ã€ŠEarth Teamã€‹


 Chapter 1, The Space-Girls.

    Far past Earth the Space-Girls and Space-Boys fought evil, kept politicians in check, and patrolled the out planets on the boundaries of known space. Not bound by political ideologies or servants of the elite and the wealthy, the Space-Girls did what needed to be done.

    The Space-Girls had the fastest fighters, enhanced armor and the best available weapons with no strings attached. Feared by evil and those who falsely claimed to be good; too few Space-Girls lived to collect their pensions.

    On earth, there was a terribly produced television show called ¡°Space-Girl Michelle¡± about the leader of the Space-Girls. The goal was to recruit and train future Space-Girls with the goal that people would simply learn by watching. It was possibly the worst show ever produced.

    Only the most dedicated fans survived watching a single season.

    Nine years ago:

    Therese and Kara worked all day building their Space-Girl fort in the tree. They cut the boards by hand, they worked together to move the ladder, and now they were finally building their own tree fort, to be Space-Girl headquarters, in Therese¡¯s front yard.

    The two girls dripped sweat from their hard work, and Therese struggled to keep her hair back in a ponytail while Kara seemed to do it with ease. Therese pulled her hair back for the tenth time that morning and began hammering nails into a board up in the tree. The early summer air was hot, but she was glad to work in the shade of the tree.

    ¡°Did you say something?¡± asked Therese from above.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just trying to pull all these nails out before we cut them.¡± said Kara, shrugging. Therese had started hearing voices Kara couldn¡¯t and the two girls had decided after several scientific efforts that Therese had better hearing then Kara and could hear people down the street, especially at night when it was dark. Therese decided that was one of her Space-Girl powers, and although Kara was slightly jealous at that power,

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    Therese reassured Kara that she was still better at throwing grenades at talking cars. Their favorite television show, Space-Girl Michelle had several episodes where talking cars tried taking over a city, and Kara¡¯s ability to throw things at moving vehicles was appreciated by Therese.

    Kara¡¯s grenade throwing superpower was quickly put into check by a friend of the family, a young policeman the girls affectionately called ¡°Officer P¡± whose duties inadvertently pulled him into their Space-Girl world. Such as the two Space-Girls throwing citrus fruit at the city garbage truck twice a week. Fortunately, the driver was good-spirited and had agreed to explain how his truck worked to the two little Space-Girls in trade for safe passage on their street. They learned the workings of the garbage truck that morning and he avoided future attacks from the Space-Girls.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to run into the house and get some juice boxes for us.¡± said Kara from beneath the tree. She looked up at Therese who smiled ear to ear in approval. Both girls wore the same Space-Girl Michelle T-shirts and the galaxy would never know two better friends.

    ¡°Hi-C, please! Thank you!¡± said Therese as she smiled and waved at Kara who waved back. The girls had a special wave they gave to each other, a variant of the Space-Girl salute they used only with each other.

    ¡°I¡¯ll grab a blanket too, so we can have a Space-Girl picnic,¡± said Kara. Therese nodded in eager agreement. The two girls'' friendship was filled with a mutual love for the Space-Girl Michelle television show. Their shared love with the show united their lives in every aspect that wasn¡¯t welded by their unbreakable friendship.

    Kara ran into the house. It was Therese¡¯s house, but the two girls were beyond best friends and were raised as sisters in both their homes, although they generally preferred the peace and sobriety of Therese¡¯s house. Rodger and Mary, Therese¡¯s parents, were glad the girls were playing outside and not trying to build an indoor garden like last month where the girls had hauled several buckets of dirt into Therese¡¯s room.

    ¡°Do you need anything?¡± asked Mary as Kara ran to the closet, grabbed a blanket, and then grabbed several boxes of juice drinks from the pantry. Mary smiled, she loved both the girls as if they were her own daughters.

    ¡°No Mom, I got these.¡± said Kara as she hurried back as fast as she could. Kara came out into the backyard just in time to see Therese fall from the tree. Therese landed on her head on a hard beam of scrap lumber. A nail pierced her skull. Therese lay lifeless in a second on the ground with blood covering the board.

    ¡°MOM, HELP!¡± yelled Kara as she screamed and cried helplessly. The juice boxes fell by her side to the ground as she ran to Therese, powerless to help her.

 The Shadowbird

    Several years ago-

    Hilas was a planet that sparkled in wealth and sparkled in the light. The abundant wealth and the affinity of the arts to its inhabitants design every surface to be aesthetically pleasing, the surfaces to shine and the people simply loved wearing glitter. The city would have been beautiful if artillery and bombs weren¡¯t exploding and destroying everything. Families ran past scattered corpses and hid in shelters while a vast battle was being fought on and above their world. The smell of explosions mixed with the smell of fire and death. Nostrils stung as they breathed burning air and smoke on Hilas.

    A Space Marine heavy fighter, a large beast of war that was proof anything could fly with enough engine attached to it chased down three fighters piloted by the Vax, a reptilian race, who with the Zerk, cyborg Gophers and a pale grey race with large heads and big beady eyes had led countless others to conquer the symbol of success and freedom that Hilas had become.

    Nearby, a family huddled fearfully in their home as the large fighter shook the planet around it as it flew just above rooftop level. Windows shattered and the shingles on roofs scattered behind the fighter as tones rang and alarms buzzed in the cockpit while every warning indicator that could alert him warned the pilot of his madness. The fighter¡¯s missiles jammed so the gunner on the front of the large heavy Marine fighter switched to cannons and destroyed two of the fighters which then crashed and exploded. One fighter fell into a closed department store, erupting in a huge ball of fire, and the other enemy fighter veered off into a small hospital killing almost a hundred people.

    The consequences were not wanted, but they remained irrelevant as if Hilas fell, billions on this world alone would die. Then the sector would fall and following the retreat, a hundred worlds might be lost. Hilas would suffer so others could be saved. This had become the last ditch effort of the failing United Free Planet Forces to survive.

    The Marines shot down the third fighter which crashed into a river and then they, themselves, were destroyed too, flying into an apartment building and creating an inferno of death for the hundreds of residents. People jumping from the burning inferno fell with people who were simply blown out of windows. Finally, the word came out, fleet wide, to all the Space Navy and the Space Marines, they were to prepare to fight to the death. Their enemy would give no quarter and no retreat would be allowed. Men prepared their souls for death and their weapons for combat as the end of freedom exploded around them.

    Above the planet, a lone fighter exited faster than light travel, a type of high-velocity space-flight referred to as T-Space. The pilot was clad in black armor, she was referred to as the Shadowbird and she had just helped ravage an enemy world. The Shadowbird was a wrath for good, she was capable of becoming more terrible than their enemies, and the Shadowbird lived in the nightmares of evil. The true stories about this monster exceeded the legends and she had kept hell stocked with a fresh supply of their enemies'' souls for hundreds of years. The Shadowbird lived by one rule and that rule was to destroy the enemy.

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    A transmission came from fleet intelligence, admiral Mabbie had reported a fleet assembling at Alasia was preparing to arrive and turn the tide against their allies. The Alasians were the finest military force in the galaxy, a planet of mercenaries, and were available to anyone who could hire them. Not that they were without honor, but they were for hire and this would tip the balance against any hope or dream of survival on Hilas. An Alsian command cruiser flew in space ahead of the Shadowbird¡¯s fighter.

    The Shadowbird flew in and destroyed several enemy fighters to reach the cruiser as they exploded silently in space. The best Alasia had to offer joined the great debris field that fell like millions of shooting stars below. She destroyed the shield generators of the cruiser, shot a tunnel through the armor of the warship, and then she flew into it, exiting her fighter into the burning ship before slaughtering the crew. Electronics exploded, passageways turned dark and the metal decks of the Alasian cruiser blackened with her footsteps. The Shadowbird entered a compartment and terrified men and women began trying to claw their way through an armored bulkhead in panic as the grabbed them and tore them apart. Dead eyes and blank looks gaped aimlessly behind her as she proceeded through the ship.

    Those who did not die first fell pray to the ability of the Shadowbird¡¯s duality which had the ability to read the mind, near and deep. When the subject didn¡¯t cooperate fully with the mind penetration, they were broken and bent until the pain took the search where it needed to go. Quickly, she acquired the codes from the chief of engineering, seized the ship, reached the bridge, and slaughtered the rest of the crew before capturing one of Alasia¡¯s senior admirals and learned all their deepest secrets before she smashed his head into the bulkhead behind him and he fell lifeless in a pile of bloody ooze. The Shadowbird left with Alasia¡¯s most secure codes and reached their planet where she disabled their fleet defenses and began to destroy the now defenseless waiting armada. The planet of mercenary warriors gaped in horror as they witnessed her destruction as the Shadowbird lead an attack that vaporized thousands of ships. Alasia begged for it¡¯s first surrender in history.

    Until then, no one had ever surrendered to the Shadowbird, and still no one did. Alasia fell, per the public story they surrendered to the Shadowbird and the same girl in black armor disappeared from the galaxy a day later. Few knew where she went and those who knew wisely left her alone.

    Gone was the person monsters checked under their bed for at night.

 The Summer Before Thereseâ€™s Senior Year

    Therese was at the mall shopping by herself, proud of her solo excursion into the world.   She spoke in a flat monotone voice and walked with her head down as followed a store clerk to find new shoes for school.    She was pail, her hair fell loose from her disheveled effort at a brown pony tail that bounced over the two shirts shew wore.   Therese wanted purple shoes, but they were so hard to find.   She was short, tired from her medications and looked around nervously at other people in the store before forcing herself to look forward.    A few minutes later, she was walking out with a pair of canvas shoes that she¡¯d dye purple later.    Therese pulled her arms in tight as she walked, glad the mall wasn¡¯t crowded this early in the morning and then turned and walked the other direction as she saw girls from her school pointing and laughing at her.  Her eyes teared up as she heard more voices join the laughter.

    Therese was halfway across the mall when she saw a bright flash of green light and a purple-armored female figure chasing a cyborg through the mall as they shot at each other with weapons.    Stray shots exploded as they hit pillars, walls, and garbage cans.   Therese blinked and shook her head as she stopped walking and waited for the hallucination to clear.   She breathed deep and waited for her medications to work.

    ¡°It¡¯s too late Therese, you end here now.¡± Shouted the cyborg.

    The purple-armored woman ran harder, shot, hit the cyborg, but he tumbled and ran faster. The woman¡¯s lungs burned as she ran, even with her Space-Girl armor, The cyborg was fast, and then she stopped and skidded as The cyborg grabbed the seventeen-year-old Therese.

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    He put the pistol to her head. ¡°Let her go!¡± yelled the woman as she continued to run at him. The cyborg pulled his pistol and fired into the woman as she ran. She tumbled and rolled on the ground. The younger Therese screamed. The woman looked just like Therese, but older.

    Space-Girl Therese fired, first one shot, then several more into the cyborg who exploded. The Space-Girl rolled on her back and gasped for air. It hurt to breathe. The younger Therese approached her.

    ¡°I forgot how pretty I was, even if I never believed it.¡± Said the older Therese as she looked at her younger self. It hurt to live and she felt her life already fading.

    ¡°You¡¯re me. Someone call 911!¡± said the younger Therese. She took off her overshirt and tried using it to stop the bleeding.

    ¡°Julie, it¡¯s Therese, I know you are back in time, I came back, come to the mall, now.¡± Transmitted the Space-Girl Therese with her communication system.

    Police came and secured the area. A familiar face, Officer P arrived. Paramedics arrived, and the men in black suits arrived. ¡°Spencer.¡± Said Space-girl Therese weakly. The agent ran to her. ¡°You don¡¯t know me yet, this is the younger version of me, brain wipe her so she doesn¡¯t keep this from happening, I¡¯m sorry Therese, but if I know, you¡¯ll never save the galaxy.¡± Said Space-Girl Therese weakly as her blood soaked the shirt on her abdomen.

    ¡°WHAT!¡± shouted the younger Therese. She yelled and screamed as the secret agents grabbed her and tried to fight them off. A device flashed and she fell over into a slumber as they caught her.

    The seventeen-year-old Therese awoke in the psychiatric wing of the local hospital. She was confused, screaming, and crying. ¡°Why am I here? I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± yelled Therese as she tugged on the restraints and tried to hit and spit on the people holding her prisoner.

 Thereseâ€™s senior year, January - The Cowffee Cup

    Therese loved her garden. A garden that grew in the cold, a garden that grew in the heat, it was a garden that grew with a little girl.

    Unlike most gardens which are designed to keep rabbits out, this garden was designed to welcome rabbits in. Therese, who was peculiar in great kindness, worked the earth, watered the plants and the rabbits ate the garden. Therese was happy with this arrangement, her father had no choice, and her mother encouraged it, reminding her daughter kind people are always beautiful. The rabbits were grateful, and although they had arrived before the garden, they enjoyed its arrival almost as much as they had enjoyed the arrival of the young girl.

    Since she could crawl, Therese crawled to the window. Since she could walk, Therese walked to the window, and since she could laugh, Therese looked at the window at the sweet little rabbits and laughed. The rabbits ran out every morning to see her. This was normal to her, and she was fortunate enough in heart to not know this wasn¡¯t normal everywhere else.

    When Therese was little, the rabbits followed her around the yard. When she started school, they walked with her to the bus stop and were there when she came home. Therese would read tales aloud to her rabbit friends on the porch, or even sitting on the dirt in the garden. Therese did not pet the rabbits, she would start to, and they would have let her, but she always pulled her hand back at the last moment.

    Therese, who preferred to be kind and gentle, worked the earth into food for the rabbits. Her father, Rodger enjoyed his time with his daughter, and his daughter enjoyed the time with him. They turned the soil, planted seeds, and they watched the plants grow. He always smiled when she was little and would gladly feed the sweet rabbits carrots, and now he was filled with pride that as a teenager she had not lost her kindness as they worked the soil. Therese¡¯s father was glad for their time together, but his back was relieved when his wife called them in for dinner. Therese¡¯s father¡¯s back did not seem as strong as when it was first made, The rabbits sat at the edge of the garden, smiling as rabbits do, whisker to whisker and ear to ear.

    ¡°Come in for dinner, the garden will be there tomorrow, but your dinner will be cold,¡± said Therese¡¯s mother for the thousandth time in three years, ¡°and wash your hands, I¡¯m tired of dirt on the dinner table.¡± she added, unsure if she had not said that for the thousandth time either.

    ¡°This smells great mom.¡± said Therese, coming into the kitchen. Therese loved the aroma of her mother¡¯s cooking, a real blessing she never took for granted. Therese¡¯s voice was as flat and monotone as ever, but her mother could tell she was happy. She pulled off a long-sleeved shirt and hung it with a hat she wore while gardening which revealed her pale arms as she hung them up by the door.

    Dinner passed as it always had. They were a thoughtful and loving family, who only sought kindness, and were always relieved to find it. They would always say ¡°I love you¡± to each other every day and were grateful for everything they had. Dinner passed as it had over a thousand times in three years, they did the dishes together, and the parents retired to the living room to watch television for the night.

    Today, however, was Friday, and a stray spark of misguided youth finally shot forth and reached Therese. She felt the shock, her ear twitched, and she knew watching television was not the proper way to misspend her youth this evening, even if it was with the parents she loved and who loved her.

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    ¡°Mom, Dad, can I borrow the car?¡± asked Therese. She was nervous, she feared them saying no even if they never had before.

    ¡°The library is closed.¡± said both parents at the same time, causing a grin for all three on their faces.

    ¡°I just want to go out, I saw this coffee shop.¡± said Therese. She had driven by it, but she had never made it inside the store. Her flat monotone voice had a rare hint of excitement, but it was barely detectable.

    ¡°Here, take my car.¡± said Therese¡¯s father excited that she might be finally doing something less responsible, rebelling to be her own person, so he offered his car before his wife could counter with another response. He worried that Therese was too well behaved and knew from his own boyhood programming that misbehaving was an integral part of growing up. Her mother disagreed with the premise entirely. The relationship between Therese and her mother had distanced itself as she grew older, but Therese¡¯s mother tried finding comfort in telling herself this was normal.

    ¡°Thank you, I love you both.¡± said Therese in her flat voice, taking the keys and going out the door.

    ¡°Do you think we should have given her a time to be home?¡± Asked Therese¡¯s mother, always the one to push responsibility.

    ¡°What would it do, she would still be early.¡± said her father, switching his glance back to the television.

    Therese drove the car carefully, but deliberately. The music was loud enough to be enjoyable, but not too loud to be distracting. Her hands were on the 10 and 2 o¡¯clock positions on the steering wheel, and she glanced carefully to maintain awareness, but not lose her sight of the road. Inside, her heart raced, pounding and excited. As she neared her destination, her excitement grew, and she almost forgot to click the car alarm after she left the car.

    The cold nipped at Therese as she walked from her car. She pulled her jacket tight before she stepped again. Therese looked around, she did not like walking in the dark, but she had a destination and she had determination. She stopped again to adjust her jacket, and then to step again. Therese was very careful. The cold tried creeping in, Therese shivered, but her resolve strengthened. The cold wind blew Therese¡¯s hair in her face and she swatted it away, then grew frustrated as it came back, and finally grew slightly upset about her hair blocking her eyes and at the delay as she stopped to fix her hair back. Therese was about five feet of determination with her tallest shoes on, but every inch was earned courage in life and she wasn¡¯t going to give up now.

    Therese walked quickly, but as carefully as she could, to the coffee shop. There was a picture of a smiling pink cow on the door, which startled her, she jumped a bit, and she almost turned back. Therese reinforced her determination with her excitement, and shoved the pink cow door open, and entered. She took a step back, two steps forward, a step back, and then quickly walked to the counter. Therese kept her eyes turned away from the terrible cow as it stared at her.

    The menu written on chalkboards was overwhelming. The letters in the words attempted to dance and rearrange themselves as Therese struggled to relax and calm herself. Therese felt herself becoming overwhelmed, but strength comes from courage, or maybe courage comes from strength she thought, twisting her right foot in, so her hip could not sway her to run out the door. She read the menu, the drinks might as well have been a foreign language, the letters she knew, the words formed unfamiliar. Therese shivered out of nervousness.

    Therese sounded out the words but found her ability to read overwhelmed by the smells in the shop. She heard dice hitting a table, people laughing, and she smelled coffee, which she always wanted to try. Therese was worried the people would see her and laugh at her. Therese fought the urge to run out the door before everyone laughed at her.

    ¡°Hi,¡± said a soft voice, followed by a soft smile, ¡°I¡¯m Erin, this is my coffee shop, may I make you a drink?¡± asked Erin who was tall, beautiful, and a genuine smile that tried to hide an old sadness. She had dark eyes, dark hair and carefully held a baby as she worked.

 Thereses New Job

    The owner looked at the young girl, she liked it when people enjoyed their time at her store. Erin felt that the drinks were just a mechanism to help happiness enter lives. The younger girl was frigidity, and restless, as she tried to make her mind up what to order. Erin smiled, she liked it when people tried new things instead of just sticking with what they knew.

    As the girl stood there, Erin hoped her mom didn¡¯t send her to school like that. Therese had her hair brushed, but a single plain barrette clipped it, and she wore a plain gray shirt with some black pants. Erin thought a little color would be better. The girl had pretty brown hair, and dirt under her fingernails. And unlike Erin who, who looked glamorous, bold and confident, Therese was slightly disheveled, and wore no makeup.

    Therese¡¯s hip pulled back, she wanted to bolt to the door. Her foot twisted further, telling the hip to remain. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to get.¡± said Therese, almost crying, but excited by the new world that sat in front of her.

    ¡°Well then,¡± Erin told her, ¡°maybe you could try my favorite. If you don¡¯t like it, it¡¯s free.¡± said Erin whose voice was warm, her tone pleasant and genuine. Erin¡¯s voice had a happy familiarity to Therese as she found herself recovering from her anxiety some. Therese looked up softly at Erin whose smile calmed her like finding the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle under a table when you¡¯ve been up all night. Erin¡¯s dark eyes looked as kind as her smile.

    Erin yelled at one of the guys at the table to come take the baby from her. Both men instinctively hurried over, grabbed the little girl, and ran back to their game. ¡°Never get them near hot liquids.¡± added Erin. ¡°Can I make you my favorite drink?¡± asked Erin, whose voice had gone sharp to alert the men, but instantly returned to calm and pleasant with Therese. Therese liked the Spanish accent that randomly slid into her voice when Erin spoke.

    ¡°Yes, please.¡± said Therese, pulling money from her pocket and setting it on the counter. Therese stood in nervous anticipation. Therese didn¡¯t know how much the drink would cost, but she put out a ten-dollar bill hoping it would be enough.

    Erin began brewing, then she began stirring, then she began adding, and finally the loud sound of steaming milk caused Therese to almost bolt the other way, free of her stubborn foot. The smell of the coffee grounds and the steaming liquid pulled Therese back, as her hips tried to run out the door. Therese grimaced at the sound, she struggled to keep her hands from covering her ears.

    Erin left her money on the counter, handing her the drink. ¡°Be careful, it¡¯s hot.¡± said Erin as she carefully handed the drink to Therese.

    Therese took the drink, her eyes bulging, her hand feeling the warmth of the cup, the texture of the paper, and the dryness of the cardboard heat shield. Therese smelled the aroma of the coffee, the cream, the smell of chocolate and a hint of orange. She put the cup to her mouth and took a careful taste. Therese let out a giggle into the cup, and some coffee splashed forward. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± said Therese looking down at the coffee on the floor.

    ¡°Did you giggle into your coffee?¡± said Erin, as she walked around the counter, and wiped the floor. Erin smiled genuinely but Therese still did not understand if she was upset.

    ¡°Yes.¡± said Therese, afraid she had offended her. Therese was always unsure how to read the expressions on people, and felt she may have committed a grave offense by spilling her coffee. She trembled, and felt like a failure, having blown her first solo excursion into the world. Her knees shook in fear.

    ¡°It¡¯s free then,¡± said Erin, ¡°you just made my day worth it.¡± Erin gave back Therese her money. ¡°Just come talk to me,¡± Erin said leading them to where some small couches were. ¡°I¡¯m tired of those guys tonight, Ben won¡¯t stop hitting on me, and Vivo is ignoring me too much.¡± said Erin loud enough for the guys at the table to hear. They were distracted by the game and the infant girl in their care and did their best to avoid her, ignorant of either accusation.

    ¡°Are you still in high school?¡± asked Erin to Therese, while relaxing into her own couch and nearly spilling her own coffee. Erin looked at the young girl, she knew their ages were about a decade apart, but the girl clearly looked like her mother dressed her. Therese was very beautiful but seemed to show no interest in it.

    ¡°Yes.¡± said Therese, and she relaxed a little. The coffee shop was becoming less overwhelming than it had been. The machines were just fabricated metal again.

    ¡°Is it as much fun as I remembered?¡± asked Erin. There was a sadness in Erin¡¯s dark eyes when she asked that question, but Therese missed it.

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    ¡°It is okay.¡± said Therese. Therese liked learning, but she hated high school.

    ¡°Just OK?¡± asked Erin. ¡°I miss it, but I am glad it is over. One day you are young, and the world is in front of you, and the next, your back is sore. I can¡¯t complain, I love this shop, but it is a lot of work. What are you up to in school?¡± asked Erin, trying to not monopolize the conversation.

    ¡°I like math, and I have a garden.¡± said Therese, those being her two favorite things in life. She barely felt comfortable disclosing that, but Therese felt not saying something might seem rude.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like to talk much do you?¡± asked Erin. She appreciated the girl¡¯s honest and short answers but still wanted conversation.

    ¡°I like to talk. I¡¯m not used to it.¡± said Therese, analyzing her coffee. Therese was used to guarding her answers. The less she said, the less she worried about saying the wrong things, she did not want to embarrass herself. There was obvious sadness in her reply even if her voice was flat and monotone.

    ¡°You don¡¯t talk, and do math, want a job?¡± asked Erin. Erin had been trying to find help, but wanting a job and proving reliable had been two separate things for everyone she hired.

    Therese thought about it. The cow on the door and the sound of the milk steamer scared her. She couldn¡¯t neglect her garden. She was not sure if the lady was serious, she seemed genuine, but Therese always had difficulty reading emotions in others.

    Erin picked up on Therese¡¯s feelings. ¡°I am serious. Just a little help Friday and Saturday nights, maybe all-day Saturday if you¡¯re up to it. I¡¯ll pay you a buck over minimum wage and we¡¯ll split the tips.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°That would let me still keep my garden.¡± said Therese thinking of the garden. Some money of her own would be nice, and her dad had tried getting her a job before, but it did not end well when she ran screaming out of the office when the paper shredder caught her sweater.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to make coffee, this is the first time I ever drank it.¡± said Therese, giggling into her cup, as she took another sip. Therese looked blankly forward and answered in a monotone voice, but Erin could hear the hidden excitement.

    ¡°And I don¡¯t know your name, but I know I want you to work here.¡± said Erin as her own heart grew excited at the possibility of Therese helping her. Erin¡¯s dark eyes lit up and she smiled. Therese looked forward at Erin and decided she was serious.

    ¡°My name is Therese¡±. She replied, looking up, almost as if she was embarrassed at admitting who she was. Therese looked down sadly as she finished saying her name.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be ok,¡± reassured Erin. ¡°you¡¯ll learn, and if it is a little overwhelming at first, you can wash tables. And every time I wink like this (Erin winked and stuck her tongue out), tell me you need some help with something. It is to get me away from those guys¡± said Erin, nodding at the men playing games and watching over the little girl at the far table.

    ¡°Do you not like them?¡± asked Therese, genuinely puzzled. The two men did not seem as scary as they had seemed when she entered the store.

    ¡°No,¡± Erin laughed, ¡°I love them. They are my best friends.¡± said Erin, she seemed to smile and frown both at the word friends.

    Therese stayed, she had helped Erin clean the tables and clean the floors. She learned how to operate the espresso machine, and the couple times she bolted from the milk steamer, Erin was there to catch the drink. Erin was patient, and let Therese adjust. Therese enjoyed her work, it was louder than the garden, but her father had always told her it is a loud world. Therese found herself smiling and feeling satisfied about her new job. Near the end of the evening, the shop was absent of customers, and Erin called her over to sit with herself, Vivo and Ben.

    ¡°I¡¯m Vivo,¡± said a tall man in a Space-Girl Michelle shirt as he stood to greet her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you have to work for Erin¡± said Vivo teasing, but Therese stared forward as if he warned her. A towel snapped and hit Vivo, Erin had flicked him with it. ¡°I¡¯m kidding of course,¡± said Vivo as Therese smiled in relief. Her flat mouth turned up at one corner. Therese liked Vivo, he seemed like an old friend even if she just met him.

    ¡°And, I¡¯m Ben.¡± said a slightly shorter and more muscular man, whom introduced himself to Therese. I wish Erin would hire me.¡± said Ben who had a spark of familiarity to Therese, she felt like she had known him before, she could tell he would be kind to her.

    ¡°Ben, we¡¯ve been through this before. It¡¯s alright to hit on your friends, but not your boss, and besides, you talk too much, forget to pay your tab and would just sit here with Vivo. What kind of example would that set for the other employees?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°She¡¯s right, I¡¯d be a bad influence.¡± said Ben, smiling.

    Therese came home late that night. The rabbits waited in the front yard, finally rushing to their rabbit holes once they saw her home safe. Therese¡¯s parents were not angry, they were just concerned.

    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± asked Therese¡¯s mother.

    ¡°I got a job.¡± said Therese, rushing forward and hugging her parents. She pulled out a stack of one-dollar bills, her half of the tips, and waved them. Therese grinned, having completed her first shift at her new job. Erin had insisted on giving her half of the day''s tips even if she had only been in their four hours and worked less.

    ¡°Crap, she¡¯s a stripper.¡± said her father, horrified. Therese¡¯s mother punched him in the shoulder.

    ¡°No Dad, I work at a coffee shop.¡± corrected Therese.

    ¡°Do you drink coffee?¡± asked her mother, startled.

    ¡°I do now, and it is wonderful.¡± said Therese, as she began telling them about the cafe and all the neat things she would be doing. The parents listened proudly and intently, they had not heard Therese go into detail about anything except gardening and Space-Girl Michelle in a long time. Her father loved discussing the Space-Girl show with her, it was their thing since she was little, but her mother always found something to do when the subject came up.

 Buck

    Therese awoke early on Saturday. She was not sure if she awoke early because she was excited to go to work, or because she had drunk coffee for the first time before, but she awoke early and her eyes flipped open just as her dreams ended. Therese looked around her room. The sun had not risen, but her nightlight and digital clock illuminated the room. She climbed out of bed and stretched. She adjusted the little bunny figurines on her dresser, noticing that the vibrations of her opening and closing her dresser offset one.

    Therese dressed herself in some old clothes and a jacket to start gardening early. Her parents were asleep, so she tried to walk carefully and softly through the house, but her heart pounded to her feet as she was filled with excitement. The rabbits were in their holes resting but awoke with surprise at her early arrival and ran up to meet her to say good morning, always grateful to see her and mindful of their manners. Therese liked working the garden as it helped her focus, and she liked helping people, or in this case helping rabbits. Therese often dreamed of a world with talking rabbits just like on Space-Girl Michelle, and wished these rabbits could talk.

    ¡°Good morning, friends.¡± said Therese as she greeted the rabbits as she always had as long as she could remember. The rabbits wiggled their whiskers as a good morning back. She watered the plants, there was not much else needing done this morning, as she had learned the rabbits had learned to make their own breakfast. ¡°I have a job. I make coffee.¡± said Therese. The rabbit twitched their ears and wiggled their whiskers in approval. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I still love you, and will have time to help the garden.¡± promised Therese.

    The rabbits smiled back as rabbits do, they loved her garden or not, but the garden had made their lives pleasant. ¡°I need to go eat breakfast, and go to work.¡± said Therese to the rabbits as she finished her part, leaving the hose on a slow trickle that her father would turn off later, as he always did.

    Therese went into the kitchen and pulled a box of cereal out of the cabinet. At first, she was upset, she was out of her favorite. She loved the flavor and the smoothness of the round shapes. When she was younger she found it difficult to eat flakes, but this morning a glare of determination came out of her, and she grabbed a box of Raisin Bran flakes and poured it into the bowl. She took the milk and poured it onto the flakes. She took the spoon from the drawer, sat at the table, scooped up cereal with the spoon, and ate. Victory was hers. Bite after bite, she ate not just to eat, but to eat to get ready for work.

    ¡°Strange times, indeed,¡± said Therese¡¯s father, entering the kitchen, and seeing her eat the cereal flakes, ¡°good morning, I love you.¡± said her father as he had every morning.

    "Good morning Dad, I love you.¡± said Therese, looking up from her bowl.

    ¡°You like flakes now?¡± asked her father. Still surprised at seeing her choice, remembering many odd hours of the day for years trying to get her to try new foods.

    ¡°No, they are terrible.¡± replied Therese, honest as ever. Therese hated eating flake cereal. She stuck her tongue out in disgust.

    Therese¡¯s father made a bowl of the flakes and sat down across the table. ¡°Does that mean we can quit buying chocolate puffs?¡± asked her father. Her father loved to tease her. Sometimes it irritated Therese, but she tolerated it because she wanted to be treated like a normal child. She did not want to be pampered.

    ¡°No.¡± answered Therese, suffering her flakes enough without wanting to make this a lifetime commitment. She pretended to growl at her father.

    ¡°Good, I don¡¯t want you growing up too fast, it is already fast enough.¡± said her father as he regretted the day he blinked and she went from seven to seventeen.

    Therese thought about what he meant. She did not think she had any control over how fast she was growing, she just seemed to get taller. She looked at her hands, they did not seem any bigger than they were the night before. ¡°I will try not to grow up too fast.¡± said Therese

    Therese took her mother¡¯s car to work. Her parents with smiles and tears waved to her as she went down the street. The rabbits watched from the side of the house. All were happy, a little worried, as well as a little sad too. Therese¡¯s mother hugged her husband as their daughter, very carefully and very mindfully drover away from the house. Never would they have imagined she would work somewhere as loud as a cafe, or interact with so many people either. They hugged each other, grateful. ¡°Let me tell you about the new car I¡¯ll need.¡± said Therese¡¯s mother to her father with a teasing smile.

    Therese was glad she started early, as the traffic was lighter in the morning. Her father had insisted on her learning to drive in all conditions, but she found other drivers always unpredictable, and therefore the less traffic the better.

    The cafe was a few miles away, which was not bad at all for a commute. Therese had driven by the cafe for years, always curious about it, always wanting to go in, and a few times she had convinced herself to go, but she had talked herself out of it even quicker. The last time she did go, she made it as far as the cow on the door, and turned back quickly when it glared at her. She heard other kids in school talk about the drinks they liked, she had listened intently, and now was finally satisfied she had tried one. Therese was proud of her courage. She listened a lot, and talked little, but now she at least understood what others talked about.

    When she arrived, Therese saw Erin inside, putting chairs on the floor, having been stacked on tables for mopping the night before. Therese glared at the cow on the door, stepping to the side, further away from the glaring cow, to knock on the window to let Erin know she was there. One step, two steps, and three steps away from the door, nearly centered on the window, Therese stopped and squared herself before knocking on the window. One, two, three, gentle taps on the window.

    Erin looked up and smiled, and walked quickly to the door, unlocking it, and letting Therese in. ¡°Oh good, you came back.¡± said Erin, who smiled as she opened the door.

    ¡°I want the job. Thank you for the job.¡± said Therese as she entered, going to the side of the doorway as best she could, away from the cow on the door. Her tone and voice were flat, but Erin could hear the excitement.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like the cow, do you?¡± asked Erin. Erin had painted the cow. It seemed like a good idea when she painted it, but time had done it no favors. Still, she never found herself taking the time to change it. The cow had aged terribly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± apologized Therese. She thought she should have tolerated the cow better.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry, there is nothing to be sorry for. Maybe it is time for a different painting, the cow is getting a bit old, what do you think we should paint next, maybe a cup of coffee?¡± said Erin.

    ¡°A rabbit.¡± said Therese. Speaking honestly, and bluntly as ever. Therese liked rabbits and thought it would be nice if people saw a rabbit when they came inside, instead of the terrible cow.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll put up a rabbit. Later, I¡¯ll show you how to paint the windows, it will be fun. .¡± agreed Erin, starting the first day the ¡°Cowffee Cup¡± had a rabbit on the door. Life didn¡¯t have to make sense all the time, and neither did paintings of bunnies in a cow-themed coffee shop.

    Erin was impressed with Therese¡¯s ability to read back the ingredients to each drink after she had read them once. Therese was quickly proficient with the register, and other tasks, like mopping up spills. Therese would be brief in words with customers, and although never rude, she would be sometimes confused by unusual requests, but Erin would only be pleased.

    Erin needed the help, and felt Therese was a good fit. The customers would be happy and appreciated the dutifulness Therese displayed to each drink. She was quick, prompt, made little errors, and most of all she was kind.

    An old man came in the door at 9:00 AM as he had always done, and would continue to do so as long as he was able. He walked with a cane, a limp, and a sense of rudeness. Erin loved him as much as she despised him, because she loved his rudeness, his displeasure, and his grumpiness which was always betrayed by his commitment to entering the coffee shop at 9:00AM every morning she was open to order coffee, complain about something, and walk home.

    The old man tapped his cane on the counter as he always did to announce his displeasure at waiting, as Erin was adjusting her supplies at the shelf. The sudden noise startled Therese who had her back to him, she jumped, dropped a glass cup which fell to the floor shattering, and tears streamed down her face. The glass had broke again as it flew and broke again as it landed.

    Erin spun, she saw Therese crying, she saw the old man startled, and the least of her worries was the glass on the floor. ¡°What the fuck?¡± said Erin to the old man. Erin gave Therese a big squeezing hug. The noise was loud, the echoing of the shattering, the glass flying overwhelmed Therese. The hug helped, Erin squeezed.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I broke the glass.¡± apologized Therese. Therese was worried she would lose her job as fast as she gained it, and was already angry at herself for a perceived failure of dropping the glass.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t your fault, and I promise you one thing, we will break a lot of glasses together.¡± said Erin as she reassured Therese. ¡°Sorry about him,¡± said Erin as she pointed to the old man, ¡°He¡¯s a rude asshole, but I don¡¯t think he did that to be mean.¡± promised Erin.

    The old man stood there startled. He had meant to be rude, he had not meant to make the young girl cry, because he had not even seen her. He loved starting every day with a cup of coffee from Erin, and was sad on Sundays when she was closed. He knew she left the door open for him at 9:00 AM, even though she did not open until 9:30 AM. This made him feel valued, by someone, in a world that would not notice him gone. He could not see well anymore, he liked to get his coffee in the middle of his morning walk and get home before the traffic picked up on the road. He hated crossing the street.

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    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± apologized the man, his own tears wetting his eyes as Therese turned around and looking at him. ¡°I¡¯m an asshole.¡± added the man. He was impatient because he was always excited for Erin¡¯s attention, and he loved the coffee. Walking home to drink his coffee and read the news was his morning. He was rude, because he felt vulnerable, and now he had done something terrible that he regretted.

    ¡°No, you are a person.¡± said Therese as she corrected him. She walked bravely forward and stood directly across the counter from him, staring him in the eyes with defiance about calling himself an asshole. The old man¡¯s eyes grew wetter. Therese knew all too well what it was like to not have people understand you. She always felt alone in a crowd.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to get away with being rude to you, am I?¡± said the old man as he found himself thinking aloud. He was too embarrassed to lift his head to look at Therese. He looked at the floor and felt ashamed.

    ¡°No.¡± said Therese bluntly. Therese had seen the kindness in his eyes, and would not tolerate his rudeness. She would demand kindness.

    ¡°May I please buy a large black cup of coffee to go?¡± asked the old man finding himself searching for childhood manners almost forgotten. He kept his head down, embarrassed still at his action.

    ¡°It will be two dollars, please.¡± said Therese, taking the man¡¯s two dollar bills that were already in his hand, as the price had been the same for a long time. Different this time, the old man reached into his pocket and pulled out another dollar for the tip.

    ¡°This is a day of firsts.¡± said Erin looking at the old man in curiosity, as he had never tipped before.

    ¡°You never broke a glass for me before.¡± said the old man, having regained a bit of his crankiness.

    ¡°Is your name Buck?¡± asked Therese, looking at the man, a memory flickering bright, awakened years later.

    ¡°It is, but how do you know?¡± asked the man as he felt puzzled. Buck did not think anyone remembered him or cared. He was puzzled by the young girl remembering him. Buck looked up at the young girl in surprise and then dropped his glance, still ashamed.

    The memories flickered brighter in Therese¡¯s mind, she said ¡°You were a plumber, with a red truck.¡± as Therese saw a faded memory in her mind of Buck outside her house, he was being nice to her, and she was crying. She recognized him, but he looked older, which he was.

    ¡°I was he said, but it has been ten years since I did any of that. You really remember me?¡± said Buck, looking up again.

    ¡°Eleven years ago, you pulled my kite out of a tree. It was real high up. You tied your ladder to the side of your truck so you could reach it.¡± said Therese to Buck.

    ¡°I might remember that.¡± said Buck, trying to remember, it did sound like something he might have done once. Buck had tied his ladder to his truck when he needed to trim his own trees. It was definitely something he would have done. He didn¡¯t trust ladders or trees, he never did.

    ¡°You did, you had a blue hood on your red truck, you said it was for good luck.¡± said Therese.

    Buck laughed, he definitely remembered putting the blue hood on his red truck after the original hood was dented along with the front of his grill hitting a deer. He always meant to repaint it, but he never did because he started liking the blue hood, saying it was lucky because he didn¡¯t hit any more deer with it. Buck grinned and said ¡°Yah, that was me.¡±

    Therese reached into the tip jar and pulled out Buck¡¯s dollar and handed it to him. ¡°A tip for pulling my kite out of the tree.¡± said Therese. Buck looked at Erin, and she nodded approval, he took the dollar, the dollar which now meant more to him than any other dollar he earned. The dollar was torn halfway, but he did not care, he put it in his shirt pocket.

    ¡°I find this difficult to believe.¡± said Erin to Buck.

    ¡°That I was a plumber?¡± asked Buck.

    ¡°No, that you were nice and useful.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°Well, maybe, I¡¯ll be nice again, at least when she is here,¡± said Buck as he nodded to Therese, ¡°but to hell with being useful, I¡¯m retired.¡± said Buck as he took his cup of coffee and started walking out the door.

    ¡°Useful might fix my leaky faucet.¡± shouted Erin after him. Buck waved his cane pretending to be angry as he started walking down the street.

    ¡°I hope he doesn¡¯t start coming twice a day.¡± said Erin to Therese.

    ¡°I do.¡± said Therese.

    Ben smiled, standing at the back entrance watching the exchange. For years, Ben had witnessed Erin¡¯s love-hate relationship with the old man, and now in a single act of kindness, Erin¡¯s new employee Therese had changed the dynamics of the situation entirely. Ben continued to grin, things were going to be different and he would have to find a new source of amusement in the morning other than Erin and the old man trading blows. It¡¯s too bad, Ben thought to himself, the old man could come up with some wild sayings.

    Therese spent the rest of the day helping Erin at the coffee shop. The customers proved patient with Therese, paying particular respect to the dutifulness she showed their drinks.

    Ben ate lunch at the bar at the end of the counter. He ordered a sandwich which Therese made for him. She asked what he wanted, and he told her whatever, because usually Erin just made him his lunch with whatever meats needed to be used up first. Ben waited with anticipation at his surprise lunch. Therese liked Ben, because he was gentle and kind to her, almost like an older brother. Therese imagined if she had an older brother, he would be like Ben. Therese looked up and smiled at Ben, ¡°Almost Done.¡± said Therese to him with her flat grin.

    ¡°I¡¯m not complaining, I promise.¡± teased Ben. He liked Therese, rough spots in life taught him to value kind people.

    ¡°Here, but if you don¡¯t like it, I can ask Erin to make another.¡± said Therese. This was the first sandwich she had made at the store, and Erin had simply told her to use whatever meats people ordered, and whatever.

    Ben grinned at both corners of his mouth when he saw the sandwhich. He lifted with both hands, and bit into it, savoring the taste. ¡°I know sandwiches, and this ma¡¯am, is a good sandwich.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°I am glad you like it.¡± said Therese. Her voice was flat and monotone but Ben could tell she was pleased with the compliment.

    ¡°This is way better than the packaged vendor crap we sell.¡± said Ben before taking another bite. ¡°You sure you have never done this before?¡± asked Ben.

    ¡°I am sure.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°How come it took you so long to come here? I could have been eating these sandwiches a long time ago.¡± asked Ben.

    ¡°I was scared. I should have been braver.¡± apologized Therese, she wished she had come here sooner.

    ¡°I think you are plenty brave.¡± said Ben to Therese in simple honesty.

    ¡°I¡¯m not, I am scared of a lot of things. It took me that long just to come here, I tried times before, but was too scared to even come in the door.¡± said Therese as she opened up a little to Ben, as he was easy to talk to. He had a very genuine spirit to him when he looked at Therese.

    ¡°You know what real courage is?¡± said Ben to Therese.

    ¡°Fighting a lion?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°No. Kindness is true courage. It takes guts to be kind in this world. Mr. Rogers was a badass. It took guts to be Mr. Rogers.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°I try to be kind.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I have seen you be kind and patient to everyone that walked in the door, and that is why you are brave and have courage, because you are kind. Don¡¯t ever let the world take that from you.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try not to.¡± said Therese, as Ben went back to finishing his sandwich, and Therese went to help a group of customers. When Ben finished, Therese turned and smiled at him. Ben gave a friendly wink before he went back over to his store. Therese genuinely felt welcomed at her new job, everything just felt right to her.

    At the end of the night business slowed enough, that Erin and Therese scraped the cow painting off the door and painted their rabbit. It was bright, pink, holding a cup of coffee, and still said ¡°Cowffee Cup¡± above it, but it was a beautiful bunny. Erin was enjoying herself, she liked the change even if it didn¡¯t mean sense to her, but Therese definitely liked the bunny as much as she dreaded the cow.

    ¡°The trick to painting a window, from in here, is the inner layer is what counts the most, because it is closest to the glass first.¡± said Erin as she painted.

    ¡°Kind of like people. It¡¯s what¡¯s inside that counts the most.¡± said Therese as she watched Erin paint the bunny.

    ¡°Yah, just like people.¡± said Erin, she liked the girl¡¯s philosophy.

    ¡°So what are you going to do with your tips?¡± asked Erin, as they divided the jar. As a business owner, she wasn¡¯t so much as happy to split her share, as a feet owner, she was glad to have rested her feet several times during the day. As she split the earnings, her feet reminded her it was an expense well spent.

    ¡°I want to buy an espresso machine for home.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Your parents really never let you drink coffee before?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°They thought it might be too stimulating.¡± explained Therese.

    ¡°Well is it?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°Very stimulating.¡± said Therese as she smiled, pretending to throw her money in the air. Therese smiled her half-smile and Erin grinned boldly back.

    Ben and Vivo entered the shop. ¡°Hailing frequencies open.¡± said Vivo, as they walked through the back door of the store and into the Cowffee Cup.

    ¡°Hi ladies.¡± said Ben following.

    ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± said Erin pretending to be angry, with her hands on her hips.

    ¡°It was busy at the store.¡± defended Vivo. He was taller than Ben and carefree by default, but slouched out of habit.

    ¡°Busy trying to win a bet about balancing a mop on his head.¡± said Ben, both men giving each other a high five. Their high five propelled by Ben¡¯s naturally strong shoulder cracked loudly. Therese was surprisingly not bothered by the sudden loud noise.

    ¡°Boys.¡± said Erin while looking at Therese, shaking her head in disapproval at them. ¡°Do you have a boyfriend?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°No.¡± said Therese as she blushed, there was a boy she liked, but she knew she didn¡¯t exist to him.

    ¡°Told you she was smart.¡± said Erin, while looking at Vivo.

    ¡°Let¡¯s lock up, closing time.¡± announced Erin, and they all headed out the door. Erin locked the shop, and walked Therese to her car.

    ¡°Friday, after school?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°Only if I have to wait that long.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Enjoy being free now, there is plenty of time to work later,¡± said Erin to Therese, ¡°and besides, I expect you to be able to run this place by the middle of summer so I can finally take a vacation.¡± said Erin as she had longed dream of a vacation that had never happened.

    Dread of responsibility filled Therese¡¯s eyes, and fear showed on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be ready.¡± said Erin, waving goodbye and walking back to Vivo and Ben. Erin watched Therese walk carefully and deliberately to her car, stop, open the door, look around and leave. She liked that Therese was careful.

    ¡°Does she have any sisters?¡± said Ben to Erin.

    ¡°Pervert, she¡¯s seventeen.¡± said Erin, teasing Ben.

    "Not that, I meant for us to hire. Maybe Vivo and I want to go on vacation too.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°There¡¯s two of you, you can go on vacation any time you want.¡± said Erin and then added, ¡°What about Peter?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t go on vacation together, who would stay and play video games while Peter worked?¡± said Vivo, giving a high five to Ben. Erin hit both of them with her purse. Then hit Vivo again for being dunce towards their relationship as always. Everyone laughed as Vivo pretended to be hurt.

    Therese drove away carefully and deliberately, although slightly less careful and more deliberate thinking of the coffee machine she would buy the next day. The rabbits watched from the bushes, as she came home, and hurried to their homes to sleep the night. Therese¡¯s parents were waiting for her, watching TV in the living room. ¡°How as work?¡± asked her parents.

    ¡°Wonderful.¡± said Therese, the gave them a hug and heading to her room tired for a much-needed sleep. Tomorrow, she would buy a coffee machine, after she tended the garden of course. The next morning, as soon as she could, Therese bought a coffee and espresso machine, a small one that made a terrible sound she hated as it steamed the milk. She giggled into her coffee when she drank her first cup at home. She was embarrassed, she cleaned up the spill and then smiled into her coffee. It was very stimulating, she thought.

 Monday - Peter

    Monday was awful. Therese normally loved math class, she did not have to participate much at all, never had to give an opinion, except to give an occasional answer, and she was able to keep to her self, which she enjoyed. On the worst day she had to write the solution on the board in front of the class.

    Today was awful though, her teacher called her up to the front to demonstrate how she solved a problem. Therese took one step forward. She hated this. Therese took another step forward. She really hated this. She looked at the teacher, the teacher nodded. Therese didn¡¯t think ¡°why me?¡± she just wanted to run or freeze. She heard the humming of the teacher¡¯s computer as she approached the board. She forced her legs forward. Therese felt everyone staring at her. A girl in the back giggled. Therese wanted to cry. She dropped her paper. It floated further away from her destination. Her knees shook in fear.

    Therese wanted to run, she twisted to run, but half of her twisted back to hold her ground. She stared at the paper on the floor and as her stress grew, she felt the class laughing at her. To fight the stress, Therese attempted to slow her breathing and breathe deeply through her stomach, but the paper still lay on the ground and she knew she needed the paper. Therese focused to clear her mind, as she stood there half twisted in front of the class.

    A kid she didn¡¯t see picked up the paper and brought it to her. It was Peter, she didn¡¯t know him, but he was always in trouble for falling asleep in classes. He walked up to her. Peter stood an inch past six feet but he looked like an ogre next to Therese. He normally appeared laid back with shaggy hair and relaxed, but as he went to obtain the paper for Therese, the other kids pulled their feet in, subconsciously worrying that Peter might take them by mistake.

    Peter stood next to her. ¡°It¡¯s ok, you got this.¡± said Peter, mindfully walking slowly with her. ¡°You can do this.¡± reassured Peter, as she blushed, glad her back was to the class. ¡°You have to do the problem,¡± prompted Peter, this is way too hard for me.¡± Therese was surprised she reached the board at the front of the room. Peter handed her the paper, turned to sit down, and Therese started mapping out the problem. As she focused on transcribing her numbers, the letters, her results on the board, Therese forgot about the class behind her. She finished and looked at the teacher.

    ¡°Perfect.¡± said her teacher, as Therese turned and ran to her seat, wishing she was at work. She looked over at Peter. He had already fallen asleep as soon as he sat down. Therese hoped he would not get in trouble today. Her teacher resisted the urge to discipline Peter, muttering something to himself about one brave act, and feeling proud of Therese¡¯s proficient answer to the math problem. She must have a good teacher, he thought.

    The bell rang loud. Therese was startled in her seat, the bell was always too loud. Therese stopped to talk to her teacher, Mr. Shank. He was a gruff man, who showed little patience, but he had been Therese¡¯s advocate. The teacher sat at his desk, drinking his coffee out of a Styrofoam cup from a convenience store, that the best he could tell himself about it was that it had caffeine.

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    ¡°Mr. Shank, can I ask your opinion?¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, I don¡¯t have opinions, they are as dangerous as philosophy. I just offer observations.¡± said the teacher. Therese smiled her faint smile. Of course, she remembered, because when she first fought to reenter the main school, the group of school representatives had asked Mr. Shank his opinion, and her had told them the same thing, except adding that he had no observations to report because no one had given the girl a chance yet.

    ¡°May I please ask an opinion?¡± said Therese. She knew she could push her teacher, out of mentorship and a deep friendship. If the friendship wasn¡¯t enough, she looked up with sad eyes slowly at Mr. Shank.

    ¡°As long as you except them worthless at face value. Unless it is this coffee, it is terrible, but I guess that is an opinion too isn¡¯t it?¡± said Shank. He knew he was beaten, Therese was his spark of light in a job he had lost interest in.

    ¡°Is Peter, the boy who helped me a good boy? I don¡¯t know why he helped me.¡± asked Therese.

    Shank sighed in his seat, taking a sip of his bitter caffeine juice. He silently wondered who could make worse coffee than the Navy and still be able to sell it. He thought about how to answer the question. His relationship with Therese had developed into him being as much as a mentor as a teacher and then finally a friend. He genuinely liked the kid. Shank rubbed his chin and thought how to answer it and remain a teacher, but not discredit his relationship as a mentor to the girl.

    ¡°My observation is, the boy¡¯s sleeping is more distracted by you than my efforts to teach him.¡± said Shank. The teacher had always noticed Peter turned his eyes to Therese, when he was able or awake.

    ¡°How could he like me?¡± asked Therese.

    Shank felt sad at that comment. If he ever had a student he respected as a person, it was Therese. He thought how to explain the world did not revolve around teen magazines and the popular girls at her school. Shank hated the stigma shown against Therese from so many people, but most of all he hated when she displayed it against herself. In his youth, Mr. Shank had known many brave young men, and he considered Therese their equal.

    ¡°Anyone would be a damned idiot not to. Maybe he is not an idiot.¡± said Shank. He was tired of teaching and didn¡¯t care to mince his words at that moment, or fight an opinion.

    Therese smiled, her little half smile, which Shank knew was a full grin, she turned, put her feet together and walked out the door. Therese could not wait for the day to end.

    When the day finally ended, Therese started walking home, alone, unsure if she wished she was walking with the other girls. She liked the silence, she could think better, but she felt alone, and wished she could laugh and giggle with them, but they confused her. Therese walked carefully and deliberately home, mindful to not step on cracks. Therese could not wait to get home to work in her garden. The bunny rabbits waited at the end of her street, jumped out when she arrived, and walked the rest of the way home, hoping she would tell them about her day. Therese was not sure how she could explain it, simply told them ¡°math class¡±, unsure if she was angry or not. She worked in the garden until her dad came home, then he worked with her until dinner. Therese still felt confused as she fell asleep that night.

 Tuesday Begins Best With a Mocha

    Tuesday morning Therese awoke with a purpose.  She got dressed as she always did, picking out clothes she thought she would like to wear that day, but hesitated a few times until she found the right shirt.   She brushed her hair and put on her favorite ribbon.   The ribbons always came loose, but they didn¡¯t irritate her like elastic bands.  They were as much  source of frustration to her as helpful, although she thought the ribbons pretty.

    Therese then made an extra mocha with her espresso machine, added an extra shot of espresso because it seemed to make sense, and walked to school.    Therese stepped on a few cracks that morning and was not concerned.  She focused on the drink in the cup in her hand.  She did not want to spill a drop.   Therese walked carefully, and very deliberately to the first class, the dreaded math class.

    Peter had arrived early, even if it was just to catch a nap before class started.  Therese sat the mocha on Peter¡¯s desk, he stirred awake.  ¡°It was hot when I left my house.¡±  said Therese as she apologized.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡±  said Peter, taking a sip, then truthfully stating ¡°It¡¯s perfect.   Thank you.  Why?¡±  asked Peter while he looked at her, not understanding the kindness that was returned to him.   He had simply just tried to do the right thing by helping her the day before, and once that effort resulted in him standing close to Therese, he could not back away.  Peter felt unworthy of the reward.

    ¡°It¡¯s very stimulating.¡± explained Therese, raising a single eyebrow.

    Their teacher noticed the drink, went to scold Peter on a drink in class, then saw Therese, shrugged his shoulders, and thought maybe some coffee might do Peter some good.  It was in the least a decent experiment he thought, as he thought he saw Therese smiling as she sat down, looked again and saw her usual serious and focused look on her face.  It would not do to upset his best student he thought, as he took a drink from his own coffee.   Therese looked over at the teacher drinking coffee and felt bad for him, it was in a Styrofoam cup.  It must taste terrible she thought.

    Peter did stay awake for the entire class, and even answered a question correctly, then another.   Peter even impressed himself with his alertness.    He was very sad when he reached the bottom of the cup.  Peter went to throw the cup away, then stopped, threw the paper cup with the lid away, and stuck the cardboard sleeve in his pocket where Therese had written his name with a marker.   He might need to save it for some reason he thought, but he really just liked the way Therese wrote his name.   At the end of class, he ran to catch up with Therese.  ¡°Thank you for the coffee, I needed that.   What was it?¡±

    ¡°An orange mocha.  I work at a coffee shop.¡± said Therese flatly as she normally did, but with a hint of pride.

    ¡°Really, which one?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°The Cowffee Cup.¡± said Therese, struggling to properly say ¡°Cowffee¡±.

    ¡°Oh yah, that place is great. My friend Vivo¡¯s girlfriend owns it.   I go there a lot, when I¡¯m not working.¡± said Peter

    ¡°You do?¡± asked Therese, trying to hide her excitement, none of it which was visible.  Therese fought to control her display of excitement which was almost invisible.   She felt it would not do her well to seem eager.

    ¡°Yah.  Erin and him, they helped me out when I moved here.¡± said Peter, trying to not reveal too much.  ¡°I see you walking home after school, can I give you a ride today?¡±  said Peter pointing at the clouds turning gray outside the door.

    Therese thought about it, she hated walking home in the rain, especially if it might thunder.  She hated the thunder because it was loud.  ¡°Okay.¡±  said Therese, trying to hide her smile which was already not visible.

    ¡°Meet me by the flagpole, after school.¡±  said Peter, already running to find his next class.   Therese hoped he was a good driver and did not play the radio loud.

    Therese went to her next class, English composition, which somehow was less writing and more reading than she ever imagined.   Therese was kind of used to sitting alone, and in English class, she sat by herself,  although she was no less excited to be in the class even if was usually boring.    Their teacher did her best to keep the class interested, but as a second-hour class it was also an exercise in staying awake.  This made Therese wonder how Peter survived his second-hour class, but she hoped the coffee would help.    Therese mostly looked at the pictures in the book, she had hoped to learn to write better in the class, and somehow felt writing about things other people wrote wasn¡¯t much help at all.

    The English class teacher continued to talk, and Therese continued to look at the pictures in her book, especially enjoying the paintings until eventually, she was only thinking about what she would be painting in the next class.  Finally, the bell rang, and Therese was liberated.

    Therese walked as fast as she could to art class, and accidentally bumped into someone, knocking their bag off of their shoulder.   Therese froze mortified, but was relieved when she saw it was Bre, one of the nicest girls in her class.   ¡°Therese-tastic, that was awesome, I bet where you¡¯re going is better than my next class.¡±  said Bre while picking up her bag.

    ¡°I am so sorry.¡±  said Therese, embarrassed at running into Bre.

    ¡°Oh no, that was me that cracked ass.¡±  said Bre.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that.  I¡¯m sorry I ran into you.¡±  apologized Therese again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I have to hurry or I¡¯ll get detention, again, for being late.¡±  said Bre, running the other way.  Therese hurried to class, she was glad she ran into someone nice and promised herself to be more careful next time.

    Therese was glad to be in her art class and quickly ran to pour the paints she needed.    Oblivious to most of the class, Therese returned to her desk and began painting a picture of rabbits in a field, but with a more impressionist style than before.   Therese was lost in thought and enjoyed each stroke of the brush, but eventually noticed her teacher watching her paint.    ¡°I know, rabbits again.¡±  Therese said.  She smiled flatly, but the teacher could tell she meant her comment to be funny and he smiled.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, I just like the warmth in your paintings, I don¡¯t know, it makes the whole day better, paint all the bunnies you want, just don¡¯t stop painting.¡± said Mr. Monty, her art teacher, as he walked away.    The teacher enjoyed Therese¡¯s art, he felt better inside after looking at her work, no one could be taught to paint happiness, and hers radiated from within.

    Therese continued to paint until the bell rang, then hurriedly stashed her paints and art in her ¡°art slot¡± on the wall and took off as fast as she could, but carefully to avoid running into anyone else.

    Therese was surprised her lab partner was in chemistry class because usually, he had a reason to not be there.   Therese¡¯s lab partner was a boy she called Benjamin, who unlike her Ben at the coffee shop was usually silent, but much like Ben took about his duties absentmindedly, although Therese needed this Benjamin because he was after all her lab partner and that was a job everyone else had avoided. Even if Benjamin was the only lab partner she could get, she still expected better of him.

    ¡°Good morning Benjamin.¡±  said Therese, glad to see her lab partner, insisting on calling him by his full name, since her friend Elijah and cued her in that he preferred it to a shorter version of his name, Binger, everyone else used because it made him sound more dignified.   Benjamin had never brought it up, but Elijah had let her know, and he and Benjamin were good friends.

    ¡°Good morning.¡±  Said the boy, looking up.

    ¡°Hi, I am glad you¡¯re here.¡±  said Therese.  Benjamin could be prone to infuriating her, but his absence was worse.

    ¡°Yeah, I couldn''t think of anything else to do, so I figured I¡¯d come here, it¡¯s cheaper than eating at Denny¡¯s.¡±  said Benjamin honestly, then added, ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here, I think I¡¯d be lost without you here.¡±

    ¡°It really does make more sense when you show up.¡±  said Therese as she scolded Benjamin, he might let her down, but she had little tolerance for him letting himself down.   Benjamin lowered his head, there weren¡¯t too many people left for him to disappoint, but he genuinely hated disappointing Therese.  He didn¡¯t care much about high school and was grateful to coast by, but somehow she ended up being his lab partner and he fought against his worse self to not fail her.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying.  I swear I didn¡¯t realize this class was a year-long when I signed up for it.   It¡¯s not like I read the catalog.¡±  said Benjamin.   Therese facepalmed, she had done her best and should be grateful for this much progress.

    ¡°If you want to talk about it, I¡¯ll listen.¡±  Offered Therese.  She looked up, her face was flat and her soft eyes forward, but he knew by now this was a look of concern.

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡±  said Benjamin, avoiding the subject.

    ¡°I need you.  This class is hard for me too.¡±  confessed Therese.  Everyone had avoided her for a long time, and the first day of class, Benjamin had simply sat next to her when he walked in the door and just as easily asked Therese if she wanted to be his partner when they were told they would need to pair up.   Benjamin might be mostly oblivious, but this too was appreciated by someone who felt mostly shunned.

    ¡°Really?   I thought you are like a genius or something.¡± said Benjamin.  Therese shook her head no but grinned a little at the compliment.   Benjamin was confused, girls confused him in general, but Therese confounded him.  He could never tell how pleased or upset she was with him.

    The teacher came by and passed out their lab experiment.    They would be working to identify elements of their solutions that were passed out.   Therese adjusted her goggles, and Benjamin laughed at her never-ending struggle of her hair versus the goggle strap.    Benjamin thought she was cute when she was frustrated, and that irked Therese because she hated when people thought she was cute when she was mad.

    ¡°Stop it.¡±  said Therese as she teased Benjamin who was smiling at her struggle.

    ¡°I don¡¯t come to class, you complain, I come to class, you complain.¡±  argued Benjamin back with a grin.

    ¡°Just read me step one.¡±  said Therese, following the instructions as Benjamin read them.  She was glad he was there.

    The lunch bell finally rang and having secured her lab equipment, Therese started out the door, sadly alone.   Therese walked by herself and found a spot in the sunlight against a wall because the day was cold and she needed the warmth.   Therese sat alone, normally it didn¡¯t bother her, but today she was saddened by it.   Therese wished more people liked her, but she thought to herself that she can¡¯t make people like her, she can only be likeable.   In the warm sunlight, Therese took her lunch box out of her bag and began eating her sandwich, chewing carefully and deliberately as she looked forward.

    Therese sat in the sunshine alone eating, she liked the way the sun felt warm, and she missed it in the winter.   Therese took out her juice boxes and drank them.   She wished she had a friend to share lunch with, she wondered if she should have asked Benjamin to go to lunch, but she had no doubts he was going out to eat and would miss the next class.   The lonelier Therese felt, the colder the breeze was, and soon the winter sun was not enough.  Therese felt the cold air blow through her clothes and she pulled herself in tight for warmth and huddled alone until the bell rang.

    Therese was annoyed at the slowness of the rest of the day.  She was grateful to hear the last bell, even if it was loud and two classes later.  Therese walked carelessly and very deliberately to the flag pole after school, not even looking for cracks in the cement to avoid.     She stood patiently, motionlessly, and trying to block out the hundreds of conversations around her.   Peter caught up with her, she jumped when he said her name behind her.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± said Peter, realizing he startled her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be.  I didn¡¯t think you knew my name.¡± said Therese sadly, hiding her sadness, which was not visible.   Peter wondered how she could think he did not know her name, every day she walked into class was like waking from a dream, especially since he often was catching a nap.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s find my car.  She¡¯s not much, but she runs.¡± said Peter, as they began walking, even though it was usually easy to find as few dared parking next to him as if they feared the dents in his car might jump to theirs.

    ¡°I hope you have seat belts.¡± said Therese, running her hand over the dried and oxidized paint.  She was surprised she liked the terrible texture.  She rubbed her hand on the paint again, surprised at her pleasure of the terrible sensation.   The door squeaked as she opened it, and instead of jumping back, Therese giggled as Peter opened it.   She climbed in, leaned over, and unlocked Peter¡¯s door for him.

    Therese was pleased to see her seat belt worked, and it made a nice loud click as she buckled in.    Peter did drive carefully, not that he cared to, but out of respect.   He drove unusually carefully with a forgotten caution.   Therese thought his engine smelled terrible, but she enjoyed the trip.

    ¡°Would you like to come in?¡± asked Therese nervously, inviting him into her house, half out of politeness, and half out of a curiosity that caused her to feel uncomfortable.

    ¡°No sorry, I have to get to work.¡±  said Peter, and drove off, waving, somewhat grateful to be able to drive in his usual half-hazard manner.

    Erin dialed her phone quickly.   She felt a panic.  ¡°I just read your text, what is the emergency?¡± asked Erin.   She heard Therese crying into the phone.

 Metamorphosis

    ¡°Makeup? Of course, I know how to do makeup? What is the emergency? Oh no, it¡¯s a boy isn¡¯t it¡± said Erin as she paused, ¡°You like a boy, don¡¯t you? Yes, come to the shop, I have some here with me. We can practice with it.¡± offered Erin. Therese drove quickly and deliberately to the Cowffee cup.

    Erin did Therese¡¯s makeup, Vivo watched the infant, and Ben to the dismay of customers, struggled to make their drinks, he could make most of them mostly right, but he was no Erin. He rang all the drinks up as small sizes, to earn back smiles, and keep the customers happy. ¡°Erin, you sure you don¡¯t want to do this?¡± asked Ben as he made a mocha.

    ¡°You want to do her makeup?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°Do you like the band KISS?¡± said Ben to Therese. Ben would do the makeup, but it really would do her no favors with the boys.

    ¡°Go away Ben.¡± said Erin as she patted him away nicely back to the counter to make drinks.

    Therese opened up to Erin about how she was scared in class, and the boy who helped her, and how she made him a drink, and he gave her a ride home. Although her expression was mostly flat, Erin could recognize the buckets of teenage excitement in her hidden joy. ¡°That¡¯s how I got my Vivo, I made him the best coffee he ever had.¡± said Erin to Therese. When they were finished, Erin took Therese to the restroom to look in the mirror. Therese almost jumped back out of the restroom thinking someone else was in there. She stood silently, staring in the mirror, and touched her cheek to see it was really her. ¡°Thank you.¡± said Therese. Erin took Therese over to the guys, holding her hand.

    ¡°I think she looks beautiful.¡± Said Vivo, honestly, although he thought Therese looked fine before.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kick his ass if he doesn¡¯t ask you out when he sees you. Really, I will. What¡¯s his name?¡± asked Ben.

    ¡°Peter.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Oh no.¡± said Erin, connecting the dots. Everything made sense to her at once.

    ¡°Peter?¡± asked Vivo while holding the baby, and whispering ¡°Pete, Pete, Pete¡± to the little girl to make her smile.

    ¡°Pete?¡¯ laughed Ben.

    ¡°Like drives an old Firebird that burns oil and is friends with Vivo?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°Yes.¡± said Therese, confused by their response.

    ¡°He¡¯s a good kid.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°He¡¯s a great kid.¡± corrected Erin.

    ¡°I should still kick his ass.¡± added Ben, reaching into his pocket, and grabbing the phone. Ben began yelling at someone, followed by what Therese could hear, ¡°I don¡¯t care, I own half the damn store, lock the door and get over here now.¡± as Ben walked back into the coffee shop. ¡°Really, I should kick his ass.¡± said Ben.

    Peter was there fast because the Kookie Mart was on the backside of the Cowffee Cup. He came running into the front door to see Erin, Vivo and Ben glaring at him. ¡°Oh shit, what did I do now?¡± Peter asked, thinking he had failed at work. Therese carefully and slowly walked around Erin to be seen by Pete. Pete¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°You look beautiful.¡± said Peter to Therese. Peter gawked.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± said Therese in a flat smile that showed her great content. She was relieved that he thought she looked nice.

    ¡°Whoa, wait right there buddy,¡± said Ben, bringing Pate¡¯s attention back to him, ¡°you want to tell me what you are up to?¡± Ben glared at him.

    ¡°We need to talk, bro.¡± added Vivo.

    ¡°She¡¯s a good girl.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°Really, Erin will kill you too, if you are a jerk to her.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°You think you can treat her right?¡± asked Ben.

    ¡°Do you know what you are doing? We like her¡± asked Vivo.

    ¡°I¡¯m standing here.¡± muttered Therese in flat anger. She hated when people talked about her like she wasn¡¯t there.

    ¡°I think Ben is trying to tell you, you shouldn¡¯t be at work, when you have a nice young lady here to talk to you.¡± said Vivo, cutting in, and interrupting Ben, ¡°You could have asked us for the night off instead of making us look like dick bosses.¡±

    ¡°But, I didn¡¯t know she was here.¡± said Peter who was still confused by the situation. Erin was laughing, Therese was beautiful, Vivo was teasing him, and Ben was glaring at him.

    Ben started talking, but Erin shot him an eye, the shut up or die eye, that he loved teasing her to the point of giving, but a hint, was a hint. ¡°You¡¯ve already closed the store early, you might as well go hang out, but it is a school night, and I seem to have heard that someone is sleeping in class, making us look like even bigger dick bosses.¡± said Ben, throwing Vivo back into the spotlight. Vivo laughed back, they both knew they were anything but jerk bosses.

    ¡°It¡¯s a school night, no coffee, but I¡¯ll grab you some juices.¡± said Erin, as everyone sat down together.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± apologized Therese to Peter.

    ¡°Therese, don¡¯t apologize, we¡¯re just giving Peter some crap. He¡¯s not that bad, once you get to know him.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°Yeah, sometimes he¡¯s almost likable.¡± added Ben.

    ¡°I like him.¡± said Therese and Peter blushed. Ben grimaced.

    The little girl cried.

    ¡°Diaper duty, it¡¯s in your job description.¡± said Ben, handing the small child to Pete. Then Ben handed the diaper bag to Pete. The small child grabbed Peter and smiled.

    ¡°You want to help?¡± said Peter to Therese.

    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t put it in her job description, go on.¡± said Erin as she waved Peter away.

    ¡°Will I have to change diapers?¡± said Therese to her boss.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry honey, she¡¯ll be out of them before that¡¯s your problem.¡± said Erin as she reassured her. Therese was relieved, small children confused her even though she knew she was one once. ¡°So, we¡¯ll work on the makeup, but I think he likes it.¡± said Erin to Therese.

    ¡°I think he liked it a lot.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°Do I look pretty like a model in a magazine?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Of course you do, it is easy to look pretty for a picture, but you know how you stay beautiful your whole life?¡± answered Ben.

    ¡°Vitamins?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°No, you just keep being you.¡± said Ben with a friendly wink.

    ¡°I hope I am always beautiful.¡± said Therese.

    Erin then looked at Ben, who said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry sweetie, I am sure I¡¯m back to being the extra wheel around here.¡±

    Ben sighed. It was better to be alone, than with the wrong person, he thought to himself, but still, it was nice having Peter to talk to when Vivo and Erin got all lovey-dovey. Erin looked at Therese and smiled, and then looked at Vivo and smiled. She knew what love looked like.

    Peter came back with a clean little girl. She was tired and already fell asleep in his arms. Erin asked Peter to hold her, and rocked her as she worked. Erin liked holding the little girl. Erin stood up and left the Therese and Peter to themselves.

    ¡°How long have you gone to school here?¡±, I don¡¯t think I ever saw you before this year.¡± asked Therese.

    We moved here this summer.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°I have lived here my whole life. I have an excuse. I hope you didn¡¯t hurry to get here.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°We drove straight through, but I like it here. I¡¯m really glad I finally got a chance to know you.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°You could have said good morning any day you wanted, but I guess I could have too.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I guess I was shy.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°I was shy too, and worried I would say the wrong thing. I was scared to talk to you.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°And now?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid to talk to you anymore.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Well that make¡¯s one of us.¡± replied Peter.

    ¡°Why are you afraid to talk to me?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°I have made a life about saying the wrong thing, you know?¡± said Peter.

    ¡°All too well. Do you think that is why they told us to sit here and talk?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°If there is a better reason, I couldn¡¯t guess it.¡± answered Peter.

 Love Poems and Lunch Runs

    Wednesday morning Therese walked into math class and gave Peter another drink. Their teacher stood to correct her choice of behaviors, as drinks were still not allowed in class, but neither was sleeping. Then Therese handed another cup to her teacher. ¡°It was hot when I left the house.¡± she explained.

    Her teacher, Mr. Shank, drank some of the coffee. It was a damn good cup of coffee. ¡°What the hell are rules?¡± he thought. ¡°What are rules when you have a good cup of coffee. This coffee is really stimulating¡±, he thought, he wished all the kids drank it, they might pay attention.

    ¡°Thank you. Honestly, I¡¯m not sure if I should accept it, but I hope you don¡¯t want it back.¡± said Mr. shank before taking another sip of the coffee. If he had ever drunk coffee this good, Shank could not remember it.

    ¡°No. I do not want it back.¡± said Therese to her teacher while walking to her seat. Ed Shank kept his smile hidden behind his cup, Therese¡¯s literalness often made him smile but unlike others who did it at her expense, he did so out of a very deep and genuine friendship that had grown over the years.

    ¡°Pete has a new girlfriend.¡± whispered the girl next to him.

    ¡°Better than herpes on your mouth.¡± said Peter, drinking his coffee. The girl blushed and put her cold sore ointment away, the little yellow lidded jar disappearing into her purse. She threw a jealous look at Therese, who did not either notice or would understand if she did.

    Mr. Shank asked if anyone knew the answer to problem twelve. No one raised their hands, it was the hardest problem, and he knew it. ¡°Therese, can you give us your solution?¡± asked the teacher.

    Therese rose out of her chair without hesitation, she was hit with a burst of confidence she needed. As she caught up with herself, Therese wanted to sit back down. She wanted to run out the door. She took a step forward, then another step forward, then two steps, she walked to the front of the room. Therese took a marker and wrote her solution on the dry erase board. Mr. Shank smiled, and knew if he did bother her about the coffee, his best chance at a teaching award this year went with her.

    ¡°Good job.¡± Mr. Shank told Therese, the problem was perfect. Peter raised his hand for a high five as she walked by. Therese stopped, put her feet together, then slapped his hand and finally walked to her seat. The bell rang.

    ¡°Can I give you a ride home?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°I want to meet at your car, the flagpole is too noisy,¡± said Therese to him. She sounded monotone, but Peter heard a hint of excitement.

    ¡°And my car isn¡¯t?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°One loud engine is quieter than a hundred voices.¡± said Therese. Therese hated being in a crowd, she wasn¡¯t sure if it was because people stared at her or that she was simply overwhelmed by all the conversations.

    Peter smiled. He liked the loud sound his car made and said, ¡°You know, if you want, you can visit me at work tonight. I mean if you are still doing makeup lessons with Erin tonight?¡±

    ¡°Shh.¡± Therese put her finger to her lips. She was embarrassed to have anyone hear she did not know how to do her own makeup. She wished she did, she would have worn it this morning. She looked at the other girls walking down the hall. She guessed next she would have to ask Erin to go clothes shopping with her. She would ask her mother, but her mother already picked out these clothes for her.

    Therese went to her English class, they were learning about love sonnets. Therese had read some of them before, but they lacked meaning, now they all seemed to relate to Peter. Fear swept in, that she might get hurt, that he might reject her, a little voice inside told her that he would never love her. A tear pooled in the corner of Therese¡¯s eye, and she feigned trying to remove an eyelash with a tissue because she would be embarrassed if anyone saw her tear. Therese looked at the pictures in the books and read the captions, and did her best to avoid eye contact with the teacher to be spared being called on. Therese skipped ahead in her book past the love sonnets and read:

    ¡°Death, be not proud, though some have called thee

    Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;¡±

    A little voice inside Therese, told her the world would be better without her. Therese did not like that thought, she flipped forward several pages. Therese feigned removing another eyelash. Therese read:

    ¡°My heart leaps up when I behold A rainbow in the sky:

    So was it when my life began;¡±

    Therese smiled, she liked rainbows. She imagined she was in her garden with the bunnies, happiness came back into her, and the color in her cheeks improved. Therese smiled and felt a little warmer inside, but she still did her best to hide in plain sight until the bell rang.

    Therese walked into art class as she always did, but a little slower this time. She walked past the paints and grabbed acrylic inks and started brushing a radiant sun in a garden, then she took a bottle of ink and a dip pen and began drawing around the colored ink. Therese smiled, there were no painful thoughts in art class, she drew, and she smiled, losing track of time until the bell rang. Therese smiled as she put her pictures away, relieved by the hour of therapeutic drawing. She took the picture and carefully put it in her art bin, she would give it to Ben after it fully dried.

    Benjamin was surprisingly in Chemistry class on a Wednesday, which he often affectionately referred to as the middle weekend. Therese always had difficulty reading people¡¯s emotions, but she did know odd behavior, and Benjamin¡¯s presence on a Wednesday was off behavior.

    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± asked Therese softly. Benjamin, her lab partner, was sitting silently.

    ¡°My counselor talked to me, they said I might not graduate if I keep missing classes.¡± said Benjamin with a sigh. He shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°So go to class?¡± asked Therese, not wanting to state the obvious, but she found herself unable to avoid the subject.

    ¡°That¡¯s what she said.¡± said Benjamin. Therese smiled slyly.

    ¡°Not like that, I mean not like that, you know what I mean.¡± said Benjamin. Therese rolled her eyes at him and twisted her head. Benjamin found himself laughing and grinning. He loved working with Therese, she always found a good side to all his problems.

    ¡°Benjamin, let me see your notebook.¡± said Therese. Benjamin obeyed and slid his spiral notebook over to her, he always smiled and laughed when Therese insisted on calling him Benjamin. They had time, the teacher was still arguing with his computer and she could see it was unplugged, she knew she had a few minutes until he either realized it was unplugged or started using the chalkboard. Therese started drawing a picture of rabbits and a happy sun, and wrote below it, ¡°Don¡¯t give up, you have this. Always.¡± Then she turned the notebook and smiled and passed it to Benjamin.

    Benjamin choked up in a good way and smiled. Clouds and storms in Benjamin¡¯s life calmed, even for a brief moment, as the sun showed through the gloom, and even if it was just a little bit, it was enough. Benjamin smiled, and the inside of his chest felt a few pounds lighter.

    ¡°Thank you, that was just what I needed.¡± said Benjamin.

    ¡°Anytime.¡± Therese said, smiling back. She felt a little warmer inside, because helping people always made her feel better. Dr. Witee gave up on the computer and turned to the chalkboard as pens struggled to keep up. Therese thought dimensional analysis was fun but struggled to keep up. Eventually, the bell rang, and Therese rested her pen.

    ¡°How are you doing?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°I think the sun is going to come up tomorrow. I¡¯m still a little screwed up inside, but you help me a lot.¡± said Benjamin.

    ¡°Everyone is screwed up inside, it¡¯s how we fight it that counts.¡± said Therese, reflecting a quote she had learned from someone who was helping her through her own difficult time.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Hey, you want to go get lunch?¡± asked Benjamin, and then felt a little fear that Therese might say no, even though he was only asking to go as a friend.

    ¡°Will you get me back here in time for fifth hour?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°There is a first time for everything.¡± said Benjamin.

    ¡°I¡¯m holding you to your word Mr. Benjamin.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Have I ever let you down today?¡± asked Benjamin, smiling, he still thought it was cute when Therese called him Benjamin.

    Therese did not answer, it was a trick question and she was not going to give him the satisfaction, she followed Benjamin to his car, and was relieved to see it was as bad as Peter¡¯s car. She didn¡¯t know why she was relieved, but she wondered if it was because she didn¡¯t want Benjamin competing with Peter.

    ¡°The locks don¡¯t work, hop in.¡±, said Benjamin as he opened his door reached over, and popped her door. Therese climbed in and was relieved the seat belts worked. Benjamin turned his key in the ignition, and no sound occurred. Benjamin checked his dash light, a small bolted-on trailer light he had added. There was no light.

    ¡°Battery is dead. Hang on.¡± said Benjamin as he opened his door and kicked backward several times with his foot, put the car in reverse, and popped the clutch which caused the car to jump to life. Therese was relieved when the car started, but Benjamin reacted as if it was normal, and maybe it was.

    ¡°Me and her only need a few more months together, but we¡¯ll make the most. Do me a favor and lean back and roll the back window down on your side.¡± asked Benjamin of Therese, who reached back and turned the crank opening the window. Her wondering why he asked her to roll the back window down was answered as they rounded the corner and Elijah jumped through the back window and slid across the back seat.

    ¡°Thanks, Binger. I mean Benjamin.¡± said Elijah as he landed inside the car. Benjamin shook his head at the latter part of Elijah¡¯s words.

    ¡°I saw you and thought you might be hungry.¡± said Benjamin.

    ¡°Good call. Hi, Therese.¡± said Elijah, seemingly unsurprised at her presence.

    ¡°Hi.¡± said Therese, surprised someone had jumped in the back seat but not surprised it was Elijah.

    ¡°Where do you want to eat?¡± asked Benjamin to Therese.

    ¡°Wherever you guys want.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I have three dollars.¡± said Elijah.

    ¡°Me too. Taco Bell?¡± asked Benjamin.

    ¡°Taco Bell.¡± answered Everyone.

    Benjamin was less reserved in his driving than Peter, and Therese quickly discovered the grab handle located above the door. Benjamin darted in and out of traffic and viewed the traffic laws as suggestions as they quickly made their way to Taco Bell. Therese was very much so questioning reality, but the momentum forces shifting her left and right reminded her it was real. The car quickly rounded the corners and they were in the drive-thru lane before most of their friends had left the school.

