CodeY

by Lamar Rutherford

  Pele on high alert now. This was not a typical call.

  Cole, as if reading his thoughts. “Now that sounds ominous. What up? Wait, let me guess, you're taking up a new VR game cause you’re tired of us trouncing you’re in Patron Polo?”

  Pele and Cole both chuckled.

  Radi replied sarcastically, “Hardly. You know I almost beat both of you the last time. And I'm not sure that kind of news is quite up there on my scale of ‘big’ news.”

  Pele laughed. “I'm not sure winning one chukker out of six is ‘almost beating us,’ but we'll let that slide. What's up? What's the ‘big’ news?”

  Radi, taking a deep breath, “Sophie and I are getting married.”

  There was a stunned pause as Pele and Cole both digested the news.

  Then, before the silence got too awkward, Pele exclaimed, “Wow. That is big. Does Sophie know?”

  Cole and Pele both chuckled again.

  Radi sounded disgusted, but still appreciative of the humor, “Very funny. Yes, she even agreed to it, and she's as excited as I am!”

  Cole, with surprise and awe in his voice, replied, “Wow, you move fast, dude! Didn’t you meet her like a month ago?”

  Radi answered a little defensively, “We've been dating for four months now. But I know she's the right one, so why wait?”

  Pele concerned but still trying to be supportive, “It's just that it's, well, kind of a big decision. You know, the kind that can last a lifetime. But if you’re sure, that’s great news.”

  Radi, sounding annoyed now, “Of course I'm sure! After twenty plus years of dating, do you think I'd make this decision lightly?”

  Pele responded evenly, “Just want to make sure you're doing this for the right reason. You love her…right? This is not just for the experiment?” It was a bold question, but Pele had to ask. He knew his friend could approach things scientifically, and he sincerely didn’t want him to make a mistake he would regret.

  Radi replied emphatically, “I do love her. I'm completely head over heels for her. But I do also think like we always discussed. It's easier to love someone who is such a great match in so many ways.”

  Pele responded carefully, still trying to make his point, “Well, I just hope she's a match all around. You know on those important emotional and compatibility aspects as well. I don't think the fact that she has a strong digestion and no allergies is going to help you with the love and romance part of a relationship.”

  Radi lost his patience, “Thanks for all the good wishes, wiseass, but I do think she's compatible on all those aspects as well. I love her, and she's very talented and a really good person.”

  Hmmm…seems like I might have hit a nerve with that comment. I hope it’s not too close to the truth, thought Pele.

  Cole, trying to smooth things over, added, “She is a wonderful person, man. We just want the best for you. If you're happy, we're happy for you. When’s the big date?”

  Radi eased up. “November 21st, the weekend before Thanksgiving. Sophie's Mom is already on overdrive with the planning.”

  Pele was shocked, “Wow, that's soon!”

  Radi, clearly excited about the event, “Yah, Sophie wanted to get it in before her research project got more intense, and her Mom found this great place that was only available that weekend. So, we decided to just go for it. We'll honeymoon over Thanksgiving and the first week of December.”

  Cole continued to try to keep the conversation light, “And where's the honeymoon?”

  Radi happily discussed the logistics. “Not sure yet. I'd like to take her to India to meet a few of my relatives. She'd like to go to Korea, so I can meet her grandparents. I think doing both might be too much, but we'll figure it out.”

  Pele chuckled at this. “What happened to sitting on a beach with a couple of frufru drinks and splashing in the surf?”

  Radi laughed. “I'm sure we'll squeeze in a little of that, but Sophie's not really a hang-out-on-the-beach-kinda-gal.”

  Pele, under his breath, “Ya got that right.”

  Cole, still being supportive, asked, “Sounds good. You know, if you need us to help with anything, like pick out what type of beers to serve, or test specialty cocktails, we're here for you.”

  Radi laughed at Cole’s twist on “helping.” “Yeah, thanks. I knew I could count on you two. That does remind me. You two are, of course, in the wedding. I would be honored to have you as my groomsmen.”

  “Thanks, dude, of course. Can't wait,” said Cole.

  “Ditto man, look forward to it. I'll start work on the roast, I mean toast right away,” added Pele.

  Radi groaned. “Oh no.”

  “That reminds me,” interrupted Cole. “We'll have to plan the bachelor party. Vegas baby!”

  “Absolutely!” joined Pele. “Bright lights, big city here we come!”

  “I'll leave that up to you two,” replied Radi. “Just try not to say too much around Sophie and her Mom.”

  “Roger that. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!” said Cole as if saluting.

  On that note, they all said their goodbyes. Pele mused after the call. He sincerely hoped it worked out for Radi. They had all gone along with the CodeY experiment, but Pele never really believed he or Cole would marry someone simply because they fit the experiment’s criteria. Radi, on the other hand, sincerely believe that a good genetic match would also be a good life partner. Pele hoped, for his sake, he was right.

