“Is this real or a fancy hologram” I asked as Neal ran out from behind us.
Jolar chuckled. “It is mostly real. Only the sky and landscape displayed on the walls are artificial.”
“It looks so big,” I said. It really did, too. It was easily as large as the public park by the lake next to the courthouse in my old downtown.
“It takes up half a deck, so it is fairly large,” Jolar informed me.
So much? My lips parted as I sucked in a breath to steady my feelings of overwhelmed amazement. The ships were absolutely gargantuan, so half a deck… I readjusted my size estimation. This was more on par with a small state park. And there was more than one. Just…wow.
“Daddy! Come push me!” Neal called out from the swing he’d sat down on. “I need a big push to get me started!”
I laughed. “You go ahead. I’ll set the picnic up, and we can eat after he’s let off some steam.”
Jolar looked slightly puzzled but nodded before going over to the swings as our son demanded. I chuckled as I realized he was no doubt puzzling over the idiom I’d just used. I guessed it wasn’t one he’d heard before, but he seemed to have understood what I’d meant just fine, so I wasn’t going to worry about it.
Part of the park had a little fenced-in area labeled dog walk, to my surprise, which ran alongside one of the boundaries of the playpark section, which was also fenced in. The playpark had play equipment for children of all ages as well as picnic tables. Beyond the playground fence and the dog walk was a large grassy area dotted about with trees. When a warm breeze caressed my face and I heard the twittering sounds of small birds, it showed just how wonderful the illusion of being on Earth truly was. I took out the picnic blanket slash tablecloth and spread it out over the top of the picnic table closest to where my guys were having fun. Next came the picnic basket, which I opened, glancing up as I unpacked the food.
I smiled contentedly. How had this become my life? I was living in an idyll, with more than I’d ever dared hope for. A mate and soon to be husband and a son! A young girl came into view, walking her small dog along the path. I watched as Neal jumped off of the swing and ran over to the fence. The girl stopped and Neal must have asked permission to pet her dog, as she nodded just before he crouched down and let the small, red sausage dog sniff his fingers before stroking his head.
Jolar walked over to me, tilting his head over the trio.
“I would not be surprised if he asks us for a dog like that now,” he said, looking chagrined. “Last week he met a dog called a cock-a-poo and wanted one, and before that, a beagle.”
I laughed. “So he’s been wanting a dog for a few weeks now, has he?”
Jolar shrugged. “So far he has only asked right after encountering one here. Does he truly desire one or is it a passing fancy?” He sighed. “I have been refusing, as a dog needs a lot of exercise and attention. If he was older, like the girl, he could come here by himself with one.”
“Hmmm, yes. Some breeds need more than others too. Our neighbor had a springer spaniel, and that dog didn’t know when to quit. It wanted to play all the time.”
I took the lid off of the deviled eggs and set the container down onto the table. “I know we will both be very busy with work and school, and he’s too little to take a lot of the responsibility of a dog, but what about seeing if he’d like a different kind of pet?”
Jolar pursed his lips, looking deep in thought. “Yes, there are many different kinds of pets. Some are not allowed on board, in case they escape into the ship’s workings, as they would be hard to catch and could cause damage.”
“You mean like mice?” I asked, unwrapping a plate of sandwiches.
“Exactly like that,” he nodded in agreement. “Rodents, lizards, and snakes are not permitted.”
“So he could have a fish or a rabbit or cat maybe,” I suggested.
“I shall think about this some more,” he said.
“Well, I’m all for it, as long as our quarters don’t become a menagerie,” I joked.
Neal came running over. “I smooshed the yellow bits up with mayonnaise and mustard to help make those,” he informed Jolar, pointing at the deviled eggs. “And can I have a doxie? It won’t take up much room.”
I laughed. Jolar had been right on the money about that!
“Papa and I were discussing the possibility of getting a family pet,” he informed Neal gravely.
Neal began jumping up and down in excitement. “Really?” he squealed. “Can we go get one right now?”
“Right now it’s time to eat our picnic,” I replied, coming to Jolar’s rescue. “Then you can play some more before we go home where Daddy and I will think about what’s best some more.”
Jolar threw me a grateful look. “Yes, we are not sure we should get a dog. Maybe a fish,” he told our son.
“Fish are boring,” Neal replied, looking disappointed. “We have fish in a tank at school. They just swim around real slow.”
“This is why we need to think hard,” I said. “We need to get the right sort of pet for how we live, and then meet the right one.”
