S2/03. Convergence

3.4 Diana Foster
Summer 1998, SMU Clinic bus station, San Myshuno

Shit.

Diana forced herself back to consciousness.

What time was it?!

A look on her watch told her that she'd missed the bus by just few minutes. She'd been so tired after her night shift that she fell asleep on the station bench. The next bus would come only in about twenty minutes. 

Shit!

She'd barely make it home in time to pick up the girls and bring them to daycare; that was if Carys had dressed and prepared them already.

She'd be so mad that Diana'd be late!

Carys Park was Diana's next door neighbor. She was also a single parent and her daughter Kerri just a year older than Lana. The little girls clicked instantly, as did their mothers; so naturally they helped each other out with the kids. Thanks to Carys, Diana could occasionally take the better paid night shifts at the hospital. Her neighbor took Lana for the night, and in return Diana got the girls ready and brought them to daycare every morning, so Carys could open her café early and catch more of the working crowd.

The "Lunchbox Gallery" was a ground floor apartment-turned-shop right next to one of Easternrose Bay's busiest subway and bus station. It sold a few coffee specialties, take-away sandwiches and salads, as well as some daily newspapers; the perfect menu for the hungry and bored commuters.

In the evenings you could get a hot meal and often there'd be some local aspiring musicians or comedians performing, or writers hosting a reading.

The walls were plastered with all kinds of art, also made by yet unknown painters and sculptors.

Carys' first love had been an incredibly talented, but also unbelievably unsuccessful painter who'd invoked the love for art in her. They had had a passionate, rocky relationship until one day he disappeared from the face of earth. Carys got over the lost love, but never over his sudden disappearance. She still hoped that one day he might return, looking for a chance to display his art in her café as many others did already.

Carys would tell this story to all of her waiting customers and every time the story varied a little. Diana wasn't too sure how much of it was true or just a narrative to round up the whole concept of the shop. Either way, the café was a magnet for the creative, the edgy and the grungy, and occasionally some more or less legitimate talent hunters, and coincidentally also the "best coffee place in town" that Ben'd invited her when they'd met first time in the hospital.

The world was such a small place!

Especially here in the Bay, where everyone seemed to know everyone. Truly, it hadn't changed much from Diana's childhood memories of living here.

Now too, she had quickly found at least as much support and friendship as she'd had in her neighborhood in Oasis Springs.

Frank had been right, eventually everything fell into place for her.

Diana pulled his flannel tighter around her body and yawned. The first summer days were already hot, but so early in the morning it was still chilly. She stood up and walked around to shake off the daze.
It was hard to stay awake after a day and a night full of work, but the movement helped a little, even though she could do barely more than drag her feet along the ground.

Until there was no more ground; she stepped into the void.
Instantly she was wide awake.

She didn't fall – no! Someone took her, caught her from behind!

With an iron-tight grip, someone who was bigger, much stronger, wrapped one arm around her waist and pressed the other hand against her mouth, almost completely covering her nostrils too. Even if it weren't for the panic cutting of her breath, she choked on the impending lack of air.  

Through her blurring vision, the bus station shrank in the distance, and was replaced soon by grey and red, tall brick walls which enclosed around her and concealed the broad daylight and any potential curious spectator's view. They'd reached her abductor's destination: a tight and windowless backstreet between the tower houses.

"Thought you can bullshit me, Cookie, eh?"

Martin's raspy beer breath against her ear sent chills down her spine.

"You little bitch!" He spat. "Your man isn't here to look out for you, isn't he? Did he get enough of you, too, huh? Haven't seen that smug mug of 'is in a while around ya." He cackled nastily and clenched her body between the houses and himself, her front against the wall, the full force of his body pressed against her back.

"Can't blame him, you're really a piece of work..." he grunted. 

His tone'd changed slightly, his breath went slightly heavier. As if the appeal of insulting her was overshadowed by something else, something that more profoundly distracted, preoccupied his mind.

Something, Diana realized with horror, something that was hard and hot and pressed against her bum, while his cold fingers dragged on her skirt, trying to pull it up without losing hold of her.

His breath was very heavy.

No!

NO!

She winced and whimpered, but even though her arms were free, she couldn't move an inch of the rest of her body.

Still, her fighting hampered him; instead of simply satisfying his sick desires, he now had to shift his focus to keep her in check and position. 

"You–" Martin cawed under is breath, full of hatred and vitriol.

