by Ella Wayne
“Steve thought we could all go out together this weekend. I thought it would be a good idea I mean, at least, I did at the time. He really likes you, Jack. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything. But if you are really not interested then I can tell them to forget it, although you should probably tell Jack yourself. Nobody likes being ignored, and I don't think he'd do that to you,” she said in a small voice. Leslie didn't think Sharee was doing it intentionally but the guilt was being laid on rather thick. Leslie sighed, and knew that she was going to regret this later, but she relented and told Sharee that it would be okay.
“Set up the date,” she said, exhaling, “but I'm not going running.” Her body was still sore from the workout from the aliens. Sharee squealed and gave Leslie a quick hug saying that she'd let Leslie know about the final arrangements, and then she went jogging away. Leslie returned inside to the apartment and leaned her head against the wall. This was the last thing she needed. She wanted to be with the aliens. She didn't want to start a romance on Earth. She had been claimed by the tall whites and it only added complications to go on another date with Jack, even if she was only doing it for Sharee. But how long would it last? If Sharee got married to Steve would it mean that Leslie had to get married to Jack?
It would be just this one date, Leslie told herself, and no more. Just the one date and then she would politely tell Jack that she wasn't interested in seeing him anymore. It would be hard to lie, but it was easier than telling the truth, and in the end, it was best for everyone involved.
Chapter 13
W hen she went into work she tried to keep her mind clear, but it was quite fuzzy with everything that had been going on. There were different images flickering through her mind as well. The past experiences with the tall whites blurred into the one that happened last night, and her head began to throb. She wondered if perhaps this was why they had caused her to lose her memory after she visited their ship, because she couldn't quite keep things straight. She was sure they had mentioned that there were already aliens on the planet, but she also remembered them saying that these six were going to insert themselves into human life and impregnate as many women as possible, but she couldn't remember which fact was actually true. She could only remember the six of them looking, wanting to join in, but the head scientist had held them back.
Maybe next time, she thought, because there were more things she needed to teach them, much more.
Margaret was in a foul mood. She was having a go at Kelsey and Leslie, telling them that the store wasn't in as good condition as it should have been. She moaned about the display cases and the glass not being clear enough. It seemed to Leslie that Margaret was always under some sort of pressure, pressure she placed upon herself, and for a moment Leslie considered recommending her to Dr. Arnet, but didn't actually say it because she knew it wouldn't have gone down well. Margaret wasn't really a person to seek help from outside sources, she was very much someone who wanted to own their problems and deal with them herself.
However, it wasn't fair that her problems spilled over to Kelsey and Leslie. Leslie was grateful that Kelsey was there because she seemed to be able to soak up Margaret's hostility with no trouble at all. She acted gracefully and did whatever Margaret wanted without complaint, and suggested to Leslie with a look that she should do the same. Following Kelsey's lead, Leslie did what Margaret wanted even though it didn't seem to do much to change her mood, and whenever the two of them asked what was going on they received a sharp answer that didn't reveal any of the mystery at all.
Later on, they soon saw the reason behind Margaret's mood. She was standing at the counter looking anxiously at the door, continually checking her watch as the hour approached three. At about five past it opened and Leslie gasped. Entering the store was a man who was unmistakably one of the tall whites. He almost glowed, even on Earth. He was tall, and had the same blue eyes, the same golden hair, the same everything. Leslie stayed behind the counter, trying not to stare, but it was so difficult. Kelsey glanced towards Leslie, and Leslie wondered if Kelsey knew that something was up. Leslie suddenly felt vulnerable and shrank into herself.
“Darling,” Margaret said, and went up to kiss the man. Leslie almost couldn't believe what she was seeing. She gaped at the two of them, only stopping when Kelsey nudged her in the side. Margaret introduced them to her husband. She called him Oliver. He reached his hand out and Leslie took it, feeling the same warmth she felt whenever Gabriel or Michael touched her. As she looked more closely she realized that Oliver looked to be a little older than the others, with wrinkles at the side of his eyes. She only saw them when she looked hard enough though. She wondered if this was a sign that he was old or if it was just the alien mimicking the aging process of humans. He smiled thinly and she flushed. He must have recognized her. He squeezed her hand.
Say nothing. The thought was clear in her mind. She stumbled back and bumped into the counter, knocking over a display. Margaret scowled at her and dragged her husband away while Leslie, still reeling from seeing him there, tried to make herself busy by picking up the small earrings that had dropped on the floor. Kelsey crouched down beside her.
