Connor's Gambit

by Z Gottlieb

  Mesmerized, Brad stared at it for a few more seconds. Was he crazy thinking it might have come from another planet? He needed to wake Connor up and get him to look at it. Just as he moved toward Connor, something landed with a loud thud on the deck, followed by an intense white light from the object in the sky that shined directly into his eyes.

  “Oh, shit,” yelled both Brad and Connor.

  Brad squinted and turned toward Connor. “Did you see that thing in the sky with the bright light?”

  “Of course I saw the light. I dropped the damn spotlight on the deck and its light blinded me.” Connor squatted on the deck feeling for the spotlight that had switched off as quickly as it had turned on. “Are you okay? Did the light flash into your eyes, also?”

  “I’m fine, other than my eyes hurting. I wasn’t asking about the spotlight. Did you see the light in the sky?” Brad asked, emphasizing in the sky. “The aircraft in the sky that looked like a flying green wedge. I’ve never seen anything like it before. Did you see it?”

  Connor rubbed his eyes. “I don’t know what you are talking about and I didn’t see anything, except the spotlight falling from my lap and the light shining into my eyes and blinding me. Before that, I didn’t see much either because I must have dozed off.”

  “What about the hum? Did you hear that? It was loud and unnatural for the lake. I can’t believe you didn’t hear the sound,” Brad exclaimed in disbelief. “Are you okay? Is that what woke you up?”

  “What hum? There’s no hum now.” Connor stared at Brad. “I’m not sure I even understand what you are talking about, because I was in a deep sleep. I didn’t hear anything. I didn’t see anything either until the spotlight fell off my lap and blinded me.” He stood and pointed the spotlight toward the lake to test it. He turned the light on and off and back on. “Looks like the light is working.” Connor turned the light off.

  As the spots in his vision diminished, Brad looked at Connor with amazement, standing in front of him holding the dark spotlight. How could he have missed the aircraft or whatever the hell it was? “Connor, just look up and you’ll see the aircraft that I just saw,” Brad shouted, peeved at his brother-in-law’s rare moment of obtuseness.

  Staring at the sky, Connor shook his head, indicating he saw nothing. “Where did the aircraft come from? Which direction did it go?”

  Brad looked back at the sky but saw only the night sky with all the stars in place. “I don’t know. Whatever it was, I’m not making it up, and I know what I saw. I saw an object that looked like a flying wedge with a greenish cast, hovering over us, making a loud humming noise. It was unlike anything I have ever seen before. It must have flown away.” Brad turned in a circle, staring at the dark sky looking for the object, and wondering how it could have moved as quietly, yet as fast as it did. Then again it had appeared with virtually no warning.

  “Brad, I’m not doubting you or what you saw. I just didn’t see anything earlier and I don’t see anything now.”

  “Could you take the boat in? I’m a little shaken by the UFO or whatever I saw.” Brad wasn’t sure what bothered him the most, the sudden appearance and disappearance of the UFO or Connor’s nonchalant attitude. Connor acted as if he didn’t believe him. Brad questioned whether he saw anything or if his brain decided to jump off a cliff. His mind would sometimes wander, but never could he remember a time when both his vision and hearing would be so severely affected.

  Connor reeled in his fishing line. “Sure, I’ll take the boat in for you. Did you catch anything?” Connor knew Brad had seen something. The description worried Connor and he had a hunch, but he wasn’t going to say anything until he had more information. He would check the flight paths on flightradar24 and use a special application he had downloaded to identify the aircraft Brad had described.

  “Didn’t catch any fish, just a glimpse of a strange aircraft, if I even saw it.” Brad reeled in his line in toward the boat.

  “Why did you say that? I believe you saw something. You need to stop questioning yourself just because I didn’t see or hear it.”

  “You’re right. I wonder if Shinny and Nan saw or heard anything. I’ll call them once we are on our way and ask them. I’ll also have them pack up the camp and meet us at the trucks with the children.”