    ¡°Two minutes longer than the record, but still not too bad.¡± said Elijah while checking his watch.

    ¡°How did you get here faster?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Fifth amendment.¡± answered Elijah and Benjamin at the same time. Therese shook her head at them, but was equally surprised Benjamin had not dodged answers by muttering ¡°it¡¯s complicated¡± like he usually did.

    They reached the speaker. ¡°Usual.¡± said Elijah, handing his cash to Benjamin.

    ¡°Two seven-layer burritos and a water, please.¡± said Therese handing her money to Benjamin.

    ¡°Two bean burritos, two soft taco supreme no tomatoes, two seven layer burritos and three waters please.¡± said Benjamin, to the speaker, verified his order, and pulled forward.

    ¡°Do you guys do this all the time?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°No, sometimes the old lady gets here faster.¡± said Elijah, mocking their drive time.

    ¡°You want to come with us again, you are always invited.¡± said Benjamin.

    ¡°It might be a while.¡± said Therese, still gripping the handle above her despite the car was stationary.

    They pulled forward, took their order, and Benjamin barreled the car down the road. Elijah glanced at his watch as they darted down the road. Ahead an accident blocked the road.

    ¡°Idiots.¡± said Benjamin as he avoided the accident by driving through an area of desert. ¡°Grab the drinks¡± said Benjamin to Therese, who reluctantly let go of her beloved handle to keep the drinks from spilling. The car bottomed out as they caught a small bump too fast. ¡°Good thing that¡¯s water.¡± Benjamin said. Therese was half scared, half thrilled and did not want to give either boy the satisfaction of her complaining about their speed first, so she did her best to keep from spilling the drinks. Benjamin steered the car down something that resembled a dirt road until they reached the back parking lot of the school, and he entered carefully now that they were under the watchful eye of school property.

    ¡°Still a minute short coming back.¡± said Elijah, sighing. He was disappointed because the drive felt so much faster than he calculated.

    They pulled back into their parking spot, and Benjamin parked the car. Therese relaxed, said a silent prayer of thanks. Elijah passed the food out, and Therese said a second prayer of grace. ¡°Car picnic.¡± Benjamin told her.

    ¡°Freaking glad the car is stopped picnic.¡± thought Therese to herself, but also thought their little adventure was pretty amazing. Her face was flat, but her grin was real even if it was hidden.

    ¡°I got you back in time.¡± said Benjamin, smiling and between burrito bites.

    ¡°The one time you don¡¯t let me down.¡± teased Therese.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your next class?¡± asked Benjamin.

    ¡°Mrs. Smith.¡± answered Elijah and Therese at the same time. Benjamin turned the radio on, leaving the engine running to charge the battery. Benjamin shrugged his shoulders, he had heard of the teacher and had nothing left to offer.

    ¡°Thank you for taking me to lunch with you guys.¡± said Therese, mentally checking lunch run off her dream high school bucket list. Neither boy knew how much that lunch run meant to her.

    ¡°Anytime.¡± said Benjamin as Elijah nodded in agreement.

    ¡°And I¡¯ll let you know when that time happens again.¡± said Therese politely, still grateful the car was stopped. They finished their lunch listening to the radio and headed to class as the bell rang. Therese smiled, she liked the guys, they might be misguided, but they were hers. Benjamin had veered off and disappeared but Elijah walked with Therese and opened the door for her.

    ¡°You do encourage him, you know that, right?¡± said Therese to Elijah.

    ¡°It¡¯s high school.¡± replied Elijah, unsure why he shouldn¡¯t have encouraged the skilled driving maneuvers, he smiled at Therese calling his friend Benjamin, no one else did that, but he wondered if they should.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± said Therese, shaking her head and walking through the open door.

    ¡°Shit, my math was off, I think he really did break the record. Don¡¯t tell him, a man needs goals¡± said Elijah to Therese as they sat down. Therese again shook her head at her boys¡¯ behavior. Elijah and Therese were the first students in class, but Mrs. Smith waited until other students arrived to the other side and then passed her attendance sign-in sheet to them. Elijah and Therese shrugged their shoulders at each other. At this moment, Therese was grateful for Mrs. Smith¡¯s dislike of her, because she feared if she was going to be called on to answer a question, she might burrito burp.

    The hate paid off and by the time the bell rang, Therese escaped answering questions unburped. Therese waited until the class had left except Elijah and Therese released a very loud burrito burp that smelled of sauce. Mrs. Smith rolled her eyes in disgust and Elijah gave Therese a high five. They walked out of class laughing.

    Therese was upset when she entered economics class, the teacher was a substitute and that meant either worksheets or if they were ambitious, actually learning something. Therese was relieved to find out it was a worksheet substitute. She took the worksheets that were passed out and started filling in the blanks. Therese fought the urge to doodle herself, Benjamin and Elijah jumping cars all over the worksheet, then she gave in and doodled until the bell rang.

    As school ended, Therese walked to Peter¡¯s car, and met him there, he had hurried to be there for her. ¡°Hi.¡± said Peter with his boyish grin.

    ¡°Hi. I want to have lunch together tomorrow.¡± said Therese to Peter.

    ¡°I¡¯d like that a lot.¡± said Peter with a big grin, as he opened Therese¡¯s car door open for her. Therese climbed into the car and unlocked Peter¡¯s door for him. ¡°Still a keeper.¡± said Peter to himself.

    ¡°Do you work tonight?¡± asked Therese.

    No, I¡¯m off.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to study then. I need you to pick me up on the way to school tomorrow. I don¡¯t want to walk in the rain. If that is okay?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Yes, Yes I can.¡± said Peter, his heart racing at the thought of seeing Therese early in the morning, and spending a little extra time with him. Peter drove carefully for Therese not knowing there was not much he could do to shake up having ridden a lunch run through the desert with Benjamin and Elijah.

    Peter dropped Therese off at home, and she thanked him, hurrying inside to finish her homework before one of her parents got home so she could borrow their car. Therese stopped at the door, and looked back, Peter was watching her from her car to make sure she entered her home safely. Therese grinned with her flat grin and waved. Peter waived back and then drove away, watching her in the rearview mirror so intently his car bumped a garbage can on the street and he didn¡¯t notice. Therese smiled a little bigger and laughed.

    When Therese¡¯s mother came home, Therese quickly borrowed the car and drove to the Cowffee Cup. Erin smiled when Therese entered the door, she finished helping a customer and then grinned at Therese. ¡°Makeup time?¡± Erin asked.

    ¡°Yes, please!¡± said Therese, holding up her makeup bag. Erin had given her several different items of makeup after she decided what colors looked best on Therese who was grateful. Although she hoped one day to pick out her own makeup, Therese deferred to Erin¡¯s expertise on the subject.

    ¡°Get over here, we''re doing makeup.¡± said Erin into the phone after she called Ben, who came over, and minded the counter as Erin and Therese went into Erin¡¯s office which was used as a small storage room for papers Erin thought might be important. Ben had sat anxiously waiting for Erin to call him to help, but did his best to hide it when he arrived.

    ¡°All right, first I want you to do what I showed you, I think you have this.¡± said Erin. Therese carefully and deliberately applied the makeup as Erin had taught her. Therese still stared in disbelief at the little mirror, unwilling to believe it was really her she was staring at.

    ¡°You look great. Go show Ben.¡± said Erin. Therese reluctantly got up and walked out to show Ben.

    ¡°You¡¯re still beautiful, kid.¡± said Ben. Therese grinned her big flat grin boldly.

    ¡°You think so?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Are you still kind?¡± asked Ben.

    ¡°Always.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Kind people are always beautiful.¡± said Ben. Therese continued to grin boldly.

 Friday Morning

    It was a long week until Friday, but daily makeup lessons with Erin gave Therese the confidence to put it on before school.    Peter picked Therese up on his way to school. He loved his first glimpse of Therese in the morning, even tired she looked beautiful.   Her parents waived them off, glad he had a seat belt in the front of his car, and it was on her side.   Therese liked it when she thought of the passenger seat as ¡°her side¡±.

    The coffee was still hot when they arrived at class.    Therese handed a cup to Mr. Shank.  He was impressed, it was hot.  He handed Therese three dollars for the coffee.  He figured it was better to break the rules buying the coffee than to drink it for free.    He took another sip, amazed that it could be any better hot, and it was.   His eyes opened with the coffee and flicked further open when he saw Therese standing there with her makeup on, and hair done.    ¡°Thank you for the coffee,¡± Mr. Shank said, pausing, then carefully adding in a fatherly way, ¡°you¡¯re dressed up nice.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±  said Therese, with a flat tone that could be recognized as blushing, pleased and happy to those who knew her.   The other boys were less tactful in their glances and at least one was slapped by his girlfriend for staring.

    The girl next to Peter shot a jealous eye bolt at Therese.  Peter took a sip of his coffee.    ¡°Yah, coffee is way better than herpes.¡± said Peter to the other girl.  She glared at him and put her yellow capped ointment away.

    ¡°What makes her so special?¡±  asked Herpes girl.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know she¡¯s beautiful.¡± said Peter .    There¡¯s genuineness and naivety to her own beauty amplified it to Peter and now the other guys who had only mocked her before.

    Later that day, Erin texted Therese ¡°Cant wait til you get here.  Buck came early and fixed the sink.¡±

    Therese replied ¡°Does that make him useful?¡±

    Erin texted back ¡°No.  He traded for a cup of coffee.  It makes him resourceful.  He put tools in a wagon walked here and home.¡±  Mr. Shank shot a look and shook his head, then Therese out her phone away.   He wasn¡¯t going to bother making it an issue, but he had always held her to the same standard as the other students, even if she was his favorite.  Except for the coffee, but if it works it isn¡¯t stupid, he thought.   Therese blushed, she didn¡¯t mean to text in class, she was just excited.

    The bell rang, and Therese was sad, because she would not see Peter until lunch.  She very much liked her time with him.  Therese gathered her bag, and smiled when Peter lifted it for her and handed it to her.  She liked that he would take any opportunity to help her.    She looked in his eyes, and diverted her eyes, unsure if she had caught a glimpse of her own future or not.  She looked back, and he was still there.   ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long morning, see you at lunch, by the big tree?¡±  asked Peter.

    ¡°Yes, I will meet you there.¡± said Therese, realizing she just caused her morning to drag out further.  She and Peter separated at the door and went in different directions.  Therese was walking through the hall to cut through the main building and saw her friend struggling with her lock.   Therese walked over, she liked Tiffanie, she was determined and worked hard to be in all her classes.  Tiffanie had Down Syndrome, but she called it exercise and not a limit.

    ¡°It won¡¯t open.¡± said Tiffanie She was becoming frustrated, and as she became frustrated, and then she became reckless in her efforts to open the lock.   Therese saw Elijah darting through the hall to their next class, that meant the late bell was about to ring, and the remaining students would have to go to study hall.

    ¡°Elijah, I need you to open this locker.¡±  called Therese after her friend.  To the world, it sounded like a barked order, but Elijah knew it was a worried request from his friend.

    Elijah, in a full sprint turned around, bumped the bottom of the lock and spun it in a random way, spun it a few times and jerked it open, just as the bell rang.   Elijah darted, and jumped over a garbage can, knocking it, stopped to put it upright, and bolted to class just before the final bell rang.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can pull that off.¡±  said Therese.

    ¡°How did you know he could do that, is it because he looks like a car thief?¡±  asked Tiffanie.

    ¡°If I had a car to lock my keys in, he¡¯d be the first person I would ask.¡±  said Therese.

    ¡°I have occupational therapy.   Do you have to go to study hall?¡±  asked Tiffanie.

    ¡°Yep.  I always wondered what it would be like.¡±  said Therese.

    ¡°I could ask Douglas to get you a pass.¡±  suggested Tiffanie.

    ¡°No, I want to try this.  See you later.¡±  said Therese.

    ¡°Thank you, Therese, you are my hero.¡±  said Tiffanie, as Therese walked away.   Therese thought she must have misheard Tiffanie.

    Therese walked to the late building.  This was her third year at the school, and she had never been sent to the late room.   Therese walked up to the door and opened it slowly.  She looked inside and saw her economics teacher, Coach T sitting at a table, she walked in and walked up to him.

    Coach T stood up, and greeted her, ¡°Hi Therese, how can I help you?¡±  asked Coach T, who was an old powerhouse who was forced to live football in a headset to keep himself close to the grass.   He missed the crunches and the impacts following the snaps, but the longer he taught the more he enjoyed it and did his best to diversify the learning in his classroom.

    ¡°I¡¯m late.  I have never done this before.¡±  Therese told the sweep room teacher.   Her knees shook and betrayed the calm flatness of her face.

    Coach T stuck his finger in his ear to check his hearing.  ¡°Who¡¯s going to be late?¡±  he asked Therese.

    ¡°I am late.¡±  said Therese.

    ¡°Late for what?  I can help you find it.¡± said Coach T as he offered to help.  He could not understand why Therese was in the room filled with students who for the most part caused their own lateness to avoid the next class for reasons as varied as they were.

    ¡°No, I mean I am late for class.¡±  said Therese.  The other students giggled.

    ¡°Hey quit giggling and look forward, you all know the rules.¡±  Coach T told the students, who obeyed and went back to sitting silently.  ¡°You mean you are late for class, so you got sent here?  I¡¯m sure it was an accident, I can get you to class, what happened?¡±  offered Coach T.  He liked Therese, she did good on the tests and sat the football players next to her so her test answers would rub off on them.   The Coach liked that Therese paid attention to everything he taught, even when he was out of better material and forced to teach economics.

    ¡°I helped a girl I know open her locker.  She was frustrated, and I didn¡¯t want to leave her alone.¡±  said Therese.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a good reason to be late.  I got this kid in one of my classes, Elijah, you should ask him, he looks like a car thief.¡± offered Coach T.

    ¡°He is who finally opened it, but he is faster and made it to class.¡±  said Therese.

    ¡°Well do you want to be here, or do you want to go to class?¡±  asked Coach T.

    ¡°I just want equality.¡±  said Therese.

    ¡°Justice and equality are two separate words.   Where is the justice in keeping you here?  Let¡¯s get you to class.¡±  said Coach T, walking her to the door.   Therese shrugged her shoulders, she just failed late for class detention.  Coach T walked with her to her English class and opened the door.   ¡°I¡¯m sorry I got her here late, she was helping me with my taxes.¡±  Coach T said, waving goodbye to Ms. Offley.  Therese silently walked to her seat.    She wished she did better at detention, then the class would not be staring at her right now.

    Therese sat in her seat.   Ms. Offley continued to teach uninterrupted, but she made a mental note to ask Therese to help her with her taxes.  If the economics teacher used her, Ms. Offley thought she must be good.   Elijah gave Therese a wink, and Therese did her best to hide her grin, which was mostly flat and unnoticed.  Therese joined the class and did her best to focus, but kept thinking about Peter.

    The bell rang, and Elijah walked over to Therese.    ¡°That was pretty awesome of you.¡±   said Elijah to Therese.

    ¡°That was hero stuff on your part.   Tiffanie gets frustrated easily, but she is awesome.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Did you get kicked out of study hall, and sent to class?¡± asked Elijah.

    ¡°Yeah, I suck.¡±  Therese told him.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t abandon your friend, and you got kicked out of study hall.   I think that is some cool hero stuff too.¡±  said Elijah, as he waved goodbye and went to look for mischief to engage in before his next class started.  Therese lifted her head up a little higher than normal, thinking good about herself.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Therese walked to art class.     She sat in the back, in her usual spot.   She kept to herself as she usually did.    Instead of grabbing some paints, she just started doodling in her notebook.   She drew a picture of Peter.   Mr. Monty came up by her and she shut the notebook, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll paint.¡±  said  Therese.

    ¡°You can draw, some of the best drawings I ever did were in a notebook, I¡¯m sorry I interrupted you.¡±  said Rem Monty as he excused himself and went back up to the front of the room.   Therese grinned and continued drawing pictures of Peter until the bell rang.

    Therese walked quickly to her chemistry class, she did not want to push her luck with detention for being late again.   She navigated the halls as quickly as she carefully could.  As she became anxious, her senses narrowed in perspective and she felt nervous.   Therese stopped off to the side, took three deep breaths, and then resumed a purposeful gait.   Therese was glad when she entered the chemistry room.  The students sat at small tables with little sinks and gas valves at each table.

    They were paired up in twos, and Therese sat by herself not because she didn¡¯t have a lab partner, but because her lab partner viewed going to school as a suggestion.   Therese was careful in her notes, she would give a copy to her partner when he would show up again, but she was unsure if he even reviewed them.   He was a no-show.

    Finally, lunch came and Therese walked as quickly as she could to meet Peter.  He was already napping under the tree, never one to miss the opportunity for rest.   ¡°Hi, Peter.¡±  said Therese, causing the boy to jerk alert.      Peter stood up quickly, and between standing up quickly and looking at Therese he felt lightheaded and almost fell backwards.

    ¡°I was going to grab a slice of pizza, do you want anything?¡± asked  Peter as he hoped he could buy something for Therese to show he liked her.

    Therese held up her lunch box and said  ¡°Mom made a sandwich.¡±

    ¡°Nice, are you cool if I go grab a slice?¡±    asked Peter.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±  said Therese, not wanting to give a separation to their being together.

    ¡°Thank you for the coffee this morning, I needed that more than I ever knew.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice when you are awake, even if you look cute when you are asleep.¡±  said Therese, then fearing she was too forward.

    ¡°Mr. Shank never says cute.¡±   Peter sighted.

    ¡°Peter, if you fall asleep in my class one more time, you are going to wake up in detention.¡± said Therese, in her best impersonation of Mr. Shank.

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty good.¡±  said Peter as he laughed.    Therese¡¯s monotone voice had done a decent impression of their math teacher.

    ¡°He¡¯s actually my favorite teacher.   I would not be here without him.¡±  said Therese.   Peter missed her meaning.

    They arrived at the pizza stand and when they reached their turn to pat, Peter felt around until he realized he forgot his wallet and began digging in his backpack for change.    Therese pulled a few dollars from her pocket and paid, took the pizza and held it for Peter who finally realized what she had done.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t want to ask you for help.¡±  said Peter.

    ¡°Friends don¡¯t eat in front of friends who are hungry.¡± said Therese, handing him the pizza as they walked.

    ¡°Freaking friend zone already.¡±  Peter muttered to himself, as they walked away.   ¡°Where do you want to eat?¡±  He asked Therese.

    ¡°Friend zone¡¯s over there if you are looking.  I am going to go find some sunshine outside, if you want to join me.¡±   said Therese, unsure where that statement came from, and how it entered her mouth.

    ¡°I think it is a nice day outside.¡±  said Peter, following Therese, he liked the way his odds were turning.   They sat against a wall outside in the sun, the weather was still cold.   Therese pulled out her Space-Girl Michelle lunchbox and grabbed her sandwich.   She put the sandwich back in, prayed, and took the sandwich out.

    ¡°When I am too old for juice boxes, just shoot me.¡±  said Therese, sticking the little plastic straw point through the foil on the juice box. Therese was used to eating lunch alone, and Peter was welcome company.    Therese realized Peter had forgotten a drink and passed him her second juice box.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t had one of these since elementary school.¡±  said Peter, looking at the juice box.

    ¡°Did you quit because you don¡¯t like them, or because everyone quit drinking them?¡±  asked Therese.  Peter answered by sticking his straw in the box and drinking the juice.   He looked at Therese, she looked perfect to him, the afternoon light made her glow, as she sat there with her serious look enjoying her sandwich and her juice box.   He like that she was true to herself.  A cold breeze blew her hair in her face, this just made her prettier to him.  She casually pushed her hair away and took another bite from her sandwich.

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±  asked  Peter.

    ¡°History class next hour.¡±  said Therese in her flat monotone voice.

    ¡°You like it that much?¡±  asked Peter.

    ¡°I like history, the teacher hates me, it is mutual.¡±  said Therese, still looking forward and taking another bite from her sandwich.  She chewed very carefully and deliberately.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you switch classes then?¡±  asked Peter.

    ¡°I won¡¯t give her the satisfaction.  And I built my whole schedule around our math class.¡±  said Therese.

    ¡°You like Algebra-two that much?¡±  asked Peter, surprised she would suffer a bad history teacher.

    ¡°I like Mr. Shank.  I would suffer three Mrs. Smith¡¯s to be in his class.¡±  said Therese.

    ¡°Mr. Shank?  He is always on my case.¡±  said Peter grudgingly towards Mr. Shank, somewhat because Peter just discovered he shared Therese¡¯s affection.

    ¡°He likes you when you drink coffee.¡±  Therese told Peter.   Peter grinned, this was true.

    ¡°You¡¯re real smart, why aren¡¯t you in a more advanced class?¡±  asked Peter.    Therese paused to answer, and Peter frowned, realizing he had asked a sensitive question.

    Therese shot a look out her eye at Peter, and said. ¡°Maybe this isn¡¯t as good as other people can do, but it is as good as I can do, and I¡¯m okay with that.¡±  said Therese, finishing her sandwich.  Peter frowned, thinking he had offended Therese, who looked at him while she chewed.

    ¡°Sorry.¡±  said Peter, putting his head down.

    ¡°Sorry for saying you think I¡¯m smart?¡±  asked Therese.

    Peter looked up and smiled.   ¡°I do think you are smart.¡±  said  Peter, grinning.

    ¡°You are smart, but you don¡¯t try.  When you are ready. I will help you.¡±  Therese told him.  The bell rang, and they gathered their stuff.   ¡°I want you to, I mean, may I please have a ride home after school?¡±  Therese asked Peter.

    ¡°It will be my pleasure.¡±  said Peter, standing first and extending his hand to Therese, who took it and smiled as he pulled her up.  Therese liked that Peter had strong arms. They said goodbye to each other and walked to the next class.  Therese loved the subject and despised the teacher, but she needed the credit to graduate.

    Therese walked into history class and set next to Elijah.  She was always surprised at his presence, because this was the only class he was early to.  Therese had asked him once why he was always early to history, Elijah told her he was probably meant to be wherever he is, even when he is lost, to which Therese shrugged her shoulders.   Truthfully Elijah hated being early only slightly less than he hated Mrs. Smith¡¯s attitude towards Therese, and therefore suffered timeliness out of friendship.

    Mrs. Smith hurried and gave the sign-in sheet to Elijah before Therese sat down, even though Therese who was made to sit up front by the teacher¡¯s desk should have received it first.   Elijah looked at Mrs. Smith, took the sign-in sheet and handed it to Therese without breaking eye contact with Mrs. Smith, who turned and pretended to be busy on the other side of the room.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t stand up for me like that, she¡¯s just trying to get a rise out of me.¡±   said Therese to Elijah.

    ¡°That¡¯s a heck of a thing to say to your friend.¡±  said Elijah.

    ¡°You are just trying to get a rise out of me too.¡±  said Therese.

    ¡°That is because you are cute when you are angry.¡±  said Elijah.  Therese growled at him, she hated her father said the same thing, but her response only caused Elijah to smile bigger.

    The class started, and Mrs. Smith asked, ¡°Who can summarize the war of 1812?¡±

    Elijah shot his hand up, no one else raised their hands.  Half of them didn¡¯t know the answer, the other half wanted to hear Elijah¡¯s answer.   Reluctantly, Mrs. Smith had to call on him.

    ¡°The British pissed off America and, the United States Marine Corps kicked their butts.¡±  said  Elijah.

    ¡°And just the Marine Corps beat the British?  How do you suppose they did that?  Anyone else?¡±  Mrs. Smith asked snootily.    Therese raised her hand, and again no one else volunteered.    Mrs. Smith reluctantly called upon Therese.

    ¡°They fired their guns and the British kept a-comin, There wasn''t nigh as many as there was a while ago.¡±  sang Therese.  Elijah offered a high five, which Therese gladly accepted.

    ¡°Both of you, pack your bags and sit outside the door.¡± snarled Mrs. Smith.

    Therese did her best to not shed tears of humiliation.  Elijah tossed his hat, jumped over the desk and did a bow to divert everyone¡¯s attention from Therese, then held the door open for her.  They walked outside and sat on the concrete next to the building.

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡±  said Therese. She was remorseful for her behavior, the last thing she wanted to do was get in trouble at school again, but she had been caught up in the moment.

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t, you¡¯d spend your whole life regretting not doing it.   And what, for it you spend a beautiful afternoon outside.¡±  said Elijah, settling down and looking at the sky.   He liked the clouds.

    ¡°No, really, I shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡±  said Therese, putting her head between her knees and crying softly.

    ¡°Everyone hates you.¡±  Said a little voice in Therese¡¯s head.

    The security officer came by and stopped when she saw Elijah and Therese sitting outside the building.   ¡°Up for a little run, I¡¯ll give you a head start?¡±   said the officer to Elijah.

    ¡°I can¡¯t, I caused something.¡±  said Elijah.  The officer looked at Therese and walked over by her.   The officer sighed, she knew Therese and had always thought her a good kid, just like all the others.

    ¡°Rough day, Therese, I saw you get kicked out of study hall, and now you got kicked out of class.¡±  The officer told Therese, who nodded her head while sobbing.   The officer liked the kids, she didn¡¯t like Mrs. Smith because she didn¡¯t like the kids.   ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just part of growing up, I have seen every kid out here one time or another.   I need to go walk the school.  See you guys around.¡± said the officer, then she added a goodbye and left.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±  said Elijah to Therese.

    ¡°No you are right, I would have regretted just sitting there.¡±  said Therese.  They sat together in silence until the bell rang.    Therese was relieved when the bell rang and hurried to economics class.  She didn¡¯t want anyone in history class to see her.

    Therese was glad to see Coach T, and wondered if he would be teaching or derailed by one of his thoughts where last week he was convinced SONY stood for Standard Oil of New York.    Therese found his unusual explanations entertaining but also wished he would at least put them on the test instead of just putting the stuff he was supposed to teach.   Therese sat in the middle of several football players, their large stature and her small frame made the osmosis of her test answers effective.   Someone asked about the history of Twinkies, Therese was relieved all bets on learning were off.

    When the bell rang, the students knew less about economics than when they walked into class, and had been instructed in a bizarre almost random history of snack food.   Therese really wished that would be on the test, it was fun, but she was glad to be leaving.

    Therese arrived to Peter¡¯s car first, before he did, so she stood there and waited.  She looked radiant to him, the sun shown on her, the breeze blew her hair, and she stood next to his car.  Peter ran to meet her, he was grinning.   ¡°How was your day?¡±  Peter asked Therese.

    ¡°No regrets.¡±  She answered and smiled coolly, climbing in the car and excited to leave with Peter.

 Friday Night

    Therese¡¯s parents had agreed to water the garden on Friday, because Peter said he would give her a ride to work and home.   Her parents were worried, but Therese promised them that her boss knew Peter and he was safe.   Her dad wanted to tell her no boys are safe, but her mother held him back.  They were still in shock she wore makeup.   Therese used to be startled by her mother putting on her own makeup and would run and hide, and her father worried she was growing up too fast.

    Erin was glad when Therese arrived, she needed to take a break.  It had been a long day, and she was tired.     ¡°If you need me yell.¡± Erin told her as she went and sat in a corner couch and put her feet up.   Erin stretched out and sighed relief.  Hiring Therese was one of the best ideas she had since opening the store.   Vivo came over, now that Peter had arrived to help Ben with the store and sat next to her.   Ben followed next, thinking it funny that he left Peter to do all the work.  ¡°I left Peter to do all the work.¡± giggled Ben.

    ¡°Should one of us be over there?¡± asked Vivo.

    ¡°Probably.¡± said Ben, sitting down on another couch by them, and putting his feet up.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you guys even worry about your business?¡±  asked Erin.

    ¡°I love it, I don¡¯t worry about it.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°We have insurance.¡± Ben told Erin, stretching out on the couch.   ¡°And Peter too.¡±

    Later that night, Erin was tired, she didn¡¯t want to go back to work   Ben and Vivo were feeling lazy and did not want to go back to work.  They had Therese and Peter do the work, and they enjoyed them doing it.

    ¡°Tell me again, how you guys met.¡± Erin asked Vivo and Ben, as she always enjoyed a good story.

    Ben began: ¡°Once upon a Vivo, there were two kids. A younger son named Hank, and no, it was not short for Henry, or even long for Bob, his name was just ¡°Hank¡±, and another named something, or maybe that he was a kid he met, he wasn¡¯t sure.  Hank was named after a goldfish his father once owned, because he thought it sounded American.   Alone, at the edge of the city, Hank watched the sky every night for aliens.¡±

    ¡°Aliens?¡±  asked Erin, twisting her face.

    ¡°I have to add some Sci-Fi, so Vivo enjoys the story of his life.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°You can¡¯t have Space-Girl Michelle without spaceships.¡± defended Vivo.  Erin was unsure what he meant, but she couldn¡¯t argue it either.

    Ben continued, ¡°So Hank¡¯s father is a war hero with enough steel in him to stick magnets on his forehead, and while there was not always steel in his head, but his name had always been John since he changed it and he moved his family out to the middle of a great desert where one day, yards away, a bunny would be born.¡±  Therese looked over, she was listening as she worked.   Ben smiled, he liked the kid and added the bunny for her.

    Vivo interrupted, ¡°It was a different time in those days, people liked looking at the stars, you didn¡¯t need to live near high-speed internet.¡±

    Ben shook his head, and continued, ¡°Hank and family knew they lived amongst a great nothing.  The fact they had no neighbors furthered this belief.  Hank adored his stepmother Wilsomeone, who had just turned eighteen.  Hank and his dad would also watch the city lights on the horizon, and understood that somehow, the red lights were related to their father meeting Willa their step mother.¡±

    ¡°Prostitutes are people too.¡±  said Vivo, reminiscing of his mother in the story.

    ¡°When did you meet?¡± asked Erin

    ¡°I¡¯m getting there, have Vivo tell the story if you want to know faster.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°No way, life is way more interesting when someone else narrates it for you, like on TV.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°Okay then,¡± Ben continued, ¡°  A coyote lived near there, but he had no name, because coyote¡¯s are wild animals, and people do not usually name them.  The coyote was left with the name he bunnies gave him, That Bastard Who Ate Cousin Jimmy.  The coyote is of absolutely no significance other than the fact he was hit by a car near Hank¡¯s home.  Hank ran out to gather fresh meat.¡±

    ¡°This is why Ben covers the Cowffee Cup and not you, baby.¡± Erin told Vivo.

    Ben continued the story, laughing at the last comment by Erin, but continued the story, ¡°This was highly unusual, as it was very uncommon for people to drive anywhere near Hank¡¯s house.  It was also the day the cute little bunny took his first step, which is of no significance to this story but is still more interesting than graduation speeches.¡±

    Therese smiled again as she listened to the story while she worked.    She was enjoying listening to Ben talk.

    ¡°So, the coyote was hit, and Hank ran outside to the wreck with his stepmother who held her dress up so the weeds did not tear it.  The old lady driving the car was fine until she stepped out and saw Hank running out with a knife to field dress the coyote.  The woman then fainted and fell to her death off the side of a cliff.  Hank was checking the coyote to see if enough meat was left for breakfast when his stepmother began crying because she tore her favorite and only dress.

    Hank then did what a son had to do, and took the car to the city to buy a new dress for his stepmother to wear.  Unfortunately, Hank had no idea of where home was, and they had no phone.  Hank never went home again.¡± finished Ben.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t know, or didn¡¯t want to go back?¡± asked Vivo.

    ¡°You tell me, it¡¯s your story.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°Yes, but you are the narrator.  Did Kevin ever interrupt the guy reading the Wonder Years narration?¡± asked Vivo.

    ¡°It was Kevin Arnold, doing the narration.¡±  Ben argued.

    ¡°Maybe you are the old me.¡± countered Vivo.

    ¡°Or the sexy you.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°Or the narrator, Vivo, let¡¯s get this story going, I want to hear it again.¡± said Erin.

    Ben continued, ¡°In short Hank became a Harvard lawyer. ¡°

    ¡°That isn¡¯t the story, that is the prequel.  You didn¡¯t even get to how you guys met. The first part of the story doesn¡¯t even make sense.¡±  complained Erin, frustrated again at hearing a wild tail from Ben.

    ¡°And as my lawyer, Vivo advised me to never talk about that.¡± stated Ben.

    Vivo continued the story.  ¡°Ben was accused of something, he may or may not have done.   I won his case.  We became good friends, but I definitely never went to Harvard, forget that. ¡°

    Ben continued, ¡°So he got me clear of this stuff.  And we had both went on in our careers, and they sucked.    We made money, but it was always chasing this or that, and one day, when we were out late, we stopped at this convenience store.  The guy working it was so happy, he liked just selling stuff, drinking soda and energy drinks and talking to people.   So Vivo over here says let¡¯s buy a convenience store.¡±

    ¡°Why are you called Vivo?¡± Asked Therese who had sat down with them, she couldn¡¯t just listen as she worked anymore.  There were no customers waiting, but the cleaning was put on hold.  Erin smiled as she sat down and scooted over, showing Therese it was okay for her to take a break.

    ¡°It¡¯s something Ben came up with, he accused me of eating all the caffeine pills.  It was just energy drinks I promise, mixed with a lot of sugar.¡± Vivo said.

    ¡°And it stuck.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°So we bought this store,¡± Vivo said, ¡°and it turned out there was a coffee shop attached to it, run by a beautiful princess, and she seduced me with coffee.¡±

    ¡°I hope it was more than just the coffee.¡± Erin told him.

    ¡°The muffins are good too.¡± Ben added.

    ¡°I like the part about the bunny.¡± Therese said, asking ¡°Are you teasing me?  Did Vivo eat a coyote?¡±

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    Vivo pulled out a drivers license that said Hank on it.  ¡°Sometimes a story is just a story, but a princess is always a princess, and we did buy store next to one.¡±

    Erin smiled, rocking the sleeping infant.  ¡°And she is a little princess, and you are a princess too.¡± Erin told Therese.  Therese smiled a big last smile.   Therese was not sure how much they were elaborating the story, but everyone had been nice to her, and she liked the story.

    ¡°How did you open the Cowffee cup?¡± Therese asked Erin.

    ¡°Oh, now that¡¯s a true story.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°The better story actually, much better than Vivo growing up in a desert.¡± added Ben.

    Erin started her story ¡°My dad had bought this store.  It was empty, and he thought it might be a good investment one day.  It wasn¡¯t, it sat empty, so I talked him into letting me try a coffee shop.    I just always liked coffee,  I started small, literally just a coffee pot and muffins I baked in the oven.  It was slow at first, but I had sunk everything I had into couches from a thrift store, the oven and the coffee pot.   I could go for hours without a customer, and if my dad didn¡¯t let me have the space for free, I don¡¯t think I would have made it. You know who did come every morning?¡±

    ¡°Buck?¡±  guessed Therese.

    ¡°Every day,¡± Erin went on, ¡°every day, I have ever been open he has been the first customer every day for years.  Two dollars every day, he would come in, buy his coffee and leave.  Every morning at nine he would be outside waiting for me to open, so I started just letting him in.

    A couple years later, these guys buy the store behind me, they call it the Kookie Mart.   The whole time I¡¯m thinking there goes my two dollars from Buck, but no, these guys can¡¯t brew a cup of instant coffee and they sell it in Styrofoam.¡±

    ¡°True story.¡± said Vivo.

    Erin continued. ¡°Well, they do two good things, they sell the best cookies in town and they bug me all the time.   I¡¯m not sure how they were able to find the time, but they were always over here bugging me, and at least now I was selling three cups of coffee every morning.¡±

    ¡°It was easy, we left a jar on the counter with a pile of change.¡± said Ben.

    Erin went on ¡°they really did, people must have thought it an experiment, but they left the change on the counter and a pay jar.  So they were always over here bugging me.   Finally, Vivo won, and I went out with him.   Then, I went out with him again.   A year later both our stores are busy, and we were still together, and then another year, and well, here we are today.¡±

    ¡°When did Peter start working for you?¡± Therese asked, betraying her own guarded feelings.

    ¡°He works?¡± asked Ben.

    ¡°Well, eventually someone stole the change jar, and we figured Peter would be harder to steal, so we hired him so we could still be over here bothering Erin.¡±  explained Vivo.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you bother her.¡± said Therese.   Vivo grinned sheepishly.

    ¡°You know you love them when they bother you when they are here, and they bother you when they are not here.   Why don¡¯t you ask these guys about philosophy, they¡¯ll enlighten you until I come back.¡± said Erin, getting up a heading out the back door, ¡°I need some chips.¡± she said as she walked out the back door.

    ¡°Please enlighten me with Philosophy.¡± Therese asked the guys sitting across from her.  Ben was sitting with his feet up, and Vivo was holding the little girl as she slept.  Therese liked the baby better when she was sleeping, she was quiet like a bunny.

    Ben answered her request, ¡°Philosophy is a lot like theory, but it pays less.  You need a philosophy, because you need a theory, without a philosophy, you are just reacting to life.  With philosophy, you are reacting, but you got a theory why, and at least something you can talk about when people ask you why you do the things you did, and why some days.¡±  Therese listened intently, realizing she was void of philosophy in her life, and thought maybe this was why she never had anything to talk about around people, but when Ben finished she was a little confused so she went and washed dishes.

    Erin entered the star through the back door, the door that ran from the back of the Cowffee Cup to the back of the Kookie Mart.  Erin cut it through the wall one day when she was tired of walking around the buildings to visit Vivo.  Ben had framed a door and installed it in an unusual moment of usefulness.   He had done a great job with the door, and it swung smooth and level.   This was why Erin had chosen Vivo.  Ben was useful and chose not to be, Vivo was often useless and tried to help.   That and Ben reminded her of her brother, which had friend-listed him before she ever met him.  Also ,Ben had sex with Erin¡¯s sister and that made him a forever never going to happen.

    Peter was alone in the store, and stocking shelves, which was good or it might never get done.   He looked up at Erin, she might scold him, she might mother him, she might be like a big sister, but she always cared about him.   ¡°Hi Erin.¡± said Peter with a genuine smile.  Peter loved Erin, and she was the only person he had to give him motherly or as she preferred he call it, big sister advice.

    ¡°Do you want to tell me what your plans are with Therese?¡± asked  Erin, never one to casually approach a subject.

    ¡°Plans?¡± Peter asked.  He had been thinking about stocking the shelf, and had been caught off guard.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to be raising any more little girls, and I don¡¯t think she needs to either right now.¡±  Erin told him.

    ¡°Shit.¡± said Peter, catching himself, ¡°Shit.¡± he said again suddenly developing an awareness of his own situation.   I don¡¯t have any plans.  She was nice to me and I was nice back.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve never been a good liar to me.¡± Erin told him, leaning forward to pressure him for the truth.

    ¡°Okay, since the first time I saw her, I just wanted to be near her, there is just something about her that draws me to her.¡±  Peter told her.  ¡°I get butterflies.¡±

    ¡°She likes you, a lot, but I hope you think she is more than pretty¡± Erin said, stressing the ¡°a lot¡±.

    ¡°What? she barely talks to me.¡± said Peter as he defended himself.

    ¡°Her feelings are real, and they are big, even if they are hidden.¡± Erin told him.  She hated when boys were dense.   Vivo was a lead sack when she wanted affection, often missing her cues.

    ¡°Is this why Ben has been talking about killing me?¡±  Peter asked.

    ¡°Pretty much.  Don¡¯t worry, he needs you or there will be no one to watch the store.   He just doesn¡¯t want you to hurt her, or to get hurt.¡±  Erin told him.

    ¡°I liked her, because I thought she wasn¡¯t all emotional.  She isn¡¯t stupid, a lot of people say stuff, I just thought she was mature. Oh God, what have I done?¡±  said Peter.

    Erin asked ¡°Is that Oh God, because she likes you, or because you really actually like her?¡±

    ¡°I just.¡± Peter froze.

    ¡°Just what?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°I just think she¡¯s cool.¡± Peter tried to explain.   ¡°She doesn¡¯t pretend, she just speaks what she thinks, and yeah, the makeup you did for her, wow.¡±

    ¡°There aren¡¯t always going to be people who care about you, especially girls.¡±  said Erin, then she selected a bag of chips and walked out.

    ¡°You can say that again.¡± said Peter to himself, as he returned to stocking the shelves.

    When Erin came back into the Cowffee Cup, Therese was drying a glass measuring cup she had washed, having just made an order.   Erin liked how focused she was on her work, she appreciated her genuine honesty.  Erin hoped Peter was patient and didn¡¯t blow it.  ¡°He likes you.¡± whispered  Erin to Therese as she walked past.   Therese dropped the glass measuring cup on the floor.  It shattered.  She didn¡¯t look down, Therese still stared forward as she processed Peter liking her.

    ¡°Hell yeah, I told you we weren¡¯t done breaking glasses.¡± said Erin as she walked over and sat back down with the guys.  ¡°Hey Ben, I stole these chips.¡±  Erin said, sitting down.

    ¡°Tell me after I finish your blueberry muffin.¡± said Ben, eating a muffin he poached from the counter.   Erin hoped Vivo would propose soon, they were already sharing everything.  Erin wanted the ring on her finger, because she wanted Vivo in her life forever, and she felt it would make it more solid than it was.

    Therese was sweeping up the broken glass, carefully, mindfully and with a big grin in the corner of her mouth.    She swept, she cleaned, she wasn¡¯t even bothered by the sound of the broken glass or the mess.    Therese hoped Erin wouldn¡¯t be mad at the broken glass, but her response indicated she probably wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°Store¡¯s closed and stocked.¡± said Peter, entering the Cowfee Cup.  Peter was tired.  He had school all day and worked all night.   He was eager to go home.  He walked over to Vivo and picked up the diaper bag,

    Vivo pulled the bag back from him.   ¡°Go home and rest.    You can open tomorrow.¡± Vivo told Peter.  Peter shrugged, he opened every Saturday.   Peter bent over, kissed the sleeping little girl on her forehead, and whispered good night.   Ben glared at Peter and made a motion of slicing his finger across his own throat.

    ¡°You want a ride home?¡± Peter asked Therese.

    ¡°Yes, it is too dark to walk.¡± Therese answered.  Therese mechanically picked up her purse, carefully placed it on her shoulder, turned to face Erin and said ¡°Good night Erin.  Goodnight Vivo.   Goodnight Ben.¡±

    ¡°Goodnight, Therese.¡± they all answered as loud as they could without awaking the little girl.

    Therese turned, faced the door and began walking out.   Peter ran ahead and opened the door for her.   He smiled as she walked by, she looked straight forward, but inside she was smiling brightly back.  Ben glared at Peter and made another throat-slicing motion.    Erin pretended to blow kisses.  Vivo pretended to blow kisses too, then as Ben glared at him and pretended to slice his throat, so Vivo pretended to fall back dead.

    Peter opened the car door and held it while Therese sat in the car.   Therese quickly grabbed her seat belt and latched it in place, still glad Peter¡¯s car had seat belts.  Peter went around the car and climbed in.   ¡°Why did you open my car door?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Same reason I gave you the only seat belt upfront.¡± Peter told her.

    ¡°Why is that?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°I like you.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°I like you too.¡± said Therese, holding her purse on her lap and staring forward.  Peter wanted to hold her hand on the way home but was afraid to ask.   Therese wanted Peter to hold her hand but was afraid to tell him to.

    ¡°Do you want a ride to work tomorrow?¡±  asked Peter.

    ¡°No, you get there too early, you have to open.¡± Therese told Peter, glad she didn¡¯t have to be there until 8:30 in the morning.   She knew she would have difficulty falling asleep tonight with her stomach feeling like she had swallowed butterflies.  The rabbits were glad to see Therese arrive home safely, and ran into the bushes.

    Peter walked Therese up to her house.  ¡°Are you going to try to kiss me?¡± asked Therese as he walked with her to the door.  Peter jumped back, afraid he had been too forward walking her to the door.

    ¡°Did you want me to?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°Not yet.  I don¡¯t know how.   I want to ask Erin how to kiss boys first.¡± Therese told Peter plainly.

    ¡°If you were pretty, he would have asked to kiss you.¡± said a little voice in Therese¡¯s head.

    ¡°I think Ben would be okay with that.¡± said Peter, pausing, and then ¡°I hope to see you tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°We will.  Our stores are connected.¡± Therese told him.  She could not wait to see Peter again, and he was still in front of her.

    Peter wished he was more connected to Therese¡¯s feelings. She looked pretty, although exhausted, under her porch light.   Her hair had fallen loose, her clothes were sweaty.    She was worse off, but somehow prettier than she looked this morning.   ¡°Goodnight, Peter.¡± Therese told him as she walked in the house and closed the door, locking it behind her.   It was a long drive home for Peter, he wished he wasn¡¯t going to an empty home.

 Thereses First Kiss

    Therese awoke early in the morning, weeded the garden, and started watering the plants. She sat on the porch, drinking a morning cup of coffee. The rabbits nibbled on the lawn near the porch, not because they preferred it over their garden, but because they had less time anymore with Therese, and wanted to make the most of it. ¡°I like coffee.¡± Therese told the rabbits.

    Therese¡¯s father came out and sat next to her. He drank a cup of coffee, having taken Therese¡¯s suggestion to practice. ¡°You are right,¡± he said, ¡°This is nice. how¡¯s school?¡± He asked her, much like the rabbits missing his time with her.

    ¡°School is good.¡± Therese told him. Her father was surprised, but pleased with the answer, at best she would say school was okay, but now she said it was good.

    ¡°Well that¡¯s good, you didn¡¯t always like school, you know.¡± her father said. It was true. It used to be a struggle to take Therese to school, and to keep her there. She found the environment over-stimulating, other children unpredictable. Therese hated speech therapy, she did not like saying words when she did not have anything to say. Still, her parents pressed her forward, eventually, school became tolerable, and now she liked it. Therese¡¯s father did not press her about the boy, he knew It would embarrass her and she hated being touched by others, except those closest to her, so he felt she might behave.

    ¡°I need to go to work. I need your car, I mean may I please drive one of the cars?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Sure, take mine, the keys are by the door.¡± said her father who was both proud and sad. She was doing good in school, she was working, but she was growing up. He knew the day would come when she was. ¡°I love you.¡± he told her.

    ¡°I love you dad.¡± said Therese, then again ¡°I love you mom.¡± as she passed her mother in the kitchen and ran out the door. Then she ran back in, grabbed her cardboard portfolio, and ran back out to the car. Therese drove carefully and deliberately to the Cowffee Cup, but a little faster than normal.

    Therese parked the car. She walked up to the door. Therese smiled at the painting of the rabbit. She put her feet together, facing the door. Therese tapped on the door to let Erin know she was there. Erin looked over, smiled, and went to the front door, opening it to let Therese in. ¡°Good morning, want to make a cup of coffee before you start working?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°Yes, please!¡± Therese said. She had already drunk a cup at home, but she wanted to have another available while she was working.

    ¡°Did Peter behave himself last night?¡± asked Erin to Therese, who blushed slightly when asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Good boy.¡± said Erin, taking a sip of her coffee.

    ¡°Do you like to kiss boys?¡± asked Therese.

    Erin choked on her coffee. ¡°I suppose so if he is cute, and his breath smells good.¡± explained Erin.

    ¡°How do you kiss boys?¡± asked Therese. Her eyes were curious even if her tone was flat.

    ¡°You just put your lips together and the rest happens naturally, So let¡¯s get the chairs down off the tables.¡± said Erin changing the subject, and trying to not be a poor influence on Therese. They prepared the coffee shop for the day. Therese was careful and meticulous, placing all the chairs perfectly even. Erin mostly left the chairs where they landed as long as they kind of faced the right way.

    ¡°I want to go next door, I mean can I go next door?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Sure, if you see Vivo there, let me know so I can be surprised.¡± Erin told her.

    Therese went through the back of the store, entering the back door of the Kookie Mart. Peter stood up from the counter quickly when he noticed her. ¡°Good morning, you look great¡± Peter said a little tired, absentminded and his eyes opening at the sight of Therese. His heart rate increased.

    ¡°Good morning.¡± Therese told him as she began looking through the mints to find her favorite kind. Therese paid for the mints, then opened them. ¡°Eat this¡± Therese said, handing Peter a mint, who was surprised and embarrassed thinking his breath might be awful, chewed the mint.

    ¡°Let me smell your breath now.¡± said Therese, Peter exhaled, and Therese smelled his breath. It smelled sour still, so she took another two mints, and handed them to him, which dumbfounded he chewed and ate. ¡°Let me smell your breath.¡± Therese told him. Peter exhaled, and Therese sniffed it again. Peter¡¯s breath smelled better.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°I want you to kiss me.¡± Therese calmly told Peter, who just stood there, confused and barely awake. Therese thought perhaps he did not understand her, and repeated, ¡°I want you to kiss me.¡± Therese leaned closer, halfway across the counter. She puckered her lips and kept her eyes open. Peter obliged, leaning forward, closing his eyes as he always did before. And pressed his lips to hers. Therese stood frozen, terrified by the sensation. Her eyes were wide open. She was excited but scared. Peter gently kissed her and backed away slowly.

    ¡°You should keep mints on you.¡± said Therese, backing up from the counter, turning, putting her feet together, and then running to the back of the store, and into the Cowfee Cup.

    Peter heard Ben clear his throat, Peter had not noticed him enter the store. ¡°I was just going to kill you.¡± said Ben, motioning an invisible knife across his own throat. ¡°I need to think of something better. Vivo will be late, your daughter kept him up.¡± said Ben, walking through the back of the store to beg a decent cup off Erin, not wanting to disgrace his stomach with their store brand. Peter used his employee discount to buy the rest of the brand of mints Therese liked.

    Therese entered the store, just as Buck did. Buck smiled and told Therese good morning. She told him good morning back. Erin was oblivious to Buck, still not used to him being politely quiet.

    ¡°I need your cane. Please.¡± said Therese to Buck.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Buck said handing the cane to Therese, who took the cane and whacked the counter. The sound of the cane hitting the counter startled Erin, who threw a dish when she jumped, which fell and shattered on the floor.

    Erin spun, angry, startled, and glared at Buck yelling, ¡°You asshole.¡± out her mouth before she realized Buck was standing near the door confused, and Therese was holding the cane. Therese had a full grin on half her face, her lipstick a little smeared. Erin looked at Therese confused.

    ¡°His breath smelled good after he ate mints. I just had my first kiss!¡± said Therese, excited, standing next to Buck.

    Buck shook his hands no and shook his head no, waving his every way that it was not him. ¡°You wish.¡± said Ben to Buck as he walked between everyone and started pouring him a cup of coffee out of the carafe. Erin glared at Ben. ¡°Not me either.¡± said Ben, taking his coffee and walking through everyone and back to his store.

    Erin looked at Therese, already over her anger, and ran over and hugged Therese. ¡°That¡¯s great. That¡¯s really good.¡± Erin told her. Therese hugged Erin tightly back, then turned and handed Buck back his cane, telling him ¡°Thank you¡±.

    ¡°You guys break a lot of dishes.¡± said Buck, still confused.

    ¡°Let¡¯s us sweep them up.¡± Erin told him, as she and Therese grabbed brooms and dustpans, and began sweeping the pieces up. ¡°Grab your own coffee today, you know where everything is.¡± Erin told him, as she hurried to clean up the broken glass before the store opened. Buck went over to the counter, poured a cup of coffee, left $3 on the counter and walked out, beginning his trek home. Buck laughed the whole way home, in high spirits having witnessed the morning.

    Ben walked back into his store, and looked at Peter, saying, ¡°You know what it¡¯s like to hurt. She doesn¡¯t need to know.¡± Ben glared at Peter in disapproval. ¡°You¡¯re here to finish your education, and take care of yours future.¡± Ben added. He liked the kid, but Therese reminded him of his little sister, so he was predisposed to killing Peter on principle. Ben chuckled to himself at the thought of that, the ¡°Peter Principle.¡± Peter was right to be a little scared as Ben glared at him, although the glare softened with each sip of coffee.

    ¡°You can¡¯t get me out of this jam, can you?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°What Jam? I could go tell her terrible things about you. I could stuff you in a dumpster, I don¡¯t think there is a thing I can do to keep you from liking her.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°She¡¯s nice. She¡¯s innocent.¡± Peter said, somewhat regretful, but more liking Therese with each heartbeat.

    ¡°I¡¯m innocent too buddy, but that¡¯s because I have a good lawyer. There¡¯s no lawyers in love, just judges. And when you lose, there is no appeal for how bad your heart hurts. I need a muffin.¡¯ Ben added, walking back out of the store to grab a muffin from Erin. Ben stopped and swung the door a couple of times, admiring his craftsmanship, then remembering he needed a muffin and walking back over to Erin¡¯s.

    ¡°He¡¯s dead, I killed him.¡± Ben told Erin, as he walked over and selected a muffin. Therese froze horrified. ¡°I¡¯m kidding¡± Ben told her, realizing he startled her. ¡°But if you ever change your mind.¡± Ben added, walking back to his store and eating his muffin.

    Therese raised an eyebrow and asked Erin in her flat voice which was softer than usual, ¡°Is he mad at Peter?¡±

    ¡°No, you are just a lot like his sister, you look just like her, so you make him think of her. Good men have that in them. He cares about you.¡± Erin reassured Therese. Therese liked that, she liked Ben and was glad he didn¡¯t hate Peter. Therese went back to setting up for the day. She liked laying out the muffins in the display case, they smelled good. Erin baked them fresh, every day. Erin was happy, and she appreciated the help, especially on Saturday, because it was about to get busy.

    Therese was happy at work. She stayed busy and enjoyed the aroma of the coffee. She was less bothered by the sound of the milk steaming machine, and the sound of whipped cream coming out of the can made her laugh. She ignored the small burns on her fingers. Therese loved her duties so much that Erin had to remember to tell the girl to take breaks, or she might never stop to rest.

    Erin also enjoyed having another girl to talk to, someone other than Ben or Vivo, even if Therese always gave the simplest answer possible. She enjoyed teaching Therese new things as much as Therese enjoyed learning them. It was an ideal relationship for everyone. Ben began bugging Therese more often than Erin to make him drinks, Erin knew even if Therese didn¡¯t make the drink better, Ben was trying to convince her she did. Erin was always glad to see the soft side of Ben.

 The Mean Girls

    Then the moment Therese dreaded the most arrived. The three ¡°popular¡± girls from Therese¡¯s school came one day. Therese didn¡¯t despise them, she admired them. She liked how the girls always had perfect hair and the nicest clothes. Therese admired how everyone seemed to want to know how the girls felt about things, what their opinions on anything were. Therese wished she could talk like that, she wished people maneuvered in the halls to be near her, or boys showed off for her attention. Therese knew all those things would make her uncomfortable, but somehow, she wished she had them. The leader of the girls felt Therese violated their social order and had become very jealous of the attention Therese was receiving from boys.

    The girls walked in, and Therese immediately felt uncomfortable. Suddenly, Therese felt her makeup was lacking, her hair less pretty, and her clothes more wrinkled from working than they should be. Therese grimaced, although her frown was almost as invisible as her smiles. Therese wanted to run, she wanted to have an excuse to go to the back, but Erin had just left to go over to the Kookie Mart. Therese twisted her right foot in to keep herself from bolting. Therese brushed her palms on her apron to dry the sweat. ¡°Hello, may I help you?¡± said Therese, with her standard greeting. She liked not having to worry whether she should say good morning, good afternoon, or good evening.

    ¡°Oh, hey, you¡¯re -THAT- girl from school.¡± said the lead girl, stressing ¡°THAT¡±.

    Therese grimaced. The comment stung her. She was not oblivious to the fact others saw her as different, even if her feelings were just like theirs. Therese froze, wanting to cry, unable to even make her tears work.

    ¡°You have a cool job, getting paid to stand there. Was the application hard to fill out?¡± said the second girl, slapping her hand impatiently on the counter.

    Therese¡¯s tear ducts started flowing on her own. Her makeup streamed down the side of her face. She kept tightening her right foot in, she would not run, she would not leave her station, Erin needed her there. The words stung Therese deep, she knew their intent was to hurt her. Therese tried to speak, her voice would not work.

    ¡°Can we get some help?¡± The third girl, Kara, slapped the counter, trying to participate but unable to be clever. Her efforts were very weak and uncommitted.

    ¡°May I help you?¡± said Therese in a weaker version of her normal calm and cool voice. Therese still had tears streaming down the sides of her face. She could barely say those four words, she was terrified they might ask her questions.

    ¡°Is this a coffee shop?¡± The lead girl taunted.

    ¡°This is a coffee shop.¡± answered Therese, confused why the other girls would ask such a question.

    ¡°Well then, how about you sell us some coffee?¡± the lead girl demanded.

    ¡°How about you tell me how much piss you need, and I will go over there in the bathroom and piss in little cups, and you can buy them, because that is the only thing you¡¯ll get here.¡± said Ben, in an angry rage, having walked into the scene.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell my father.¡± said the lead girl.

    ¡°Tell her, I¡¯ll kick her ass too if she has a problem. If I¡¯m not here, I¡¯ll be next door. Tell your daddy to come, I¡¯ll be waiting for her.¡± said Ben, ¡°Now get out of here.¡± Ben pointed at the door. The girls made exaggerated efforts to display being offended.

    ¡°You go to school with that shit?¡± Ben asked Therese, who nodded yes. Ben told her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, college is better, no one knows who you are, or even cares.¡± Therese hung her head in sorrow as she cried and turned away from Ben. She was embarrassed.

    Ben tapped Therese on the shoulder, ¡°Hey, you¡¯re already better than them, that¡¯s what they can¡¯t handle.¡± Therese leaned over and gave Ben a big hug, he squeezed her back. He smelled bad, probably forgot to shower this morning, or maybe didn¡¯t wash his store shirt, but Therese thought his big smelly hug felt good.

    ¡°Go fix your makeup, I¡¯ll watch the counter. I know you want to look good for that guy over there.¡± said Ben, pointing in the direction of his store. Therese started walking fast to the bathroom, grabbing her purse. She stopped halfway, turned, put her feet together and stopped, to look at Ben.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Therese told Ben. Her makeup was a wreck, her face wet and her mouth drooped sadly on one side. Ben¡¯s heart cracked.

    ¡°I really would have sold them piss.¡± said Ben, turning around to grab a muffin. His own kindness had made him uncomfortable, even if his kindness to Therese was expressed rage at the bullies. Ben chuckled to his own amusement at the thought of selling his urine. Therese turned, put her feet together, and then walked to go fix her makeup. Ben started eating a muffin. He loved eating the muffins Erin baked. Right now, they tasted really good. He smiled and ate the muffin.

    Erin came back, and saw Ben eating a muffin, and waiting for customers. Only Ben would eat a muffin while making coffee drinks. She always had to sweep up the crumbs when Ben covered. ¡°Where¡¯s Therese?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°Some girls came by and gave her a hard time.¡± explained Ben while eating his muffin.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Erin asked Ben, seeing he had done something by his grin.

    ¡°I offered to sell them piss.¡± said Ben plainly.

    ¡°You need to keep your coffee on that side of the wall,¡± said Erin, pointing at the back wall, ¡°Where is she?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s fixing her makeup. She took it hard.¡± said Ben, losing his muffin grin. He was sad when he thought of Therese crying.

    ¡°Watch the counter, I¡¯ll go check on her.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°Okay. I hope you don¡¯t mind, but I might need another muffin then.¡± Ben said after he already had grabbed another muffin. ¡°Ooh Blueberry.¡± said Ben, as he turned around and saw a customer. ¡°What can I pour you?¡± Ben asked, ¡°And hey these muffins are delicious.¡± Ben added.

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    Erin walked to the back bathroom which was kept for employees only. Erin knocked on the door. No answer. Erin knocked on the door. ¡°It¡¯s me, are you okay?¡± she asked Therese through the door.

    The door opened, Therese stood there with a blank expression, having done her best to repair her makeup. ¡°I used to get picked on in high school too.¡± Erin told Therese. Erin thought it would be little reassurance, but wanted Therese to know she wasn¡¯t alone.

    ¡°You did?¡± Therese asked flatly but surprised. Erin was beautiful, she did not understand how anyone could pick on her. Therese wished she was like Erin, and did not understand how anyone could find fault in her.

    ¡°All the time.¡± Erin told her truthfully.

    ¡°Did it hurt?¡± asked Therese. Erin had always seemed invulnerable and strong.

    ¡°It still does. It just hurts less. People never forget how you make them feel.¡± explained Erin.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you got picked on. I¡¯m sorry Ben had to help.¡± said Therese while looking down at her shoes. Erin could tell the young girl was devastated. Erin¡¯s own heart ached.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go shopping.¡± Erin told Therese, grabbed Therese¡¯s hand and started walking with her out the store. Erin was determined to not let the day be ruined. ¡°We¡¯re going shopping.¡± Erin told Ben as they walked past the counter. Ben was struggling to keep up with the orders.

    ¡°I have a store to run, you know.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°No you don¡¯t, you were just going to play video games with Vivo in the backroom while Peter does everything.¡± Erin told him.

    ¡°I have video games to play, you know.¡± Ben looked at the line in front of him, and continued ¡°Saturday is your busiest day, you know.¡± Erin did not respond, she kept walking, finally Ben said loudly ¡°You can get me Chinese food, you know.¡± Erin waved back to let him know she heard him. Ben started thinking about Chinese food while he filled orders for coffee drinks. Ben looked at the muffin crumbs on the floor and thought Erin should sweep more.

    ¡°What are you going to buy?¡± Therese asked Erin, as Erin drove the car down the street. Erin, grinned, she loved driving.

    We are going to get you a new shirt for your first date.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°Date?¡± Therese asked, confused.

    ¡°You already kissed the guy, you might as well let him buy you dinner.¡± Erin told Therese. Therese smiled, flatly but Erin could tell she had already started cheering up. Therese put her head back, to mimic the relaxed look Erin did when she was driving. ¡°Let¡¯s get you something nice. Where do you normally go again? No wait, I¡¯m not your mom, we¡¯re going to a new store.¡± Erin said. Therese knew she was about to step outside her box.

    Therese was overwhelmed by all the clothes in the store. There were so many different colors and so many different styles. Erin asked her, ¡°Do you see anything you like?¡± as they walked through the store.

    ¡°There are too many.¡± Therese told Erin, trying to explain she was feeling frustrated because she was overwhelmed. Therese stopped and looked at designs. Therese stopped and felt the fabrics. Therese let Erin hold shirt after shirt up to her to see how they looked, then shook her head and disagreed.

    ¡°Do you trust me?¡± asked, Erin seeing Therese might need help, making a decision.

    ¡°I trust you.¡± answered Therese.

    Erin finally selected a blouse and gave it to Therese. ¡°Go try it on.¡± Erin told her. Therese obliged and went into the fitting room to change. There was an overlong pause. Erin waited patiently. Finally, Erin had to ask her ¡°You fall in?¡±

    ¡°Fall into what?¡± asked Therese, as she walked out with the shirt on. Erin smiled, she looked great. Therese stopped and stared in the mirror again, pinching herself.

    ¡°Is that really me?¡± she asked Erin, as amazed as the first time she had worn makeup and done her hair. Therese pulled on the blouse in the mirror. It had cuts of fabric, and sequins in the right places, Therese never would have picked it out, and known her mother would have never picked it out. The colors of the shirt were beautiful.

    ¡°Yes, she is really you.¡± said Erin, looking into the mirror too. Erin fought to keep from crying as she saw how amazed Therese was as she saw herself in the mirror.

    ¡°I need to buy this.¡± said Therese flatly. Erin agreed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s use our tips from last night. We forgot to split them.¡± said Erin pulling out a fistful of dollar bills. ¡°If it¡¯s more, we¡¯ll use the tips from today.¡± Erin added.

    ¡°Yes, please, thank you very much.¡± said Therese. Therese ran to the changing room, stomping her feet the whole way. Erin laughed, she wished a shirt had ever made herself that happy. A few minutes later the ladies walked to the counter to pay. Therese put the shirt on the counter. Erin grabbed a fistful of dollars and pulled it out of her purse. The elderly lady working the register threw an odd look as she smiled at seeing Therese. ¡°We are not strippers.¡± Therese told her flatly. Erin choked. The elderly lady smiled and thanked them for coming in as she rang up the sale. Therese had an unusual bounce in every few steps.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get Ben some Chinese food, while we figure out where Peter can take you for dinner.¡± Erin said. Therese liked that idea, she looked in the bag at the shirt, and felt the fabric, she could not wait to wear it.

    Half an hour later, they walked into the Cowffee Cup, carrying the bag with the shirt in it (Therese was unwilling to leave it in her car), and several bags filled with Chinese takeout. Ben saw the bag of food and grinned. He had done a good job helping the customers, and Erin could tell everyone looked happy. She walked in, handed Ben a bag ¡°Orange chicken, three egg rolls, fried rice, for you, and some more for the other guys.¡± Then she kissed Ben on the cheek and thanked him. Ben blushed.

    ¡°When¡¯s the fashion show?¡± Ben asked Therese, seeing her looking in the bag at her new shirt.

    ¡°All you boys have to wait.¡± Therese told him.

    ¡°Well tell your boyfriend to hurry up and take you out, I want to see what you bought.¡± Ben said, taking the Chinese food and heading to his store. He smiled when he saw a little smile roll out from Therese. Ben would have covered the store all week to see that faint flat smile come back to Therese¡¯s flat affect. He knew by now that was a full-blown grin and some.

    Ben walked into the store. Vivo had arrived, and decided it was less work to play cars with Anna in the office, so Peter was still doing everything in the store. ¡°You look tired, good thing you are young. Hey, I had Erin get you some Chinese food, you can go on break when I am done.¡± Ben said, handing Peter lunch. Peter knew this meant he was eating bites between customers at the checkout register. Ben walked back to the office, then stopped and turned to face Peter. ¡°I forgot to tell you, you are asking Therese out to dinner for tomorrow. You can even leave early, but not too early.¡±

    ¡°Where am I taking her?¡± asked Peter, knowing Ben had already decided his date for him in the time it took to walk from the counter to the office.

    ¡°Relax, I know a place.¡± said Ben, not having actually decided yet. He was hungry, and the last thing he wanted to think about when he was hungry was what he is not eating. ¡°That place?¡± Vivo asked him, grabbing some food.

    ¡°Oh yah, it¡¯s real nice.¡± Ben told him.

    Vivo hoisted Ana in the highchair and opened some baby food then grabbed a spoon. Vivo liked the little girl, she was fun, loved him, and was just enough to keep Erin from pressing him for a kid of their own. Ben liked the fact she always laughed when he made fart sounds. Ben ate half his food rapidly, and looked up at Vivo, ¡°Lou owes me a favor, they should go there.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t even afford the free water there.¡± Vivo told Ben.

    ¡°It¡¯s the big favor, and she¡¯ll be glad it is over.¡± said Ben, scribbling directions on a piece of paper to give Peter. Ben picked up his cell phone and dialed, a lady answered it. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me, about that favor, of course I didn¡¯t forget, yeah, I¡¯m going to send a couple kids over for dinner tomorrow, can you treat them extra nice for me? Oh good, thanks, I appreciate you returning the favor like that.¡± Ben hung up the phone and went back to his lunch. Ben loved the egg rolls, and dipped them in the extra orange sauce.

 Any Questions?

    Later that evening, exhausted and tired, finally having been given a real break, Peter walked over to the Cowffee Cup, and immediately his spirits were lifted when he saw Therese. She had mostly recovered from the rude girls, and was excited to see him so she walked halfway to meet him. Therese looked beautiful and Peter grinned boldly. Therese grinned her flat grin, but Peter could tell by now she was very happy to see him. They exchanged greetings, and finally, Peter drew up a bit of courage to beat lingering boyhood fears of women. Therese was like no other and he was nervous for the first time in a long time. ¡°May I please take you out to dinner tomorrow?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°Yes. Please.¡± Therese replied. Her heart raced, she was excited, and no boy had ever asked her out before.

    ¡°You look nice.¡± Peter told Therese, unsure and too nervous to say anything else.

    ¡°Let me smell your breath.¡± Therese told peter. He breathed out.

    ¡°Yuck, smells like my lunch.¡¯ Therese said. ¡°Eat two mints.¡± Peter obliged, and chewed two mints. ¡°I want you to kiss me, please.¡± Peter obliged, and leaned forward, pressing his lips to Therese, who kept her eyes open and jumped back as before. Therese laughed, she found kissing Peter exciting.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Peter said. Peter¡¯s lungs tried to catch enough oxygen for his racing heart.

    ¡°You are welcome.¡± Therese told Peter ¡°I need to go back to work.¡± Therese told him and turned to walk back to work. Peter ducked out the back door and went back to work, suddenly energized.

    Erin watched the whole exchange and did her best to hide her laughter. ¡°Okay, you do need some pointers on kissing, like close your eyes.¡± Erin told Therese.

    ¡°How will I know if he likes it?¡± asked the younger girl.

    ¡°He likes it.¡± Erin reassured her. ¡°He likes it a lot.¡±

    ¡°How do you know?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Just watch. 3, 2, 1.¡± Erin counted as Peter walked int the door frame, stepped back , and re-orientated himself to go back to work. ¡°He walks into the door frame all the time, but he didn¡¯t say ouch this time.¡± Erin explained.

    ¡°Yes, kissing is nice.¡± Therese told her. ¡°Do I need to have sex with him tomorrow?¡± Therese asked Erin. Erin was stunned and dropped a cup on the floor, which luckily only broke into a few large pieces.

    ¡°Two to two, we¡¯re tied¡± Therese told Erin, who laughed and grabbed the dustpan. Erin realized this wasn¡¯t the first joke Therese had played on her, the girl was really starting to come around. She looked at her and smiled proudly, maybe she was helping her more than she knew. If she asked Therese, Therese would tell her Erin helped her more than she ever knew, but she didn¡¯t, so Therese went and started washing dishes.

    Later that evening, Vivo walked in and announced ¡°Game night.¡± Ben followed, carrying the little girl Ana, grabbing a highchair and putting Ana in it at the table. ¡°We¡¯ll take turns,¡± Erin told Therese ¡°If anyone comes in. And remember our secret sign.¡± Therese winked and stuck her tongue out the side of her mouth. ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± Erin told her.

    ¡°Any questions?¡± Ben asked Therese as he opened a Monopoly game.

    ¡°If Peter is Ana¡¯s father, who is her mother?¡± Therese asked, calmly, looking at Ben.

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    Ben was caught off guard and almost jumped out of his chair. Vivo laughed at Ben and spit coffee out his nose which burned. Erin tried hiding her face in her hand. ¡°You knew?¡± asked Ben.

    ¡°He has a car seat in his car. Sometimes he has extra diapers and a bottle in his backpack at school. I¡¯m not stupid.¡± Therese told Ben with a pleasant but flat tone.

    ¡°So why are you asking me now?¡± said Ben. He had never thought Therese stupid.

    ¡°You said any questions.¡± Erin told him.

    ¡°Yep.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Remember the sister I said you remind me of?¡± Ben told Therese, choking a little. Therese looked forward in silent understanding. ¡°She might have been a great mom one day, if she had that chance.¡± Therese stood up, walked over, and sat next to Ben. She awkwardly put her arm, slowly around him.

    ¡°Ben?¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Ben said.

    ¡°I wish you were my brother.¡± replied Therese.

    ¡°I¡¯d like that. I¡¯d like that a lot.¡± said Ben giving Therese a big squeeze side hug back. Therese loved the smell of his dirty shirt. It smelled like family. Therese sat next to Ben and they began trading pointers in their strategy of the Monopoly game. Ben was bold and reckless, Therese was calculated and focused, Vivo was unpredictable, and Erin was lucky. Erin was so lucky, the game ended early, and she had rows of stacked properties.

    ¡°I think she cheats.¡± Ben told Therese. Therese stared back and wondered if Ben was serious.

    ¡°I¡¯m kidding.¡± Ben told Therese. Therese smiled.

    ¡°Like you can trust a muffin thief, anyways.¡± Erin told Therese.

    ¡°I only steal the best muffins.¡± Ben told Erin, ¡°There are rules for this sort of thing.¡± Ben turned his head and yelled to the back of the store ¡°CLOSE THE SHOP PETER, AND COME OVER¡±. Therese smiled faintly when Peter entered the room, ¡°See, that¡¯s why I hate him.¡± Ben whispered to Therese, who blushed.

    Five minutes later, Peter came in and sat down at the table with his other friends. Ana reached for him, so Peter went over and picked her up and held her. Ana gave her dad a big tight squeeze around his neck. Peter liked this, and he smiled. He closed his eyes and held Ana. He loved his friends and appreciated all the help they had given him, and he was grateful.

    ¡°Your daughter is cute.¡± Therese told Peter.

    ¡°You knew?¡± asked Peter.

    Ben and Therese both rolled their eyes back and said ¡°She¡¯s not stupid/ I¡¯m not stupid¡± at the same time.

    ¡°Do you want to hold her?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°No, her diaper just started smelling.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Oh yeah it is.¡± Ben said. Ben handed the diaper bag to Peter and said, ¡°Go do your job.¡±

    Peter came back, Ana refreshed just as the night was ending. Ben pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to Peter. ¡°There¡¯s directions on there, I got this one.¡± Ben said. Peter saw Ben¡¯s scribble on the bottom of the note. It was clearly a B-E-N as only he could scribble. ¡°I know the owner. And on that note, I am out of here.¡± Ben excused himself and left for the night.

    ¡°Wait.¡± Therese told Ben, as she went and grabbed her cardboard portfolio from behind the counter, she walked back to the group. Therese opened her portfolio and she pulled out the ink drawing she made for Ben and handed it to him. ¡°I made this for you.¡± Therese said to Ben handing him the bright ink-colored drawing with the sunshine and the rabbits.

    Ben smiled and choked up, he could barely say ¡°Thank you.¡± his eyes looked at the beautiful drawing and admired it, the drawing being the prettiest thing anyone ever gave him.

    Therese handed a painting of rabbits to Erin, who also smiled and cried happy tears. ¡°Thank you, it is beautiful.¡± said Erin, giving Therese a big hug.

    ¡°And this is for you.¡± Therese said to Vivo handing him an inked comic book style drawing of Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°Thank you, this is freaking awesome.¡± Vivo said, grinning.

    ¡°You¡¯re easy to shop for.¡± Therese told Vivo, and everyone nodded in agreement.

    Therese handed Peter one of her senior pictures. Peter grinned beat red. ¡°Thank you.¡± he said, ¡°This is the prettiest picture of them all.¡± Peter grinned. Therese kissed him on the cheek and Peter grinned proud.

    ¡°I¡¯d better get to bed, and get her to bed. I have to work tomorrow. Goodnight,¡± Peter told everyone, as everyone stood up to leave.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to bring mints.¡± Therese told Peter directly.

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Peter said, getting up to leave and walking Therese to her car. Erin and Vivo waived goodbye, locked the store and left on their own way. Peter walked Therese to her car, and told her ¡°Thank you for taking me as I am.¡±

    ¡°Peter.¡± Therese said, ¡°Thank you for taking me as I am.¡± Therese said, shutting her door and waving goodbye. She stayed until Ana was safely in the car, Peter had started his car, and went the other way. Therese held the new shirt against herself as she drove. Therese was very excited about tomorrow.

 Dinner at Lous

    The next day, Therese was eating lunch with her parents, still having dirt under her fingernails from working in the garden. The bunnies ate carrots against the glass door to be near her. ¡°A date?¡± said her father. ¡°Boyfriend? shouldn¡¯t you go on a date before he¡¯s your boyfriend?¡± asked her mother.

    ¡°I¡¯m efficient.¡± Therese told them. Her seriousness ended that part of the discussion.

    ¡°I hope you are driving? I am not sure his car even has seat belts!¡± Her dad told her.

    ¡°It has one seat belt up front, he put it on my side of the car for me.¡± answered Therese.

    ¡°A gentleman, I guess.¡± said Therese¡¯s father.

    ¡°How old is he?¡± asked Therese¡¯s mother.

    ¡°Thirty, and he has tattoos.¡± Therese calmly replied. Rolling her eyes and sticking her tongue out to the side like Erin taught her.

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding right?¡± asked her mom.

    ¡°Yes, he had the tattoos removed.¡± Therese answered, rubbing her forearms.

    ¡°Are you teasing?¡± begged her father.

    ¡°He¡¯s eighteen. He has a baby daughter. He is nice and I like him.¡± Therese told her father.

    ¡°A kid, wait, what¡¯s going on?¡± asked her mother in disbelief. ¡°You can¡¯t even walk down the street without stepping over every crack, and you hate peanut butter, how can you change a diaper?¡± Therese¡¯s mother said, unsure what her daughter was thinking.

    ¡°Sometimes a story is just a story, but a princess is always a princess. I need a prince in my story.¡± Therese told her parents. They weren¡¯t sure what that meant, but they took it as an ending to the discussion. Sometime when they weren¡¯t looking, their little girl grew up. Her parents were half proud, and half scared.

    Therese came out later, wearing her new shirt. She had done her hair, and deliberately and carefully applied her makeup as Erin had taught her. She stopped and looked in the mirror in the living room. ¡°I look pretty.¡± Therese said, amazed at who she saw in the mirror. Her parents walked up behind her, and her mom told her, ¡°you don¡¯t have to be pretty to be beautiful.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d better meet this boy.¡± said her father.

    The doorbell rang. Therese grew nervous. Her mother squeezed her in a hug to calm her, careful not to bother her daughter¡¯s hair. Therese¡¯s dad stopped, flexed his arm muscles in the mirror, and then answered the door.

    Peter stood in the doorway in a nice shirt, which barely fit, and in his good jeans. He was holding some flowers Erin had brought him to give to Therese. ¡°Hello, sir.¡± Peter said sticking out his hand to shake Therese¡¯s father¡¯s hand. ¡°Rodge, hey they did a good job removing your tattoos.¡± Her father said shaking Peter¡¯s hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m Peter, sir.¡± said the boy, unsure what her father meant by tattoos, but unwilling to ask.

    ¡°We¡¯re going.¡± Therese told her parents, hugging them goodbye and walking out the door with Peter. She stopped, smelled the flowers, took one out, put it in her hair, handed the rest to her mother. ¡°Can you please put these in water?¡± Therese asked.

    ¡°I would love too.¡± her mother told her, and Therese quickly walked to Peter¡¯s car and got in it before he could open the door. She grabbed her seat belt and latched it on. Peter climbed in, having studied the directions, was ready to drive.

    ¡°You look beautiful.¡± Peter told Therese. ¡°Your shirt is pretty.¡± added Peter.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± said Therese, even though she was sitting up straight and facing forward, her heart pounded in different directions.

    True to his word, Ben had sent the two somewhere nice. Ben had sent them to the nicest restaurant out in the city. Ben had been owed a great favor by the owner for a long time, but Ben did not care for fancy places, and he definitely did not want to go there. Ben kept the favor like an old gift certificate in his pocket. Peter pulled up, and a Valet, ran out to meet him.

    ¡°Just tell me where to park. And I¡¯m supposed to give you this.¡± Peter said handing the attendant Ben¡¯s scribbled paper, The attendant looked at the paper, and spoke into a little radio ¡°Your VIPs are here.¡± then the attendant told Peter, ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t have that, I¡¯d want to drive a Firebird, but go ahead, pull up here.¡± The attendant moved a VIP parking rope right in front of the restaurant, had Peter pull his car in, and used the red rope to close off the space. ¡°Please, follow me.¡±

    The attendant led the young couple up to a special side door of the restaurant. Therese froze. She refused to move forward. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Peter asked her in a kind voice. Therese stood still, her body shook slightly.

    ¡°Those girls, they are the ones who were mean to me yesterday.¡± said Therese as she looked at the three girls waiting in line with their dates in tow, to enter the restaurant.

    ¡°Do you want to leave?¡± Peter asked her.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Therese told him and started to turn. She was tired of running, she knew she was brave, but she was tired of the way she had been treated.

    The attendant stood in disbelief, no one walked away from Louanne¡¯s. People lined up for hours to get in, but no one walked away from Louanne¡¯s. ¡°Wait, give me a chance, those girls were mean to you?¡± asked the attendant. Therese nodded.

    ¡°Get me Lou.¡± The valet spoke into his radio, and stood between Therese and the girls so they could not see her. An older woman, with a fierce and determined look, walked out escorted by a very muscular waiter. She walked up to the young couple, and asked ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    The Valet handed her the note from Ben, which Lou read quickly, and told her ¡°Those girls were mean to her. And she wants to leave.¡±

    ¡°I can kick the girls out, I can banish them, I can trespass all their friends, I can have Tony here break their arms.¡± Lou said. Tony flexed his muscles for effect. ¡°No one walks away from here, are you crazy?¡± asked Lou.

    ¡°I am not crazy.¡± said Therese, biting her lip and standing up defiantly. Lou looked down and saw her foot twisted in, her knees shaking, and her hands forming fists. Lou saw the girl''s sadness, turn to anger, then determination, even though her mouth barely twitched. Lou sunk, she knew she had said the wrong thing, and Lou respected the way the girl was ready to deck her over it.

    ¡°I am sorry I said that.¡± said Lou. Tony looked around uncomfortably, Lou had never apologized, to anyone.

    ¡°Please, No.¡± Therese said, in her calm voice, her eyes straight forward as she relaxed her fists.

    ¡°Well, I promised Ben my best, and if you leave, that leaves me owing him, and that is like writing a million-dollar check someone doesn¡¯t want to cash it, how about you give me a chance to make this right, and Tony won¡¯t break their arms?¡± said Lou. Tony sighed sadly, he liked throwing people out, especially over the wall.

    ¡°Ok.¡± said Therese. She didn¡¯t want the lady to have to owe Ben.

    ¡°You don¡¯t talk much do you?¡± said the lady, looking Therese over. Therese nodded. ¡°You probably like things quiet too, don¡¯t you?¡± Therese nodded. ¡°And you, you¡¯re just lucky to be with such a beautiful young lady, aren¡¯t you?¡± Lou asked Peter.