“I don't blame you, I had that reaction when I first met him. I think most women do. You can understand why Margaret is complaining about him all the time. He must get into a lot of trouble,” she said. Yet she did not know the true reason for Leslie's distress. She didn't consider herself a friend of Margaret but she didn't want her to get hurt, and she knew that Oliver was going to end up sleeping with other woman, sleeping with her. She would have to teach him like she would have to teach all the others, and she knew the true source of Margaret's frustration. She was probably surprised that a man who looked as good as that couldn't quite understand the nuances of sex. In fact, she probably thought the fault was hers, and that Oliver was quite happily going out night after night to sleep with younger, prettier women. She probably never considered the fact that he was an alien.
It only raised more questions because she wanted to know why he had been on Earth for this long. Just how extensive was their research. She found herself staring at the back door to the office.
“I never knew you had a thing for older men,” Kelsey said.
“It's not that, he just looked familiar, that's all,” Leslie said, trying to shake off the unsettled feeling that swam inside her. Oliver and Margaret did not emerge from the office until after Leslie finished her shift, so she didn't have to see him in his human form again. It felt strange though, to see Oliver on Earth when she had only been used to seeing them on the ship. It was jarring, almost like the two parts of her life was colliding, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for that to happen just yet.
Chapter 14
T hat feeling stayed with her for the rest of the day, and all through the next. The night came and went without her being taken but she was less anxious about it now. After the previous night's activities, she knew that her place with the tall whites was safe and she didn't have to fret about them abandoning her. Their plan had evidently been in place for decades at least, for she knew that Margaret had been married for just under thirty years, and they would not dare change it now. Leslie was an important part of that plan. She slept soundly, and felt more confident that the tall whites would protect her and care for her no matter what happened. She was important to them, and she was sure that even if James did tell anyone nothing would come of it. The tall whites would see to that. It was as though she had her own chorus of guardian angels, and this eased the aching in her soul. It made her more eager to move into the future though for she wanted to spend more time with the tall whites and less on Earth. It would be difficult to leave people like Sharee of course, but she had never been one to look back when moving to somewhere new.
All her life she had never been able to settle in one place, always moving forward, always leaving behind the chance for a normal life. But she wasn't normal. She never had been and she never would be. She didn't belong on Earth. She belong
ed up there, with them, and anything else just wouldn't be fulfilling.
For the time being though she would have to keep up appearances and live her life as though she meant for it to continue on Earth. Until the day she embarked on an intergalactic adventure she would have to convince people that her life on Earth mattered, that she was happy working in a jewelry store and leaving a meager existence, the endless days punctuated with the happy nights when her real life took over and she was able to embrace the magic of the wide universe.
That weekend was the double date that Sharee had arranged. The closer it got, the more unwilling Leslie was about going, and she wished she had refused the invitation in the first place. A few hours before the date Jack sent her a text message telling her that he was looking forward to seeing her again, and it only made her heart ache because she didn't want to have to let him down. How was she supposed to say that she couldn't see him again because she had promised herself to a group of aliens?
Knowing Jack, he would probably believe it. She smiled at the thought. He was sweet, and in another life, she would have quite happily seen him again, but she couldn't in this life. It was better that he not waste her time with her. She just didn't know to tell him without coming off like a completely unhinged woman.
The four of them met at a nice restaurant. Leslie was dressed beautifully, in a slim black dress with a pearl necklace. A silver bracelet with stars embellished in the silver hung around her right wrist, and her glossy black purse was held in her left hand. Her hair was tied together in one long ponytail that was thrown over her right shoulder, and she'd wore a little mascara to accentuate her hazel eyes. Sharee was looking equally beautiful, and they commented that they didn't get enough chances to dress up like this. The men were looking equally sharp. Leslie's eyes roamed across Jack's body. He wore a fitted shirt that was open at the collar, revealing a thick tuft of dark hair on his chest. He'd let a layer of stubble grow on his jaw since the last time they'd met and it gave him more of a rugged look. He leaned forward and placed a strong hand around the small of her back, pressing his lips against her cheek. His aftershave was musky and masculine. It drove her wild.
They took seats at their table. Sharee and Leslie were on one side, Jack and Steve the opposite. Candles flickered between them, creating a romantic atmosphere. Jack chose the wine and they all ordered some food, and the conversation quickly flowed between them. At first, they spoke as a group. Leslie was happy for Sharee to carry the bulk of the conversation, but soon enough Sharee and Steve were lost in their own little world. They were playing with each other’s' hands and making very flirty remarks, which made Leslie feel uncomfortable because it seemed as though she was supposed to be doing the same thing with Jack. He smiled uncomfortably too, always playing with the cutlery until the food came. Leslie pitied him. He was a nice man and he deserved better than her. She made a vow to herself that as soon as the meal was over and she had the opportunity she would tell him that she couldn't see him anymore, and that he'd be better off finding someone else.
They talked of the film again and their conversation moved into more general matters. It was a little awkward because they were making small talk while Sharee and Steve were canoodling beside them. After they had all finished the first course - Leslie had a succulent prawn cocktail - Sharee indicated that she needed to go to the bathroom, and pulled Leslie along with her.