  Chapter 2

  Brad pulled his pickup truck into the driveway, looking at the dark house in his rearview mirror. Connor and Nan probably wouldn’t be home with their twins, Sarah and Ben, for at least another fifteen to twenty minutes. Nan had mentioned she needed to pick up a few things at Wal-Mart and observe the activity in the store. Brad wanted to know what she was observing at Wal-Mart at this time of the night, but over the years, he had learned it was better to ignore Nan’s idiosyncrasies. Connor, Shinny and he had met Nan in Boston while they were attending MIT. Although Nan was an art student at Boston University, in many ways she was Connor’s perfect match. Nan had moved to Boston from California, but Brad sometimes wondered if in fact she came from the same town in New York as Connor and Shinny. She made similar errors about life in general. Brad often excused himself to avoid laughing out loud and embarrassing her. Connor seemed to love the way Nan, in all seriousness, defended Santa Claus as having been real, as if she were defending an anthropology dissertation in an oral examination. Connor supported her, saying she had a point: Why would an imaginary individual be associated with a birth of a real individual? Brad laughed; Connor really had it bad for Nan. He was glad the relationship had worked out for them. Asking the question would only opened him up for another anthropology dissertation on Wal-Mart shoppers. Coming from Nan it could be humorous, but that was the last thing he was in the mood for now. His family acted blasé in response to his claim that a UFO flew over his boat, as if it were an everyday occurrence. It was odd they were not going to let a small thing like a visit from a UFO stop them from their pilgrimage to Wal-Mart. He loved his wife and brother and sister-in-law, but at times, their offbeat mannerisms threw him completely off kilter.

  “Brad, are you okay? You seem oddly silent since seeing the aircraft flying over the lake,” Shinny asked apprehensively, as she gathered her backpack, seeming to wait for him to talk to her.

  “I’m fine, just unsettled being the only one that heard and saw the UFO.” If they didn’t see or hear it, could it have been a figment of my imagination? Brad asked himself.

  “No one doubts you. We believe you saw something,” she reassured him. “I’m not sure I understand why you are so upset.”

  “It isn’t every day a person sees a UFO. It would be nice to have someone else confirm the sighting. Otherwise a person could begin to feel crazy like I do, right now.” Brad stared in the rearview mirror at their sleeping son, Teledane. Shinny had insisted on naming their son after her father, Teledane. At first Brad was reluctant to give their son such an odd name, but he agreed when they decided his nickname would be Dane. He remembered Connor saying since Brad was naming his son after Shinny’s father, he wanted to name his own children after Brad’s parents, Benjamin and Sarah. Brad thought at the time Connor’s reaction to the name Teledane was odd. Didn’t Connor have the same father as his twin sister? He was going to ask Connor, but Shinny gave him the “let it go” look, so he did. Yet again he had been surprised by their reactions.

  Shinny wrinkled her brow at Brad’s confused expression. “Are you okay?”

  Brad ignored Shinny’s question. He needed to get a grip and think this through on his own. “I’m fine. Could you put Dane to bed? I need to go to the golf course and stare at the sky a little more. I’ll take care of the gear either later tonight or tomorrow before I go to the office.”

  “Would you like some company? I could ask Nan to watch Dane for a few minutes when she returns and join you.”

  They hadn’t lain on the golf course together in a long time. As much as he wanted her to join him, she would be a distraction. He wouldn’t be able to think about what he saw and what it meant, if anything. He needed to be alone to
clear his head. With that thought in mind, he looked at his wife. “I just need a little time to myself. I should be over this sighting issue when I return. If I’m not, just kick me in the rear, because I need to get back on track.”

  Shinny smiled. “Mmm, kick in the rear might be too rough. Maybe we can come up with something we both can enjoy.” Shinny was aware of her husband’s confusion and wanted to comfort him. She knew from his detailed description of the aircraft that he wasn’t crazy, but she didn’t want to consider what it could mean. Earlier Connor had pulled her aside and said he would look to see if there was anything on the Internet and check other sources he could access with his special clearance. They might have an answer before too long.