Dazzling, sharp pain unfurled in Diana's forehead, when he paused his work on their clothes to grab her by her hair and smash her head against the wall to stop her.

If her face weren't so close to the wall already, and his force restrained by his other hand still covering her mouth, he'd probably cracked her forehead open.

But while he'd raised his fiddling hand he'd also decreased a tiny bit of his pressure against her hips, which gave her lower body just enough space to move.

With the instinct of a cornered wild animal, she seized the tiny bit of new won freedom and lashed out, concentrating all her strength into her right leg.

With full force she rammed her heel into Martin's foot. For the first time in her life she wished she'd wear heels instead of regretting when she did; she'd loved to pierce a hole into his foot now!

He howled.

He'd lost hold over her, too.

It took her a moment Diana to realized it, but then she wrestled herself out to run. Just when she turned, she was suddenly pulled back.

She'd been half a second to late, he'd caught her wrist just before she could escape.

"You –!" His face was a grimace of wrath.

Anger flushed her too; at Martin's disgusting obsession with controlling her, at her failed attempt to escape, and generally at herself for ever allowing such a piece of shit like him into her life.

In the same moment when he pulled her back - violently, expecting her to move against his force - she instead channelled her rage forward and went with the flow of his force.

Before he realized, he'd pulled her angled knee full force right into his private parts.

He flopped to the ground like a wet noodle.

This time Diana didn't waste a second.

She ran.

She had no clear destination, she'd just have to get away from him as fast as she could – shit! He didn't follow her, after that, didn't he? He'd absolutely kill her if he'd catch her now!!

Frantically, Diana looked over her shoulder again and again; and exactly this lack of attention for her immediate surroundings was which brought her escape to an unexpected, abrupt halt.

She'd bumped right into another person, or better said, over them; as the momentum of her running speed dragged them both to the ground.

While falling, she registered a dull throb against her neck - caused by the other falling person's knee; a scratch against her thigh - their shoe - and a sharp, hot sting in her wrist and palms; from the rough concrete slabs when she hit the floor; and finally, the person themself.

"Ben!"

What a relief!

"Diana! What the hell's going on?"

"Good god! I'm so glad you're here!" Diana croaked. Even if Martin followed her, he wouldn't get close to her while Ben was here. She was safe!

"Woah! What happened to your face?!"

"Martin; he- he- he- oh god!"

She pressed her hand against her mouth when it hit her. Until now, she'd been so highly alerted that she hadn't fully grasped what just had happened. But now the whole weight of it crushed over her.

She choked, shaken by dry sobs and nausea.

"Oh shit-"

Ben turned pale as ash.

It shook her right out of her trance.

"No!" She exclaimed. "No, he didn't! He- he just tried! Tried to- to- to..." Diana stuttered, rushing to rectify a possible misunderstanding, but she didn't find quite the right word to describe what exactly it was that Martin'd tried to do. "Rape" was just too much of a word for what it'd really been, right?

She couldn't even be sure if he'd really go that far; maybe he just wanted to scare her! After all she had escaped him, she had no right to act as if she were a victim! Martin hadn't raped her! He'd just gotten a little angry again- 'No! Stop defending him!' Diana stopped her thought rush, 'even if he wouldn't really want to rape you, he hit you!'

"Whatever he tried, he will try it again," Ben said calmly, but with so much resolution that Diana instantly dropped her thought salad and fully paid attention to him.

"You got away now, but next time you might not. You should never be alone here again."

He got up and brushed the dust off his pants. Then he reached her his hand to get up too.

Oh no.

Only now it dawned on her that she hadn't escaped Martin for good yet.

Fear poured over her like an ice cold shower. She couldn't just avoid passing here, taking another bus or tram wouldn't get her home in time...

"I need to get to work- and home again..." she muttered.

"Look," Ben sighed, "now that we know what he's capable of, it's probably best if I stick to you here. Just for the near future, okay? I promise, I'm not gonna be a creep, okay?"

He smirked. "Though that's probably what a creep would say, too."

This took her by such surprise that she had to laugh. "What?! I never thought that!"

He grinned. "Good that we cleared that up."

Then it hit her.

"Oh! You thought that- No, I was serious! I really don't want to be a bother!"

He'd thought she'd made up excuses to avoid being alone with him- and that was probably why she hadn't seen him around here too often!

"Well, you're not a bother." He smiled, so warm that she couldn't believe for a second he didn't really, honestly mean it.