    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡± said Peter squeezing Therese¡¯s arm to help calm her.

    Lou looked at the valet, and said: ¡°Call for the boys, and have them bring the umbrellas.¡± The valet called on his radio, and the staff came out. They had escorted celebrities before. They walked out and surrounded the young couple. ¡°We¡¯re going to open the umbrellas, it will make a loud pop.¡± she said to Therese, who nodded consent. Therese braced herself, and the waiters very carefully opened the umbrellas, making a loud pop at the end. Therese still jumped. ¡°Follow me, everyone.¡± Lou said as she led the group in the VIP entrance and to a private dining area surrounded with thick glass windows. Lou nodded and the waiters took out the extra tables. ¡°Tony will be your private waiter, anytime you need anything press the gold button on your table, and Tony will be right in.¡± That wasn¡¯t for what she owed Ben, that was for what she owed Therese. Tony grinned, he loved being a private waiter, that meant compensation.

    Lou opened the door and waived the waiters out. ¡°I hope this is a fairy tale evening for you, Sometimes a restaurant is just a restaurant, but a princess is always a princess.¡± Lou told Therese.

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    ¡°That sounds like what Vivo would say.¡± Therese told her.

    ¡°Well good, I guess he did learn something working for me. Tell him hi for me, and Ben that we¡¯re even¡± said Lou.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± said Therese. Lou told her she was welcome, and walked out to the intense business of owning the best restaurant in town. Lou began barking orders as quickly as she stepped away, and people hurried.

    ¡°Ben and Vivo worked here?¡± Therese asked Peter.

    ¡°From what I overheard, when she had the best cookies in town.¡± said Peter.

    The menus were heavy and thick. Therese was overwhelmed. She could not make her mind up. Tony sensed the delay, and entered, refilling the water on her table. ¡°It¡¯s a lot of choices, isn¡¯t it?¡± He asked Therese.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Therese told him. She loved the dining room, everything was nice and perfect. She liked the big and strong arms on Tony, but she hoped Peter did not notice that. Therese kept looking over the menu.

    Tony said, ¡°If I may suggest, get a sampler platter of appetizers and the Alfredo. You can never go wrong with the Alfredo here. You need something plain to go with all the appetizers, that way, if they get a little overwhelming, you can tone it down with some Alfredo, I do it all the time.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please.¡± said Therese, excited, but relieved.

    ¡°And for you, sir.¡± Tony asked Peter.

    ¡°The same please.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°Oh no.¡± said Therese, someone had set the three girls in their dates at a table next to the private dining room. Therese quickly grew nervous and twisted her leg out to keep herself from getting up and running out of the restaurant.

    ¡°Those fools?¡± Tony asked. ¡°I¡¯ll throw them out of here, I¡¯ll throw them over the wall, and I¡¯ll break the legs of whoever sat them there.¡± Tony stood up and flexed his arms.

    ¡°No,¡± said Therese, ¡°I want them to see me with Peter.¡±

    Therese was tired of running, she was tired of being hurt, and she was proud to be seen with Peter, who she thought was the nicest guy she ever met. She wanted the girls to see her in the nicest room in the nicest restaurant with the nicest boy in her class. Therese looked at the girls and waved at one of them. The girls turned away, jealous and embarrassed.

    ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want me to throw them over the wall? We can get new customers.¡± Tony asked as he was leaving to fill their order.

    ¡°They can¡¯t see me through the wall.¡± said Therese. Therese grinned at her own remark, but she felt strong and wanted them to know her success, even if it was a rare lack of humility on her part.

    ¡°Bro, forgive me for saying this, but she¡¯s right, you got the prettiest lady in here.¡± Tony said to Peter.

    ¡°I¡¯m very lucky to be with her.¡± said Peter. Therese thought Peter was wrong, and she was the lucky one.

    ¡°I¡¯d mess with their food, you know, but Lou hates that. She loves reviews about people complaining about being tossed out, but she hates anything bad about the food.¡± Tony said, shutting the door, and stepping out.

    Therese and Peter were amazed at the food. The quality was excellent, and Tony wasn¡¯t kidding about the sampler tray, it was a little of everything, and when the flavors were over-stimulating, Therese backed off to the Alfredo, which was good too. Tony never let the water empty and was always standing outside the door, flexing his muscles for any lady that walked by.

    ¡°Peter, thank you for taking me here.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°It¡¯s all Ben, honest, I heard of this place but never dreamed I would be eating here.¡± Peter told her. Peter was honest about that, he didn¡¯t even want to think about what the bill would be. Peter was amazed at how much Therese had changed in the little time they had become friends. He had never imagined what she was like once he got to know her. Sometimes her words were slow, but he knew her intelligent. Sometimes her actions were overly cautious and too careful, but now he knew how brave she was. He sat there amazed by the person he met.

    Therese was upset the voices were back. She just wanted a nice evening with the boy she loved. She dreaded it could mean another visit to her doctor, and she feared it might mean a hospitalization. Thoughts stormed through her brain, they gave her a headache. Therese squeezed her knee, took some deep breathes through her belly to relax, and her symptoms faded. Let the medicine work, she thought, I just need to do my part and relax.

    Therese and Peter looked outside the window and saw Wenda Hamilton, a famous movie star, turned local news celebrity outside the VIP dining area. Tony refused to budge and another waiter escorted the movie star and her date out to the main area to sit down at a regular table.

    Another waiter came, and handed Tony a platter, then walked away. After he opened the door, Tony came in carrying two slices of cake. ¡°Forgive me for not asking what you wanted for dessert, but I promise you this is the best. I know the cook, and he told me, this is THE DESSERT to have tonight.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, it will be perfect.¡± said Therese. Her tone was flat, but her soft eyes told she was pleased. Tony did his best to keep from laughing, not at Therese but from the effect of her calm nature and genuine sincerity. She was a sharp contrast from the usual VIP room clients. Tony could work every day of the next year and not have anyone as happy to be there as Therese was at that moment.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Peter added, thinking perfect wasn¡¯t the cake, perfect was across the table. Peter was captivated by Therese.

    ¡°Was that Wenda Hamilton?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Yep, she¡¯s pretty pissed off the VIP dining area is closed to a single couple this evening. You all are a nice couple. So I¡¯ll tell you something¡± Tony said, walking out, ¡°This could be love.¡± Tony smiled at them as he left, then fixed his jacket, walked back outside the door and flexed his muscles for females walking by.

    Tony was right, the cake was perfect. Therese very carefully and deliberately took small bites and savored them. Each bite was a unique experience. Therese wondered if that was how life was, each was a bite of a piece of cake, maybe on the good days, she thought. She took a bite with the handmade frosting, it was exceptionally good on an already amazing piece of cake. Therese thought that was the Peter better part of her cake of life.

    Peter nibbled his cake, this is really good cake he thought. He ate slowly, normally he would devour cake, but he didn¡¯t want the night to ever end.

    ¡°They¡¯re leaving.¡± said Therese, looking at the girls leaving, Therese sat silently eating her cake, she didn¡¯t like the girls in her life cake, thinking about them put them in her cake, life was hard enough. Yet Therese would trade everything she owned to be friends again with Kara. The shunning hurt Therese and she quickly decided to stop thinking about it.

    Therese hated how she felt bad things would happen when she stepped on cracks. Therese hated how loud noises scared her, she could drive a car, why would loud noises scare her? Therese wondered why sometimes it hurt so much to live. Therese liked the rabbits, they never looked at her funny. They never made fun of her. Therese could always tell what the rabbits were feeling.

    Peter wondered if things worked out with Therese if she would want to be a mother to his daughter. So far she loved the kid, but from a distance. He barely knew her, he knew it was a brave step forward for anyone. He knew she could make a good cup of coffee, and he knew she liked to garden. He was scared of babies too. He finished his cake, losing track of thought, folded his napkin, wiped his face. Therese finished her cake too, she was thinking she had better have Erin teach her about taking care of Ana if she wanted this to work. She wanted to learn for all three of them.

    ¡°Crap, I forgot the mints.¡± said Peter absentmindedly, realizing the night was ending.

    Therese immediately leaned over and pressed the gold button in the center of the table for the first time that evening. Tony immediately walked in and said ¡°May I help you?¡±

    ¡°Do you have any mints?¡± Therese asked.

    ¡°We have mint ice cream¡± Tony offered, he had suggested to Lou before they have mints like other restaurants, but she told Tony she didn¡¯t want to be other restaurants.

    ¡°I need mints for my boyfriend so I can kiss him.¡± Therese told Tony. Peter blushed.

    ¡°I have some mint gum.¡± Tony offered, a pack out of his pocket, and opened his mouth to show he was chewing it. ¡°the ladies like it, I swear it¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Can I smell your breath please?¡± asked Therese. Tony smiled at the young lady¡¯s moxie. He leaned over and breathed in her direction. Peter was embarrassed and sunk in his chair. ¡°How much for the pack?¡± Therese asked.

    ¡°Take it, it¡¯s on the house.¡± Tony gave her the pack. Therese handed Peter a piece to start chewing, which he did. ¡°Is there anything else, I can help you with?¡± Tony asked, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°No. this is good.¡± said Therese. Peter was still chewing, and just shook his head no.

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t leave a tip or anything, Lou will be offended, and she has already comped me quite well.¡± Tony pulled out a little radio and said into it, ¡°Get the car ready, the VIPS is, are, leaving.¡± Tony looked at the young couple, ¡°Thank you, I have helped a lot of people here, even right here in this room, but this girl, she¡¯s the nicest yet.¡± Tony offered his hand to help Therese out of her chair, she blushed. ¡°Or you sir, you help her up, and tell Ben I said hi. We can¡¯t really talk you know, court order and the feds monitor everything, they even check your coupons at the grocery store.¡± Tony said, stepping back so Peter could help her up, Tony went over and held the door open for them.

    The Valet had pulled the car up front and opened the door for Therese. ¡°Thank you, wait.¡± said Therese, and looked at Peter. ¡°I want you to kiss me here, now.¡± Therese told him, leaning halfway forward, and closing her eyes this time. Peter leaned forward and closed his eyes and kissed her. ¡°Erin is right, it is better with my eyes closed.¡± Therese said, backing up. Tony grinned, the valet grinned and Peter grinned. The Valet shut the door for Therese.

    ¡°I ain¡¯t religious, but you¡¯ll go to hell if you mess this one up. You know who she reminds me of?¡± Tony asked.

    ¡°Ben¡¯s sister?¡± Peter guessed.

    ¡°Yeah, she was just a kid, too young for me you know, but she¡¯d be pretty too, just like her.¡± Tony said, waving goodbye and walking in. Yes, yes, she would be, thought Peter. Peter didn¡¯t know if he should feel guilty for not missing her for a moment, because when he was with Therese, it was just like she was back with him, except Therese was a lot kinder and a lot more sober than her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m not like the other girls.¡± Therese told Peter when he sat down. For the longest time, Therese had never felt different, but she eventually noticed she was, and not everyone was like her.

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful you are not like the other girls.¡± Peter told her, and he meant it. He drove Therese home, sad the night was ending, but glad she was in his first class in the morning. They drove to Therese¡¯s house all too quickly. Peter hurried and opened her car door for her.

    ¡°Did tonight really happen?¡± Therese asked Peter in her simple tone as she climbed out of the car. Her skin glowed under the street light.

    ¡°It really did.¡± Peter reassured her.

    ¡°I¡¯m worried I¡¯ll wake up one day and this will all be a dream.¡± Therese told Peter, as she turned, put her feet together and then walked in her house. Peter stood on her porch for a moment. Then walked to his car. Peter had a difficult time driving because he kept looking over hoping to see Therese next to him.

    Peter had to go pick up Ana, get her to bed, go to bed, get up, take Ana to Erin, and get to school. Ben, Vivo and Erin had offered to watch Ana as much as he needed, or even wanted, but he wanted them to watch her less than he needed them to. Therese knew he had a late night and said she would meet him at school to save him time. Peter fell asleep exhausted and thinking about Therese.

 The Battle of History Class

    February began-

    The next month was a great month. Therese enjoyed going to school and walked with a hint of confidence she had never shown before. Therese raised her hand in her classes and volunteered to answer questions. She went shopping with Erin and bought new clothes. Heads turned, even though she still walked carefully and deliberately through the halls. A few girls started asking her where she bought her clothes and went shopping there themselves.

    Therese walked tall. She volunteered to answer questions, and she hesitated less when she walked to the front of the room. Kara, one of the trio of girls who had made fun of her, stopped her in the hall. Kara was glamorous to Therese. For years, Therese had always struggled to try and be like her. Therese would always stop to talk to Kara if she asked. Therese wished they were best friends again.

    ¡°Hey look, I¡¯m sorry.¡± said Kara. Kara, too, had always known Therese. They had known each other since elementary school, but had not talked to Therese since her last hospitalization and large absence from school, it had terrified Kara, who didn¡¯t understand how much more it had terrified her friend who was suffering alone.

    When Therese waved to Kara from Special Education classes, Kara pretended not to see her. When Therese returned to the main classes, Kara did her best to avoid her. Kara hated herself more and more every day. She liked her popularity, and she hated herself for it. She had a great void that never filled up, a black hole in her heart.

    ¡°Sorry for what?¡± asked Therese, meaning for which offense, feeling she had earned that right. Therese held her head up and looked forward. Kara took a half step backward and struggled to keep her own head up. Kara¡¯s chest hurt as she looked into Therese¡¯s eyes and saw both the pain she failed to help her with and the pain Kara herself had caused.

    ¡°Everything?¡± said Kara, turning her head to break eye contact.

    ¡°Everything might as well be a place.¡± said Therese. Therese would not consider it an apology unless Kara specified the offense. She felt she had earned the right to be stubborn on this.

    ¡°I just have a good thing going right now, the parties, the boys, I didn¡¯t mean it.¡± Kara said. It was a cheap out, she knew and she knew Therese saw right through it.

    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s easy and fun.¡± replied Therese.

    ¡°High school is just so hard; everyone is always judging me. It¡¯s a constant struggle, you know.¡± said Kara as she hated herself for her response.

    ¡°If I am going to be damned, I want to be damned for who I really am. It is better than being damned for pretending to be someone else.¡± said Therese, then slung her bag, and walked away. Therese was careful, deliberate, and defiant as she walked away.

    ¡°Hey Kara, who was that girl? You know her? She¡¯s hot.¡± Several boys asked. Kara put on her sunglasses to hide her eyes, shouldered her bag, and walked recklessly away. The boys kept looking at Therese and paid no attention to Kara walking away.

    Therese went to her American History class. She hated the teacher. Unlike Mr. Shank, Mrs. Smith seemed to always treat Therese as if she was less capable. Therese had confronted the teacher one day earlier in the semester and flat-out asked her what the problem was, and the teacher mentioned the term ¡°special needs.¡± to Therese, who replied to her that her only special need was to be given a chance, when that argument proved another challenge, the teacher called Therese defiant, and disruptive which led to yet another trip to the counselors. Since that day an open quasi-war existed between the teacher and Therese.

    This day Therese¡¯s sense of confidence and dislike of Mrs. Smith collided in a brilliant display for all to witness. The principal later put it in the referral investigation, Therese created verbal fireworks that were loud and disruptive, further disrupting the educational processes of the school.

    ¡°How did the Dred Scott decision affect the ownership of slaves in America?¡± Mrs. Smith asked. No hands went up, except Therese. Mrs. Smith intentionally kept her back turned as to avoid Therese. Finally, a hand raised. ¡°Yes, Elijah?¡± Mrs. Smith asked.

    ¡°Therese has her hand up, I thought you might not see it.¡± said the young man sitting next to Therese. Elijah had little tolerance for any injustice and was also bored, and boredom is always the perpetual enemy of young men as much as injustice is of good men. Elijah was both a good young man and bored, although he started thinking about riding in a tank.

    Mrs. Smith pretended to act surprised like she did not see Therese. She turned, Therese, would you care to comment?¡± The teacher''s dislike of Therese was a poorly guarded secret.

    ¡°First off, the term owning slaves is incorrect. You cannot own a human being, you can oppress them, you can put them in shackles at the point of a gun. You can abuse them, you can torment them, but you cannot own a human being because they belong to God.¡± started Therese.

    ¡°That¡¯s quite enough. Anyone else?¡± asked Mrs. Smith.

    Therese stood at her desk. ¡°I am not finished, and I am not silenced. By continuing to refer to people as being owned, as a result of being enslaved, you are using your position as an educator to continue to excuse the oppressor and degrade the oppressed.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Sit down, or I am calling the principal, you can go back to building E.¡± said Mrs. Smith.

    ¡°Well apparently then, the Dred Scott is still in effect, because in the end, your morality is self-defined, and regardless of where I may be, you seek to define me by your own interpretation.¡± Therese said, slammed her book shut then sat down. Therese sighed, and waited for the principal, she knew she had gone too far.

    Elijah turned and said to Therese, ¡°I just want you to know that is the most awesome thing I ever heard. If I wasn¡¯t literally going to boot camp just after graduation, winning your heart would become my life¡¯s work.¡± Therese smiled, maybe if she wasn¡¯t in love with Peter, she might encourage him. She liked Elijah, he had nice calves and danced on the tables in the cafeteria.

    The Principal arrived and stood in the door. He pointed his finger at Therese and motioned for her to come. Elijah sat up to run his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t, not this time, this is my fight. I need to go the distance.¡± said Therese, placing her books in her bags and leaving the classroom.

    ¡°Another disruption, really?¡± The principal scolded Therese, ¡°Follow me.¡± The principal said, walking away from the classroom.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Your office is that way.¡± said Therese as she stopped and pointed.

    ¡°And the special education, building E, is this way. Follow me.¡± said the principal. Therese lost her defiance, and her heart sunk. ¡°Call me Dred.¡± Therese muttered to herself as she carefully, and deliberately walked as best she could to keep up with the principal.

    ¡°You will wait in here, until we have a meeting after school.¡± The principal said, taking her into a room where the para professionals who helped teach and supervise the kids, were helping two more challenged students. The paras grimaced at the Principal as he left. Therese sat in a chair, and placed her head on the desk, and sobbed. Douglas, one of the paras who knew her best came and sat down next to Therese. ¡°LEAVE ME ALONE!¡± yelled Therese.

    ¡°I will, but if you need me, I am here too.¡± said Douglas, giving her space. He knew the girl and respected when she needed space or when she needed to talk. He tucked his head as he saw Therese shake and sob, and went to help another student, he had seen Therese come so far and knew neither one of them was ready for her to quit. Therese struggled to text her parents and Erin. Douglas offered her is own cell phone charger when she yelled out about her battery dying. Therese took the charger and said, ¡°Thank you, I don¡¯t want you to get in trouble for helping me.¡±

    ¡°I will not be a silent friend.¡± said Douglas, as he plugged the charger into the wall. Douglas had no intention of being silent in speech, or in action.

    Therese¡¯s parents left work and arrived at the office and were directed to the far building where Therese was for a meeting. Therese¡¯s father, Rodger told her mother ¡°You go to our daughter and bring her here, I will deal with this.¡±

    ¡°Get me your principal now.¡± said Therese¡¯s father. He was ready to raze the building, but Therese¡¯s mother, Mary, had sworn Rodger to be calm.

    ¡°He¡¯s in a meeting. Please have a seat sir.¡± said the secretary.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, have you ever known me to be disruptive, disrespectful or rude to you?¡± Rodger asked.

    ¡°No sir.¡± The secretary said,

    ¡°And I am not going to start now, but you will let me sign my daughter out.¡± said Rodger. The lady nodded, Therese¡¯s father had always been polite, but an electricity radiated in him that did not need put to the test.

    ¡°Your daughter was disruptive and tried starting a riot.¡± The Principal said, coming out of his office.

    ¡°It was Mrs. Smith¡¯s class wasn¡¯t it, you know she antagonizes Therese.¡± Her father said. He was going from irritable to angry.

    ¡°Excuse me, if you will allow me, Therese has hired me as her attorney.¡± Came a voice from behind Rodger. Therese¡¯s father turned and saw Vivo standing there, having added a tie to his Kookie Mart work shirt. ¡°Hank Vivonoski, attorney.¡± Vivo said handing the principal an embossed business card and pulling out a recording device. ¡°As Therese¡¯s attorney, I will advise you that our conversation is being recorded and will be used against you in court.¡±

    ¡°What the hell is this shit?¡± A loud voice came right as Vivo finished, and the principal turned and saw Mr. Shank standing there, his face red in anger. ¡°Beatrice is screwing with Therese again, isn¡¯t she, you know she has it out for that kid, and damn-it, I¡¯ve told you that before.¡± yelled Ed Shank.

    ¡°Shut up Ed.¡± The principal said. ¡°This is Therese¡¯s attorney, and her father.¡± the principal said as he shook realizing he told Ed Shank to shut up. Principal Weaver took a step away from Mr. Shank.

    ¡°Great to see you again.¡± said Rodger, shaking hands with Ed Shank, who greeted likewise, both men were happy to see each other. Rodger calmed some as he respected Mr. Shank.

    ¡°How about we have the meeting in my classroom. The last room you had a meeting about her in smells like piss.¡± said Ed Shank, staring the principal down.

    ¡°We agree.¡± said Vivo.

    Therese and her mom came into the office. Therese saw her dad and hugged him, saying he loved him, and then did the same to Vivo. ¡°I don¡¯t really have much money Mr. Vivo,¡± said Therese.

    ¡°You know that one drink Erin makes with orange and chocolate in it? Next time you are at work, make me one of those.¡± Vivo told her.

    ¡°Are you serious? that¡¯s all you want?¡± asked Therese. Her eyes betrayed her flat face in surprise at the generous offer.

    ¡°A muffin for Ben?, you know he really likes those.¡± said Vivo. Therese smiled as she thought about all the excuses Ben made to walk up to the muffin cases and grab one. The principal became impatient and restless. ¡°Take a chill pill, there is still plenty of time for me to sue you so bad you have to take out a loan to buy penny gum.¡± said Vivo, in a childish taunt to express his opinion of the principal. Then the principal told the secretary to contact everyone and meet in Mr. Shank¡¯s room.

    Mr. Shank, of course, was there, as was the Principal, Douglas from the behavioral help department, Mrs. Smith, Vivo, Therese, and her parents. Mrs. Smith gave her variant of the story about Therese yelling at her, disrupting the class and refusing to sit down.

    ¡°Lying bitch.¡± said Therese. She had gathered herself and faced her oppressor. Therese¡¯s parents were angry and nodded in agreement.

    ¡°As your lawyer, it is my advice that you refer to the lying bitch as your teacher.¡± said Vivo, loud enough to be heard.

    ¡°Who the hell do you think you are?¡± The principal asked Vivo.

    The intercom buzzed in the room. ¡°Principal Weaver.¡± the voice said. ¡°We checked his credentials, Mr. Vivonoski is a real lawyer and the district office has advised you to appease him, they would like to own the school in the morning and that comes straight from Superintendent Chummers himself.¡± the voice ended.

    ¡°That¡¯s who the hell I think I am.¡± said Vivo. ¡°I also sell really good cookies at the Kookie Mart, you are all welcome to stop by.¡± The principal grimaced.

    ¡°Mr. Shank, your opinion please.¡± Vivo asked Mr. Shank. Therese finally became less defiant and let out a small smirk at Mr. Shank being asked for an ¡°opinion¡±. She knew his love for her would cause him to betray his code of no opinions another time. Ed Shank shook his head at Therese as he saw that thought in her eyes. Mr. Shank would not fail their friendship.

    ¡°My observations are that Therese tries harder than any other student I have. My opinion is that she has never been given a fair chance by this principal or that charade of an educator there.¡± said Mr. Shank, pointing at Mrs. Smith.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Shank!¡± Mrs. Smith countered.

    ¡°Oh please, Therese is not the only student I have who takes your classes, she is just my favorite, and maybe you should learn from her.¡± stated Mr. Shank.

    ¡°And you sir?¡± Vivo asked Douglas.

    ¡°I have been there for years with Therese, she doesn¡¯t need me anymore, if you, she ever does, I am here, but my other concern is Principal Weaver using our building as a punishment, instead of the center of helping people it is.¡± said Douglas.

    ¡°Our offer is this. This incident will be dismissed without any negative consequence or punishment. Mrs. Smith will issue an apology to Therese, in the future you will avoid taking Therese to anywhere but the school counselors office if she is accused of a disruption or other negative behavior, where she shall have immediate access to her lawyer.¡± Vivo stated.

    The intercom buzzed again. ¡°Principal Weaver, Superintend Chummers again asked me to call you and ask you to not cause the school to lose a lawsuit to Mr. Vivonoski, and suggests you offer your covered parking space to Therese.¡± the intercom buzzed and clicked.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Principal Weaver asked Vivo. Principal Weaver had turned pale.

    ¡°I told you, I own the Kookie Mart, it is a little convenience store, we have the best cookies in town.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want his parking spot. I want to park by Peter when I get a car.¡± said Therese. Principal Weaver sat with a blank pale look on his forehead.

    ¡°As I was saying, the law specifically prohibits the type of discrimination you have shown my client. We may choose to continue this in court at our pleasure, so therefore we expect you shall remain in compliance, and in any case, I¡¯ll be watching.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°Thank you. The meeting is over.¡± Principal Weaver said, as he and Mrs. Smith left. Douglas stopped to give a high five to Therese and ran back to his work.

    ¡°How can we thank you, Mr. Vivo?¡± asked Therese¡¯s mother.

    ¡°It¡¯s already been taken care of, the price of my favorite coffee drink and a muffin.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°Can I ask you one question about the Kookie Mart?¡± Mr. Shank asked Vivo.

    ¡°Sure.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°How come you have such good cookies and yet terrible coffee?¡± asked Mr. Shank.

    ¡°It¡¯s all marketing. The bad coffee makes the cookies taste better. If you want good coffee you go to the Cowfee Cup where Therese works. Everyone knows that.¡± said Vivo casually. Therese and her parents nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Well, at least that explains the morning coffee. (Mr. Shank smiled at Therese.) Thank you all, I hope we never have to meet like this again.¡± said Mr. Shank.

    ¡°We won¡¯t have to.¡± said Vivo confidently.

 Appomattox Court House

    Therese returned to school confidently the next day. Word had spread like wildfire about her outburst, but unlike past rumors that described her as ¡°crazy¡±, she was described as brave, strong, and ripping everyone¡¯s least favorite teacher a new one. People said good morning to her and greeted her openly in the hallways. Therese walked carefully and deliberately but appreciated the air of equality and acceptance.

    At lunch, Therese met with Peter, and asked him to come with her. She walked to the special education building and found Douglas who was helping a student with different challenges practice throwing a spiral football. The student ran over and hugged Therese.

    ¡°Hi, Tiff.¡± Therese greeted her, embracing the hug. Tiffanie jumped forward, grabbed Therese, and squeezed her.

    ¡°Therese!¡± Replied the girl giving her a hug. ¡°Who is this?¡± Tiffanie asked, pointing at Peter.

    ¡°He¡¯s my boyfriend, Peter, and these are my friends Tiffanie and Douglas.¡± said Therese. They both shook Peter¡¯s hand. Douglas was big and strong, and thanks to his patience and strength, he was able to survive Therese¡¯s struggle to normalcy.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you are back so soon, I thought you don¡¯t like being here. Is everything going all right?¡± asked Douglas.

    ¡°I wanted to say thank you. And I don¡¯t hate being here, this will always be a part of my life, and grateful to you, it just isn¡¯t my goal to be sent here. I am sorry I pulled you into that yesterday.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°In the absence of equality, revolution happens. We were going to go get some lunch, would you like to join us?¡± Douglas asked.

    ¡°Oh please.¡± Tiffanie added. Therese was a friend and hero to her.

    ¡°I can¡¯t think of anywhere I would rather be.¡± said Therese simply and honestly. She looked around the building, and suddenly it didn¡¯t look as scary and oppressing as it once was. Therese saw many spots where Douglas had held her when she became confused, panicked or disruptive, but for each of these she saw twenty more good memories. Therese walked over to a bookcase, and pulled out a math textbook.

    ¡°Do you remember this one?¡± She asked Douglas.

    ¡°That is the book you closed and said you were ready to go back.¡± Douglas said, as Therese looked and smiled. He took the book and put it back on the shelf. ¡°It¡¯s now for someone else to close.¡± He said as he put it away. Douglas did not like for his friends to move backward.

    The four left for the cafeteria, Tiffanie asking Therese questions the whole way, and Douglas eyeballing Peter, hoping that he was a good person and not just after the goods. Tiffanie was excited to be walking with Peter and hoped all the other girls saw her. The other girls did see, and their respect for Peter grew. They wished their boyfriends were confident and kind like that. Peter grinned as Tiffanie explained things about the school to him.

    A boy dancing on a table with stuffed pants waived and shouted hi to Therese, before taking off and running as a teacher and the security officer closed the distance. ¡°Why does he do that?¡± Tiffanie asked Therese.

    ¡°Tigers don¡¯t do well in cages. They need room to roam.¡± Therese said. Watching Elijah jump over a couple of tables, stop to help someone pick up something they dropped, and then again outrun the security officer. Peter subtly frowned when Therese spoke of Elijah, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I want to be wolves with you.¡± she said to him, lifting his spirits. He understood that she was saying she wanted to be with him for life and face their conflicts together.

    Therese enjoyed the rest of the afternoon. When she arrived to American History class, Mrs. Smith announced that she was pleased to have Superintendent Chummers observing the class. The superintendent coughed and stared at Mrs. Smith.

    ¡°I would like to apologize for my behavior yesterday, Therese had an excellent point, and I argued instead of listening.¡± said Mrs. Smith.

    Therese rose from her desk and walked to the teacher in the front of the room. Mrs. Smith leaned back to her desk scared, as if she thought Therese would deck her. Therese stood before the teacher and stuck out her hand. ¡°If you really want to treat me as normal (Therese rolled her eyebrows down at that word), you will give me a chance to forgive you too.¡± Therese said.

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    Mrs. Smith hesitated and stuck out her hand, saying ¡°I¡¯m sorry Therese.¡±

    Therese shook her hand, and said ¡°I forgive you, and I am sorry for all I have done wrong too. Please forgive me. I hope this moment is already a new day.¡± said Therese as she finished shaking hands with the teacher and returned to her seat.

    ¡°That is the second awesomest thing I have ever heard.¡± Elijah told Therese, who turned and smiled her flat grin with one half turned upwards. ¡°I¡¯m OK being a back-up plan.¡± Elijah told her.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make you the Army?¡± said Therese. Elijah, wearing his favorite USMC shirt, scratched his beard and thought about that one.

    The class went without further incident, but Therese was glad when the bell rang.

    Therese walked to her next class, Economics and looked in the door. Coach T was standing there, she kept walking. She liked Coach T, but she needed a break and decided to ditch class for the first time. She found Peter, grabbed him, and said ¡°I need a slice of Pizza, and I need it now.¡± They ran to his car, started the engine, and took off.

    ¡°You¡¯re sure you want to do this?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°Gas pedals on the right.¡± Therese told him. Peter hit the gas, and they left the parking lot as carefully and quickly as he could. ¡°I am exploring life, and if I don¡¯t skip school now, I¡¯ll never have the chance.¡±

    ¡°Really, you have never ditched before?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°Never.¡± Therese reassured him, filled with excitement at her own misdeed.

    The next morning after Math class, The Superintendent stopped her at the door, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I would appreciate a moment of your time?¡± he asked Therese. Therese was worried it was because she had skipped her Economics class the day before.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be late for my next class.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about being late, and I¡¯ll walk you to your next class.¡± said the Superintendent.

    ¡°Then I will be happy to talk to you.¡± Therese told him, as they started walking through the hall.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, not just because you have a great lawyer, but because I had no idea all this was happening to you. I am sorry, none of this made it to me before.¡± said Superintendent Chummers.

    ¡°You know how you make good steel?¡± Therese asked him.

    ¡°Iron.¡± Said the superintendent

    ¡°You need iron, and a little carbon, some chromium, vanadium, whatever, you heat it up and beat the hell out of it in a forge.¡± said Therese. ¡°That¡¯s how life is, I just hope I am good steel.¡± Therese told him.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I think you are of the finest metal.¡± The Superintendent said, impressed with Therese¡¯s wisdom, handing her his business card, ¡°Still if you have any other problems, please call my office directly.¡±

    Therese pushed his card back to him. ¡°If I truly want to be an equal, I must face these problems as anyone else does.¡± She explained. Her tone was flat and her eyes serious. Superintendent Chummers shook as she stared at him, he felt enough pain for several lifetimes behind her stare, and yet she refused his help.

    ¡°And your fearsome attorney?¡± The superintendent asked.

    ¡°A nuclear deterrent is a good option to have.¡± Therese said as calmly and sincerely as someone who had destroyed worlds. Chummers knew her sincerity was real; Principal Weaver would never disturb her again.

    ¡°And so it is, you have my respect ma¡¯am. Take this then for the defense of others.¡± the superintendent said as he held the classroom door open for Therese to enter and handed her his business card.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Therese told him as she passed, and entered the room. Therese walked into her English class, where she again sat by Elijah, who was still pondering if being Therese¡¯s backup plan made him the Army.

    ¡°Were you talking to Superintendent Chummers?¡± Ms. Offley asked Therese.

    ¡°Yes, he wanted to know if you were a communist.¡± said Therese, as she sat down next to Elijah. Ms. Offley went back to her desk and tried to discretely put a book she was reading into her book bag. Therese turned her head so Ms. Offley could not see and put her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing as she made eye contact with Elijah.

    ¡°Third awesomest thing I have ever heard.¡± Elijah told her.

    Therese turned and looked at Elijah, leaning forward and mocking a seducing look. She leaned in very close to Elijah and whispered in his ear. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, our love would alter the timeline, and you wouldn¡¯t like it.¡± Therese sat back at her desk and pulled out her homework.

    ¡°Fucking Temporal directive.¡± said Elijah, looking for his homework before he finally remembered he never bothered to do it. Therese liked him, and maybe if had liked her sooner, she would have gone that route, but as she looked at Elijah, she could tell he was already preoccupied thinking about flying on helicopters. Elijah moved his lips when he thought about flying on helicopters.

    ¡°Did he really want to know if I was a communist?¡± Ms. Offley asked Therese.

    Therese attempted to roll her eyes in sarcasm, but it didn¡¯t work, Ms. Offley lunged forward to catch her, thinking Therese might be having a seizure. Therese leaned back. ¡°No, Ms. Offley, he did not ask about you, but if he did I could only tell him you are a great teacher.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Thank you, being your teacher makes me happy, but can I ask you one thing?¡± asked Ms. Offley.

    ¡°Sure, anything.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Where did you get that lovely shirt?¡± asked Ms. Offley. Ms. Offley was straight out of school, young and pretty, and she set trends with both the teachers and the students.

    ¡°Garak¡¯s fashions, I love Emily¡¯s designs.¡± said Therese, starting a conversation that caused class to start late. Therese thought the credit should go to Erin, for taking her there, but none of the other girls would listen to that, they just wanted to hear about the store. Therese did her best to keep up with the speed of ¡°girl talk¡±, but mostly enjoyed being accepted.

 Tired With a Chance of Coffee

    That night Therese had a terrible dream. She dreamed she was back at her psychiatrist¡¯s office, and she was sedated. The doctor was talking to her, counting backward from one-hundred, Therese was fighting it, they had not realized she had started drinking enough coffee to keep several people awake. She could see, but her eyelids were almost completely shut, so the image was dark. The doctor poked her with a pen, she did not move. ¡°She is in dreamland,¡± the doctor said. The chair she was sitting it flipped back, and she was wheeled into a brightly lit room.

    Wires were connected to her head, she felt people placing leads in her hair. Therese wanted to smile, but she fought it, she knew the weird dirt she found in her hair wasn¡¯t from the garden. Therese fought the urge to jump when she heard a metal against metal clang, the sedation medications helped.

    ¡°Dr. Macarthur will be here to check the implant in a minute.¡± said a voice.

    ¡°Damn it, she should have never been qualified for Orion.¡± said an old man.

    ¡°Shut up doctor, your usefulness to the Greys is not unlimited.¡± Came a reply from a shadowed man in the corner. ¡°How¡¯s her progress in dealing with the effects of the implant?¡± the shadowy man asked.

    ¡°She seems convinced reality is her going to high school and working at a cafe or something.¡± Her psychiatrist said. ¡°The boy, her friends are all named after rabbits. She is worsening, she is catatonic more and more often. I don¡¯t think she knows which is reality anymore.¡±

    ¡°Did Cooper reach her before we stopped him in Eagar?¡± shadow man asked.

    ¡°No sir, we don¡¯t think he ever made contact.¡± someone in a mask said.

    ¡°This thing was supposed to enhance her, not cause psychosis,¡± The old doctor said, reading the display on the monitor. ¡°It hasn¡¯t done this on the other subjects in her study, my only guess is it enhanced the illness that was already there.¡± He then added. ¡°I think a decade of this is enough, we need to remove it.¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t paying you to have opinions. We need to study her, just like everyone else if we are to perfect it.¡± the shadowy man said. ¡°Sedate her and have her parents take her home.¡± There was more talking, but the effects of the medication took over, and Therese fully fell asleep.

    Therese awoke in her room shaking, she climbed out of bed and pinched herself to see if she was asleep. She walked into her bathroom and washed her face. She checked her hair for debris and found none. Therese looked at the clock, it was 3:30 AM. She walked back to her room, stopping and looking at her stuffed animals, she took the rabbit wearing the coat off the shelf. ¡°You are Peter Rabbit. You are not the Peter I love, my Peter is real.¡± Therese told the Rabbit. The rabbit stared back. ¡°He is real, Peter is real, this is reality. I am not dreaming this, Peter is a real boy.¡± Therese said, throwing the rabbit across the room, crying, and sitting hard against the floor, she crawled back and up against her wall and sobbed.

    Therese¡¯s father heard her up, and had walked to her room. He knocked softly on the door. ¡°Hey, are you Okay? Can I come in?¡± Rodger asked.

    ¡°You can come in.¡± Therese told him. Her tone was flat, but her body was shaking.

    Rodger entered the room and saw his daughter crying on the floor. He sat down next to her. ¡°Bad dream?¡± he asked softly.

    ¡°I dreamed Peter wasn¡¯t real.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Your boyfriend, or the rabbit?¡± asked Rodger, seeing Peter Rabbit laying on the floor.

    ¡°My boyfriend. I know the rabbit is fake.¡± said Therese. She struggled to explain, still tired from the medication she took before bed.

    ¡°He is real, I wouldn¡¯t be afraid to lose my little girl to him if he wasn¡¯t.¡± said Rodger.

    ¡°Dad, you won¡¯t lose me. You just have to practice your sharing.¡± Therese said, snuggling up against her father like she was a little girl again. She just had to wedge him and shove him a little to get just right, it wasn¡¯t as easy as when she was little.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s almost four in the morning, and you have school. Should we be responsible and try to catch a little bit of sleep, or should we stay up, watch some Space-Girl Michelle and drink some coffee?¡± Rodger asked.

    ¡°I do have school.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°How about we quit being responsible for a day, and you fire us up some coffee while I turn the TV on?¡± asked Rodger.

    ¡°I think that is a great idea.¡± said Therese. Getting up, and then helping her dad get up, and walking out to the kitchen. Therese started the coffee pot she had bought, and Rodger poured two bowls of cereal, one of chocolate puffs and one of flakes. In a few minutes, they were both sitting her on the couch, eating cereal and drinking coffee.

    ¡°Which episode did you put in?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°The one where she fights the Recyclecons.¡± said Rodger.

    ¡°Good choice.¡± Therese said, she hated the Recyclecons, they were trying to destroy the universe by using up all the energy to unnecessarily reuse disposable materials. Therese was proud to support the lumberjack industry and always threw her paper cups in the garbage.

    The episode ended just before Therese¡¯s alarm went off in her room. ¡°Time to wake up, and get ready for school.¡± Therese told her father.

    ¡°Have a good day, I guess I should wake up and go to work.¡± Rodger said as he stood up and took their bowls to the sink. He smiled, this was a great morning, even if it was an early morning.

    The lack of sleep caught up to Therese as she readied herself for school. She was tired, but she got ready. Therese made three coffee¡¯s, one for her, one for Peter and the last for Mr. Shank. She started walking out of the house, before she ran back in, remembering to take her medicine. She sighed relief that she remembered to do that. She very carefully left the house with her backpack on, and holding three drinks to go out front and wait for Peter to pick her up for school. She was glad she did not have to carry three cups of coffee and walk to school too. ¡°Early morning.¡± Therese said to the rabbit that nibbled the grass next to where she was standing.

    Peter pulled up in his car, and turned around so her door would be closest to Therese. She smiled, set the coffees on the top, then handed them to Peter. before she climbed in the car. For once, Therese seemed more exhausted than Peter. ¡°Hey, you ok?¡± Peter asked her.

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    ¡°Just woke up early, and couldn¡¯t go to sleep. Hey, do you think we could drive a different street to school today?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Sure, but why?¡± Peter asked.

    ¡°I just need to make sure there is more than just my street in this neighborhood right now.¡± Therese attempted to explain.

    ¡°Yeah, no problem.¡± Peter said, he didn¡¯t really think out the request, but to him a longer drive was good enough, because it meant more time with just the two of them. Peter drove the long way out of Therese¡¯s neighborhood, around several blocks and to the school. Therese sat tense in her sat, and Peter could tell she was tired.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Therese told Peter as they reached the school. She was too embarrassed to explain, and he liked her enough to not ask. Peter took his cup of coffee and went around the car to open Therese¡¯s door for her.

    ¡°You¡¯re really nice to her, that is kind of you.¡± Kara said, stepping out of her car, she was parked on the driver''s side of Peter¡¯s car. Despite her history of rudeness to Therese, Peter could tell she was speaking sincerely.

    ¡°Kindness has nothing to do with it, I love her.¡± said Peter, as he opened Therese¡¯s door. Kara took off quickly walking away, keeping her car between them. Therese had not seen the exchange, she was focused on not spilling the drinks.

    ¡°I am freaking tired.¡± Therese told Peter. Therese struggled to get up and keep her balance, she put her backpack on, and finally grabbed the coffee cups and started walking. Peter shut her car door, and then caught up with her.

    ¡°You know what will be funny?¡± Peter asked Therese.

    ¡°What?¡± She asked in a tired voice.

    ¡°If you are the one who gets in trouble for sleeping today.¡± said Peter, taking a sip of his coffee. They walked through the halls, most of the boys turned and watched Therese. Peter laughed, he was glad he had seen her first and had found her hiding in plain sight.

    Peter opened the door and held it for Therese. She thanked him and went and took a cup of coffee to Mr. Shank. Kara came in after her, and Peter stopped himself and again held the door, but this time for Kara, who politely said ¡°thank you.¡±

    ¡°Me holding the door for you, that was kindness.¡± said Peter as he went and sat down in front of Therese. Kara went and sat down across the room next to Megan, who was rambling something about some teen focused article on beauty. Kara looked at the empty chair next to Therese, no one ever sat there, then wondered if she was sitting there, what Therese would talk to her about. Hopefully, it would be something better than teen beauty magazines.

    Therese caught herself dozing off several times. The medicines and the lack of sleep were giving her a double whammy today. She drank her coffee, waiting for the caffeine to fight back. Therese fought the battle to stay awake valiantly, but it was taxing her. She prayed she was not called on to answer questions, and as the bell rang, she thanked God for answering that simple request.

    Therese walked with Peter as far as she could until they separated ways and she went to her second-hour class, English composition. ¡°Out of the boring and into the stasis field.¡± Therese said to herself as she entered the room. Therese face palmed in embarrassment as she realized the teacher standing by the door heard her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± she said to the teacher.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be, honesty is to be valued. Remember that when you write.¡± The teacher told her.

    ¡°See you later.¡± said Elijah to Kara, whom he normally sat next to in that class. She looked in surprise, curious what someone so randomly impulsive as Elijah might be doing. She wondered if he was going to dance on the teacher¡¯s desk, but instead, he walked over to Therese and sat next to her.

    ¡°Let me guess, fourth-most awesome thing you ever heard?¡± Therese asked him.

    ¡°Oh no, I figured you just needed a friend after that.¡± He said, pulling out his notebook and hurrying to do the homework, he should have already done.

    ¡°How come you never do your homework?¡± Therese asked Elijah.

    ¡°I do, just kind of at the last minute?¡± He explained. Therese wouldn¡¯t argue that. She was glad to have him sit next to her, and to declare himself a friend. Kara wished she had done that, but she hadn¡¯t. Kara looked at Elijah, he seemed oblivious to his own courage as he scrambled to write another paragraph.

    The bell rang. ¡°Let¡¯s pass your assignments forward.¡± The teacher stated, and all the students passed them forward, except Elijah, who kept writing. The teacher went and stood over him, and he kept scrambling with his pen. ¡°I hope this is on the joys of doing things at the last minute.¡± said the teacher.

    ¡°Well, since you¡¯ve already read it, you could just give me the A now.¡± Elijah said as he handed her the paper. The class giggled.

    ¡°Nice try, Elijah.¡± said the teacher, walking away with the papers. ¡°John Keats, how would anyone describe him? (no hands were raised, Anyone want to describe is work? (no volunteers).¡± The teacher looked around the room, she looked at Elijah, thought he might answer the question, then looked over at Kara. ¡°Kara, how would you describe Keats.¡±

    ¡°Dead, boring.¡± said Kara. The other girls next to Kara giggled.

    ¡°Alrighty then, anyone else?¡± The teacher asked, and Therese raised her hand. ¡°Therese please, describe something about Keats or his work.¡±

    ¡°I like La Belle Dame Sans Merci. The knight is a brave man, he must have been to be called a knight and a man-at-arms, he met a beautiful girl, they made love, and he spends the rest of his life waiting for her again, because even if she isn¡¯t real, the chance she is means more to him than anything else.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°And if she isn¡¯t real?¡± asked Ms. Offley.

    ¡°That moment they were together was. You can¡¯t weigh how people make you feel. You can¡¯t pour happiness in a cup, except for maybe coffee, or pour sadness either. That moment they were together, that¡¯s what he lived for. And everyone else that waited until they faded, they thought it was real too.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Do you think she was real?¡± The teacher asked.

    ¡°Maybe the problem is she didn¡¯t know herself. Maybe the knight wasn¡¯t real, but the girl was, and when she forgot him, he only existed as a fading memory, but here we are all these years later, all we know is their love was real because we remember their romance, and the only thing left other than that is an empty lake where no birds sing.¡± said Therese.

    All the kids and class sat silently staring at Therese, maybe or two people in the room had ever heard her explain anything in such length. The boys looked at her with curious lust, the girls as if she had explained something about themselves they didn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°OK. That was the most awesome thing I have ever heard.¡± Elijah said, turning and giving a high five to Therese, and grinning at her.

    ¡°Respect the timeline.¡± Therese whispered at him.

    After English Composition, Therese walked to art class. She loved art class, it was her true refuge from the world. She didn¡¯t feel she was that great of an artist, but she was happy she was as good as she could be. The teacher, Rem Monty, was a great accomplished artist, who had a passion for creating, but respected Therese¡¯s efforts to develop her own style. Progress, he told her was Therese feeling she was painting better, not Therese painting like Michelangelo or Da Vinci. Therese felt art comes from within, and she had a lot to express.

    The other reason she liked independent study art, was it was impossible not to fit in because the students were as varied as life could let them be. Therese went and pulled out her pallet and squirted her paints out on it. She used a wet paper towel in a plastic cake container. It was cheap and it worked. Therese loved the sounds of the paints squirting.

    Mr. Monty sat upfront, it was independent study, he was free to work on his project, but was still ultimately in charge of the class. Therese liked the teacher, he had always treated her as anyone else, and enjoyed viewing her work as much as any of the other students. She finished gathering the paints she needed, filled a cup of water to clean her brushes and sat back down at her art desk.

    Therese quickly became lost in her work, as she painted her rabbits in her garden. She painted the sun rising in the morning, with the dark shadows that came in the early morning. She had painted rabbits many times before, and she hoped she would paint rabbits many times again. Nothing happened in art class, she simply felt her zen. Therese breathed slowly, relaxed and painted. The rest of the world did not exist, except the world in her painting.

    Then all too soon, the bell rang, and it was time to move on to the next class. Therese hurried to put her paints away, clean her brushes, and put her painting away for the next day. She looked at the painting and smiled, this one she would give to Peter. Therese gathered her bag, and left as quickly as she could to the next class.

 Love

    Therese didn¡¯t really like chemistry class, and she didn¡¯t really dislike it either. She found it interesting enough, but never really thought about it when she wasn¡¯t there. She sat down with her lab partner Benjamin, whom she tolerated when he was there, and missed him dearly when he wasn¡¯t. Surprisingly, Benjamin was there, although his clothes were soaking wet, and his shoes covered in sand.

    ¡°Hitting the river between classes, isn¡¯t it still too cold?¡± Therese asked him.

    ¡°It''s complicated, and technically before classes because I didn¡¯t go to any before that.¡± Benjamin told her.

    ¡°You might need to know this some day.¡± warned Therese.

    ¡°I doubt it, all I need is a D, and I have a Dee-ploma.¡± Benjamin told her. He, like Elijah, and a less academic game plan immediately following graduation.

    Dr. Witee wrote out a chemical on the board. C8H10N4O2. ¡°Extra credit for whoever can identify this compound first gets extra credit for their team.

    Therese¡¯s hand immediately shot up. ¡°Yes, Therese.¡± said Dr. Witee.

    ¡°Caffeine.¡± answered Therese.

    ¡°Very good, extra points for you and that guy that managed to show up to class today.¡± said Dr. Witee.

    Benjamin gave Therese a high-five and said, ¡°Thank you, that is one less day I need to show up.¡± grimaced Therese.

    ¡°One day, you really might need to know this stuff.¡± Therese told him.

    ¡°Maybe, but I just need to know it enough for now.¡± replied Benjamin. He was glad today was lecture only, he did not feel like standing and doing lab in wet sneakers. Therese wished Peter was in her chemistry class, at least if he didn¡¯t pay attention to the teacher, he paid attention to her. As she sat there, Therese diligently wrote down every note she could based on the lecture. Today the lecture was on the synthesis of caffeine in nature, and Therese was particularly interested.

    As the class wound down and prepared to leave at the bell, Therese asked Benjamin ¡°Tomorrow is lab, can you at least try and be here tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Benjamin said, then sobered his thoughts a little, ¡°It¡¯s important to you, learning all this?¡± asked Benjamin.

    ¡°Yes it is. I need you here tomorrow.¡± Therese told him. She shrugged, she had been used to being alone in her world so long, she found it difficult when she needed someone¡¯s help. Benjamin might be a lost cause, but in his ignorance of the world, he was ignorant of her own struggles at the school, having just transferred there the year before. She viewed him as an outsider who tried hard to be an outsider.

    ¡°Hey, Therese. I¡¯ll be here, and I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t really been trying, I just don¡¯t see this being me.¡± Benjamin told her.

    ¡°I think we¡¯re all looking for ourselves right now, you may not know who you will be, I don¡¯t know myself.¡± Therese told him.

    ¡°Really, I just always thought you had your crap together. You¡¯re smart, your nice. Am I missing something?¡± answered Benjamin, somewhat confused. ¡°Oh, and you are a great lab partner, I wouldn¡¯t have made this year without you, thank you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± said Therese, before the bell rang and the class scattered to their next destination, which for Therese was lunch with Peter. Benjamin was still confused by the questions. He really was glad Therese was his lab partner because she understood the subject, and tried a lot harder than he did.

    ¡°Really, thank you. I would have just dropped this class without your help. It¡¯s a little overwhelming.¡± replied Benjamin.

    ¡°It would make more sense if you showed up all the time.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying, I made sure I got back from fishing for this one. I guess I better get to the next class so I can take my shoes off, and air my feet out. See you tomorrow.¡± said Benjamin and he still left wet footprints as he walked off.

    ¡°So you say.¡± said Therese, as she turned and walked the other way. ¡°If you show up all next week, I¡¯ll bring you a candy bar.¡± Therese shouted back at Benjamin, who turned and grinned.

    Therese was never in a hurry for lunch before Peter, she would just bring her lunch box and find a nice shady tree to sit under while everyone else was still in the cafeteria, and enjoy the peace of sitting on the grass. Peter never remembered to bring his lunch and so they always had to go in the cafeteria where it was noisy. She hated the cafeteria, but she loved Peter.

    Peter was waiting under a tree for her, he was never one to miss use of the shade. Therese was glad to see Peter, and felt a little jitter in her stomach. She knew it wasn¡¯t the hunger, but she was feeling hungry. Therese walked up to Peter under the tree, pulled an extra lunch bag out of her backpack and handed it to Peter.

    ¡°Thank you, I wondered why your backpack looked heavier.¡± Peter said.

    ¡°I hope you like it, my mom made it.¡± said Therese, but she knew Peter was never one to complain about given food. Therese sat down next to Peter, put her hand over his bag to stop him, and he said grace before the meal with her. Therese liked to be mindful in her prayers, and Peter was trying to be better about it.

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    Therese had worn a sweater over her, and she was still chilling. She wondered if she should have sat in the sun, but the ground was dry and she liked the tree. Therese ate carefully, and looked around while she chewed. She had never fully understood the dynamics of high school society, but she liked to observe. Peter looked at Therese, the rest of the world was no interest to him, and when he saw Therese shiver, he took off his flannel shirt and put it over her shoulders like a cape.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be cold now, we should just move to the sun.¡± said Therese, flatly, but looking at Peter who was now cold.

    ¡°If we did that, you wouldn¡¯t wear my flannel shirt, and it looks good on you.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I want to give it back.¡± said Therese. She had noticed the other girls wearing their boyfriends'' jackets, and felt it almost a right of passage that she should wear Peter¡¯s flannel shirt. She chewed her sandwich carefully as she looked forward.

    ¡°It¡¯s yours if you want it, I wish it was nicer for you.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°I want it.¡± Therese said, the flannel was soft and smelled like Peter. Therese did not talk much that lunch, so much had happened, and she was processing recent events. ¡°Thank you, I love you.¡± said Therese casually.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, I love you too.¡± said Peter, his heart skipping a beat. Peter watched as Therese took the time to carefully put his flannel over on, with her arms in the sleeves. ¡°If you sit next to me, you might be warmer.¡± Therese offered. Peter obliged and snuggled up with Therese under the tree in the cold. The flannel was warm, and soft, especially with Therese under it.

    Peter put his arms around Therese and held her, content with the world. Then, like the evil bastard it was, the lunch bell sounded, ending lunch. Peter started standing up, and Therese pulled him back and leaned her head back. Peter did not need to wait to be asked, he kissed her. As much as Therese had started to hate high school, now she wished it would last forever, but as the bell rang, she let Peter lift her up to help her stand.

    ¡°I do love you.¡± Peter told Therese.

    ¡°I love you, very much.¡± Therese told Peter, then they hugged and started walking to separate classes. Therese dreaded going to history class, but it was one step closer to riding home with Peter.

    ¡°Good afternoon, Therese.¡± said Mrs. Smith when Therese entered.

    ¡°Good afternoon, Mrs. Smith.¡± said Therese, wondering if her teacher had switched tactics, but the teacher simply walked over to Therese with the sign-in sheet and handed it to her. Therese took the sheet and signed her name, then handed it to Elijah, who signed his name and passed it on. Elijah too, was suspicious of the teacher¡¯s behavior.

    ¡°When Grant and Lee met at Appomattox Court House, Lee knew he had been defeated, but what impressed him the most, was Grant¡¯s treating him with dignity and respect. Then men were paroled, and for them, the war was over then. They had to move forward, and part of that was the farm work, and men were allowed to take horses and mules home.¡± said Mrs. Smith, hoping Therese understood she was grateful for the terms of her own surrender.

    ¡°Before that, there were four years of bloody fighting. How did our country get so divided to result in such a terrible conflict?¡± Mrs. Smith asked. Someone raised their hands and Mrs. Smith called on them.

    ¡°People owning slaves?¡± asked a girl.

    ¡°I think we have established people are oppressed into slavery, but they are not owned, but yes, slavery was a huge cause.¡± corrected Mrs. Smith. Elijah and Therese looked at each other with questioning eyes, as neither Elijah nor Therese could believe the conflict was over. Mrs. Smith asked if anyone else wanted to contribute, and Elijah and Therese both looked at each other and shook their heads, neither wanted to address such a controversial subject in this class. The rest of the class seemed to follow suit, and Mrs. Smith continued her lecture about the tensions escalating and the resulting war.

    ¡°Elijah, who said a house divided against itself, cannot stand?¡± asked Mrs. Smith.

    Therese shot a shut-up look at Elijah, and he resisted answering it was the Macho Man Randy Savage. ¡°Abraham Lincoln?¡± Elijah answered. Therese relaxed the shut-up look, but Elijah was glad she supported his decision to behave.

    ¡°Therese, what did he mean?¡± asked Mrs. Smith. Therese gulped in her throat. Elijah returned the favor and shot her a behave look.

    ¡°There is a passage in the Bible, If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand, that America could not remain divided, the republic would fail.¡± Therese answered, hoping she had not said too much, but Mrs. Smith went on. Therese was feeling really uneasy, the teacher was being unusually polite to her.

    Finally, the bell rang, and Therese hurried to pack her things, Elijah did the same, and then Therese hurried out of the classroom without looking over her shoulder. Elijah followed quickly. ¡°That was weird.¡± Therese said to Elijah, who nodded in agreement.

    Therese went to Economics class and sat down. She hoped the day would not continue to end weird, and Therese sat with silent anticipation. She started breathing easy when Coach T began discussing the moon landing. Therese sighed and opened her economics book hoping she would not get in trouble for studying the material that would invariably be on the economics test instead of the moon landing. Her relief came eventually from the bell, and Therese hurried to Peter¡¯s car.

    Therese got their quickly and noticed Kara was parked next to them. Therese thought she must have got to school late to need to take a spot next to Peter¡¯s car. Kara came walking up.

    ¡°Hi Kara.¡± Therese said. Therese smiled, in spite of everything she only wished Kara liked her. Therese wished she was bold and confident like Kara. Therese¡¯s voice was flat and Kara had been absent too long to decipher how happy Therese really was to see her.

    ¡°Hi. That was pretty cool what you said in English class.¡± Kara said, stopping to talk to Therese. This surprised Therese, but she was happy that Kara stopped.

    ¡°So, is that guy you ride with your boyfriend?¡± Kara asked.

    ¡°Yes, I love him.¡± Therese said proudly, to be known as Peter¡¯s girlfriend. Therese stood their proudly in Peter¡¯s Flannel, she adjusted it. ¡°He let me have his jacket when I was cold.¡± Therese said, feeling the flannel in her fingers. She liked the soft touch.

    ¡°He seems to treat you good.¡± Kara said, wishing she had someone who genuinely loved her instead of the jerk after jerk story of her love life. ¡°It¡¯s a nice shirt, it looks good on you.¡± Kara added, wishing she had a boyfriend who would give up his jacket for her.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing.¡± Therese told her. ¡°Hey, Kara.¡± Therese started, absentmindedly asking if Kara wanted to hang out, then she stopped, fearing rejection. ¡°Just, em thanks for saying hi.¡± Therese said.

    ¡°Good luck with the boyfriend, he seems nice.¡± Kara told Therese before getting into her own car and driving off. Kara kept herself together before driving off, then looked in her mirror and said ¡°I fucking hate myself.¡± Into her own eyes.

 Spring

    Later in March-

    Therese had bought Peter a seat belt for his side of the car, and Buck offered to help them install it at his house. Buck was still good with tools. Therese was excited to be invited to Buck¡¯s house. The weeds were tall, and his property mostly neglected outside, but she was excited to see her friend. Buck had worn himself out with his walk and watched the news the rest of the day, but he felt a burst of energy when the kids arrived.

    Buck didn¡¯t need a doorbell, he heard Peter¡¯s car come around the block, and started walking out to meet them. He smiled broadly when Therese stepped out of the car. She smiled back at him, the faint corners of her mouth turned up, then her eyes opened wide. She saw his old truck in the weeds by the side of the house. Therese ran over to it, remembering one of the best days of her childhood when he rescued her kite, the pink kite with the unicorn on it. She hugged the truck, her fingers rolling over the oxidized paint of the red body, and the less rusted hood which was newer but blue. ¡°Lucky hood.¡± she said.

    ¡°They took my license. I wouldn¡¯t let them take my truck.¡± said Buck.

    ¡°Does it work?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t tried since they took my license. What¡¯s the point?¡± asked Buck.

    ¡°I¡¯d drive you.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Too much work. Some things are just broke forever. The bus is easier. Let¡¯s teach your boyfriend how to install a seat belt and tune up his car.¡± Buck said, walking to the car. Buck hobbled to the car with his cane. ¡°My toolbox is on the porch, go grab it for me, your car needs some work.¡± Buck ordered Peter, who ran and got the toolbox as needed. Buck installed the seat belt first, then opened the hood, and continued to work in the engine compartment. He sent Therese inside to grab them some drinks out of the fridge, and kept trying to explain to Peter what was wrong with his car.

    Therese nervously walked into the house, she was always uneasy going into strange places, and always refused to go by herself, but she was thirsty, and Buck was helping them, so she was determined. She carefully walked through the house. First, she saw a dusty shelf filled with plaques thanking ¡°Buck¡¯s Plumbing¡± for sponsoring numerous little league teams over a decade or more. She saw team photos and could see some of the same kids growing older in each picture. There was an award from the city for saving some event by fixing the plumbing through out the night. A dollar bill, which she recognized it as the dollar she had tipped him by the tear on it, laying on the shelf underneath an old hat that said ¡°Buck¡¯s Plumbing¡± on it. There were two chairs in front of the television set. One chair was well used, the other new but dusty.

    Therese continued into the kitchen. There was a small table with four chairs, one was worn, the others were new. Therese grew sad at the loneliness in Buck¡¯s house. She went to the refrigerator, opened it, and took out three sodas as she was asked to, shut the refrigerator, and started walking out. She stopped when she saw a picture of a young sailor hanging on the wall. She recognized Buck in his youth, Therese reached over, straightened the picture level, and walked out carefully with the sodas.

    ¡°Start it now.¡± Buck told Peter, who cranked the engine. The car turned over and ran smoother than Peter had ever heard. Buck grinned. ¡°Hand me a soda, will you?¡± Buck asked Therese, who handed Buck a soda. Buck opened the soda, grinned at the car and said ¡°I still have it, but I need a break, let¡¯s go sit on the porch.¡± Peter turned off the car, thanked Buck several times, helped Buck put the tools in the toolbox and carried the toolbox to the porch for him.

    There were several chairs on the porch, one was clean, the others were dusty, and Therese having arrived first politely went to sit on a dusty one. ¡°No, no, sit in the good one, It wouldn¡¯t be good for you to get tetanus on a Sunday.¡± Buck told her, to which Therese obliged and took the good seat. She was unsure why it would be good to get tetanus on any day of the week. Therese drank her soda, it tasted good. Peter and Buck clashed their bottles in a toast to their success, and drank their sodas, they were nice and refreshing.

    ¡°What are you kids up to the rest of the day?¡± asked Buck.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to study for the math test tomorrow.¡± Peter said, having promised to take Therese to his home to study. Therese was excited about this, it was her first time going to Peter¡¯s home, he had always avoided it.

    ¡°That¡¯s one thing I can¡¯t help you with.¡± said Buck. He could do enough math to do a good job with his trade, but that was mostly geometry, he never had to worry about what X was, or what time two trains left from somewhere and passed each other. ¡°Those bastards changed math, they made it so it don¡¯t make sense.¡±

    ¡°I am good at math, art¡­ and history. I can help him with math.¡± Therese told Buck.

    ¡°He¡¯s lucky to have you then, isn¡¯t he?¡± said Buck to her.

    ¡°I guess so.¡± said Therese.

    The three finished their sodas, and said goodbye, Therese and Peter thanking Buck for the help and the sodas. Buck shrugged off the praise and sent them on their way. It was a great day for Buck, even if all he had left was himself and his tools, they proved enough for the day. Therese climbed in the car first and quickly buckled her seat belt. Peter climbed in and started the car, he liked the way it sounded now. ¡°Put your seat belt on.¡± Therese told him.

    ¡°Thank you, I forgot I have one now.¡± said Peter, putting his seat belt on, then backing out of the driveway and turning onto the street. Therese also enjoyed the way the car sounded better. She smiled. Peter drove them to his home. Vivo was going to drop off Ana later, agreeing to let him have the day off to fix his car and study. Ben had complained about that meaning he had to watch the store, and Erin was closed on Sundays so there would be no muffins.

    Peter pulled into a lot in the less incorporated area of town. There was an older, but sound manufactured home, he pulled up to it. ¡°Vivo lets me stay here, he moved in with Erin, and didn¡¯t want it to go bad from neglect.¡±

    Therese looked at the home, wondering if it was the one in Ben¡¯s version of Vivo¡¯s life. She saw a name placard that said ¡°Vivonoski¡±, it was hanging from one nail and fallen, covered by dirt. Therese brushed the dirt off with her fingers and smiled.

    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful.¡± said Therese, as she climbed out of the car and walked to Peter¡¯s home. Peter invited her in. There were baby toys everywhere, baby food piled on the counters, and the sink was full of dishes.

    ¡°It was already furnished, Vivo just left everything here when he moved in with Erin, my bedroom is here (Peter pointed), Ana¡¯s is there (he pointed again), and the bathroom is at the end. ¡°Make yourself at home, if you need anything, help yourself.¡± Peter said. Therese took her shoes off, walked over, and put them by the door. Therese liked Peter¡¯s home, it was nice, simple and small. She did not feel overwhelmed. She pulled her books out of her backpack and put her notebook open at the table.

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    The two began studying. Therese was able to explain things Peter had forgotten or slept through. She was patient and did not become frustrated explaining things several times over. Still, Peter struggled, Math was not his strong point, especially since he slept through the better part of the year, and the final exams would be coming up soon, and he needed to pass. Peter had promised that much, that he would finish high school. Peter started improving quickly and was able to solve the practice problems. He smiled, he was grateful to understand the problems, it was like learning a foreign language to him.

    ¡°I want you to kiss me.¡± Therese told him in the middle of one of the last and most difficult problem. ¡°If you get this problem right, you can kiss me on the couch.¡± Therese told him, trying to sound pretty when she said it. Peter¡¯s heart began pounding, this was the most he ever wanted to be good at in math his entire life.

    ¡°When I kill you, you will go to hell.¡± Ben¡¯s voice echoed in Peter¡¯s mind. Ben¡¯s voice echoed again. Peter¡¯s heart raced, finally, Peter intentionally miscalculated the last of the problem. He was trying to do the right thing.

    ¡°Do you not like me?¡± asked Therese, saddened at seeing him miss the problem and Peter adding an extra zero to his answer.

    ¡°No, no, I like you.¡± Peter pleaded.

    ¡°You know how to do that problem.¡± Therese told him, crossing out the extra zero.

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to respect you.¡± Peter told her.

    ¡°I just wanted to kiss you, you don¡¯t have to grope me.¡± Therese told him, shutting her book, and packing her stuff, feeling rejected. Therese grimaced with her flat smile. She hated rejection, but this wasn¡¯t a pity party, she threw herself at him and bounced.

    ¡°Give me another problem.¡± Peter begged. Therese obliged, writing out her own problem, which was harder and more complex than any of the practice problems. Peter struggled and finally finished the problem. Therese looked it over, checked his work.

    ¡°You did it right.¡± she announced. Therese stood up and walked down and sat on the couch.

    ¡°Do I need to get a mint?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°No, I want to see what you taste like.¡± Therese told him. Peter grinned.

    Peter sat down next to Therese. She leaned forward and closed her eyes, and he leaned in and kissed her. This time Therese did not jump back, she reached around and grabbed him and kissed him back. They kissed for a while. Therese¡¯s heart pounded, she let go, she had an almost full smile. ¡°That was fucking awesome.¡± She announced. Peter sat there, in silent agreement, his heart pounding like it had never pounded before.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°You are welcome.¡± said Therese. She wondered why she had waited so long to kiss a boy because she liked kissing a lot. ¡°Does your TV work?¡± she asked Peter.

    ¡°Yes, I get all the local channels.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°Put it on Channel 12, Space-Girl Michelle is coming on, I like to watch it on Sundays.¡± Therese said, paused, and added ¡°please.¡± Therese did love Space-Girl Michelle, it was her favorite show, but mostly she wanted to distract her own feelings, she was becoming overwhelmed. Therese was worried she might do something more, and she did not want to be that close to anyone. She checked the buttons on her shirt to make sure they were still closed. She reached over and held Peter¡¯s hand. Peter smiled, holding Therese¡¯s hand made watching Space-Girl Michelle almost bearable.

    A little later, Erin and Vivo knocked on the door. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Erin announced.

    ¡°Come in.¡± Peter told them.

    Vivo and Erin walked in, carried Ana in, set her carefully down and watched her take little steps, hanging onto the furniture. Falling a couple times. ¡°She can walk?¡± Peter shouted excited, as he watched the little girl take her little steps, directly to Therese. Therese looked at the little girl, and picked her up and hugged her. Ana gave Therese a big squeezing hug, and Therese liked that.

    ¡°Why is she glowing?¡± Erin asked Peter.

    ¡°No, no, no, no, I swear.¡± said Peter. Vivo laughed and handed him the diaper bag.

    ¡°Sweet, Space-Girl Michelle, I love this show.¡± said Vivo, walking past Peter and sitting down next to Therese.

    ¡°Great, now he¡¯ll never leave.¡± said Erin, going to the couch, and sitting down to watch the show, knowing Vivo would never leave while it was on. Ana squeezed Therese, who rocked her carefully from side to side. Erin smiled, Therese was glowing. She hoped the girl was careful, but then again, one thing she learned about Therese, was she was always careful. Peter had started doing laundry and getting ready for the week. Erin smiled, she liked Peter and thought he was a good kid.

    ¡°I freaking hate the talking cars. You know what¡¯s going to kill us all? Talking cars. One line of code and boom, now self driving cars are trying to kill us all instead of avoiding us.¡± said Vivo, watching Space-Girl Michelle fire her blaster and jump over the robot cars as they tried to ram her. Therese grinned though at Vivo¡¯s comment about the talking cars, Kara always hated those the most too.

    ¡°I think the Motons are worse.¡± said Therese. ¡°They are trying to ban rock and roll in the galaxy. How can you fight robot cars without a soundtrack?¡± Therese asked Vivo.

    ¡°Your¡¯re right, I don¡¯t think Michelle could save the galaxy listening to Mozart.¡± agreed Vivo. Erin sat there in amazement, not at the show, but at how natural Therese¡¯s conversation about Space-Girl Michelle had become with Vivo. They had both connected at a level, that they really only understood, but Therese¡¯s answers were deep and fluid. Erin smiled at Vivo, proud of the man she loved. He didn¡¯t notice, he was glad to finally have someone to discuss one of his favorite shows with. No one and Erin knew no one, else seemed to like that show. Erin could barely tolerate it, so she pulled out her phone and began reading the news. Peter scooted closer to Therese and let her lean back resting against him but not looking up from the show.

    ¡°His eyes uncovered!¡± whispered Erin to herself, but loud enough that Vivo paid attention, and he smiled. That made Erin happy.

    A smell and sound came out of Ana¡¯s diaper. ¡°The beast at Tanagra.¡± Vivo whispered, pointing at the soiled diaper. Therese rose and took Ana to change her.

    ¡°Peter. I need you to show me how to change a diaper.¡± Therese called to the back. Peter came quickly and offered to take Ana from Therese. The young lady shook her head no. ¡°I want you to teach me to do this.¡± Therese told him. Peter again offered to take the little girl and change her. ¡°If you want to kiss me on the couch again, you need to teach me how to help you.¡± Therese told him. Erin and Vivo hid their grins. Peter consented, and led Therese to Ana¡¯s bedroom.

    ¡°Juliet. On her balcony.¡± said Erin grinning.

    Vivo pinched his nose at the smell jokingly. ¡°Therese and Peter on the ocean.¡± he said as Therese and Peter walked away, turned and refocused his attention to the TV show. He could not wait to watch the show again, as much as Erin loved Star Trek, Vivo had found himself alone in his friends with Space-Girl Michelle. Vivo loved the show.

    ¡°Well, I just kind of do it, so I guess, just watch me.¡± said Peter as he demonstrated going through the motions of changing the diaper, wiping the baby, and placing the diaper in a plastic bag and into the diaper hamper. ¡°I guess it¡¯s not so bad, when it¡¯s your kid.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°It¡¯s not so bad when you care.¡± Therese corrected him. She did not want Peter to think she could never love Ana. Therese was constantly hurt by people treating her as if she lacked emotions simply because she did not easily display them. Therese turned and saw a picture of Ana¡¯s mother on top of a dresser. She picked it up and stared silently. She had never seen a picture of her before, Peter did everything he could to avoid discussing her, as did everyone else in their circle of friends.

    ¡°She¡¯s beautiful.¡± Therese told him. Therese was jealous, even though she was no longer there. Anyone who had shared peter¡¯s attention would make her feel insecure. Therese carefully put the picture down. Peter stood silently, holding Ana, unsure of how to respond.

    ¡°I hope I am pretty too.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°You are beautiful.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°Was she kind? kind people are always beautiful.¡± said Therese. Peter was unsure how to answer that. He tried to take Ana¡¯s mother for the best he could, and at best, she was a good memory he tried not to think about.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go watch the show.¡± said Therese, adjusting the picture so it was perfectly centered and faced the crib. Therese walked out of the room and sat down next to Vivo. Peter sat on the other side of Erin.

    ¡°I think you will have to always share her with Vivo when this show is on.¡± Erin told Peter.

    ¡°I¡¯m ok with that, this show is terrible.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°I am with you on that.¡± agreed Erin.

    Another two weeks passed without event, although Peter dreaded midterms approaching. He was working, he appreciated how much everyone supported him, but he did not want to be a big burden or a free ride. Therese started walking Buck home on Saturday mornings, noticing he was having greater difficulty walking, and would hurry back to the shop. Erin allowed this.

    Buck seemed to get along just fine during the week, but Therese insisted, that he was worse on Saturday. Maybe he was, Erin thought, all the walking during the week worsened him as it went on until he could rest on Sunday. Only Therese could make her worst customer her favorite.

 The Lost Friend finds Herself

    In the month of May-

    One morning, Therese knew Peter had a rough night. He barely looked up when she walked in, but when he realized it was her Peter smiled wide and his eyes opened. Therese had pulled her hair back, as style she noticed the other girls favored. ¡°Be careful, it is still hot, my mom drove me.¡± Therese told him, handing him a cup. The other guys glanced at her, wishing they had seen what Peter saw. Therese also took a cup to Mr. Shank handing him a cup and taking the money he offered. Mr. Shank drank his coffee and smiled.

    Once again, a problem no one else had bothered to solve, was encountered, and Therese was called to the front to explain her answer. Therese arose on her own. She held her head high and confident, and took a step forward. She tried to ignore the class. She took a step forward, she paused. A girl in the class giggled at her indecisiveness. Therese grew nervous quickly and felt her heart racing. Her head became loud.

    A piece of paper folded like a triangle flew through the air and hit her in the neck, and Therese jumped, then she fell to the side. The class grew loud. the noise hurt her ears. Therese felt like someone set her on fire, her head hit something, she could hear terrible things being said about her, and how much everyone hated her because she was slow. She spun. The faces of the class were blank, she could not understand them. She panicked, grabbed her head, blacked out momentarily and awoke crying and her pants felt wet.

    Therese looked at Peter, he was already out of his chair. She looked at Mr. Shank, he was running, she was not sure if he was scared, or angry, she did not understand. Therese tried standing and fell crashing to the floor. She pulled her knees in tight, and cried, the room spun. She heard a voice shouting, she thought it was her voice. Therese¡¯s heart started racing, her head hurt, the world was spinning as her eyes closed. She shook uncontrollably but could not perceive any of it.

    As she came too, the world was still confusing. Therese knew what paramedics looked like, she had been there before. She felt her body rise and fall as the stretcher snapped up and popped. She felt the needle in her arm, then heard the paramedic say she would feel a pinch, but time was distorted. The green elastic strap of the oxygen mask pinched her hair and hurt. Confused, she pulled against the straps, they would not give, this angered her. She saw a needle move through the air, she shouted for her teacher and then fell asleep again.

    Therese awoke in the ambulance. She cried out for Peter, but he was not there. Confused she pulled against the straps. She did not recognize the ambulance crew, this scared her. She screamed loudly. Therese feared she might being taken prisoner. ¡°Talk to her.¡± said the paramedic.

    ¡°Therese, it¡¯s Ed, Ed Mr. Shank, hey, I am here, you are safe.¡± she heard the voice she knew and loved.

    Therese turned her head, and saw her teacher. ¡°They let you ride in the ambulance?¡± She asked, surprised.

    ¡°The paramedics yes, The school might fire me.¡± said Mr. Shank.

    ¡°You kept calling for him. We figured it would be okay?¡± asked the paramedic.

    Therese reached for her teachers hand and squeezed it. ¡°Thank you.¡± she said, falling asleep again. Therese awoke several times over the next few minutes. And was comforted and calmed each time by her teacher talking to her and squeezing his hand. ¡°You are really here, right?¡± Therese asked.

    ¡°Yes, I am really here.¡± Her teacher felt sad, he felt guilty, he wished he didn¡¯t call upon the girl to answer the question. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I called on you.¡± said Mr. Shank, tears streaming out his eyes.

    The young girl looked back up at him, her face flat, as normal. ¡°I am glad you treat me like everyone else.¡± said Therese, again passing out.

    Therese awoke on a hospital bed. She moved her arms, she was glad she could move them and was not in restraints. Therese hated hospitalizations. She never wanted to hurt anyone, the worse she could remember that she had done was break some dishes at home, and that had scared her parents. She also punched a window because there was a hideous monster yelling at her. The glass cut her wrists, but she wasn¡¯t trying to kill herself.

    Therese felt groggy, she knew she had been medicated. Therese looked to one side and saw her mother. ¡°Hi, Mom.¡± Therese said. Therese turned to the other side and saw Peter. ¡°Hi Peter.¡± she said. Therese turned her head further and saw Erin. ¡°I kissed Peter with my eyes closed, and I liked it.¡± Therese said, falling asleep again. Therese again awoke and it was just her parents there. ¡°Hi Mom, hi Dad.¡± she said, ¡°what happened?¡±

    ¡°You are safe. The scan was normal, the hospital doctor just thinks you aren¡¯t tolerating the medications and wants to change them.¡± said her dad.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t hospitalize me.¡± begged Therese. ¡°They strap me down, and they inject me with drugs. They call it treatment!" cried Therese in protest, she had done everything asked of her, and had made herself take every step forward. Therese was determined not to yield an inch.

    ¡°We¡¯re not going to let them, you can come home, but you need to rest, no more working.¡± her mom said. Therese didn¡¯t even look at her mother for that statement. The teenage years had distanced Mary and her daughter as time passed, but the thought of not working for Erin was intolerable.

    ¡°What the hell do doctors know?¡± said an old man said behind them. Buck walked in with his cane. ¡°Relax, we¡¯re friends. Sorry, I am late, I had to wait hours for that lady to open the store, and then take the bus here after she told me why she was late. I even forgot to get my coffee.¡± said Buck as he reached over and grabbed the call light, pressed the call button, and said ¡°I¡¯m old and I need a chair!¡± when they answered.

    ¡°You guys are friends?¡± Therese¡¯s mother asked Buck. She knew the man, he had helped them greatly in the past, and both her parents liked him.

    ¡°I hope so, I barely know her, but no one else likes me, so I figured I better check on her, trust me lady, I know this hospital.¡± said Buck and he sat down when a chair was brought in for him, the staff did know him, and wanted to appease him quickly.

    ¡°Hi Buck, I missed you.¡± said Therese. She smiled at her ornery but lovable older friend. Her lips barely shifted, but Buck knew Therese and he knew her grin.

    ¡°See, no one else in this town would say that. How are they treating you, honey?¡± said Buck.

    ¡°They want to adjust my medications. I am scared.¡± said Therese. Therese hated admitting her feelings, but she trusted Buck with her feelings.

    ¡°They do that, every time I come here, they want to adjust my meds.¡± said Buck.

    ¡°What do you do?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°I take them. New heart meds, new kidney meds, new this, new that, I take them. If plumbers never changed, we¡¯d all still be sitting in an outhouse, but one day someone said hey let¡¯s put a pipe in the house, and you know what, it worked.¡± said Buck.

    ¡°My parents don¡¯t want me to work.¡± Therese said, still looking up at Buck for help. She loved her friendship with Buck as much as he did.

    ¡°Well, just take my cane and stab me with it, won¡¯t you.¡± said Buck looking at them. There was anger and fear in his eyes. Buck didn¡¯t want to lose his Therese.

    ¡°We don¡¯t understand?¡± said Therese¡¯s dad, confused by Buck¡¯s insistence she returned to work.

    ¡°Saturday morning is the favorite day of the week, and I¡¯m retired, they are all Saturdays. She don¡¯t have to work hard, but she likes being useful. I miss being useful. Take care kid, I hope to see you soon. I have heard enough of this shit.¡± said Buck before he smiled at Therese and walked away.

    ¡°Goodbye Buck.¡± said Therese, falling asleep again.

    Her parents watched Buck walked away, both surprised and not surprised that Therese had found him and became friends. Mary, Therese¡¯s mother, had wanted to keep her safe from the galaxy, but fate seemed determined to challenge that goal with Therese first becoming friends with Erin, and now Buck, a man who had done so much so long ago. Mary smiled sadly, soon Kara would be back and she¡¯d never stop worrying again.

    Therese awoke later, still in a daze. She barely opened her eyes, but enough to see Erin talking with her parents. Erin looked tired, and her parents looked tired. Therese¡¯s knee hurt, she worried she twisted it. She hoped her knee was better before she went back to work.