  A few weeks after Radi's big announcement, Pele was on the phone with Keece, discussing an isometric exercise she was incorporating into the latest version of her virtual reality training session. She designed the sessions so that her customers could feel like they were experiencing a real-life activity, rather than simply watching a TV screen while walking on a treadmill. Her latest VR experience was hiking the Grand Canyon.

  “How are your friends doing?” she asked, changing the subject. “I haven't seen Radi in a while.”

  This often happened with their conversations. They spent a few minutes on whatever pretense for the call, then got into more personal discussions about family and friends.

  Pele dropped the bombshell. “Oh, big news. He's getting married.”

  Keece, shocked, asked, “To whom?”

  Pele laughed. “I know. I was shocked too. He's actually been dating this woman, Sophie, for about four months now.”

  “Oh, maybe that's why I haven't seen him,” Keece laughed. “Four months still seems pretty fast. Do you like her?”

  Pele thought about how to respond to this. “I do. She's a little science nerdy, but in a good way.”

  Keece picked up on his hesitation. “Hmmm, the medical doctor, calling someone else a science nerd. That paints a picture.”

  Pele took the bait. “Hey! I'm not nerdy!”

  Keece laughed. “Okay, I'll give you that, but Radi can be a bit science nerdy, right?”

  “Maybe that's why they get along,” said Pele.

  “Oh great. They sound like they'll be a lot of fun to hang with,” replied Keece sarcastically.

  “She's actually pretty cool. Not that she doesn't have her somewhat dull moments, but she’s really passionate about her work, and it is some pretty interesting stuff. She's a Nano-scientist,” Pele said, clearly defending Radi’s choice.

  Keece could tell Pele was concerned about the match, but she let it go and instead replied with genuine curiosity, “Oh, that's cool. What kind of projects?”

  “I can't remember the details, but something related to blood analysis and testing.” Then he continued without thinking, “Hey, do you want to go to the wedding with me?”

  Keece paused. Pele knew it was a mistake as soon as he said it. He was so comfortable talking with her about anything, he didn’t pause to think before asking.

  She answered quietly, “I can't do that. Luca would flip.”

  Pele, trying to backtrack, “Oh sorry. You're right. I just, well, you seemed so open about him not being a fit for the long-term…I guess
I misread that. I’m sorry. I guess I really just think of you as one of the guys. I should have known better.”

  Keece, sounding offended now, “Oh thanks! I'm not sure that's flattering!”

  Pele, flustered, tried even harder to recover. “I didn’t mean it that way. I mean, just not in a sexual way.”

  Keece was clearly annoyed now. “Okay, that's worse. I gotta go.”

  The phone clicked off abruptly. Pele, stunned and upset, stared at his screen, kicking himself. That didn’t go well. The one girl he thought he could actually fall in love with just hung up on him. Great.

  The next morning at polo, Pele sensed a clear chill when he saw Luca. He groaned to himself. Luca must know Keece was upset with him. What was he thinking? Throughout the lesson Luca played so hard against him, Pele never touched the ball. Pele's competitive nature came out and he got aggressive but to no avail. He did his best to try to steal the ball from Luca, but Luca was so much more agile with a mallet that he simply toyed with Pele. Laughing as Pele ended up literally running circles around him. Right as Pele got close, Luca would knock it under his horse or in the opposite direction, completely frustrating Pele.

  One time as Luca stole the ball again, Pele couldn’t help but complain, “Oh come on man.”

  Luca chuckled. “I’m not sure what you said to upset Keece last night, but payback’s a bitch,” clearly referring to Pele’s interaction with Keece.

  Pele started to answer but stopped himself. He could not think of anything to say that would make the situation better.

  By the end, he was furious and frustrated. Keece arrived just in time for her lesson and barely even looked at him. Cole noticing the tension asked, “What's up? Seems like someone’s getting the chill reception this morning.”

  “I said something stupid last night,” said Pele. “Clearly, it didn’t go over well. I'll see you tonight.” Pele stormed off.

  Cole standing there, looking a bit shocked, said to no one, “Okay, see you then...I guess no brunch today?”

  Later that night, Cole, Radi, and Pele met for another round of Patron Polo at Another World. Cole and Radi arrived at the same time. As they walked in, they saw Pele at the bar near the main stage. He had clearly gotten a jump on the evening and was very cozy with a tall brunette. Cole and Radi exchanged looks. They had seen this routine before. Pele had many a night like this back before he set his sights on Keece.

  “There they are! Patron Polo stars coming for the big showdown match” greeted Pele a little too loudly.

  “Hey man, looks like somebody got a jump start on the evening,” replied Cole, trying to quiet him down.

  Pele, his eyes looking a little bleary, answered, “I might have a couple drinks leg up on you slow pokes.”

  Radi with a smirk, “Oh don't worry. We'll do what we can to squelch that lead. I am still enjoying my last single days.”

  Pele cheered, “I'll drink to that! Gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to my new friend, Scarlet. Scarlet, meet my two best friends, Radi and Cole.”

