“Yeah, thanks. That won’t be strange at all, will it.”
“I don’t think so.” Ian smiled in a way that Luca recognized as genuine joy from his friend. “It seems my new family has accepted me with open arms, though I only talked to Mica and Jett before we left Earth. I’m hoping Beryl, Jasper and Jade will also welcome me, along with my true father, Aldus Ashcraft. And if they do, I’ll put a good word in for you.”
“Have you spoken with your, uh, the Monteros about this revelation yet?”
“No. I haven’t quite decided how to handle it. Plus, I received an urgent message that Darkfall the Corrector needs to handle. I may be out of touch for a while. So go to Earth and get my special gift.”
“Fine. I’ll get it. Stay safe.”
“Sure. Be good to my sister.” Ian winked.
Luca packed a bag and left Alpha-Prime immediately. He was on leave for the next two months anyway, due to his memory issues. Cmdr. Goddard and The Calderian insisted he take the time off. He would have to pass a physical and mental stress test to ensure the alien apparatus hadn’t left any permanent damage. He hoped it wouldn’t hamper his career.
Back on Earth, he dropped his stuff off at the house Jake Jones rented, picked up Ian’s special necklace from Dark Matter Metal & Leather, and drove to the Supernova Supermarket.
Jake Jones was madly in love with Beryl Ashcraft and she needed to understand that.
Maybe she would listen when he told her he wasn’t sure how he could live without her. And that they needed to make a plan to be together, even if she never wanted to get married.
When he passed Tanya the cashier, she waved. “Hi, Jake. You look great. Beryl is in her office, if that’s who you’re looking for.” She grinned as she said it, like she knew a big secret and not that he was a dirtbag.
Interesting. Had Beryl not told everyone Jake Jones was persona non grata? Clearly not. He took it as a good sign.
Hope wound its way around his heart. He thought her office might be at the back of the store and headed that way. He didn’t have to go that far. In the produce section, he saw Beryl talking to her brother, Jett.
Luckily, her back was to him, and she didn’t see his approach. Jett did. Luca thought her brother would point at him and yell at his sister to run. Instead, he smiled.
Luca didn’t know what possessed him, but when he got close enough, he put one arm around Beryl’s shoulders, the other behind her knees, scooped her up into his arms and started carrying her toward the exit.
Beryl screamed, “Jake! What do you think you’re you doing?” The fact she looped her arms around his neck made him think she didn’t mind.
“I recently recovered a vast number of memories and would like to have a discussion with you about them. Given your last message to me, I figured this was my best bet in order to make my mission happen.”
Her expression softened. “And are you pretending to be a caveman this time?”
“Nope. Just a man on a mission doing his best to see it through.”
She relaxed in his arms. “Do you remember everything?”
“Yes. I do.”
“Will you ever tell me your real name?”
“Of course, but not here.” He grinned. “While I’m in Alienn, Arkansas, I’ll be Jake Jones. Problem with that?”
A beautiful smile shaped her lips, “No. I’ve missed you, Jake.”
“I’d ask you to marry me, but last I checked, you didn’t want to get married.”
“Well, things have shifted regarding your…human status, shall we say.”
“True.”
As he carried her through the checkout area, Beryl surprised him. She put a palm on his cheek, pulled his face closeto hers, and said, “I would marry Jake Jones, if ever he decided to ask.” And then she kissed him.
She was not tender and neither was he.
Luca heard Tanya squeal in delight.
“Aw, you two are so sweet. And carrying Beryl away from her job just like in that romantic movie I saw last week. You go, girl!”
The sliding glass doors closed behind them.