  “Deal,” confirmed Brad, smiling as he reached over and quickly kissed her on her lips. “I’ll get Dane out of his car seat for you.”

  Brad got out of the truck, and opened the cab’s back door and unbuckled Dane. “Come on, sleepy boy, time to get you into bed.”

  “Daddy, will you read a book to me tonight?” Dane yawned.

  “No, tonight’s Mommy’s turn and you know she is a much better story reader than me.” Brad handed Dane over to Shinny. “I’ll take the shortcut behind Connor and Nan’s house. I don’t think I’ll be too long.”

  Shinny watched Brad disappear behind her old house, thinking Connor was right about Brad. Although Brad was young and innocent from her perspective, he was a good match for her. He was kind, loyal, and, by current standards brilliant. Interestingly, Brad also complemented Connor in many ways. He never resented Connor’s overbearing personality, and that was saying a lot when it came to Connor.

  Both Connor and she needed to share the family secret with Brad soon. The secret might have remained intact longer, but Nan, who shared the same secret, had been prodding her to say something ever since Dane’s conception. She was waiting for permission and the right time. Shinny cringed, knowing there would never be a right time when it came to Brad. She knew Brad well enough to know he would be hurt she had kept the secret for as long as she had. She hoped when she did share the secret he wouldn’t wait too long in forgiving her.

  Brad, bothered by the strange reaction of his family, felt alone. He couldn’t understand why he was the only one who saw the UFO. He lay down on the grass near the twelfth hole and looked up into the sky, hoping to see the UFO or whatever that aircraft was again. However, the view of the stars from the golf course was no different from what he saw from his boat, giving him no indication he would ever see the UFO again.

  For him the golf course was as calming as the lake, and had always provided him with a sense of peace and quiet and a place for him to recharge. Unlike the lake, the golf course was his personal refuge. The exception had been the first time he invited Shinny to join him. That evening had been as peculiar as this night.

  He closed his eyes, re-experiencing every detail of that earlier evening, a year and a half after he returned from Boston with Connor, Shinny, and Nan.

  Brad had valued his time at MIT. He had looked forward to joining a company leading IT innovations. However, both Connor and Shinny wanted to return to their sleepy town upon graduation to start their own Internet security business. After four years in greater Boston and with dozens of job offers, Brad thought working for one of the big IT companies would be more challenging and rewarding. But once again, Connor was right. They answered only to themselves.

  Shinny supported Connor’s plan to return home to start a company. Brad could never say no to Shinny, and was willing to follow her and give her more time to settle down. Everyone in town, including his parents, thought that one day he would marry Shinny. However, Brad never believed it was a forgone conclusion, and he wasn’t sure she was interested in a long-term commitment with anyone. Shinny didn’t date in high school or in college. She used Connor as the messenger, letting Brad know not to “ask” if he didn’t want a “no.” Connor told Brad Shinny thought he was too young for her, which puzzled him, as he was two months older than Shinny. When he asked Connor what that meant, Connor shrugged and said “women,” as if that would explain everything.

  His parents had just sold the house to him and left the area. He grabbed his lucky blanket and asked Shinny to join him. The blanket, a Johnson Tartan plaid, had an alternating pattern of blue and green squares. His parents had given him the blanket when he was a child, explaining to him how lucky he was to have a plaid that symbolized his love for the lake and the golf course.

  He shook the blanket open and gestured for Shinny to have a seat. “Mademoiselle, please select your seat.”

  Shinny sat toward the center of the blanket with her silhouette washed in the starlight. She rested her elbows on her bent knees and looked up at the stars. He sat as close as possible to her without touching her, imitating her position. He stared at her profile thinking it had been over nine years with never an indication she was interested in a relationship with him. He wondered why she even agreed to join him that evening. He assumed it would be just another uncomfortable evening with her. He had coached himself to avoid any relationship conversation.