"Thank you," she said and tried to ignore the warm tingle in her cheeks.

"No biggie. You should go to the police and file a report, too. If he doesn't stop the stalking, they can take him off the street for good."

Again, Diana snorted. If it just were as easy like that! "They don't do shit."

She knew- better than she'd liked to.

The police was always late, always got only half of the story, and even that mostly wrong. And they didn't bring anyone back. Poor Jo still was dead; what did it help that Diana's ex gang-mates sat in prison for it?

"Fine, no cops then."

Diana'd expected she'd have to defend her experiences, but luckily he just accepted it.

"We gotta figure how to get him off your back, though."

It was then when the bus arrived, and instantly Carys, the girls and the day care Diana had to bring them to, crossed her mind.

"Later, I gotta go," she remarked breathlessly and jumped through the bus' front doors, as if she'd miss it again if she weren't fast enough.

"See ya," she turned around, he'd deserve at least a proper goodbye!

He waved. "Let's talk about it later at Nia's, okay?"

Martin wasn't out of the world, but for the time being, she'd be safe from him. Even if this wasn't a solution forever, she had time to find one.

Maybe she could find another public transport connection that could bring her home in time; or maybe she'd just save up and get a bike.

Diana was confident.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's note:

Carys Park was donated by ThePlumbob. You can read her story here!
Thank you very much🖤

S2/03. Convergence

3.3 Retrospective: Mae West
Summer 1996, West residence, Windenburg, Mae's room

Mae flopped on her bed and squeezed her pillow.

She'd just returned from a first date; and what a strange date it'd been!
So different than what she was used to.

First of all, the man was so different. Mae'd never dated a man so cautiously avoiding being too close to her. When she'd only taken his hand, he'd almost jumped!

She'd start to wonder if he just didn't like her, but the ending of their date suggested otherwise.

His face lit up like a christmas tree when she asked him if he'd like to meet again. And though he shrieked when she took his hand, he eventually eased into it.

No, he was just a real gentleman.

"Herbert."

She said it out loudly, tasting every single syllable.

His name was already different than what she'd been used to. Funny, Linda'd said, but the more Mae thought about it, the more she'd rather call it interesting instead.

Herbert was much more shy than Mae would've liked, but she'd give him the time he needed to warm up to her. It was still so much better than another pushy guy, wasn't it?

He was clumsy, too, but he took it with humor and she couldn't help but like him even more for it.

He also was... kind of subdued, one could say? no, content, Mae decided, settled in his life.

Some might say a man without aspirations was boring, but Mae didn't see him lacking aspirations. More like, he'd found his place and it was a cosy and comfortable place. A place she found she'd wish to belong to, too.

Next to the side of someone to lean on, someone trustworthy. Someone with big, strong hands that didn't care for fine car mechanics, for example, or... or guitar strings; someone with a calm composure, someone who'd maybe want a warm home, and maybe a family, someone who didn't seek adventures and excitement.

She wondered if Herbert had family. He was a good deal older than her, he must have had a past, right?

He wasn't the man that made your head turn when he entered the room, but he was anything but unattractive. Almost too bulky, but it fit him; tall, and with a deep, soothing voice. Certainly he couldn't have been alone all his life, there must've been women who'd liked him.

Mae found herself to be one of those women, and it surprised her. If someone'd asked her about the prince of her dreams, not long ago she would've described a completely different type of man.

Now she couldn't understand what she could've liked about said different man.

Now, she couldn't wait to see Herbert again.
 

Would his moustache prick her if he'd kiss her? Mae'd only kissed stubbled faces before but never a man with a fully grown beard.

She'd be so gentle not to scare him away, but not for too long, she was too greedy to taste him, she might even lightly bite his lip –

His strong, big hands could wrap all around her waist. His grip would been firm, but warm and protective.

They wouldn't stay long there, soon they'd slide down her waist, lower and lower, down to her thighs...

and then gently moving upwards again, but under the interfering fabric of her skirt...

She shivered when her excitement dissolved into hot, pulsing waves from the center of her body, washing all over it.

Herbert.

Gentleman or not, there'd definitely happen more next time than holding hands.

She'd make sure of it!  

Mae was in love again.

S2/03. Convergence

3.2 Mae West

Summer 1998, Mae's & Nia's apartment, San Myshuno

"West and Blossom residence, it's Mae here!" Mae chirped into the phone and stuffed her finger into her ear against the party noise behind her.

Silence on the other side.

Mae waited.