    ¡°I have to ask, why have you been so nice to our daughter? You have gone out of your way, she loves the job, but we can¡¯t expect this?¡± Her father asked. They had always been grateful and avoided the question, but sitting in the hospital and tired, his curiosity slipped past his reserved nature.

    ¡°She reminds me of my little sister.¡± said Erin. They paused at that reason sadly, they had met Erin a long time ago and missed her father greatly.

    ¡°Just because of that?¡± asked her mother, still grateful.

    ¡°When she came in my shop, I saw the same struggles in her eyes. I saw the courage in each step. Her smile, her smile, was the same. My sister had the same struggles. I came home from the store one night, and she had cut her wrists and was laying on the floor bleeding. I called 911, I couldn¡¯t stop the bleeding, it was too late for everyone. They brought her here, at this hospital, and we lost her here. It broke my parents. Mom went first, and Dad had a heart attack a year later. I guess, when she came in, maybe him leaving me my store, and Therese standing there, it all made sense, like God wanted me to keep that from happening again. I didn¡¯t feel sorry for her, I just love talking to her and she has become a good friend too. And she is a great employee.¡± said Erin, proud of Therese.

    ¡°I guess, I never thought of the effect she has on other people.¡± her dad said. Her mom nodded. They shared a small part of a big world Therese made for herself. They also understood that Therese was replacing Erin¡¯s lost sister in her life.

    ¡°She has a great effect on everyone around of her. Therese makes us all stronger. All of us in our little coffee shop convenience store family got a little piece of our lives back when she came in that door, and we don¡¯t want to lose it again.¡± said Erin as tears left her eyes. Her, Vivo and Ben had been like a family, the only family any of them knew, but with Therese in their lives, they had become a family.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°She can go back to work, but she needs to take it easy, if that is okay?¡± said her mother, making the decision for both of them. Her husband held her and nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Alright, alright, I will help out, but you know I¡¯m going to be eating more muffins the more I am over there.¡± said Ben, from the corner, sitting, slumped down in a chair. Therese shifted her gaze at him. ¡°I see you smiling over there.¡± said Ben to her. Therese¡¯s face was mostly flat, but Ben knew she was grinning. Therese pulled enough strength together to wave at Ben, and he waived back.

    Therese¡¯s own doctor came in late, he had worked his job, had dinner, then came by the hospital. He had known Therese for most of her life, and witnessed her grow up. He had suffered her hospitalizations, as much as she had, and welcomed her stabilization with open arms. ¡°Good news,¡± he said, ¡°Everything came back negative. My guess is things just became a little overwhelming, maybe a little anxiety attack too?¡± he asked Therese. Therese nodded yes.

    ¡°And you twisted your knee and foot, so you wouldn¡¯t run?¡± He asked. Therese nodded yes.

    Her doctor knew this was her coping mechanism they had developed to help her not run when she was scared. ¡°Well, you have gotten so brave on me, you forgot to untwist your knee before you took that next step. You have a bruised head, a bruised elbow, a sore knee, and a lot of people who love you. You don¡¯t need me to cure any of that, you can go home in the morning if nothing else happens.¡± her doctor said, walking out quickly as doctors like to. ¡°Oh, and you should probably lay off the coffee.¡± said her doctor.

    Therese growled playfully at him. ¡°What the hell do I know.¡± said her doctor kindly as he walked out.

    ¡°I really like my job.¡± Therese told Erin. That was an understatement.

    ¡°I promise, I like having you there.¡± Erin reassured her. This was an even bigger understatement than Therese¡¯s previous statement.

    ¡°I promise I¡¯m stealing muffins.¡± Ben added from the back of the room.

    The next day was Friday. Erin was sunk at work, even Ben could not cheer her up. Vivo tried and failed. Peter was gloomy at work. Erin felt sad, she looked forward to Therese coming in, and she had been unable to. ¡°Close the store.¡± Ben told her. ¡°You aren¡¯t doing yourself any favors being miserable.¡± Vivo agreed. Erin turned off the lights, and left, she didn¡¯t even stop to mop the floor, she would do that in the morning. Erin drove to Therese¡¯s house without thinking, she walked up and rang the doorbell.

    ¡°Hi, I wanted to see how Therese is doing.¡± said Erin when Therese¡¯s mother answered the door.

    ¡°She¡¯s in her room, down the hall, you¡¯ll know which is hers.¡± said Mary, opening the door and inviting Erin. The walk down the hall was nice, Erin stopped and looked at all the pictures of Therese on the walls, from baby to present. She noticed how the smiles dimmed as she grew older, but she also noticed the determination in her eyes that grew. Erin approached a door with a giant unicorn sticker on it, surrounded by bunny stickers with marker scribbles on the bottom that must have been when Therese was little. Erin knocked on the door.

    ¡°It¡¯s me, Erin.¡± she announced. There was a long pause.

    ¡°Come in.¡± said Therese.

    Therese looked devastated. Her face was sunken, her eyes reddened from tears. She held a stuffed rabbit plush animal tightly in her arms as she sat on her bed. Erin looked around the room, Good Rabbit!, she thought. The girl likes her bunnies. Therese stood up and hugged Erin tightly. Erin hugged her back.

    ¡°You are embarrassed to leave the house aren¡¯t you?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Therese told her. Everyone at school had seen her leave in the ambulance, and everyone in class had seen her fall.

    ¡°I shit my pants in the cafeteria my senior year.¡± said Erin matter of fact. Therese looked up in sudden disbelief at what she heard. ¡°True story, my mom sent me to school even though I told her my stomach hurt. Right in the middle of lunch, I was walking in the cafeteria. I crapped my pants, everywhere. The kids called me Erin McShit after that.¡±

    ¡°What did you do?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°I went to the nurse''s office and borrowed some donated clothes. It hurt for a long time, now I laugh about it, but it hurt a lot for a long time, and worse, the donated clothes looked like an eighty-year-old woman donated them, they were the worst mom pants ever.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°I like the clothes we buy.¡± said Therese, squeezing Erin.

    ¡°Do you have a DVD player?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°Yes, it is connected to my TV.¡± said Therese pointing at her TV, and not looking up.

    ¡°I happen to know a guy who just got a bootleg copy of the original Space-Girl Michelle series, on DVD.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°The Dutch version with subtitles?¡± asked Therese as she looked up. Her eyes were suddenly brightly open with excitement.

    ¡°Yes, and I am sure it is terrible.¡± said Erin, reaching for her phone and calling Vivo, who was very excited to come over. Therese was excited, maybe the worst week of her life was not so bad. Space-Girl Michelle¡¯s original movie on earth, a mini-series, was so terrible, it was rumored the director had ordered the films burned with him in the middle of them. It was further rumored, though, that one cut escaped, and a guy was selling them on the internet out of Amsterdam, with the movie so bad the government attempted to shut down every sale to save national embarrassment.

    ¡°Honey, the Sci-Fi channel is here.¡± Erin¡¯s dad announced, in a friendly way, as he invited Vivo in. He had enjoyed hearing about him from Therese, and was glad to invite him in his home, even if it was under terrible circumstances. Therese came running, limping, but running out of her room for the first time to do anything except use the bathroom, and grabbed Vivo and hugged him.

    ¡°Do you really have the movie?¡± asked Therese. Vivo held up the DVD.

    ¡°The original cut? We are watching this in the living room, on the big TV.¡± Therese¡¯s dad said, looking at the DVD case. Everyone sat on the couches in the living room, excited as the movie started. Five minutes later, Erin and Therese¡¯s mom excused themselves to escape the agony of the film. Therese, her father, and Vivo did not talk, or look away from the film for the next hour.

    ¡°See, I knew she always got her power ring from the Gopher King.¡± said Vivo, excited he had figured that out years before.

    ¡°I always wondered.¡± Therese¡¯s dad added.

    ¡°That was amazing.¡± agreed Therese, her mind still processing what she had witnessed. The series had a whole new meaning if this movie was to ever be accepted as canon.

    Glad the movie was over, Erin and Therese¡¯s mom came back into the room. ¡°I talked it over with your mom, you can come in tomorrow, work as you can, and you can make up Friday by helping me with inventory on Sunday.¡± said Erin as Vivo¡¯s eyebrow bent, Erin never did inventory, she just kind of ordered things. Erin shot him a shut-up stare.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± said Therese, hugging her mom and then Erin.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to wear something nice Sunday, we are going to make employee badges.¡± Erin told her. Therese was surprised but happy, they had never had employee badges before.

    Therese was glad to be back at work. Buck arrived early as always, he came in carrying a bouquet of flowers, hobbled past the ladies, dumped the change in the bottom of the tip jar out, filled it with water, and placed the flowers in it. He carefully rearranged them, saying nothing, and walked back to the front of the counter to wait for his coffee.

    ¡°I have other jars, you know.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°I don¡¯t tip, you complain, maybe this is the one piece of glass you ladies won¡¯t break.¡± replied Buck.

    ¡°They are lovely, thank you.¡± said Therese walking forward, looking at the flowers and then smelling them. Her cheeks rose a little as Therese had a small smile on both sides of her face.

    ¡°See, she¡¯s the one person in this town who appreciates me.¡± said Buck.

    ¡°Go walk this guy home before I start liking him.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°Are you sure you can make the walk?¡± Buck asked Therese.

    ¡°It will help my knee feel better.¡± she replied. It was a straight walk and not far, she knew she would be fine. Therese liked her walks with Buck, he walked slow, so she could be careful, and he told her the history of all the buildings on the street, even if he forgot he had told her the history the week before. They arrived in a short time to Buck¡¯s house.

    ¡°Thank you, I am glad you are better.¡± said Buck. He had worried terribly about Therese.

    ¡°You are welcome. I am glad you are okay too.¡± said Therese, and walking as quickly as she felt she safely could back to the store. Therese¡¯s knee ached, but the walk did help loosen it. She stopped when she came to the door, and carefully opened it, smiling at the bunny. Therese walked in and told Erin she was back, Erin waved hello and went back to putting the chairs down on the floor since she had to mop the floors this morning, she was behind.

    Ben walked in, and announced ¡°Muffin run.¡± as he started walking to the muffin case. Ben hoped there were cranberry muffins today, they would go good with the coffee he intended to poach.

    The next customer walked in, it was one of the three girls who had picked on Therese. Erin spun and grabbed Ben¡¯s arm, bracing him before he reacted. She shifted her whole-body weight into Ben¡¯s arm and still slid back on the floor. ¡°Wait.¡± she told him. Erin slid back as Ben leaned forward.

    Therese squared herself at the girl and asked her ¡°What do you want?¡± Therese was nice, but she had been pushed past the limits of kindness and into terrible pain.

    ¡°I wanted to say I¡¯m sorry for what we did, what I did. I¡¯m sorry I was mean, I¡¯m sorry I ignored you, I am sorry I was a piece of shit human being. I told Megan we were wrong and needed to apologize. She refused, and then I decked her.¡± The girl choked on her words, and then pulled off her sunglasses, ¡°So she punched me and gave me this black eye.¡± The girl explained, with tears in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry she hit you.¡± Therese told her, relaxing.

    ¡°Oh. I broke her fucking nose before I was done. I wanted you to know that. If you are worried about coming back to school, I¡¯ll be there with my black eye and her, her broken nose. I¡¯m sorry.¡± said the girl. She turned and started walking out.

    ¡°Kara, wait.¡± Therese told her in her soft monotone voice. Then Therese went behind the counter and made her favorite drink, the one Erin first made for her. Therese still liked the smell of it and savored the aroma. She put a lid on it, and walked over and gave it to her.

    ¡°What you do hurts me because we are friends.¡± said Therese, handing Kara the cup. Kara teared up at Therese¡¯s choice of ¡°are¡± instead of ¡°were¡±.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, it is free.¡± Therese told her as she handed Kara the drink. Therese remembered being friends with Kara when they were little. They were beyond best friends, but they changed in different ways and as the years passed, they had changed apart. ¡°Try it, but be careful it¡¯s hot.¡± Therese prompted her.

    Kara sipped the drink, it was amazing. ¡°How much do I owe you?¡± asked Kara.

    Therese pointed at Kara¡¯s eye, and looked over at Erin, who nodded back. ¡°Call it even, on everything?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Yes, please.¡± said Kara, fighting her tears and running out of the shop as fast as she could without spilling her hot drink on her.

    ¡°I hate it when people give me hope for humanity, it makes me hungry.¡± said Ben, as he leaned in the case and grabbed a muffin, and poured himself a cup of coffee. Erin gave Therese a big side hug to show her she was proud of her.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be a busy day.¡± said Therese, and she was right. Erin kept her word and mandated numerous breaks to Therese who only reluctantly agreed. Therese wanted to help, but she accepted terms. Her favorite way to take a break was to go next door and play with Ana in the office. Therese had grown comfortable to the child, and enjoyed helping with her. ¡°I don¡¯t know how good I am at this.¡± she told the little girl. Ana loved every second with her.

    ¡°This store is getting to be a lot of work.¡± said Vivo as he walked into the office, seeing Therese play with Ana, and Ben drinking coffee and eating muffins while he played on the computer. Vivo sat in a chair in front of the TV he played his video games on.

    ¡°Sure is. What do you think we will do when Peter realizes he can do better?¡± asked Ben has he continued to web surf and not look up.

    ¡°Offer him tuition assistance, I guess.¡± said Vivo as he turned on his video games and started playing.

    ¡°Or paternity leave.¡± said Therese, rubbing her belly. Ben spit out coffee, and Vivo fell back in the chair he was leaning in and landed on the floor. ¡°Boys, they are so silly to tease.¡± Therese told Ana, who laughed. Therese picked up Ana, walked over to Vivo who was still laying on his back laughing, and handed him Ana. ¡°I am going back to work.¡± She told Vivo and headed out.

    ¡°Tell your boyfriend he had better stay out there and help the customers.¡± shouted Ben, taking a paper towel and wiping the spit coffee off his monitor. ¡°Is it just me, or is she getting vicious?¡± Ben asked Vivo, who just looked up, and sighed.

    Eventually, Therese and Peter finally found some time alone, in the back supply room. ¡°You haven¡¯t kissed me since I fell.¡± Therese told him. ¡°Do you still like me?¡± asked Therese. Peter leaned forward and kissed her. Therese jumped back, and laughed ¡°Still awesome.¡± she giggled.

    Ben had walked up behind Peter, having just entered the stockroom to grab soda cups. ¡°I know where all the holes in the desert are.¡± Ben whispered to Peter and walked out.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± said Therese fearing she had led Peter into trouble.

    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± said Peter, whistling and going back to work. Therese went the other way to go back to helping Erin.

    Therese was sad when the night ended, she was so glad to be back at work, but she was excited to see what inventory would be like and to make her employee badge. Therese¡¯s parents had badges for their jobs, and she hoped it would make her look official. Everyone said goodnight as they always had done, and Therese began her careful and deliberate drive home, exercising caution as a good driver. The rabbits ran into the bushes, glad she was home.

 Happy Birthday!

    Therese awoke in the morning and went straight out to her garden as soon as she could. ¡°Good morning, Rabbits.¡± Therese told them. Therese worked the soil, pulled the weeds, and planted some new seeds. The rabbits smiled back, twitching their ears and tails to show her they loved her. Therese finished and went inside to have breakfast with her parents. Mom was up, and breakfast smells good, thought Therese as she smelled the air from outside.

    ¡°Happy Birthday!¡± said her parents, handing her a small box with a card. Therese smiled, and opened the card, it had a picture of a bunny and said ¡°Hoppy Birthday¡± and signed by her parents. To most eighteen-year-olds, that might seem lame, but for Therese she hoped she would never be too old for bunny cards. ¡°Thank you.¡± said Therese, smiling at the bunny and running her finger over the velvet texture.

    Therese opened the box, and saw her mother¡¯s car keys. ¡°My own set of keys!¡± Therese shouted excitedly.

    ¡°Honey, think bigger.¡± said her mother Mary while smiling.

    ¡°You mean?¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Yes, I have to buy your mother a new car.¡± said Therese¡¯s father as he hugged her. Therese thanked her parents over and over and hugged them both. The family ate breakfast, and Therese glanced and held the keys, something felt different now that they were hers. Therese was very happy.

    After breakfast, Therese¡¯s parents left to go look for a new car, and Therese readied herself for work. She went through every shirt, until deciding on the one she wore for her first date. She felt the shirt and smiled. Yes, she decided, if Ben had a lucky shirt, maybe she did too, but she would wash hers more often. Therese took her time getting ready. She wanted to look perfect for her photo. Therese smiled in the mirror, she still could not believe how beautiful she looked. Therese checked the clock, time to go, she was always on time. Therese drove carefully to the Cowffee Cup, she was always careful whether it was her car or not.

    Therese arrived at the Cowffee Cup, and Erin was outside waiting for her, also dressed up nice. Therese walked carefully but as quickly as she could to her boss. Erin stopped her. ¡°We are giving you a surprise party for your birthday, Happy Birthday!¡± said Erin before she gave Therese a big hug which Therese gladly returned, ¡°I thought leaving the lights off and yelling surprise might be too much.¡± explained Erin.

    Therese rolled her eyes back and nodded in agreement, ¡°It would have been too much,¡± agreed Therese, and also asked, ¡°Who is here?¡±

    ¡°Come be surprised.¡± Erin told her before opening the door. Therese walked in and stood excitedly with her mouth half-open. Her parents, Peter, Vivo, Ben, Mr. Shank , Buck, Ana, and of course Erin were all there. ¡°Happy Birthday!¡± Everyone said. Therese could not remember being so happy, except maybe the first time she kissed Peter. Therese blushed at thinking about kissing Peter.

    ¡°What about inventory?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°I probably should learn how to do that, but not today, no badges either.¡± said Erin.

    Therese was glad to sit in the middle of her friends and family. Everyone was happy to see her well. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been her teacher for three years.¡± Mr. Shank bragged to Vivo.

    ¡°Only because she signed up for you every year, she built her schedule around your class.¡± said Therese¡¯s mother, Mary, to Mr. Shank.

    ¡°She did. After the first year, she insisted upon it. She said you were a great teacher.¡± explained Therese¡¯s dad, Rodger. Mr. Shank had never been so proud to teach, he drank some soda and grinned.

    ¡°Is someone watching the store?¡± Therese asked Ben, expecting a responsible answer from him and not Vivo, who might as just left a jar on the counter with money in it.

    ¡°I put a sign up, closed for lunch, we¡¯ll go back in a couple hours. Don¡¯t worry, would you rather I send your boyfriend over there?¡± asked Ben.

    ¡°No, I like him here.¡± Therese told Ben.

    Erin brought out lunch, she had made a plate of sandwiches and muffins. Ben made coffee drinks and passed out sodas to whoever wanted them. Vivo gave Ana airplane rides around the store. Peter sat next to Therese. Shank and Buck traded Navy stories. Erin grinned, she never imagined life could feel complete again. Therese smiled back, she never imagined life could be so good. After lunch, Erin brought out a beautiful carrot cake with eighteen candles on it.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Make a wish.¡± said Therese¡¯s mom as she lit the candles.

    Therese thought long and deep. Therese wished she would never forget today, and she wished Kara would be friends with her again, she wished Kara was with her now. Therese blew out the candles. She smiled, all in one breath. Ana clapped. Therese picked her up and hugged her, little Ana hugged back.

    Buck reached over and handed Therese a metal jewelry box. It was carefully welded, the joints polished and had a neat little hinge on it. It was made out of blue steel. The hood ornament from Bud¡¯s truck was polished brightly. The jewelry box was a masterpiece of work in all its aspects. Therese shed a tear. ¡°Buck.¡± was the only word she could say.

    ¡°Lucky jewelry box.¡± said Buck, winking. Therese looked at it and smiled but tears formed in her eyes. She mouthed the word ¡°Thank you.¡± her voice wouldn¡¯t work.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± said Buck, with a wink.

    Therese unwrapped a box Vivo handed her. It was filled with bootleg copies of Space-Girl Michelle, including the lost movie. ¡°Thank you.¡± said Therese.

    Erin gave her a box, and she opened it. Inside was a beautiful shirt. ¡°Thank you.¡± said Therese, Erin winked back.

    Ben was next, he handed her an unwrapped cardboard box. She opened it, it was a Kookie Mart shirt just like what they wear but ¡°Therese¡± was embroidered on the name tape. ¡°In case you ever get tired of working for Erin.¡± Ben told her. Erin threw a pretend mean look at Ben. Therese rubbed her finger over the embroidered name tape with her name. ¡°Thank you,¡± she told Ben, who fist-bumped her.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what a girl needed, I teach girls, I don¡¯t understand them, but since you are graduating, they use this model at the college.¡± Therese looked at the graphing calculator. ¡°I wish you taught there, thank you.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I¡¯m actually applying. I think they are done with me at the high school, and I am grateful for that.¡± said Ed Shank.

    ¡®It¡¯s not much, but I got you this.¡± Peter handed Therese a small box, with a gold chain and a heart-shaped locket. Therese admired it, it reflected the light. She opened the locket, it was empty. ¡°It is missing your picture.¡± She told him.

    ¡°Idiot.¡± Ben called Peter and threw him a playful elbow.

    ¡°Maybe he just forgot.¡± said Therese, willing to give Peter the benefit of the doubt.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t want you, he just did this to be nice.¡± said a little voice in Therese¡¯s head.

    ¡°All right, all right, if I have condone this relationship finally, I will.¡± said Ben, pulling out his phone, to take a picture of Peter.

    ¡°Wait.¡± Therese told Ben, picking up and handing Ana to Peter. ¡°I want both of you.¡± Ben took the picture and went to his office to print it out. He came back a few minutes later with a glossy printout, and a pair of scissors.

    ¡°Let me.¡± Erin told him, taking the scissors and cutting the picture to fit the locket.

    ¡°Good idea.¡± said Ben, watching how much better with the scissors Erin was. Erin finished the picture and put it in the locket. Erin handed the locket back to Therese, saying ¡°Therese, her arms open.¡± and winked at Vivo, who fell in love with her again for the many-ith time that day. ¡°Nerds.¡¯ Ben whispered to Peter.

    Therese opened the locket and smiled. ¡°Always, I want you both right by my heart. Thank you.¡± said Therese, putting the locket over her neck. Peter blushed. Therese smiled, out of a terrible week, into a good day.

    Shank and Buck were excited to find out they had been on the Enterprise, but Vivo was disappointed to find out it was the one that floated. The two men had a great time trading sea stories. Mr. Shank offered to give Buck a ride home, and they said their farewells. Therese stood up and gave them both a hug.

    ¡°We really do have to go get a car.¡± Therese¡¯s mother told her, as her parents got up, thanked everyone, said goodbye and hugged Therese before they left.

    ¡°Just the bridge crew left.¡± Vivo told Erin.

    ¡°One to beam back to work.¡± said Ben pointing to Peter. ¡°Hey, that was pretty good.¡± Ben said impressed by his wit, then Ben grabbed another slice of cake and started eating it. Therese was sad to see Peter go back to work, then she remembered her gift from Ben. She pulled out the Kookie Mart shirt, leaned over, said thank you to Ben, kissed him on the cheek, and held up the Kookie Mart shirt to show Ben her plan. Therese walked to the back and headed to the Kookie Mart.

    ¡°I guess I did that to myself.¡± Ben said aloud. Then stood up and shouted, ¡°Hey wait, don¡¯t change in front of him.¡± Erin pulled Ben back down to sit at the table with them. Let¡¯s eat some cake.¡± she said, bringing Ben¡¯s attention back to his dessert, a diversion which was successful.

    Therese walked to the bathroom. She took off her blouse and put on the kookie mart shirt. It was too big, it was the size of Ben. Therese laughed, she knew wouldn¡¯t be able to guess her size, so he used one of his because it would fit everyone. Therese modeled for herself in the mirror. The shirt revealed nothing. Ben would be satisfied. She walked out and greeted Peter as soon as she could. ¡°Hi Peter.¡± she told him.

    ¡°You still look great.¡± said Peter, looking at Therese in the bulky work shirt in Kookie Mart colors, that Ben had given her. Peter unlocked the door, and pulled down the out to lunch sign. And flipped on the neon ¡°Open¡± sign.

    ¡°It¡¯s Sunday, you¡¯re off, don¡¯t you want to go do something?¡± Peter asked her.

    ¡°I do have some DVD¡¯s I can watch.¡± said Therese, to Tease Peter, and then went and started brewing a fresh pot of coffee.

 You Were Always Welcome

    The next morning Therese was nervous to return to school. Peter drove and picked Therese up, so she would not have to drive. They started walking to class. ¡°Hold my hand.¡± Therese told him. Peter obliged, and held her hand tight as they walked to class, opening the door for her.

    Peter walked her to her seat and sat in front of her as he always did, but now to not be distracted by her, and Therese had early developed the good habit of kicking him when he fell asleep. There were no assigned seats, but people tended to sit in the same seat regardless.

    Kara came in next, having used makeup to cover her black eye as much as she could. ¡°Can I sit here?¡± asked Kara. Therese nodded yes.

    Kara sat down next to Therese. ¡°I should have done this a long time ago.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°You were always welcome.¡± said Therese, as there was not a cell in her body not excited to have Kara sitting next to her. It felt right to Therese.

    ¡°I brought you something. Happy Birthday.¡± said Kara as she handed Therese a card, and in it was a picture of two of them as little girls, each holding a stuffed bunny.

    ¡°You remembered my birthday?¡± asked Therese in her flat surprised voice.

    Kara reached into her folder and pulled out a birthday card invitation, 12 years old, handwritten, much of it in faded crayon to Therese¡¯s 6<sup>th</sup> Birthday, it had crude drawings of bunnies on it. ¡°I saved it, forever.¡± Kara told her. Therese stared forward, with her flat affect as tears rand down her cheeks.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Was all Therese could muster, looking at the picture of them in younger days with great big smiles on their faces.

    Megan came in with another mean girl and Kara¡¯s replacement, eager to be promoted in the ranks. It was herpes girl, Peter laughed to himself as she looked at Kara and then sat next to Megan in Kara¡¯s old seat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, college is better, no one knows who you are, or even cares.¡± Therese told Kara.

    ¡°I hope you do.¡± said Kara softly to herself.

    Once again, like clockwork, Mr. Shank asked the class to solve a difficult problem, and no one volunteered. Therese attempted to get Shank¡¯s attention, but he tried to avoid her, he didn¡¯t want to press her again. Finally, Therese raised her hand.

    ¡°Yes, Therese?¡± Shank asked.

    ¡°I want to solve the problem.¡± Therese told him flatly, as she always spoke. The teacher motioned his hand for her to come up to the front, the most he was willing to commit himself out of fear of causing her to relive pain. Therese stood, and started to walk to the front, her bag strap catching her foot, and she stumbled. Peter caught her. Megan giggled. The original mean girl, Tabi, giggled to replicate her behavior.

    Kara stood up and picked up the paper containing Therese¡¯s solution. Peter helped Therese stand. The three of them very carefully and deliberately walked to the front of the room. Kara held the worksheet while Therese steadied her shaking body with one hand, and Peter stood next to her. ¡°I¡¯m done. Thank you¡± Therese announced, and they turned and walked back to their seats.

    ¡°Yep, this solution is perfect.¡± announced Mr. Shank, standing with his hands on his hips and giving himself as much credit as he could, staring at the proof. ¡°Final exams start tomorrow, good luck.¡± He announced as the bell rang.

    ¡°What are you doing this summer?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°Working.¡± Therese said. Therese had not given it much thought.

    ¡°Do you think we can ever hang out again? I have some of our old VHS tapes of Space-Girl Michelle.¡± said Kara, remembering they had spent a summer trying to record every episode they could without commercials. It drove their mothers crazy, the girls had to switch houses every day to give their mothers a chance to watch their soaps.

    ¡°I have a copy of the Amsterdam.¡± said Therese proudly, although it sounded as flat as most of the things she said, and Kara had been gone too long to decipher.

    ¡°Shut up, I thought it was banned! That is the first Space-Girl movie ever made!¡± said Kara, betraying everything ¡°cool¡± about her and announcing to the class she was a giant Space-Girl fan. ¡°Is it really black and white?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is. You can watch it with me.¡± Therese told her.

    Kara felt relaxed, she could be herself, the person she forgot. She felt terrible about betraying their friendship, for giving up on her friend when she started changing, for being too scared to visit her in the hospital. The weight of her choices hung on her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Quit being an apolognaut. We¡¯re Space-Girls.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°From the fleet.¡± said Kara, hugging her old friend. Peter wished he knew what the were talking about, but before Therese, Vivo was the only Space-Girl fan he had ever met in his entire life for so long, and now he was in love with one. It was rumored Space-Girl conventions were held in Porta-Johns because so few people showed up, and the ones who did needed a place to dispose of their memorabilia. The two reunited best friends walked to the next class together, and sat together, vowing never to be separated again.

    English class was boring, but at least Kara and Therese sat next to each other.

    Therese hid in the back through art class. If the rest of the class seemed to know what happened, they didn¡¯t show it, oblivious to their own world. Mr. Monty had heard, he discretely slipped Therese a handmade card, that said ¡°Welcome Back.¡± and had a beautiful drawing of a bunny inside. Therese read it and cry smiled. She looked up and Mr. Monty smiled, then turned back to his painting. She stuck the card in her notebook to add it to her permanent treasures.

    Therese reluctantly went to Chemistry class and was surprised to see Benjamin completely dry, and prepared with his notebook out and pen ready. ¡°Oh thank God, you¡¯re back. Here¡¯s a copy of the notes from last week.¡± Benjamin¡¯s handwriting was as bad as Ben¡¯s, but she could read it and recognized the effort he put into the completeness of his work. Therese hugged Benjamin, who grinned awkwardly.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you did all this.¡± said Therese, looking at the notes which were very detailed.

    ¡°It seemed important, and I figured I owed you.¡± said Benjamin. He was relieved beyond words that Therese was back.

    ¡°Just promise you¡¯ll always write me and let me know you guys are okay? And never forget you are someone special, someone good and someone who matters.¡± said Therese, and Benjamin looked away. She looked at Benjamin, he was glum. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Before, since I was a little kid, enlisting is all I ever wanted to be. It still is, but, I kind of think I blew other options. I don¡¯t want to ever hurt anyone. I¡¯ll get money for college though, Lord knows I¡¯ll never get a scholarship.¡± said Benjamin.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a second chance, this is opportunity. You don¡¯t have to stop being who you are inside because of where you are, ever.¡± Therese told him.

    ¡°I guess I already signed the papers anyways, but you really think I can be someone someday?¡± asked Benjamin.

    Therese held up the notes he made for her. ¡°You already are.¡± reassured Therese. Benjamin smiled, he liked Therese, she was a good person and her kindness brought peace. As soon as the class started, Benjamin was already distracted in his doodles. Therese looked at the notes he made and wondered how hard he struggled to focus.

    Finals week was a lot of stress, and a lot of testing. Thursday night, Therese needed a break. She picked up the phone and dialed. ¡°Hi, is Kara there?¡± she asked. Shortly after, a knock on the door came from an equally stressed teen needing a break.

    ¡°Kara?¡± Therse¡¯s mom asked, in disbelief, seeing the little girl she once knew, standing there holding an old robot Gopher toy and a bag of chips. She had missed Kara as much as Therese had. Kara was her second daughter, the girls¡¯ inseparability had defined them for so long.

    ¡°Hi.¡± answered Kara, embarrassed at her absence from the house she was once greeted as the other daughter. ¡°Therese invited me over. Space-Girl night.¡± said Kara, holding up the robot gopher.

    ¡°I hope you girls are watching that in your room.¡± said Kara and Therese¡¯s mother, Mary. ¡°Welcome back, I missed you.¡± she offered Kara a hug, and Kara embraced her, crying. Therese¡¯s mom patted her back. ¡°Welcome home.¡± Therese¡¯s mother hugged her. It was true, it was home. Kara had lived there for the summer during her parents¡¯ divorce. That summer meant more to her than she could ever tell anyone.

    ¡°I am sorry, I didn¡¯t invite you to her birthday party, I thought you girls were not talking.¡± said Therese¡¯s mom.

    ¡°I kind of had to quit being a piece of trash first.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Stop right there. No one who speaks unkindly of you will ever be welcome in this house, and I will not tolerate that behavior from even you.¡± said Therese¡¯s mother, Mary.

    Kara broke into tears, and took a gripping mom hug from her other mom. ¡°I got the birthday cards from you every year, I am so sorry. I should have come sooner.¡± Kara said.

    ¡°It would have been nice to have you home sooner, but it is never too late. Welcome home, we love you.¡± said Therese¡¯s mother, continuing the hug.

    ¡°Kara?¡± Therese¡¯s dad had walked up to see who was at the door. ¡°Welcome back.¡± he said, accepting her hug. ¡°Therese is in her room.¡± he said, walking away, and then ¡°Please leave the garden outside.¡± Kara grimaced, so long ago she and Therese had decided to build a garden in Therese¡¯s bedroom. Her dad didn¡¯t notice until after the dirt was in the room, and the two little girls were carrying buckets of water. Kara walked to Therese¡¯s room, she knew exactly where it was. Therese was sitting on the bed. She looked up at Kara.

    ¡°Rule one. Quit apologizing, once a Space-Girl forgives, she forgives.¡± said Therese, quoting the Space-Girl code. Kara nodded her head agreeing.

    ¡°Rule two. Don¡¯t lick the fingers you pick up chips with.¡± said Therese quoting the girls¡¯ own rule from so long ago.

    ¡°Rule three. Space-Girls never give up.¡± finished Therese.

    ¡°Rule four.¡± said Kara. ¡°If two Space-Girls grab the same chip, we break it. Because Space-Girls always forget and lick their fingers.¡± said Kara quoting the girls¡¯ code. Therese smiled flatly, her friend was really back. Therese was able to muster a full half-grin.

    Therese put in the lost Space-Girl movie, and they watched. Neither girl said a word until it was over, captivated by the footage, even if it was the second time Therese watched it. ¡°Wow.¡± said Kara, this changes the whole series. Why did they ban it?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it isn¡¯t that bad if you like Space-Girl Michelle.¡± said Therese.

    Kara looked at her toy robot gopher ¡°This really explains so much about you. ¡°

    ¡°One apology I still owe you, I am very sorry for the ways I acted, the things I said and I did, I hope you¡¯ll forgive me. I can¡¯t imagine what I put everyone through.¡± said Therese to Kara. Kara sat back down next to Therese and put her arm around her.

    ¡°I really can¡¯t imagine what you went through. It hurt me to see you suffer, but I don¡¯t think for a moment that little girl had much more control over what she was doing, than what was happening to her.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°It was a horror movie. I hope you can never imagine what it was like, but I can¡¯t imagine was like for everyone else, I am so remorseful and embarrassed to the world.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Part of growing up for everyone, is they need to accept that good people mess up all the time. It¡¯s not what you fuck up, it¡¯s what you do right. If you count your losses, it¡¯ll destroy you. Those baseball players, the really good ones, they get a hit a third of the time. No one calls them two-thirds losers.¡± said Kara, letting her guard down and revealing her real maturity.

    ¡°Did I do anything to you during that time?¡± asked Therese sheepishly.

    ¡°Nothing you could have ever done to me, could be worse than me running out on you and shoving you away. And you forgive me for that?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°Of course, I only ever missed you. I can¡¯t tell you how many nights I stared at the black window in the hospital wishing my life was different, and you were there. When I did get to go back to school, and I was in the special ed building, there were regular students who would come in to help, to mentor, I kept wishing you would come. I know I screwed up so bad, but I always knew right in here (Therese pointed at her heart), one day we would be like we were again.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Yep, that really makes me feel like a bigger piece of shit than I already did. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t go to the hospital, it scared the shit out of me.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Oh fuck, you should see it from the inside.¡± Therese told her.

    ¡°Remember that summer in Jr. High when I did have to stay here with you, during my parents¡¯ divorce?¡± asked Kara. She was curious how much Therese remembered, especially the part of about Therese travelling back in time, them stealing a space-ship and the worst promise Kara had ever been sworn to keep.

    ¡°Not much, I was medicated like a zombie.¡± said Therese. She really did not remember much, she was very sedated. She remembered Kara¡¯s face being bruised up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I hurt you.¡± said Therese crying.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t hurt me. My dad beat the shit out of me. That¡¯s why I was here. He was in jail, and mom was in the hospital.¡± Kara told her, as she lost control and began sobbing uncontrollably. Therese was crying too.

    ¡°Oh God, I never knew, I am so sorry. I am sorry. I am so sorry.¡± Therese said, hugging Kara back. ¡°I¡¯m the other shitty friend.¡± said Therese. The time period was so confusing to Therese, and mostly she slept, took medications, suffered and slept. It was like her brain was wiped.

    ¡°Here, this room, with you, this was the best place in the world for me when we were little, when my dad beat me, and right now too.¡± said Kara. The two girls sat in silence for several minutes, sharing a box of tissues. They both gained an understanding they had lacked for each other, and further cemented the bonds of unbreakable friendship.

    Soon Kara said her goodnights, and left. One more day of finals left. Life was changing. The girls agreed to do Space-Girl night more often. A small void in each of them was filled. A rift in space sealed. Kara looked at her black eye in the mirror when she got home, she was glad it happened. She went to bed holding her own stuffed rabbit and fell asleep dreaming of her and Therese helping Space-Girl Michelle save the day somewhere.

 A Night at Peters

    The next day, Therese met up with Peter after the last final. ¡°Well that was that. I guess Monday we find out if I graduate high school.¡¯

    ¡°You will.¡± Therese reassured him. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Therese asked him, because of finals schedule they were out of school early.

    ¡°I guess we can go to work early.¡± said Peter, unimaginatively. Peter worked to pay bills.

    ¡°Or you can kiss me on your couch.¡± said Therese. Therese appeared calm on the outside, but inside, her heart was a drummer beating a rapid drum.

    ¡°Let¡¯s drive fast.¡± said Peter, pretending to race Therese to the car, but holding back because he knew she would not be able to keep up with her because she still limped from knee pain. They both jumped in Peter¡¯s car, as soon as they reached it, Therese having the advantage because Peter stopped to open the door for her. Therese leaned over and unlocked his door for him, then put her seat belt on as quickly as she could.

    They raced into the living room as fast as they could. Therese pulled Peter on the couch and kissed him, not letting go. Peter was not tempted to escape. Each time, Therese seemed to want more of him, and he fought himself to not give in but found himself not resisting. Therese started unbuttoning her shirt. Peter sat up. ¡°Wait, Wait, Wait, this is how babies happen.¡± he said. Therese backed up embarrassed, thinking she had gone too far.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want it. But this is how babies happen.¡± Peter told her. Therese felt frustrated, and sat back down on the couch.

    ¡°You are the only guy I love.¡± said Therese, hurt.

    ¡°You are the only girl I love.¡± Peter told her.

    ¡°You still miss Ana¡¯s mom.¡± corrected Therese. Peter had no problem going past kissing with her. Therese stood up, embarrassed by her actions and then her retort.

    ¡°Ana was a big change, a real big change in our lives. I promised to try and do right for her.¡± Peter defended. He was only trying to respect Therese because she meant so much to him.

    ¡°And what about right for me?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Do you know how hard it is to be me?¡± She asked in her calm voice but more visibly upset. ¡°Do you know what is to be scared, to cry because a loud phone goes off, to have everyone treat you as a kid? I worked hard and I made it, and now here you say you love me, but push me away as you say it.¡± said Therese.

    Peter sat silently. He was unsure how to respond.

    ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m not stupid.¡± Therese told him, sitting down and giving herself a squeezing hug to relax. ¡°The last several days, I''ve felt like everybody''s been staring at me or talking about me¡± it is like that all the time. Wherever I go, I know they are looking at me. And the one guy I want to look at me, looks away.¡± said Therese as she buried her head in her hands in frustration.

    Peter slumped, unsure what to do, he thought not making out with her was the right thing to do. Sometimes there is no right choice, he thought. Peter tried putting his arm around Therese and she shoved him away. Peter went in the back, dug around and pulled out a loose floorboard and came back with a box. Peter handed Therese the box.

    Therese opened the box. There were pictures of Peter when he was younger, the neighborhood looked bad. There were pictures of Ana¡¯s mom pregnant. The cardboard sleeve from the first coffee drink Therese made Peter was in the box. There was a driver''s license with Peter¡¯s picture, but another name on it, ¡°Feliks Konstantyn¡±. Therese was confused. ¡°Who is Feliks?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Me, that¡¯s me.¡± he said. She pulled out another drivers license with a girl''s name on it, ¡°Jessica Wilma¡±. The girl looked young, she looked a lot like Therese herself. ¡°Ana¡¯s mom?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Larissa Konstantyn¡¯s mom.¡± Peter told her. Therese unfurled a birth certificate with the same name on it. Therese pulled out more pictures, pictures of Feliks holding guns, pictures of Feliks at parties, pictures of Jessica Wilma with a needle in her arm. ¡°She kept that picture to never forget. She was a week pregnant.¡±

    ¡°Jessica was Ben¡¯s sister?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Half-sister, but a full sister to him.¡± Some bad stuff happened, and Ben was our way, our way out.¡± Peter said, never having explained his past to her.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°So what happened to her?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Some things you just can¡¯t get out of. She went out one night. They found her in an alley. I promised Ana and I promised Ben, if I had a second chance, I would take it. I got lucky, I got it. Most people don¡¯t.¡± Peter said. ¡°It was more than a second chance, Ben was really going to kill me. He only spared me because I asked him to take Larissa, Ana, out of the room.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t kill you because you didn¡¯t want the baby to see it?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°No, he picked her up to take her out of the room, and when he held her, he told me to get up off the floor. He took us home. I would not have minded if he killed me, I just wanted the kid safe, but he decided to help us.¡± said Peter. Therese stared at the pictures; she thought Peter looked cute, even then. She felt less rejected, but she still hurt. She was glad there were no pictures of him using drugs.

    Therese was unusually quiet at work, even for her. A gloom cast over Therese was a gloom over everyone. Her smallest smiles were like giant sunbeams into their hearts. Erin missed the glow.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Erin asked Therese when they were absent of customers.

    ¡°I tied to take my shirt off for Peter, and he stopped me.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°You mean he was a gentleman?¡± asked Erin, surprised.

    ¡°No, he rejected me.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°He hates you.¡± a little voice said in Therese¡¯s head.

    ¡°Just because a guy doesn¡¯t sleep with you doesn¡¯t mean he doesn¡¯t like you.¡± reassured Erin.

    ¡°Have you slept with guys, is it awesome?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Well yes, but you can¡¯t take it back, ever.¡± Erin told her. Erin blushed, she was not an expert in morality, and feared what her parents and grandparents would say about her living with her boyfriend if they knew.

    ¡°Have you talked to your mom about this?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°Oh hell no.¡± Therese told her. Therese rolled her eyes in disbelief Erin would try to pass this problem of to her mom.

    ¡°I am sorry, that was a shallow out attempt, wasn¡¯t it?¡± said Erin.

    ¡°Yes.¡± agreed Therese. She was disappointed in Erin, she wanted bad advice.

    ¡°Do you want me to tell you to just take your shirt off anyways, or to respect his feelings?¡± asked Erin.

    Therese thought about what Erin said. ¡°Do you think my breasts are too small?¡± asked Therese, cupping her chest.

    ¡°I need to quit coming over here without calling first.¡± said Ben, walking by and going behind the counter to pick out a good muffin from the case.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Ben?¡± Erin asked Therese softly, then yelled ¡°Hey Ben.¡± Ben turned and looked, his head halfway in the case. ¡°Are our boobs okay?¡± Erin said, mimicking Therese holding her chest. Ben jumped, and slammed his head into the top of the case.

    ¡°Shit that hurt.¡± Ben said, as he went back to picking out a muffin and trying to block out the image from his mind out of respect. Ben grabbed a muffin, stood up, and rubbed the painful spot on his head. He walked over to Therese, who had put her hands down.

    ¡°You¡¯re ok, kid. The problem is that if he goes for you, he loses, if he doesn¡¯t go for you, he loses. He can¡¯t win.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°A Kobayashi Maru?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how that works with this, but yah, ok. You could say that.¡± Ben said, eating his muffin. ¡°So how do you beat this Maru thing?¡± Ben asked.

    ¡°You change the rules.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I think I am walking away before I cause more damage.¡± said Ben and rubbed his head as he walked away. ¡°This, is girl stuff, Erin.¡± he said as he went to the other store.

    Therese went back to mopping the floor. Erin could tell she was distracted in thought; her mop streaks were very irregular for her. Erin was unsure what advice she could give her. A few months ago, the girl could barely walk in here, and now she was trying to take her clothes off for her boyfriend. Erin hoped she had been a good influence. Erin thought to her, as much as Therese was different, she was still the same.

    ¡°How about this,¡± Therese asked Erin, ¡°What if I just stay the night at his house?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t lie to your mom.¡± said Erin, there was a line she wouldn¡¯t cross.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t lying if she doesn¡¯t ask.¡± Therese told her. Erin really worried she had become a bad influence. Therese began texting Kara. ¡°Fine, you¡¯re 18, I¡¯ll watch Ana tonight, but I am not lying to your mom if she asks. Therese hugged Erin.

    Therese went to the other store, and found Peter at the register. ¡°I am going to stay the night at your house tonight, but we won¡¯t have to do anything.¡± Therese told him. Peter grinned, he knew it was a bad idea, but so far, being good wasn¡¯t doing him any favors either. Ben shook his head at Peter, he knew his grin was no good.

    ¡°I told my mom I am staying at Kara¡¯s.¡± Therese told Peter when they arrived to his home from work. Peter was very tired, he really did just want to sleep.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to get ready for bed, there are extra toothbrushes in the hall closet, if you need one.¡± Peter went and started brushing his teeth. Peter liked to brush his teeth after a long day, he smiled and checked in the mirror. Therese came in next to him, she was wearing her Kookie Mart shirt, and maybe only that shirt, but being Ben sized, it covered her body¡¯s personable areas. Therese brushed her teeth.

    ¡°I need to go take my medicine.¡± Therese told him, embarrassed she admitted that, but she went into the kitchen, and took some pills from her purse and swallowed them. She hated taking the medications. She worried people would think she had to take medications because she was crazy. Therese wasn¡¯t crazy, she was a victim. Life just got too scary without the medications, and she could not function. The kitchen window was dark and she could see her reflection. She forced a smile. She didn¡¯t like how the medications hid her emotions. ¡°flat affect¡± her doctor told her, they had a hard talk one day and he asked her if she wanted to be terrified or have a flat affect. She hated being terrified.

    Peter was already in bed. He had a lamp on his nightstand which was on. Peter was struggling to stay awake, even as Therese climbed into bed with him, and curled up next to him. She kicked the sheet off of them, it was too warm with both of them. Peter had already fallen asleep, so Therese leaned over and turned off the lamp. She fell asleep, with her head on his shoulder.

 Dreams and Nightmares

    Therese was standing outside a store. Her dad was waiting for her mom to pick her up. She grew restless, she started banging her back against a pillar, she hated waiting for mom. Therese was confused, she didn¡¯t understand why she went back and forth between houses. She tried to behave but had outbursts, the world was difficult. Therese would yell and shout at the voices to be quiet. She was crying now, it felt like her skin was on fire. Therese tried to contain her responses, she knew outbursts led to hospitalization.

    Therese wished she was in school with her para, the paras understood her. Her parents just asked for more medications and pawned her off from house to house. Therese looked in the coffee shop, there was a nice lady in there, maybe Therese could go get some water from her. Therese was thirsty, and her dad wasn¡¯t paying attention to her needs. Therese tried to tell her dad she was thirsty, but only a grunt came out. Therese turned and walked to the door to the coffee shop. A cow on the door twisted its face and moo¡¯d at her. The lady in the store, looked up, wondering if she was coming in. I know her, that is Erin, that was not a delusion.

    Therese reached for the door, she knew somehow if she could go in there and drink coffee her whole life would be better. Her dad grabbed her arm, Therese screamed. ¡°Stop it, coffee is too stimulating.¡± he grabbed her and pulled her back. Therese banged herself against the wall. She dropped her book.

    An old man walked up with a cane, he stopped and picked up the book. ¡°Peter Rabbit, that¡¯s a good book.¡± he told Therese handing her the book. Her dad thanked him. ¡°No thanks are necessary, it is nice to be useful.¡± He told her dad and walked into the coffee store.

    Therese recognized him, he used to be a plumber who had taken her kite out of a tree, she went to follow him. ¡°Stop.¡± her dad told her, you can¡¯t just go in there, the doctor said coffee is bad for you, it is overstimulating. Therese cried, she knew she needed to be in there. The medications clouded her thinking.

    ¡°Oh great, you couldn¡¯t even wash the dirt from her fingernails?¡± Therese¡¯s mother asked, ¡°Let me guess you left out digging in the backyard all day?¡± Therese¡¯s mom demanded.

    ¡°It is a garden.¡± defended her father.

    ¡°More like a weed patch.¡± said Therese¡¯s mother.

    A boy from her class walked by. Therese knew his name was Peter, she was able to shout out his name, he turned and politely waved, and kept walking, speeding up his pace. ¡°Stop it, you¡¯re embarrassing me.¡± Her mother said.

    ¡°My friends are real, I didn¡¯t imagine it.¡± Therese finally was able to say.

    ¡°There she goes about her friends again, you watch too much TV with her.¡± Therese¡¯s mother scolded her father.

    ¡°You put the idea of friends in her head, not me.¡± Argued her father. ¡°Ben, Benjamin, she makes the same person two different people, she can¡¯t even keep it straight when she comes back from your house.¡±

    ¡°You are the one who let her think there are two Benjamins, there isn¡¯t even one, you need to make sure she takes her medications!¡± Therese¡¯s mother yelled.

    ¡°They are not the same person!¡± yelled Therese, but her parents continued arguing and ignored her.

    The voices in her head got loud, they told Therese all kinds of terrible things about herself. They told Therese how much everyone hated her. They told her she broke her mother''s back because she stepped on cracks. Therese saw everyone staring at her from in the coffee shop.

    Therese turned and ran, away from them, but it was into the road. A car hit her, she flew backwards, banging her head on the cement. Therese hurt all over. The person driving the car she recognized as one of the teachers from her school, he called 911 and checked her. Her parents were still fighting, blaming each other for her problems. Therese lay on the pavement unable to move. She heard sirens, soon she saw paramedics were over her. They lifted her. She felt herself pop against the restraints as the gurney was lifted into the ambulance. Therese saw the needle over her, then fell asleep.

    Therese awakened on a hospital bed, she tugged her arms and could not move them. She hated restraints. She never wanted to hurt anyone. Therese felt powerless, she wanted to kill herself if it would end the screaming in her head. Therese looked up and saw a husky nurse with ¡°Ben¡± on his name tag.

    ¡°Ben, Ben, it is me.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Hey you.¡± said Ben. He pulled out a syringe and she fell asleep again.

    Therese awoke later. She still could not move, she opened her eyes. She could barely lift her eyelids. Therese felt wet in her gown, she knew she soiled herself. Therese screamed.

    Therese screamed and she screamed again. She sat up straight and moved her arm, the restraints broke, she could move her arms. She held her arms in front of her and stared at them, there were no restraints. Therese was confused.

    The screams scared Peter, he fell out of bed trying to get up, and fell again reaching for a light. Therese was sitting on the bed staring at her arms crying. ¡°Therese. Therese. It¡¯s me Peter, you are at my house.¡± Peter said, doing her best to re-orientate her. Therese looked down and felt her underwear, and the sheets. Everything was wet. Therese buried her face in her hands and cried.

    ¡°Therese, it¡¯s Peter, you are okay. You are safe.¡± said Peter as he sat next to her, and held her. He realized what he sat into and did his best to avoid any negative expression, Peter just wanted to be supportive at that moment.

    ¡°Your sheets, I ruined your sheets.¡± said Therese, embarrassed. No words could describe her feelings of dismay and humiliation. She sat broken as she feared a simple accident ruined her chances with the person she loved. Therese shook depressed, broken and her brain slow from her evening medications.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, when you have a baby, everything that¡¯s a mattress has a plastic cover.¡± said Peter as he pulled up the corner of the bed sheets to show her. Therese stood up, and started pulling the sheets to wash them.

    Peter handed her a pair of shorts, and a shirt, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a shower, I¡¯ll wash the stuff. Therese, pulled off her wet shorts, threw them on the bed, and then tossed the shirt, and walked to the bathroom. Peter stood there with his mouth open, unsure if he was the one dreaming. Peter pulled himself together, and took the laundry to the washing machine, and started it, then he took out new sheets and made the bed. He sat on the bed waiting for Therese. In a few minutes she came out, she liked the shower gel, it made her smell like him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± Therese told Peter. She was still devastated and embarrassed. She had nightmares before, but never expected to have one that night.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry, it¡¯s okay, ready to try sleeping again?¡± He asked. Peter was used to being woken up during the middle of the night, but he was eager to be back asleep. Therese climbed into bed, and Peter quickly fell asleep. Therese lay next to him, afraid to fall asleep, but she felt safe enough to eventually give in. There were no more nightmares that night. By the time Therese awakened in the morning, she smelled breakfast and heard the dryer running. She stretched out her toes, wondered if the whole night was a dream, and then checked and saw she was wearing Peter¡¯s clothes. Therese cried again out of embarrassment.

    Therese stretched again after several minutes, she knew she had to get up either way. Therese freshened herself and went out to the kitchen. Peter had finished making breakfast and had a spot set up for each of them at the table. He handed her a cup of coffee and kissed her on the cheek. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking.¡± he said.

    Therese was nervous, but she sipped her coffee and asked him. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± asked Therese as she drank some more of her coffee, it was terrible, but it was hot and it was still technically coffee.

    ¡°Maybe I could go to college with you, what are you going to study?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Therese told him, and Peter thought he heard a hint of a giggle.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± He asked.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°The guys are worried you are going to quit the store, they have been talking about tuition assistance for you.¡± Therese told him.

    ¡°That would help.¡± said Peter. He liked the idea of Therese being with him through college.

    Therese was glad Peter avoided the subject of the last night. She didn¡¯t know if she could even explain it. She reached for her purse, grabbed her medication and took her pills. She then looked and saw Peter had seen her do that, and was embarrassed, she hid the pills back into her purse, and drank some water. Therese looked down at her breakfast and kept not looking up.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be embarrassed about your medication. I know it is not who you are, it is just something you have to do.¡± Peter told her. Therese looked up with sad eyes, that was the last thing she ever expected a guy to ever tell her. Five months ago, it would have been the last thing Peter ever thought he would say.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t always like this. I don¡¯t know, maybe when I was eight, nine, things changed. In junior high, something happened, I had to relearn almost everything I knew. They put me in special ed.¡± Therese told him. She hoped if she was honest, he¡¯d leave her now instead of it hurting worse later.

    ¡°What¡¯s it like?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°With the pills, life is difficult. Without the pills life is horrible. Have you ever had the newsman on TV tell you that you suck and should die?¡± Therese asked Peter.

    ¡°No, never.¡± answered Peter.

    ¡°It hurts. People treat me like I¡¯m stupid because I can¡¯t find words. I had to learn to learn different. Kara, was my best friend. She couldn¡¯t take it. I used to run out of class screaming.¡± explained Therese. ¡°In a few minutes, my words will get slow, these pills will kick in.¡± Therese told him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I scared you.¡± added Therese.

    ¡°Out of all the shit I have seen in my life, you opening up doesn¡¯t come close to scaring me.¡± Peter told her. Peter had never seen Therese before she took her morning pills. She was a bit freer with the words, her emotions a little less numbed.

    ¡°Just ask me, no one is this accepting of anything, not anything like this.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Ask what?¡± Peter said.

    ¡°Ask me if I¡¯m nuts, ask me if I eat rats, ask me how many times I have been in the hospital. If you are going to freak out and dump me, I just want you to do it now before I love you any more.¡± said Therese, pulling back out the medications and staring at the pill bottles in her hands.

    ¡°You¡¯re not nuts, you are kind. You rarely eat meat, except for when I cook it, and you do it to be polite, it¡¯s pretty obvious if you barely nibble chicken you don¡¯t eat rats. I don¡¯t care how many time you have been to the hospital, I care that you pick yourself back up. Dump you? I still don¡¯t know how I am so lucky to be with you, but I to satisfy you, yah, is my daughter safe with you?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°I swear to God, I would die before I ever let anything happen to her.¡± said Therese. Deep sincerity echoed in her eyes, Peter believed her, Therese would risk her life without hesitation to protect Ana.

    ¡°Then that¡¯s all that really matters, isn¡¯t it? That you love her, and you love me?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°No matter what I look like on the outside, I promise my feelings are real on the inside, and inside I am filled with love for you both.¡± Therese said, finishing her breakfast, and feeling the onset of her medications. Peter didn¡¯t doubt her, the closer he was to her, the easier he could read her feelings.

    ¡°Can I tell you one thing?¡± Peter asked.

    ¡°Okay.¡± answered Therese.

    ¡°You look great, even in the morning.¡± Peter told her.

    ¡°Even with my messy hair?¡± asked Therese.

    Therese looked her eyes sideways, and asked him what he meant. ¡°you really don¡¯t know you are beautiful.¡± replied Peter.

    Therese grinned real big and stuck her tongue our to the side of her mouth, rolling her eyes back, letting out a cat-like laugh. Therese got ready, unsure what to wear to work, and just put on her clothes that were in the dryer. She was going to wear her Kookie Mart shirt all day. Peter had the same option. Therese arrived earlier than normal to the Cowffee Cup because she left when Peter did. This was her first time hanging out with Erin while she did the opening and made the muffins, and Therese was excited to be there early.

    Therese arrived to work early with Peter, so she entered the back way through the Kookie Mart. There was something about the morning light coming through the windows of the silent coffee shop that gave her a peaceful feeling. Therese stopped and looked around and smiled, then smiled at Erin when she looked up.

    ¡°It¡¯s good you are here to learn this, I might want to take some time off this summer, and I¡¯ll hope you can run the store by yourself.¡± said Erin. Therese liked how Erin didn¡¯t order her to do things, she respected Therese¡¯s ability to make choices. Erin didn¡¯t want to train Therese to need her. ¡°I have the recipes for the muffins here, the trick is to make extras.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°For Ben?¡± Therese asked.

    ¡°Bingo. And you have to do it first, because if Ben¡¯s oven doesn¡¯t work, he¡¯ll come over here to bake cookies, and need the oven.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°Gotcha.¡± said Therese, sipping her first good coffee in the morning.

    ¡°So how was last night?¡± asked Erin, eager for a little girl talk.

    ¡°I had a nightmare, and I wet the bed, and screamed.¡± said Therese, flatly. Erin could tell Therese was ashamed.

    ¡°Remember me shitting in the crapateria?¡± said Erin.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Therese said.

    ¡°These things happen.¡± Erin said, patting her on the shoulder. ¡°Did you still have a good time?¡±

    ¡°People with babies have mattress protectors.¡± said Therese. Erin gave her a hug and went back to work. Saturdays get busy, and soon Erin was up and prepared the floor. All the chairs were neatly squared away. Right after the timer rang, and Erin pulled out the muffins to cool, Ben came in with a tray of cookies to bake. Erin winked at Therese.

    ¡°You¡¯re here early and in the same shirt.¡± said Ben, looking at Therese. ¡°I don¡¯t want to know, I don¡¯t want to know.¡± Ben said, after he placed his cookies in the oven and walked out. Erin set the timer for him. Ben came back in to set the timer, saw Erin had set it and said ¡°Thank you, and I still don¡¯t want to know.¡± as he walked back out.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you introduce him to a lady?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Ben?¡± replied Erin.

    ¡°Yes, Ben. He might be lonely.¡± said Therese.

    Erin backed up, and started talking. ¡°Two years ago, I have this friend who is looking, so I set her up with Ben. He takes her out, to a truck rally, for the first date. It is loud, she can¡¯t hear a thing he says, so she writes it off. So he takes her out again, their next date he takes her bowling, he won¡¯t stop talking, not about bowling, but how he could make a better bowling ball, spends the whole night talking about the perfect bowling ball.

    A month later, I set him up on another date. He takes her to a restaurant and ends up arguing about how to cook the food, finally he goes in the kitchen with the manager and the cooks and spends the whole night adjusting their recipes and teaching them tricks. His date sat alone the whole meal, finally, the manager comps her the meal and she leaves. What does Ben do? He texts her later, wanting to know if she wants to come back for dessert.

    Another six months or so, I set Ben up to with a friend who is a teacher, they actually have a good time, Ben shows up for career day, and talks to the kids about running a convenience store, all day, the kids are excited for hours.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t invited, and it was the day before. He passed out cookies and captivated the class, and turned the fifteen minutes he should have had into a six-hour seminar. She couldn¡¯t get a word in to stop him.¡±

    ¡°She might give him another chance.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°No, she made me promise to not set her up with any more guys, ever.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°I run a successful business with little overhead, and all our capital assets are paid for. Those kids learned a lot from me. Vivo wants a muffin too.¡± said Ben, walking back in and getting another muffin.

    ¡°She was supposed to be preparing them for their standardized testing.¡± Erin told him.

    ¡°You can¡¯t have standardized testing with non-standard students.¡± Ben said, and then turned to Therese, ¡°Think about it, based on the law of averages, you have one normal student in your class, and everyone else is non-standard in one way or another.¡± said Ben with a grin.

    ¡°I¡¯m not standard.¡± said Therese flatly.

    ¡°And that, my young lady, is why you fit in here. If I ever met that one normal guy, I¡¯d probably hate him.¡± said Ben, walking out, holding the extra muffin.

    ¡°I always thought it would be nice to be normal again.¡± said Therese, returning to her work.

    Ben walked in and tossed Vivo a muffin. ¡°What do you think we should get these kids for graduating?¡± asked Ben.

    ¡°You could forgive Peter.¡± Vivo said, starting his muffin, and playing cars with Ana while a Space-Girl episode played on the TV.

    ¡°Forgive him?¡± asked Ben. ¡°I think I have done a good job helping him.¡± Ben defended.

    ¡°You¡¯ve helped him, you¡¯ve fed him, you have given him a second chance, but let¡¯s be honest, you have never forgiven him.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°Somethings are too deep to forgive.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°Somethings were beyond his control.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°Well, he could have tried harder.¡± Ben said sternly, dropping the subject. Ben looked over at Ana, he knew he would always do right to her.

    Over at the Cowffee Cup, Erin and Therese were talking back at the counter. They had closed the shop for the evening and were finishing cleaning. ¡°My mom wants me to start birth control.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Erin asked, once again cast in a less comfortable role.

    ¡°She says being a mom is too much for me.¡± said Therese as she looked up, ¡°And my medications might not be good for the baby.¡± Therese finished.

    ¡°I take birth control.¡± Erin told her. ¡°I¡¯m scared to have a baby.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re scared?¡± asked Therese. Erin never seemed scared of anything.

    ¡°Remember I told you my sister was just like you?¡± asked Erin. Therese nodded. ¡°My mom was too, and my Grandma, well they just called her eccentric.¡± Erin told her.

    ¡°You are afraid, if you have kids, they will be like me.¡± said Therese.

    Erin nodded, feeling ashamed.

    ¡°I used to want to kill myself. It hurts to live sometimes still, but I¡¯d rather be me than not be born.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Maybe you have a chance to change the rules for this one.¡± suggested Erin.

    ¡°Ana?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to give birth to someone to be their mother.¡± Erin told her. Therese thought silently about that. Maybe Erin and her mom were both right, maybe she could be a mother and not stop taking her medications. Therese wished she was more normal, maybe not the normal kid, but definitely more normal than she was. She decided she would ask her mom to take her for birth control. Maybe then she could be intimate with Peter and he might not stop them.

    ¡°Erin, thank you for being my friend, and my boss.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ever think I don¡¯t love every minute of it.¡± Erin told her.

 Graduation and Therese Tries Beating the Kobayashi Maru

    A few days later at school-

    ¡°Good news. You aced your final, looks like someone gets to graduate with his class.¡± Mr. Shank said handing Peter a paper with 99% written on it. Peter grinned ear to ear, this would round the rest of the semester up to a C. ¡°Thank you.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s me you need to thank.¡± said Mr. Shank, giving Peter a pat on the shoulder. Peter grinned, he was very glad he had picked the paper up to help Therese. Peter tried to keep a low profile, but that morning, he had enough and he decided to break ranks. He thought that might be his first right decision in a long time.

    ¡°What are you doing to celebrate?¡± asked Kara. Therese was still going over her test, even though every answer was marked correct.

    ¡°Erin is throwing a party at her store after graduation.¡± said Therese, pausing from looking at her paper.

    ¡°Do you think I could come? I kind of don¡¯t have any other friends anymore, actually, I don¡¯t think I had other friends before.¡± said Kara.

    Therese reached into her backpack, and pulled out an envelope and handed it to her. Kara opened it slowly, in it was an invitation to Kara¡¯s own 6<sup>th</sup> grade graduation party. Therese had missed it because she had a hospitalization. Kara remembered being relieved she had not come. There was a small note tucked inside. Kara read it. ¡°I am sorry I missed your party. I hope you will come to ours, Therese.¡± Kara put her head down and cried. She couldn¡¯t believe Therese had saved it all these years, but more, she was still grateful to be forgiven.

    ¡°It¡¯s the last invitation I ever got, to anything. I think we still need to celebrate.¡± said Therese, with her usual flat, but compassionate stare. Kara put her head down and sobbed the rest of the class. Eventually, the bell rang, and everyone stood up to leave.

    ¡°Peter, a word, please.¡± said Mr. Shank.

    ¡°I¡¯ll catch up to you guys later.¡± Peter said to Kara and Therese, then kissed Therese on the cheek goodbye. Therese blushed and broke a half-grin. She had grown to like public displays of affection. Peter walked over to the teacher.

    ¡°I want to apologize, you have impressed me, and I apologize for never thinking you had it in you. I misjudged you.¡± Mr. Shank said.

    ¡°We¡¯re good, thank you for not kicking me out of class.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°I mostly feared they might send me someone worse. Either way, you really pulled yourself together, and I hope you aren¡¯t planning on stopping your education. You have guts kid, and guts go a long way, but so does math. Math is power.¡± said Mr. Shank.

    ¡°Why did you study math?¡± Peter asked his teacher.

    ¡°Well, my friends and I had some rough jobs once and one of them asked me why we had it so rough. The truth occurred to me that it was because we sucked at math and I explained it to him, that people who study math can get good jobs. So we did, and we worked those jobs until we retired, and somehow I ended here. Math is Power.¡± said Mr. Shank.

    ¡°I never really thought I could do it.¡± admitted Peter.

    ¡°Sometimes when we don¡¯t believe in ourselves, it¡¯s good to have those who believe in us. Maybe that¡¯s all you needed. Now get out of here, go finish your day.¡± said Mr. Shank. Peter took off running for his next class.

    Therese entered her English composition class, she went and sat down. Kara came in and sat next to her. This was a great start for both to an otherwise boring event.

    Graduation night:

    The next night Therese was scared. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go.¡± She told her parents. Therese knew the graduation would be loud and crowded. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go to graduate.¡± her parents reassured her. They were excited beyond their wildest hopes six years ago. Therese held herself, crossing her arms and hugging herself as she rocked. They were just grateful she finished and prouder that she did good.

    There was a knock on the door, her mother opened it, and Vivo and Mr. Shank came in. ¡°What a pleasant surprise, please come in.¡± said Therese¡¯s father, inviting them in, He showed them to the living room, and they sat on the couch across from Therese. She looked up and kept rocking.

    Mr. Shank said ¡°In all the years I taught, honestly, I grew to hate it. The kids were terrible, and the parents worse (Therese¡¯s parents shrugged in agreement), but three years ago a young girl came into my class. I worked with her tutors and the school therapists. They told me she should be in a special education math because of some outbursts (Therese sunk her head down), but she insisted on making a mainstream effort. My first thought was great, here comes a lot of paperwork, but when she looked up at me, (Therese looked up at him), I thought maybe out of all this crap comes a peanut. (Therese smiled). I never once, ever cut you a break, I helped you every chance I was able, but I held you to the same standard as everyone else. That was the condition of being in my class, do you remember? (Therese nodded). All my other students are walking tonight. I promise you I have allowed enough extra credit assignments to pad band participation forms and other activities, that your graduation will perfect if you go.¡±

    Vivo looked at her and said, ¡°I am here to promise you, he is telling the truth, and to remind you, Space-Girls walk tall (Vivo cited a Space-Girl rule, Space-Girl Michelle always walked tall, even if she was going to lose and have to be regenerated as a new Space-Girl).

    Therese stood up and lifted her head and she said ¡°I will walk tall.¡±.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t hear it from me, but the principal came in drunk once. Oddly enough, somehow the names got mixed out of alphabetical order and you and Peter are marching together.¡± said Mr. Shank, standing up, fixing his tie, and walking out. This was going to be the best night of his career. Maybe the last night. He smiled thinking how nice it would be to not have to deal with parents and leave on top.

    ¡°Mr. Shank?¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am?¡± The teacher turned and looked at Therese.

    ¡°Why did you become a teacher?¡± asked Therese, wondering why she never asked it before.

    ¡°When I was your age, I had someone make a difference in my life too. I decided to pay it forward. It is a vicious cycle of abuse that should be broken, so find some other way to make the world a better place.¡± said the teacher, again excusing himself and leaving. He left out the years of violence in distant places because the last few years as Therese¡¯s teacher meant more to him than anything he had done before.

    ¡°Ben picked this up at your bookstore today. We knew you¡¯d walk tall, little Space-Girl.¡± said Vivo while tossing Therese a bag with a cap and gown, with a pair of pink earplugs on top. Vivo excused himself and walked out of the house.

    After everyone left, Therese asked her parents, ¡°Mom, Dad, why didn¡¯t you ever tell me about Kara¡¯s dad hurting her, and that¡¯s why she was here that summer in Junior High?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Wow. That¡¯s out of nowhere.¡± said Therese¡¯s father, trying to dodge the question. Therese threw him a scowling look.

    ¡°We promised Kara. It was all she asked of us. She knew you were going through so much, she didn¡¯t want to make things worse for you.¡± said Therese¡¯s mother.

    ¡°How bad was it for her, how bad was I?¡± asked Therese. She could not remember much of the summer, it was like her brain did a full reset. She spent years relearning everything and then trying to learn everything she missed.

    ¡°Getting better is a process. Look at the clock, it¡¯s already six.¡± said Rodger. He dodged the question.

    ¡°Mom. Dad. Hurry. We need to get ready.¡± Therese told them as she hurried to ready herself.

    That evening was as promised. Therese and Peter were told the schedule of names had been misprinted and they would be marching together to avoid disruption. Therese was unable to find Kara, and was sad she could not locate her. She looked in and out of the crowd. She walked over to Peter and held his arm nervously. They sat next to each other. Therese had her earplugs in. The usual boring speeches took place, and finally names were to be called. Several students went, and eventually, it was to be Therese¡¯s turn to be called.

    When Therese¡¯s name was about to be announced, the graduation stage lights went dim. Peter held Therese¡¯s arm, and helped her stand, she was unsure what was happening. Then the school band began playing the intro to the Space-Girl Michelle theme. Therese pulled her earplugs out so she could hear it. A spotlight shined on the principal who was stunned. Kara walked out in a Space-Girl costume and stepped between him and the microphone.

    ¡°Space-Girl, jij vecht tegen de robots Space-Girl, jij vecht tegen de Gopher King Space-Girl, je geeft nooit op en ik zal mezelf nooit opgeven Ik kan alleen maar zeggen dat mijn scannerweergave vrij duidelijk is. Ik kijk graag naar de meren van Haremar die regen krijgen En het enige dat ik kan doen is Earl Grey-thee gewoon heet voor twee schenken En mijn mening uitzenden, maar het is niet standaard Het is niet standaard Space-Girl je redt de dag . ¡° - the original Space-Girl Michelle theme from the Amsterdam tapes.

    Therese smiled and walked tall, Peter holding her arm. ¡°Is this really happening?¡± She asked Peter, genuinely believing she might be imagining the whole thing. Peter reassured her it was. Therese was careful, deliberate, and walked tall, as the band played the Space-Girl chorus movement. Mr. Shank walked up, took their diplomas, and handed them to Therese and Peter. Therese gave Mr. Shank a big hug and her and Peter stepped down and returned to their seats.

    ¡°You¡¯re finished, Ed.¡± said the principal.

    ¡°Fuck you, buddy.¡± said Mr. Shank and he smiled.

    The principal waited patiently until the two had returned to their seats. ¡°If anyone else pulls that stunt, you are not getting your diplomas.¡± He said into the microphone. The band fired off a few defiant tones. Kara looked at the table, saw her diploma, grabbed it, and ran out to her family in the crowd. The graduation crowd cheered.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    When the ceremony was over, Therese¡¯s chemistry lab partner Benjamin found her in the crowd. He had run frantically not wanting to miss her. ¡°Hey, Therese, Therese I just wanted to tell you, thank you, I couldn¡¯t have done it without you. Thanks for not giving up on me.¡± said Benjamin.

    ¡°He is not going to exist anymore, you will kill him when you forget about him. There is only one Ben.¡± Yelled a voice at Therese.

    Therese turned and looked at Benjamin and said with a smile and a tear in her eye, ¡°You didn¡¯t give up on you, and the days you did show up, those were pretty good days too.¡± said Therese with a half wink.

    ¡°I just wanted you to know that, that you made a difference. There were some rough days for me, but I knew showing up to that class, you¡¯d remind me to get through the rest of the day.¡± said Benjamin.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have traded you for any lab partner in there. So, you guys are leaving in a couple weeks?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Yah, it¡¯s going to be an awesome summer.¡± replied Benjamin. Therese thought him slightly optimistic but hoped the best for Benjamin. She worried about him but was never less than absolutely supportive.

    ¡°He is leaving forever because you are forgetting him.¡± The voice yelled at Therese.

    ¡°Well, make sure you stop by the Cowffee shop before you leave and get my address so you can write me.¡± Therese said, fixing Benjamin¡¯s collar over his graduation gown. ¡°Good luck out there.¡± Therese said, patting the collar down. Benjamin might have needed a lot of help, but like his collar, he responded well to direction and Therese had grown fond of him. She knew she would miss the boy.

    ¡°Good luck too, and thank you, thank you for the help in class. You give good advice too.¡± said Benjamin, before running out into the crowd. Benjamin didn¡¯t like goodbyes, and as far as the year went for him, Therese was one of the few people he had to really say goodbye to.

    ¡°Was that your lab partner Benjamin?¡± asked Peter, somewhat jealous, as he was of any boy who took Therese¡¯s attention. Therese was relieved Peter had seen Benjamin, she needed reassurance he was real, the voices were being loud jerks in the stress of the crowd.

    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry, we had chemistry together, but I¡¯m only yours.¡± Therese said teasing, then turning and giving Peter a big hug. She squeezed Peter in the middle of the football field, so glad high school was over, and yet sad, it had gone so fast.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay, I swear he looks just like this guy Lee in one of my classes. I guess everyone has a twin somewhere.¡± said Peter, but Therese did not hear him in the noise of the crowd.

    Therese saw Elijah up on the stage, having worn a kilt under his graduation gown, had hiked his gown, and was doing a dance to taunt security for one last run. This time she saw, he continued his jig while their security officer stretched out, they were both going to make this a run for the memories. Therese smiled while she squeezed Peter, and hoped Elijah made it clear one more time. He might, she thought, if he doesn¡¯t have to stop and help anyone while the pursuit is in progress. Therese was unsure if she should hope for Elijah¡¯s final victory or the officer¡¯s first because she had tried so hard all year, although Therese knew it was mostly in sport because the officer could have grabbed Elijah out of class anytime she wanted.

    Megan and her two lackeys walked up to Therese, just as Kara came up behind Therese and Peter. Peter stepped in front of Therese to protect her instinctively, but Therese pulled Peter back and stood in front of him. Kara made fists.

    ¡°Whoa.¡± said Megan to showing her hands were empty. ¡°I came here to apologize. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for being a bitch.¡± said Megan. ¡°I got caught up in all this, and it isn¡¯t even real anymore, is it? But, I¡¯m sorry, and I hope one day you¡¯ll forgive me.¡± said Megan. Even apologizing, she looked glamorous.

    ¡°She flicked something at you because she hates you. Everyone hates you.¡± The voice said to Therese.

    ''If I can¡¯t forgive, how can I expect to be forgiven? At least that is what is said in the Good Book.¡± said Therese, offering her hand.

    Megan took her hand and shook hands. ¡°Is that the Bible?¡± asked Megan.

    ¡°No, The Good Book, Episode 142 of Space-Girl Michelle, she becomes overcome with dark energy and seeks out an ancient text, The Good Book, to purge herself of it.¡± answered Kara loudly and unembarrassed to be a Space-Girl Fan.

    ¡°Can we just go back to the teen movie ending?¡± asked Megan.

    ¡°Yes, sure, have a great summer, can I ask you though, why were you mean to me?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Well, one, I was jealous, all the guys were attracted to you before, and then once you started doing your makeup, hair, and dressing nice, I was really jealous. And two, in sixth grade you called me a fucker and threw my backpack at me and it cut me. Wasn¡¯t going to bring that up, you asked.¡± Megan told her, pointing to a small scar on her chin.

    Therese hung her head down, she was very embarrassed about her past, and said ¡°I am so very sorry about that, and everything else. Please forgive me.¡±

    ¡°Hey, that whole thing about forgiving.¡± said Megan as she stuck her hand out. Therese took it and shook hands again. Megan turned and walked away with her entourage in tow. Kara gave Therese a big hug, they were both glad it was over. Peter nodded at ¡°Herpes Girl¡± and she nodded back, both consenting to end their own feud.

    Therese was glad when the graduation ended, and she found herself in the familiar sights of the Cowffee Cup. She bounced Ana on her knee and made funny sounds. Peter sat next to her enjoying seeing them both happy. Ben ate a muffin, and then some cake. Buck had ridden with Erin and Vivo, but was now trading never-ending sea stories with Ed Shank. Erin was telling stories about working with Therese to her parents, nice stories, to which every once and a while Therese would look over and let out a flat grin.

    Kara was slumped out on a couch, exhausted, watching the group. Vivo walked next to her and plopped down. ¡°You did good today.¡± He told Kara.

    ¡°I should have done more sooner.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°You did it when it counted, a big thing to do too.¡± Vivo told her. He was calm and supportive, Kara appreciated being welcomed into Therese¡¯s circle of friends. She found herself particularly drawn to Ben.

    ¡°When you are 10 years old and your best friend starts yelling at the cafeteria and calling everyone fuckers and assholes, you start looking for a new best friend. I looked, she didn¡¯t.¡± Kara said. She was embarrassed, first at distancing herself from Therese and finally being mean to her to keep her away.

    ¡°She wasn¡¯t looking for a new friend, she was waiting for an old one, and from what I can tell, her parents were waiting too.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°By the time I was twelve, I started being mean to her so she would leave me alone, I was embarrassed. My mom made me go over to play, I hated it. The only good thing was living with her when my parents divorced. Her parents were the closest I had to normal. It ended after that, something I always regretted. Well, I guess I went all out tonight, I don¡¯t have any other friends anyways.¡± Kara said. Vivo could tell she was very guarded about why their friendship ended.

    Vivo pulled up his sleeve and showed her a Space-Girl Michelle tattoo. ¡°Shut the fuck up.¡± said Kara while looking at it.

    ¡°I would have got beat up if I had it in high school. Graduation night, I went out and got it. The world just quit caring about you being a nerd.¡± Vivo told her. Kara saw Ben get up to go do something, and she started to get up to go take the seat next to Therese.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She told Vivo as she walked away.

    ¡°Once a Space-Girl forgives, she forgives.¡± Vivo told her as she walked off. Erin came and set next to Vivo, squeezing his knee to show him she was proud of him. ¡°I know that look, you¡¯re going to give that girl a job.¡± Vivo told her.

    ¡°Mr. Vivo, you are a clever man in any time period. If you really want that week in Malibu, I can¡¯t leave Therese by herself, not yet.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°I want that week in Malibu.¡± said Vivo. ¡°What do you want for it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°A baby.¡± Erin told him. Vivo was surprised, he loved taking care of Ana, but knew Erin¡¯s reservations. ¡°Would you be proud to be Therese¡¯s dad?¡± She asked Vivo.

    ¡°I always believed that I didn''t need children in my life. Now, after Ana, I couldn''t imagine life without one.¡± Vivo said watching Therese who was now walking Ana around the store and holding her little hand. Erin grinned and snorted. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± asked Vivo.

    ¡°You know how pissed Ben is going to be when we leave him in charge of three teenagers.¡± said Erin. Vivo laughed and snorted too. ¡°Kara, Therese, come over here.¡± Erin called them. The two girls came walking over, each holding one of Ana¡¯s little hands. When they came up, Erin asked them, ¡°How would you girls like to work together?¡±.

    ¡°I want you both to work for me.¡± said Erin as Therese and Kara both grinned, Therese flat and Kara wide.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never actually had a job before.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Good, there¡¯s no references to call.¡± said Erin as she pulled her store key off her key chain and handed it to Therese. Therese took the key in awe and held it. ¡°You¡¯re my new assistant manager. You¡¯ll need this. Close up tonight, I am going home with my man.¡± said Erin, grabbing Vivo and heading out the door without looking back, because she trusted Therese. Therese grinned her big flat grin and carefully and deliberately put the store key on her key chain.

    ¡°I hope I am a good boss.¡± Therese told Kara. Therese walked over to the group and told them the good news. Kara smiled, even if Therese wasn¡¯t a good boss, she was prepared to follow her anywhere.

    ¡°See Peter, if you try real hard, in a few years, you might get promoted.¡± Ben told him. Peter slumped. ¡°Oh cheer up, Erin already told us we are paying community college tuition to ALL the employees, even if she didn¡¯t tell me about the new hire.¡± finished Ben.

