Last Year, November 30th
He heard the teapot’s cry inside but continued to watch the darkened skies, or at least as dark as they could be in a city of a couple million people. Besides, he’d offered to help countless times, and the answer was always the same, “No.” It had become his ritual, arising early, even after staying up late to study, to set his alarm thirty minutes before daybreak, a brief shower, and arrive at her suite ten minutes prior to the first hint of the sun. He’d had more time over the last month of course, and it was easy to fall back into the routine of getting up early, no matter how late the night, or how hard the workouts and classes of the days before. A routine of ten of the fifteen years he’d been on this planet was not easily broken. Especially with Mick’s text the night before of a day off finally, nobody else was going to be up for a long while today, and he had a special lunch to prepare.
He stood as he heard her footsteps and the slight jingle of the tea cart. She just looked at him, no longer even shaking her head or commenting. Some things were just ingrained and she understood that, he thought. She did shake her head as she sat the plate of lemon wedges in front of his chair, and he smiled as he remembered Hannah’s expression when he asked for lemon with tea, and the small pitcher of milk in front of hers. Only after she sat down did he resume his seat, before she poured the tea for both of them.
The next ten minutes passed quietly as the sky slowly lightened. Unlike back home, the hills to the east of San Diego prevented any direct view of the sun over the horizon, even if hundreds of buildings hadn’e also blocked line of site.
As she poured the second cup for each of them, “Still confined I see.”
He looked at the gaudily large black and orange bracelet around his massive wrist, manufactured with whatever tech that prevented removal. He kept meaning to ask Allison if the materials machine that she made such cool outfits from could make a similar material or if she knew what it was but, sighing, “Yes, Ma’am.”
“How much longer?”
“Until we acknowledge and accept what we did wrong, I guess.”
“Regarding?”
A shrug, “There’s always multiple meanings with Mick. Sneaking out to the bar for fun? The damage to the security systems? Allison using her powers on the Paragon security team? Not telling him about Felix’s power loss?? What happened in . . space?” Another shrug. “Doesn’t matter. It’s my responsibility.” He took another sip. “The team’s not very happy with me. Extra training, extra classes, no leaving the residences, classes, or training rooms until we do. Not really sure what he wants me to say. I already told him it was all my idea, and as team leader it was my responsiblity. You know, that movie with the president where his desk as a thing that says “The buck stops here?”
He could feel her gaze settle on his face, but they sat their silently for a few minuts lonter until he worked up the courage to ask, “Do you miss . . . it?” He hadn’t meant to pause. “Being on the farm, I mean?” The clarification seemed, off.
Her gaze returned to his adolescent features, the blonde hair and blue eyes, and for just the briefest of moments they merged, the faces of her children flickering in front of her, “Of course.” Recognizing the longing in his face, “I miss the routine, the feeling of the dirt in my hands, the laughter of the children, their bitching and fighting, Steve’s laughing smile when our first son was born.”
Smiling a bit at the memories she spoke of, he nodded and said, “I miss it. Even the chores I hated. The smells of the horses in the barn, riding amongst the herd, the smell of food after a hard day of branding, riding alone at dusk. I miss her.” He pulled his phone out, even with the cellular blocker of the device wrapped around his wrist, he could still look at pictures, “I miss her.” He handed her the phone. “Mamo gave her to me when I was three. Her name was Dalea.”
Understanding came quickly, and her chair clattered against the deck as she stood before hugging the sitting boy’s head against her stomach as the sobs shook his massive frame.
His long suffering sigh caused the table to erupt in laughter, and eventually he joined in, just shaking his head, as Barbe added hot sauce to her third bowl of bigos and used placki ziemniazcane rolled up into a type of crepe that she had filled with cajun butter and peanut butter to dunk into the bilgos. Felix’s statemth that the the Golabki reminded him of something, but he didn’t catch the Spanish term, but it must be something good as Lukas watched him add two more to his plate, scooping more of the creamy tomato gravy out of the bowl onto the top of them. Allison smiled in apparent appreciation as she took another bite the modified Kluskie Slaskie with the beet remoulade sauce he’d had to use, although she kept looking at him, especially when he laughed. Inside, his emotions roiled, but he needed this to be a reminder of a happy meal, not the last time he saw her eat each one of her favorites. Zee just kept stuffing the pierogies in his face, never mind that he’d had to start with pre-made ones. Maybe he was trying to memorize them so he could offer more than egg rolls with his powers to create. .
All of Mamo’s favorites, or as close as he could make today anyway. Mamo would have been proud.
He didn’t hear the elevator over the noise of the laughter of his team but he turned as the laughter died down.
Mick.
He stood, emotions surging through him, but before he could say anything, her hand was on his wrist, twisting the band in a particular pattern, but all he really notice was what she said, “Its time, dear. You’ve proven your point.” Hannah reached up, laying a hand against his cheek. He couuld see in her eyes that she understood.
The bracelet fell off of his wrist.
He never could remember what it was that Mick said that day, in the months to come. It didn’t matter, he understood the message. Where one weight lifted, another settled onto his shoulders. in the future, the decisions had to be perfect. The problem still remained, he didn’t know which ones had been the wrong ones.
POLISH FOOD REFERENCES:
bigos – a rich stew which is sometimes translated into ‘hunter’s stew’ is made with various types of chopped meats, sauerkraut and shredded fresh cabbage.
placki ziemniazcane – The authentic Polish potato pancakes are a traditional comfort food eaten all over the country. Everyone has their own family recipe but the base is always potatoes, grated onions, eggs and flour, flattened and fried into savory pancakes.
Golabki – is cooked minced meat, often with onions and mushrooms, wrapped up in a leaf of white cabbage and stewed, often served with a thick and creamy tomato sauce poured over the top.
Pirogi – They are thinly rolled-out dough filled with a variety of fillings, savory or sweet. They could be served as an appetizer, main dish or dessert. The most popular fillings are meat, sauerkraut with mushrooms, spinach, buckwheat, potatoes with fried onions, sweet cottage cheese with raisins and seasonal fruit (blueberries, strawberries and cherries), buckwheat, sweet cottage cheese or boiled potatoes with fried onions.
Kluskie Slaskie – these are a simple recipe of eggs, mashed boiled potatoes and flour that are usually eaten with fried beef roulades and rich gravy with some boiled red cabbage.
Last Dreams 