"Hello?" She then asked again.

Still no answer. Maybe the line was disturbed, or they got the wrong number. Just when Mae was about to hang up, someone inhaled sharply.

"Hi..." it came hesitantly, and slightly squeaky.

It'd been a while, but Mae recognized the voice immediately.

"Mari!"

The last person Mae thought would call her!

Mariella'd taken Mae's leave maybe even worse than Herbert. 

Ever since, she refused to talk to Mae, or even as much as look at her. She even left the room whenever Mae'd been back at the Schnautz' house to settle the divorce.

Surely something bad must've happened, that she'd decided to call Mae, of all people! In what kind of trouble did Mariella get herself? One terrible scenario after another raced through Mae's mind; from new fights with classmates to failing classes again until even dropping out of school; from various accidents to sudden illnesses; Mae feared the worst.

"How are you? Is everything okay?"

From Mariella's side, again, came no answer except a few mumbles.

Mae's trepidation raised. "What happened? Should I come to you? I'm always there for you; I promised that, remember?!" She almost tripped over the words in her anxiety.

Finally, Mariella found her voice, and it was not a kind one.

"Yeah, just as if you didn't drop me like a hot potato and move miles away," she snorted.

Mae almost chocked over the verbal punch.

Mariella wasn't quite wrong, but the way she said it, hurt.

"I mean it," Mae insisted and forced herself to keep her composure. "I'll be right there if you need me to come."

She'd promised Mariella the night she'd left, and she'd meant it; then and now. Mariella had always been a light in Mae's life, even when the rest of it slowly became so dull and cage-y. They were both so alike, kindred spirits, and Mae found so much of her younger self in the girl. She couldn't imagine loving her more if Mariella were her biological daughter, and losing her hurt no less than her broken marriage.

But during her head over heels escape, Mae had been so caught up fuming over the messed-up men in her love life that she hadn’t really thought about how her departure would impact both her and Mariella's lives. Only when the girl stood right in front of her and her packed suitcase, it hit her that by leaving Herbert, she'd have to leave the girl behind, too.

As it hit Mariella, who unleashed all her anger and disappointment over it, and then never talked to Mae again.

Until now.

Mae was determined to use this opportunity and make up for hurting Mariella, in any way possible. If Mariella needed her, she'd be there in a minute. Or better said, in the time it took to catch the next train to Oasis Springs.

"Mari? What do you need? What happened?"

"N-Nothing..." Mariella finally mumbled. Her tone changed, it lost its sharpness and briefly it was almost vulnerable. "Just – I – so – so lately I was thinking!" She exclaimed, and gained back her usual ardor which eased Mae's worries about Mariella's potential troubles a little. "We used to do so much fun stuff together! Go to the movies, or shopping – remember when you bought me my first bra? Or when we went to San Myshuno, just us two together! We got prickly pear ice cream, and you bought me actual music cassettes, and then we went to an arcade to play video games! You remember?"

Mae did. Just her and Mariella, they'd let loose in the big city and do all the scandalous things their suburban neighborhood, with Herbert in the middle, would've frowned upon.

Eat ice cream before lunch, try out inappropriate clothing with knee holes or too short hem lines, listen to saucy pop songs in the music store and actually buy the tapes, and most of all, play video games – something Herbert would've never allowed his daughter, even if there were an arcade in Oasis Springs.

It was also the day Mae'd met Nia for the first time.

"Heh, you could just move in with me," her future roommate had winked at her, while Mae'd skimmed the arcade's bulletin board to find it consisted mostly of rental ads.

"I'll have a free room in a minute, I'm just about to kick out the trash of my cheatin' ex. Got a big kitchen 'n' living room, and even a balcony. And the rent's fair when split in half, too!"

She'd made it sound pretty tempting, if Mae'd looked for a place in San Myshuno, she'd moved in instantly. Or maybe it wasn't so much the description of the apartment, but the woman who offered it. Mae was instantly drawn to her cheeky smirk. So instead of clearing up the misunderstanding, she asked if there was an elevator, and before long they talked about anything and everything. 

Nia and her clicked immediately. Talking to her felt like talking to a long-lost old friend.

It was the first time Mae questioned if the struggle for her marriage was even worth it. If love wasn't the one-and-all happy ending she'd always dreamed about, she'd locked herself in that small town with its narrow boundaries for nothing; while missing out on all the life that was outside of it. For the first time, she let herself fantasize how it'd be to just break out of her suburbs and start over again; here in San Myshuno, with all its exciting opportunities.