    Buck and Ed Shank excused themselves and left, Ed giving Buck a ride home. Ben excused himself and said he was leaving so he could open early. Therese¡¯s parents said congratulations and good night. A minute later, Therese¡¯s mother came back in. ¡°I told your father I forgot something, if you want to stay the night at Kara¡¯s, you can, just be careful. And no drinking girls. No drinking.¡± her mom said before she left. ¡®You are staying the night at my house?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°Uh No, just if my mom asks.¡± said Therese, pointing at Peter, ¡°We had better clean up, let me show you how I mop.¡± Therese told her. Kara helped Therese put the chairs up, sweep, and then mopped the floor. Therese was the last one out, she grinned at the empty shop, and locked the door.

    ¡°Therese, can I ask you something?¡± whispered Kara.

    ¡°Anything.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Do you believe in love at first sight, does it really happen? How far does it really go?¡± Kara whispered. Kara felt awkward asking Therese the advice, but one thing Therese had that Kara never knew was a real love. Kara didn¡¯t need to say who she liked. Even she could tell who Kara was infatuated with.

    ¡°The sky¡¯s the limit.¡± Therese said before she turned, put her feet together and walked up to Peter.

    Kara said goodnight, and left unsure if she should be confused or if Therese¡¯s answer was to all her questions. Kara took it to mean as love was a gamble, but the more you bet, the more you stood to win. Kara thought Therese was telling her to bet everything. She was right.

    ¡°Is this goodnight?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°My mother said I could stay at Kara¡¯s house again, but we need to be careful.¡± said Therese as she texted a phone number in her contacts to Kara.

    Peter lifted Ana, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we have supervision.¡±

    Therese rode with Peter to his house. He was mindful and careful with Ana in the car seat. Therese liked it when Peter was careful driving. Therese reached over and scratched Peter¡¯s knee. She had seen Erin do that to Vivo and thought he might like it. Peter did, he grinned and smiled. Ana had fallen asleep before they arrived, and Peter carried her up to the house. ¡°I¡¯ll put her to bed, if you want to get ready first.¡± said Peter, taking Ana to her crib, changing her, and tucking her in. ¡°Good night little princess¡± he whispered, turned on the night light, and walked out the door.

    Therese stood in the doorway to his room, wearing one of his work shirts. She left the upper bottoms undone. ¡°I thought we were going to be careful?¡± asked Peter. Therese reached into her pocket and pulled out a box of condoms.

    ¡°Ben will still kill me.¡± said Peter, backing up.

    ¡°I made him ring them up when I bought them.¡± explained Therese, ¡°You are already dead. I beat the Maru.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll still kill me, he really will.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s your last night on earth, live like it.¡± said Therese as she grabbed Peter and kissed him.

    ¡°If I¡¯m going to die for something, I guess love is the best reason.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°It appears we will be required to ignite the midnight petroleum." said Therese while grabbing Peter and pulling him to bed.

    ¡°I think you mean oil.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°Good, find some and rub it on my back.¡± Therese told him, removing her shirt and lying face down on their bed. Peter grabbed some lotion and took a knee on the bed next to her. He carefully touched Therese, she nearly jumped off the bed. He backed off, she reached over, grabbed his hand, and pulled it to her. He began messaging her back, amazed how soft it was for someone who always stood so rigid. The first time he saw Therese he never would imagine he would be there now, squeezing her back in his hands. He never imagined she would be a focus in his life, he never imagined he would love again.

    Peter¡¯s touch was soothing, and relaxed Therese. She never imagined a boy would love her, and never imagined it would be him. She thought he was cute, but mostly felt sorry for him getting in trouble for sleeping in class. She knew what it was like to be misunderstood. Her medications began making her feel sleepy. Peter¡¯s strong hands made her feel safe. She felt tired, sleepy, and knew she would not last for what they wanted. Peter could tell she was as sleepy as he is. Therese turned and lay on her side facing him. ¡°Look at me.¡± she told him. Peter did. Therese smiled, and fell asleep. Peter lay down next to her and embraced her. ¡°But, I wanted you.¡± was her last whisper before falling asleep.

 They Killed Socrates

    Peter was awakened by a text, that read ¡°Worst fear. Store now.¡± Peter wondered if Ben was screwing with him. He thought about it for a minute and decided Ben wasn¡¯t kidding, he wouldn¡¯t waste the code. Peter climbed out of bed, urinated, and dressed himself.

    ¡°Babe. Therese.¡± I need you to wake up.¡± Therese stirred, she sat up, remembered she was topless and pulled the blanket up. ¡°Are you up?¡± He asked Therese.

    ¡°I¡¯m up.¡± She said, sitting to the side of the bed, and stretching.

    ¡°I need you to watch Ana, I have to go to the store, there was a break-in.¡± Peter lied, but it was the arranged lie. Therese stood, Peter hated lying to her. ¡°I¡¯m up.¡± she told him, ¡°You can go, be careful.¡± She said, barely awake and walking to the bathroom.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Ana?¡± Ben asked when Peter got there, with a panic tone in his voice.

    ¡°Therese is watching her at my place.¡± Peter told him, following Ben in the office. Vivo was already sitting there, tired bags under his eyes.

    ¡°Some one has been asking questions, Polish questions.¡± Ben told them. Vivo hung his head down, fearing this was the day he feared. ¡°So far, it is casual, maybe they were passing through, but we don¡¯t know.¡± Peter started shaking.

    ¡°It¡¯s too bad, I like this town.¡± said Vivo, as he stood up, walked to the wall, and pulled the painting of Robot Gophers playing poker with Space-Girl Michelle off the wall. Vivo carefully set the painting on the floor, then typed in a code on the panel, and the two doors popped open. Vivo slid the doors open revealing a cache of weapons.

    ¡°You remember how to use this shit?¡± Ben asked Peter. Peter nodded his head. Ben grabbed a 9mm Beretta pistol, and handed it to Peter. ¡°Mags loaded.¡± Ben said. Vivo tossed Peter a holster from his desk and a couple of extra magazines. Ben pulled out a Colt 1911 pistol, pulled the magazine out, racked the pistol to see it was still lubed. Lowered the hammer, then put the magazine pack in and stuck in his pants until he could grab a holster. ¡°Vivo?¡± Ben asked.

    ¡°Beretta.¡± Vivo said, and Ben handed him another Beretta 9mm pistol. Vivo cleared it and checked it as Ben had done. He also stuck it in his waist until he could find a holster. ¡°Better keep this behind the counter too.¡± Ben said, grabbing a shotgun and handing it to Vivo.

    Erin walked in, she was the last to arrive. ¡°Worst fear?¡± she asked Vivo, who nodded his head in sorrow. Erin walked over and took a .38 special revolver from the safe, felt the weight, and put it in her pants pocket.

    ¡°You still good with that or you want a nine millimeter?¡± asked Ben. Erin replied ¡°I¡¯m still good.¡± Ben told her about the Polish questions. Erin looked at Peter and said ¡°It¡¯s Ok if you run.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anywhere else to go.¡± He told her. ¡°Get home, Peter, and be careful.¡± Ben told him. Peter walked to the door and left. He hoped it was all a miss, several times before there had been false tips. ¡°Let¡¯s get breakfast.¡± was the last thing Peter heard Ben say as he left. Peter stepped out the door when a board hit him in the head, the last thing he heard was the wood cracking against his head. He slumped to the ground and bounced on the concrete.

    Peter¡¯s head cracked again as it hit the headboard of his bed. He had jumped a second time. Peter grabbed his head to keep him from hitting his head a third time. He sat up on the edge of the bed, and then grabbed his phone and checked it. No text. Peter looked over at Therese, she was still asleep on her side, laying there looking beautiful, with a real smile on her face. Peter then went and checked Ana, and saw she too was sleeping peacefully. Peter walked over to his closet, reached into a box, pulled out a pistol from one box, then grabbed a loaded magazine out of another box and went and sat on the couch, where he was idle for an hour in the dark before returning to bed, and placing the pistol and magazine back in his closet. Peter lay on his side looking at Therese¡¯s smile, as he fell asleep.

    ¡°I love you.¡± said Therese as her eyes opened, and she saw Peter laying before her. Peter, still half asleep and under slept from his night, reluctantly cracked his eyes.

    ¡®¡±Jessica¡± said Peter, thinking he was dreaming again. Therese was first angry, then she wondered who she would be angry at. She looked at Peter, and decided to let him sleep. Therese then heard Ana stirring in her crib, and decided to take care of her and let Peter sleep. Therese did her morning water and washed her hands. Therese stopped and looked in the mirror, she put one of Peter¡¯s T-shirts on, and stared in the mirror. Then she heard Ana babbling, and she went and started changing her. Ana cooperated, and soon Therese held her to her shoulder, walking into the kitchen. Therese put Ana in her high chair and the little girl clapped her hands.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you eat for breakfast.¡± said Therese. Therese held up various bottles of baby food until Ana clapped again. Therese turned the label, read it, and said ¡°Carrots, good choice.¡± She sat down next to Ana and fed her little spoonfuls. ¡°I want to be your mom.¡± Therese told the little girl.

    Ana ate her carrots, as quickly as Therese carefully and deliberately fed her. Therese began singing to Ana as she fed her, ¡°Tarzan wasn¡¯t a ladies man.¡± sung Therese as she sang her favorite song because she could not remember any songs from when she was a baby. And softly ended the song as Ana finished the last of the carrots.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you understand me, but it¡¯s ok, it¡¯s hard.¡± said Therese, taking her pills and swallowing water from a glass. Therese tried remembering when she was little, running through her backyard chasing baby bunnies ¡°I promise you, I love you.¡± She told Ana. Ana waived her arms, and Therese picked her up, hoping Peter would be up soon to make them breakfast again. ¡°Mama¡± Therese thought she heard Ana say, Ana smiled back. ¡°I only wish.¡± said Therese, rocking the baby back and forth until she fell asleep.

    Peter awoke, wondering if Therese even being there was a dream. He felt her side of the bed, then he sat up, and saw Therese¡¯s clothes from the graduation on the floor by the wall. He shook his head, not believing a blew another chance to be with her. Peter shook his head, stood up, walked to use the bathroom, washed his hands when he was finished, and walked into the living room. Both girls were asleep. Peter saw the empty baby food container. He smiled and threw it away. Peter turned and started making eggs and toast. Peter turned and looked at Therese. Other than her mental illness, he couldn''t think of a bad thing about her. ¡°Breakfast is ready.¡± Peter told Therese.

    Therese sat up, carefully holding Ana, and smiled her biggest half-smile at Peter. ¡°Will you let me be her mom?¡± asked Therese. Therese smelled Ana¡¯s hair, she loved the way the baby shampoo made her hair smell.

    ¡°That¡¯s between you two.¡± said Peter, thinking if she wanted the job it would be hers.

    ¡°I need to ask my mom, but I think I am going to move in with you.¡± Therese told him. ¡°You are Catholic, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Polish kind, the best kind. Saint John Paul the Second kind.¡± Peter told her, crossing himself.

    ¡°Good, we can go to confession together.¡± said Therese. Ana looked up and grabbed her eat. Therese whispered, ¡°If you give me the chance, I will do my best.¡± Ana smiled, then Therese picked her up and set her in the high chair, and sat herself down for breakfast.

    ¡°What about, you know, the chance you might.¡± said Peter as he struggled with the words.

    ¡°Get pregnant?¡± said Therese, with her flat look on her face.

    ¡°Umm, yah.¡± said Peter, he was not wanting another baby, at least not right now.

    ¡°hyperprolactinemia¡± said Therese, and casually took a bite of her toast.

    ¡°Ok? I¡¯m not going to pretend I know.¡± Peter told her.

    ¡°You know the pills?¡± said Therese, pointing at head and frowning.

    ¡°Yah.¡± said Peter, shrugging to show he didn¡¯t understand.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°My doctor called yesterday. He said they messed up my hormones, probably not going to get pregnant, but I started birth control anyways, just don¡¯t tell anyone at my church.¡± said Therese, flatly but with one lip turned up, showing she was sad.

    ¡°But the condoms?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°I wanted to mess with Ben. And, we both know you don¡¯t use them.¡± said Therese as she smiled with her lip up and pointed at Ana. Peter blushed, and ate his toast.

    ¡°I thought you might, you know, if Ben was going to kill you anyways.¡± said Therese. Then he kept eating, unsure what to say, he figured he better eat. Ana clapped her hands.

    ¡°What are you going to do today?¡± Peter finally asked.

    ¡°I am going to go by work and see what my schedule is this summer. I am management now.¡± teased Therese.

    ¡°What¡¯s management do?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°Peter, go watch the store, I am playing video games.¡± said Therese impersonating Vivo and Ben.

    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s what management does. When are you going in?¡± said Peter.

    ¡°After nap time.¡± said Therese. Peter¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    At the Cowffee cup, Kara was starting her first day of training. Erin didn¡¯t ask her to, but she showed early up asking to learn. Erin knew the only way her week on the coast would ever happen, was to train her, and she was glad Kara seemed motivated about the job. Kara¡¯s enthusiasm to learn matched Therese¡¯s, but Kara was slower to memorize the drinks. Still, if she would punch another girl in the face over her abuse of Therese, though she might look after her.

    ¡°I blame myself about Therese.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°That is not your fault.¡± Erin told her. Those words echoed back at Erin and she didn¡¯t believe them either.

    ¡°It might be. When we were like eight, I came up with the idea to build a tree fort. We weren¡¯t carpenters, and Therese fell off the ladder and hit her head hard. I was coming out of her house with a blanket to put under the tree for us to sit on, and I watched her fall. It was my idea.¡± Kara told her.

    ¡°Honey, that is not your fault.¡± said Erin as she again corrected her. Erin knew she was telling herself that, that it was not her fault. It was not her fault her sister killed herself to escape the pain of living.

    ¡°Everyone told me that, Therese did, her parents, my parents, they said the doctors said it had nothing to do with it. It doesn¡¯t matter, it was still my stupid idea.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t change your mind, you can only try to be better.¡± replied Erin. Kara nodded. She was glad her graduation photos showed her with a black eye, she never even tried to cover it up, and she put the black eye forward. She never wanted to forget.

    Buck came walking in. ¡°Where the hell¡¯s my Therese?¡± he asked when he saw Kara.

    ¡°Therese is off today, Kara is training.¡± Erin told him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want a Kara, I want my Therese, sell me some coffee lady.¡± Buck said. He was impatient and gruff. Therese was now his closest friend and she should have been there instead of this Kara. He missed Erin¡¯s sister Isabella who had started the shop and Therese had helped fill that loss for him too. Buck had remained loyal to Isabella and was the first customer of the day, every day. Kara was no Therese.

    ¡°She¡¯ll be back, Buck, don¡¯t worry.¡± replied Erin.

    ¡°Well, I certainly hope so,¡± said Buck, leaving his three dollars on the counter and walking himself home. Therese would have walked with him home.

    ¡°He was at the party last night?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°Yep, he¡¯s Therese¡¯s favorite customer.¡± Erin told her.

    ¡°I think I will find my own.¡± said Kara, going back to unstacking the chairs at odd angles around the tables. Kara spent all day shadowing Erin and learning from her. The girl was strong and seemed reliable, but a more vocal than Therese. Erin thought it would be a good match.

    Later that day Therese called Ben and told him to meet her outside the Kookie-Mart before she drove around to the other side. She whispered one sentence to him before she drove around and parked.

    Ben and Erin bumped into each other at the coffee shop¡¯s back door. Ben was heading into the Cowffee cup, just as Erin was leaving the back of the store. ¡°I wanted to let you know you don¡¯t have to worry about having that other young lady being around. She isn¡¯t going to steal Vivo or Peter.¡±

    Erin stepped back, and crossed her arms, and looked at Ben, ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± she asked, ready for another of Ben¡¯s random explanations in life. She prepared herself for anything ranging from the absurd to the ridiculous.

    ¡°She likes me.¡± Ben told her.

    ¡°Oh no, that will never happen.¡± Erin told Ben, still crossing her arms in disbelief.

    ¡°Oh yah? Watch this.¡± said Ben, raising his hand. ¡°Yo, Kara!¡± Ben shouted. Kara turned and threw him a muffin. Ben caught it and turned back to Erin. ¡°See.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean she likes you, everyone knows you like muffins.¡± Erin said.

    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t like me, how did she know I wanted Cranberry?¡± said Ben, grinning, and taking a bite out of his muffin. Kara smiled and waved at Ben, then went back to her phone and texted Therese. Erin shook her head and walked to the Kookie Mart, Ben followed her. ¡°Does it bother you?¡± asked Ben.

    ¡°If you ever found a woman who could tolerate you, it would only make me happy.¡± said Erin as she shrugged her shoulders. Ben followed Erin into the office. Vivo was relaxing, playing video games.

    ¡°Hey, where¡¯s my muffin?¡± Vivo asked Ben.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t, didn¡¯t want Erin to get jealous.¡± Ben explained.

    ¡°Jealous?¡± asked Vivo.

    ¡°You know, Kara.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°Oh yah, Kara.¡± Vivo said, faking seriousness. ¡°Things are getting real serious if she is giving you muffins.¡±

    ¡°Hey, she hired one for you and one for me.¡± said Ben, and ate more of his muffin.

    ¡°What do you mean she hired one for me?¡± asked Vivo.

    ¡°Other than Ana, there is no one else to watch that Space-Girl crap with.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°Therese and I just happen to think it¡¯s a great show.¡± Vivo countered.

    ¡°See.¡± said Ben, pointing at Erin, ¡°They watch Space-Girl together. I think I¡¯m on to something.¡±

    ¡°You can always cheat on me by watching Space-Girl with Therese instead of me.¡± Erin said, kissing Vivo on the head. ¡°You know Kara likes Space-Girl Michelle too.¡± Erin teased Ben.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say she was perfect.¡± Ben said, ¡°Hey, where¡¯s that employee guy we have, what¡¯s his name? Peter?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s off today.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°Who¡¯s watching the store, I think I hear customers.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°You are, I¡¯m on break.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°Oh crap, you¡¯re right.¡± said Ben, tossing his muffin wrapper in the garbage and running out to help.

    Erin was back out front when Therese came in. Erin took one look, and shook her head. Kara looked up, and said ¡°No way.¡± when she looked at Therese, who was really glowing brightly. ¡°I really think I need a coffee.¡± Therese told Erin.

    ¡°I think I had better make three.¡± Erin said. The two girls sat on bar tools at the far end of the counter. Erin stood inside, so she was available to help any customers, of which there weren¡¯t any. ¡°Since I am bartender to the teenager, anything you want to talk about?¡± Erin teased Therese.

    ¡°It was better than you said.¡± Therese told Erin flatly, and raising her eyebrows for effect. Erin blushed, and face palmed to hide her blushing. Kara giggled. Therese smiled.

    Ben walked in and all the girls giggled and hid their faces. Erin was amazed how fast she could act eighteen again. ¡°They killed Socrates for that, you know.¡± Ben told her as he dug through the muffin case looking for the perfect muffin.

    ¡°Killed Socrates for what?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°Corrupting the youth of Athens.¡± said Ben. Then Ben raised his hand and said ¡°Yo, Kara.¡± and Kara tossed him a packaged of whipped butter. Ben grinned at Erin.

    ¡°You¡¯re the philosopher.¡± Erin told Ben.

    ¡°Philosophy, is not a technical matter, and technically this is absolutely your department.¡± Ben told Erin, as he squeezed the whipped butter on his muffin, and taking a bite out of it. ¡°Good muffin.¡± said Ben, walking out.

    ¡°Is Ben always over here?¡± asked Kara, rolling her eyes and smiling.

    ¡°Mostly when he wants something.¡± Erin cautioned her. The girls giggled and drank a sip of their coffee.

    ¡°I hear you giggling.¡± yelled Ben from the store room. ¡°Yo, Kara, cyborg bad guys who assimilate everyone marathon. This weekend.¡± Ben yelled.

    ¡°Ok Ben, I¡¯m in.¡± Kara yelled.

    ¡°You are not?¡± Therese asked. She liked Star Trek a lot, but it was dwarfed by her love for Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°Oh no, I am not going Trekkie on you, one Space-Girl could have took down the Empires and the United Federation of Optimists by herself. Ben is just trying to broaden my horizons, and he told me there is less Utopian side to it all¡± Kara said, smacking her lips. ¡°Space-Girl Michelle is still THE BEST Sci-Fi ever.¡± Kara added.

    ¡°You wish.¡± Erin told the girls. Her disdain for anything Space-Girls related was ever present and strong.

    ¡°What can I say, I want to boldly explore new worlds, or however that goes.¡± Kara teased.

    ¡°Or explore Ben.¡± Therese teased.

    ¡°Ok, so how about changing the subject, Team meeting?¡± Erin asked. The girls nodded in agreement.

    ¡°First up, when I¡¯m not here, Therese is in charge. I still expect everyone to make their own decisions, I don¡¯t train people to need me.¡± Erin told them. The girls nodded in agreement. ¡°Make the decisions that keep customers happy, but do your best to make money, because that¡¯s how we get paid.¡± Erin told them, the girls again nodded in agreement.

    ¡°In one month, I am going on vacation. Ben will be in charge then.¡± said Erin. Kara licked her lips. The girls giggled. Erin couldn''t believe Ben, the most obtuse man she knew, was aware Kara liked him before Erin, herself, was. ¡°Until then, I will open, you girls will come in at five PM and close weeknights, then all day Saturday. Therese, you are coming in a few more mornings to learn muffins. I want to hang out by my pool tonight, so I expect you girls back in three hours.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°And one more thing, don¡¯t forget to enroll. Vivo says we get a taxbreak.¡± Erin handed the girls three course catalogs with registration slips. ¡°Now go, and quit glowing everywhere.¡± Erin said, shooing them out of the shop. ¡°Pooltime.¡± she whispered to herself. Kara went home with Therese to help her in the garden.

    ¡°Why do I have to work tonight?¡± Ben asked Vivo.

    ¡°Because Erin wants one of us here to watch the stores.¡± Vivo explained.

    ¡°Just remember me when you are in Malibu. Actually don¡¯t, unless it is to say my name. I know you guys have baby eyes.¡± Ben told him.

    ¡°Who knows, maybe you¡¯ll be next.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had kids, they are out of the house.¡± Ben defended.

    ¡°When did you have kids.¡± asked Vivo.

    ¡°Ok, they were pet birds, but I was a kid, and they left the house.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°What about Kara? You gonna cross that line if it comes in front of you?¡± asked Vivo.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need a lawyer for that to be legal.¡± said Ben, pointing two fingers at Vivo and walking back out to help customers. ¡°It¡¯s morally correct, enough-ish.¡± Ben told himself. He was much younger than Vivo and Erin and Kara was hot, so that was good enough for him.

 Therese Moves Out

    ¡°Kara, welcome home.¡± said Therese¡¯s mom as she had done every time she had stepped through the door. Therese¡¯s mom gave them each a hug.

    ¡°Oh no, you¡¯re really glowing.¡± Therese¡¯s mom froze, then sat down. Kara sat down with her, helping her land safely on the couch. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Therese¡¯s mother told Kara, but did not let go over the girl¡¯s arm. ¡°Oh no.¡± Therese¡¯s mother said. Therese sat down on the other side.

    ¡°Mom. It¡¯s okay. People have sex.¡± Therese told her with a flat smile, and nodding her head to be convincing.

    ¡°Lot¡¯s of it.¡± said Kara nodding her head in agreement.

    ¡°I know, honey, I just always, well I was always looked more forward to your wedding day, than your wedding night.¡± said her mother.

    ¡°People have sex before their wedding nights, lot¡¯s of it.¡± Kara added. ¡°We know you did.¡± Kara added defending Therese. The girls long new Therese was born years before her parents¡¯ wedding, and was not premature.

    ¡°Just don¡¯t tell your father, let him be ignorant.¡± Her mother pleaded.

    ¡°I want to try living with Peter. I want to try being me on my own.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°People who live on their own have sex, okay, okay, that didn¡¯t help.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Seriously, we can¡¯t wait ten years for this conversation?¡± asked Therese¡¯s mother.

    ¡°Mom. I want this. I want to know what it is like.¡± Therese told her mother.

    ¡°You, my oldest daughter, you come home after all these years, did you do this?¡± Therese¡¯s mother asked Kara, ¡°sorry.¡± she said as she caught herself.

    ¡°I should be offended at that, but we¡¯re all being honest here.¡± said Kara, shrugging her shoulders to show no offense.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry, Kara, I didn¡¯t mean that. I¡¯m just a little getting caught up here. My little girls.¡± said Therese¡¯s mother.

    ¡°I am your little girl. I was your little girl when I met Kara (Kara waved). I was your little girl the first time I was restrained at school. I was your little girl every time I was in the hospital. Do you know how it is to be this little girl? Do you remember how hard I fought to go back to school, and now I am going to college. Do you know how hard it is to be me? Well I did it, let me be the person I became.¡± said Therese.

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    ¡°Probably not any easier to be a daughter than a mother.¡± said Therese¡¯s mother sadly. Therese was the best part of her long life since she had held her as a baby for the first time, and now her little girl was moving out. She worried what would happen to her when she left.

    ¡°Or my friend.¡± said Therese. She¡¯d been hard on Kara and couldn¡¯t blame her for their separation.

    ¡°Or worse, mine.¡± said Kara. She¡¯d reluctantly left her friendship out of Therese¡¯s own insistence and betrayed her own heart to honor the same friend.

    ¡°Stay with him, but don¡¯t move out, keep your room here, keep your garden.¡± Therese¡¯s mother begged.

    ¡°Mom, that¡¯s all I want.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Only if you girls help me explain this to your father.¡± asked her mother.

    ¡°Tonight, we¡¯ll tell dad, after we close, but you warm him up first.¡± Kara suggested. Therese nodded.

    Later, the girls left to go to work, they worked hard that evening, cleaned the store faster than they ever had, and left before they ever had before. Therese and Kara walked in the door slowly. Kara carefully shut the door. They both walked very carefully and slowly across the tile. They walked into the living room, and Therese¡¯s father was watching TV with her mother. Therese¡¯s knees shook as she walked, she stepped forward to be by her dad. She twisted her foot around so she wouldn¡¯t run. She tried to control her breathing. Therese never feared her father, but now she feared leaving him.

    ¡°I¡¯m ok with it. ¡°Therese¡¯s dad said. Therese stared to see if he was teasing her because he always did. ¡°You¡¯ve asked me for three things in your life. That garden, going back to school and this. So far you have been two for two. I don¡¯t like it, you are my little princess, and you always will be, but like your mom said, keep up your garden, the bunnies need you, keep your room here so you know you are always welcome. And one night a week I want three hours with you, even if we just watch Space-Girl Michelle and it is a rerun. We need you too.¡±

    ¡°Damn, your dad¡¯s cool.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°The time is going to come either way. I just want to be here for you when you try. When you learned to walk, we were there for every step to help you get back up. When you went back to school, I took the week off work and spent every day in the parking lot of your school.¡± said her dad. He knew he wouldn¡¯t last forever and his job was to prepare her for the galaxy.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you waited.¡± Therese said, sitting next to her dad and hugging him.

    ¡°I want you to try. I am here to catch you, not to hold you back. You are always welcome here, both of you. How about I call in sick tomorrow, and we stay up late watching some Space-Girl Michelle?¡± asked Therese¡¯s father. Kara jumped on the other side of Therese¡¯s father.

    ¡°I have some reading to do.¡± said Therese¡¯s mother, excusing herself from the show.

 Summer Vacation

    ¡°I love summer vacation.¡± said Erin, as she lay out by her pool.

    ¡°Today is a good day to sunbathe!¡± said Vivo, sipping a cold drink and laying next to her. ¡°You know what Ben would be saying if he was here?¡± asked Vivo.

    ¡°Why is Erin mad at me, and why isn¡¯t she baking me muffins?¡± Erin asked.

    ¡°My thoughts, exactly.¡± said Vivo before he sipped a drink.

    ¡°You guys aren¡¯t devoted to hard work, are you?¡± added Erin.

    ¡°At this point in our lives, we are more interested in the quality of our work than the quantity of our work¡± defended Vivo. They ran the Kookie Mart out of respect for it¡¯s previous owner more than they did for their own wants. Erin knew that feeling and this was why she could never close the Cowffee Cup to go on vacation.

    ¡°You do very little, but you do it well.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°I was going to say something different, but yah I¡¯m totally going with that.¡± said Vivo, drinking his drink.

    Back at the store, Therese finished selling a few drinks and said ¡°Thank you.¡± as the tips it the jar. The customers were always satisfied, and with Therese and Kara working together, the number of caffeinated boys in the town was in the increase. ¡°You flirt too much for your tips.¡± Therese teased her, with her half lip smile.

    ¡°Half of my tips are your tips.¡± Kara told her, smacking her lips.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about that half.¡± Therese told her, with a grin.

    The two girls very much enjoyed their time working together. Kara gladly followed Therese¡¯s lead and respected her position. Kara still regretted the one time she took the lead in their friendship and Therese fell from the tree fort. True to redemption, Kara was nothing less than a dedicated friend. Therese could be no less happy.

    Ben came down and sat on a bar stool at the counter. ¡°Watch this.¡± Ben told Ana and said, ¡°Yo, Kara.¡± loudly before lifting his hand and catching a muffin thrown to him. ¡°Now you try.¡±

    ¡°Kar-Kar¡± Ana said waving. Kara slid a jar of baby food down the wooden bar with a spoon in it and Ben caught it.

    ¡°She must like you too.¡± Ben told her as Ana clapped. Kara grinned and then turned her head laughing as Therese threw her a look and a grin. Their relationship was no secret in either store. Ben had actually found someone who would put up with him.

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    ¡°What should we do this summer?¡± Therese asked Kara.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, we are moving in with our boyfriends, we have jobs and no bills, our whole lives are in front of us.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Space-Girl Michelle marathon.¡± Therese suggested. Kara laughed in agreement, and the girls did a double high five.

    Ben turned and looked at Ana, ¡°Let me tell you about Star Trek, the better one.¡± He said as he continued feeding her. ¡°I can tell you all about the Next Generation.¡± Ben said. ¡°That¡¯s Science fiction, Space-Girl Michelle is all rock music and action. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯d like it if it made sense.¡± Ben looked back at Ana ¡°The whole thing, it doesn¡¯t make sense. At all.¡± He told Ana.

    ¡°Space-Girl Michelle is more than just science fiction.¡± Kara told Ben.

    ¡°She is a hero. She is always brave no matter what, even if she loses.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Ok, so you have this Space-Girl, and she what, fights bad aliens. That is every show. Explain this to me.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°The Space-Girls were created to stop the Gopher King who was using cyborg gophers to take over the galaxy, and the Galaxy wasn¡¯t going to let it happen. Space-Girl Michelle was the first, the best, and the last of the Space-Girls. She stole a regeneration ring from the Gopher King, so when she dies, she comes back as a new Space-Girl, and she keeps fighting.¡±

    ¡°She forgets though, who she was, but she never forgets who she is.¡± Therese told Ben. ¡°She always follows the Space-Girl rules, and she helps people.¡±

    ¡°Except for season 4, where the Gopher King and the Gulats teamed up, and when they destroyed her, they used a green sun to cause her to come back as an evil Space-Girl.¡± added Kara.

    ¡°That is why the Space-Girls founder had to defeat her and restore her under an orange star.¡± explained Therese.

    ¡°Space-Girls founder? Is that like some old lady, the Space Mom?¡± teased Ben.

    ¡°No, she created the league of Space-Girls, and was frozen by the Gopher King. Knight-Star had to rescue her.¡± Therese told him.

    ¡°If you asked me, it looks like a bunch of badly cropped shots, first with Gophers in little foil suits of armor, and then later puppets.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°Well , yeah, what¡¯s the problem?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°Good writing always beats good special effects.¡± Therese told him.

    ¡°Have I told you about Anime?¡± Ben asked Ana, who just smiled. Ben liked feeding Ana, she appreciated him.

    Back at the pool, Vivo jumped in and splashed Erin with his cannonball jump. The cold water splashed and hit Erin, who awoke from her nap, and jumped up. Vivo came up out of the water and saw her soaked, and staring at him in disbelief. ¡°What, did you really want a pool just so you could sit out in the sun? You could have done that with concrete.¡± He asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s better than the beach.¡± Erin told him.

    ¡°How is a pool better than the beach? I love the beach.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°Thousands of strangers peeing their pants, and everyone is happy about it. Think about it, there are like three bathroom stalls, two thousand people, and no one is ever waiting to pee.¡± Erin told him.

    ¡°You pee your pants at the beach?¡± asked Vivo.

    ¡°What do you think a girl means when she says she needs to run out into the ocean to cool off, she¡¯s peeing her pants.¡± Erin told him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t cool off in the pool do you?¡± asked Vivo.

    ¡°No, I have a bathroom here, and you do too.¡± Erin teased him.

 The Pursuit of Matrimony

    Peter followed Therese into the church. Therese dipped her fingers in holy water when she entered and crossed her head with it. Peter followed the same. ¡°The office is this way.¡± Therese pulled Peter to the side. Peter felt uneasy, it had been too long since he had been in church.

    Father Adriak invited them in. ¡°Come in, Therese, it is always agreeable to see you.¡± said the priest. He was an older man who had seen much in life, but he smiled deeply when he saw Therese whom he loved as much as if she was his own daughter.

    ¡°Father.¡± Therese said giving him a big hug, ¡°I brought you something.¡±

    ¡°What could the surprise be?¡± said Father Adriak, opening a package. ¡°Oh my, surely it isn¡¯t.¡± said the priest.

    ¡°The Original Space-Girl movie.¡± Therese told him.

    ¡°It must be bootleg, is it worth going to confession for?¡± replied the priest.

    ¡°Forgive me Father, for I have sinned.¡± teased Therese.

    ¡°You like Space-Girl Michelle?¡± Peter asked the priest.

    ¡°Sit down, please.¡± The priest motioned to sit down, which they did. ¡°Oh yes, I like Space-Girl Michelle, you see once there were these two wonderful little girls who were always, and I mean, always getting in trouble in religious education, so finally, to the relief of Sister Margaret, and I assure you it is no easy task to overwhelm a nun, I had to intervene. They were always playing some kind of Space-Girl game, running around being children. So I made a deal with them, that I would watch one episode with them, and if I didn¡¯t like it, they would behave. How could children get the best of me in a bet, I asked?¡± said the priest.

    ¡°So you liked it?¡± said Peter.

    ¡°Son, have you not noticed both the mass schedule and the religious education schedules avoid the hours Space-Girl Michelle is broadcast. Thank you for the DVD, his is truly a welcome gift. Now back to why you are here.¡± said the priest.

    ¡°Do you like Space-Girl Michelle?¡± Father Adriak asked Peter.

    ¡°No sir, I like that she likes it, but I¡¯m ok.¡± Peter told him.

    Father Adriak spoke ¡°Oh no, he doesn¡¯t like that emo laser sword stuff, does he? Look at me, I¡¯m Mary Poppins in outer space. Don¡¯t get me wrong, it was good once, before the dark times, before the Disn.¡±

    ¡°Father, we are in a church.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I almost said the D word.¡± the priest apologized.

    ¡°We want to get married in the Church.¡± said Therese, unable to wait any longer.

    ¡°I want to marry her.¡± Peter seconded.

    ¡°My yes, I wondered if this day would come, too soon, I feel old.¡± said Father Adriak. He¡¯d blinked and she had gone from little to graduated. He¡¯d known the fate she¡¯d escaped, had promised to always help protect her, and now she was venturing out on her own.

    ¡°Just look at it as me getting married young.¡± Therese told him, not helping the priest feel better about it.

    Father Adriak sighed, he had baptized Therese, and he had presented her with the Eucharist on her first communion. Will the illness started, Therese was terrified, she had prayed so much, and he had prayed with her. As it worsened, he prayed more, he prayed for her, he prayed for God to guide her doctor. Father Adriak visited Therese every hospitalization. He grabbed a box and pulled it off the table.

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    ¡°I want to show you this.¡± said Father Adriak as he opened the box. Inside were several broken Rosaries, all different beads, and sizes. ¡°I really should place these away properly, but I cannot bring myself to, Lord forgive me.¡± said the priest.

    ¡°Your old Rosaries?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°No, these are the Rosaries I pulled apart praying for you. God is forever, but maybe fine chains aren¡¯t. I saved all these, to show you one day, how much I prayed for you.¡±

    Therese smiled and teared up. She looked at the broken rosaries with the worn beads and her monotone voice crackled as she whispered ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°And you, Peter, if that is your name, are you even baptized?¡± the father asked.

    ¡°How did you know?¡± said Peter who would not lie to the priest.

    ¡°I know a fake baptismal certificate when I see one, an excellent forgery, right here, you can see where Ben erred. He gets sloppy with the scissors, and right here you see a double cut on this great replica seal.¡± said the priest.

    ¡°You knew Ben did it?¡± said Peter as he was thinking God Himself had a hotline to the priest.

    ¡°I had him all through his confirmation too, I was once the principal at the Catholic High school, you should see how good his work can be. Are you baptized?¡± asked the priest.

    ¡°Yes, Father.¡± answered Peter.

    ¡°Well just in case, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.¡± said the priest, pouring some holy water on Peter¡¯s head. ¡°I can fudge paperwork here on earth, but my boss is rather dedicated about His.¡± the priest explained.

    ¡°What do your parents think?¡± the priest asked Therese.

    ¡°Meh.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°And yours?¡± the priest asked Peter.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t alive.¡± said Peter. Therese frowned, he had never mentioned that.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but let me tell you something, young man. I boxed in seminary, and even though I may need your help to get up, no matter how old I am, I will pound you down if you hurt this girl.¡± said the priest. Peter scooted back, he had never been directly threatened by a priest. The man¡¯s tone and the look in his eyes showed he was serious.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I startle you, but what good would I be as a priest if I lied. Here, let¡¯s go to the kitchen and make some sandwiches, we have a lot to talk about.¡± The priest said, leading them to the church kitchen.

    Peter asked Father Adraik for confession, so they went to the far end of the church to the confessional and sat in there. ¡°Forgive me Father, for I have sinned.¡± Began Peter, starting his confession, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. My last confession was many years ago.¡± Peter began his part of the sacrament.

    ¡°So there we were, the money was fast and time was too. I wasn¡¯t doing it to be bad, to sin, I just got caught up and one wad of cash lead to the next. The money was too good for me then.

    Well, we find out Jessica was pregnant and shooting up, and she did quit, she did cold. I never used that stuff, I was just there for the money, you know? Well, God gives us the baby, and thank God, she¡¯s ok. I¡¯m still doing what I do to pay the bills, but the party days, the violence, shaking people down, that¡¯s over for me.

    Well, I guess one day, she saw a pile of drugs sitting there, and it was too much for her. I came home and she was gone, and the drugs were gone. I knew I was dead either way, no way I can come up with that, but I went all over looking for her, with her baby, and I found her dead in an alley, so we ran. My family, they are all gone, that lifestyle didn¡¯t make old men. So we ran out here to Ben, I knew he loved his sister, and I just wanted him to take the baby, so she didn¡¯t have to run too.

    When I told him what happened, he gave me what I deserved, and I don¡¯t blame it for him, I earned every blow, and God Bless him, that¡¯s what saved my life. He gave me a choice to run or stay, and well, that¡¯s how I became me.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°And you love Therese? She is complicated.¡± asked Father Adriak.

    ¡°More and more every day, I find something new every day and I love her more. I know she¡¯s different, but I don¡¯t want perfect, I want love.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°God will absolve your sins, son. Do you know what Penance is?¡± Father Adriak asked.

    ¡°The prayers you are going to ask me to say?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°More than that, penance is healing. This is about restoring your relationship with God. Pray the Lord¡¯s prayer, try to every night, best you can, but accept that you are a good man, God doesn¡¯t make trash, and He made you.¡± said Father Adriak, finishing the Sacrament with Peter, as they both prayed together before rejoining Therese.

    ¡°I think you have a good thing going, but you are both young, eighteen, and I want you to enjoy getting to know yourselves and each other before we discuss marriage. I want to see you in church, but I do recognize your love for each other.¡± The priest said sending them on their way. Peter walked out of the church with Therese, they both stopped to bless themselves with holy water first.

 Therese Moves in With Peter

    Therese moved in with Peter. Her father purchased her a new dresser, unwilling to empty her room. He sat on the floor with Peter trying to put it together. The instructions might as well have been written in Swedish themselves, they had rebuilt several parts of the dresser twice. They both were patient with each other but frustrated with themselves. Finally, they finished putting the last piece on.

    ¡°In case you are afraid to ask me how I feel about her living with you, I¡¯ll tell you it¡¯s up to her. I¡¯m more of a bouncing board for her ideas. Even when she was little she would say, Dad¡¯m I¡¯m going to do this or that, Okay? Instead of asking me if she could do something.¡± said Therese¡¯s dad Rodger.

    Peter got the deer in the headlights look and froze.

    ¡°Relax man, she¡¯s eighteen and a good kid, I have to trust that I have done my best to help her make good decisions.¡± said Rodger. Therese¡¯s father also knew Peter would be easy to disassemble and hide in small parts if needed.

    Peter finally was able to speak. ¡°I love her. I want to be in for the long haul.¡± he said.

    ¡°Any day can be a long haul with women.¡± said Rodger, cracking open a beer and handing it to Peter and then opening one for himself, ¡°To finishing this dresser, when the directions are as difficult to understand as women,¡± He toasted.

    ¡°Any advice on understanding women?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when I have some.¡± said Rodger, drinking his beer and resting his back, it needed tuned and adjusted. He was glad the dresser was put together, and enjoyed building it with Peter.

    ¡°It won¡¯t work dad.¡± Therese said, sitting next to her dad, and putting his arm around him.

    ¡°What won¡¯t work?¡± asked her dad.

    ¡°I won¡¯t break up with Peter just because you like him, I¡¯m not fourteen.¡± said Therese, causing her father to laugh. Therese smiled at Peter, she had never seen him drink a beer before, and hoped he understood her dad handing him the beer was as a sign of approval. Peter grinned, he liked the beer, and it had been a long time since he drank anything.

    Ana came crawling over, she had sat on her mat playing with her toys, she walked unsteady to Rodger. ¡°Apa¡± she said. Rodger picked her up, and held her, he loved her squeezie hugs. It reminded him of when Therese was little and he could never put her down. ¡°Apa.¡± she said again, to see him smile.

    ¡°I am going to make lunch before mom gets here and insists on helping me.¡± said Therese to her father. Therese had become as territorial about her kitchen as her mother was hers. Therese wanted to have the meal ready without her mother trying to teach her how to be a good wife. That just bothered Therese because she had watched her mother her whole life and had paid attention to every detail because she wanted to be just like her.

    ¡°Grab me another beer, while you are up. You want one Peter?¡± said Rodger to his daughter. Peter looked at Therese for the answer and nodded No.

    ¡°Like I said, You have my blessing to pursue the interests of matrimony with my daughter, but it is too soon to get my blessing for the wedding.¡± Rodger told Peter, who choked. ¡°Relax, I was youngish once too, you know.¡± Rodger reassured him.

    ¡°I love her. Thank you¡± said Peter.

    Therese liked cooking in the kitchen. She was slightly sad, as hard as high school was to her, she missed it, especially because it ended as soon as she had met acceptance. She missed having her daily routine, but was excited college would be starting, Therese was also excited she would start as an equal, because as Ben told her, no one knew who she was or really even cared.

    There was a knock on the door. Therese grimaced, her mother was early. Therese smiled in relief when Kara yelled ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Therese ran to the door, and opened it, the girls greeting in a hug.

    ¡°Can I make an extra lunch for you?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Perfect timing, yes and please¡± said Kara, then seeing the guys drinking beer, yelled ¡°Can I have a beer?¡±

    ¡°Do I need to try and be a good influence, or is it just going to be wasted effort, and you do the whole Dad, I¡¯m eighteen I can do whatever I want to routine?¡± asked Rodger.

    ¡°No, you can have the day off.¡± said Kara as she grabbed a beer and started drinking it. Kara hung out in the kitchen talking to Therese as she worked, mindful to stay out of her friend¡¯s way.

    ¡°How¡¯s living here?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice, I am glad we are close to home so I can still go garden. I miss the rabbits.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°So they haven¡¯t followed you here?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°No, I always told them to not cross the street, that doesn¡¯t end well sometimes.¡± Therese said. Therese hated when the rabbits did not listen and did not fare well in the street. Most of those rabbits here were strangers, her friends stayed close to home.

    Therese finished making a platter of sandwiches just as her mother arrived, Therese was glad her mother came, but she was glad that she had already finished making lunch. Peter¡¯s kitchen had quickly become Therese¡¯s kitchen, and she was territorial. Therese¡¯s mother came in carrying a bag of groceries in one arm, and a sleeve of juice boxes in the other.

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°I thought you might need these.¡± said Therese¡¯s mother, handing her the juice boxes.

    ¡°Always. Thank you, Mom, I love you.¡± said Therese, hugging her mother, who replied ¡°I love you too back.¡±

    ¡°Beer?¡± Kara offered Therese¡¯s mother.

    ¡°Hug.¡± said Therese¡¯s mother, taking Kara and giving her an equally affectionate hug. ¡°I love you too.¡± she told Kara.

    Therese¡¯s mother saw the plate of sandwiches. ¡°Let me cut those for you, you know your father thinks they taste better when they are cut into triangles.¡± said Therese¡¯s mother, causing Therese to be mildly irritated because although her mother was right, she took it as a polite slight to her kitchen skills.

    ¡°Lunch is ready, boys.¡± said Therese¡¯s mother as she finished slicing the sandwiches. This irked Therese further as she had wanted to announce the lunch being ready. ¡°Therese did an amazing job making you boys lunch, she always did make better sandwiches than me.¡± finished Therese¡¯s mother.

    Good save, mom, thought Therese.

    Everyone sat at Peter¡¯s table, Peter was glad Vivo had left him such a big table. Therese prayed the grace blessing for the food, and hands grabbed sandwiches. The boys ate quickly and grabbed a second sandwich. Therese had anticipated this and made a second sandwich for each. Ana was in her highchair nibbling toddler food between smiles and laughs.

    ¡°These are really good, and you even remembered to cut them in triangles, you know they taste better that way. I think that¡¯s why I married your mom, she would always pack my lunch when we were still just dating after Therese was born, and she would cut my sandwich into triangles. All the other guys were jealous.¡± said Therese¡¯s father, Rodger,. Therese¡¯s mother politely avoided reminding Therese it was her who did it, because she loved her daughter more than she loved being right and that said a lot.

    ¡°She does feed me good.¡± added Peter. Therese smiled, she was glad Peter appreciated her efforts.

    ¡°I learned from my mom and dad.¡± said Therese, giving credit where credit is due. Her mom smiled and her dad took a sip of his beer. They still wish she stayed at home but respected her choices.

    After lunch, Therese and Kara went in early to work. Therese was glad to be working with Kara. Erin planned to leave early to go home and swim in her pool, happy she could trust the girls with the store. Therese was wiping the counters, something she enjoyed, and she liked having a clean surface to work on. The cowbell on the door jingled, and Therese looked up to see Elijah and Benjamin enter the store. Therese walked around the counter to greet them.

    ¡°I guess this is goodbye.¡± said Elijah, taking a hug from Therese. Elijah fought his own tears. Therese had become one of his best friends over the past three years. Granted she always rejected his advances, and for good reason, but he wouldn¡¯t trade her friendship for the world, either.

    ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t a better lab partner.¡± said Benjamin, taking his hug. Therese fixed the collar on his shirt, as he had a habit of not folding them right.

    ¡°Comb.¡± said Therese, Benjamin handed her his comb, and she fixed his hair as she had done several times before. ¡°I¡¯ll miss this hair, but I have not given up on it yet.¡± said Therese, as she finished and then gave him back his comb.

    ¡°You guys need to stick together, and everything will be OK.¡± Therese told them. She was proud of both of them. Therese wrote down her address for each of them and handed it to them. ¡°A copy for each of you for when one of you loses it.¡± Therese told them.

    ¡°We will. Write, not lose your address.¡± said Elijah.

    ¡°We need to. Stick together, I mean.¡± agreed Benjamin.

    ¡°You guys are both special people, and you always will be.¡± said Therese. A silence fell. Both boys stood before Therese, realizing these might be the last kind words they heard for a long time. She looked proudly at them. Therese pulled a crumb off Benjamin¡¯s shirt from lunch and flicked it on the floor.

    ¡°Show up to things on time.¡± said Therese, giving Benjamin a kiss on the cheek, to which he blushed.

    ¡°Look after him and try to be serious for once.¡± said Therese, kissing Elijah on his cheek, to which he blushed like Benjamin and had an equally big grin.

    ¡°Therese, there¡¯s something I should tell you.¡± said Elijah apologetically.

    ¡°What?¡± Therese asked.

    Benjamin interrupted. ¡°We¡¯ll probably just use our last names when we write you, rank and last name, it¡¯s how they do it, so don¡¯t worry about putting Benjamin on the letter if you write back, it¡¯ll just confuse the mail clerks.¡± said Benjamin.

    ¡°Oh, good, I¡¯m glad you told me. I¡¯ll miss you both.¡± said Therese. She stood silently with her half-grin but both boys knew she loved them and was worried about them. They¡¯d been her friend and never worried what others thought, so she knew they would be brave for what awaited them.

    The boys stood silent, accepting this as the end of their beginning. Some other customers came in, but Kara started helping them. ¡°Go make me proud. Well, you do, keep me proud.¡± Therese said, and the boys turned and left. She watched them leave and wondered what they would be like when they returned, she hoped they would both still be kind. Therese went back and wiped the counters, she would let Kara make the orders, Therese wanted a moment to miss her friends.

    ¡°You think they¡¯ll be the same when they get back?¡± asked Kara Therese, while she was making ordered drinks.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but if not, one day they will look up at the sky and remember who they are.¡± Therese said. Therese tried not to think about her friends leaving and went back to her work, but she missed them. Elijah had corrupted her, and the other, maybe he just needed someone to care about him.

    Therese was sad too, it was as if high school had finally ended at that moment forever.

    Peter came over and ordered a coffee. Therese¡¯s face lit up, and her cheeks rose with a smile. She was always glad to see him. Therese made him a coffee, carefully and deliberately. She put her best kindness into the drink, as she always did and handed it to him. Their hands touched when she passed the cup, and Therese smiled, remembering the first cup of coffee she handed him, it already seemed so long ago. Peter thanked her for the coffee and went back to work, to the relief of Ben who hated when Peter took breaks because it interrupted his video game time which he was sharing with Ana.

    After Peter left, Ben came over and brought Ana to Therese, because he needed to run down to the hardware store with Vivo. Therese was happy to see the little girl and hoisted her up and hugged her. Therese felt warm inside, and this also meant a break as she kept Ana away from the hot liquids, she sat off to the side by the bar and held her, playing with a little toy.

    ¡°Hey, you want to help this guy?¡± Kara shouted to Therese, as Mr. Shank walked in to buy an evening cup of coffee. The other customers had left just before he entered.

    ¡°Hi Mr. Shank.¡± Therese said excited and giving a big half-turned grin.

    ¡°Just Ed, I think we are past the mister part. Good morning, Space-Girls.¡± Ed Shank teased Therese, Kara and Ana. The girls smiled, they were always glad when he stopped in for a coffee. Erin came back from running her errand, mindful of trying to keep one of the three older adults at the stores. She greeted Mr. Shank and went to adjust a shelf.

 None of the Good Things

    The men entered both stores at the same time and quickly. Erin had barely looked up when a shot fired, hitting her straight in the shoulder, she spun, hit her head on the counter, and collapsed as another bullet struck her. The fall knocking her around saved her life, she was mistaken for dead.

    Ed Shank received a wild shot to his shoulder, one to his thigh, and his head was stomped into the ground with a boot. He had simply gone out to buy a coffee from a former student.

    Therese grabbed Ana and spun. A bullet ripped her shoulder open as she shielded the child. She fell to the ground, holding Ana up so she did not impact. A man Kicked Therese in the face and then spun towards Kara, he grabbed Kara and pulled her hair, smashing her head into the counter. He smashed her head two more times until she collapsed. Kara¡¯s last thought was why is it always her face? As blood flowed from her face and the world turned black.

    Another man came in from the Kookie Mart dragging Peter, who had already taken several hits to his face and as bleeding.

    ¡°Where is the heroin?¡± asked the man. He shoved a pistol into Peter¡¯s back. The man was dirty, nasty and reeked of evil, but he was stronger and he had the gun.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I never had it.¡± pleaded Peter.

    The man aimed his pistol at Ana, then lowered it and shot Therese in the leg as she again spun to shield Ana. Therese jumped in pain, but continued to shield the child. Peter tried freeing himself of the man, but he was good and had the gun in him too.

    ¡°Give us the drugs, now.¡± The man ordered Peter.

    ¡°I never had them.¡± yelled Peter.

    The man shot Peter in the chest. ¡°Tell me where they are.¡± The man said. Peter tried talking, but it hurt to breathe.

    Vivo came running into the shop, he tackled one of the gunman, and tried fighting him for his gun. The other man shot Vivo, shot him again, and then shot him two more times. Vivo only flinched for the first three, he lay motionless on the floor.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°Tell us where the dru¡± The man did not finish, his head ripped open in the impact of three .45 caliber bullets. The other man turned, and his face was removed with another three .45 caliber holes. Ben stood there and reloaded. He picked up the phone and dialed. He ran from person to person checking them as he talked. He repositioned Erin so her airway was open. He saw Ana was moving and was not red.

    Ben saw Therese stir and saw the wound in her leg and shoulder. He pulled off her belt, and wrapped it above her knee, taking a spoon off the counter to twist the tourniquet in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding. Ben pulled Kara back, pulled her head up, and straightened her airway, then looked at Peter and saw him stirring. Last, Ben ran to Vivo and began compressing his chest.

    Ed Shank crawled over to Ben to help with rescue breathing, He pulled out his phone to call 911. Ben gave him a number to call quickly for his preferred ambulance. They said they would be there fast.

    Therese shook on the floor, she felt cold. She cradled Ana and was glad she was warm. Therese ignored her own wounds, looking Ana over, and was grateful the young child was safe. ¡°Thank You, God.¡± Therese prayed. Therese tried to get up, her leg flopped. She was finally able to shove back with one leg and scoot herself up against the wall to prop Ana up. Therese moved her head to look at Peter, and as she turned her head, blood leaked out of her mouth. Therese turned her head and did her best to keep the blood off Ana. ¡°I want you to look at me.¡± said Therese to Peter.

    Peter crawled on one side, He spit out a tooth from having his face smashed in, He didn¡¯t want Therese¡¯s last sight of him looking like this, but he obliged her the same. He crawled on the floor, to her, and crawled against her side, before he could look up.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m not beautiful for you, but I kept my promise, I kept her safe.¡± said Therese, spitting up more blood, as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

    ¡°You are always beautiful, thank you.¡± said Peter, squeezing her hand, and looking up at Ana before he passed out.

    Kara came to and started crawling towards Therese. Therese used all her strength to raise her arm and stop Kara. ¡°Take Erin¡¯s ring and put it on Vivo, don¡¯t let him die.¡± said Therese as best she could and a volume of blood poured out her mouth as she said it. ¡°Do it.¡± said Therese, struggling to keep Ana upright.

    Kara drew her strength, and did as she was told, Therese had never asked anything of her and she would not fail her. Kara stumbled walking, over to Erin, and took Erin¡¯s ring off her finger, then collapsed near Vivo as Ben continued chest compressions and Mr. Shank did rescue breathing. Somehow she had enough strength to raise her arm and the ring fit over Vivo¡¯s finger. Relieved of her duty to Therese, Kara collapsed again.

 Abyssinia

    Father Adriak stumbled to the pulpit. He sighed and fought to control his tears before he spoke. He was choked up and in grief, and his heart hung low. He looked before him and cried for several minutes before he could speak.

    One casket was draped in a Space-Girl flag. The other was other had a wreath of red roses placed on it. They both lay before the altar.

    ¡°I have done this too often, as a priest, but today, it hurts so much more than I ever thought it would. I always thought it would be best if old men fought wars because we have lived and known life, but the young, they don¡¯t even know.

    Therese was a Space-Girl to the end, and she left as a mother protecting her child. Peter was as filled with compassion for his future wife and daughter as he was brave for them. We hope love conquers all, we see it in the movies, we witness it every day, and yet here we are today saying goodbye to true love. I love God, and I know God loved these kids, that¡¯s what they really were, and I know He will receive them into his arms and welcome them home. The only pain left is for us.¡± said Father Adriak.

    ¡°I¡¯ve asked Kara to sing. It isn¡¯t a hymn, but in these circumstances it is appropriate.¡± said the priest before he sat down to rest his heart.

    Kara walked up to the microphone and began singing the Space-Girl Michelle closing credits song.

    ¡°Space-Girl, you fight the robots

    Space-Girl, you fight the Gopher King

    Space-Girl, you never give up and I''ll never give up on myself

    I can only say that my life is pretty clear

    There are no jammers on the stars

    I want to walk tall,

    I want to walk tall,

    Space-Girl you save the day.¡± sang Kara.

    Kara then said ¡°Therese was my best friend, since we were little girls. I met her at the park in our neighborhood. We had both snuck out there, on our own. Our parents, of course, were terrified, but we didn¡¯t know this, so five years old we were playing on the swings. We kept seeing police drive by, but each cop thought he was looking for a single little girl, finally one of the officers realized that we were the little girls. Next thing you know, our parents there crying, the cops are there, we didn¡¯t understand what the fuss was, but what we learned that day was we would be friends forever.¡± At that point, Kara broke down into tears, and returned to the pews, and sat back by Ben.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Ben sobbed, holding Ana, he cried and wept. Erin sat next to him, wishing she could hold him, but the arm facing him was in a sling. Therese¡¯s parents sat and wept. Buck cried and could not make eye contact with anyone. Ed Shank soaked his hankerchief in tears. Vivo cried in the hospital wishing he could be there with his friends, but he still was in unbearable pain and using oxygen.

    ¡°Your mom was the bravest person I ever met.¡± Ben told the little girl, ¡°And your father, no one could have done any more, for anyone.¡± The little girl cried and held Ben. She wondered where her parents were.

    ¡°Watch this.¡± said Ben, rewinding the video, ¡°I¡¯m telling you Kara , you looked great in that little black dress. You can totally see side boob, right there.¡± Ben rewinded the video of the funeral back several times and replayed it.

    Kara hit Ben and told him, ¡°Stop that.¡±

    ¡°I wish I was there, you sang real good.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°Why did I get roses on my casket?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°They had to put something there. You don¡¯t even like Space-Girl Michelle, like me.¡± Therese said, rubbing her shoulder which still hurt and was bandaged from the gunshot.

    ¡°Other than being dicks, why did you guys keep us in the dark the funeral wasn¡¯t real?¡± asked Therese¡¯s dad. No one knew how close the earth had come to destruction until Erin told him secretly and asked Rodger and Mary to play along with Ben¡¯s plans.

    ¡°If we are being watched, your reaction had to be the most authentic.¡± explained Ben.

    ¡°I hope I was authentic enough.¡± said Therese¡¯s mother, Mary. She still had black circles under her eyes from crying for days. The world should be grateful she kept Rodger from destroying it over this. They¡¯d moved here to protect Therese, not to lose her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone will be looking for these guys.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°How long do you think it will take you to hunt everyone down?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°Two, maybe three months. Lou gave me that much time, then she will meet and make everything cold. I need to take care of this before that, to keep anyone from ever coming for you all again.¡± Ben said.

    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t she call it cold now, if she can stop all this?¡± Therese¡¯s mother asked.

    ¡°Because I want to kill these motherfuckers. It¡¯ll keep anyone else from getting ambitious too.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°That¡¯s a long time to live in the basement of a restaurant.¡± Erin told Therese and Peter.

    ¡°I am sure we can think of things to do.¡± said Therese with a sly grin. Therese¡¯s mother face palmed, and her father looked away.

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t mind us staying?¡± Peter asked Lou.

    ¡°It¡¯s good for Ben to owe me a favor, it is better now that he owes me a lot of favors, I hope you are still a good attorney, Mr. Vivo.¡± said Lou. ¡°This has to be done, it is our way.¡± She added.

    Vivo shrugged. Ben grabbed his duffel bag filled with weapons and ammo, and walked to the door. He stopped and paused. He stopped at the door and turned around. ¡°Yo, Kara. Let¡¯s go find the father, he found someone.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°I was hoping you would ask me.¡± said Kara, as she stood up. ¡°I love you, always.¡± Kara told Therese, hugging her.

    ¡°Just come back home. I love you.¡± Therese told Kara as she hugged her. Both growls had tears streaming down their faces. Kara ran over to Ben and walked out the door with him.

    ¡°See you out there.¡± said Ed Shank, next to Buck who was grinning. Buck was about to get useful again.

 The Search Begins

    ¡°I bet when you first met me, you never thought you¡¯d be staying in a fancy hotel with me.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°No, when I first met you, I thought it would be a seedy motel.¡± said Kara as she teased Ben. She still loved him for the way he defended Therese.

    ¡°The cops watch all those. One rule, stay somewhere nice, and make sure they have a free breakfast.¡± said Ben, while opening his weapon bag and placing a thick cloth on the bag. He began pulling out several pistols and magazines. Kara reached for a magazine, but Ben stopped her. ¡°I can change ID¡¯s I can¡¯t change fingerprints. Don¡¯t touch the rounds, and when we load them, we wear gloves.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°Why do you like these?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°Colt 1911¡¯s have a bullet nose cut in the slide, they make ejecting unfired cartridges easier, and they run as good as any other.¡± Ben told her. He¡¯d killed his first man and he¡¯d killed his first men with a Colt 1911, so nothing else felt right in his hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want something that holds more bullets?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°I have that, it¡¯s at home, but it isn¡¯t going to be that thick, and I¡¯m that good.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°I wish the others were here.¡± said Kara, because she the group, and she especially missed Therese. Kara and Therese had already spent too much of life apart.

    ¡°I do too, but they all got shot.¡± said Ben. Kara¡¯s face was still bruised, but she was glad she wasn¡¯t shot. ¡°Remember the house with the basement. If anything ever happens, go there, I won¡¯t give you up, and it¡¯s not in my name.¡± Kara nodded, she remembered Ben taking her there to make new ID¡¯s.

    ¡°Can¡¯t we get some hand grenades? In the movies, everyone has hand grenades.¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°Hard to explain to the cops, if we get stopped with these, I shoot competition and am going to a match.¡± said Ben, pulling out a list of matches and shooting clubs near their destination. ¡°Cops don¡¯t ask about why a guy has a few 1911¡¯s and a bag of ammo.¡±

    ¡°Hit-Woman, and Hit-Man.¡± said Kara, picking up a 1911 and holding it safely as Ben had taught her.

    ¡°I was never a hitman. I was mostly a forger and a hacker, who shot competition for fun. I never killed anyone a lot before you all got attacked.¡± Ben told her. He was trying to be modest more than he was lying, and most of all Ben was more proud of who Therese made him feel like than who he ever was.

    ¡°But the people you know? The people who came and saved our lives?¡± asked Kara. She a vague memory of men in black suits coming with the ambulance crews. One had a thick beard, and the other she would swear was Nicholas Cage.

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    ¡°When you¡¯re in, you¡¯re in, and now we¡¯re back in.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°How did you get out before?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°I got caught hacking a fried chicken company stealing the twelve secret herbs and spices recipe for Lou. She wanted better fried chicken.¡± said Ben

    ¡°I thought it was eleven herbs and spices?¡± said Kara.

    So does everyone else, that¡¯s why they can¡¯t duplicate it.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°You¡¯re shitting me, right?¡± asked Kara. She did not believe Ben at all.

    ¡°People get caught, it happens. I took my hit, and faced the charges. Both sides were letting me walk from the life, if I faced those charges. No one thought I would have found such a great attorney.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°Vivo?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°Bingo. We were friends before the trial, and it stuck afterwards, but both of us were miserable, and we opened up the convenience store. Life was simple, and we had good times.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°So why did those guys come after us?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°Ana¡¯s mom was my sister, Jessica. Peter may, or may not, have been running dope, she stole heroin and ran off. We don¡¯t know what happened but she was found dead in an alley. My guess is that these guys were the ones who owned the stuff she OD¡¯d on.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°You have a lot of revenge built up.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°They have killed or hurt everyone I care about. Let¡¯s get some sleep, we have another long drive tomorrow.¡± said Ben, placing his pistol on the nightstand, and setting his gear bag on the floor. He climbed into bed and turned on the TV. Seeing Space-Girl Michelle was on, Ben said ¡°Oh not this shit.¡±

    ¡°Sorry Benny-boy, once it¡¯s on, it¡¯s on.¡± said Kara taking the remote control from him, to which Ben rolled over and fell asleep. Kara stayed up another hour watching the show. Kara wished Therese was there with her, and already missed her. Ben was snoring already.

    The next morning Kara kicked Ben to wake him up. She was staying in a nice hotel and so far he had neglected her. ¡°What the fuck Vivo, you go work the counter.¡± said Ben, stirring in his sleep.

    ¡°Oh fuck no, did you just call me Vivo?¡± asked Kara.

    Ben sat up, and re-orientated himself. ¡°Oh shit, we¡¯re in a hotel.¡± said Ben as he blinked his eyes several times. The TV was on, and Kara was staring at him, pretending to be angry. ¡°All right, all right, I¡¯m up.¡± said Ben, climbing out of bed and stumbling to the bathroom. Ben braced himself with the forward hand on the wall, the hotel mattress was nice and he slept very good. Ben had not been on the road in awhile.

    ¡°I want that free breakfast you told me about.¡± shouted Kara.

    ¡°Okay, Okay, let me get ready.¡± said Ben as he came out, pulled his pants on and slid his 1911 pistol in his holster. Ben then put his shoes on. He grabbed a shirt and put it on. ¡°OK, let¡¯s go get breakfast.¡± Ben said to Kara who was already dressed. Ben kicked his doorstop block from behind the door and then stood opposite to the hinge as he opened it, his hand near his pistol. He waited, then stepped back and swooped around to clear the other side.

    ¡°You sure are cautious.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Old habits.¡± Ben told her.

    ¡°I¡¯m not complaining.¡± Kara said in a charming way. She liked that Ben was careful and dangerous.

    ¡°Do you always pack around the store?¡± asked Kara as they left the room.

    ¡°Yes. And don¡¯ talk about it outside the room.¡± said Ben politely, shutting the door behind him and hanging the do not disturb sign. They walked down the hall, Kara noticed Ben was different now, very alert, almost like he was on the prowl.

    They made it to the breakfast area, there was a cook making omelets, and several pans were laid out filled with food. ¡°This is way better than a muffin and OJ.¡± said Kara, reflecting the last hotel she had stayed in. Ben sat with his back against the wall.

 The Meeting

    Father Adriak had arranged the meeting to keep the peace and save lives. Ben reluctantly agreed, but the priest assured Ben of his safety, if he went unarmed, and the priest also assured Ben they would check him. ¡°You will be safe, I have been reassured. We must trust in God¡¯s plan, that all happens for Him, and if Saint Paul and worse could be saved, anyone can be saved.¡± said Father Adraik.

    Father Adriak drove the car up to the warehouse with just he, Father Ortega, Ben and Kara in the car. Terrible men watched them. When they stopped, Father Ortega stayed in the car. Ben, Father Adriak and Kara were physically checked for weapons and wanded with a metal detector when they left the car. Several of the men escorted them into the warehouse. The building was mostly empty, dark, and damp. The warehouse smelled rotten. The group walked forward, and met one of the men who had obvious authority to the others.

    ¡°First, Ben, we are sorry for your sister Jessica, we sell drugs, it¡¯s what we all do, but we just do it for the money. We didn¡¯t do anything to her, but we are sorry your sister was lost to them. Please, tell your dad we had nothing to do with any of that.¡± The ranking man said. They were bad and evil people, but protocol dictated politeness. Ben nodded, he appreciated the empathy, and it also cleared his mind of mandatory vengeance. If the men wanted him dead, he¡¯d be dead now, so he was relieved in a way his sister had simply overdosed.

    The drugs she had, the drugs Feliks had, out of respect for you and your family, we¡¯ll write off. I want you to know, whether you believe me or not, we did not send anyone after Feliks, because well, we found out who Jessica took the drugs to and we finished that a long time ago, but you did a good job hiding him, we never knew.¡± said the man who sighed, he wished Ben worked for him, that kind of help would always be useful.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather pay you for what is owed, being even with the house is a lot better than goodwill.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°Twenty thousand dollars should cover everything. The dope, the recovery, recovery, and disposal of this dead idiot.¡± The man said as easily as if he asked change for a five.

    ¡°May I?¡± asked Ben, pointing at his shirt pocket. The man nodded approval and Ben reached in and pulled out a wad of cash, and counted the money in $100 bills, leaving them on the table. The other man let them set there as easily as if they were a $5 tip on the table.

    The leader stood up and walked over to a sheet covering something in the office. ¡°Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.¡± said the man as he lifted the sheet and pulled it. A tortured dead man covered in wounds sat in the chair, his mouth gaping open. Kara screamed, but Ben and Father Adriak stood silently.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± said Kara, covering her mouth. The terrible men smiled.

    ¡°He is the last of the men who attacked you, he was the driver you are looking for. He told us he was hired by someone named Macarthur, they were told there were drugs and if they killed everyone they could have the drugs. He thought Macarthur worked for the government and might be a doctor. He didn¡¯t last long after that, to say why.¡± said the man.

    Ben thanked the man for his time and they turned and left. Everyone walked silently out of the warehouse and were relieved only once they were far away on the road. ¡°That never happened.¡± Ben told Kara, who eagerly nodded her head in agreement. Kara hugged Ben, she was relieved to be on the way home at last but felt the talk of Ben¡¯s sister had both relieved and saddened him.

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of money.¡± Kara told Ben once they were in a car.

    ¡°Being a brother ain¡¯t always cheap.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°Who are you doing this for?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°Ana.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°Just her?¡± Kara asked.

    ¡°Therese too, she was never meant for the consequences of our actions, she¡¯s good people.¡± said Ben. Kara knew Ben cared about Peter but refused to admit it.

    ¡°You¡¯re good people too, just sometimes good people do bad things.¡± Kara told him. The priests nodded in agreement. Ben drove to the priest¡¯s car and let them out.

    ¡°Keep us in your prayers.¡± said Ben.

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    ¡°Always.¡± Father Adriak said, shutting the door and walking to the other priest''s car, both men relieved to be free of participation for now.

    ¡°Ben, I love you.¡± said Kara, looking at Ben, who grinned.

    ¡°Do I have to say it?¡± Ben asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Kara told him.

    ¡°I love you.¡± Ben told Kara, who grinned boldly back.

    ¡°Is it that hard to say?¡± Kara asked him.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just hard to make myself vulnerable.¡± Ben told her, not wanting to ever get hurt again.

    ¡°I think vulnerability is necessary for love. If you don¡¯t risk getting hurt, you can¡¯t be in love.¡± Kara told him, revealing her own maturity that she liked to conceal, even now. Kara looked at Ben, he was doing his best to be focused on the road, but she could see he was just focused on the road ahead.

    ¡°I got in love twice, bad, it broke me. It tore me in half. This one girl was everything to me, you know that sound the waves make when they hit the pier and thunder that shakes the house? That is how she made my heart feel when we were together, and just like that she yanked it out from under me, and left a great gap in which only pain lived.¡± explained Ben. Kara rubbed his shoulder, she had never heard him really talk deep about his feelings.

    ¡°I saw her, years later, smiling with pictures of her new husband, and she was looking at him just like she looked at me, and you know what really hurt? It was then I realized I never meant much at all to her, that¡¯s what really hurt, that I had all this pain inside me for nothing, I was just the guy in front of her.¡± Ben finished, doing his best to watch the road.

    ¡°I can¡¯t promise I¡¯ll never make mistakes, but I¡¯m here now, and I¡¯ve been through all this stuff non-stop with you now. I just want you to know I am not her.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°I know, and I love you.¡± Ben told Kara, who grinned, smiling at those few words. Ben was as bad as she was when it came to putting up a front over the depth of her feelings.

    Ben picked up his phone and dialed a number. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m coming up behind you now, let¡¯s grab lunch at the next exit in about ten miles, there is a diner there that is off the radar.¡± Ben said, ending the call and passing a car. Kara looked over and saw two older men, she recognized.

    ¡°Is that?¡± asked Kara, surprised.

    ¡°Ed and Buck. They were our overwatch, never go into somewhere you don¡¯t have a way out of. Remember that parking garage a half-mile away?¡± Ben asked.

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t see it.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Well they saw us, good optics, good rifles, remind me to never piss those two sailors off.¡± Ben said. Kara looked back at them in her mirror, she reminded herself to never judge a book by its cover.

    Ben exited at the next exit like he said and pulled into a small diner, parking where the car was visible, and Ed Shank did likewise. The other men climbed out of their car, they stood slower and stretched a little longer than Ben did, but Kara recognized the same seriousness in their eyes.

    ¡°How¡¯d it go.¡± asked Ed shank.

    ¡°I¡¯m out several grand and I got a good lead, but the kids are free from that problem. Turns out, it was the government, I don¡¯t know why, but some government doctor mislead some punks into thinking there was a stash of drugs at the shop.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°Ain¡¯t that some shit, I hope this place has apple pie.¡± said Buck, walking to the door. The other men and Kara followed. Buck was pragmatic, they had accomplished their mission and now it was time for pie. Ben liked apple pie too, and the thought made him hungry.

    Ben, Kara, Buck and Ed looked over surprised that Therese was sitting there with them at the diner and then remembered at the same time she had texted all of them told them she would meet them at the diner after Tony from Lou¡¯s dropped her off on his way out of town.

    Tony had wanted to stay to protect Therese, but Therese reassured him she would be ok, although she did laugh a little when he smacked his gum. The group wondered individually why they had forgotten that, but no one wanted to mention that and each took it as an effect of a long day.

    ¡°Everything that has needed to happen, has happened, I remember where to find McArthur, I just need everyone to trust me, I¡¯m asking for a leap of faith. Ben, Kara and I need to drive me to Yucca Valley, California, I promise this will all make sense too soon.¡± said Therese, looking up at the table.

    ¡°You are going to get everyone killed, because you suck¡± said the voices in Therese¡¯s head.

    ¡°Okay.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Kid, I¡¯d follow you anywhere, do you need us to go with you?¡± Asked Ed Shank. Buck nodded in agreement. The old men liked the kid, and when life didn¡¯t make sense, it made them feel young.

    ¡°I have another mission for you, and please don¡¯t ask why, but I need you to watch as much Space-Girl Michelle as possible.¡± Therese told the two older men.

    ¡°That show is terrible, can¡¯t I just go get shot?¡± asked Buck.

    ¡°Just promise me. I can¡¯t tell how, but I know this needs to happen. Nothing has to make sense anymore.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Your TV is bigger, we¡¯re doing it at your house.¡± Buck told Ed. Buck had had his own and old reason to think something was happening and he knew Therese was worth following.

    ¡°Okay. If this is what we need to do.¡± agreed Ed, having known for a long time it was his duty to protect Therese too, a duty he felt he failed when she was shot.

    ¡°It is what we need to do. I love you both.¡± said Therese, grabbing each of their hands and giving them a squeeze.

    The group finished the meal in relative silence, then said their goodbyes, and one car went to Yucca Valley and the other back home. Neither party argued, Therese was right, at this point, nothing had to make sense anymore.

    ¡°You¡¯re all going to die unless you kill yourself.¡± Yelled all the voices in Therese¡¯s head.

 The Government Implant

    Ben, Therese and Kara drove through night and day, trading off the driving, and stopping as little as possible. Finally as they reached their destination, Therese guided Ben to a small medical office building off the main road. ¡°He¡¯s here, inside, by himself.¡± said Therese.

    Ben pulled the car around, and parked far from the office Dr. Macarthur was at. They walked carefully, until they reached the office door, then Ben donkey kicked it open, spun, and rushed in with his pistol. Ben found one occupant, grabbed him, shoved him across the room, and slammed him into a wall.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move if you want to live, I¡¯m just going to check you for weapons.¡± Ben told the man and began frisking him, the search coming up clean.

    ¡°Hello, Doctor Macarthur, it¡¯s me, Therese, the little girl you put some kind of implant in.¡± said Therese. The doctor froze, feeling both ashamed and proud of his work, but definitely in shock at her presence because Therese was supposed to be dead. Therese was in pain from her gunshot wounds which were still healing, but she was glad she could walk towards the man.

    ¡°Hi, help me.¡± The doctor pleaded.

    ¡°I need you to remove this from my head, its purpose is over, yours will be too if you don¡¯t cooperate.¡± said Therese with a cool flat affect, pointing at the implant.

    ¡°If you hurt me, I can¡¯t remove the implant, there is a trick to it to remove the fiber wires intact.¡± Dr. Macarthur said, and then fell back as Ben hit him again.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to heal, I have the rest of your life.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°What did you put in my head?¡± Therese asked, she still had tears flowing down her face, saddened angry, and disbelief.

    ¡°It is a synthetic device that is passively powered by radio waves, it was designed to stimulate your brain, you were a part of a study, to enhance people¡¯s minds to make them smarter, it didn¡¯t work, and in your case, it caused or worsened your schizophrenia.¡± Macarthur said, struggling to his feet and trying to stay out of punch range from Ben.

    ¡°But all the brain scans I had, why didn¡¯t anyone find it?¡± Therese asked.

    ¡°It is designed to look like a benign cyst under imaging, however recent improvements in the quality of imaging caused the government to order a recall.¡± said Macarthur.

    ¡°Recall? I¡¯m not a car part. When did you put it in me?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°When you were little, you had head trauma from falling out of a tree, they took you to the trauma hospital, and we were doing the study then.¡± Macarthur explained.

    ¡°This is for making it my fault!¡± said Kara as she began striking Macarthur over and over. Ben finally grabbed Kara and pulled her back.

    ¡°We need him to fix Therese.¡± Ben explained, but it took Kara a long time to cool her rage.

    ¡°I would have given it back.¡± Therese promised with tears in her eyes.

    ¡°This department doesn¡¯t work like that, they are more interested in covering their trail. I can take it out, I have done it before, they will never know, you are already dead to them.¡± pleaded Macarthur.

    ¡°I knew there was something put in my head. I remember being in a room and an old man in the corner, and you all were talking about the implant in my head. I didn¡¯t know if it was real, but it seemed real.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°The local doctor at the hospital tended to go light on the anesthesia, a few years ago he was silenced forever. The old man, he¡¯s dead from a heart attack, he was the project director. I am sorry, we only did this initially to help people, the cold war never ended and we feared China had their own program. It did work for some people, but if you check the news a lot of successful young people recently met their demise too.¡± said Dr. Macarthur.

    ¡°You knew you had an implant, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Kara asked Therese.

    ¡°Because, no one ever, on the history of this planet has believed someone with schizophrenia when they said the government put an implant in them.¡± said Therese. Kara shrugged her shoulders; she couldn¡¯t argue that.

    ¡°And what do you want?¡± Ben asked Macarthur.

    ¡°I want to live. Even bad people want to live.¡± said Macarthur. He was desperate and scared so that was the most honest answer he ever gave.

    ¡°If you remove it, you may live.¡± said Therese, speaking for the group.

    ¡°If you remove us, one of the Ben¡¯s will cease to exist, there is only one¡± a voice said to Therese.

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    ¡°Just sit in this chair and lean forward.¡± said Macarthur, sliding his office chair to Therese.

    ¡°If we go, Peter becomes a rabbit again.¡± A voice said to Therese.

    ¡°Will Peter still be here, when this is gone? I need to know he is real.¡± said Therese. She had a full frown and was scared.

    ¡°If you kill yourself, the Ben¡¯s both live and Peter doesn¡¯t become a rabbit.¡± The voices yelled to Therese.

    Ben cried in anger, and took Therese and squeezed her, but kept an eye on Macarthur. ¡°I promise, your boyfriend is real.¡± Ben reassured her. ¡°If you hurt her, I will torture you for days until I am tired of you begging me to kill you.¡± Ben told Macarthur, who believed Ben 100%.

    Therese leaned forward and held her face in her hands. Kara leaned forward and held Therese.

    ¡°I will need to get a scalpel, tweezers, gauze and antiseptic from the cabinet.¡± Dr. Macarthur told Ben.

    Ben leveled his 1911, the safety was off, but his finger was to the side of the trigger. ¡°Don¡¯t get stupid, I¡¯m faster than you and I am better than you.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± said Macarthur, taking the items he listed out of the cabinet and shutting it. The doctor walked behind Therese, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to numb it, but I¡¯ll be quick.¡± He said.

    ¡°Just take this thing out of me.¡± Therese begged.

    ¡°They are lying to you, kill yourself, don¡¯t make Peter a rabbit again.¡± The voices yelled to Therese.

    The doctor leaned forward, applied disinfectant, and made a small incision over a bump in Therese¡¯s scalp. He sliced and blood flowed, then he pulled out a small clear lump beneath her skin. Therese shivered as she felt wires sliding under her skin and out the back of her head. Macarthur pulled the lump and thin clear threads followed, he set it on the desk. He took a couple of pads of gauze and pressed them on Therese¡¯s scalp.

    ¡°How are you?¡± The doctor asked.

    ¡°The voices, they¡¯re gone from my head.¡± Therese said, and then she threw up all over the floor. Ben leveled his pistol at the doctor. The voices echoed in her heart but were fainter. Therese refused to acknowledge that, she was just grateful they weren¡¯t screaming in her ears.

    ¡°That¡¯s normal.¡± The doctor told Ben, who looked upset from the vomiting. ¡°Believe it or not, this device helped heal your brain a lot from the fall when you were little, I¡¯m sorry for all the bad effects, but if we didn¡¯t put it in, you would have been a lot worse.¡± The doctor finished.

    ¡°Why not just help people then? You could have took this out after she healed.¡± Ben asked the Doctor. Ben still wanted to kill the man very much so, and the doctor could tell.