  “Shinny, do you ever wonder if there are others in the universe?”

  She continued to stare at the night sky. “Not really. I’ve seen all the Star Wars movies.”

  At times, Connor and Shinny would make the queerest statements and completely throw Brad off balance. This was one of those moments. He was lost. “I’m not sure I understand what you are saying. What do the movies have to do with considering if there are other intelligent life forms in the universe?”

  “Between Star Trek and Star Wars, the prevailing thought is that there is other intelligent life in the universe. Even if the films are based on a fantasy, there usually is a source for the fantasy or legend indicating it was based on something real. Therefore, it would not matter what I thought since it is probable these stories may have originated from several different experiences or contact with life forms originating from other planets.”

  Brad rolled his eyes, thinking she was spending too much time with Nan. In general, he could understand how the theory would stand with many of the stories that had stood over time. However, he was sure it wouldn’t apply to these movies and felt he needed to change the subject as quickly as possible. He stared at her beautiful profile. At times she left him breathless, as if he were viewing a precious work of art. “I like that you have grown your hair out. It’s beautiful.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Why did you keep your hair short for as long as you did?” He ached to run his hand through her hair. He held back from touching her, concerned how Shinny might react. He could see her either running or breaking his hand. The breaking his hand wasn’t an exaggeration, and he hoped she would stop short of breaking it, though he figured it would only hurt for a few days. Shinny was the most physically fit person he knew. She was constantly exercising and practicing numerous martial art styles. There had been a few times in high school when the football players harassed her or other girls, and failed to heed her warnings to back off. Even though a few towered over her six-foot frame, they would quickly find themselves on the ground crying in agony. He would not have believed it had he not seen it for himself. It didn’t take too long for word to spread through the school and for the boys to become more respectful of the girls in their school.

  “The shorter hair was easier when I was working.”

  Brad rolled his eyes in bewilderment again, “Working, what work? You just started working a year and a half ago when we started the company. You were in high school than college before that.“

  “You’re right,” she sighed. “It was just easier in the past to keep it short. I seem to have fewer things to worry about now.”

  Brad watched Shinny continue to stare upward. He wished he could see the expression on her face, in her eyes. Shinny exhibited a strange mood and he wondered what she was thinking. She was completely still, a motionless statue. He even pondered if she was breathin
g.

  “How is owning your own home working out for you?”

  Brad was surprised by the question and embarrassed, thinking he talked about the house a number of times at work, but obviously, she had not been listening and he was perplexed with her asking about it then.

  “It has been fine. It certainly is different from when my parents owned it. I don’t think I appreciated the constant maintenance and cleaning they did, but I am getting used to it. I moved into the master suite and it has been a nice change, having the bigger room.”

  “Can I move in with you?”

  Whoa, where the hell did that come from? Brad asked himself. Did he even hear her right? “Excuse me, what did you ask?”

  “Can I move in with you?” Shinny turned her head to look at him. “It isn’t comfortable living with Connor and Nan. They need more privacy and Connor doesn’t need my protection anymore.”

  “What are you talking about? Your brother never needed protection. He may not have had the same interest as you in the martial arts, but he was 6’4” when both of you moved here and started high school. He could take care of himself,” countered Brad in surprise. He always thought her devotion to her brother was at times excessive but it never occurred to him she would have this “over the top” commitment that included protecting her twin brother. Maybe it was a maternal reaction to losing their parents before they moved here.

  “I know it seems odd, but I made a pledge to protect Connor. It never occurred to me it would no longer be necessary until recently.”

  Brad sat silently. He wasn’t sure how to respond. As odd as it was, he didn’t know if he needed to know more about what she had just declared or not. He ignored it. “Have you thought about looking for your own place? It might not be comfortable moving in with me if either of us started dating others.”