"Of course I remember," Mae said. Thinking back, it tasted bittersweet.

"It was such a great day, wasn't it?" Mariella exclaimed. "We should totally do that again!"

"Uh- yes, yes, of course!" Mae confirmed. Mariella's out-of-the-blue change of attitude towards her caught her by surprise, but at the same time she was glad that Mariella apparently wanted to reconnect.

Still, she was curious what was the real reason, as it was clear now it wasn't a calamity.

"Anything specific you want to do?" Mae asked casually.

"Uh, not really..." Mariella mused remarkably unexcitedly, "shopping at the mall again... maybe ice cream again, go to a concert –" she took a sharp breath and held the air.

A-ha! A smile snuck on Mae's face. 

A concert it was!

Mariella would need a guardian as she was too young to be let inside alone. And of course Herbert would never accompany her there; in fact Mae was pretty sure he wouldn't allow his little baby-girl to see any concert at all. He treated his adolescent daughter as if she were still in primary school; or even younger.

Someone else might've feel offended by Mariella's motives to reconcile, but not Mae. 

No doubts Mariella would've tried her best to get into the concert one way or another. She might've strolled through the big city all by herself in the middle of the night and try and sneak into the venue, but instead she chose to call Mae instead. It showed that Mariella still counted on her enough to ask this favor, and that warmed her heart.

"What a great idea!" Mae said. "When do you want to come?"

"This Saturday?" Mariella asked meekly.

"Sure! Just tell me at what time to pick you up." Mae had a shift at the bar, but she'd trade it with a co-worker. Saturday nights were the busiest and had the most generous tips, but Mariella was more important than some – admittedly, otherwise very welcome – extra tips.

"Uhm- us..." It came a little cautious. "Fernandez is coming too."

"Fernandez?"

"He's getting the tickets," Mariella explained short-breathily.

"Oh... I see." Mae was a little disappointed to not have Mariella all to herself.

But she didn't dwell long on it. 

Honestly? She was excited that Mariella had a cute boy buying her tickets for a concert! She'd always guessed that Fernandez had it bad for Mariella, and Mae was so here for it! Contrary to his useless playboy dad, Fernandez was rather shy, and very sweet, and a loyal friend to Mariella since the day they first met in kindergarten.

Mariella could do a lot worse than her childhood best friend! Certainly Mae did in her time. When she just thought about her own first love disaster in high school...

"Yes – you said we could go to a concert, right?!" Mariella insisted. "Don't take it back!"

"I'm not taking it back," Mae chuckled. "Who we're gonna see?"

Mae tried to remember if she'd seen any billboards advertising any of Mariella's favorite pop stars' giving a concert in town.

"Toxic Purple!" Mariella shot out.

The name told Mae nothing at all.

"Fernandez gave me a CD once – they are so so so soo good! And Lyta's voice is sooo beautiful! And they're so authentic! Nothing like those poser boybands, like... like the Backstreet Boys or N'SYNC!" Mariella rambled, full of excitement.

"Of course! They must be really good then!" Mae faked some sympathy, but as she'd been all over boybands herself, her heart broke a little. Even more so, because she'd missed so much of Mariella's life in the barely two months they hadn't talked.

Mariella'd outgrown boybands already and moved on to more "serious" musicians... 

"And they really know what it's like to be misunderstood, and all on your own –" Mariella continued.

Mae's heart broke a little more. Not so long ago she'd been a misunderstood teenage girl herself, and her bad conscience over leaving Mariella intensified. 

"You understand, don't you?" Mariella pleaded. "I have to see them! I cannot miss them! But they won't let us in without a guardian, and it'll end late, and – and..."

"We'll go," Mae reconfirmed. "And afterwards you'll both stay here for the night."

Mariella cheered.

Then another thought crossed Mae's mind.

"What does your dad say about you visiting me?"

"Uh- uhm, he thinks it's a great idea!"

Something in Mariella's voice told Mae she wasn't quite honest.

"If I call him and tell him how excited I am that we're going to a concert together, he will not be surprised?" Mae teased. 

She was pretty sure that Herbert would be indeed very surprised hearing about Mariella's spontaneous plans to visit his ex-wife. 

"Mae, please!" Mariella squeaked, "you can't tell him about the concert! You know he'd never allow it; he'll... he'll ground me! Please don't tell him!!" She snivelled.