    ¡°I got into this program to help people, but I¡¯m sorry, the cost of research was high, and I made decisions and did bad things, but I kept telling myself it was for the greater good.¡± The doctor explained to Ben who looked at him with disgust. The doctor knew he was no less than a fly needing swatting to the man.

    Therese stood up, she looked around. ¡°Peter, he is still real, isn¡¯t he?¡± asked Therese.

    Kara hugged her, ¡°Yes, your boyfriend is real.¡± said Kara. Therese cried happiness, she was worried that much of her lie was a lie, as the voices claimed. She never wanted to believe the voices but their constant interjection into her life had taken its toll.

    Therese looked and saw Ben, then asked Kara, ¡°Benjamin from my chemistry class is he still real?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a dork, but yeah, he¡¯s real.¡± said Kara, unsure why Therese was asking her, but figured it might be a side effect of the clear wires being pulled across her brain.

    ¡°Kara, Polaroid.¡± said Ben, taking Dr. Macarthur and manhandling him next to Therese. Kara took several pictures.

    ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± asked Dr. Macarthur.

    ¡°Insurance, if any of this ever comes back on us, you¡¯ll be dead too.¡± Therese said, looking him coolly in the eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to let me live?¡± asked Dr. Macarthur.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll keep my word. You never know, maybe in a way, you saved the galaxy. Mercy is the mark of a great person.¡± said Therese, and then punched him in the face, breaking the doctor''s nose open. ¡°Guess I am just a good one.¡± said Therese, as blood ran down the doctor''s face. Ben smiled and thought some people just needed punched. Therese took the bottle of alcohol and poured it across her hand to wash the doctor''s blood off her skin. Therese then placed the implant in a ziplock bag and started walking out.

    After Therese stepped back, Ben took a syringe and stuck it in the doctor''s arm, and watched him collapse. ¡°Don¡¯t go looking for answers in the government, it is very Grey, they will kill the entire city to take her.¡± said the doctor to Ben before he passed out.

    ¡°Did you kill him?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°No, but he¡¯s addicted to heroin.¡± said Ben. Therese nodded, she knew he would need to be subdued so they could make their getaway.

    Therese was amazed at the silence in her head and stepped on several cracks to see if the voices returned, they hated when she stepped on cracks. Without the implant, the medications in her worked better than ever. No voices said anything from in Therese¡¯s head. Ben started the car and they headed down the highway.

    ¡°So what do you think about the implant?¡± Kara asked Therese.

    ¡°I think he told me the truth, they said I had an amazing recovery from a traumatic brain injury.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Sorry about that.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Apologonaut.¡± Therese teased, causing Kara to let a small smile out.

    ¡°If only you could go back and never get it.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°No, when you go back, this has to happen.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Timeline alteration one ¨C I never recover from the brain injury. Timeline alteration two, if we take it out after that, you and I end up falling apart forever over some petty bullshit instead of serious shit that is easier to get over. Timeline three ¨C I never met Peter, I never get the job at the Cowffee shop, you never get Ben, and we are normal boring people until the end of the galaxy.¡± Therese added.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like boring people.¡± said Ben, he was upset at the possibility of not having Therese or Kara, ¡°Don¡¯t screw with the timeline.¡± Ben finished.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t bet you guys in the time lottery for anything. Now quit driving like an old lady, I have a boyfriend to go see.¡± said Therese. (And I hope he is not a rabbit) thought Therese. The voices in her heart were faint, she turned up the music and ignored them.

    ¡°Yes Ma¡¯am, making the jump to lightspeed.¡± said Ben. Kara and Therese glared at him. ¡°Sorry, I mean warp?¡± Ben said as Therese and Kara changed their frowns to smiles. The girls were eager to head home, but Therese told them they needed to stop at a truck stop ahead. Ben didn¡¯t argue, he needed pie, and was glad when they finally stopped. The group grabbed a table and Ben ordered a whole apple pie.

 Space-Girl Therese

    Rem Monty, Therese¡¯s art teacher walked into the restaurant at the truck stop. Therese and Kara stood up quickly from the booth, after Therese took a note from her pocket and left it on the table for Ben. ¡°Mr. Monty!¡± said Therese, happy to see him.

    ¡°Follow me quickly, I have slowed time.¡± said Mr. Monty, going out the back door. Kara hesitated but then sprang forward to catch up. ¡°Stay close, I¡¯ve tuned the Time Stop to the three of us, but you must be close.¡± Mr. Monty said as they went up the stairs and out into the courtyard. The girls looked around, everyone was frozen still. ¡°Into my ship.¡± Rem Monty said, stepping into a small spaceship that should not be in the courtyard.

    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be there.¡± said Kara, looking at the spaceship which was straight out of Space-Girl Michelle. The light reflected off the ship, there was a shadow on the ground, but there should not be a space ship on the ground.

    ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± said Therese, following her teacher in. Kara, refusing to abandon her friend, followed Therese in. The inside of the ship was well lit, wires, junction boxes, padding lined the hull. The girls looked around at the ship, years of watching Space-Girl Michelle had already taught them everything about the ship. The Space-Girl Michelle video game had either one of them ready to fly it.

    ¡°Strap in.¡± said Rem Monty, pointing at the two chairs behind his pilot seat. The girls quickly fastened their buckles, just as they had always seen done on television. ¡°Kara, quit checking your head for implants, you don¡¯t have one.¡± Rem finished. Kara put her hand down.

    ¡°There goes my hope this was a hallucination.¡± said Kara, tightening her harness. Kara really hoped she was losing it, it would be easier to accept than finding out her childhood fantasy was real, but yet she also sat there amazed it was.

    Rem Monty pressed some buttons, the ship¡¯s engine hummed to life and he pulled on the controls, as the ship flipped nose-first into the air and rapidly accelerated. ¡°There is no easy way to tell you this, but I am an alien.¡± said Rem Monty.

    ¡°No shit?¡± said Kara, not knowing what other comment to make. What, did he expect her to think every art teacher had a spaceship for the weekends.

    ¡°Are all art teachers aliens?¡± asked Therese, thinking along the same lines as Kara.

    ¡°No, but most aliens are art teachers, it is the perfect cover.¡± Rem Monty explained. The girls shrugged their shoulders and nodded their heads in agreement. That actually made sense when they thought about it.

    ¡°Space-Girl Michelle is real, and she¡¯s trouble.¡± said Rem.

    ¡°If I wasn¡¯t in a spaceship flying away from earth, I¡¯d wonder about that, but if this is true, that might as well be true.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Me too.¡± Therese agreed.

    ¡°Have you ever seen the movie the Last Star Fighter?¡± Rem asked the girls.

    ¡°Yes, on old Sci-Fi movie night with Therese¡¯s dad.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°I kind of liked it.¡± Therese argued, liking the idea that aliens were using an arcade video game to screen for potential starfighter pilots.

    ¡°Well, the point is, it is a lot like that, the Space-Girl Michelle television series is like a training series, and we recruit from fans new Space-Girls to help Space-Girl Michelle save the galaxy.¡± Rem explained.

    ¡°I never wanted to admit it, but the low budget, they always had the training film quality to them.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°They are a little better than that.¡± Kara countered, but she could only defend the series so far.

    ¡°You guys are taking this quite well, better than most.¡± said Rem Monty.

    ¡°I had the government put an implant in my head that caused my schizophrenia, was shot and watched my friends shot, I am out of things to get worked up about.¡± Therese answered with her flat tone.

    Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°Your implant experience is exactly why we need you. Do you know how you make good steel?¡± Rem asked.

    ¡°Iron?¡± said Kara.

    ¡°You need iron, and a little carbon, some chromium, vanadium, whatever, you heat it up and beat the hell out of it in a forge.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Your brain is good steel. Space-Girl Michelle has had her mind possessed by the Brainenock, only yours is strong enough to resist that level of mind control¡± Rem explained. The girls looked out the window and saw the earth disappearing behind them. Therese knew from the show that the Brainenock could possess the minds of anyone in near range, and when one Michelle was possessed by it, the only cure was to kill both of them. She understood they hoped she could get her hero out of this alive.

    The girls were amazed as the stars quickly turned to blurs and they approached infinite speed, then the ship decelerated. The Space-Girl star base appeared before them, just as they had seen thousands of time before on Space-Girl Michelle. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Rem said, as he guided the shuttle into the landing bay.

    ¡°It¡¯s I like I know all this.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Me too, I know what everything here does.¡± agreed Therese.

    ¡°That¡¯s the purpose of the television show, you have been training your whole lives to be Space-Girls.¡± Rem Monty reminded them, as he landed the shuttle.

    As the shuttle stopped, several Space-Girls came out, but Therese and Kara saw they were battered and wore out. The Space-Girls all did the Space-Girl salute to welcome the new arrivals.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Space-Girl Karen¡± said one of the Space-Girls introducing herself. ¡°Is she the one?¡± Karen asked Rem. Karen had served in the U.S. Army before she was a Space-Girl and wore green armor.

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s out last hope, girls, these are your new recruits, Therese and Kara.¡± said Rem Monty.

    ¡°Space-Girl Rachel.¡± Introduced one girl shaking the hands of the new arrivals. Rachel looked very serious but equally very friendly. She wore red armor.

    ¡°Space-Girl Kim.¡± said another Space-Girl, shaking hands. Kim had the kindest smile of them all and took pride in her kindness and her ability to break Mach 1 with her foot when kicking her enemies.

    ¡°Space-Girl Susan, but my friends call me Scrappy CoCo, I hope you can save Michelle.¡± the last Space-Girl said, shaking hands, and handing Therese a Space-Girl ring.

    ¡°I think I can, I know what to do this time.¡± said Therese. Therese took the Space-Girl ring, put it on her hand and twisted the signet on top. Beams of purple energy shot out and lifted Therese in the air, and a Space-Girl uniform, complete with helmet appeared on Therese.

    Kara was amazed. Therese now stood in front of Kara decked out in a uniform just like Space-Girl Michelle wore, complete with patches, helmet and boots. Therese had not smiled that big since they were little girls.

    ¡°Fucking awesome.¡± said Kara to Therese, who turned and grinned.

    ¡°I feel amazing.¡± said Therese, with a full grin, ear to ear. Kara smiled right back, it warmed her heart to see Therese grinning big again, absent of the flatness of emotion which bound her for so long. The surge of the ring and the fading of her medications helped her have the strength for that smile even if it was a brief second.

    ¡°It only gets better.¡± said Space-Girl Susan.

    ¡°Thank you Space-Girl Scrappy Coco.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Just Scrappy Coco.¡± said Susan.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m just amazed to be here with real Space-Girls.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Quit being an apologonaut.¡± All the Space-Girls said at the same time back, with big smiles on their faces. Kara laughed, it was so amazing but so natural to be there at the same time.

    ¡°My ship?¡± Therese asked, pointing to a purple Space-Girl ship in the hangar.

    ¡°Yes, I knew you¡¯d be purple, at least I hoped you would.¡± said Rem.

    ¡°I guess all those years as my art teacher paid off.¡± said Therese, as she ran to her ship. Therese climbed in and shut the cockpit over her and began her flight crew checklist just as Space-Girl Michelle always did. Amazingly and yet not surprised by it, Therese completed the start-up sequence perfectly and started flying the fighter shuttle. Therese instinctively knew what to do to ready the ship. A few unintentional scrapes on the landing bay later, the ship was in space and flying.

    The purple fighter was of the newest conventional Space-Girl fighter design. The pilot and copilot (who would usually take over ops) sat up front side by side, with a cargo area with removable and flip-down seats behind it. The fighter reminded Therese of a flying van on steroids. It had twin rotating main engines that could be opened outward to allow a large rear hatch to open for loading heavy modules. The side of the ship could be opened as doors and two of the main guns could swing out to door gunner chairs if needed. This allowed the ship to be a multipurpose fighter, bomber, troop carrier, cargo hauler, or even an ambulance depending on the mission at hand.

    ¡°Set your course for the Norved system, Michelle is there.¡± Space-Girl Rachel said into their commlink. Every Space-Girl wished that they were going with Therese, but every Space-Girl knew they would instantly fall victim to mind control, and then to the possessed Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°Acknowledged.¡± replied Therese, and adjusted the ship¡¯s heading and then approached infinite speed. Therese worked the controls like she had done it before, more than once, because all those hours watching Space-Girl Michelle episodes had paid off.

    ¡°I wish I was going with her.¡± Kara told the group, heartbroken at the thought of Therese facing this alone.

    ¡°We all do.¡± said Space-Girl Rachel, ¡°But we¡¯d just be more victims of mind control.¡± The Shadowbird might have stud a chance, but she had left the Space-Girls in exile and would be an even last resort beyond Therese who was brought in at Rem Monty¡¯s suggestion. Everyone prayed she would not fail.

 Therese Fights Space-Girl Michelle

    Therese flew the ship through space. ¡°Relax, it¡¯s not like you have never done this before.¡± She told herself. Therese disengaged the infinite drive and flew the shuttle in evasive maneuvers as she reached real space as a standard Space-Girl precaution, but no attack came. Therese checked her navigation panel to ensure she was at the Norved system, and she was.

    The planet read as a viable atmosphere, but it was isolated in a small star system. The coldness of space seemed to reach through the ship and into Therese, as she shivered. The dark cold space reminded Therese of eating lunch alone in the winter at school, she felt isolated and missed her friends.

    ¡°Hello Space-Girl, land so we can fight.¡± Space-Girl Michelle¡¯s voice came over the commlink. Therese¡¯s heart fluttered, he was about to meet her hero, and fight her. Space-Girl Michelle had the intention to destroy Therese.

    Therese wagged the wings of the shuttle, then landed it a short distance away from Space-Girl Michelle. Therese unbuckled her harness, activated battle armor mode with her ring, checked atmospheric conditions to ensure it was safe, and then left the shuttle. If Space-Girl Michelle wasn¡¯t about to try and kill her, Therese hoped she would be proud of how well she did, because this was going to hurt real bad no matter how good she did.

    ¡°Let¡¯s fight to the death.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle calmly to Therese as she climbed out. Therese climbed out and faced Michelle. Therese was inexperienced, but she was determined.

    Michelle charged Therese, and although Therese attempted to dodge the punch, she was hit, and went flying back, her body slammed into the side of a rocky hill, and her helmet shattered. Therese crumpled into the ground. The Space-Girl helmet could withstand a small cannon blast and Space-Girl Michelle had shattered it with a single punch. Therese spit blood out and stood up to face Michelle.

    ¡°You seem brave, but you lack the courage and strength to defeat Brainenock, we are one.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle, pointing to the blue mass on the sides of her head.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Therese said, doing her best to balance herself. Every bone in Therese¡¯s body was already aching, and she knew she¡¯d be dead without the Space-Girl armor.

    Space-Girl Michelle ran with great speed and kicked at Therese, but Therese had used her Space-Girl power to split herself into a multi vex of images. Eight Therese¡¯s scattered in different directions and Michelle kicked at them all. Finally one of the kicks connected with the real Therese, and Therese went flying through the air.

    Therese¡¯s power ring flashed in purple energy, attempting to shield her from the pain, but Therese still flew twenty yards and collapsed on the ground in even greater pain. Her vision blacked out for a second as a wave of pain shot through her body.

    Therese cried tears of pain as the pain radiated through her body. She attempted to rise on all her knees and collapsed. Therese cried, every breath hurt, but she refused to give up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you can¡¯t do better, but I hope you haven¡¯t given up. I love you.¡± Therese told Space-Girl Michelle. Therese spit out more blood, every breath felt like knives in her side as she crawled on the ground, but she was waiting for her opening.

    ¡°You know I¡¯m going to kill you now.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle, staring down Therese.

    ¡°I think you¡¯ll try, and I¡¯m sorry you are not having a better day.¡± Therese said, then she looked down and saw a gold glitter in the sand. Therese grabbed it, it was the locket with Peter and Anna, she took it, smiled, and put it in her pocket. Therese adjusted her ring and purple energy shot into her, healing some of her wounds. Therese carefully and deliberately stood.

    ¡°You are unusual, I can¡¯t control your mind.¡± said the possessed Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°If public school failed at that, I doubt you¡¯ll have much success either.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Very well.¡± Space-Girl Michelle replied, posturing herself in a fighting stance.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready to finish this.¡± said Therese, hoping she would get her opening sooner than later.

    ¡°Now is as good as anytime.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle, while jumping up in the air and attempting to kick Therese as she landed, but when she did, Therese had already moved in a blur, increasing her own speed. Therese pointed her Space-Girl ring and shot pure healing energy into the side of Space-Girl Michelle¡¯s head. The Space-Girl collapsed on the ground, withering in pain until the Brainenock separated itself from Space-Girl Michelle. Therese then focused the healing ray on the Brainenock until it dissolved into a burning puddle of goo.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Space-Girl Michelle rolled on the ground, gasping for air. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± she whispered to Therese. Space-Girl Michelle shook in convulsions, having mild seizures following her separation from Brainenock.

    Therese grinned her busted lip and bloody teeth back and focused the healing ray on Michelle. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯ll feel better in a few days.¡± Then Therese spit out blood and collapsed, but she kept her healing ray pointed at Space-Girl Michelle, reducing the convulsions, before turning it on herself.

    Eventually, the purple energy mended both their wounds and Space-Girl Michelle was able to slowly stand.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± asked Space-Girl Michelle, she looked up, saddened at the blood and wounds visible on the young Space-Girl. Michelle was in too much pain to recognize Therese. Her vision was cloudy from the Brainenock¡¯s mind control and her thoughts even cloudier.

    ¡°I¡¯m Therese, and I¡¯m one of your biggest fans.¡± The girl answered, and spit out more blood, still hurting to breathe.

    ¡°Thank you, Therese, how did you know the healing ray would work against the Brainenock?¡± asked Space-Girl Michelle, grateful to be freed from her mental abductor.

    ¡°You told me. True courage was all I would need, and kindness is true courage, this guy on my planet, Mr. Rogers, he was a real bad ass, he was so kind. So I treated the infection instead of killing you.¡± Therese told her.

    ¡°You knew Fred? I miss him every day.¡± Space-Girl Michelle asked, stunned by this new girl Therese who just saved her and the galaxy from herself.

    ¡°No, but he helped me a lot when I was a kid.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Please forgive me, I¡¯m sorry, I wasn¡¯t in control when I attacked you.¡± Space-Girl Michelle said, extending her hand. Therese was in painful disbelief she was shaking hands with her hero.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ve been there.¡± said Therese, and spit some more blood on the dirt.

    ¡°I am so sorry.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°When Space-Girl forgives, she forgives.¡± said Therese, ending the apologies. Michelle nodded.

    ¡°Can you fly us back, I really think I am going to need a nap, that thing drained my brain.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle, collapsing on her back.

    ¡°I¡¯d be honored.¡± said Therese, helping Space-Girl Michelle stand, walk to the ship and climb into a chair. As soon as she was strapped in, Space-Girl Michelle fell asleep. Therese engaged the start-up sequence and flew them back to the Space-Girl base where more powerful healing would be possible, and rested a little herself once they reached infinite speed.

    ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough for saving me and the Galaxy, Space-Girl Therese.¡± Space-Girl Michelle told Therese in the hall of valor. Colored banners flew for each of the bravest Space-Girls, and a new purple one that said Therese in bold letters had been added. The sides of the hall echoed the banners of hundreds of free worlds. The other Space-Girls clapped their hands and cheered. Therese grinned a full grin ear to ear for a few seconds longer this time.

    ¡°You are welcome.¡± said Therese, still smiling. Kara grinned back, seeing Therese smile like that again was her only wish.

    ¡°I have your reward.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°Honor is a Space-girl¡¯s greatest reward.¡± said Therese, standing tall in her Space-girl uniform. She was already best friends with Kara again and ad a great boyfriend, there was not much else to want in the universe than honor.

    ¡°Yes, but courage is honored too, I have two gifts, you¡¯ll understand.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle, taking a Space-Girl ring out of one of her pockets and handing it to Kara. ¡°Put it on.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle. Kara put the ring on her finger, was surrounded with a flash of bright light and was then standing there in her own Space-Girl uniform. ¡°Space-Girl Kara.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°To all who shall see these presents, greeting: Know Ye that, reposing special trust and confidence in the patriotism, valor, fidelity and abilities of Space-Girl Therese, she is meritoriously promoted to the rank of Senior Space-Girl for her courage and kindness in saving the galaxy.¡± Space-Girl Michelle read a warrant, and a red stripe appeared on the shoulder armor of Therese. All the Space-Girls cheered in agreement.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got to ask, are there any Space-Boys?¡± Kara asked Michelle.

    ¡°A few, they tend to die faster than us over stupid stuff, and most of the others join the Space Marines anyways, they like the dress uniforms and energy swords.¡± answered Michelle.

    ¡°Just always wondered.¡± said Kara, with Therese nodding in agreement.

    ¡°Space-Girl Kara, I put you and Space-Girl Therese in charge of planet Earth. Take charge and protect the sector. Second gift, Space-Girl Therese, look at this.¡± Space-Girl Michelle finished holding a device and pointing it at Therese, who was surrounded in a green light as she stared forward. Michelle held a golden electronic box that allowed her to traverse time and space, whether in her consciousness or her entire body. The device was rare in the universe, powered by miniature stars and coveted by all their enemies.

    ¡°What was that?¡± asked Kara. All she could see was a green energy field develop between Therese and the box.

    ¡°Infinite possibilities in the timeline. I have been given the option to return to any point in my life with my consciousness now, but there will be effects. I have chosen when I will merge with me.¡± Therese told Kara and Michelle.

    ¡°Does this mean, we can not have you fall out of the tree?¡± Kara asked, about her life¡¯s biggest regret.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve told you before, that timeline is terrible, our friendship falls apart over petty bullshit and worse, the galaxy is conquered and destroyed. I¡¯d rather suffer the voices.¡± said Therese to Kara.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, you did tell me that, you knew then.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°I did. Just trust me, you won¡¯t know then, you¡¯ll only know what affects you, but it¡¯s all I wished for.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°You have chosen wisely, Space-Girl.¡± said Michelle, sending Therese back in time into her own consciousness. Therese felt like a sack of potatoes hitting the ground as she smashed into her past self.

 Back Then, Again

    Therese was back in the Cowffee Cup.

    ¡°Kara, wait.¡± Therese told her. Then Therese went behind the counter and made her favorite drink, the one Erin first made for her. Therese still liked the smell of it and savored the aroma. She put a lid on it, and walked over and gave it to her.

    ¡°What you do hurts me because we are friends.¡± said Therese, handing Kara the cup. Kara teared up at Therese¡¯s choice of ¡°are¡± instead of ¡°were¡±.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, it is free.¡± Therese told her as she handed Kara the drink. Therese remembered being friends with Kara when they were little. They were good friends, but they changed in different ways and as the years passed, they had changed apart. ¡°Try it, but be careful it¡¯s hot.¡± Therese prompted her.

    Kara sipped the drink, it was amazing. ¡°How much do I owe you?¡± asked Kara.

    Therese pointed at Kara¡¯s eye, and looked over at Erin, who nodded back. ¡°Call it even, on everything?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Yes, please.¡± said Kara, fighting her tears and running out of the shop as fast as she could without spilling her hot drink on her.

    ¡°Wait!¡± said Therese. Kara stopped. ¡°I really would like it if you came over for breakfast tomorrow, just come over, early, like seven AM.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to. Space-Girl Breakfast?¡± asked Kara, referring to how they used to eat breakfast and watch Space-Girl Michelle on TV.

    ¡°Best breakfasts ever.¡± said Kara at the same time as Therese, as she turned and started running out the door. Therese smiled her faint flat grin, but the corner of her mouth was a giant grin to those who knew her best.

    ¡°We¡¯re right here where we belong.¡± said the voices to Therese as she stood watching Kara leave to hide her own crying.

    ¡°Hammer that steel.¡± Therese told the voices. Then tears ran down Therese¡¯s face, it was going to suck getting shot again, but then a small smile crept out the corner of her flat expression, she remembered she was going to have her first time with Peter again.

    The green lights faded around Therese, and she turned and smiled at Kara. ¡°So we¡¯re in the now.¡± said Space-Girl Therese.

    The timeline shifts unfurled, but Kara noticed the changes in the now, even though she never knew in the then, because now her Space-Girl ring shielded her.

    ¡°You could change anything in your life, and you used it to have me at your birthday party?¡± Space-Girl Kara asked Space-Girl Therese.

    ¡°I think it was a great choice.¡± Said Space-Girl Michelle, ¡°let¡¯s get you guys back to earth, there is a hangar in an old warehouse in the middle of the desert, your coordinates are there, just take the secret tunnel to the Cowffee shop. Have fun, and be Space-Girls. And don¡¯t forget to say your prayers, it is a big Galaxy, and you¡¯ll need as much help from God as you can get!¡± Michelle tossed a set of spaceship keys to both Therese and Kara, then the two girls saluted and ran to the hangar. Space-Girl Michelle smiled, she was proud of the new recruits.

    Space-Girl Michelle then turned and look at Rem Monty and said, ¡°Did we tell Therese her parents are androids?¡±

    ¡°Oh no, the Rabbits like things just how they are.¡± said Rem Monty.

    ¡°Do you want ops or conn?¡± Therese asked Kara.

    ¡°Let me take ops. So what happens next?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I didn¡¯t see all the future, just the timeline until the then.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Then wait, didn¡¯t you have Ed and Buck watch Space-Girl Michelle on TV?¡± Kara asked, puzzled.

    ¡°I did. Space-Girl Michelle always went alone, but we¡¯re different, we have our own family, and we have a team. Michelle knew this, she put these in my jacket pocket.¡± said Therese, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a bag of Space Rings.

    ¡°We have an overwatch.¡± said Kara, and saw Therese was puzzled by that term. ¡°When Ben and I went in, he had Buck and Ed cover us with a sniper rifle, he called it an overwatch.¡±

    ¡°I like that, Let¡¯s go home and meet Space-Boy Vivo and Space Sailors Buck and Ed.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°No Ben?¡± Kara asked, a little bummed.

    ¡°Not yet, that¡¯s for the Space Agency to decide, but Michelle gave me these, I was told this in the timeline light, but nothing else.¡± Therese said.

    ¡°I¡¯m powering up the engineering cells, environmental controls active, seals intact, you have full power.¡± said Kara, as easily as if she had flown a spaceship for years.

    ¡°Next stop, earth.¡± said Therese, lifting the ship, angling out the shuttle bay, and flying straight on until she reached infinite speed. The two girls smiled as stars turned to blurs. Kara sat silently and amazed at the sights. Therese grinned boldly.

    As the ship decelerated, Kara activated the cloaking system, and Therese flew the ship in evasive maneuvers to avoid a possible ambush as they emerged from infinite speed. No ambush waited for them. ¡°That¡¯s home.¡± said Kara, looking down at the earth.

    ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want to take her down?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°No, I want to enjoy the view.¡± said Kara, checking the instrument panels. Therese angled the ship for the old warehouse indicated on their homing beacon outside their city. ¡°That¡¯s got to be it.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°The roof registers as a hologram.¡± said Therese, angling the ship and landing through the roof of the warehouse. An energy shield opened and allowed the ship to easily pass through, and Therese carefully and deliberately parked the ship, then the girls turned off the controls.

    ¡°Do you think we should take our Space-Girl uniforms off?¡± asked Kara, not wanting to, but acknowledging the need for discretion.

    ¡°Yeah, at least for now.¡± said Therese.

    Both girls turned the signet on their rings and a flash of light flew from themselves to their rings, taking their space-girl uniforms with them.

    ¡°Michelle said there is a tunnel, I guess we had better find it, but where?¡± asked Therese.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°Probably under that elevator.¡± Kara suggested pointing at an elevator against the wall. Therese shrugged, they walked over to the elevator.

    ¡°Welcome Space-Girl Therese and Space-Girl Kara.¡± an electronic voice said as the elevator opened. The two girls stepped inside and the elevator lowered them. When the doors opened, the two girls walked into a Space-Girl outpost command center. There was a brand-new espresso machine on the table with a bow and a card on it. The two girls walked over and Therese opened the card.

    ¡°I hope you two Space-Girls find this stimulating, love Michelle.¡± read the note.

    Therese raised an eyebrow and Kara and said. ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be very stimulating.¡± said Therese, hoisting a bag of space issue coffee that was on the table. ¡°But first, I want to kiss my boyfriend.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°And I want my Ben to do whatever he will do.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Yo, Kara.¡± said Therese, mocking Ben. Kara laughed hard. The two girls instinctively walked over to a door on the wall. Two chairs slid out from the wall, and Therese and Kara sat down, and the chairs accelerated rapidly, with energy shields appearing around them to avoid the wind resistance of their rapid speed.

    ¡°I guess this is how we get home.¡± said Kara, as they flew forward until the chairs slowed, and then stopped. The girls walked to another door, and opened it, and found themselves in a dark but lit underground room. There was a yellow square area, and the girls walked into it, then the floor shifted and they raised into the air and stopped. A regular door was in front of them. The girls opened it and stepped out to find themselves in Erin¡¯s seldom used office in the back of the Cowffee cup. The girls walked out, and into the Cowffee Cup.

    Erin looked over and saw the girls standing there in the Cowffee Cup, then she ran and grabbed them and gave them a hug. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you girls are back.¡± said Erin as she squeezed and hugged both of them. ¡°Ben!, Vivo! Peter close your shop and get over here!¡± yelled Erin.

    The guys came running from the other shop, with Vivo hoisting Ana. Therese ran, and shoved Peter against the wall and kissed him. Ana clapped, Vivo grinned ear to ear.

    ¡°Yo, Kara!¡± said Ben. Kara glared at him, then ran over and kissed Ben.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry we had to go, I can explain.¡± said Kara to Ben.

    Ben pulled out a note from his pocket and handed it to Kara, who read it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Ben, we¡¯ll be home soon, we have to go save the galaxy. Please bring some pain rub, I am going to get beat down hard but I¡¯ll be okay. Love, Therese.¡± said the note.

    Ben grinned, and reached into his other pocket, pulled out a tube of muscle rub and said, ¡°Yo, Therese.¡±

    Therese turned and caught the tube of muscle rub and said to Peter, ¡°I hurt all over, if only I had someone to rub this on me.¡±

    ¡°Can you please babysit tonight?¡± Peter asked Erin.

    ¡°I can, I¡¯ll be glad to have Ana stay over with her little cousin.¡± said Erin, rubbing her belly.

    ¡°No fucking way.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Your baby will be perfect.¡± said Therese, turning and taking a big hug from Erin. Therese grinned at Erin, who broke into tears of happiness as she saw a bold ear-to-ear grin on Therese¡¯s face.

    ¡°You¡¯re really smiling, all the way. Ben told me about the implant.¡± said Erin in pleased disbelief, her smile seemed at least a little brighter, and maybe the Space-Girl ring helped a little too. Therese smiled better without the implant buzzing her brain and the medications flattening her affect, but the voices were already working their way back up as the medication wore off.

    ¡°Thank you so much for everything.¡± said Therese, burrowing her face into Erin¡¯s shoulder and crying. The two girls stood there and held each other. ¡°Call Ed and Buck, tell them to meet here tomorrow, it¡¯s Sunday tomorrow, right?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Yes, tomorrow is Sunday.¡± said Erin, still endlessly pleased to have the girls back.

    ¡°We¡¯ll meet here then, and then we¡¯ll explain it all, but right now, I need to hold my daughter.¡± said Therese, taking Ana from Vivo and holding her. Ana laughed and giggled as she never laughed before as she saw Therese¡¯s bold smile. Therese spun her and Ana giggled more. Then Therese hugged Ana like she never wanted to let her go, and the little girl hugged right back.

    The cowbell on the door jingled as customers came in, it was about to start getting busy. Therese took Ana and handed her to Vivo. ¡°I need to wash my hands and get to work, but I¡¯ll be back.¡± Therese told the little girl.

    ¡°A Space-Girl never forgets who she is.¡± said Vivo, impressed at how quickly Therese was jumping into help Erin at the store.

    ¡°Shh.¡± said Therese, handing Vivo a ring from her pocket. ¡°Don¡¯t turn it on yet, not here.¡± Therese explained.

    Without loosening his support of Ana, Vivo slid the ring on his finger and blue light flickered with an arriving awareness in his eyes. ¡°This is real, I¡¯m a Space-Boy.¡± said Vivo.

    ¡°You were always a Space-Boy, now you have the ring. Shh.¡± Therese hushed Vivo as she went and washed her hands and started making drinks.

    ¡°Space-Boy, I missed you.¡± said Erin, smiling at Vivo. He grinned, still in disbelief, back.

    ¡°How did you know?¡± Vivo asked Erin.

    ¡°I¡¯m retired, I gave up the life after I lost my sister, but I guess in a way, I was always where I needed to be, but damn, I hate those training films, don¡¯t expect me to watch them with you.¡± said Erin, rotating the band on her finger so the signet was revealed when she rubbed it.

    ¡°I just couldn¡¯t do it anymore.¡± explained Erin, because leaving the Space-Girls was the easiest decision she had ever made.

    ¡°But we all got shot?¡± said Vivo, wondering why Erin didn¡¯t stop the intruders.

    ¡°Yah, they got a lucky drop on me, I¡¯m out of practice. I¡¯m sorry, just remember that, even with all that power, the people you love the most are still vulnerable.¡± said Erin remorsefully. Despite all the amazing things she had ever done as a Space-Girl, she found her time at the Cowffee Cup the most rewarding and her best way to make a difference in the world.

    ¡°That¡¯s okay, we¡¯re all okay, maybe that¡¯s what really needed to happen.¡± Vivo said, kissing Erin. Ana cheered and gave Erin kisses on her cheeks too.

    ¡°Just remind the girls, they¡¯re not invulnerable and their real problems in life that sneak up on them in the middle of the night aren¡¯t cyborg gophers.¡± said Erin, kissing Vivo back.

    Therese was glad when the evening ended, and Peter gave her a ride back to his house. Therese still hurt when she breathed, in a way she wished she stayed for a complete healing cycle at headquarters, but she missed Peter too much. Peter had to help Therese out of the car, and up the stairs, and to the bedroom.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to look ugly for you, I am sorry.¡± said Therese as she removed her clothes.

    Peter fell to his knee next to her when he saw her beautiful body covered in bruises, cuts and scabs. ¡°What happened?¡± asked Peter, she didn¡¯t look this bad after she was shot.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay, but I need you to believe me, I am a real Space-Girl now. I had to fight the real Space Michelle because she was possessed and she almost killed me twice.¡± Therese told Peter.

    Peter shook his head, it couldn¡¯t be real.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a passive victim of my illness anymore. It doesn¡¯t control me, this is real. It really happened.¡± said Therese, activating her ring and having her Space-Girl armor appear on her body. ¡°Feel the Armor, this is real.¡± said Therese, taking Peter¡¯s hand and having him press against her Space-Girl suit to feel it, then Therese deactivated the ring and the armor disappeared.

    Therese took Peter¡¯s hand and pressed it against her arm on a giant gouge. ¡°This is real too. I could have stayed and healed more, but I missed you.¡± said Therese, taking the pain rub and handing it to Peter. ¡°Rub this on my back please, my armor cracked a boulder over my back.¡± said Therese as she turned and lay face first, remembering the first time Peter rubbed her back until she fell asleep again. She decided to not take her medications, the voices were weak and she convinced herself they were leaving.

    In the morning, Peter awoke first and let Therese sleep, and sleep and sleep until twelve hours had passed. Therese awoke slowly, the ring had done its best to help her heal in her sleep and she felt a lot better. She looked over and saw Peter left her a cup of coffee on the nightstand, so she carefully took it and began drinking. Therese loved Peter, and she loved coffee. ¡°I am so glad to be home.¡± said Therese to herself.

    ¡°Thank you, I love you.¡± said Therese to Peter as she walked into the kitchen.

    ¡°I love you.¡± said Peter, kissing Therese, and then he took her breakfast out of the microwave where he reheated it and put it on the table in front of her.

    ¡°We really should be going to church, but do you think it is OK if we wait until next week?¡± Therese asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure, we¡¯ll keep the Padre¡¯s blessing missing a day here and there.¡± Peter said, taking his own cup of coffee and sitting across from her.

    ¡°So like, you fly through outer space and stuff?¡± asked Peter, both amazed and worried he would lose Therese.

    ¡°I fly through outer space to come home to you. I¡¯ll take you some time, not for a mission, both parents of kids aren¡¯t allowed on missions, but for fun we can go all the time.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I can¡¯t go on missions with you?¡± Peter asked, saddened he would not be able to even try to protect Therese.

    ¡°The missions can be dangerous. Once a child was made an orphan by both parents being on the same mission and they never want that to happen again. That¡¯s all I know, you, Ben and Erin will have to stay back when things happen, I¡¯m sorry, but Ana needs you.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I was the luckiest guy in the world when I first saw you, and I am the luckiest guy now.¡± said Peter truthfully.

 The Gophers Attack Earth Team

    After breakfast, Therese showered and dressed, then she and Peter drove to the Cowffee Cup. Everyone was waiting for them when they arrived. Buck and Ed both stood from the table as Therese approached.

    ¡°I kind of filled everyone in.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°I am glad you are safe.¡± said Buck, standing and taking a hug from Buck.

    ¡°I am grateful too.¡± said Ed Shank, taking the next hug.

    ¡°I have something for each of you.¡± said Therese, handing both Buck and Ed a power ring.

    ¡°This is amazing, I feel twenty younger.¡± said Ed as he put his ring on and his eyes flashed in awareness he was now a Space Sailor. His muscles felt years stronger even without activating it.

    ¡°I feel twenty years younger too, I still feel old as dirt.¡± said Buck, putting his ring on and receiving awareness he was now a Space Sailor. Therese and Ed laughed at Buck¡¯s joke, even if it was somewhat true.

    ¡°Erin, I don¡¯t know how to tell you this, but there is a tunnel from your office to a spaceship hangar.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°I know, I used to use it.¡± said Erin, rubbing her Space-Girl ring. ¡°I¡¯m retired, but here for advice, and I¡¯m not doing missions when I¡¯m pregnant, so stay out of trouble.¡±

    ¡°Shit, for reals, this whole time?¡± asked Kara, then remembering Therese had her put the ring on Vivo when he was dying. ¡°That ring, that saved Vivo¡¯s life?¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Yes, but remember, I went down and I couldn¡¯t save anybody, again. Your power isn¡¯t limitless, you are vulnerable, and the people you love are more vulnerable.¡± said Erin, referring to everyone being beaten or shot, and the loss of her own sister.

    All the power rings began vibrating subtly, Therese reached hers first and activated it once, the ring blinked purple to confirm, then Therese activated it again so it could read the message.

    - a voice said from the Ring. Everyone else did as Therese did and ¡°Space-Girl, Space-Girl Alert, Gopher King Attacking Washington DC¡± echoed through the office.

    ¡°Follow me to my office, you all will need to know how to access this, and quick.¡± said Erin, and they walked into her office.

    Erin pressed a nail hanging in the wall and said ¡°Elevator please.¡±, several tiles lit up, and she grabbed Vivo and pulled him into the now empty closet, and then they started moving down. ¡°Two at a time.¡± said Erin to the group as they descended.

    ¡°You¡¯ve had a secret lair and held off from me for years.¡± Vivo told Erin as they stepped off the elevator, and it went back up.

    ¡°You can still be the first person to kiss me in my secret lair.¡± said Erin, grabbing Vivo and kissing him before the group came. Vivo liked that idea. ¡°Space Boy, you make my heart sing.¡± Erin teased him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± said Vivo.

    You¡¯d better, I¡¯m not going to lose you again.¡± said Erin, but her meaning was lost on Vivo.

    ¡°I am so glad she doesn¡¯t have a fireman¡¯s pole instead of an elevator.¡± said Ed to Buck as the elevator lowered.

    Ain¡¯t that the truth.¡± agreed Buck.

    The two older men stepped off the platform in their Space Sailor uniforms. ¡°You need a bigger elevator.¡± Ben told Erin.

    ¡°Probably, it used to just be me and for a while, another.¡± said Erin, still relieved her days as a protector of the galaxy were behind her. Kara and Ben came next and then finally Therese and Peter descended the elevator.

    ¡°Hello Space-Girl Captain Erin, Welcome Back.¡± The computer told Erin as she approached the tunnel.

    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯m retired.¡± Erin told the computer.

    Two chairs slid out of the wall, then Erin and Vivo sat on them, and rapidly accelerated down the tunnel. Each group did the same, and soon enough they were all in the Space-Girl command center.

    ¡°I know how all this stuff works.¡± said Vivo amazed, as he turned on the monitors to the alert in Washington DC. Several news stations also soon showed coverage.

    ¡°And I know how to open this vault.¡± Ed Shank said, opening a wall locker and grabbing power rifles for Buck and himself. Each energy weapon was equipped with stabilizers and variable-powered optics. They were slightly bulky, of moderate weight, and balanced perfectly.

    ¡°This is just like the one Space-Girl Michelle used to fight the lizard vultures of Omac.¡± said Buck, hoisting the rifle and feeling its balance.

    ¡°I am so proud of you guys for watching the training films.¡± Therese told the two older men.

    ¡°I figured that¡¯s what they were when they were as bad as the OSHA videos they made us watch at work.¡± said Ed.

    Peter was still amazed and taking it all in. Therese handed Peter and Ben each a power pistol. ¡°You guys need to practice, so keep it on stun, but we can¡¯t let anyone ever get the drop on us again.¡± Therese added. Ben and Peter nodded. Ben liked the pistol, it was lighter than his 1911 and he had the feeling it could do more damage.

    Therese walked out in the hangar and was surprised to see David, a guy she knew from childhood working on the spaceship. ¡°Diggie?¡± she asked him.

    David looked and casually said, ¡°Hi Therese, yes I know there is an alert, but give a minute, I am almost done.¡±

    ¡°I mean, you maintain the spaceship?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°It¡¯s a job.¡± said David finishing his adjustments and shutting the panels, and bolting them tightly down.

    ¡°How long have you done this?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Remember our freshman year when I was like Hey Therese, I got a job fixing space ships?¡± said David, going around and checking the ship.

    ¡°I thought you were messing with me because of my Space-Girl Michelle lunchbox.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Nope, got the job, although it mostly sat here all those years, except, you know inspection flights. She¡¯s ready.¡± said David, wiping his hands on his work pants.

    ¡°Hi Diggie.¡± said Kara as she walked into the hangar.

    ¡°Hi Kara.¡± said David back.

    ¡°You knew he fixed spaceships?¡± Therese asked Kara.

    ¡°Well yeah, but just not ours, he told me something about it in ninth grade. I didn¡¯t really pay attention though.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Wait, just wait, this is my ship, you Space-Girls just borrow it, so try to take care of it, don¡¯t drive it like you are going to lunch with Lee and Elijah.¡± David told the two girls.

    ¡°Lee?¡± Therese asked puzzled.

    ¡°Yeah, your lab partner in chemistry the entire past year, he left with Elijah, tall guy, shoes covered in river sand.¡± David told Therese.

    ¡°I thought his name was Benjamin.¡± Therese said puzzled.

    ¡°We called him Binge or Binger like binge drinking a few times, but this actually totally explains a lot.¡± David said, nodding his head. David remained convinced women did not usually make sense, although he had always had a soft spot for Therese since they were younger. Kara was a perpetual annoyance to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was really messed up then, oh my, when you see him, let him know I¡¯m sorry.¡± said Therese, wishing high school would be behind her one day.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK, after a while, he never had the heart to tell you, so he went with it, he thought you might be going through something. Besides, I heard you died or something?¡± asked David.

    ¡°Yah I did, it¡¯s complicated.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°You sound like Lee now too.¡± said David, walking away. ¡°I¡¯m going to go get lunch because I¡¯ll probably be up all night fixing her after your mission.¡± said David to the girls as he left the hangar and went to his truck.

    ¡°Seriously, did you all know I was calling him by the wrong name all year?¡± Therese asked Kara and Peter who were standing next to her.

    ¡°Mm yeah.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°Totally.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°High School is over, Washington DC is being attacked.¡± Erin reminded the two girls. Ed and Buck came into the hangar carrying their rifles.

    ¡°I need you to stay here as our reserve in case this is a diversion. If something else happens, take the Space Bike and we¡¯ll figure it out.¡± said Therese to Vivo, who hunched his shoulders, he wanted to be on the mission too and was sad.

    ¡°Remember the Battle of Wolf Seventeen?¡± Kara asked Vivo.

    ¡°Yes, the Space-Girls were overwhelmed, they would have lost if Space-Girl Rachel didn¡¯t come in and save the day, I guess she was probably sad to be on backup duty too.¡± Vivo said, felling a little better.

    ¡°But she did save the galaxy.¡± said Therese, slapping Vivo on the shoulder.

    ¡°Hot dog, we get to ride in that.¡± Buck said to Ed.

    ¡°Beats driving to DC¡± said Ed. Buck nodded in agreement, they were tired of car trips. The two girls ran to the ship, Kara taking the conn and Therese grabbing the ops station. Buck and Ed strapped themselves in to their seats. The ship rocked and bumped as Kara started trying to raise it before they were ready.

    ¡°Kara, have you ever flown a spaceship before?¡± asked Ed.

    ¡°No, but I¡¯ve seen all the videos.¡± replied Kara. Ed and Buck looked up at each other and tightened their harnesses.

    ¡°I mean really, he should have told me his name wasn¡¯t Benjamin, or the voices could have, they were dicks, it was like an asshole convention in my head, but I think they told me, if they were right about that, what else are the voices right about?¡± said Therese, trying to explain her actions, but panicking at the thought of the voices being right.

    ¡°Honey, the voices are gone, and you are here, and you are the Space-Girl we need.¡± said Buck, calming Therese. She didn¡¯t argue, Therese was afraid to mention the residuals because she liked being off her medications. It felt free.

    ¡°Fuck those asshole voices.¡± said Ed Shank, angry at all the suffering Therese had experienced, especially what the voices had suffered her in front of him.

    ¡°Seriously, Therese, we are on our first mission, let¡¯s focus on that.¡± Kara said, finally gaining control of the ship and passing through the hologram roof as Therese maintained the cloaking field.

    ¡°No, you know who should have told me, Elijah should have told me, they went to boot camp together, he should have told me, I bet he is still laughing about it all summer.¡± said Therese.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Yeah, actually, that is something he would do, he probably even encouraged it.¡± agreed Kara.

    ¡°Okay, so after we do this save Washington DC thing, I am going to get back at him. This isn¡¯t over.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go supersonic.¡± said Kara punching the throttle and slamming everyone back in their seats as she watched them near six times the speed of sound.

    ¡°Okay guys, plan time. We¡¯ve kind of never done this before.¡± said Therese, even if she was in charge, she wasn¡¯t above admitting she didn¡¯t know what she was doing.

    ¡°Drop us off on top of the Washington Monument, if our grapple boots work as good as they do on TV, we should be able to cover your from there, I think these things have an auto camouflage system.¡± said Ed.

    They do, you just have to tap the ring twice and twist it. Space-Girl Michelle did it when she was hiding from the beast of Zango.¡± said Buck. Therese laughed, when Buck first came into the Cowfee Cup, he was the last one she ever thought would be discussing Space-Girl Michelle, and especially with Mr. Shank.

    Kara slowed the ship as they neared Washington DC, and Therese continued to maintain the cloaking field. Kara carefully guided the ship to the top of the Washington Monument and dropped Ed and Buck off.

    The girls saw the Gopher King Army below and a large drop ship above Washington DC. ¡°I think we should run their ship off first to prevent reinforcements.¡± said Therese, and Kara agreed. The girls watched as countless fighter jets attacked the large spaceship, but were simply blasted out of the sky.

    The monstrous Gopher ship was almost completely immune to conventional earth weapons. Its thick armor could deflect conventional weapons while the defense weapons could shoot normal fighters out of the sky before they even entered weapons range. The Space-Girl fighters were shielded and faster than anything the United States had, and the fact the monstrous ship was relatively stationary would allow a cloaked attack by the Space-Girls who could use manual tracking on it with ease.

    ¡°Maintain evasive maneuvers as I target their weapon systems, I don¡¯t want to destroy them over a populated area, but I need to run them off.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Ready, and entering missile distance.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Wait, one thing, we need to activate Rock and Roll soundtrack Alpha.¡± said Therese, almost forgetting to turn the music on. Therese shook her head, not playing your favorite soundtrack in battle was like letting the Motons win without firing a shot, and she was embarrassed she forgot to turn the tunes on.

    Kara pressed a button and rock music began blaring out the high-powered speaker systems as Therese disengaged the cloak to activate guided weapon targeting. Kara flew quickly and dodged the targeting efforts of the Gopher King¡¯s ship. Missile after missile was fired by Therese, each hitting their targets and destroying the weapons of the Gopher King¡¯s assault ship until at last, it turned and ran.

    ¡°There, they are concentrating at the White House, we need to land, there are too many police and secret service on the ground fighting the gophers to hit them from here.¡± said Therese. The girls could see the valiant but losing effort on the ground as the Gophers advanced, even without their support ship. Each cyborg gopher was giant, at least eight feet tall, and destroyed their position.

    ¡°Set armor for jump mode.¡± said Kara, as each girl adjusted their ring which adjusted their armor giving them flared capes on their sides to slow their descent and their leg stabilizers increased.

    ¡°Auto pilot enabled.¡± said Kara as she ran to the back hatch and jumped, with Therese following. The two girls sailed to the earth, each landing with a kick into a cyborg gopher, smashing the cyborg rodents lifeless into the ground.

    ¡°Somewhere there is a redneck coming here to make the biggest pot of gopher stew they ever had.¡± said Kara, wiping gopher brains off her boot. Both girls returned their suits to combat mode. The Space-Girls pulled out their power pistols, set them to destroy and began fighting a winning effort to defeat the cyborg gophers. The Gophers began retreating until they surrounded their king. Therese and Kara took cover before an overturned armored vehicle to catch their breath.

    ¡°This seems too easy, I think it is a trap.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I was thinking the same thing.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Only one way we¡¯ll know.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m the reckless one here.¡± said Kara, doing a flip over the armored vehicle and blasting gophers to pieces as she flipped through the air. Therese used her strength boost to throw the armored car underneath Kara while she was at her highest and knock out an entire flank of gophers, then she pulled her pistol and fired and dodged with Kara as she fired at the gophers. The air cracked and sizzled as the Space-Girls shot energy beams from their pistols. Therese¡¯s body ached all over from using her Space-Girl strength and she planned to tone it down in the future.

    ¡°I surrender. Arrest me.¡± Shouted the Gopher King, twenty feet tall, raising his arms. He was a monster of robot parts and fur.

    ¡°Total trap.¡± Kara told Therese as they advanced to arrest the Gopher King.

    Without announcement, four heavily armored gophers burrowed up from the earth. The girls fired but their pistols were ineffective, the heavy armor shielded the giant gophers. The energy beams ignited the air, but the armor itself was too strong.

    ¡°Surrender, and I will own you as my slaves, but you will live.¡± said The Gopher King.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be an asshole. You can¡¯t own people.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°And you can¡¯t defeat my shock troopers with those pistols.¡± said The Gopher King.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± said Therese, holstering her now useless pistol.

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, surrender.¡± The Gopher King told the girls.

    Giant energy beams split the shock troopers into pieces. The air cracked like lightning, and thunder echoed as the distortion of the air around the beam collapsed in a sonic boom. The Gopher king looked up at the top of the Washington monument, he saw the beams come from there, but could not see the shooters. Therese pulled out her pistol and fired several shots into the Gopher King, and he split into a shower of sparks as one of the rifles hit him.

    ¡°Fuck. Robot substitute, he was just testing us.¡± said Kara, firing several more shots into the robot because she was angry. The robot substitute was a common ploy of the Gopher King, allowing him to always confuse the Space-Girls if he was really somewhere or not. Space-Girl Michelle longed to pin him down and destroy him.

    ¡°Or he didn¡¯t think earth needed his efforts, but he¡¯ll be back.¡± Therese said as she watched the Gopher King¡¯s ship leave the atmosphere. Crowds of police and Secret Service filled the area, searching for a possible gopher that might be hiding. The officers gave the Space-Girls a wide birth as they strolled through the common area, no one could believe that real Space-Girls had flown in on a spaceship and saved the country from cyborg gophers from outer space.

    ¡°Seriously, I can¡¯t believe everyone let me call him by the wrong name, all year, and here I thought he was like oblivious to everything I had gone through, but no, I had to be an even bigger idiot.¡± said Therese, kicking a cyborg gophers head to the side. It bounced through the now silent battlefield.

    ¡°If it bothered him, he probably would have said something, he probably just thought it was a nickname like Nitro or Turbo. Elijah was just treating you like he would anyone else. He¡¯s a funny pranker to everyone.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Hey, officer?¡± Therese called to a cop who came running over, thankful that the space-girls had saved the lives of him and his squad.

    ¡°Thank you for saving us.¡± said the cop to the Space-Girls, amazed by their flowing armor, helmets and energy pistols that chopped up his invincible enemy.

    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± Therese asked the officer.

    ¡°Oh no.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°If you knew someone was calling someone by the wrong name, for like an entire year, would you tell them?¡± asked Space-Girl Therese.

    ¡°Well, um, I¡¯m the wrong guy to ask, see we had this new rookie, and we had this Sergeant Cackloover, and well, um, we kind of convinced him the Sergeant¡¯s name was a little different, if you catch my drift, and had him calling our boss something really bad the whole time he was on probation. But we also had the Sergeant convinced the rookie couldn¡¯t say certain words right, so yah, I¡¯m a bad guy to ask that.¡± The police officer told the Space-Girls.

    ¡°See, I told you, he¡¯s an ass, I love him, but he¡¯s an ass.¡± Therese told Kara.

    ¡°So, are you girls like aliens.?¡± The officer asked the Space-Girls.

    ¡°We¡¯re Space-Girls, we like, uh, keep the galaxy safer and stuff.¡± said Kara. She wasn¡¯t sure how to explain any of it.

    ¡°I think my kid watches a show about you guys, but darn, it is just awful to watch.¡± said the officer. The two Space-Girls shrugged, they were used to being rare in their appreciation for the Space-Girl Michelle television show.

    Soon more officers arrived and a crowd of police surrounded the Space-Girls.

    ¡°Fuck, it¡¯s the police.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Sorry, present company excluded?¡± Therese apologized to the officer they were talking with.

    ¡°No offense taken.¡± said the officer, smiling at the Space-Girls.

    The President of the United States walked through the crowd to the Space-Girls. ¡°It really is Space-Girls, welcome to Earth, thank you for saving our planet.¡± said the President. Therese looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders, and decided to go with it. Today they would be aliens.

    ¡°Hi, yeah, maybe so, we heard you have this food called tacos?¡± said Kara, causing Therese to giggle. It was well known on the Space-Girl Michelle show that she loved a food just like tacos after saving the galaxy.

    ¡°Is there any way we can thank you?¡± The President asked the Space-Girls.

    ¡°We don¡¯t take rewards, but there is a little favor?¡± Therese asked the President.

    ¡°Anything, America owes you.¡± said the President.

    ¡°Okay, but it¡¯s a little embarrassing, can I just whisper it to you, and you write it down?¡± Therese asked the President.

    ¡°Sure.¡± said the President taking a notepad and pen from an aide. Therese whispered her request in the President¡¯s ear and made sure everything was written down correctly.

    ¡°And you promise not to tell anyone else?¡± Therese asked the President.

    ¡°Normally, I¡¯d tell you to never trust a politician, but with this, I swear to you, I will do everything in my power to make it happen, and how do you say keep it on the down low?¡± said the President.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± said Therese. She didn¡¯t trust the government at all, but her feelings could be set aside for this request. She walked over, cracked her helmet visor, and whispered her request to the President who wrote it down. The Secret Service stood nervously but accepted the fact that they stood no chance if the Space-Girls were enemies. A wayward Space-Girl had defeated the secret service in the nineteen-eighties thinking the secret service were actually bad guys trying to abduct Reagan, and they never wanted another incident again.

    ¡°Girls, I¡¯d like to go pee, I¡¯m not ready to try out the built-in feature of this suit.¡± said Buck on the radio.

    ¡°Okay, Okay. Ship autopilot return.¡± Kara transmitted from her comm-link, turning and walking to the clearing.

    ¡°It was so cool to meet you, oh and don¡¯t worry, that¡¯s our ship.¡± said Therese pointing at the uncloaking ship by Kara.

    ¡°Good luck, and don¡¯t worry, I will take care of this.¡± said the President, holding the folded note.

    The girls climbed into their ship, flew to Buck and Ed, picked them up, and flew to the closest QT gas station, which was five minutes away at maximum atmospheric velocity, thankfully was not in Washington DC, because everyone on board trusted Quick Trip bathrooms the most. Kara flew the ship into an open bay by a pump.

    ¡°I always do this, even when I don¡¯t buy gas, it is way easier to park by the pumps than upfront.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°I totally do the same thing.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Make me three.¡± added Ed Shank.

    ¡°If those bastards at the DMV would give me my license back, it would be four.¡± replied Buck. The two Space-Girls and the two Space Sailors ran into the QT gas station to use the bathroom. The girls ran into their restroom and the men into theirs.

    Ed Shank went and grabbed four bottles of water out of the case, and went to check out in line, thankful he was at QT and their lines always moved fast.

    ¡°Hey, you guys are the superheroes who saved America from those giant robot rats on TV!¡± said the manager of the QT, excitedly to Ed Shank. Shank grinned, he was a little embarrassed, but it was still cool to be called a hero, even if Kara and Therese did most of the work.

    ¡°I can¡¯t charge you for this, please, just take the water, you guys literally saved people¡¯s lives.¡± said the manager.

    ¡°We¡¯re not supposed to take gifts, it is some Space-Girl rule.¡± Ed said, reaching into his pocket to pull out his Space-Girl Express charge card.

    ¡°What kind of ass corporation would charge heroes risking their lives to save Americans for water? Corporate might fire me, and I need the job, please take the water. I¡¯ll pay for it myself if it bothers you.¡± The manager pleaded. Ed shank shrugged his shoulders, as his other three friends gathered around them.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± said Ed.

    Everyone in the store cheered and thanked the Space-Girls and Space Sailors as they now stood together. ¡°Thank you for the water.¡± Therese said to the man. The crowd cheered for the QT manager and the Space Team. Public speaking was easier than Therese thought, and she started walking out the doors with the others following as people cheered.

    ¡°Study math, math is power!¡± shouted Ed Shank before he turned and walked. The crowd cheered. Ed Shank smiled, happy to see so many people excited about math.

    Several police cruisers pulled into the QT gas station, with their lights on. ¡°Fuck, I mean shit, It¡¯s the Police.¡± said Kara. Therese turned and looked at Kara, and stared at her with her own hands on her hips. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m like not used to you know, this.¡± said Kara in her own defense.

    ¡°Just work on your language, rule number something, Space-Girls aren¡¯t supposed to say fuck and shit in public.¡± Therese told her. The police formed a line to keep the crowd away from the spaceship.

    ¡°We saw what you did in DC, thank you.¡± One of the officers shouted to the team.

    ¡°Remember, it is nice to be important, but it is more important to be nice!¡± Therese shouted to the crowd as they boarded the ship, with Therese taking the pilot controls. Everyone else climbed in and shut the spaceship hatch. The two girls initiated the start-up sequence, and Buck and Ed relaxed a little, glad it was Therese flying them out of the crowded gas station. ¡°Time to go home.¡± Therese told her team, and everyone nodded in agreement.

    Therese flew out of the covered awning and then straight up into the air before having Kara activate the cloaking device, in order to maintain the illusion they were from outer space.

    ¡°Math is power?¡± Kara asked over to the intercom.

    ¡°You know, Space-Girl Michelle ends every episode with some kind of public service announcement, just think how much better you would be if you paid attention in math class.¡± Ed Shank teased Kara back.

    ¡°Just so you know, I did learn two important things in your class.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing neither is what X equals, so tell me, what did you learn?¡± asked Ed Shank.

    ¡°How to be a best friend again, and how to break someone¡¯s nose.¡± Kara said, grinning ear to ear.

    ¡°I am so glad I am fighting cyborg gophers instead of teaching.¡± said Mr. Shank.

    ¡°This is better than retirement, I¡¯m just glad to be back in uniform and useful again. How many guys my age shoot particle beams and fly in spaceships?¡± said Buck.

    ¡°None that I know, but we¡¯re glad you are here.¡± replied Therese, and everyone nodded in agreement. The spaceship soon neared the warehouse, and Therese adjusted the controls to bring them in for a smooth landing. David was sitting in a chair in the hangar reading a magazine and did not look up as the girls powered down the ship and the four-person Space Team exited the ship.

    Vivo climbed off of the space bike, he had sat anxiously in his space armor the entire time in case he was needed, despite Erin¡¯s reassurances it would be perfectly fine for him to lounge in the control area. Vivo grinned and ran over and congratulated the team.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got the data, you used all the missiles, I¡¯ll top off the fuel and buff out the scratches.¡± said David, pulling a data pad out of his pocket, and holding it up for the girls to see without looking up from his magazine.

    ¡°Thanks¡¯ Diggie.¡± said Therese, patting him on the shoulder as she lead the team by. One by one the team deactivated their space armor and it disappeared into their rings. Buck and Ed hung up their rifles in the recharging slots, unlike the pistols, they did not disappear into the rings with the armor.

    ¡°Great job, team. Space-Girl Michelle sent her congratulations on your first team mission, and she was extra thankful for Ed and Therese delivering a public service announcement.¡± said Erin, standing next to the monitoring stations.

    ¡°Told you.¡± said Ed, grinning to the girls.

    ¡°Is everyone else upstairs?¡± Therese asked Erin.

    ¡°Yep, the Kookie Mart is still open on Sundays.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°So, Ben and Ana are playing video games?¡± Therese teased.

    ¡°Yeppers, let¡¯s get some coffee.¡± Erin suggested, and everyone agreed and wished they had a larger elevator so they could get up to the Cowffee Cup faster.

 Alcohol

    Everyone was glad to be upstairs together in the Cowffee Cup, and Ben even let Peter hang the out to lunch sign and join them. Ben started making sandwiches and Kara brewed everyone¡¯s favorite drinks. Therese bounced Ana on her knee and Peter grinned next to her, thankful to have Therese home safely. Buck and Ed discussed tactics they might use in the field. Erin and Vivo sat at the head of the table, as Therese insisted because even though Therese was a Senior Space-Girl, not only had Erin retired as Space-Girl Captain, it was still her shop.

    ¡°When you walked in the door, I never thought I would have this.¡± Erin said, looking around and smiling.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°A family again. I mean, I had my Vivo, and Ben, he grew on me like a fungus, but now we have everyone else too, this the most special thing in the universe.¡± said Erin as she smiled pleased with the universe.

    ¡°I never had kids, but I hope you¡¯ll let me be an uncle. I always loved Therese, but I never thought there would be three kids in one class I¡¯d learn to respect.¡± said Ed Shank, feeling like he left teaching on top of the world. Peter and Kara smiled with the rare praise from Mr. Shank.

    ¡°Of course, Uncle Ed.¡± said Peter and Erin at the same time, then turned and laughed.

    ¡°I¡¯m too old to be an uncle, but I¡¯d love to be a Grand Pa.¡± Buck asked.

    ¡°That¡¯ll make you useful.¡± warned Erin.

    ¡°Well hell, Therese has already made be nice, what is one more bad habit?¡± Said Buck.

    ¡°Grandpa Buck.¡± Peter said, and Erin nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s easier to have kids when they come already graduated high school.¡± Buck said, toasting coffee with Ed. Both men tipped their cups and drank a sip.

    ¡°Let me ask you this, Erin, you told me parents of kids can¡¯t go on missions together, but Kara and I, we don¡¯t have kids, am I on the naughty list?¡± Ben asked, still a little hurt that even though he had saved the crew against the robbers, he was neglected on missions.

    ¡°I¡¯m late.¡± Kara told Ben. She wasn¡¯t sure, but maybe that was the reason, even if it didn¡¯t make sense because their baby might be in her.

    ¡°Late for what?¡± asked Ben.

    ¡°You know late.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Crap, were we supposed to be somewhere?¡± asked Ben. Kara shook her head and facepalmed, as Erin and Therese ran over and gave her hugs.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m just late.¡± said Kara. Ben was dense, she loved him, but Ben was dense. Therese and Erin continued to both hug her.

    ¡°Late for what?¡± Ben said frustrated. Erin shook her head at Ben, he still remained the most obtuse man she ever met.

    A pair of boots clanked on the floor, and the group turned and looked. Space-Girl Michelle walked out of the office and into the dining area, she was dressed in what she thought was appropriate earth attire, which was heavy leather boots, a leather skirt, and a fur vest. The group stood out of respect.

    ¡°I¡¯ll save you the test, your ring transmitted you are.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle. Erin and Therese giggled and hugged Kara.

    ¡°Are what?¡± asked Ben. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to have to learn to be responsible.¡± Ben said, walking over and hugging Kara, and kissing her.

    ¡°Yah, so here¡¯s a couple probation rings, but you guys need to watch all the videos.¡± Space-Girl Michelle said, tossing Space Sailor rings to Peter and Ben who caught them. Both men put their rings on and grinned. Michelle could have them pressed into service, but both their records on earth made a direct commission as Space-Boys difficult to explain.

    ¡°I just came by to tell you that you all did a good job on your mission. I am also going to have a big elevator put in, and check your bank accounts Friday, you should get your first paychecks.

    ¡°We get paid?¡± Peter asked, surprised. This great day was becoming even better.

    ¡°There are entire asteroids of gold in outer space, but don¡¯t get too much, eye of the needle and all.¡± Therese explained to Peter.

    ¡°Well said, Space-Girl Therese. I also got your ranks backdated, Chief Buck and Chief Ed.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°Oh, thank God, they didn¡¯t make us officers.¡± said Buck, and Ed gave him a high five.

    ¡°So, mission feedback, you all did a great job stopping the Gophers. This is the first time the Space-Girls have actually had to defend your planet since the eighties, so to ease fears, we have established an ambassador to your Useless Nations organization, and let me tell you, we can¡¯t wait to have dinner with Mexico, they have these amazing little food things, it is a shell with meat and plants and some amazing green sauce called gackamole.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°You mean tacos?¡± asked Kara, smiling a grin with Therese.

    ¡°Yes tacos! I love them, you know? Great job on the public service announcements Space-Girl Therese and Chief Ed. I really think you all did a great job, thank you. Any questions?¡± asked Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°Are you really hundreds of years old?¡± asked Ben, impressed because Space-Girl Michelle looked twenty, and Ben would card her even for cigarettes. Michelle¡¯s skin looked as young as ever, only her earned scars showed it wasn¡¯t brand new. Michelle grinned at the compliment though.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m in my thirties or fourties-ish by earth years, but whoever is the head Space-Girl takes the name Michelle out of honor and to confuse those who chose to be our enemies, and I kind of spent like 10 years or so in a suspended animation healing cycle after almost dying, but the good news is I didn¡¯t age. As far as the show goes, it also makes switching actresses easier if you can just kind of pop a new Michelle in every once and a while.¡± answered Space-Girl Michelle. Ben nodded, that made more sense than a regeneration ring.

    ¡°Where did you get that outfit, it is awesome?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Emily¡¯s right here on earth, all the Space-Girls shop there, Erin introduce it to me, I had to get this skirt, I love it, I think your hot mechanic liked it too.¡± said Michelle while grinning, causing all the girls to giggle.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m off, back to headquarters, keep up the good work.¡± Michelle said. Everyone stood and did the Space-Girls Salute. Space-Girl Michelle returned the salute. ¡°Erin, do you mind walking me back?¡± asked Michelle.

    ¡°I¡¯d be honored.¡± said Erin, walking to the office with Space-Girl Michelle.

    When they reached the office, Michelle said ¡°You know I have to ask.¡±

    ¡°The answer is still no. I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t do it again.¡± said Erin. The pain from losing Isabella was still too deep, and Michelle was at least half grateful Erin didn¡¯t punch her for walking in the store. Erin¡¯s departure from the Space-Girls was painful for everyone.

    ¡°You know I had to ask.¡± said Michelle, and Erin nodded.

    ¡°Does Therese have any idea?¡± asked Michelle.

    ¡°No, Rodger and Mary are as real as real to her, I didn¡¯t even know when I first met them.¡± said Erin. Her exodus from the organization left her the unwilling custodian of the building, but Erin avoided even thinking about anything related to the Space-Girls or their duties. She had all but forgotten Rodger and Mary even being on earth until Therese reunited their paths.

    ¡°You know, when I was still Space-Girl Monica, they saved my life. They saved all our lives, they saved the rabbit homeworld and the galaxy.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°And the rabbits truly did an amazing job creating her the perfect parents, they do their namesakes honor.¡± said Erin as she remembered the story of the last-ditch defense of Haremar by Space-Girl Mary and Space-Boy Rodger who were forced to hold off a major assault by the Gophers in order to buy time for reinforcements.

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful to hear that, and their distant cousins here?¡± Asked Michelle of the rabbits.

    ¡°They know, they are less advanced, but they know.¡± replied Erin. She couldn¡¯t explain it, no one could, of Therese¡¯s friendship with her rabbits. Michelle nodded.

    ¡°You should have never brought Therese into this. You had no right. She is different, she¡¯s special.¡± Said Erin sternly as she glared at Michelle and the lights in the room dimmed.

    ¡°They had every right. With the Shadowbird gone, she was a long shot, but our only shot at getting me out alive, and for that, I will always be grateful.¡± Said Monica. Erin only glared coldly at Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°Thank you, Space-Girl Captain Erin, you should have been the Michelle.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle as she walked into the elevator and descended. Erin growled at that praise, although she was proud of herself for being so civil with Michelle.

    Erin went and looked at the picture Therese had given her, she put her hands on it on, and leaned forward against the wall, happy to have a family again. In all the places in the galaxy, there was nowhere else she would rather be.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°Hi.¡± said Therese as she entered Erin¡¯s office.

    ¡°Sorry, I was just taking a minute, I still love this picture.¡± Erin said, smiling as she looked at the art Therese made for her.

    ¡°Who would have thought, when I finally walked in your store, I¡¯d be a real Space-Girl.¡± said Therese, standing next to Erin. Therese wasn¡¯t sure she would survive high school when she walked in that door.

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been a year, but you seemed so young then.¡± said Erin, remembering the girl who could barely walk into the store and giggled into her drink at the first taste of coffee.

    ¡°I was scared to death to walk past that cow, and now I¡¯m flying spaceships and fighting the Gopher King. Tell me that¡¯s not a trip.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Were you really that scared to come in here?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°My life was hell, either medicated or suffering, pick one. But everything changed the day I had the courage to finally come in here, and when you looked at me and you smiled, I knew everything was going to be just fine.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Just fine? You got shot?¡± said Erin.

    ¡°And if I wasn¡¯t here, and at home, they would have killed me.¡± said Therese truthfully.

    ¡°Do you regret any of it?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°This no, regrets in life, yes, but I have to tell myself I did the best I could at that moment in time, and even if it wasn¡¯t as good as what other people could do, it was as good as I could do.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°You have done fine. Did you pick out a new last name for when you start college?¡± asked Erin. Ben had cautioned her that despite being Space-Girls the dead Therese needed to stay dead until he was able to completely purge the government records of her ties to the implant, although he was confident the Space-Girl computers would make shorter work of it.

    ¡°Actually, Buck suggested I use his, and I agreed, at least until I marry Peter and take his.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°That was sweet of him.¡± said Erin, still amazed at the depth of the man who went from best annoying customer to family.

    ¡°It really was. College, wedding planning, Space-Girls, life is getting overwhelming, but you know what though, I never knew my grandparents, my parents are the healthiest people I ever met, I have never seen them even catch a cold, but they both lost their parents before I was born, so Buck being my grandpa, that¡¯s pretty cool.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go get a cup of coffee and enjoy it.¡± Replied Erin. Therese nodded in agreement and they walked out to join the group.

    ¡°And so I feel like the biggest asshole on the planet, and I¡¯m even saying I am an asshole, and I feel like an asshole, but do you think she let¡¯s me off that easy?¡± said Buck.

    ¡°Oh no, Therese would never let you get away with that, she¡¯s just like her mother.¡± said Kara laughing.

    ¡°And she didn¡¯t, she didn¡¯t at all, I was mortified, I could handle being an asshole, but she reminded me I wasn¡¯t, she walked up to me, and when I looked at those eyes, I knew she saw right through me, and damn it I knew I had to be better, at least to her, I hadn¡¯t given up on annoying Erin.¡± said Buck laughing.

    ¡°It¡¯s true, I used to come over every morning just to see her get worked up when you came in the door.¡± said Ben with a deep smile.

    ¡°And why is that?¡± asked Erin, announcing her return.

    ¡°Because you, and Therese, you both look so cute when you are angry.¡± Ben said, causing the others to laugh in agreement, except Therese and Erin who pretended to be angry at Ben which just caused Ben to laugh further.

    ¡°What about me? Ben, do you think I¡¯m cute when I¡¯m angry?¡± Kara asked.

    Ben covered his nose as if Kara was going to hit it. ¡°Sometimes.¡± Ben said, as Kara pretended to punch him, causing the others to laugh.

    ¡°We¡¯re just trading stories about how we first met. So far, I¡¯m the only one that had the police there.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Mr. Shank, you want to steal her thunder?¡± asked Therese, still unwilling to call him Ed out of respect.

    ¡°What?¡¯ asked Kara.

    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± said Ed Shank, facepalming.

    ¡°It¡¯s Okay to tell it, they all know everything.¡± said Therese, sitting down and smiling at Mr. Shank.

    ¡°Well, I get called into this meeting to represent the Math Department, but not because I was the chair, but the guy then, what¡¯s his name, the piece of crap was too scared to go. Apparently, he, the teachers, the principal were all sweating bullets, because of some kid with a bad rep was wanting to attend classes unescorted, so that prick Weaver even begs the school police resource officer, who that day was a patrol cop just covering for the day, to go, so we all go into this room, and Weaver is hiding behind this cop as far back as he can go.¡± said Mr. Shank.

    ¡°The cop was Officer P.¡± interjected Therese.

    ¡°Oh shit, not him, he¡¯s a bad ass.¡± said Kara.

    Mr. Shank laughed and continued, ¡°And that big guy, Douglas he comes in with the school safety officer, bringing in the kid and the teachers are all sweating bullets like they are about to get smashed, and in comes the sweetest looking little girl.¡± said Ed Shank.

    ¡°Little, I was like fourteen.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Well little to me, and very little standing next to Douglas. So she goes and sits down at the table, and Douglas and the security officer, they go sit down at the back of the room to relax, which causes that son of a bitch Weaver to start sweating more. I knew right then I¡¯d have to support this kid just to piss off the principal. Well her counselor gives Therese some papers to sign and so Therese pulls a pen out of her jacket to sign it, and I swear that puss Weaver must have thought he was going to get stabbed, so he goes to grab the cops taser, and well of course, the police officer won¡¯t allow that, so he ends up slamming the principal face-first into the table, and right by Therese and her pen. So, Therese is signing these papers, and Weaver sees this pen moving in her hand, and he just starts crying and pissing himself.¡± said Ed Shank.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t!¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Swear, true as a prime number. So the cop is slamming him in the table, and Weaver is pissing himself, and I look up, and I see these tears forming in that girl¡¯s eyes because her dream is going up in a puff of smoke, so I tell the kid, don¡¯t worry, he does this all the time, let¡¯s all just go to the teachers'' lounge and finish this meeting. So as we leave, Weaver is getting put in cuffs, and all of us walk over to the teachers'' lounge, and Therese is looking up at me, but still not saying anything, so we go over to the lounge, and I poor myself a cup of coffee and offer her one.¡± said Ed.

    ¡°And I am so glad I refused because that slime would have turned me off coffee forever.¡± said Therese, and Ed laughed in agreement.

    ¡°So anyways, I ask the kid what she wants, and she tells me she wants a fair shot, and I knew she meant it. So later I told the principal she was going to get that fair shot or I was going to walk into every TV news station until someone Gave my the chance to tell the truth about that shithole he ran. So, he put me in charge of that chance, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I did something right.¡± said Ed recounting his memory of the episode.

    ¡°Did Principal Weaver go to jail?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°No, they dropped the charges, but the cop made him write one hundred times that he would not try to take weapons from police officers because he is scared of little girls.¡± said Ed, laughing with everyone.

    ¡°You¡¯re shitting me.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°No I swear, I knew the officer, he used to go to the school, he got promoted and still has those papers hanging up in his office.¡± said Ed before busting out laughing so hard he had to catch his breath.

    ¡°Awesome.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°What can I say, peanut.¡± Ed teased Therese who smiled back.

    ¡°I¡¯d been saving this for a special occasion, and I can¡¯t think of a better one.¡± Ben said, pulling out a bottle of Scotch whiskey and some small paper cups, and poured a shot for everyone but Ana. Ben passed the drinks out, and raised his, ¡°Everyone name your toast, mine is to finding someone who would put up with me.¡± said Ben raising his drink.

    ¡°To drinking with your math teacher.¡± said Kara as she raised hers, laughing.

    ¡°To becoming a grandfather and a great-grandfather who¡¯s useful.¡± toasted Buck.

    ¡°To making all those years worth it.¡± Ed toasted to Kara, Peter and Therese.

    ¡°To my first drink of alcohol.¡± said Therese, raising her cup and one eyebrow.

    ¡°I¡¯m with Ben, to love.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°Pick your own.¡± said Ben. He smiled, showing Peter he was just giving him crap.

    ¡°To second chances.¡± Peter toasted Ben who nodded. This nod was the closest thing to a pardon Ben had ever given anyone.

    ¡°To family.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°To me and Ben drinking yours, because you and Kara are preggers.¡± Vivo saluted as he and Ben each grabbed a drink from their respective lady, then everyone but Kara, Erin and Erin raised their cups and drank.

    ¡°I think I like coffee better.¡± said Therese. The alcohol hit her in an uncomfortable way, but numbed some of her emotional pain as much as it burned her throat.

    ¡°Good choice.¡± said Erin, winking.

    ¡°I almost forgot, I have your student ID¡¯s.¡± said Ben, tossing an ID each to Peter, Therese and Kara.

    ¡°When did you have time to go to the college?¡± Asked Vivo.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t go, I just made them like I always do.¡± said Ben, shaking his head.

    ¡°They¡¯re good. They¡¯d better be, college starts tomorrow for these kids.¡± said Ben, pouring a round of drinks for those who participated in the spirits.

    ¡°Ahh crap, I think I have to teach.¡± said Ed, reaching over and taking the bottle and pouring himself another drink.

    ¡°Where did summer go?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°Where did they all go?¡± Replied Buck, pouring himself another shot and drinking it. Therese took the bottle and poured herself another drink, a large one, and drank it, causing Peter to lift an eyebrow, but Ben patted him on the shoulder to reassure them, they¡¯d both had their right of passage of drinking too much, and now it was her turn and she¡¯d earned it.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to walk home, you all have a good night.¡± said Buck.

    ¡°Let me borrow your spare room, I can walk back for my car in the morning, goodnight you all.¡± Ed shank said, following Buck out. Ed was tired and ready to rest. The remaining group sat and drank for another hour, making jokes and laughing at them.

    Therese took a large sip of her drink, and pulled on Ben¡¯s collar. ¡°Ben.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°You okay, kid?¡± asked Ben, noticing Therese was becoming drunk. Peter was putting Ana to bed, asleep in the office, and Vivo was running the Kookie Mart half-drunk to the amusement of the regulars. Kara and Erin were sitting on the couch across the Cowffee Cup discussing their pregnancies.

    ¡°Okay? I have these voices try getting me to kill myself for a decade. I was picked on and ridiculed. I flew a fucking spaceship and fought a possessed superhero. I fought the Gopher King¡¯s army, I met the President, I guess I¡¯m Okay.¡± said Therese, sipping her drink. The alcohol helped her feel better, she knew she needed it and every sip reminded her of that.

    ¡°Now tomorrow, I have to go to college and see all these people again, and they are going to be all like hey there¡¯s the crazy girl, and I just want to tell them I¡¯m a fucking Space-Girl, but then they¡¯ll really think I am the crazy girl.¡± said Therese, taking another drink. Therese wished she ignored her mother¡¯s lifelong warning to not drink sooner.

    ¡°Well, fuck them.¡± said Ben, taking another drink.

    ¡°Ben, how do I even know that any of this is real?¡± said Therese, putting her feet up on the table and sipping her drink.

    ¡°Keep drinking like that, and you¡¯ll know it¡¯s real enough in the morning.¡± Ben told her.

    ¡°Are you still going to kill my boyfriend, because if you are you should wait until he pisses me off, I like him right now.¡± said Therese, drinking her drink. The alcohol helped her not be guarded about her words and she liked that.

    ¡°That was a long time ago.¡± Ben defended.

    ¡°That was like a year ago. You¡¯ve always been honest with me.¡± pushed Therese.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to kill him, I really like him, now.¡± Ben answered.

    ¡°You got my best friend pregnant.¡± said Therese. Ben took the bottle and poured a little in each of their cups, and then a lot in his.

    ¡°Are you going to kill me for that?¡± teased Ben.

    ¡°No, Ben, I like you, now.¡± Therese said, laughing. ¡°I¡¯m drunk, aren¡¯t I?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°I¡¯d say a little past drunk and heading to smashed.¡± Ben told her.

    ¡°How are we all going to get home?¡± asked Therese, as the room started spinning.

    ¡°I think Erin and Kara are going to have to shuttle you guys home, and then they can drive the rest of us home.¡± said Ben, taking a sip.

    ¡°Can I ask you one thing while this gives me the courage?¡¯ Therese asked.

    ¡°You¡¯ve earned one question.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°You love her?¡± Therese asked, protective of Kara. She might have helped Ben with the Kara, but she still wanted to make sure he really loved her.

