?”
Bobby held up the chemistry book. “It’s Saturday. I was trying to study.”
As John and Jane descended the stairs, Bobby turned to the two and was struck by the change in their relationship. They were arm in arm and as they walked into the room John’s arm was around Jane’s shoulder. It was as if they could not get enough of each other. Jenny turned to Bobby, shaking her head.
“Did I just walk into The Twilight Zone?”
Bobby turned to Elmer, and then he slowly turned back to John and Jane while raising his hands and shrugging.
“I’m with you.”
Bobby motioned to John as if to say, “What’s up?”
* * *
Later Jane was in the back yard doing her chin-ups on the clothesline pole, while John just stood on the porch and gawked at her.
Jenny looked on from the kitchen window with Bobby at her side. Both seemed a little puzzled by the events of that morning. Jenny finally turned to Bobby.
“Do you notice something different about those two?”
Bobby knew what Jenny was referring to, but didn’t want to speculate on what had changed between the two. Bobby just turned to Jenny and hummed a familiar tune from the Twilight Zone.
“Do...Do...DoDo.”
The doorbell interrupted their conversation. Bobby set the chemistry book on the counter. He looked up at Jenny and shrugged before walking out of the room to answer the door. When Bobby walked closer to the front door, the silhouette of their visitor was visible through the glass door. Bobby was puzzled as to the reason for this early morning visit as he slowly opened the door.
“Are you lost?” was all Bobby could think to say.
Mr. Rowe grabbed a hold of Bobby’s hand and shook it. “You are so funny.”
Jenny walked into the living room just then. “Who was it?” she asked but then stopped.
Jenny was surprised to see Mr. Rowe. All she could do was remember the various times she had been called to school because of a complaint Mr. Rowe had against Bobby’s lack of interest.
Bobby turned to Jenny. “You remember Mr. Rowe, from school,” which was a stupid thing to say.
“I’ve had enough conference with him to be on a first-name basis,” Jenny said sarcastically and then quickly added, “Is there something wrong.”
“I was telling the board last night what a joy it was to have Bobby in our school.”
Jenny appeared puzzled. “You are talking about Bobby Drews?”
Bobby turned to Jenny quickly as if to say “thanks a lot.” It puzzled him that Mr. Rowe, the one teacher that was hell-bent on making his life miserable, seemed to have done an about-face with his thinking of him. Bobby remembered his first progress report from his class. He was getting A’s and B’s on the quizzes, yet he said in the interim report that his work was below average and was failing English. It all had to do with the antics he pulled in the honor study hall and nothing to do with academics. But after that, Mr. Rowe made it his goal in life to make Bobby’s life miserable.
Mr. Rowe turned to Bobby and smiled. “I wanted to be the one to tell you the news.”
Bobby swallowed hard. He never told Jenny about the trouble at school and now feared it would all come out.
“Tell him what?” Jenny said, curious now what would bring Mr. Rowe all the way out to the ranch on a Saturday morning.
Mr. Rowe took a certificate out of the folder he carried and handed it to Bobby.
“It’s a pleasure to teach such a gifted student, and we want you to know it was unanimous that he should be the valedictorian of his senior class.”
Jenny’s mouth dropped open, and then she finally turned to Bobby and shook her head. She mumbled to herself, “Is everyone going crazy?”
Jenny just walked out of the room, leaving Bobby standing with Mr. Rowe, who turned to Bobby as if he was someone of importance. Bobby walked to the door and opened it, hoping Mr. Rowe would take the hint. Luck was with him as Mr. Rowe quickly left.
CHAPTER 23
Jenny stood in the kitchen hoping it was a place to take refuge from the insanity of what was going on around her. She looked out the back door at Jane and John holding hands on the lounge swing. A few days earlier they appeared to be arguing siblings. Now it was as if they couldn’t get enough of one another. Bobby walked into the room.
“Mr. Rowe finally left,” he said with relief in his voice.
Jenny turned to him. “What’s happening?”
Bobby shrugged innocently. “You’re asking the wrong person.” He too looked out the window at the two sitting on the lounge swing.
“Whatever is going on is creeping me out,” Jenny quipped.
“What’s wrong with a little love around here for a change?”