"Shh, of course I won't tell him about the concert," Mae assured the hysterical girl. "But you must tell him that you're visiting me."

As much as Mae'd love to see Mariella again, Mariella's father had to allow it. Mae wouldn't take the responsibility of having Herbert's underaged daughter coming over without his knowledge. She'd prefer he'd agree to it now instead of finding out later and then possibly cut off their relationship for good.

"But," Mariella still sobbed, "what am I gonna tell him if he asks why? He can't know where we'll go, and he'd find it weird if I want to visit you now, after... after..."

"Yeah... hm, let's see..." Mae quickly contemplated for a convincing reason.

"You need to go shopping, right? You didn't find anything in Oasis Springs, so you'll have to search for it here in the malls and of course you also need my help."

"Eh.. what is it, that I need?" Mariella asked, a little confused.

"Women's things, of course." Mae said gravely. 

"Oh! Yes, yes, of course!" Mariella exclaimed, finally understanding.

No further explanation was needed.

Herbert was a caring and responsible father to his daughter, but there were two things he'd always gladly left to Mae with zero complaints. Mariella's mischievous escapades in school and the ensuing parent-teacher conversations, as well as anything just remotely related to growing up as a girl.

Mae bet he wouldn't suddenly ask for more in-depth explanations, nor oppose his ex-wife taking care of Mariella's female needs again, if it meant taking such a very uncomfortable task off his head.

"Then it's settled," Mae said. "Don't forget to make a copy of his ID for the parental consent, and I'll take care of the rest."

It wouldn't be the first time she faked Herbert's signature.

Mariella'd often brought home letters from school with complaints about her impudent behavior and weak grades, which Mae'd usually signed in Herbert's place. She'd never gone through the lengthy and tedious process to officially adopt Mariella, so she couldn't sign them herself, but both her and Mariella preferred to not bother Herbert with these kinds of trivialities. Mariella, because she didn't want to be grounded again; her father's all-time remedy to her frequent escapades, and Mae, because she found motivating the girl doing her homework with weekend visits to the ice-cream parlor or the movies much more effective. Which obviously wasn't an option when Mariella was grounded. 

"Got it!" Mariella rasped conspiratorially.

Girls needed their little secrets from time to time. And Herbert hadn't much of a mind for some of the fun things Mae and Mariella did together; the rom-coms were too raunchy, the music too indecent, and dessert to be eaten after dinner, never before.

Concerts, for granted, would be just another thing on the list.

Narrow-minded, stuck up Herbert!

Mae's heart overpoured of tender feelings for her ex-husband.

Once again, like so many times before, she wondered why she couldn't just have taken the leap and go back? She missed him and Mariella so much! 

Something always had held her back from doing so, there always was that tiny voice that kept saying: if you'd still loved Herbert, you'd never want Francesco back! Funny enough, she hadn't wasted much of a thought about Francesco since she'd left Oasis Springs; far, far less than she'd brooded about Herbert and their broken relationship!
But instead of taking action and try and revert her terrible mistake, she continued like on autopilot, their divorce talks less emotional than small talk; and time passed by and she had done nothing to stop the process.

 
Now it was too late.

"How... how is he doing?" She asked hesitantly.

"Who? Dad? He's doing good. Much better than before."

Mariella's voice was suddenly flat and cold.

"He's dating again, you know? She's a teacher, too. A sports teacher."

"Oh."

"They have so much in common, both teaching kids, and sports, and stuff."

"I... I see. I'm happy for him."

"He's definitely happy, too."

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence while Mae tried to process the unexpected news.

"Mae?" Mariella squeaked. "We... we will go to the concert, right? You're not so mad at dad that you wouldn't take me anymore, right? I- I mean... it's not the only reason I wanna come, I really want us to be friends again! We can, right? Even if you and dad are not – right??"

Obviously, the concert was the only reason why Mariella'd called. Not that it mattered much to Mae now.

"Of course, I'd like to be friends again too," she said autonomously. "Did you pick a train yet? When will you be at the station?"

Mariella sighed with relief.

"Uhm- yes! Around four fifty-" 

Like in trance, Mae settled their meeting next Saturday, then they said good bye.

She went to put back the phone receiver.

So... Herbert found a new love again.

How sweet!

Mae was so excited for him!

She couldn't wish him anything but the best. Wasn't it great that he found a better match than her? Someone much more like him? Most likely the other woman also wanted babies like he did, wouldn't that be just perfect?