    ¡°Yes, Yes I do, she is as crude as me, but smart and snappy, and so much of it is real, and so much of it is a show because she¡¯s as scared as I am. Just when you think you¡¯ll never risk love again, life is like surprise motherfucker!¡± said Ben, taking another drink.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s her. We¡¯ve been best friends since we were little girls.¡± said Therese, slowing down and smiling, Ben caught the chair as she fell back, and up-righted her. Therese¡¯s paper cup fell harmlessly to the floor. Ben picked Therese out of the chair and carried Therese over to the couch.

    ¡°I think this one¡¯s ready for home.¡± said Ben, gently laying Therese on one of the couches.

    ¡°Give me a minute, and then if you would, please carry her to my car. Kara, you grab Peter, looks like I¡¯ll be watching Ana tonight, but that¡¯s Okay, she needed this¡± Erin said. Peter and Therese slept the whole way home, and were very polite drunks as they were put to bed, although both needed reassured several times Ana was going to safely stay with Erin that night.

 Community College

    Therese awoke with a headache in the morning, every sound hurt her head, so she activated a healing cycle from her Space-Girl ring and soon felt better. Peter was already up, and she noticed a cup of coffee on her nightstand so Therese sat up and took a sip. Peter¡¯s coffee was no better than his normal, but Therese relaxed as the caffeine entered her brain. ¡°Liquid happiness.¡± said Therese to herself, before taking a fast shower and walking out for breakfast.

    ¡°I feel like crap, but the coffee helped a lot, thank you.¡± said Therese, wore out from their adventures and her first effort at drinking.

    ¡°You look great.¡± said Peter truthfully, amazed at how beautiful Therese could look first thing in the morning.

    ¡°And aren¡¯t so bad yourself.¡± said Therese, taking a bowl of cereal from Peter, and still feeling as lucky to be with him as their first day.

    ¡°Ready for college?¡± Peter asked Therese.

    ¡°No, but I think I can wing it, it can¡¯t be worse than high school or fighting gophers.¡± said Therese between bites of her cereal. Peter noticed Therese still liked to chew carefully and deliberately and look forward when she ate, an old habit that had stuck with her.

    They took Therese¡¯s car to the community college, despite being enrolled, and having all their books, neither had set foot on campus because of the events of the summer, but Ben had taken care of both of them. ¡°Look, there¡¯s Kara.¡± said Peter pointing to the end of the parking lot at their friend.

    Therese parked the car carefully and took a deep breath to calm herself, breathing slowly and expanding her abdomen. ¡°I¡¯ve got this.¡± Therese told herself.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got this.¡± said Peter. Therese was no longer alone.

    ¡°Hurry up, we¡¯ll be late and we need to grab some coffee, you know how this math teacher is when people fall asleep in his class, Peter!¡± teased Kara. Peter shook his head and laughed, he couldn''t believe he was starting his first day of college with the same teacher he struggled with in high school, but then again, this class started at 9 AM, so he might have a chance.

    Therese insisted that they all arrive early, and so the trio was the first to class. Peter went to put his books down at a back desk, but Therese stopped him. ¡°You know we sit upfront, at least for Mr. Shank.¡± Therese corrected him, and Peter cooperatively but reluctantly grabbed his books and followed Therese to the front with the three of them taking the three most upfront desks, Therese in the middle.

    ¡°Good morning class.¡± said Mr. Shank coming in the door next.

    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Shank.¡± The three said, as monotone as possible to be funny, and Ed laughed.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s start a pool. I pick Therese gets the best grade, Kara busts three noses, and Peter falls asleep three days a week.¡± Mr. Shank teased.

    ¡°No way am I taking that bet.¡± said Peter, while sliding down in his chair.

    ¡°So what do you think, do I look all professor like?¡± said Mr. Shank tugging on his tie.

    ¡°Lose the tie, it makes you look outdated.¡± suggested Kara.

    ¡°I like it, he looks all serious.¡± argued Therese.

    ¡°Do I have time to run and buy a coffee?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°Make it four and you won¡¯t be late.¡± said Ed to Peter, who grinned and walked for the door, and was out as fast as he could. Other students started trickling in, and mostly filled the back of the room. Ed went up to the front of the room and pulled his copy of the book out of his bag. Ed Shank was excited, he both escaped the high school and had his three favorite students, and he found that even more exciting than being a Space Sailor.

    Therese was afraid to look back, she did not want to look towards the class, if she did not see any familiar faces, then she thought they did not exist, so Therese made herself look forward. Kara looked around, she didn¡¯t care if she saw a familiar face, and if she did, Kara wanted them to see her with her friends.

    ¡°Good morning, I am Ed Shank, please call me Ed, This is College Algebra, we are going to start today with a review quiz, please take one and pass it back.¡± said Ed, passing a stack to each row, or in Peter¡¯s row¡¯s case, setting one on his desk and passing the rest to the next seat.

    Peter came in with a drink carrier holding four cups of coffee, and passed one out to each of his friends, and then sugars and creamers. ¡°There is a quiz on your desk, thank you, I¡¯ll buy next time¡± said Ed. Peter started doing his quiz, and then took several sips of coffee, and then went back to his quiz. Peter looked at the quiz and remembered Therese tutoring him, and he could hear her say every step to each problem in his mind, and he filled out the answers the best he could.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Kara looked at her power ring and wondered if it had a math setting, but she didn¡¯t think it did, so she went back to filling out her quiz as best she could. Kara looked over and saw Therese and remembered the first time she sat next to Therese again, and Kara smiled then went back to completing her quiz.

    Therese looked at her paper, amazed at the silence in her head, it was so nice to focus on a test without worrying about what the voices said. The voices were faint whispers at best now, and they were in her heart and not her head. Therese looked up at Ed, who caught the glance, and he took a sip of coffee in her honor, then Therese smiled and went back to doing her test.

    ¡°When you¡¯re done, bring me your quiz, you can start your homework, doing review problems on pages thirty-four and thirty-five, make sure you put your names on your quizzes before you bring them up. We¡¯ll be doing review the next two classes, as there may be a lot of add and drops.¡± said Ed, while kicking back in his chair and sipping his coffee. Ed Shank liked teaching college very much.

    Ed started reading the quizzes as they were brought up. The first few hurt his head. Therese¡¯s quiz made him proud, Kara¡¯s was promising and Peter¡¯s reminded him he underestimated the boy. A few more surprising prospects and several more quizzes caused worry. ¡°Relax, you all get full credit for these, I¡¯m not holding you accountable for what I didn¡¯t teach you.¡± Ed told the class, who breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°It¡¯s close enough for government time, see you all Wednesday.¡± Said Ed, excusing the class. Therese, Kara and Peter remained behind.

    ¡°So how¡¯d I do?¡± asked Ed.

    ¡°I kind of miss the old days.¡± teased Peter.

    ¡°Peter, I think you¡¯re cheating and you put on the answers on the back of your eyelids, because you keep looking there.¡± said Therese impersonating Mr. Shank.

    ¡°Was I that bad?¡± Asked Ed.

    ¡°No, you were that good, thank you.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°So do you think we¡¯ll have any missions soon?¡± Ed whispered even though no one else was in the room with them.

    ¡°Nothing so far, but I¡¯ll check the reports. I think Buck is monitoring them from home.¡± answered Therese.

    ¡°Do you think we could all just go do a moon cruise tonight, I¡¯d kind of like to you know, go to outer space.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°My ship can hold us all if we flip down the jump seats.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°What time?¡± Ed asked, eagerly.

    ¡°Maybe 9:30 tonight, I want to close the shop for Erin.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± Said everyone else at the same time.

    ¡°See you all then, I think we have college chemistry next.¡± Therese said, pulling up her backpack.

    ¡°See you all tonight, I¡¯m going to hang out and wait for the next class.¡± said Ed, putting his feet up and drinking coffee.

    The group of three walked through the campus. Therese liked college, and Ben was right, no one knew who she was, or even cared. Peter liked college because it started later in the day and he would have time to nap between classes, but mostly he loved it because he was with Therese. Kara liked college because it was something to do, and because she could just be herself.

    The group entered chemistry class together. ¡°Four per table.¡± said the teacher, not looking up from his book. The three walked to an empty table and sat down, leaving one open seat. ¡°At least we¡¯re together.¡± said Therese.

    The class started filling in, but no one sat with them. Therese¡¯s heart sunk a little, she felt like she was getting picked last again, although neither Kara nor Peter seemed to mind. Eventually, they were the last table with an open seat. Then of all people, Peter¡¯s nemesis he affectionately referred to as ¡°herpes girl¡± came in, she stopped and looked at the last open seat and asked them ¡°Hey, can I sit here?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± said Kara. Therese tried swallowing a frog in her throat, and Peter didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°My name is Gina, in case you never knew.¡± said the girl. Therese felt bad, she had never known the girls¡¯ name. Peter felt bad for his rudeness to her. Kara smacked her gum at her. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry about all that high school crap. I need this class for nursing school, and this is the only seat open. Just don¡¯t drink from my water bottle, right Pete?¡± said Gina.

    ¡°Look man, I¡¯m sorry.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, glad to see you still got the girlfriend, I heard you died.¡± said Gina.

    ¡°Any rumors of my death are greatly overstated.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you aren¡¯t with Megan.¡± said Kara coldly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sorority material, so if you all are good with this, this is all I have left.¡± said Gina.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy to be in your group.¡± Therese said, smiling and extending peace.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± replied Gina.

    Peter still felt uneasy sitting between Gina and Therese, but college was supposed to be different. The class began, and the teacher began explaining the long-detailed processes of how the class would be run. Both Kara and Peter became distracted and started doodling. Therese grimaced, now she had two Benjamins to worry about.

    Finally, the class ended, and the group walked out together. ¡°Hey guys, thanks for letting me sit in.¡± said Gina.

    ¡°Thanks for joining us.¡± said Therese, as she turned and her trio walked away. Gina was glad to be with the group, at least Therese seemed pretty solid and could hold the other two together.

    ¡°That¡¯s it for today, should we go to work?¡± Kara asked Therese.

    ¡°I think Erin deserves an early night our, let¡¯s go.¡± agreed Therese.

    ¡°Do we have to?¡± said Peter.

    ¡°Hey Peter, watch the store, I need to go eat a muffin with Kara.¡± said Therese mimicking Ben. Kara laughed, and Peter sulked.

    ¡°Look, take my car, I¡¯ll ride with Kara, so you don¡¯t have to go in early.¡± said Therese, tossing Peter the keys.

    ¡°Yah, I think I want a nap.¡± said Peter, kissing Therese goodbye.

    And just like that their rings began vibrating. Therese looked around and saw it was clear and rubbed her ring. ¡°Space-Girl Alert, all teams report in, this is not a drill.¡± said the message. The three jumped in their two cars and drove to the Cowffee Cup knowing the other team members would meet them there as soon as possible.

    ¡°Be careful.¡± said Erin as the three ran into her store and into the office. The store was full and Erin simply could not close it and runoff, like Ben and Vivo did, ¡°Hey wait, Kara and Peter get back here.¡± Kara came running back.

    ¡°You know you¡¯re grounded for the next nine months, and I need help with Ana too.¡± said Erin. Kara did not complain, but she hated to miss the mission. Kara picked up Ana and took her over to the bar counter and started reading her a book.

    ¡°You need to follow the two-parent rule, and go work the store.¡± Erin told Peter, sending him over to the Kookie Mart.

    Buck went flying by, flopping his cane. ¡°He¡¯s not pregnant.¡± Erin told Kara.

 The Return of the Shadowbird

    Space-Girl Michelle began speaking over the telescreen as Buck arrived. ¡°I see you have all assembled, you are designated Purple flight. The Gopher King has attacked Haremar, the Rabbit homeworld, with a force of have never witnessed before. You are to reinforce the 10<sup>th</sup> Space Marine Expeditionary unit here near the city of Swyt, they are pinned down and need support. The entire division is deployed west of there, and we have no naval support to spare.

    Go in and kick some gopher, but be careful, we are stretched thin.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle. The group did the Space-Girl salute and ran to the hangar, already in their space armor.

    David was by the ship and said, ¡°I maxed out your cells, you¡¯ll need every drop juice I can fit.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Diggie.¡± Therese said, taking the helm. Ed sat next to her, Vivo, Ben and Buck took up the back. Ed activated the cloaking shield before they went past the holographic ceiling, and Therese was proud her teacher had paid attention to the Space-Girl Michelle videos.

    ¡°After we leave atmosphere, I¡¯ll activate the infinite speed drive. When we hit the other atmosphere, I¡¯ll open the side hatches, and Ben and Buck I want you to use the door cannons. Vivo, I want you using the tail cannon to suppress any ground-to-air fire that follows us. We are already weapons hot.¡± said Therese, pushing the atmospheric velocity to its limit.

    The planet shook below the cloaked ship as Therese throttled, straight onto space and then infinite speed as the T-Space projectors fired. The ship shook as Therese decelerated from infinite speed, she was flying like it was stolen. As she decelerated to regular space, Therese banked evasively left and around, dodging a hail of fire. The sky was lit in energy beams and echoed in thunder as those beams sliced the atmosphere. Debris and blood flew in explosions as the beams struck their marks and destabilized the bodies of matter.

    ¡°Vivo hit those gopher fighters, I¡¯m going to bank right.¡± said Therese, as she flew around. Two Gopher ships followed behind, and Vivo chopped them to pieces with the tail cannon. Vivo used the cannon with the rail accelerator which accelerated the already fast armor piercing projectiles to extreme velocities, and those projectiles shredded their targets.

    ¡°I¡¯m not picking up any others, but it is a mess up here, shields holding, we should be clear for a quick drop, I added the 10<sup>th</sup> as a waypoint in the nav display.¡± said Ed.

    ¡°We look clear back here.¡± reported Vivo as he checked the displays and visually scanned his fields of fire.

    Therese took her ship into a steep drive into Haremar. From above the grasslands looked peaceful and familiar, but Therese knew below they were covered in pain and blood. Therese continued evasive maneuvers to avoid ground fire, and Ed attempted to suppress enemy electronics.

    ¡°Purple team, this is the 10<sup>th</sup> Actual.¡± A voice crackled over the radio.

    ¡°This is Purple One, I read you loud and clear.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let the green grass fool you, it¡¯s a mess down here. Our lines are hurting, but we¡¯d as soon as cut off our own tattoos as let them break ranks, do you think you could rake our east side, they are concentrating there.¡± Spoke the besieged leader of the 10<sup>th</sup> Space Marine Expeditionary unit. Therese knew he spoke the truth, Space Marines would burn their colors and their own celebrated skin ink before they let either fall into enemy hands, which was one of many reasons they were the most dedicated warriors in the galaxy.

    ¡°Brace for doors open.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± replied Buck.

    ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± said Ben.

    Ed punched the control releases and the side doors of Therese¡¯s ship flew back, and both Ben and Buck¡¯s seats slid out, and the side cannons of the ship became their weapons stations. Buck instantly roared to life, blasting energy beams into Gophers and watching them pop. This was Ben¡¯s first time firing anything this powerful, but he was no less dedicated.

    Vivo cleaned up anything left behind from Ed firing the forward cannons. A path of debris, blood and scattered cyborg gopher parts lay behind the arc of the ship. Therese didn¡¯t like killing, but the Gophers were soulless and killed small children for sport, and she liked small children.

    ¡°Thanks, Purple Team, that gave us some breathing room.¡± transmitted the leader of the 10<sup>th</sup>. The 10<sup>th</sup> rallied and drove back the gophers from their lines with the brief but powerful support of Therese¡¯s ship.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°Purple Team, this is Space-Girl Michelle, I need you to waypoint 701, the Gophers are concentrating there and our lines are fading.¡± transmitted Michelle.

    ¡°Go get¡¯em Space-Girl, I think we¡¯ll be fine for now. 10<sup>th</sup> Actual out.¡± transmitted the Space Marine. The Marines would miss the awesome firepower of the space-girl ship, but they knew their brothers elsewhere needed it more.

    Therese fired the ship around, energy bolts fired both at and away from Purple Team, everyone was firing as fast as they could at their enemies. A lucky heavy bolt from a Gopher Super Tank hit Therese¡¯s ship on the nose, sending it spiraling out of control. Sparks showered the inside of the ship, and the controls barely responded. Therese was glad for her armor as flames shot out of the control panel.

    ¡°Brace for impact, we¡¯re going down.¡± Therese told her crew as she steered the ship the best she could, not even having time to be afraid. Luckily, Haremar was famous for its grass and soft earth, and Therese was able to safely but abruptly land the ship. It plowed into the dirt violently but skidded to a gentle halt.

    ¡°We need to go, they¡¯ll be closing on us.¡± said Therese, making sure her crew was safely clear and then jumping from the ship herself.

    A Gopher Super Soldier, twenty feet tall jumped out of the earth and grabbed Therese as easily as she might have caught a ball. It squeezed her in its hand and crushed her. Despite the armor, Therese screamed in pain as she felt her bones crack. Several more Super Soldier Gophers rose from the ground and came towards the wreck. Their handheld weapons failed to penetrate the armored plates on the Super Soldier Gophers and others were arriving to surround Therese¡¯s friends as they fired into the less armored Gopher soldiers.

    ¡°Run, that is an order.¡± said Therese as loud as she could. She fought against the Gopher Super Soldier but it was too strong. Therese cried in pain as she was unable to escape.

    Therese¡¯s team pulled their weapons out and started firing into gophers, but as fast as they could destroy them, new gophers replaced them. They could not get a shot into the gopher holding Therese. They were losing and they were losing fast.

    ¡°Run, Damn-it, that¡¯s an order.¡± Therese transmitted as the air was squeezed out of her.

    ¡°Guy¡¯s, she¡¯s right, They¡¯ll come back for you Therese and rescue you.¡± transmitted Buck. The team was pushed back, and continued to lose ground. Bolt of energy exploded into both sides. A near hit burned Mr. Shank with a surge of energy, tossing him in the air.

    ¡°Run, you have no other choice, don¡¯t make me die for nothing.¡± said Buck as he continued to fire. Ben and Ed nodded to Buck, knowing if they did stay, they were all dead, only Space-Girls were considered worthy to the Gopher King to be taken as slave prisoners. Ed and Ben ran, firing, but running back to the 10<sup>th</sup>. Buck fired, taking apart Gopher after Gopher until his weapon ran empty, and he was struggling to make his way to another when the last energy beams killed him. Buck died only worrying about Therese.

    Back on Earth, Erin¡¯s ring buzzed in cycles of three indicating a distress call. Erin¡¯s heart sunk as she felt the pulses, and she turned to Kara and said ¡°Close down the shop as fast as you can.¡± and then walked into her office and shut the door.

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± said Erin, answering the call.

    ¡°Erin, this is Michelle. Buck¡¯s dead and the Gopher King has Therese, I¡¯m launching a mission now, but it is unsure if Haremar will fall or not. This is ten times as bad as the Vax and Gopher invasion almost eighteen years ago, and you know how costly that was.¡± said Michelle over the ring. Erin fell into her chair, things were worse than she could have ever imagined.

    ¡°Wait for me, I¡¯m coming. Erin out.¡± said Erin ending the conversation. The lights flickered for an entire city block.

    Erin initiated another ring call, ¡°Erin to David.¡± she transmitted. There was rare fear in her voice. Her speech cracked over the transmission, as she feared for Therese and grieved for Buck.

    ¡°This is Digs.¡± replied their facility crew chief.

    ¡°Please ready my ship, and place my old MK-48, my RIOT, the two-seater, in the back. Then I think there is another ship a green one, get that on standby, please.¡± Erin transmitted.

    ¡°Rodger over, give me twenty, Digs out.¡± David ended the transmission.

    Erin took a deep breath, and put her face into her forearms on her desk and sobbed, she knew she needed to fight, but she needed to grieve first, and David told her she had twenty minutes to spare. Kara entered the office, holding Ana, and Peter followed, having closed the Kookie Mart when Kara warned him something was wrong. Kara passed Ana to Peter and hugged Erin.

    ¡°Buck¡¯s dead, and Therese was captured, I¡¯m going after her.¡± Erin said between sobs. Both Peter and Kara began crying too, Peter held Ana and took a seat. The thought of Therese being captured tore his heart out of his chest.

    ¡°Peter, you need to stay here and watch your daughter, I¡¯ve got this, but you have to stay here, history can¡¯t repeat itself. Kara, I want you to go get Therese¡¯s parents and fly them to Haremar, they can get you a safe route in, but stay away from the front until I end this.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°Ok, but how do I explain this to her parents?¡± asked Kara, still crying at the loss of Buck and her best friend being captured.

    ¡°They¡¯ll understand, they¡¯re androids, created on Haremar, by the rabbit people. Therese¡¯s entire family died, saving the planet and the galaxy, her real parents were a Space-Girl and Space-Boy.¡± Erin explained as fast as she could.

    ¡°You know, that¡¯s like the first thing that has made sense all year, no one has parents that perfect.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Right?¡± Erin agreed, looking up with the tears flowing, and her own breathing choking from her grief.

    ¡°Can you can save her?¡± asked Peter, he was scared and couldn¡¯t imagine life without Therese. Peter went pale and cried rare tears.

    ¡°If need be, I will kill every last one of them.¡± said Erin, standing up and activating her space armor for the first time in years. Black plates, and mesh surrounded her.

    ¡°You¡¯re the Shadow Bird!¡± said Kara, looking at Erin in her armor. For the first time Kara was in disbelief. The Shadow Bird, at least according to the TV show, was the Space-Girls deadliest warrior ever.

    ¡°Peter, I expect you to be busy praying. Kara go get Therese¡¯s parents, I¡¯ll see you all soon.¡± said Erin, entering the elevator and descending to the tunnel level.

 The Shadowbird Attacks

    Erin found David readying the ship as she entered the hangar. He came out wearing his space armor. ¡°You¡¯re running low on people stupid enough to follow you, and they could probably use another mechanic on Haremar, so save me the speech.¡± said David. His speech and tone were solid and Erin could see he would take on the Gopher Empire himself to save Therese without hesitation.

    ¡°I¡¯ll start the flight prep, you have ops.¡± said Erin, entering the ship, and sliding her hand over her old MK-48 power suit.

    The MK-48 was covered with weapons and was polished brilliantly, David had done a great job maintaining their equipment. Erin¡¯s was a two-seat model that had had a large cannon on each arm that fired unstable matter shells which exploded like small nuclear devices. A small caliber hyper pressure machine gun fired armor penetrating shells from the nose and twin hyper pressure large caliber machine guns could be fired by either the pilot or the gunner. She traced her hand across the #17 still plastered on it as the day it was issued. Erin added a ¡°RIOT¡± sticker from a band concert she loved. Erin traced her fingers and remembered the last mission she took it, Space-Girl Carmella had flown with her, the other girls used to call them the twins. Last Erin had heard, Carmella was leading an expedition into unknown space.

    ¡°I never really met you, I¡¯m sorry, you got hired after I quit, I¡¯m Erin.¡¯ Erin said shaking hands with David. They both know she shut him out because she blamed the Space-Girls for her sister Isabella¡¯s death. Digs knew that going in to the job, he¡¯d known her sister and missed her too.

    ¡°My friends call me Digs.¡± said David.

    ¡°I thought Therese and Kara call you Diggie?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°Ok, some of my friends call me Diggie, but I prefer Digs.¡± said David.

    ¡°Ok, Diggie, you have ops.¡± said Erin, strapping herself in. David shook his head and smiled and did his part of the start-up. Soon the black ship roared to life and shot into the sky.

    ¡°She was always nice to me, there¡¯s not too many like Therese.¡± said David in the silence of T-Space. Digs did not like this one bit, but he was in and committed. He would fight the world to protect his friend. He¡¯d fought enough people in high school protecting her, and now he was taking on another world to do the same.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get her back. You keep the ship together.¡± said Erin. Digs had no doubt the Shadowbird could save her.

    Erin banked the ship and flew evasive as they emerged from infinite speed, but no threats registered on the scanners. At least above, the Space Navy seemed to be gaining ground. ¡°I inputted Space-Girl Michelle¡¯s location as waypoint Yankee.¡± said David. Erin nodded and entered atmospheric flight at maximum safe velocity, headed straight to Michelle.

    Erin cleared the ship as soon as she landed, Space-Girl Michelle met her on the ground. Erin saluted out of custom, and Space-Girl Michelle returned the salute.

    ¡°Thank you for coming.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle.

    Erin decked Michelle and sent her flying, then Erin walked over to Michelle and picked her up and threw her again, sending a stack of crates flying, then Erin walked over to her again, stood her up, and punched Space-Girl Michelle again, dropping her to the ground. The air exploded in loud noise with each hit and each hit was the worst pain Space-Girl Michelle had ever felt and she was no stranger to pain.

    Space-Girl Michelle staggered and stood. The Space-Girl Captain, Erin, known as the Shadowbird, was not known for being subtle, in fact, she was known for a lot worse if the battle took her that way.

    ¡°I suppose I deserved that.¡± said Michelle, waving off the other Space-Girls who emerged to hold Erin back.

    ¡°You deserve more than that, but we¡¯re in the middle of a battle. You know why I¡¯m not in your stupid fan club, Michelle? Because you take all these people, most of them kids, from all these worlds, and they die and get killed, before they ever even live.¡± said Erin, holding back from punching Space-Girl Michelle again. She genuinely liked Monica, but being the current Space-Girl Michelle wasn¡¯t enough to shield her from Erin¡¯s anger.

    ¡°Those kids saved the galaxy, if they didn¡¯t go, the Gophers and the others would have slain their brothers and sisters. Yes, we listen to rock music and have a little fun doing it, but someone has to. You can¡¯t expect the Space Marines to do everything.¡± said Michelle, wiping blood from the corner of her mouth. The pain was worth it to bring Erin back to the team.

    ¡°I get that, but Therese is special, you have taken everyone special to me.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°I have always been sorry about your sister, if you weren¡¯t on that mission that day, Hilas would have fallen and millions of people would have died. You made a choice, the only choice.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°She was my everything, and I finally healed a little, and now Therese is taken, I¡¯m going to go get her back.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°Let me guess, you¡¯re just going to fly a couple MK-48¡¯s in, and get her.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle as the tone of her voice reflected her doubts in Erin¡¯s plan.

    ¡°Well, I was thinking my MK-48 might make it.¡± Erin confessed, realizing she was probably a little too optimistic about her plan.

    ¡°Two MK-48¡¯s are still small enough to look like a simple raid, not draw in extra reinforcements, and it doubles your firepower.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°You¡¯re in command, you¡¯re the Michelle.¡± said Erin. She was pissed at Space-Girl Michelle, but she knew the boss was right on this one.

    ¡°And I¡¯m going with you, this is a stupid idea and reeks of a suicide mission.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle, turning and walking to get her MK-48 power armor, she called ¡°Smiley.¡± Digs was already offloading Erin¡¯s MK-48, the two-seater she brought, so she could fly Therese back in it once she was rescued.

    ¡°Babe, you¡¯re not going without me.¡± said Vivo while walking up to Erin. His head hung low, and he was both hurt and embarrassed at losing Therese. Vivo had lost all his pride in life with their defeat and wished he died next to Buck.

    ¡°I need the extra seat to fly Therese out.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°That plan is stupid and poorly thought out. When you secure the area, we¡¯ll fly in on your ship and extract her. We might be banged up, but, we can pull that much off.¡± said Ben. He was angry, also wished he died next to Buck, and any chance to rescue Therese was a chance worth dying for.

    ¡°You guys aren¡¯t going without me.¡± said Ed Shank walking up. His armor was covered in scorch marks, and he too was willing to risk his life for any chance to recover his closest friend in the world.

    ¡°Told you that you needed me, and no one except you has more time on that ship than me.¡± said Digs, putting his helmet on. ¡°I hate this stupid armor, it doesn¡¯t let your junk breathe.¡± finished Digs.

    ¡°Right? I was thinking like we could put a little vent blow fresh air down there.¡± said Vivo. Ben nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Guy¡¯s, we can worry about your not so fresh feeling when we get back.¡± Erin redirected, climbing into her MK-48 power suit. Vivo, sore and hurt, climbed into the rear gunners chair. Michelle entered her MK-48, ¡°Big Smiley¡±.

    The Power cells and turbines of the MK-48¡¯s roared to life. Each was equipped with the highest grade energy cells, and boosted with turbines when in atmospheric conditions. They had enough firepower to take out the heaviest armored gophers and were almost as agile as the Space-Girls themselves. The ground rumbled with the vibrations of the MK-48¡¯s. The turbine boost had a high-pitched whine, the repulsors vibrated the ground and the weight of the armor itself crushed the ground with each step.

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    ¡°Scrappy CoCo, I want offensives all along the line, you need to pull them away from the rear.¡± transmitted Space-Girl Michelle. It was time to risk everything to make this wrong right.

    ¡°Aye, Ma¡¯am.¡± Space-Girl Susan acknowledged as she began transmitting requests to the commanders of the 1<sup>st</sup> Division. Space-Girl Susan was a duality, half a dedicated professional and half an explosive but passionate warrior. People followed her out of respect and a simple curiosity about what she would do next. The Division hoped for something other than holding the line and rallied at her requests.

    Michelle spun her MK-48, checking for feedback and smoothness. Michelle found herself pleased with the suit. ¡°Smiley¡± had an automatic grenade launcher on the left arm, and a rapid-fire multi-barreled cannon on the right. Six small missiles were mounted above the autocannon on the right arm, and 6 medium missiles were mounted on the left shoulder. A hyper-pressure machine gun with armor-piercing ammunition was mounted on the right. Advanced sensors and jamming equipment completed the electronics, and of course, a big ¡°smiley face¡± sticker was mounted on the right arm¡¯s ammo drum.

    The MK-48 had a large turbine and a sound blasting PA system to broadcast rock music as they fought, both frightening enemies and giving the girls a rhythm tempo to follow. These armored suits of war were costly, high maintenance and made for war only, so the girls relied on them as little as possible, but they were needed again now.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go get our girl.¡± said Erin, firing her thrusters, and accelerating the suit to maximum velocity as it roared above the ground faster than the suit or a person could hope to tun.

    ¡°Any requests?¡± Space-Girl Michelle asked Erin.

    ¡°Soundtrack Delta. Only heavy metal can see us through this alive.¡± said Erin as Michelle linked their suits, and both MK-48¡¯s began blaring rock music loudly. The two Space-Girls flew map of the earth, annihilating any gophers that they came across. The MK-48¡¯s were equipped with ship-grade weaponry, and everyone fired as accurately and quickly as they could. The MK-48¡¯s could run fast, jump far and fly over the ground if needed.

    ¡°We suspect the Gopher King at waypoint Tango, let¡¯s fight our way there.¡± Space-Girl Michelle directed, and Erin followed her lead.

    All along the forward edge of the battlefield, the Space Marines roared to life and assaulted the gophers. Cannons fired, mortars dropped and fighters delivered close air support, for the first time in a day, the 1<sup>st</sup> Division was on the offensive. The Space Navy dropped to orbital shelling altitude, having driven out the gopher fleet. The rabbit armies joined in, fighting from their burrows, and attempted to fill in the gaps with the Marine lines. The gophers were forced to draw upon more and more of their reserves, thinning the path for the Space-Girls.

    ¡°There it is, up ahead, the Gopher King encampment.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle, adjusting her direction. Gopher resistance grew fiercer as they neared, there were less and less regular cyborg gophers, and more and more armored gophers than before. Erin maneuvered as fast as she could, covering Michelle¡¯s advance, grateful she had Vivo in the back gunner''s seat.

    Vivo fired the high-pressure machine guns, sinking armor-piercing bullets into all but the thickest armored gophers. The bursts chewed them down. For those who did not fall to the concentrated machine-gun fire, Erin fired her heavy cannon into them and cleared out entire squads of nearby gophers. The cannons held less ammo though, so she saved the heavy guns for when they were needed most.

    Space-Girl Michelle also used the same strategy of trying to use her machine guns as much as possible to save her heavier ordnance. A line of Gopher Shock troopers formed, and she used her autocannon to cut them down like a giant broadsword cleaving them as the four barrels rotated and fired. As more and more Gopher Super Soldiers arrived, their armor was too thick for even her autocannon and Michelle easily switched to her small yield anti-armor cannon and destroyed several of them at a time as the shells exploded apart in a blaze of unstable matter and then collapsed in on themselves. Michelle hated using the expensive ammunition up which was difficult to replace, but she was even more committed to rescuing Therese than even staying alive.

    The Space-Girl advance was finally slowed to a stop, as the resistance thickened. Armored gophers grew thicker and it was taking longer to stop them, and the Space-Girls were only barely holding their ground as they maneuvered and fired. Erin fired a burst of high yield grenades, shredding and melting armored gophers, but as one died another took its place.

    The ground blew in front of them, and a company of Rabbit shock troops jumped out of the open tunnel. They advanced recklessly and without concern for their own safety, with unprecedented determination. The rabbits jumped and kicked and sliced open the gophers with energy swords, ignoring their own losses. The energy beams cut through gopher armor where the Hare small arms failed. The rabbits were about the size of Therese but moved quickly and viciously, having their strength increased by their anger towards the invaders.

    ¡°Captain Lionhead reporting.¡± said the lead rabbit as he sliced open a gopher that almost crushed Michelle. ¡°We were told you are rescuing the daughter of our world.¡± said the rabbit, jumping from gopher to gopher and cutting them open. Lionhead was quick and vicious, his beard and long hair flowing under his helmet fought against the air as he jumped around and sliced gophers open.

    ¡°We are, and thank you for your help.¡± replied Michelle.

    ¡°No rabbit would ever show their head above ground if we did less.¡± The Rabbit Captain said, as he continued to attack. The rabbits succeeded in making a hole in the Gopher lines, and the Space-Girls flew through it, firing as best they could. Michelle and Erin both recognized the royal bodyguard markings of the gophers and they knew they were close to the gopher king.

    A blast hit Erin¡¯s MK-48 and it collapsed powerless to the ground, the Gopher King himself stepped up and charged a beam weapon, grinned and raised it to destroy Erin and Vivo. As the giant Gopher King fired, Space-Girl Michelle flew in front of it and was destroyed by the beam aimed at Erin. Pieces of Michelle¡¯s MK-48 flew in every direction. Erin did not have time to mourn Space-Girl Michelle¡¯s sacrifice, and Vivo was knocked unconscious by the blast. Erin jumped from her own wreckage and charged the Gopher King who laughed in defiance.

    ¡°I suppose you are the new Michelle.¡± said The Gopher King, swatting Erin into the air.

    Erin uprighted herself in the air and flew back at the Gopher King. Ice formed on the ground and energy weapons stopped working as she absorbed the available energy. The Gopher King¡¯s cyborg parts stopped working and his heart stopped pumping as he stared at Erin. Yellow energy surrounded her and she grimaced in pain as she felt like she was being burned alive as she drew in energy from around her and a Gopher fighter flying by lost power before crashing into the ground before even the energy of the explosion was absorbed by Erin.

    ¡°No, I am and always will be the Shadowbird.¡± said Erin, accelerating at the Gopher King. As Erin¡¯s speed increased, she moved as a blur through the air.

    The giant gopher remained frozen in terror, even as Erin accelerated and flew inside his torso, ripping his chest open. Erin pulled organs and tore wires, and ripped the living king of Gophers into pieces from the inside out. The giant gopher twitched in agony and horror as Erin continued to rip every piece apart and stomp every circuit she could fine. Erin stomped small parts of the dead king, and fired her pistols into larger parts, reducing him to a puddle of goo. Other cyborg gophers, normally immune to fear, saw the slaughter of their king and ran in horror as rabbits chased them and cut them down.

    ¡°The Gopher King is finally dead, kill them all, the gopher devil will know its own.¡± transmitted Erin on all frequencies. The lines erupted, and the wholesale slaughter of the soulless plague of the galaxy began. Erin wiped the blood off her armor, the best she could, then tore off a patch of the dead gopher¡¯s fur and wiped off the remaining chunks the best she could.

    Erin walked forward and tore off the doors to a cage and pulled up Therese. ¡°Therese is alive, I need extraction for her and Vivo, but Michelle didn¡¯t make it.¡± transmitted Erin, not realizing she was still set to all frequencies. The lines went silent and then increased in a more vicious affair as every cyborg gopher was purged. The rabbits rallied at both the good news Therese lived and angered at the loss of Michelle. Hares crawled off of stretchers, rabbits missing legs hopped on leg, and every rabbit short of death struggled towards the front lines. Gophers died as fast as they could be slaughtered.

    Erin¡¯s black ship flew in, Digs was piloting with Ed at Ops, as Ben fired from the door cannon, covering her approach. ¡°Give me a hand with Vivo.¡± said Erin. Ben jumped cleared of the ship and pulled Vivo from the debris. The rabbit shock troopers lead by Captain Lionhead secured the area around them. Ben carried his best friend, grateful Vivo was alive, but wishing he would leave the fighting to himself.

    ¡°Go take care of your friends, and our daughter. We can finish this area.¡± said Captain Lionhead. Erin nodded, and carried Therese into the waiting ship. ¡°MEDICS!¡± yelled Lionhead. Therese¡¯s safety overtook Erin¡¯s rage towards the Gophers, but the Hare knew her self-control would not last long.

    Two rabbit medics ran over. ¡°Help the Shadowbird with our daughter and her friend.¡± Ordered Captain Lionhead. The two medics ran and climbed onto the back ship and took over care for Therese and Vivo, using scanners to assess them.

    ¡°They are injured but they will fully recover, Captain Erin.¡± said the senior of the medics. They were as in awe by Erin¡¯s presence only slightly less than they were concerned for Therese¡¯s safety.

    ¡°Take charge of their care, I will meet up with you all soon.¡± said Erin, running away to join in the fighting.

    ¡°Wait, Erin, come with us.¡± Ben yelled from the door gun position.

    ¡°She will not listen to you, the she will not stop until the killing has ended, take us out of here.¡± Yelled the senior medic. The other started intravenous lines into the Vivo and Therese, as the senior medic prepared the intravenous lines and bags, and both rabbits had the medications flowing within a minute and without speaking to each other. Digs flew quickly, and evasively, dodging less frequent fire from gopher positions. Ben caught a last glimpse of Erin as she slaughtered a gopher position.

 The End of the Battle

    ¡°Bunnies.¡± said Therese looking up, and feeling delirious.

    ¡°We prefer Rabbit or Hare, but for you, I¡¯ll be a fuzzy wil wabbit.¡± Teased the junior medic, causing the senior to laugh.

    ¡°I love rabbits.¡± said Therese, still unsure if she was dreaming. The medics smiled, glad Therese would survive.

    ¡°There are a planet full of them who love you, rest daughter.¡± said the senior rabbit.

    ¡°Okay, if you insist.¡± said Therese, napping and glad to be free of the Gopher King. Ben stared out the door, looking for, but lacking gophers to shoot. David radioed to the 1<sup>st</sup> Division and was directed to a field hospital run by the Space Navy for the 1<sup>st</sup>. Even though there was mostly random fire in the sky by the remaining gophers neat them, David came in fast and quick to land, but gently set the ship down at the last second. Several people looked over to see who the skillful pilot was, having watched him dodge fire and go from a rapid speed instantly to a smooth and perfect descent.

    Several more medics ran out, both human and hare, and grabbed Therese and Vivo and put them on stretchers and took them into a triage area. ¡°The daughter has several fractured ribs, and her left upper arm is fractured, but we began mending enroute, she was also severely dehydrated and we gave one liter normal fluid IV with enhancement. The Space-Boy received a concussion and lost consciousness, following a particle blast, but is stable, no evidence of inter-cranial pressure.¡± Reported the senior medic.

    ¡°Take them to observation and continue maintenance fluids and bone mending, medicate as tolerated for pain.¡± Ordered the surgeon.

    ¡°More bunnies.¡± said Therese, looking up, the pain medications were helping ease her suffering. The rabbits and men carried both Therese and Vivo to the far end of the observation structure to distance them from the screams of the more wounded.

    ¡°Goodbye bunnies.¡± said Therese, falling asleep. Ben and Ed entered the tent to check on their friends, and after they were told they were fine, laid down on the next empty cots and fell asleep, exhausted.

    Therese awoke later and saw her mother and father sitting next to her, and instinctively checked her wrists for restraints, and relaxed when she saw none.

    ¡°You are safe honey, that part of your life is over, and we are sorry you suffered it.¡± said Therese¡¯s mother.

    ¡°We¡¯re just glad you are safe.¡± said Therese¡¯s father.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, I¡¯m a Space-Girl.¡± Therese told her parents, the pain medications still left her feeling drugged.

    ¡°That is wonderful.¡± said Therese¡¯s mother Mary.

    ¡°No, I mean I am a real Space-Girl, and I flew in a spaceship, and the Gopher King, he, he hurt me.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°We know, and we are so proud of you, we knew you would be one day.¡± Therese¡¯s mother said smiling. The present had come regardless of how hard she had dreaded the future.

    ¡°And don¡¯t worry, Space-Girl Erin slew that evil monster Gopher King.¡± Therese¡¯s father Rodger added.

    ¡°You know?¡± asked Therese, looking around worried she was having a nightmare or hallucination. Therese saw her parents sitting there smiling with Kara next to them. Ben and Ed were still sleeping off their pain and exhaustion.

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    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this is real.¡± Kara reassured Therese, sensing her concern.

    ¡°Like you guys are pretty cool about this.¡± Therese told her parents, who shrugged their shoulders and smiled.

    ¡°Maybe I can help explain.¡± said an aged rabbit walking in with Space-Girl Susan.

    ¡°Space-Girl Susan, would you be so kind to grab us a couple chairs.¡± asked the old Rabbit.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Susan said, setting up a chair for herself and the aged hare. Therese could tell by the scorches on Susan¡¯s armor she had participated in her own thick of the fighting.

    ¡°My name is Angora, I am the elected leader of this free world. I knew you when you were a little bunny, your parents were stationed here as Space-Girl and Boy, your grandparents assisted in our agriculture department, and the other three bunnies of your litter were your sister and brother.¡± said the old rabbit with sadness in his eyes, and his ears drooped, he could not remember what humans called their bunnies.

    ¡°We were attacked, like we were now, by the Gopher King, your parents left your home, and left you with your grandparents, and they fought hard. The Gopher King was not alone though, he was with the leader of the Vax, a hideous reptile breed that liked to eat our children in front of us.¡± The rabbit sighed, filled with his own horrible memories.

    ¡°Your parents defeated the Vax and drove off the Gophers, and they saved the rest of the galaxy too, as if Haremar fell, the Vax would have a foothold in this sector, but in the end, the Gopher King killed both your parents before he retreated, and we found during the battle, your home was destroyed, and you were all who remained. Your grandmother must have been holding you and quickly placed her ring, the purple ring, on you when the gopher attack began. This world adopted you then, all the free Hare¡¯s made you their daughter, go into any home and there is your bed, sit at any table and there is your chair.¡± explained Angora as best he could.

    ¡°But, mom, Dad?¡± Therese asked her parents.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we¡¯re androids, Haremar made us to care for you, and I am so sorry we were not perfect, we had to learn as you grew too, but we really do love you.¡± said Rodger.

    ¡°Oh my God, that totally explains it.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Explains what, honey?¡± Therese¡¯s mother asked.

    ¡°When I was little I saw you putting makeup on and it scared me so bad, that is why I never wanted to use it, I mean I tried convincing myself it wasn¡¯t real and finally I believed it.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°What is so weird about your mom putting makeup on?¡± Asked Kara.

    ¡°She pulled off her face to do it, it scared the shit out of me.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°Seriously with all the other crap I had going on would you have believed me anymore than that there was an implant in my head?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Okay, you might have a point there.¡± agreed Kara.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was still learning how to be a parent then, I hope you will forgive me.¡± Therese¡¯s mother Mary apologized.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, I love you, you are my parents, I love you so much.¡± Therese said, sitting up and hugging her parents.

    Kara started crying. ¡°I still love you too.¡± said Kara, joining in the hug.

    ¡°We will always love both of you, our two daughters.¡± Therese¡¯s mother said, hugging both of them.

    ¡°Well, that certainly went better than I hoped. They certainly chose the right ring when they gave you back the purple.¡± said Angora.

    ¡°What¡¯s purple got to do with it?¡± Kara asked, looking at her white armor and Susan¡¯s white armor.

    ¡°When Haremar, made the space rings, most of them are equally powerful, but a few like the purple one, give their wearer a little extra resilience.¡± explained Angora, but trying to avoid the long explanation of how Haremar created the great Space Rings.

    ¡°What about the black armor?¡± asked Kara, referencing Erin.

    ¡°You are asking about the Shadowbird, That power must be wielded with caution, it can lead to many terrible things, and I am afraid your friend will not return until the fighting ceases on this planet.¡± finished Angora.

    ¡°What was my family like?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°They were lovely people, your parents were so kind, and your siblings, they loved the grassland. I am honored to have been their friend.¡± said The old rabbit.

    ¡°It¡¯s weird, I like hurt but also I mean I just found out about them, and I mean Mom and Dad, you¡¯re right here, you raised me, you¡¯re all I know. I don¡¯t know what to feel.¡± said Therese, confused.

    ¡°My advice then, is to enjoy those who are with you. Space-Girl Susan, will you help me up, we must get back to the headquarters.¡± said Angora as Space-Girl Susan helped him up.

    ¡°You all did great.¡± said Susan, before she turned and escorted the rabbit leader out of the observation tent.

    ¡°You will always be our mom and dad.¡± said Therese for her and Kara.

    ¡°That¡¯s all we hope for.¡± said Therese¡¯s father.

 Aftershocks

    A few days later, Erin walked up to the team who were standing outside their tent. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m home.¡± said Erin, her armor dented, dirty and covered in both her own blood and the blood of the gophers.

    ¡°Erin?¡± said Vivo, standing up and walking to her.

    ¡°Wait, this is probably easier than scrubbing the armor.¡± said Erin, deactivating the armor from the ring. Blood, dirt and gopher mass fell around her into the dirt. Erin stood wearing the same clothes she had left the Cowffee cup in.

    ¡°Damn, I need a shower, I¡¯m rank.¡± said Erin.

    Vivo hugged smelly Erin and squeezed her. ¡°I¡¯m just glad your back, how¡¯s the baby?¡± asked Vivo.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he or she is probably tired of field rations. Therese, Kara, Ben, Ed, I¡¯m going to go find a shower before we do any more hugs.¡± said Erin, walking off as quickly as she came. Vivo knew something bad happened out there for Erin to walk away like that.

    ¡°How am I going to explain missing the first week of college?¡± Therese asked Ed. She was trying to change the subject and prevent awkward silence.

    ¡°How about me, I am supposed to be working there.¡± answered Ed, unsure what to say.

    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to find some brilliant hacker to fake our attendance records.¡± said Kara, elbowing Ben.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, and we need to take Buck back and bury him too.¡± Vivo said, frowning with everyone who had lost a friend with Buck gone.

    ¡°Diggie says Therese¡¯s ship won¡¯t be fixed for a long time, but Erin¡¯s is ready if we all want to fly back anytime we can.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°It was nice to be home, but I can¡¯t wait to get back to earth. Mom and dad got back safe, they wanted you all to know that.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°You know, we could just stop by one of those gold-filled asteroids and bribe the college the old fashioned way.¡± Ben suggested.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay with that.¡± Kara said, squeezing Ben in a hug.

    ¡°Definitely.¡± said Ed.

    ¡°What¡¯s the Space-Girl rule book say?¡± Ben asked Therese. She was their moral compass by default.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to look, we¡¯ll grab the gold, but just remember, it all goes to bribing a public institution to falsify our attendance records, I don¡¯t want us to be corrupted by it. Worse case, maybe we could buy them a new gym or something.¡± Therese decided. The group laughed at the irony but truth of the decision.

    ¡°Start packing, when Erin¡¯s clean, we¡¯ll leave.¡± said Vivo walking off.

    The group stood and looked around, glad to be leaving such a terrible event on such a beautiful world.

    ¡°Ben, Ben wait, I was told you like cookies.¡± Space-Girl Rachel said walking over from a mess tent. ¡°Try this.¡± said Rachel handing Ben a cookie. Ben¡¯s face lit up as he bit into it and chewed.

    ¡°I¡¯m not kidding this is the best cookie I have ever eaten, and I have eaten a lot of cookies. I have never tasted anything like it, what is it?¡± Ben asked the Space-Girl.

    ¡°Ranbar or something, it is an herb the rabbits grow, it is like a weed here, but so tasteful. Smell you later.¡± said Rachel walking away quickly. Ben whiffed his shirt, she was right he needed to do laundry.

    ¡°You know, this cookie, could solve all my problems, I need to get some of this Ranbar before we go.¡± said Ben walking off with Kara.

    ¡°Just us peanut, want to go find a cup of coffee?¡± asked Ed.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t tell the principal, I think I know where we can find a bottle of whiskey, Kara or Erin can fly us home.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I won¡¯t tell that prick shit.¡± said Ed.

    Therese pulled out a bottle of rabbit-made whiskey. ¡°The best on Haremar, or at least I was told.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I am sure there are two cups in that mess tent.¡± said Ed, walking over to the mess tent with Therese, and holding the door open for her. A Marine private started saying something about the alcohol in the mess tent, but the Sergeant ended it by handing Ed two glasses.

    ¡°We¡¯re moving up, first paper, now plastic.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°If this whiskey is any good it won¡¯t matter, and if it isn¡¯t good, it will matter less.¡± Ed replied.

    The two sat at a table and proceeded to drink excessively. Captain Lionhead came over to the two and asked them, ¡°Have you ever been drunk with a rabbit?¡±

    ¡°No, but now that you mention it, I¡¯d like to try.¡± said Therese, sliding the bottle over to him, and the Marine Sergeant tossed him a cup.

    ¡°Welcome home, we hope you¡¯ll visit more often. To a green spring, gopher blood makes the grass grow.¡± toasted the rabbit captain.

    Ed and Therese raised their glasses and drank again. The three survivors drank into the evening. Therese was finally able to speak a little about her capture and imprisonment by the Gophers, and how the largest would pick up her cage to shake it and make her bounce against the bars. Therese then stopped talking, covered her ears, cried and poured another glass and started sipping it. Lionhead and Ed sat powerless to help her, they could only be there for her, but that was all she wanted at that moment. Therese¡¯s body hurt, her heart ached, the voices yelled and the whiskey was needed as it numbed the pain of living.

    Unknown to Therese, her mother was an alcoholic from a planet with a predisposition to alcoholism and Therese herself was born in withdrawals, but she wouldn¡¯t have cared if anyone told her. Years of mental illness, being picked on, her capture and everything else were numbed by her new old friend.

    Therese slept the trip back to earth, and when awakened she staggered with enough support to Peter¡¯s car and somehow she made it to bed because she awoke there. The terrible headache she awoke with was worth the numbing her life pain the night before. Peter had a cup of coffee waiting for her as he always did, but instead of making her happy as the coffee always had, she was saddened that she felt like a burden to him. Therese climbed out of bed, slowly but deliberately, and staggered into the bathroom and washed her face.

    ¡°Fuck me, we have class don¡¯t we.¡± said Therese, losing her balance and stumbling as she walked into the kitchen. Ana laughed. Therese¡¯s head hurt, she closed her eyes and sipped her coffee. Peter knew she had fought and been hurt on Haremar, and the loss of Buck hurt him too, but Peter didn¡¯t like seeing Therese hungover.

    ¡°Do you have any aspirin?¡± asked Therese, without looking up. Peter grabbed a couple baby aspirins and put them in her hand, Therese took them and swallowed them without opening her eyes.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you use your ring?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°I forgot about that.¡± Therese said, adjusting her ring and a warm light came out and she started feeling better. ¡°Thank you.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Do you want breakfast?¡± Peter asked Therese.

    ¡°Maybe later, my head hurts.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I got Ana ready, Vivo said we could drop her off at the store on the way to class.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°Oh good.¡± said Therese, without looking up.

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    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go take a shower, we have time.¡± Peter suggested.

    ¡°Yah, that¡¯s a good idea.¡± said Therese, her ring was helping her feel better, although it was better at wounds and broken bones than hangovers. Therese stumbled, and made her way to the bathroom, stepping into the shower before it warmed up. Therese then remembered to remove her clothes. She took the clothes off and left them in the shower, washed and stepped out. Therese looked in the mirror and saw she was still bruised all over from the Gopher King crushing her, but most of all she hated herself for Buck dying.

    Therese forced herself to dress, but she did mechanically and out of habit. She started brushing her hair and then dropped the brush and left it on the floor. She found socks and put her shoes on, and started crying in frustration when she couldn¡¯t find her backpack.

    ¡°It¡¯s in the car, I have our backpacks in the car.¡± Peter told Therese.

    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s a bad morning.¡± said Therese. Peter shrugged, picked up Ana and went out to the car. Therese followed, glad Peter was driving, she slumped down in her seat in the car and shut her eyes.

    Peter drove the car carefully, and Therese did not awaken when he stopped and took Ana in to Vivo at the store. Finally, upon reaching the college, Peter awakened Therese. ¡°Hey babe, we¡¯re here.¡±

    Therese awoke, and squinted her eyes, the light was even brighter outside. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯m here.¡± Therese said, climbing out of the car, glad to see Kara.

    ¡°She¡¯s hungover.¡± Peter told Kara.

    ¡°I guess we all learn sometime.¡± said Kara. Peter shrugged, he didn¡¯t like this, and felt like a single parent with two kids now. ¡°She¡¯ll get better.¡± Encouraged Kara. Peter simply shrugged again. Both Peter and Lara felt like they failed Therese.

    The trio made their way to Mr. Shank¡¯s class, and they were greeted with a cup of coffee for each of them. ¡°Remind me to never try to out drink a rabbit again.¡± Therese told Mr. Shank.

    ¡°Only if you return the favor.¡± said Ed, drinking his coffee.

    Ed struggled to teach the class, because he missed Buck, but he carried on. The college president was more than happy to learn that Ed and the students missed class because they were securing a grant for a new administration building from a wealthy alumni, so at least they were safe with the college, but Ed missed Buck. The two men had quickly become old friends.

    ¡°I am so glad this is over, I¡¯ll see you guys tonight.¡± said Ed to his team, slumping in his chair and putting his feet up for a nap. The trio left and went to rest before chemistry class and then finally went to that.

    ¡°Well look, who decided to finally show up.¡± Gina said from their lab table, then shook her head when she saw Therese. Gina knew that look.

    ¡°Her grandfather passed away, they were very close.¡± said Kara to Gina to excuse Therese.

    ¡°And all of you missed the rest of last week?¡± Gina asked.

    ¡°We were all very close to him.¡± Peter said. Gina shook her head and wished she was in another group.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you copies of my notes from last week, I can make them at work.¡± said Gina.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°You know, I used to think you three were so cool, how you guys were like a thing when we graduated, just do me a favor and let¡¯s pass this class.¡± said Gina. She was disappointed in the team.

    ¡°We will, sorry about last week.¡± said Kara. Therese was already sleeping with her head down. The teacher politely ignored her behavior, he didn¡¯t really care if she passed or not. Awaking at the end of class, Therese excused herself from the group and went to go use the restroom and left with Kara.

    Therese found it ironic she started feeling better as class ended. No one else in her group found it ironic because she had slept the whole class. ¡°Yah, so Wednesday, I¡¯ll bring you notes, I can make copies at the hospital tonight.¡± said Gina.

    ¡°The hospital, what do you do there?¡± Peter asked, still trying to figure out what he want¡¯s do so in life.

    ¡°I¡¯m a nursing assistant.¡± said Gina, smacking her gum at Peter. She thought about him, she had dumped Peter when she found out he liked Therese, but she couldn¡¯t because she actually respected Therese even if she was letting her down.

    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re going to nursing school?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°Yeah, It¡¯s a career, I¡¯m a single mom you know, and I don¡¯t think my parents really want to help out forever.¡± said Gina.

    ¡°You¡¯re a mom? I thought that was your brother.¡± Peter asked confused. If Gina didn¡¯t really know Peter she would be in disbelief at his ignorance.

    ¡°You really are oblivious aren¡¯t you. How¡¯s your kid?¡± asked Gina.

    ¡°She¡¯s good, how¡¯d you know?¡± asked Peter. The boy had done his best to hide that from everyone for Ana¡¯s safety.

    ¡°I could see in your backpack from my desk in Shank¡¯s class, we dated? Remember? Your girlfriend, she¡¯s not looking too good. She¡¯s a tough kid, but she needs to keep it together, raising kids is serious, I know.¡± said Gina.

    ¡°She lost her grandfather.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°I¡¯ve lost a lot of people, but nothing gives you a break from being a parent. Yah, I made some stupid choices, I get that, but I don¡¯t want anymore of my stupid choices being her stupid choices. Still, it¡¯s cool you got your kid, I¡¯m sorry whatever happened to the mom.¡± said Gina.

    ¡°Thank you, does her dad help?¡± asked Peter, of Gina¡¯s son. Peter was still trying to reanalyze his relationship with Gina, the sudden fact that the baby was hers was like an alteration in his timeline.

    ¡°You know the cold sores you give me shit about, yah I got that from him, but the best part of him is half of him, and I got him at daycare.¡± said Gina.

    ¡°Look, I am so sorry, I am so sorry I said all that.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°Relax Pete, I get it, you were angry because I was teasing you, and I shared a virus with you, but you are dense. I was just jealous, because I thought you might be like the one guy who understood what it was like for me.¡± said Gina walking away. Peter stood there confused until he acknowledged Gina was right, he was dense.

    Peter found Therese and they drove to the Cowffee cup. Even though Erin didn¡¯t get her summer vacation, you liked leaving early to go home to her pool while the weather was good. Erin greeted them when they came in the door, and then Kara too as she arrived, but Erin seemed flatter than normal although still pleasant.

    ¡°Vivo needs to talk to you Therese, why don¡¯t you go over there first, Kara, you can run the store, I just need to go home.¡± said Erin, grabbing her purse and leaving without looking back.

    ¡°She¡¯s not well.¡± said Kara to Therese.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long week, especially for her, and she knew Buck longer than any of us.¡± said Therese walking off to find Vivo.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this at all.¡± said Peter to Kara.

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me.¡± Kara agreed.

    ¡°Hey Vivo, Erin said you wanted to see me.¡± said Therese, walking into the Kookie Mart office.

    ¡°Yeah, I have Buck¡¯s will, he drafted it with me a while back. I¡¯m going to read it to you.  I leave everything to that girl Therese who work¡¯s for Erin at the Cowffee Cup. Thanks for reminding me I¡¯m not an asshole. Please bury me at sea so I can sleep under the waves until the Resurrection.¡± read Vivo.

    ¡°He insisted on writing it himself, but it seems simple enough, let¡¯s go for a ride.¡± Vivo said handing Therese a set of house keys.

    ¡°Let¡¯s walk there, it isn¡¯t far, and I always liked walking Buck home.¡± said Therese. Vivo agreed and left walking with Therese. They started walking down the main street, Therese grew sad, thinking of how nice it was walking with Buck as he explained all the buildings and what they used to be to her.

    ¡°Wait your cane.¡± said Therese sticking her arm out in front of Vivo, who stopped but gave her a look of curiosity.

    ¡°Sorry, right there on the sidewalk, it raises, sometimes Buck would catch his cane there.¡± explained Therese.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, thanks for keeping me from tripping.¡± said Vivo, feeling bad for Therese¡¯s own suffering.

    Soon they reached Buck¡¯s house, the weeds had grown a little. ¡°Look here, this is where he took the metal from his lucky hood to make my jewelry box.¡± Therese pulled Vivo over to the old truck, showing the hole in the hood where he gathered metal. Therese soaked in sadness. ¡°Lucky hood.¡± she explained to Vivo.

    ¡°Lucky hood.¡± Vivo acknowledged.

    Therese slowly, carefully, and deliberately walked up the porch to the front door. She still felt like she was going into someone¡¯s house that wasn¡¯t home. The door opened to the key and they went in.

    ¡°There¡¯s a couple things I need to grab now.¡± said Therese, walking in, taking the dollar she gave buck off the shelf, and then grabbing the picture of him young and in his Navy uniform off his wall. Therese looked around and then grabbed a bottle of whiskey out of the liquor cabinet and put that in her purse too. Vivo was waiting in the front room out of politeness, and Therese went back to him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to deal with the rest now, do you think you could have someone put an alarm on the house please, I don¡¯t want to leave this house empty.¡± Therese asked Vivo.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll call as soon as we get back to the shop. That¡¯s a good picture.¡± said Vivo looking at young Buck.

    ¡°He lived and died a good man.¡± Therese said, walking out and locking the door behind them. Vivo helped steady Therese, she was shaking going down the steps.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know him long but these have been the best days of my life before I lost him.¡± said Therese. They were the best days before her old friend was killed in front of her, she was crushed, and shaken in a cage until Erin could rescue her.

    ¡°Let me tell you, despite anything she has ever said, Erin looked forward to seeing him every morning, he did something neither I or Ben was capable of doing.¡± said Vivo. Therese looked up in question.

    ¡°Standing up to Erin.¡± said Vivo. Therese smiled, she knew that was a truth, both Ben and Vivo would do whatever Erin asked of them, but Buck, he liked to do the opposite, just to irritate her.

    ¡°I guess even old men are still boys.¡± said Therese. Vivo couldn¡¯t argue. They walked silently into the Cowffee Cup, and Therese didn¡¯t say a word as she entered, instead, Therese walked behind the counter, took a ceramic decoration of a cow off the wall, and hung Buck¡¯s picture up, then took the dollar and stapled it to the wall below the picture.

    ¡°I like it, but it¡¯s missing something, trust me.¡± said Kara, grabbing the label maker and typing something out. Kara took the label to the wall and stuck it under Buck¡¯s picture, it read ¡°Customer of the Year.¡±

    ¡°Either Erin will love it, or she¡¯ll fire us.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I hope love.¡± Kara said, and Therese nodded in agreement.

    Therese went and made herself a coffee and then took the bottle of whiskey and poured a shot in the coffee. Kara threw Therese a stop it look, but Therese replied ¡°It¡¯s Irish.¡± Therese said.

    ¡°And you¡¯re not.¡± Kara countered.

    ¡°I just need this now, you have no idea what it was like, I saw Buck killed, I was captured, hurt, and then the gophers would shake my cage just to watch me bounce. I need to numb the pain.¡± said Therese. The whiskey was an old terrible friend Therese knew before she breathed her first breath, bad now that that friend was back in her life, she could not let it go. Hidden genes of another world foreign to her called for it. Therese wanted to numb her pain and to escape.

    ¡°Just be careful.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°I am, I didn¡¯t drive.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m talking about a bit more than that.¡± Kara said, going back to work.

 Therese Copes by Drinking

    Ben came running over. ¡°Yo, Kara, turn the TV on the news, there¡¯s a Space-Girl making an address to the UN.¡± said Ben. Kara turned on the TV set behind the counter, and they saw the New Space-Girl Michelle, formally Space-Girl Carmella on TV. The girls didn¡¯t know much about her, but had heard she was a decent lady who spent a lot of time protecting the outer areas of the galaxy so she could be a little short on protocol.

    ¡°People of earth, there has been of concern about our presence here. I promise, we are only here as a protector, we really don¡¯t want much to do with you, but the attack on your world has drawn you into something bigger. Let¡¯s face it, the only beings who would tolerate the corrupt and evil in your governments are the same beings who would enslave you. There have been fears of us drafting your people for the wars in the galaxy. Again, that is stupid, you commit wholesale infanticide through abortion, maybe you should fix that first, before you worry about your sons and daughters who survived pregnancy running off to join us. People are worried we¡¯ll alter your cultures and tell you how to live, again those are stupid rumors. God and Jesus Christ told you how to live better two-thousand years ago and instead of listening, so many of your leaders have failed you. So seriously, lighten up a little about us keeping you from being conquered, and go back to your little angry lives being the little itty-bitty puppets of greedy people.¡± stated Space-Girl Michelle to the UN.

    ¡°Fuck.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°She laid that out flat.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay with that.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I have been asked if we are here for your natural resources. I get that you like killing each other over them, but again, what you value we have in abundance on other worlds. We¡¯re only here because if we are not, you will be killed, enslaved and your planet ravaged. If you doubt me, look at our space cruisers, if we wanted you defeated, you would be. Where is the leader from Poland, oh hey, there you are (Space-Girl Michelle said pointing at the Representative from Poland), I need to find a good spot to get some pierogis, would you mind talking to me when this is over, because it is.¡± Space-Girl Michelle said, ending the press conference. The camera panned and watched Space-Girl Michelle walk over and greet the Polish representative with a hug and walk off camera together.

    ¡°What are pierogis?¡± Therese asked Ben.

    ¡°They are like these little dumplings that are boiled then fried and they have potatoes, cheese and seasoning in them.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°I so need to pregnancy eat that sometime.¡± said Kara. Therese smiled, she was hungry for them too.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like we don¡¯t have a spaceship, but we¡¯d better get permission from Erin first¡± Ben said. The girls nodded in agreement. It was still a point of curiosity to all the Space-Girls, not just those on earth, whether Erin was back or if she had plans to stay. All they knew was the loss of Buck and the slaughter, and the bloodshed on Haremar had taken its toll on Erin and she was often absent from herself.

    ¡°Hey, I like that.¡± said Ben, looking at the picture of Buck on the wall. ¡°Now he is still the first customer of the day. We¡¯re the doing funeral over the sea, the Space Fleet is dispatching the cruiser Don-E to bring him home and for burial at sea.¡±

    ¡°Shut the fuck up, the Don-E?¡± asked Kara.

    The ¡°Don¡± or UFFPS (United Federated of Free Planets spaceship Saint Donatus-E was Space-Girl Michelle¡¯s flagship, and although the Space Marines, Sailors and Girls/Boys were three separate entities, they cooperated to keep the galaxy safe. Michelle diverting her own flagship to bring Buck home was a symbol of respect to the team. The Don carried the banners of hundreds of planets and was considered an elite assignment.

    All that anyone coming into the Cowffee Cup wanted to talk about was Space-Girl Michelle¡¯s address to the United Nations, and this gave Therese and Kara a headache because they did their best to fight correcting everyone.

    ¡°I think they are going to start a holy war and kill one in the name of their religion, she is clearly a Christian.¡± said one angry woman.

    ¡°Think about it lady, God created the heavens and the earth, He flooded the earth, He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, I don¡¯t think God needs a Space-Girl to kill anyone in His name.¡± said Therese.

    The lady Therese corrected became angry and upset. ¡°Well, that Space-Girl is going to stop my right to have an abortion.¡± said the angry lady.

    ¡°One, I really do feel sorry for any man who sells you his sperm because I don¡¯t know any who would give it to you for free, and two you don¡¯t have a right to abortion, just because some politician made it legal, doesn¡¯t make it moral. You should find Jesus before it¡¯s too late.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know I am a Christian!¡± declared the lady.

    ¡°You can call yourself whatever you want, but it doesn¡¯t make it fact. Truth is, you can¡¯t be a Christian and support abortion just as much as no one whoever was a Christian oppressed people into slavery, while they themselves were a Christian. It¡¯s just not compatible.¡± said Therese. Her words had a hint of slurring, but only Kara noticed.

    ¡°Good people mess up all the time, being a Christian just kind of means you are able to be forgiven, not a permit to sin.¡± said Kara. She had Therese¡¯s back.

    ¡°I don¡¯t come here for this.¡± declared the lady.

    ¡°Where do you usually take your hate?¡± asked Therese. The alcohol lubricated Therese¡¯s words and they flew quickly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell your boss.¡± screamed the lady, becoming angry and showing her true hate within herself.

    ¡°Go ahead. She doesn¡¯t really care what hate thinks.¡± said Therese.

    The lady turned red and raised her hand at Therese.

    ¡°Vade Retro Satana!¡± declared Therese, readying herself to fight back if attacked.

    The lady turned and stormed out of the store red and hate filled. Stomping past the sign on the door above the rabbit that said ¡°Cowffee Cup, Strong Coffee and Christian Overtones.¡± Kara appreciated the irony and wondered if Therese should have a smaller sign for alcohol-induced overtones.

    The other patrons in the store cheered and clapped. Therese and Kara gave each other high fives and received a standing ovation from the patrons.

    ¡®Why do you think people like that are so angry right now?¡± Kara asked Therese.

    ¡°I think they were always angry, they just have less self-control, and a Christian Space Fleet showing up probably took away a lot of their bullying power.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°But the Space-Girls aren¡¯t about telling people what to think or what to believe, we are just true to our own faith.¡± replied Kara.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not us, maybe just because they would do terrible things to us, they fear we would do the same to them.¡± said Therese, pouring herself another Irish coffee.

    ¡°You¡¯re not being too saintly there.¡± Kara warned her. The drinking continued to grow out of hand.

    ¡°I never said I¡¯m a saint, but I need this right now more than I can explain.¡± Therese said taking a drink and then pouring a little more whiskey in the coffee. Kara frowned, she didn¡¯t like the drinking.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Hi.¡± Peter said, walking over later to see Therese. Therese¡¯s face lit up and she smiled and turned and kissed him. Peter liked the kiss, but he tasted the whiskey.

    ¡°You¡¯re drinking at work?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°We¡¯re just having a sip, I found the bottle at Buck¡¯s and wanted to see what it tasted like, do you want some?¡± Therese asked Peter.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m driving us all home tonight, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°I guess I had better get back to work.¡± said Peter, walking away.

    ¡°I love you.¡± said Therese, giving Peter another kiss before he walked away.

    ¡°I love, you.¡± said Peter, always happy to kiss Therese again.

    Therese started mopping the floors, it would be time to close soon, and she liked doing her best to help Erin, still grateful to have the job. Kara started cleaning the prep area, soon it was time to close and they left, Therese riding with Peter and Ana.

    ¡°We really need to start going back to church. We¡¯re still getting married in the church, aren¡¯t we?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°Of course, I want nothing more than that, even more than being a Space-Girl.¡± said Therese, still feeling butterflies in her stomach every time she kissed Peter.

    When they arrived home, Therese took Ana and got her ready for bed. ¡°I love you so much.¡± said Therese, picking up Ana and hugging her. Therese went to set her down, and then picked her up and hugged her again, loving the little squeeze hug Ana gave her. Finally, and tired. Therese put Ana to bed in her crib and pulled the blankets over her. The little girl was getting bigger and would need a toddler bed soon. Therese turned on a night light and turned off the bedroom light, and went to find Peter.

    The morning sunshine woke Therese, she was up before Peter so she climbed out of bed and then checked on Ana who was asleep, so she started breakfast. Therese had expanded her cooking skills above cereal and started making french toast. Therese turned a rock station on low and enjoyed the rhythm as she cooked, excited that Peter would be happy to have breakfast ready. Therese started singing softly with the radio as she cooked, and danced in the kitchen, even if it was by herself.

    Peter awoke and changed Ana and brought her out to breakfast, sitting her at the table. ¡°You seem better.¡± said Peter, giving Therese a kiss.

    ¡°Much better, I was just going through some stuff.¡± said Therese, passing out breakfast to everyone.

    ¡°English 101 and Psychology 101. It¡¯ll be a day, I should buy a thermos so we can quit buying coffee at the school.¡± said Peter, sipping the coffee Therese made him and smiling because the coffee always tasted better when she made it.

    ¡°Coffee.¡± said Ana, sipping from her cup and pretending the juice was coffee like her dad. Peter clapped and Therese cheered. Ana smiled, she was having a great breakfast.

    ¡°The Don is arriving tomorrow, they¡¯re closing both stores in the evening so we can fly over for services.¡± said Therese, reading a text from Erin.

    ¡°Where are we doing it?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°I think somewhere west of California, Buck had told Ed he was partial to the Pacific.¡± Therese said.

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful he saved everyone¡¯s lives.¡± said Peter, unsure what else to say.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t hesitate. He just stood there and fought. But let¡¯s not talk about that now, it makes me sad.¡± Therese said. Peter nodded, then put his plate in the sink after he finished breakfast and went to the shower.

    ¡°Your Great Grandpa was an amazing person.¡± said Therese to Ana, and then filled with grief, Therese went and took a sip out of her whiskey bottle, then another, and finally put it in the cupboard. The warmth in her throat numbed the pain in her heart. She was glad Buck had left her well-stocked with whiskey.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get you ready.¡± said Therese to Ana, and picked her up and took her to her room and change her. Ben was still willing to watch her while they were in school, and with his own on the way and Vivo too, they discussed opening a daycare in the empty store next door. Ben seemed interested in both the possibility of profit and their own tax write-off for childcare expenses. Therese liked the idea of the kids growing up together, she always wished she had siblings and then remembered that she did.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll watch her while you shower.¡± Peter told Therese, already clean and changed. Therese thanked him and then ran to the kitchen, and took one more little sip to make the pain of losing her siblings subside. Therese then went to the shower and turned the water, she looked in the mirror and saw the ring had healed the bruises, then it was into the shower.

    ¡°Ah crap, are you guys really in this class too?¡± Gina asked as the three walked into English class.

    ¡°Mmmm, yah.¡± Peter said as they entered the English class.

    ¡°I guess I would have known if you didn¡¯t take the first week of school. I have your notes.¡± said Gina digging through her bag and pulling out some stapled copies.

    ¡°Oh hey, you dropped this.¡± said Peter, leaning down and grabbing a plastic card off the ground, he picked it up and saw it was Gina¡¯s work ID, for the hospital neat them. Peter looked at the ID, it said simply Gina CNA, had her picture and the hospital emblem on it. Peter smiled, Gina looked serious in her picture.

    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll need that tonight.¡± said Gina.

    ¡°Where do you work at in the hospital?¡± Asked Therese nervously.

    ¡°The med-surg, but every once in a while I like it when they float me to the ER.¡± said Gina.

    ¡°How long have you been there?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Only about three months, but it¡¯s cool, I like it. My mom is a nurse.¡± said Gina. Therese was relieved that Gina had not worked there when she was hospitalized.

    ¡°Thanks for the notes.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± said Gina, turning forward and readying herself for the class. Kara threw a look at Peter, she sensed trouble. Therese looked straight forward and tried to focus on the class.

    Therese found herself not wanting to be there, despite she had wanted to go to college since she was a little girl, but Therese did her best to pay attention. The teacher was discussing MLA format for their papers and passed out a worksheet for the class to set up references. Therese¡¯s thoughts drifted to the grass plains of Haremar and being squeezed by the gophers, felling her bones and joints crack and seeing Buck shot down then smashed.

    Therese could still feel the Gopher King shaking her in her cage as she slammed into the steel bars, she was glad Erin slaughtered him. Therese looked up, her hands were shaking and she felt a cold sweat on her body. ¡°Relax, breathe deep.¡± Therese told herself, slowing her breathing and breathing in and out through her stomach.

    ¡°Hey, class is over, we can go now.¡± said Kara.

    Therese looked over, she looked around, most of the class had left, just Peter and Kara remained. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was just thinking.¡± said Therese, gathering her bags. They walked out, heading to the cafeteria to grab a bagel between classes.

    ¡°I think I forgot my pen, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± said Therese, and went into the classroom, and made sure she was the only one in it, then she reached into her bag, pulled out the whiskey and took a quick few sips to calm her nerves. Therese put the bottle back in her handbag, and shuffled her belongings on top of it so it was at the bottom, then walked fast to catch up with Kara and Peter. Therese quickly caught up to them. The voices laughed from her heart but the whiskey helped numb them too.

    ¡°Did you find it?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°Oh yah, it was right where I left it.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Bagel and coffee time?¡± Peter asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Me too.¡± answered Kara.

    After they purchased their lunch, the group sat together, and Therese liked eating with her friends. Therese smiled, she was happy to not be eating alone, and she was glad with her friends. Peter smiled, Therese still ate carefully and deliberately with her eyes forward. Kara shared texts with Ben, she missed him.

    ¡°Think Psychology will be hard?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°I just think of it as a review.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean anything.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°Relax, I¡¯m just kidding. I¡¯m kind of excited about it.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back, I¡¯m going to go grab a yogurt.¡± Kara said, getting up and walking away. Kara had seen Gina in line and wanted to talk to her, so Kara grabbed a yogurt and stepped in line next to Gina.

    ¡°Hi.¡± said Gina.

    ¡°I noticed you are talking to Peter, you know him and Therese are engaged.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°I know, but I get what you are saying, so tell me are you the pot or the kettle?¡± replied Gina.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°You remember our senior prom?¡± asked Gina.

    ¡°Yah, I went with Justin, so.¡± replied Kara.

    ¡°I was home taking care of his baby, well my baby, I didn¡¯t put that ass on the birth certificate.¡± said Gina.

    ¡°Shit, for reals?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°Yes, he is very real. So yes, I talk to Peter, I have to spend two classes with you three. I spent three classes with Peter our last semester, and he is a smart kid, and if you really wanted to know, his cold sores he gets, yah, he got them from me, he was a little pissed about that, and probably more pissed I dumped him, but don¡¯t act like I don¡¯t know the guy, we dated for two months.¡± Gina said, and turned and paid for her food, but waited for Kara as she paid.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just thought you were.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Interested in him? I dated him for two months and he never told me he had a daughter, but he was kind to my kid, I¡¯ll give him that. You know why I moved and took your old seat by Megan, it¡¯s because I didn¡¯t want to sit next to you after seeing you and Justin walking and laughing together while I was going home after school to change diapers.¡± Said Gina.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯m glad you and Therese patched things up. Why don¡¯t your guys work on that, and I¡¯ll work on my degree. We¡¯re good.¡± said Gina.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°We¡¯re good.¡± repeated Gina, and walking away. Gina was glad the conversation happened, she was still angry about Kara going with her ex to the prom, and she was glad to let off some steam about the frustration she called Peter.

    Kara walked back to her friends, she felt guilty although she¡¯d never known the truth about her prom date. Kara decided Justin was an asshole, but she was still suspicious about Gina wanting Peter, and she was worried about Therese. Kara was raised by a drunk mother, and she knew the signs.

 Burial at Sea

    After psychology class the trio headed back to the Cowffee Cup. Erin closed the store and the girls helped her clean up and mop the floors. Ben and Vivo closed the Kookie Mart.

    ¡°You guys ready?¡± Erin asked, and walked into her office.

    ¡°Not to make light of the situation, but one thing for sure, this is the easiest I ever got dressed for a funeral.¡± Ben said, after walking into the office and having his Space Sailor armor appear around him as he activated his ring.

    ¡°I think Buck would have liked that comment, and thanks girls for hanging the picture up. That was a pleasant surprise.¡± said Erin, before she stepped into the closet elevator with Vivo. Ed entered the elevator last, he wished Buck was there to ride it with him, it was less fun being an old man by himself.

    David had Erin¡¯s ship prepped, with extra jump seats. He was still repainting Therese¡¯s purple ship. Erin¡¯s armor was as black as her ship with the red diamond of a Captain, but everyone else wore white armor, although Therese had a red stripe indicating her promotion to Senior Space-Girl, and Ed wore a chief¡¯s anchor on his. Erin readied the controls, as Vivo, a rare Space-Boy, took the engineering controls and prepared the cloak. The ship could be controlled by one but flew easier with two.

    David walked in last, shutting the hatch, he wore Space Sailor armor with a blue stripe indicating he was a petty officer. Everyone sat in silence, and the hum of the engines increased as Erin hit the throttle and launched the ship into high speed. Erin punched past Mach1, then 2, then 3, then 4, then 5 and 6, echoing the land in a big boom as she accelerated. Vivo titrated a frontal deflector shield reducing the air resistance and maintaining cloak integrity.

    Very quickly, the UFFPS Don-E appeared ahead of them. The ship was uncloaked and hovered a hundred yards above the ocean. The massive armored clad cruiser spread out over 600 meters and was covered in guns. ¡°Shadow flight requesting permission to land.¡± transmitted Erin.

    ¡°Rodger, docking bay Bravo is clear and open to you. Erin spun the ship around and landed as easily as she poured a cup of coffee or scratched her nose. She followed the landing guide¡¯s direction who used batons with lights on them to direct her and then powered down the ship. The passengers waited for Erin to debark first.

    Erin stepped out and saluted the deck officer. ¡°Space-Girl Captain Erin requesting permission to come aboard with passengers.¡± said Erin.

    The deck officer returned the salute and said ¡°Granted, we are honored by your presence.¡±

    Erin looked around in the landing bay, it had been a long time since she was on any fleet vessel and the Don-E was exceptional in itself. The banners of over a hundred free worlds hung in the bay, the ship''s awards flew from streamers, and a company of Space Marines snapped to attention.

    The Captain saluted Erin. ¡°The 10<sup>th</sup> Space Marine Expeditionary Unit welcomes you.¡± said the Captain.

    Erin stood to attention and returned the salute. ¡°The honor is mine.¡± said Erin. The unit was at one third strength, but the men stood ready.

    ¡°At ease.¡± ordered the captain to his men, who shifted to a relaxed stance.

    Erin¡¯s group caught up with them, and she walked them over to Buck¡¯s casket. The casket was made out of high-grade alloys and weighted heavily so it would stay sunk. The metal was anodized the same blue as the hood of Buck¡¯s truck per Erin¡¯s suggestion. His space ring sat on top, and a picture of Buck was on a stand behind it.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been burying thousands of men, but he was the greatest we lost from our planet.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle to Erin. Buck had also given his life to save their team, and Carmella, the new Space-Girl Michelle, was doing this for Erin.

    ¡°Attention on Deck!¡± Yelled the Captain, and the Marines again snapped to attention. Erin stood at attention, and her crew did their best.

    Space-Girl Michelle walked up to the front where the picture of Buck was on display and began speaking. ¡°Buck Allen, in accordance with the highest traditions, is awarded the Medal of Valor for sacrificing himself, against overwhelming odds to save his shipmates. A resident of planet Earth, Buck Allen served the galaxy well and his name has been added to the honor rolls of time. He saved the life of a crashed Space-Girl, fought off a Vax infiltration when he was in the Navy and again helped fight off a Vax infiltration later, before coming out of retirement to fight off the recent Gopher invasion of Haremar and gave his life so his friends could live.¡± said Michelle, taking a medal from a case and draping it over the corner of his picture. A platinum cross hung on a black ribbon.