Elmer walked in. All spruced up. He grabbed a cup of coffee and then walked out without saying a word to the two.
“It bothers me to think Dad is getting it more than I am,” she said under her breath.
Jenny just shook her head and then walked out of the room. Jane walked in followed closely by John. She turned and kissed John and then walked out of the room leaving John standing there with puppy love in his eyes. He was about to follow Jane, but Bobby grabbed hold of his sleeve.
“What is up with you two lovebirds?” Bobby asked.
John had guilt written all over his face and then replied, “She rocked my world last night.”
“That’s obvious. Are you going to give up on going back home?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, if you want to cook up that concoction to draw your friend out we’ll have to get supplies.”
John turned to the living room door and then back at Bobby; he hesitated for a moment.
“Let’s do it.” he replied.
John was not sure what he was doing was right. He was enjoying being here on Earth, but it wasn’t home. He knew the feeling he was experiencing for Jane wasn’t right, yet he didn’t know how to explain why it was happening. It had all started when they failed to inject themselves with their daily medicine.
* * *
Bobby drove into town with John. They pulled up to the first grocery store they saw. Bobby turned to John.
“Do you have your list?”
“Yes. I’ve checked the molecular structure and came up with similar ingredients on your planet.”
“This ought to be interesting.”
John held up the list. “These ingredients along with my compound should do the trick.”
“I hope so. Aunt Jenny is getting suspicious, and I fear she will make you and Jane move out soon.”
Bobby quickly got out of the car. John quickly followed with his list in hand. Once they had the shopping cart, Bobby grabbed the list from John and appeared puzzled by the ingredients. He headed down the aisle where most of the ingredients could be found.
Once the cart was filled with most of the merchandise, Bobby turned to John.
“We only have the ground beef left to purchase.”
“It will take a few hours to simmer our mixture.”
Bobby appeared puzzled as he rolled up to the meat counter. He looked at the list again. “Are you sure we aren’t cooking for a barbeque?”
“What’s a barbeque?”
“Basically what you have on your list.”
Bobby just shook his head as he started grabbing up the packages of ground beef, which pretty well filled up the cart.
* * *
Bobby slowly dragged the tripod to the fire pit while John positioned the picnic table nearby. Once the tripod was placed, Bobby dumped a bag of charcoal into the pit. After dousing it with charcoal lighter, he lit the coals. Once that was accomplished, he got the wheelbarrow out of the garage, set the large cast-iron pot inside, and wheeled it to the tripod.
When everything was in place
, Bobby and John started emptying their purchases into the large pot. Bobby was thankful Jenny had errands to run in town because it gave him the perfect opportunity to fry the ground beef on the kitchen stove. He had four large pans going, and as the meat cooked and was done, John added it to the cast-iron pot.
After an hour, all the ingredients were added to the cast-iron pot, and the mixture simmered. Bobby finally turned to John.
“When do we add the compound?”
“Not for a while. We have to simmer it down first.”
Bobby sampled the mixture because he was sure everything that was added so far was edible.
“This tastes good.”
“You sampled it?” John asked.
Bobby glanced at the pile of cans and bottles and then laughed.
“I’ve tasted worse when my mother cooked a meal. So when do we add your secret compound?”
John shrugged and then replied, “Now is as good as any time.”
With that, John disappeared across the yard to the machine shed where the spacecraft was housed. It did not take long, and he was back by the fire pit handing Bobby the canister that contained the compound.
“How much should I add?” Bobby asked.
John just shrugged his shoulders. “Beats me.”
With that, Bobby unscrewed the canister and started pouring the contents into the pot while John stirred the mixture. Foam began to appear, which scared Bobby, thinking it would bubble over, but then things settled down. The foam subsided, and the mixture gave off a peculiar odor. Bobby added a little more, and again it foamed up.
“That smells,” Bobby said as he turned away.
John quickly stirred the mixture. Once the compound was in the mix, Bobby refused to taste it for fear the mixture was now poisonous.
* * *
At Area 51 Colonel Crimshaw was busy at his desk working on reports when suddenly he glanced up. As if in a trancelike state, he walked out of his office past a Cammo dude without saluting. Slowly he walked over to the white Jeep Cherokee and got in. He started the engine and drove off without saying a word to anyone.
We Come In Peace Page 12