“Dad and Bella sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g” sang Piper, dancing around the table, and setting Daisy off, with her barking and dancing around the table under her feet.
“Alright, that’s enough you two. Pass me a fortune cookie, I’m feeling lucky.”
After dinner, Jack called his parents in California. His mom, Debbie, answered on the second ring, “Jack! Honey, how are you? What a nice surprise. Is everything okay? Nothing wrong with the girls?”
Jack smiled, “No mom, everything is great, the girls are fantastic, nothing to worry about. I just wanted to call and say hi to you and Dad. Is he there?”
“He is - let me get him, David - David,” she called out. “Jack’s on the phone, he wants to talk to us. Let me put this on FaceTime so we can see each other. There - that’s better.”
He saw his dad move into the frame. “Hey Dad, what’s up?”
“Oh, not much, I was just working on something in the shop -"I've got an idea for a new engine configuration — you know how it is.”
“That sounds interesting - you’ll have to show me when we come out to visit. So, um, anyway. I wanted to let you both know that I’ve met someone. A woman. That I really like, and I’d like to spend more time with her, and get to know her.’ Jack watched their faces on the screen and waited.
His mom spoke first. “Oh honey, that’s really nice. We wondered if you were ever going to date again - losing Susan was devastating — but she would have wanted you to be happy again. What’s she like? Where did you meet her? Do the girls know - have they met her?” The questions came rapid-fire.
“She’s pretty amazing. Her name is Isabella Genovese - everyone calls her Bella. She’s a widow - she has two daughtersof her own - older than Piper and Sloane, but not by much. I met her through NASA. And yes, the girls know - they’ve met her and they approve, so far.”
“You met her at NASA? Is she a scientist?” David asked.
“No, she actually owns her own skincare company - Bella Pelle. They were contracted to make something for the mission and that’s how we met.”
“I know that brand, I’ve seen it at Nordstrom. David, do you have your phone - let me have that, I want to Google her.”
“Mom!”
He could see his mom typing into the phone, “Jack - she’s lovely, really. And if you and the girls like her then we already know she’s lovely on the inside too. I hope we can meet her sometime.”
“Let’s see how it goes Mom, but I think you and Dad would like her.”
He ended the call with a promise to FaceTime later in the week so they could talk to the girls.Well, that went okay.
Later that night, Jack lay in bed staring at the ceiling, failing completely to sleep.Am I doing the right thing? Is this the right time to start something? What if it becomes more than dating - she doesn’t seem like the type to do casual, not that I'm the casual type either. I’ve got a lot going on, not the least of which is a mission to the moon. I mean, how much time can I give Bella with the schedule I’ve got? And the girls - will they resent any time I spend away from them? And Christ, she lives in Dallas, there's the not insignificant matter of logistics, not to mention her job is busy too. But. She’s pretty fantastic, and I’d be a fool to pass up spending time with her, and I’m no fool. Yes, yes, it is the right thing to do. We can see where it goes, and if it develops into more, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
“Scoot over, Daisy, and stop hogging the pillow. And get your big snoot out of my ear.”
The next morning at NASA, after the morning briefing to go over the day’s schedule, Jack and Mike were in the model of the capsule, running simulations on possible mission scenarios.
“So, I think I’m going to start dating again. I feel like it's time," Jack said, not looking up from the manual.
“Oh? Going feet wet again?” asked Mike. “Anyone I know?”
“Yeah, you’ve met her - Bella Genovese.”
“HA! I knew it — I had good tone on that from the moment you met. And she seems like a really nice lady. “
“She is Mike, she is.”
“How do the girls feel about this, they okay with it?”
“Yeah, they like her. They were cool with it — said they were just relieved it wasn't one of the school moms or some ‘space bunny,’ can you believe it? I didn’t even know there was such a thing as an astronaut groupie, did you?”
“No, never heard of such a thing” Mike replied, suddenly very interested in the overhead switches. “Anyway, remember I’ve got your back. And hey, do you think she can put in a good word for me with Carrie?”
That night after dinner had been cooked, the kitchen had been cleaned, and Daisy had been walked, Jack sat in his office going over the next day’s schedule. His mind drifted to thoughts of Bella. He picked up the phone. He set it back down.What’s wrong with you Jack? Just pick up the phone and call her. Ask her out. This isn’t rocket science. Well, the papers on my desk are, but this isn’t!
Glancing at the time to make sure it wasn't too late, he hit the call button next to Bella's contact details — yes, he'dsaved her number in his phone. It rang several times before she answered, sounding out of breath.