    ¡°Father Silva will say the blessing before, in accordance with Buck Allen¡¯s wishes, he is to be buried at sea. Full honors of the galaxy will be rendered.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle stepping away from the picture, and stepping aside for the priest.

    Therese was glad to see the priests. The priests had a proud history of serving the Space Fleet since the conversion led by Saint Thomas Aquinas when space explorers first visited earth in 1274 earth time. Since then, they had remained one of the closest guarded secrets of the Vatican.

    ¡°Let us bow our heads, In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.¡± said the priest. Everyone bowed their heads.

    ¡°Lord Jesus Christ, by your own three days in the tomb, you hallowed the graves of all who believe in you and so made the grave a sign of hope that promises resurrection even as it claims our mortal bodies. Grant that our brother, Buck, may sleep here in peace until you awaken him to glory, for you are the resurrection and the life. Then he will see you face to face and in your light will see light and know the splendor of God, for you live and reign forever and ever. Amen. O God, by whose mercy the faithful departed find rest, send your holy Angel to watch over this grave. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.¡± Finished the priest, who walked over and touched Ed on the shoulder. The Space Navy doesn¡¯t like burying strangers and it was appreciated to have someone present introduce their lost comrade.

    ¡°Chief Shank, was Ed¡¯s best friend, please speak of Buck, so we may know who we take to rest.¡± said the Chaplain.

    ¡°What can I say more than he saved my life, he sacrificed himself in defense of a world he did not know. Buck served our home country, the United States honorably in the United States Navy. He served as a corpsman in the field, keeping a lot of guys alive, and later he became a plumber, a career he carried into retirement. He was a simple man, who would wake up every morning and sit eager to begin his walk, so he could be at his favorite coffee shop right when it opened. He found his solitary lifestyle and gruff exterior defeated by the kindness of a young girl and our friend, but he told me, that being in our little family gave him a happiness he had never known, and I know that is also why he used his life to shield us with no hesitation.¡± said Chief Ed Shank.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°Marines. Prepare the chief to depart.¡± ordered Space-Girl Michelle. A group of Marines walked over to the casket. The leader, a seasoned man of scars took the ring off the casket and handed it to Michelle, saluted her, and then turned and faced Buck.

    The Marines slid the heavy casket on the casket to a prepared ramp that led over the side of the ship. When they reached the end of the ramp, they stopped. A Boatswain blew into his whistle, which echoed over the ship''s intercom. A loud sound came as sailors banged a giant gong near the bulkhead of the ship. The gong echoed in the hangar bay, a tradition unique to the space fleet.

    ¡°Chief Buck Allen, United Federation of Free Planets Space Navy, and United States of America Navy Departing.¡± Echoed over the intercom. The Deck officer saluted Buck, and said ¡°Permission to depart granted.¡± Buck¡¯s casket slid over the side of the ship and into the deep water below.

    High-powered cannons fired off charges, large blasts echoed the sunset. Large cannon after cannon fired, and fireballs filled the night as 21 cannon were fired out of respect for earth¡¯s custom, then 100 shots were fired out of respect for Buck having earned their medal of valor. Then as quickly as it started, the shots stopped.

    ¡°Dismissed.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle, who then walked over to Therese, who was doing her best to stay upright crying, supported by Peter. Michelle patted her on the shoulder and told her she was sorry for her loss, but Therese could not look up from her tears. The team were all shocked at learning Buck¡¯s history of saving earth from the Vax, but Space-Girl Michelle told them she could not discuss it.

    ¡°Walk with me.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle to Erin, who was also tearful, but standing on her own. Erin fell in line with their leader, and they walked to a quieter area of the ship than the hangar.

    ¡°How are you all?¡± asked Michelle.

    Erin shook her head and began. ¡°Well, obviously we all hurt from losing Buck. The girls, Peter and even my Vivo have never been through anything like this before. Ben hurts, but he has been through enough to cope, and Ed he went through a lot in the past, but yeah, he hurts from having his best friend ripped from him, those two guys quickly became best friends, and encourage each other¡¯s orneriness. Me, I¡¯m ripped open, I don¡¯t know how many thousands of those beasts I killed, but every part of my body wants to kill a thousand more, I wake up at night wanting to go kill any of those bastards I could hunt down anywhere in the galaxy.¡±

    ¡°The Shadowbird calls you, but it¡¯s not you.¡± Michelle reminded Erin.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I want to carry that burden anymore, it makes my heart heavy.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°And I don¡¯t know anyone else I would trust with it.¡± Space-Girl Michelle reminded Erin. The Space-Girls had historically viewed the shadow ring as a blessing and a curse. ¡°You¡¯ll improve, as you have before.¡± said Michelle.

    ¡°I hope.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°You all need time to heal, I¡¯m placing your unit on training and recovery only. Your defeat of the Gopher King and the return of the Shadowbird has caused our enemies to retreat, for now, I think we need to enjoy the peace.¡± ordered Michelle.

    ¡°Thank you, we need that.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°Therese can keep her ring, but she is restricted from flight duty, her feedback indicates she has been intoxicated consistently for days. I¡¯m giving her leniency, but she¡¯ll need help, we all know what she has been through but that runs out fast as an excuse.¡± finished Michelle.

    ¡°Therese is drinking all the time? I¡¯m sorry, I have been distracted.¡± apologized Erin.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t want her crashing a spaceship, look after her, and if she doesn¡¯t get better, send her to Haremar to sort stuff out. Go be with your friends.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle, ending the conversation and walking away. The conversation was cold, but it was the most the two best friends had talked in years. Erin wouldn¡¯t have wanted it any friendlier and Space-Girl Michelle respected that.

    Erin was then not surprised when she found Therese in her Space-Girl uniform drinking and toasting with the others, only Kara wasn¡¯t drinking. Erin shrugged, this wasn¡¯t the time to confront the drinking, Therese was simply coping with everyone, and the Space Fleet maintained a wet mess at the Captain¡¯s discretion, and the Hares had sent cases of their best whiskey for refreshment.

    ¡°Erin.¡± Therese said, walking over and hugging her mentor. Erin took that hug and squeezed back, right now, she needed that hug from her little sister, and she could wait to discuss the drinking. Erin didn¡¯t let go for the longest time, they both needed that hug.

    The next day, Gina was not surprised when Therese came into class hungover and sweating alcohol from her pores. ¡°She is not touching the chemicals.¡± Gina told Peter and Kara as Therese slumped back in her chair and thumped her foot against the table.

    ¡°It was her grandfather¡¯s funeral.¡± Peter explained.

    ¡°Well it ain¡¯t mine, she does not touch the chemicals.¡± said Gina, standing her ground.

    ¡°Fine, be like that.¡± said Therese, crossing her arms.

    ¡°Thank you for not saying anything. I owe you one.¡± said Peter to Gina, embarrassed.

    ¡°Now you owe me one? If I didn¡¯t know you, I¡¯d say something I¡¯d regret right now.¡± said Gina, who pulled out her notebook and readied for lab.

    ¡°Shh, just sit there.¡± Kara told Therese. Kara¡¯s wisdom told her to avoid a conversation with Gina right now, who was at the limit of any type of respect she might have for having gone to school together. Peter couldn¡¯t wait for the class to end, and was grateful for when it did, and he helped Therese stumble to his car and drove to the Cowffee Cup. When they arrived, Peter carried Therese into the Cowffee Cup, and straight to Erin¡¯s office.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Erin, scared. Therese didn¡¯t look good.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I just had a little to drink, but I¡¯m OK.¡± said Therese, standing up and falling back into the couch. Therese pulled a bottle out her purse and drank another swig.

    ¡°Stop that.¡± said Peter, grabbing the bottle.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it in the boss''s office.¡± said Therese, unbuttoning her shirt.

    ¡°Young lady, stop taking your clothes off.¡± said Erin sternly. She was in disbelief at how fast Therese had destroyed herself. Erin knew Therese lived in pain, but she had reached ridiculous.

    ¡°Oh crap, what¡¯s Erin doing here?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Lay down and take a nap. That is an order.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Therese said, and curled up on the couch. Erin turned the light off and shut the door as she and Peter walked out.

    ¡°How long has she been like this?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think she ever drank until we all did that night, but she¡¯s been like this since Haremar, I can¡¯t even trust her with Ana, she¡¯s drinking half the time or more.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°Probably more.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°What¡¯ll we do?¡± Peter asked.

    ¡°Watch the store Kara, Peter come with me.¡± Erin said walking back into the office. Therese was already snoring. Erin activated her ring and used the added strength to pick up Therese and they carried her to down the elevator, through the tunnel ride, and straight to Erin¡¯s ship.

    ¡°Did I miss the after party?¡± said David, relaxing in the hangar, then reevaluating the situation, he helped Erin get Therese into a seat of the ship.

    ¡°Peter, go back to work, David I need you to fly ops for me, we are going to Haremar. I¡¯m sorry Peter, but it is time for her to go home.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°I just want her better.¡± said Peter. He was helpless to stop her and more of an enabler than he cared to admit.

    ¡°I know a rabbit, give him a chance.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°I trust you.¡± said Peter, who turned and left for the Kookie Mart. David sat on ops and began his sequence and was ready as Erin took off and aimed for the sky. David liked Erin¡¯s flying, he felt she was almost as good as he was.

    ¡°Diggie, thanks for going.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like seeing her like this either.¡± said David. Digs looked out the window and enjoyed the view of the beautiful planet below. Erin radioed Captain Lionhead and requested his assistance.

 Therese is Kicked off Earth

    Therese awoke when they landed on Haremar, she smelled the grass and felt the light enter the ship as the hatch opened. She stirred still intoxicated but less. ¡°Where am I?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Your home.¡± came a rabbit voice from behind Therese. She turned and saw Captain Lionhead who was about her size, but much stronger. Lionhead picked up Therese and kicked her out of the spaceship into a pile of grass, Therese bounced unharmed, but the rabbit¡¯s kick woke her up. Therese lifted herself up and sat on the grass, looking around confused, and saw Erin and Digs flying away.

    ¡°Why am I here?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Nowhere else seemed to be working out for you.¡± said Lionhead, the rabbit walked over and kept digging a hole in the soil. The rabbit did not look up at Therese, he focused on his digging.

    ¡°Do you want a hand?¡± Asked Therese.

    ¡°You¡¯d better use a shovel, your nails aren¡¯t as strong as mine, there is one over by the house, I use it when my back hurts and I need to dig.¡± The rabbit said, clawing at the earth and throwing it to the side.

    Therese walked over and took the shovel and began digging in the earth, she had nothing else to do. The two dug for hours, the only breaks coming when Lionhead went and brought them jugs of water to drink. The sun went from overhead to setting, and the hole was large and deep. ¡°I can stop now.¡± said Lionhead, leaning against the wall of the head and watching the sunset over the grassland.

    ¡°What are you building?¡± Therese asked Lionhead.

    ¡°A hole.¡± said Lionhead.

    ¡°But what for?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°To dig a hole. That¡¯s the wild part of being a Hare, we¡¯ve flown in space for over a thousand years, I¡¯ve visited countless worlds, and yet I can¡¯t seem to overcome the urge to dig a hole.¡± Lionhead said, taking a swig out of a flask and offering it to Therese.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already dug one hole today.¡± Therese said, pushing the flask away.

    ¡°Wildest planet I ever went to was inhabited by sentient dogs. If you think digging holes is a wild urge, you should see a group of them chasing their tails.¡± said Lionhead taking another sip.

    ¡°You¡¯re messing with me.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Nope, honest truth. One of my guys decided to throw a ball, it was a good laugh as they all chased it. I¡¯ll hope you¡¯ll forgive me, while you seem to have acknowledged your crutch, I¡¯m still indulging mine.¡± said Lionhead, taking another sip from his flask.

    ¡°Do you have kids?¡± asked Therese, she missed Ana and hoped she didn¡¯t blow her chances with Peter.

    ¡°None. When I watched Vax eat my brothers, I decided to never bring another into this world until they are all dead. You are my only daughter.¡± said Lionhead.

    ¡°You guys take that serious.¡± said Therese, humbled.

    ¡°You don¡¯t take it serious enough. Let¡¯s order delivery for dinner.¡± said Lionhead, changing the subject.

    ¡°What do you want. I can pay you back.¡± said Therese, unsure how she could buy her own dinner.

    ¡°Enough with the insults. Let¡¯s order some Northern Hare cuisine. I know this place, and they deliver.¡± said Lionhead, punching his order into his communication tablet. Lionhead relaxed and watched the setting sun. Therese leaned back in the dirt and relaxed with him.

    ¡°The dirt, even at home, I have this garden, and it makes me happy. The rabbits there don¡¯t talk, but they listen.¡± said Therese, rolling the soil between her fingers. She looked over and saw Lionhead had fallen asleep and was taking a nap. Therese smiled and thought about Peter and how cute he looked when he was napping.

    Half an hour later, a loan light came speeding from the distance, it was a rabbit on a hoverbike, he flew down the roads and up to the house, then looked around, saw the hole and Therese¡¯s eyes glow in his headlights, and flew over there, parking his bike.

    Therese stood up and the rabbit froze in horror and then began kicking dirt all over Lionhead, who jumped up startled and yelled ¡°What in the hell?¡±

    ¡°You tell me why you paid when you knew she was here, what, do you expect my family to live in shame like moles never raising our heads in the sun?¡± The rabbit who was half the size and clearly disadvantaged to Lionhead was angry.

    ¡°Relax, please, you guys don¡¯t deliver unless the customer pre-pays, don¡¯t blame me for your rules.¡± said Lionhead, trying to calm the driver.

    The delivery rabbit activated his commlink and began speaking rapidly with his boss. The rabbit was clearly angry and it sounded his boss was just as angry, Lionhead stood tapping his foot impenitently. ¡°My boss wants to speak to you.¡± The delivery rabbit said handing the commlink to Therese, who held it to her head like a cellphone just the way the driver did.

    ¡°No, honest, it was an accident,

    no, your driver didn¡¯t know,

    Of course, I should have called the order in,

    oh no, oh my, I am sorry about your parents,

    I am sorry about your siblings,

    I am sorry about your neighbors,

    no, no, please, don¡¯t hide below the dirt,

    a refund is fine, I promise,

    I am sure this is your best,

    no, please don¡¯t send anything else,

    If it want¡¯ the best, Lionhead wouldn¡¯t have ordered it,

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Ok, I¡¯ll tell him,

    Thank you very much for dinner,

    It is my honor,

    thank you.¡± Therese said, ending the call. Therese said on the phone, and then handed the comm device back to the delivery rabbit.

    ¡°Thank you, and please forgive us, it was an accident.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Thank you for allowing me to bring you dinner.¡± said the delivery rabbit, before scowling at Lionhead and riding away on his hoverbike. Therese watched as he flew away quicker than he arrived.

    ¡°I told you, you don¡¯t take it serious enough.¡± Lionhead said, sitting back down and eating his dinner.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this is all new to me, I¡¯m proud of my other parents for driving the Vax and Gophers from Haremar, but I never knew any of it.¡± Therese said, opening her dinner, and smelling it. The food looked amazing, and Therese picked at it with her hands as Lionhead did.

    ¡°I might sleep under the stars tonight, the summer is warm, are you up for camping out?¡± Lionhead asked Therese.

    ¡°Yah, I¡¯d love to see what the stars look like here tonight.¡± Therese said, relaxing and eating the rabbit food. The sun had fully set and the stars were growing bright. Lionhead finished his meal and rolled over into the soil and fell asleep. Therese stayed up late, wondering if it was night on earth and if Peter was looking at any of the same stars, but then too fell asleep tired from the digging.

    Therese awoke in the morning, her clothes and hair were covered in dirt. Lionhead was up and she saw smoke rising from the chimney of his little house, so Therese walked there. The door was open, so she went in and saw Lionhead cooking breakfast.

    ¡°Bathroom is down the hall, there are some clean towels and a robe in there for you, breakfast will be ready when you are done.¡± Lionhead, said, watching his cooking and not looking up. Therese went down the hall, and found the bathroom as he described. Therese turned on the shower and was glad the water was warm. Therese watched the dirt run down the drain, she was worried but decided rabbit drains must be ready for all the dirt.

    Therese smelled the soap and shampoo; it smelled fresh and refreshing. Therese scrubbed and scrubbed until she was clean and then turned the water off. Therese stepped out, grabbed the towel, it was so soft, and she pressed it against her face, after being in all that dirt she felt so clean. Therese put on the robe, and smiled, it was so soft and probably the only thing of Lionhead¡¯s that would fit her. Therese remembered she was hungry and walked out with her clothes and towels.

    ¡°Washing machine is over there, it is simple, put the clothes in it and press the green button.¡± Lionhead said, pulling biscuits out of the oven. Therese took her laundry over and did as instructed, the machine gurgled and she heard water running. Therese smiled, the galaxy could be so different and so the same.

    ¡°Breakfast is ready, eat big, we¡¯re going to your family home today.¡± said Lionhead.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to go there, I don¡¯t remember it.¡± said Therese, sitting at the table. Lionhead put plates of fresh berries, cooked vegetables and biscuits in front of her.

    ¡°Of course you don¡¯t remember it, but you need to go.¡± Lionhead said, sitting down, and taking a bite of his breakfast.

    ¡°I¡¯m not some great mentor who can teach you a philosophy in life. I can¡¯t do that.¡± said Lionhead eating his breakfast. Therese ate hers, the food was fresh and delicious.

    ¡°Thank you for having me here, and for breakfast too.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Maybe one day you can repay the favor.¡± said Lionhead.

    ¡°I will totally love that.¡± said Therese. She liked the house, it was dug into the side of a hill, and was very Spartan in decor. Weapons hung on walls and portraits of Lionhead¡¯s family filled another wall. His unit¡¯s flag hung in the center.

    After breakfast, Lionhead stood up from the table. ¡°I must have a smoke, don¡¯t even ask to pick that habit. (the washing machine buzzed) your clothes are washed and dried, I¡¯ll be outside with my cigar, find me when you are ready.¡± said Lionhead, walking out of the house and sat on a bench out front. The rabbit lit his cigar and savored the smoke as he stared out and looked at the grasslands.

    Therese came out in about 20 minutes. ¡°I cleaned the dishes.¡±

    ¡°Good call, I needed to enjoy my bad habit a bit longer.¡± said Lionhead, taking his cigar and putting it out in the ashtray. ¡°Let¡¯s ride.¡± said the rabbit, walking to the side of his house and jumping on his bike. The rabbit took a helmet, slid his ears through it and strapped it to his head. ¡°You¡¯ll need your own.¡± he added.

    Therese activated her Space-Girl ring and her armor including her helmet flew out in the purple light and formed the brilliant white armor of a Space-Girl, with her red stripe of rank. Therese jumped on the back of the hoverbike and grabbed around Lionhead who accelerated rapidly.

    Therese hung on as the fast hoverbike fought against the wind resistance. Lionhead did not let up on the throttle until they neared the township, then he slowed to a safer speed. ¡°It¡¯s up ahead.¡± Lionhead yelled back, as he maneuvered over the town and dropped into a park. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± He announced, landing the hoverbike.

    Therese followed him through the park, to a group of statues. She realized they looked just like the parents she knew, Rodger and Mary, who was holding a baby. Two small children stood around their parents, and an older couple who Therese correctly assumed were her grandparents stood behind them.

    ¡°I never knew of them.¡± Therese told Lionhead.

    ¡°Nor should you of, imagine how much it would have bothered you more and for no reason.¡± said Lionhead.

    ¡°Then why are we here?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°You¡¯re in the family business now. You need to accept that saving the galaxy isn¡¯t easy, and you¡¯re going to lose people you care about. If you don¡¯t like that, lose the galaxy.¡± Lionhead told Therese.

    ¡°They lost themselves and all but me.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Look around, they saved all this.¡± Lionhead said, moving his hand across the planet.

    A group of rabbit children ran over. They were laughing and running. ¡°It¡¯s her.¡± said a little girl rabbit. Therese took a knee by the children and removed her helmet. ¡°It is, I told you it is her.¡± said the little girl rabbit proud of herself.

    ¡°Are you my daughter?¡± asked the little girl, reaching up to hug the Space-Girl.

    ¡°I¡¯m Therese.¡± said Therese, taking the hug. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just your sister.¡± said Therese, loving the feel of the soft fur on the girl¡¯s head. Therese looked at the small rabbits, and understood that all the pain in the world was worth it for them, for Ana, and for everyone.

    ¡°My name is Therese too.¡± said the little girl.

    ¡°It¡¯s a very popular name.¡± said Lionhead.

    ¡°I want to be a Space-Girl when I grow up.¡± said the little rabbit.

    ¡°You¡¯re not strong enough.¡± said one of the boys.

    ¡°Are you kind?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°I¡¯m the nicest girl in my class.¡± said the little rabbit girl.

    ¡°Kindness is true strength.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Your armor is funny, why is it changing color?¡± asked another boy. Therese carefully set down the little girl and looked down, she stuck her gauntlets in front of her, her armor was becoming a beautiful shade of purple.

    ¡°That is so pretty.¡± said the little girl rabbit.

    ¡°She¡¯s pretty.¡± said the little boy rabbit looking up at Therese.

    ¡°Just remember, kind people are always beautiful, go be kind. Go play.¡± Said Therese. The rabbit children ran and hopped off, talking excitedly about meeting Space-Girl Therese.

    ¡°You¡¯ve met your pain and looked it in the eye.¡± Lionhead said to Therese. The guilt of surviving was leaving her.

    ¡°Is that why my armor is purple?¡± Therese asked. She loved purple, she always loved purple, but Therese could not understand what was happening.

    ¡°Your armor was always purple, but it was tarnished.¡± Lionhead told her.

    ¡°I still hurt.¡± Therese said. Her mind hurt, the voices hurt, the loss of Buck hurt and the capture by the Gophers hurt.

    And you always will, and that¡¯s okay.¡± said Lionhead.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go dig a hole.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Serious?¡± asked Lionhead.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m screwing with you, but I¡¯d kill for coffee.¡± said Therese. She really did want a cup of coffee. Therese still wanted another kind of drink to numb the pain, but she understood now it just comes back anyways.

    ¡°Now you¡¯re talking. Hang out here for a minute, I¡¯m going to go have a smoke by my bike.¡± said Lionhead. Therese walked over to the statures of her family, rubbing her hands over their faces, wishing she could remember them.

    Therese shook as she remembered a brief glimpse of her grandmother looking down at her, and seeing her grandparents and siblings destroyed by the gophers around her. Therese screamed briefly, realizing it was just a flashback from the moment she first wore that ring when she was a few months old. That brief time had been etched in her forever. As she recovered, she realized that even though she had never remembered it before, she had held it against herself all those years. ¡°Therese, we¡¯ll wait for you in heaven.¡± said her grandmother softly. Therese looked around, the moment was over. It still hurt.

 Kara Saves the Galaxy

    Kara¡¯s ring shocked her awake. ¡°Space-Girl Michelle to Space-Girl Kara, Emergency.¡± Echoed the transmission. Kara sat up in bed and ran to the front room to not wake Ben. ¡°I¡¯m up.¡± replied Kara.

    ¡°I know this goes against protocol because you are pregnant, but get to the ship and fly to headquarters now. Digs is already flying it to meet you at the park by your house. Michelle out.¡± transmitted Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°Fuck.¡± said Kara, finding a pair of shorts and shirt, then put her sneakers on without socks and ran down the street. Kara quickly reached the bushes, saw she was unobserved, and activated her Space-Girl armor just as David flew into the park lights off and landed. David popped the hatch and Kara ran in and sat at Ops.¡±

    ¡°Thanks Diggie.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Just Digs is fine with me.¡± said David, throttling the ship up into the sky, the neighborhood boomed below them and car alarms echoed.

    ¡°I like Diggie, it just sounds cute.¡± Kara said. Diggie punched the throttle and entered infinite speed through the atmosphere. Kara realized then it must be a bad emergency for Digs to hammer his beloved ship through the sky like it was stolen. The ship cut out of infinite space almost as soon as it entered because Digs was hammering a bit of power he could get.

    David didn¡¯t even bother with evasive maneuvers as he flew full throttle to the hangar bay. The galaxy echoed in green light. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°Massive temporal disruption, the galaxy is falling.¡± said Digs as he flew the ship full speed and did a 180 and banked the engines full-forward, throwing them in the back of their seats as he did a zero spin stop. ¡°Go find Michelle now.¡± said Digs.

    ¡°Thanks Diggie, and hey good flying.¡± Kara shouted as she ran out. Digs facepalmed and told himself he couldn¡¯t believe Kara was their only hope.

    Kara ran through the corridors, not even stopping when she bumped into people. Kara ducked around the corridor and ran as fast as she could to the briefing room.

    ¡°You need to travel through time. The Vax have sent their own agent back in time, and we have reason to believe it is going to kill Therese when she was little, to prevent her from ever defeating Brainenock when he possessed my predecessor. This will change the timeline, and the Michelle will destroy the Space-Girls, and the Gopher King will have conquered Haremar.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°Why me?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°It¡¯s either you or Therese, you guys know the layout, and well she¡¯s in rehab. We have only enough energy to send one of you, our temporal maps told us when the agent arrived, use this and quick, our temporal shields are failing.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle, as they both looked through the blue haze and some rubble and decay forming around the Space-Girl headquarters.

    ¡°This is a prototype, it¡¯s not as good as the one the last Space-Girl Michelle had, I¡¯m sorry, it will get you there, but it might not get you back, and if it does that it¡¯ll be fried forever, anyways.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°Might?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°Well yah, there is a flaw in the circuit, are you sure you want to go?¡± asked Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°Therese is in danger, of course, I am going.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Okay, safety not guaranteed.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle as she made the final adjustment.

    Kara activated the device, and felt herself sucked into a vortex of green light, she flew through time and space and landed in a shrubbery. Kara activated the camouflage system of her armor and looked around. Kara knew right where she landed, she was in Therese¡¯s yard. Kara saw Therese¡¯s much smaller in the past yard and saw her younger self and Therese piling boards and against a tree and a ladder. ¡°Freaking, of all the moments in the timeline.¡± thought Kara to herself. Kara tilted her visor up to look around, the Vax were camouflaged against enhancement sensors, and she would have to rely on her own senses.

    Little Therese climbed the ladder and up to the platform on the tree and had Kara pass her up more boards. The girls laughed and giggled, excited to build Kara¡¯s dream of a tree fort, they were going to build Space-Girl Headquarters. Little Kara ran into the house to get them some juice boxes and a blanket.

    Kara looked around, she smelled danger, then she noticed the leaves in the tree looked funny. Kara leaped through the air, using the power of her armor to boost her jump, and she caught the reptilian Vax as it went to strike little Therese. Kara grabbed her knife from her belt and stabbed it into the Vax, firing an energy burst from the knife and vaporizing it. The Vax vanished in a puff of smoke, screaming as the energy knife destroyed it. Little Therese shrieked as she saw the reptile monster die.

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    ¡°You killed a Vax, who are you?¡± asked little Therese. Kara smiled, even then Therese knew so much about Space-Girl Michelle.

    Kara turned, and the startled little girl leaned back and started falling. Kara caught her before she fell.

    ¡°You look just like Kara! She¡¯s my best friend forever!¡± The little girls said excitedly. Kara smiled, but then saw the timeline changing, saw their friendship ending over stupid things, and then saw Therese without her implant defeated by the Brainenock possessed Space-Girl Michelle, Kara saw the destruction of the galaxy forming.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± said Kara as she let go of little Therese, who fell, and Kara winced in pain as little Therese¡¯s head banged against a board and blood flew out everywhere.

    Young Kara walked out of the house, seeing her friend fall and screamed, and shrieked, running over to her unconscious friend. Therese¡¯s parents ran out of the house and called 911 and started CPR on their daughter. Kara hid in horror as she witnessed the fire department and ambulance come and take her friend away and watched as one of the police officers walked Kara home, who was screaming and yelling for her friend.

    Kara remembered being so angry at the police officer for keeping her from her friend, finally despite her small size, several officers had to intervene to carry the little girl home because little Kara was so determined to go find her friend. She sat in the tree camouflaged and cried as the police drug her younger self away. Kara decided to stay in the tree hidden and cried until she fell asleep, her chest hurting from what she did to her lifelong best friend.

    Kara awoke later in the evening, noticing Therese¡¯s mother had come home to pack bags so she could stay the night at the hospital. Kara lowered herself from the tree and rang the doorbell before lowering her Space-Girl visor.

    ¡°Hello, can I help you?¡± asked Therese¡¯s mother.

    ¡°I¡¯m a Space-Girl, I need to talk to you.¡± said Space-Girl Kara.

    ¡°Come in Kara, please come in before someone sees you.¡± said Mary.

    Kara entered the house and said, ¡°You know it¡¯s me?¡± as Mary shut the door.

    ¡°A mother knows, lift your visor, I want to see you.¡± said Mary.

    ¡°You¡¯re older, you obviously came from the future.¡± said Mary after Kara lifted her visor.

    ¡°A Vax came back in time to kill Therese, but I stopped it. Look, I know you are an android, not that there is anything wrong with that, I did and always love you as my mother, but you are our mother and I trust you with the timeline, so I need to tell you something.¡± said Kara finally getting to her point.

    ¡°I knew you girls would become Space-Girls one day, I just knew in my heart from the day you girls met.¡± said Mary proudly and with regret.

    ¡°Well, we do, Therese saves the galaxy, they¡¯re going to put an implant in her head, it has to stay there, no matter how bad it gets, I promise you she will always love you. This device gives her the strength to save the galaxy, and her life isn¡¯t easy, but she always loves you.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°I¡¯ll always love you both.¡± said Mary.

    ¡°Tell me, about you.¡± asked Mary.

    ¡°Well, in a few years my dad beats the shit out of me, my mom, mom you know she¡¯s a drunk, and the only thing I have going for me is you never give up on me and thank you for going to court to get custody of me that summer until mom dried out.¡± Kara said, hugging Mary.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± said Mary, hugging Kara. The phone rang, Mary reached over and answered it.

    ¡°It¡¯s Rodge.¡± Mary said, listening. ¡°Yes, absolutely I think we need to let them do that experimental treatment, trust me I¡¯m her mother, I¡¯ll be there soon to explain but do it. Okay, I love you, goodbye.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything you want me to do for you?¡± asked Mary.

    ¡°Just please don¡¯t ever give up on me. And don¡¯t let Therese know my dad almost killed me, or that she stabs me a few times, she will have so much else going on at that time.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°This will always be your home, and you will always be our daughter too, I¡¯ll never give up on you. I love you.¡± said Mary.

    ¡°Promise, don¡¯t let her know she hurts me. I¡¯ll be okay, but I never want her to know.¡± begged Kara.

    ¡°I promise, and I will always love you.¡± said Mary.

    ¡°I love you.¡± said Kara, activating the time travel device and flying through time and space to present-day Haremar, having adjusted it to locate present date Space-Girl Therese. Kara fell through the sky and landed in a pile of straw with a loud thump.

    ¡°Hi Kara.¡± Therese said, who was sitting on the ground next to her. Kara gathered herself and remembered what happened, and sat up rubbing the back of her head.

    ¡°Thank you for killing the Vax.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°Our whole lives, you knew I dropped you from the tree. I am so sorry.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Hell of a thing to live with, but I always loved you.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°But our whole lives you knew I did that.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°You said you were sorry, I just figured it was an accident.¡± Therese told her. Therese looked forward and stared across the grasslands in front of her. ¡°Besides, you did save my life by killing the Vax, it probably would have killed both of us.¡± Therese added, taking a long piece of grass and putting it in her teeth.

    ¡°When you warned me about the timeline where you don¡¯t get hurt, you knew what I was going to do.¡± said Kara, still in shock.

    ¡°I¡¯ve known since we were little girls, like I said it is a hell of a thing to live with, but I knew you had your reasons, I knew you were a Space-Girl. Let me ask you this, are you as screwed up in the head as I am?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure where you are at, but I¡¯m at least nine point nine out of ten on the fucked up in the head scale right now.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°We need to get back, I need to keep Gina from stealing my Peter back.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°You knew she was making a move? I thought you were too drunk to notice.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°Drunk yes, stupid no. I sat next to them both in math class, remember? I was so happy when they broke up.¡± said Therese.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go back home soon, but is it okay if I just sit here with you for a while?¡± said Kara, looking at the grasslands.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice, isn¡¯t it?¡± asked Therese.

    ¡°Real nice, can I have a sip of your coffee?¡± asked Kara.

    Therese scooted over, handed Kara the cup of coffee and laid down next to Kara on the grass. ¡°Check out those clouds.¡± said Therese.

    Kara laid on her back with Therese and looked up at the sky. ¡°We haven¡¯t done this since we were little, how¡¯d we get so stupid and forget to look up at the clouds?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, let¡¯s not forget this time. Look at that one, it looks like a rabbit.¡± Therese said smiling and pointing at the sky. The girls laid on the grass, it was cool and soft, and they looked up at the sky.

 Epilogue

    Three months later, the President¡¯s motorcade pulled in front of a boring-looking building on Camp Pendleton, California. A group of people walked out, followed by a frantic base general and some Pentagon colonels who were unsure what to do when there was no coffee to pour.

    A Master Gunnery Sergeant stood at attention and yelled ¡°Attention on Deck!¡± like he had never yelled in his career. The President walked over and spoke to the old Marine, and held up a note, ¡°I need to see this Marine.¡± said The President.

    ¡°Go get that new boot.¡± yelled the Master Gunnery Sergeant to the Corporal who took off running as fast as he could and came back with Therese¡¯s old classmate Elijah. The young Marine stood at attention so fast when he saw the brass and the President, that his head ached.

    ¡°Drop and give me thirty pushups.¡± said The President.

    The young Marine, Elijah, fell to his face as fast as he could, did 30 pushups, and then stood back at attention.

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    ¡°Thank you, that is all.¡± said The President.

    Master Gunns yelled ¡°Attention on Deck!¡± as loud as he could.

    ¡°Carry on.¡± said The President as the group left, climbed into their motorcade and went to leave the base.

    ¡°JUST WHAT THE FUCKITY FUCKASS FUCK JACKHOLE, DIGEM, BULLSHIT WAS THAT, MARINE? YOU HAVE THE DAMN COMMANDER IN CHIEF COME IN HERE AND DROP YOU LIKE A RECRUIT, JUST WHAT THE SLIMEY ASS FUCKSHIT DID YOU DO, AND WHY THE HELL DID I NOT KNOW FIRST!?¡± yelled the Master Gunnery Sergeant at Elijah.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Master Gunnery Sergeant.¡± said Elijah, standing at attention.

    ¡°YOU DON¡¯T KNOW? GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!¡± The Master Gunnery Sergeant yelled, and watched Elijah scramble out of the shop. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a Marine fuck a cactus, I¡¯ve seen worse than that, I¡¯ve seen it all, but I ain¡¯t ever seen the President come all the way out here to drop a Marine and make him push. Don¡¯t forget to breathe Lieutenant, the big scary men are gone.¡± The Master Gunnery Sergeant said to the pale frozen Lieutenant who remained at the position of attention behind his desk.

    Elijah couldn¡¯t wait to tell Lee about his day, he¡¯d never believe him.

 Flashback: Bucks Story

    Master chief utilities man (UCCM) Buck Allen stood at attention. He wished they just let him go, but somewhere along the way, they were reminded he was accused of being a hero. Buck didn¡¯t hate wearing his ribbons, but he did his best to avoid the situation. When cornered, and asked about the Silver Star ribbon on his chest, the man who was proud of his accomplishments in the field of plumbing, would simply refer to corned beef and cabbage night at the mess decks, but now Buck was standing at attention being forced one last reminder about how he had ended up where he was.

    In the summer of 1967 Buck Allen had climbed out of his friend¡¯s Volkswagen bus, refusing the offers of drugs and the promises of a wild ride, the young man enlisted in the Navy, hoping to avoid being drafted into the Army. Buck walked forward, saying goodbye to the freedom of his youth and hoped some time at sea might be nice for his allergies. A young lady of twenty followed Buck, crying and begging him to stay, and Buck looked back, a regret he held the rest of his days. She was crying, pleading with him to stay, promising him the world and tearing at his heart, but Buck could only promise her he¡¯d write.

    A little over a year later, he stepped foot in a land called Vietnam, as a Navy Corpsman for a Marine infantry unit. The jungle was hate at first sight, Buck hated the bugs, he hated the humidity, he hated foliage, but Buck loved and was loved by his Marines. Buck really hated the jungle, he hated the sounds at night, he hated everything in it, and swore to himself, when he finally left the Navy, he would move to a desert with no jungle and no ocean.

    The patrol was spread out, waiting to ambush possible enemy activity. Buck liked the disciplined men he served with and like them, he sat in silence, that lasted until a claymore fired. The flash of the light and the volume of explosion tore into the night while ball bearings tore into an enemy he could not see. Rounds were fired, rifles tore into the night, and one of the guys let loose with their M-60. Buck looked around, holding his weapon, still unable to see an enemy, but glad he was not hearing the call for Corpsman.

    A flash of green light shot past Buck and hit a tree near him, resulting in a small explosion and the damp tree being ignited. Buck shook his head, that kind of weapon only existed in space movies. Buck turned and looked for an enemy and all he could see was a blur in front of the jungle, almost ghost-like, but Buck fired into it and it fell over, its camouflage failing a lizard-like human fell in front of him.

    Several more flashes of light were shot into the platoon, and men were ignited and men exploded. Buck spun, and hit the ground, he could not see anyone, but Buck crawled in the jungle he hated to either find a Marine to help, or an enemy to kill. Another blur was in front of Buck and he fired into it too, and as green blood leaked out of the camouflaged creature, a lizard fell before him. Buck shook his head, trying to free his head of the delirium he was sure had taken over his mind.

    Marines continued firing at unseen enemies, and the flashes of light hit their position, slaughtering more Marines than before. The damage from the energy weapons was so intense, there was nothing left for Buck to save. Soon, Buck crawled to the M-60 machine gun, and attached a new belt to it, and loaded. Buck yelled for all the Marines to hit the ground, and he fired bursts through the air at any blur or oddly shaped foliage he could see in the night and in the flashing beams of energy weapons igniting their impact sites. Buck did his best to fire and maneuver, focusing his fire at the sources of fire coming at him, another flash of light hit next to Buck, and he was blown sideways.

    Buck was sure he was going to die and cried out to God for help, as he tried to reorient himself following another blast. A blur charged at Buck and he pulled out his knife and drove it into the thing, and looked straight into the face of a lizard creature as he thrust into its belly. The weight of the creature knocked Buck backward, and convinced he was delirious, Buck crawled backward away from it, unable to remove his knife that was lodged in its ribs. Another flash of light hit near Buck and he fell backward, his arm burned, into a mud puddle. Although Buck was knocked backs, he, fortunately, landed face up in the mud but was covered head to toe.

    A few hours later at sunrise, Buck awoke and was able to crawl up. The Marines had been killed or butchered, but Buck could find no trace of the lizards. Buck checked every man, and the only one he could find alive was PFC Johnson, a new Marine, who had been wounded, but could walk with assistance from Buck. None of the radios worked and Buck wasn¡¯t in favor of waiting around for help if those things came back, so he told Johnson they were walking out.

    ¡°Did you see those things?¡± Johnson asked.

    ¡°No, and neither did you, if you ever say anything of this, they¡¯ll lock us up. They were VC, all of them. Swear to me you¡¯ll never tell anyone different.¡± said Buck.

    ¡°I swear man, I swear.¡± swore Johnson, and the two men kept their word, long after they crawled out of there. Another Marine patrol later located the ruins of their Platoon, and Buck was credited with fighting off an attack and mostly carrying Johnson several miles out.

    Buck slept for several days in the hospital and when he was awake, he decided for the rest of his life he like being a Corpsman more than being a patient as he was treated for burns and dehydration. Eventually, he was awakened by an Admiral Johnson. Buck struggled to get out of bed, and the Admiral stopped him.

    ¡°Relax, first I just want to thank you for saving my son¡¯s life, he didn¡¯t listen to me and joined the Marines, instead of the family business, I¡¯m the father of PFC Johnson that you saved.¡± said the Admiral.

    ¡°Hell sir, I joined the Navy and it got me right there with him anyways.¡± said Buck.

    ¡°Well shit, I can¡¯t argue that. They¡¯ve awarded you a Purple Heart and the Silver Star for your actions, would you like a ceremony, or would you rather just me hand them to you?¡± asked the admiral.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay with you just handing them to me.¡± said Buck, taking the boxes.

    ¡°What¡¯s your plan with the Navy?¡± asked the admiral.

    ¡°Well sir, I¡¯d like to say I want to go back with the men, but other than Johnson, there ain¡¯t any.¡± said Buck.

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯d like a career in utilities, I have some pull there. I owe you that much.¡± replied Admiral Johnson.

    ¡°There ain¡¯t no plumbing in the jungle. We shit in the weeds.¡± said Buck.

    ¡°I figure, after you go back to school, I could probably keep you in Pearl for a few years.¡± said the Admiral.

    ¡°They probably won¡¯t let me go back out like this anyways.¡± Buck said looking at his bandaged arm and legs. For the first time Buck realized how bad his legs were, the blasts had sent random objects into his legs. ¡°Well shit, now I know why my knees hurt.¡± said Buck.

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    ¡°No son, it¡¯s either plumbing or going home at this point. You¡¯ve already been awarded another Purple Heart before this one. It¡¯s time you look for a new career.¡± said the Admiral.

    ¡°Where you headed to Chief?¡± asked the Skipper. Buck blinked his eyes and remembered he was at his retirement ceremony.

    ¡°Arizona, sir.¡± Answered Buck, still standing at attention.

    ¡°Hey, the ceremony is over. Are you from Arizona?¡± asked the skipper. Buck relaxed his stance, embarrassed he hadn¡¯t noticed, but not wanting to show it.

    ¡°No sir, but there¡¯s no jungle and no ocean there. I¡¯m going to open a plumbing shop in a little city called Buckhorn, east of Phoenix. I drove through their once.¡± said Buck.

    ¡°Is it nice?¡± asked the skipper.

    ¡°I stayed a night and took a bath, and that was over ten years ago, but it was a nice bath.¡± said Buck.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure she was.¡± said the Skipper, shaking Buck¡¯s hand, and then stepping aside to let the rest of their men say goodbye to Buck. It was hard for Buck to retire, he liked the men, and he liked being useful, but something in him, was just pressuring to leave and left he did, as soon as he could.

    Buck had put what little he owned in his truck and set out from San Diego. He didn¡¯t really know where to go, the one girl he did love, who had called him to look back to the VW bus over twenty years ago had died in a drug overdose a few years later, and Buck had just suffered short term relationships and heartbreaks at that, watching countless other sailors marry divorce in the same enlistment. Buck couldn¡¯t tell if his lack of marriage had made him fortunate or unfortunate.

    A great emptiness filled Buck as he drove down the highway, the road mostly empty, and his truck radio struggling to maintain a signal. Buck wished he had someone to talk to, even a dog, but he sat in his truck alone, going down the highway, through Yuma and a little north later. Finally, half a day later following a few gas station breaks, Buck reached the town of his memory.

    ¡°Well shit, I guess this ain¡¯t really the town at all.¡± Buck said, as he reached Buckhorn Baths, this time sober. Buck went inside and asked for a room, the place wasn¡¯t as nice as he remembered, but it still had character. Buck put his bags in his room, and went out to find a lunch and then a commercial building and a house to buy, having done everything he could to save every dollar he had made. Buck turned on the TV, a man in a white suit wearing a white mask was advertising used cars, calling himself the Loan Arranger. Buck laughed and said ¡°I think I¡¯ll like this town.¡±

    Buck spent the next 16 years building his business, but he had aged hard, and his old wounds were doing him no favors, but he built a solid reputation in the community and received more business from word of mouth than he cared to do, but he did his best. As good as the desert once seemed, the heat took its toll on him, Buck longed for his second retirement.

    As he loaded his tools into his truck, having finished his last job of the day, Buck heard crying from the yard, so Buck walked over to make sure everyone was safe. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Buck asked the little girl standing and looking up in a tree.

    ¡°My kite is stuck in the tree, and my dad won¡¯t be home to get it until tonight.¡± said the little girl.

    Buck looked up and saw the kite had wrapped itself in some branches, he tried pulling on the kite string but couldn¡¯t free it. Buck could tell the kite was pretty important to the little girl, and he sighed, knowing he was going to have to do the right thing before he got out of the heat that day.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get your kite, but I need you to go sit on your front porch in the shade, because I am going to bring my truck over.¡± said Buck. The little girl thanked him and ran over and sat on her porch as instructed.

    Buck drove his truck over under the tree and pulled his ladder of the top of his truck and tied it to the rack so it wouldn¡¯t slip. Buck trusted his truck, but he didn¡¯t trust the tree to hold the ladder. Buck climbed up the ladder and reached in the tree and untangled the kite and brought it down safely. Buck looked at the kite and smiled, there was a unicorn on it, then he walked over and collected the kite string, wound it up, and brought it to the little girl who was sitting with her mother who had come out when she saw Buck parking under the tree.

    ¡°One kite, safely rescued from a tree.¡± Buck said to the girl¡¯s mother as he brought it up and handed it to her.

    ¡°You unclog pipes and you save kites, can I pay you for that?¡± Asked Mary, the girl¡¯s mother, worried she had kept him from another job.

    ¡°No ma¡¯am, It¡¯s nice to be useful.¡± said Buck.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± asked the little girl.

    ¡°I¡¯m Buck Allen, owner and operator of Buck¡¯s Plumbing.¡± Said Buck.

    ¡°Thank you, mister Buck.¡± said the little girl.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, it¡¯s a pretty kite, I¡¯m glad we could save it.¡± said Buck, grinning.

    ¡°My friend Kara gave it to me, we are going to be best friends forever. Why¡¯s your hood of your truck blue when the rest of the truck is red?¡± Asked the little girl.

    ¡°It¡¯s good luck.¡± said Buck.

    ¡°Buck, he drove a truck, it¡¯s good luck. He saved my kite, we like Buck, he¡¯s good luck.¡± sang the little girl.

    ¡°Thank you sir, I¡¯ll recommend you to all my friends.¡± said Mary.

    ¡°Oh please no, I don¡¯t want to be that useful, I already have too many jobs. You all have a good day,¡± Said Buck, taking a step back and walking to his truck before putting his ladder away. Buck looked around to make sure his path was clear, then got in his truck and started driving off.

    Buck noticed the little girl holding her kite and waving, so he paused the truck, waved back, and drove off, feeling good about himself.

    Years later Buck awoke to someone banging on the door of his house. ¡°Wake up, Buck, it¡¯s Isabella, I need your help!¡± shouted the young lady as she banged on his door. Buck dressed quickly and went to open the door and let her in.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked the old man, weary and still trying to gather his senses.

    ¡°My plumbing is leaking, I¡¯m supposed to open the shop soon, and it¡¯s leaking, and I have water going out the front door. Mr. Kook called me when he closed his store.¡± Said Isabella as she caught her breath.

    ¡°So call a plumber.¡± Said Buck.

    ¡°You are a plumber.¡± Reminded Isabella with some fire in her tone.

    ¡°I¡¯m retired.¡± Reminded Buck.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care, my Dad always used you, he¡¯s out of town, my sister is out of town and mom is in the hospital, so get dressed, we¡¯ll take your truck.¡± Ordered Isabella sternly.

    ¡°I can¡¯t drive, I don¡¯t have a license anymore, and it¡¯s even harder at night.¡± Argued Buck as he looked out the window.

    ¡°I¡¯ll drive your truck, you literally taught me to drive in it. Go, or I¡¯ll stop mowing your lawn and getting your groceries for you. You can walk to the grocery store, I don¡¯t care.¡± Reminded Isabella.

    ¡°I had you drive me to the emergency room, that doesn¡¯t count as a driving lesson.¡± Argued Buck unsuccessfully as he put his boots on. He liked the kid, her dad had always been good to him, and Isabella had saved his life when he was having a heart attack and the phone didn¡¯t work. He¡¯d been beaten and followed her out to his truck. They were soon on the way to her shop. Isabella had spent all summer working on it, and he was curious what it looked like.

    He sighed as he saw the water leaking out the door and followed her in as they each carried a toolbox. A few minutes later, laying in water, Buck replaced a broken shutoff valve under the sink. His pride in his skills vanished as he heard Isabella crying in a chair near the counter. She was sobbing and holding herself as she shook.

    ¡°It¡¯s fixed, let¡¯s clean up the place.¡± Suggested Buck.

    ¡°It¡¯s ruined.¡± Said Isabella sadly, as she looked at the place through tear filled eyes.

    ¡°Fresh leaks are the easiest to repair. Most of the water ran out the door anyways. Make us some coffee, and I¡¯ll help you clean up the place.¡± Said Buck.

    ¡°Really?¡± asked Isabella in surprise.

    ¡°Trust me, as a retired sailor, I know how to use a mop.¡± Said Buck. Isabella jumped up and hugged him, before pointing him to the utility closet. Buck sighed and began mopping, sharing coffee and cigarettes all night with his young friend. By sunrise, I the place looked salvageable. Isabella was grateful, but shouting at the voices she heard in her head.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t take your medication.¡± Said Buck sadly.

    ¡°If I did, I would have fallen asleep a long time ago. Running this coffee shop with my sister is my dream, not taking pills.¡± Said Isabella as she lit two cigarettes and passed one to Buck. He nodded in understanding but sighed sadly.

    ¡°This coffee is good, I promise when you open, I will be your first customer every day.¡± Said Buck as he paused from smoking and drank the rest of the coffee in his cup. Isabella smiled, she liked him, and despite being an old grumpy man, other than her sister Erin, Buck was Isabella¡¯s only friend in the world. Isabella sat there in her dark hair soaked in sweat, her eyes tired and a cigarette dangling from her lips shaking, listening to voices shout in her head and feeling like her dreams had a chance again.

 A Tale of Two Friends

    ¡°Seriously, I can¡¯t thank you enough for taking my case, and I can¡¯t believe I walked on everything.¡± said Ben to Hank as they pulled up to a convenience store.

    ¡°Just stay innocent, we might not be lucky the next time.¡± said Hank, as he turned off his van and placed it in gear and set the parking break.

    ¡°Really man, I mean we¡¯ve been friends since we were kids, we¡¯ve worked together, we worked for Lou, but nothing I have ever done deserves what you did for me in that courtroom, and best of all you made it so literally I cannot legally work for my mom anymore, she can¡¯t make me go back to that restaurant again. This is so awesome.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°She¡¯ll miss having the best cookies in town, I¡¯m out of there too, I just promised to stay until I finished school and passed the bar exam. We¡¯re out of there bro.¡± Hank said, giving a high five to Ben.

    ¡°This case is going to make you so famous; the money is going to flow.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I just don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be where I go in life. It¡¯s going to be like a side thing.¡± Hank tried explaining.

    ¡°Whatever bro, let¡¯s go get some sodas.¡± said Ben, as they left the van and went into the store. They liked the owner, he was an older man, but always happy, and the two friends had known him since they were little.

    ¡°Hey Mr. Kook.¡± said Hank, as both young men entered the store and walked back to grab some sodas. Ben grabbed a packaged muffin to go with his soda, and Hank grabbed some jerky.

    ¡°Can I get a lottery ticket too, please?¡± asked Ben.

    ¡°Only if you promise to buy the store from me when you win.¡± said Mr. Kook

    ¡°But you love this store.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°I¡¯ve loved this store since you both were little boys and would walk here to buy Bazooka gum. You remember that?¡± asked Mr. Kook. Ben and Hank grinned, they worked hard for their allowance and spent it all at Mr. Kook¡¯s store. Hank and Ben grew up going to his store, and even took their prom dates for pictures there. Mr. Kook had offered them both jobs, but they were indentured to Ben¡¯s mom Lou at her legitimate business, the restaurant.

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°I tell you what, if I win, I¡¯m splitting this ticket with Hank for winning my case, and we¡¯re buying this store.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°You know, if we¡¯d just worked here, you wouldn¡¯t have had a case in the first place.¡± said Hank.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure about that, I might be eighty-three years old, but I am some gangster.¡± Mr. Kook said, pulling his shotgun up from behind the counter.

    ¡°All right, if you win, that¡¯s all you owe me.¡± said Hank.

    ¡°I hope you guys win, this thing gets heavier every year.¡± Mr. Kook said, putting the shotgun down behind the counter.

    ¡°Deal.¡± Ben said, handing his cash to Mr. Kook who rung it up and gave Ben his change.

    ¡°You boys are getting too old for sodas, you should go buy some coffee. If I was young, I¡¯d buy a cup of coffee¡± said Mr. Kook.

    ¡°Yah, but you don¡¯t sell coffee. You told us that once you started selling coffee you would have to make fresh coffee all day, and that would be more work.¡± Hank said, with Ben nodding in agreement.

    ¡°Not here you dumb asses, the girl with the nice eyes that Hank pretends he doesn¡¯t like, she owns this coffee shop next door, buy it from her.¡± said Mr. Kook. He had watched Hank and Erin irritate each other at random encounters over the years, and hoped Hank pulled his head out of his ass before she found someone else.

    ¡°Maybe tomorrow, I just paid for this soda, and you don¡¯t give refunds.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°Get out of here. You guys are dumbasses.¡± said Mr. Kook, playfully shooing them out of the store.

    Later that night, Hank¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Who is it, and why are you waking me up.¡± said Hank into the phone.

    ¡°It¡¯s me Ben, I was watching the news. We won the lottery.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°It¡¯s too late for a joke, I¡¯m tired, I was up early for court for some asshole who calls to wake me up and fuck with me.¡± said Hank.

    ¡°No man, I¡¯m not lying, we won.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°You¡¯re fucking with me.¡± said Hank.

    ¡°Would I lie to my lawyer?¡± said Ben.

    ¡°Probably.¡± said Hank.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not, I swear, we hit the jackpot, I mean, who knows after taxes and stuff, but it¡¯s still a lot.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°Enough to buy Mr. Kook¡¯s store?¡± asked Hank.

    ¡°I mean yah, I guess, we kind of promised him.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°As your lawyer, we both know he had that on tape, we¡¯d better make him a fair offer tomorrow.¡± said Hank.

    ¡°What else do you think you¡¯ll do with your money?¡± Asked Ben.

    ¡°Buy my parents¡¯ house so I can get out of this apartment, and away from my roommate who is too lazy to walk over and just talk to me.¡± Hank said, walking into Ben¡¯s bedroom. Hank took the lottery ticket and pulled the internet up on Ben¡¯s computer.

    ¡°Fuck man, you were serious.¡± said Hank.

    ¡°Yah man, I told you. Partner.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°What the fuck are we going to do with a corner store?¡± asked Hank.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe we could add cookies and coffee. We do make the best cookies in town, and I never really wrote the recipes down at Lou¡¯s the whole time we worked there.¡± said Ben.

    ¡°She¡¯ll kill you, even if you are her first born.¡± said Hank.

    ¡°I took the rap, she owes me a big favor.¡± said Ben.

 Karas Story

    When she was able to crawl to a phone, the first call Kara made was to 911, and the second was to Therese¡¯s mother Mary. Kara was still hidden in her closet, worried her dad would notice she had regained consciousness and would hit her again. The phone felt wet, and Kara knew it was blood, her own blood, but still hid in the closet. The 911 operator had asked her to stay on the line, but Kara wanted her other mother, the nice sober one, so she called Mary.

    Kara grabbed her knees and shook as she heard the police kick the door down and yelling, then she heard a struggle, and knew they had taken down her dad. New sirens joined the noise and Kara knew it was a firetruck, but she was still scared to open the door, so she shook and bled in the darkness, and jumped back against the wall when the closet door was opened, afraid somehow it might be her dad. Her leg hurt like hell every which way she moved it.

    ¡°I found her, get me EMS over here when they get there.¡± said the officer loudly to the others in the front room. The officer squatted to be closer Kara to check her injuries and bring his eye level closer to hers.

    ¡°Hey Kara, hey you still awake?¡± asked the officer. Kara opened her eyes in fear, she didn¡¯t really like the police after they kept her from going to the hospital with Therese when she fell from the tree, which she eventually accepted was the right thing for them to do, but it still angered her in a weird child memory way. Kara¡¯s eyes adjusted and she squinted at first as the light was in the room and she had been hiding in the dark.

    ¡°Fuck, Officer P, they couldn''t send anyone else?¡± asked Kara. She had a love-hate relationship with the officer, he was always trying to help her and she was trying hard to screw her life up.

    ¡°Overtime. How bad are you?¡± asked the officer, assessing her wounds and hoping the medics would be there soon.

    ¡°I hurt all over, he hit me hard. How¡¯s my mom?¡± answered Kara.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t know, the other guys are out there, I came looking for you.¡± said the officer.

    ¡°Well, you always seem able to find me when I fuck up.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°This is one thing that is not your fault.¡± said the officer.

    Mary, Therese¡¯s mother, walked into the room before EMS arrived. ¡°Kara.¡± said Mary, as she walked into the room, and to not startle the officer. As the officer turned, Mary said ¡°Good evening, Officer P, is she OK?¡± asked Mary who was well known to all the officers because of both Kara and Therese.

    ¡°Luckily, she¡¯s the toughest problem I have to deal with.¡± said the officer in a friendly way. The fire department arrived and quickly began assessing Kara. Several trucks had arrived for the three people who were injured. The firefighters began shining lights in Kara¡¯s eyes and asking her questions, and she couldn¡¯t see Mary or the police officer.

    ¡°Officer P!¡± shouted Kara.

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± said the officer.

    ¡°Don¡¯t leave me yet.¡± pleaded Kara.

    ¡°I won¡¯t, I promise.¡± said the officer, who was walking to the back of the room with Mary.

    ¡°How¡¯s Therese?¡± asked the officer. Kara and Therese were both concerns of his, Kara had become delinquent, and Therese had become ill, but he hoped to see them both come out ahead one day.

    ¡°They keep trying new medications, it cuts down on the outbursts, and reduces the voices, but it reduces my daughter too.¡± said Mary, shrugging.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Well, these girls are lucky to have you, you¡¯re a good mom. I think you¡¯ll need to take this one in for a while, whether her mom presses charges or not for her own abuse this time, her dad¡¯s going to jail for what he did to Kara, and for being a dumb ass and trying to fight us too.¡± said the officer.

    ¡°Kara is always welcome at my house. The girls don¡¯t spend time together anymore, Therese¡¯s illness has been hard for both of them, but it is always Kara¡¯s home too.¡± said Mary. The firefighters called for an ambulance on their radio for Kara.

    ¡°Mom?¡± called Kara.

    ¡°The other guys, they¡¯re working on her, she¡¯s going to make it, but they are going to take her to another hospital, she¡¯s just a little worse.¡± said a firefighter trying to explain things to Kara.

    ¡°No, not her, Mom!¡± cried out Kara.

    ¡°Yes, dear.¡± said Mary as she walked closer to Kara.

    ¡°Will you go with me, I don¡¯t want to be alone, I¡¯m scared.¡± Said Kara, making a very rare admission to fear.

    ¡°Of course, I promised you a long time ago I will always be there for you, and I will.¡± said Mary.

    ¡°Thank you, Mom, I love you.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°I love you too, you¡¯ll be fine, I promise, and you can come stay with us as long as you want, when we get out of the hospital.¡± said Mary, who was sad to see Kara in pain, and also sad the day Space-Girl Kara had told her would happen, did happen. Mary hated temporal timeline matters, and she wished she would have just torn Kara¡¯s father¡¯s head off that morning.

    The ambulance crew arrived soon, and they used a backboard to lift Kara up and onto the gurney. Kara hated this, not because it hurt, but she realized how Therese must have felt when she was strapped down, and Kara had abandoned her best friend. Kara hated herself, but it had become so difficult to cope with Therese¡¯s behavior, the shouting, the yelling at people and yelling at people that were not there, and this anger had manifested into Kara¡¯s behaviors as an outlet for her own feelings.

    ¡°This lady, she is Mary, she needs to ride with Kara.¡± said Officer P to the ambulance crew.

    ¡°No problem, Ma¡¯am.¡± the ambulance crew said, not asking any questions to that regard, the less they knew, the less they knew.

    ¡°Is asshole gone yet? I don¡¯t want to give him the satisfaction of him seeing me like this.¡± said Kara, regaining some of her defiance.

    ¡°Let me go check.¡± said the officer, walking out of the room to check.

    ¡°Thank you for coming.¡± said Kara to Mary, as Kara lay strapped down with a cervical collar, unable to move her head, or look around.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry this has happened, please forgive me for not intervening.¡± Said Mary, squeezing Kara¡¯s hand.

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t stop this from happening. One thing I learned from watching Space-Girl Michelle with Therese is, what happens, well it happens, and we do our best to survive it.¡± said Kara, making a rare admission that the nerd inside her still thrived.

    ¡°They are taking him now, the guys will hit a siren when they clear the street to let you know.¡± Said the officer, in perfect timing as a police siren momentarily blared.

    ¡°Hey Office P, thanks again for never giving up on me. I hope one day I can make you guys proud again.¡± said Kara.

    ¡°I¡¯ll look after you girls until you get to high school, then you are on your own. I can¡¯t stand the principal there, he was a jackass when I went there.¡± said the officer.

    ¡°Weaver? Yah, he is a total jackass, I hated him too.¡± said one of the medics.

    ¡°Great, now I have a time restriction on getting my shit together, thanks for the love, officer.¡± said Kara as she was rolled through the house and to the ambulance.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Mary said to the police officer.

    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure, you remember, I¡¯m the one who found them at the park playing, when they ran away. I guess somehow, I¡¯m pulled into all this too.¡± said the officer.

    ¡°God puts people where He needs them.¡± said Mary.

    ¡°Yes, yes He does.¡± said the officer.

    Mary turned and walked quickly through the house, and climbed into the ambulance. The crew offered her a hand up, but admired Mary¡¯s strength as she simply stepped up into the ambulance. ¡°Can I really stay with you guys?¡± Kara asked Mary.

    ¡°I promise you, and if I know Rodger, he will be on the phone to every lawyer in town tomorrow, we¡¯ll have you this summer, even if it means I have to put up with that Space-Girl show all day.¡± said Mary.

    ¡°You really think Therese will want me there?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°People are always happy when their friends come back. It¡¯s been rough, but she walks tall.¡± said Mary, making her own rare Space-Girl reference.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t like that show do you?¡± asked Kara.

    ¡°The galaxy needs Space-Girls, but that doesn¡¯t mean any mother is eager to have their daughter run off and join them.¡± said Mary, looking down and smiling at Kara as she held her hand. Mary just wanted to tell Kara how everything will eventually be fine.

 Rodgerâ€™s and Maryâ€™s Story.

    ¡°Do you know why you are here R-1 and X-1?¡± asked the young rabbit scientist.

    ¡°We are the most advanced prototype androids ever created on Haremar or anywhere. We can recharge off of and metabolize nutrient compounds. We have nano-scopic self-repair capability, advanced learning capability and we were created to explore the unknown galaxy.¡± said R1 and X-1 together.

    ¡°Yes, that is created, but what makes you different than the others before you?¡± asked the scientist. He was amazed, that X-1 did not know her own origin still, it was a deep secret he was sworn to protect, but to be there if she ever needed him.

    ¡°We dream. We feel.¡± said R-1 and X1 together, stating the unusual phenomenon that had occurred with their activation. The rabbits of Haremar marveled at the technology, but could not explain the wonderful fluke that had occurred, and the research facility that had created the two androids had been destroyed during the Gopher King¡¯s and the Vax invasion, losing a millennium of work. R-1 was created to be the most powerful robot ever and X-1 as his balance in the universe.

    ¡°And do you know of the daughter?¡± asked the scientist.

    ¡°President Angor has declared the surviving daughter of Space-Boy Rodger and Space-Girl Mary the daughter of our world in recognition of their sacrifice in the saving of our free world.¡± answered the androids. The decision was fully embraced by the population, and even now the humanoid infant was carefully guarded by the planet.

    ¡°And we have no reason to believe she is not in mortal danger.¡± said President Angor as he entered the laboratory.

    ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. President.¡± said the scientist.

    ¡°It is our pleasure to serve our world, and will explore the galaxy for you until the end of our time.¡± said the androids.

    ¡°Relax, this is no time for formalities. Rodger and Mary were good friends, we must protect their daughter, and we are weak here, you must take her to another planet and raise her as your own child.¡± said Angor.

    ¡°It is our duty to inform you, we are not programmed to raise a baby, we are designed to explore the galaxy.¡± said R-1.

    ¡°Parenthood is the exploration that awaits you. Not mapping stars and studying phenomena, but charting the unknown possibilities of life. We rabbits would be too obvious, you have humanoid form, and you will take their appearances. Now take their names and take their daughter. Teach her their faith, they would want it that way.¡± said Angor.

    ¡°Where will we go?¡± asked R-1.

    ¡°The human world of Earth, you know of it?¡± asked Angor.

    ¡°It is the birthplace of the great converter, Saint Thomas Aquinas. But why not take her back to her own world?¡± asked X-1.

    ¡°That will be the first place the Vax look.¡± said Angor. This could not be argued.

    ¡°We shall do our best, we will go study their customs and download all available information about childhood and parenting their cultural databases. I suspect their television broadcasts will prove useful.¡± said R-1.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°I would like to be Mary. I wish to be a mother, will that be acceptable to you?¡± asked X-1.

    ¡°I am going to be a dad.¡± said Rodger in a pleased tone.

    ¡°You have one week, then Space-Girl Michelle will take you to Earth and set you up in a safe house. We have agents there, and the training films are broadcast there. Perhaps, one day, she will follow in her parents'' path.¡± said Angor.

    ¡°I hope not too soon, I find this idea of being a mother pleasing.¡± said Mary.

    ¡°I must learn to be father, I do not feel ready.¡¯ said Rodger.

    ¡°No one is ever prepared to be a parent, you can access the databases while he alters your exteriors to be more appropriate.¡± said Angor.

    ¡°Parenthood shall be a worthy challenge.¡± stated Rodger.

    ¡°You won¡¯t be alone, you know. What you were, and who you are to become, will always be together.¡± said Angor, taking his leave.

    Rodger and Mary sat into programming chairs and began accessing the database while the scientist altered their appearances, deciding on using the real Rodger and Mary as models as Angor suggested.

    ¡°Access their video show Growing Pains, it has excellent insight.¡± Suggested Rodger he began absorbing vast quantities of human information.

    ¡°Their show Married With Children seems more up to date, we should access that too. The father is an amazing man.¡± suggested Mary.

    ¡°Disregard that show, please.¡± said Rodger as he accessed Married With Children and gathered information on the wife. ¡°Still four touchdowns in one game is a lot.¡± said Rodger as he added the show to his files. The lead character, Al Bundy was admirable, and if X-1 found him idealistic, he was worth studying in detail.

    A week later, as directed, Rodger and Mary walked into the nursery where Therese lay. Their programming had adjusted, and if no one knew, the two would pass as fully human.

    ¡°She is beautiful.¡± said Mary, picking up the infant.

    ¡°Therese, hi, I¡¯m going to be your dad.¡± said Rodger excitedly.

    Space-Girl Monica walked into the nursery, limping and barely able to walk. She struggled in pain with every step, but refused to be treated until Therese was safely away. Monica had fought off the last of the Gophers and Vax near Therese¡¯s house and had personally brought Therese out of the rubble. Even Space-Girl Michelle herself knew she had better not argue with Monica when her mind was made up.

    ¡°I had to see her off. They are going to put me in a suspended healing cycle, probably a long one because I waited so long and my guts kept popping out.¡± Monica said as she limped over to Rodger, Mary and Therese.

    ¡°Someone get that little girl a warm blanket.¡± said Monica to the rabbit orderly who grabbed one and brought it to the baby. ¡°Babies like warm blankets.¡± said Monica, before she collapsed on the floor. Space-Girl Monica would survive, but the rabbit medics were relieved to have her unconscious so they could finally help her. Medics loaded Space-Girl Monica on a stretcher and took her to surgery.

    ¡°Be gentle, have no doubt, she¡¯ll be the Space-Girl Michelle one day.¡± said the current Space-Girl Michelle who was also relieved Space-Girl Monica would finally receive medical attention. ¡°I need to speak with Rodger and Mary alone please.¡± Michelle said to the medical staff who politely relaxed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t about worry about being a good parent, and you can¡¯t spoil a child with love. Keep her hidden and keep her away from all this.¡± said Michelle.

    ¡°I think you read our minds.¡± said Rodger.

    ¡°Raise her to be kind, and that¡¯s all you can really do. The Hare medical team completed the brain imaging, you¡¯ll have your hands full, but the kindest thing we can do for her is to give her a safe normal life. Do you have any questions?¡± asked Michelle.

    ¡°Where do we land the ship?¡± asked Mary.

    ¡°I¡¯ve programmed the location, there is an old warehouse, the roof is a hologram, one of our agents, an old Space-Boy from before me, Gus, he takes care of it, he¡¯ll meet you there with his daughters Bella and Erin after you land. The kids don¡¯t really know about this whole space thing, but we hope at least one of them join the family business one day.¡± said Michelle.

    ¡°And no one else will know?¡± asked Rodger fearing for Therese¡¯s safety.

    ¡°No one else, just Angor and myself, and Angor¡¯s little brother Lionhead.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°Lionhead, the scientist who altered us?¡± asked Rodger.

    ¡°The same, although I fear after the Vax invasion, his days of being a scientist are over, but still, we all need another good rabbit.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle.

    ¡°Well, I suppose this is goodbye.¡± said Mary.

    ¡°Goodbye Therese, and goodbye to you both. Enjoy the adventure.¡± said Space-Girl Michelle. Rodger and Mary hugged Michelle goodbye and walked to their ship to fly to the planet Earth.

 Peters Story

    Peter left Math class as tired as ever but thinking of the girl who sat behind him, Therese. He knew he should have been thinking about his girlfriend Gina, but he couldn¡¯t help himself. Every free brain cell he had was focused on Therese.

    Two boys made fun of Therese as she walked by the stairwell, Peter saw Therese brush it off, but he couldn¡¯t let it go. ¡°Shut up.¡± said Peter to the two guys.

    ¡°What the fuck are you going to do about it?¡± asked one of the guys as he shoved Peter.

    Peter looked around, elbowed the guy in the side of the head, grabbed the guy and then threw him into the stairwell. The student who attacked Peter flopped against the wall drooling. Peter grabbed the other guy and stuck his pen in his throat, as he drug him to his friend.

    ¡°A minute after I walk out of here, you¡¯re going to get your friend some help, and tell everyone how he fell down the stairs. If you ever say anything different, I¡¯m going to shove this pen in and twist it around in your throat making a giant hole so you spend the rest of your life breathing out of the opening I make. Do you understand?¡± said Peter calmly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± said the other guy as he cried.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask if you were sorry, I asked if you understood.¡± said Peter, stabbing the pen in further. Peter grabbed the other guy and pulled him over so they blocked his fallen friend as students hurried by late to class and unaware.

    ¡°I understand.¡± said the boy. Peter believed him because he had wet his pants.

    ¡°If you double-cross me, I will kill you and there is no place on earth you can go where a guy like me can¡¯t find you. I¡¯d kill you now, but it¡¯s hard to hide bodies and go to class on time.¡± said Peter, releasing the other guy, and walking away to his next class. The pen to his throat didn¡¯t scare the other student as much as how calm Peter was in doing it. He knew Peter had done worse before.

    Peter was going to Gina¡¯s that night, but he still couldn¡¯t get Therese off his mind.

    ¡°Get away from me.¡± said Gina as she shoved Peter off her and threw a pillow at him. Peter stood puzzled and confused, they¡¯d had sex a few times before and both had enjoyed it.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°What happened?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°You called me Therese, asshole!¡± shouted Gina, as she started dressing.

    ¡°Did I?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°Yes you did, you called me Therese! The girl in math class? Are you fucking her too?¡± shouted Gina.

    ¡°No, I have never even talked to her.¡± said Peter. Gina realized Peter really was confused, and she quit yelling but dressed herself and threw Peter his clothes.

    ¡°Just get out of here before my mom comes home. We¡¯re over Peter. You seem to be the only one of us who doesn¡¯t know you like her. I¡¯ve seen the way you look at her, I thought maybe I was just paranoid, but now I know I wasn¡¯t.¡± said Gina.

    ¡°Your brother is waking up, I hear him crying.¡± said Peter as he heard the baby waking up in the next room. The one thing Gina liked most about Peter was how genuinely nice he was to her baby, even if she had never corrected his assumption it was her brother. This just further reinforced him actually being unaware he liked Therese. Gina¡¯s heart ached, but she wasn¡¯t a bad person, she just wanted someone to actually stay with her for once.

    ¡°Get out of here Peter, you need to figure yourself out.¡± said Gina as she walked him out the front door.

    Peter drove confused to the Cowffee Cup. Erin and Vivo had offered to watch his daughter so he could go out a couple times a week. All Peter could think on the drive there was that Gina was right, he was in love with the girl he had never talked to.

    ¡°You¡¯re back early, everything go okay? Vivo¡¯s watching Ana in the office.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t know.¡± said Peter. Erin grabbed a bottle of juice and set it on the bar by the stools for Peter, he walked over, thanked her, sat down, and drank some.

    ¡°I quit being psychic hours ago. Why don¡¯t you just tell me?¡± said Erin. Peter spilled his guys about everything.

    ¡°Peter, this is a second chance, the violence can¡¯t happen, it will attract attention, you can¡¯t do that to us. Please find another way.¡± pleaded Erin.

    ¡°I stay out of every fight, but that¡¯s just it, this girl, Therese, she just tears at me inside. The first time I saw her, it¡¯s like time stood still. She is amazing, beautiful, smart, kind. I think the first moment we met is engraved in me forever.¡± said Peter, shoving his face into his hands out of frustration.

    ¡°You want the friend or the big sister answer?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°Both,¡± said Peter.

    ¡°The big sister says you need to focus on completing your education like you promised Ben. I think you know that needs to be your priority and we both know why.¡± said Erin.

    ¡°And?¡± asked Peter.

    ¡°The friend says you should be with the other girl and not here. If she is that special, go for it, what do you know about her?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°She walks to school, she eats alone, I don¡¯t get it, she¡¯s beautiful but like the other kids make fun of her, I think they must resent that she¡¯s perfectly fine in her own world. She is like so above everything.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°Do you think she likes you?¡± asked Erin.

    ¡°She kicks my feet to wake me up when I fall asleep in class.¡± said Peter.

    ¡°That could be serious then.¡± teased Erin. ¡°Do something nice for her, girls like that. Don¡¯t worry about what anyone else thinks, the kind girls are few and far between.¡± advised Erin.

 Empty Cups

    Erin wiped the counter of her coffee shop, the store was such a dream once, and now it was an echo of an empty room no matter how full it was. Isabella and Erin were both their father¡¯s pride and joy, regardless of their struggles in life, he had raised them both to love God and love each other. Her father had taught her that respecting others was a cornerstone to respecting herself.

    Then one day, in the wildest of her dreams he had introduced her to the family business and she became a Space-Girl, just like on her favorite TV show. Her sister Bella had declined, she struggled with her own schizophrenia and depression. Bella didn¡¯t want to battle cyborg gophers on top of her own problems, but the two girls pleaded and won with their father so he let them use the old building he kept to quickly access the hangar as a coffee shop.

    Isabella loved cows and had decided on the name Cowffee Cup. The girls were ecstatic about their business. The old man who ran the corner store that shared a wall with the Cowffee cup was friends with her father and she¡¯d often run coffee over to him to save him the walk. Erin loved Mr. Kook, he was wild, freely inappropriate with language and always insightful in advice.

    There were two dufuses that seemed to always be loitering at the corner store, and Erin did her best to avoid them. She loved Mr. Kook, but his little sidekicks had mostly grown up at the store and irritated Erin every time she visited there with her father when she was little, and now they did the same that she was older. Mr. Kook told her when she was young that meant she liked them and the older she became the wiser Mr. Kook seemed about everything.

    Erin sighed, she missed the good days, no matter how long she was on a mission, Bella was there in the shop waiting for her return, even if she was sleeping on the couch in the office, eager to hear the details of Erin¡¯s mission. Erin could not ask for a better friend than her sister even on her worst days.

    Too soon Space-Girl Carmella and Erin also became best friends, which left Bella feeling out, but she tried not to mind, and Erin was still mostly always with her when she came home. Carmella and Erin might be the twins on missions and Space-Girl things, but Bella and Erin were real sisters when she was home.

    Space-Boy Arnold started finding excuses to accompany Erin back and the three of them, Erin, Bella and Arnold, had a lot of fun evenings just hanging out, talking, smoking, and enjoying their time together. Then one day Arnold drug Erin into a war, conflict Erin did not mind, but large scale the heart of her ring tore at her and beckoned her for more. Erin finally gave in when Arnold convinced her all was lost if she didn¡¯t.

    Months later when Erin came back, she hated herself, she hated Arnold, she hated Hilas, she hated the Space-Girls and she hated all the enemies of the Space-Girls for what she found at home.

    Bella wasn¡¯t waiting for Erin when she came home, but Erin shrugged it off, the time had gotten away from her as she fought and fought, taken over by her lust for vengeance. Erin looked around the shop, there was dust which was unusual as Bella was meticulous. Erin called her house, no one answered.

    Erin ran home, she didn¡¯t have a car, but she ran three miles home. When she arrived, her parents'' car was gone, but Erin went inside and found her sister lying in a pool of blood on the bathroom floor unconscious. Erin checked, saw she was breathing, and called 911. Between the blood loss and the pills Bella had swallowed, the hospital could do more than say they were sorry. Erin¡¯s parents did not survive long after that, and soon she found her home empty, and the Cowffee Cup her only world.

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    Erin tried to resign from the Space-Girls, she was a high-ranking captain who oversaw half of the eight commanders, but no one would accept her resignation or even worse touch her ring. They refused to take it back, leaving Erin a burden of an uncertain future. She finally returned to the Cowffee Cup to close it down and found Buck there, having walked to the store every morning and sat on the bench out front before continuing home. She told him the shop was closed, it was Isabella¡¯s dream and not hers. Buck reminded Erin it was Isabella¡¯s dream to run it with Erin, not to own it. The Cowffee Cup reopened that morning, and Buck kept his promise to be the first customer every day.

    Erin was left in limbo, with everyone hoping she came back and Erin hating everything about the Space-Girls that she blamed for the death of her sister. Erin was sad when Mr. Kook announced his retirement and even more irritated when he told her who bought it.

    Mr. Kook¡¯s last parting advice to Erin was to give Hank a chance. Erin refused that advice stating she could never date someone named Hank. Mr. Kook simply laughed at her and told her to save him an invitation to the wedding. Erin told him guys named Hank don¡¯t have wedding invitations, they get married in Vegas on a whim. Mr. Kook simply laughed and then hugged her goodbye, he was glad to be going up north and out of the heat.

    Tonight, Erin wiped the counters, holding the little girl she was babysitting who always found a way to help Erin feel better. Ana¡¯s innocence brought peace to all of Erin, and helping her made Erin feel better about everything.

    Erin still hated Carmella and Arnold, she knew it wasn¡¯t their fault, but she convinced herself that if she was home, Bella would have somehow lived. Erin could forgive them, but she could never forgive herself and that was where the real pain lived.

    This night, a young girl stood outside the Cowffee Cup looking in. Erin hoped she would decide to come in, not just for the business but because when she was having regretful memories, she liked to be busy. Erin smiled as the girl finally decided to come in.

    Erin¡¯s heart recognized the symptoms before her brain did. She saw the fear, the indecisiveness, half of the girl¡¯s body trying to stay put, and the other half of her body trying to bolt out the door and reach the comfort of same that she knew. Erin felt the best way to greet fear was with a smile. Erin¡¯s smile helped reduce the terror in the girl¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Hi,¡± said Erin softly to not startle the girl, ¡°I¡¯m Erin, this is my coffee shop, may I make you a drink?¡± she asked, trying to pleasantly re-orientate the fear in the girl''s eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t run, you¡¯ll be okay.¡± thought Erin.

    The girl¡¯s hip pulled back, Erin could tell she wanted to run out the door. The girl¡¯s foot twisted further, telling the hip to remain. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to get.¡± said the girl, almost crying, but excited by the new world that was in front of her.

    Erin decided she would meet the girl¡¯s fear head-on with kindness and her best drink too. Erin¡¯s heart fluttered, the girl reminded her so much of her sister when she was in high school, and hoped the girl had it better. Erin called the guys over to take the little girl before she started making the drinks.

    As the espresso machine fired hot water and then steamed the milk, Erin saw the girl wanting to bolt. Erin was glad she fought herself to stay and smiled when she saw the girl did stay. Finally, the drink was done, Erin ignored the money and gave it to the customer. Both girls waited in anticipation as the new customer smelled the drink and finally closed her eyes and decided to try it.

    Erin did her best to keep from laughing as the girl giggled into the drink and her laughter propelled some of it forward and out of the cup. Erin smiled brightly, she had always called her drinks liquid happiness, so a laugh was the most sincere compliment. Erin then walked around and wiped the spill with a floor rag.

    As Erin looked up, she saw the girl looked horrified by what she had done. Erin reassured her that the laughing only made her day and gave the girl her money back, asking her to come talk with her. Erin and the girl grabbed a couple of the couches in the store and started talking. The girl¡¯s nervousness, the fear in her eyes, and the shaking of her knees reminded Erin so much of Bella, and every kind thought Erin had to help her filled some of the void in her own heart.

    Erin offered the girl a job even before she knew the girl¡¯s name, and when the girl finally sheepishly said her name, Erin didn¡¯t connect it with the name Peter had mentioned weeks before.

    When Therese left after the first night¡¯s work, Erin felt complete inside, and she prayed on her knees that night the girl would come back to work with her. The next morning, Erin was so happy her prayer was answered as she saw Therese tapping on the window to come in.