“Tonight's the night,” Sharee said, an excited gleam in her eyes. One of the stall doors behind them thumped shut as a woman walked past. She washed her hands under the faucet and glanced at the two women, then moved back out into the restaurant.
“What do you mean?” Leslie asked.
“I think I'm going to do it with Steve. I feel like I'm ready, and I love that he can't keep his hands off of me.”
“I think that has a lot to do with the dress,” Leslie said, looking down at the very low-cut top Sharee was wearing. Her breasts were almost falling out. “But I'm confused, I thought he went back to your place the other night?”
“Oh, he did,” Sharee explained as she turned towards the wall-length mirror and adjusted her dress and her hair, making sure that she looked as good as possible. “But we didn't actually do anything. I think he wanted to, well, I know he wanted to,” she said, shooting Leslie a knowing glance, “but I just wasn't ready. We started doing things and then I just pulled away. He asked me what was wrong. I've been in that position with guys before you know and when they've asked me that question I've just brushed them off and said that I was still getting over an ex, but with Steve it was different. I wanted to tell him the truth. So I did. It was difficult, and even now I don't know how I managed to hold off crying until the end. It was pretty stupid in a way I mean, I'd just met the guy and I'm sure when we met in the bar he didn't think the night would end up with me crying in his arms, but he didn't run. He stayed there and comforted me and he was really good about it. He let me talk and I just let everything out. It felt like it was everything I needed. I felt closer to him than I had felt closer to anyone before, and we ended up just falling asleep in each other’s' arms. I'd almost forgotten how good it could feel, just opening up to someone. I'd been hiding parts of myself for so long that it had affected my relationships but now I know that the key is finding someone you can tell the truth to. It really does set me free. I feel like this could be something special, and I'm glad that you're here with me,” Sharee said, turning around to take Leslie's hand, squeezing it tightly. Her eyes glistened with happy tears and Leslie was glad that Sharee could be this content.
“I'm glad you feel that way,” Leslie said.
“It's a shame you're not giving Jack more of a chance. I'm not going to push you into anything but if you are just scared of telling him the truth I want to tell you, you shouldn't be. Take a leap of faith and trust him. It's the most wonderful feeling in the world.”
“I'll try,” Leslie said, giving her friend a reassuring smile, but she knew in her heart she could not. It was not the truth that Sharee imagined, and it would not bring her closer to Jack, it would only let another person know, and give her another person to worry about. The more people that knew her secret the more believable it would be, and the more likely it was that she could be compromised. No, this had to stay between her and the tall whites. Nobody else could be involved.
They returned to the table. Steve and Jack both half-rose as the women took their seats. While they were gone their mains had arrived. The men had waited for them to start, and as soon as they all sat down they tucked into their meals. Leslie had chosen a risotto, while the men had both gone for succulent steaks. While she was sitting at the table Leslie's thoughts turned to the tall whites. Even though she had spent a lot of time with them she still knew nothing of their culture, even how or what they ate. Somehow, she couldn't imagine them all sitting around a table like this, sharing a meal.
“Something on your mind?” Jack asked. Apparently, he had repeated something to her a couple of times and she hadn't acknowledged it because she had been off in her own little world. She apologized to him, but wished that dinner could be over because she hated this forced interaction, especially when she knew that it wasn't going to end the way Jack wanted it to.
Leslie managed to smile her way through dessert and when the check came Steve and Jack immediately offered to pick it up. Leslie tried to argue with them but they were insistent, so eventually she relented. After this Steve wrapped his arm around Sharee and the two of them departed, giving knowing smiles to Jack and Leslie.
An awkward silence descended upon Jack and Leslie as Jack walked her to her car. She wasn't entirely sure what to say, and she was all too aware of the tension that lingered between them. The night was chilly and the hairs on her neck stood on end. The stars glittered above and the cool air swirled around them.
“I had a nice time again tonight,” Jack said, his voice peppered with uncertainty.
“Me too,” she said, and then they spoke together. He was ab
out to ask if they could see each other again. She was about to tell him the complete opposite.
“Ladies first,” he said, grinning sheepishly. Dammit, why did he have to be so damned sincere and charming.
“Listen, Jack,” she began, and from her tone he knew what she was about to say.
“I get it,” he said, sighing as he looked down at the ground.
“No, I don't think you do,” she said, “it's just that I've been through a lot in my life and there are some parts of me that are just - they're complicated and I don't want you to get hurt by them. You don't know me that well and I don't think that you really want to. I'm just - I'm not right for you Jack. I'm not good for you. You should go after someone better than me and not worry about wasting your time. There are plenty of other women out there, ones who you can have a nice simple life with and not have to worry about all the baggage that comes with me.”