  Radi and Cole greeted Scarlet politely and then quickly excused themselves.

  Cole said over his shoulder as they escaped, “We'll be in the usual spot.”

  “I'll be right over. I'll give you guys a chance to polish up on your skills before I dominate the play!” responded Pele, trying to sound tough. He turned back to Scarlet, who was clearly enjoying his attention.

  Radi and Cole headed for their favorite lounge, making themselves at home on the bar stools.

  “You know the greatest invention for VR is these new lightweight goggle headsets. Remember the old clunky ones?” asked Radi.

  Cole nodded in agreement. “Of course. Horrible. The worst was when you accidentally clunked heads because neither of you realized how close you were, or maybe how big your head was!”

  They laughed.

  “Ahhh, the good old days…We sound like a couple of old geysers reminiscing about days gone by,” joked Radi.

  Cole, teasing, “Well, you are gettin’ hitched…”

  “Oh, shut up!” exclaimed Radi. “I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to keep up with you two, especially knowing Sophie and her love for a good night in with her research.”

  Cole chuckled. “You might be on to somthin’ there.”

  Pele wandered up, Scarlet perched under his arm, another drink in hand.

  Radi glanced up, “Look who's here? Did you bring reinforcements to help?” Then added as he winked at Cole, “Do you think she'll help you ride any better?”

  Pele, always quick with the banter, replied, “She just might. You know she is really coordinated, she's a dancer.” He winked back at the guys.

  “Don't worry. I'm only here for moral support. I promise I won't interfere with Patron Polo,” chimed in Scarlet, emphasizing the name with her best imitation announcer’s voice and then giggled, with an annoying laugh.

  Radi exchanged a look with Cole and then rolled his eyes. “Excellent. Then let's get started.”

  They jumped into the game. It moved slower than usual, with Pele pausing whenever possible to flirt with Scarlet. Soon enough, he was out. His well lubricated and completely distracted play a significant detriment to his normal skill in the game. He and Scarlet wandered off to the main bar.

  Radi paused after they left and looked over to Cole. “So, what happened?”

  “Not sure. Some kind of spat with Keece,” replied Cole. “You could definitely feel the frost between them this morning.”

  Radi answered, sounding annoyed, “I don't get it. I can't think of any girl he couldn't get if he paid them the slightest attention. The one girl he should be with; he can't seem to get away from a 28-year-old jock?”

  Cole shook his head. “Kind of ironic. Right?”

  “I'm not sure ironic is the right term. Do you think he's just not trying?” Radi replied.

  Cole shook his head again. He was sincerely perplexed with the situation. “Actually, no. I don’t know if I've never seen him try this hard. Maybe that’s the problem. He’s never had to try before. I don’t think he ever really cared.”

  Radi, not completely convinced, but still hopeful Pele could work things out with Keece, their best option for the experiment, replied, “Well, how do we get him back on track?”

  Cole looked pensive. “Hmmmm.”

  Then with a bit of a sneaky grin, “Maybe a little detour is just what the doctor ordered. Maybe it’s not so bad for Keece to find out Pele has options? And for him to spend a little time with someone else, especially someone with, shall we say, a little less going on.”

  Radi smiled conspiratorially. “I like the way you think.”

  Chapter 9

  A streak of sunlight filtered across Pele's face as he slowly woke up. Half asleep and still dreaming, he mused to himself that he must have forgotten to close the shades last night. He tried to recall the evening; his head clearly fuzzy. Where had they ended up? Then unexpectedly, he heard a soft moan next to him. His eyes flew open, and slowly he looked to his left, careful not to fully turn his head in case he might wake whoever was next to him. Dark brown hair cascaded over the pillow. He could just barely see a narrow sliver of a slender, naked back between the covers. He shut his eyes again tightly, groaning softly to himself. Scarlet! Oh no, I must have brought her home with me last night. How did this happen?

  He didn’t remember inviting her over. His memories from the night were sketchy at best. He remembered dancing and drinking. He knew they left Another World for a club to meet some of her friends, but the rest was a blur.

  Now what? He had to get her up and out. He was in no frame of mind for a post-wild night snuggle and morning hang out. What could he tell her? What could he possibly have to do on a Sunday morning? Church? Probably a little too far from the truth. Brunch with friends?

  Hmmm. He’d tell her he had to go to the lab to check on some research. She didn't know what kind of doctor he was. Besides, maybe some lab rat needed its limbs looked over. Orthoped
ics could have research mice…at least pretend ones. That should work.

  Now he had to wake her up. He stretched, yawned loudly, and, as noisily as possible, got out of bed. No luck. She was clearly a sound sleeper. Apparently, there was no waking her without giving her a good shake. It seemed rude to shake her awake and rush her out the door. Coffee. He'd wake her up with a cup of coffee and then apologize for having to rush off.

  When he returned with a cup, he gently shook her awake and offered her a steaming mug.

  “Wake up, sleepyhead.”

  “Oh, good morning. Oh, thanks,” she said as she took the freshly brewed cup.