"Mae? Who was it?" Nia's voice came from far away and pulled Mae back into her living room.

"Uhm... Mariella called." Mae still had to gather herself.

"Did something happen in the Springs?" Diana asked. "You look as if you've seen a ghost!"

"What? No, nothing happened," Mae said truthfully.

Everything was fine.

Actually, good things had happened, for a change!

"Come." Nia led her to the couch and sat her down. 

"And now spit it out. What did she want?"

"Mariella wants to see a rock band with me!" Mae pronounced cheerfully. "She wants to meet up again. I'm so glad she's not so mad at me anymore!"

"Oh god! Not the same exact band in which your ex sings, isn't it?" Nia gasped.

For a second Mae pictured a leather-cladded Herbert growling into a microphone – such an absurdly wrong image! – Before it hit her that Nia was talking about Francesco.

In a rather fortunate coincidence for Mae, Mariella hadn't ever cared much for her best friend's dad's band; which coincidentally was also Francesco's. The girl was of the age, where, by default, parents and everything they did, were uncool by default.

Mae snickered.

"Oh, no, not that band! Actually, I've never heard of Mariella's favorite band before."

"Then what bothers you? Did she say something else?" Diana asked.

Only now Mae noticed that they'd caught everyone else's attention too. The rest of the room had all eyes on her, faces full of curiosity and sincere concern. Even little Lana and Oliver Twist, the fat cat, interrupted their silly chasing game and stayed still to stare at Mae.

That French detective's interrogation in Paris had been more comfortable than this!

"There's nothing bothering me," Mae chortled, "she'd just told me a little about home! She's probably having a boyfriend soon, Herbert is dating again t-too –"

She forcefully coughed out the thick lump that formed in her throat before it reached her eyes and she'd tear up.

Oh crap.

She had to be happy for Herbert! 

Not freakin' cry over his new found happiness!

On about half of her friends' faces arose deep sympathy.

"You poor thing!" Olivia sighed and almost poured her Martini out.

"So soon..." Diana breathed in disbelief.

Nia squeezed her shoulder.

The other half of her friends just looked very confused.

"But- what's the problem with it?" Ben asked.

"Yeah, wasn't it you who divorced him? Why would you care?"

Weston was one of the confused ones, too.

"Are you guys daft?!" Nia's voice was sharp like a knife, and her eyes shot daggers against them. "Have y'all completely scrapped your brains with all the pot yet?!"

"Yeah, how can you not understand?!" Diana exclaimed too.

"Understand what? I'd rather expect -"

It ensued a rather loud argument when each and everyone had to butt their two cents in.

Mae though, would rather be anywhere else than to try and explain her feelings.

She gathered her last bit of energy and went into her room.

It bugged her so much, didn't it.

All the time, she'd felt as if Herbert didn't really love her anymore, and this was the proof, wasn't it?

He'd replaced her so easily.

Wherever she went; it didn't matter how nice the men seemed at first, eventually they all turned out to be selfish and cold-hearted in one way or another.

Why couldn't she just fall in love with a woman instead?

She'd have to stay alone all her life, or she'd end up in just another tiresome, sad and draining relationship again, where she'd give all of herself, and get nothing in return.

No, Mae didn't want that.

She was done with men, love and relationships.

S2/03. Convergence

3.1 Linda West

Spring 1998, Space Research Center, Oasis Springs

Sunday, short before ten at night, Frank held his key card towards the turnpike sensor in front of the gates of the Oasis Springs' Space Research Center.

"Doesn't it look suspicious if you clock in at this time?" Linda worried.

"Nah. I often come to work late at night. It’s quiet then."

"What about the cameras?"

Frank snorted. "Nothing ever happens, so no one cares. The night guards are too busy playing Tetris."

Linda prayed he'd be right.

Last Thursday, not long after Frank had left and just before Linda could figure out the meaning of his rather awkward departure, the phone had rung.

It was him.

"I need to show you something," he had said. "Are you free Sunday evening?"

"I- I believe so," Linda had replied, completely caught off guard.

"Great. I'll get you at nine."

There had been a pause and Linda had tried to think if she really hadn't forgotten any other obligations besides going to bed in time to be rested at work the next day. Alas, she'd probably have to skip on some sleep this Sunday since she'd confirmed already, so she hoped it would be at least worth it.

"It's a date." Frank had interrupted her pondering.

"Okay." Linda had replied, no less perplexed than before.

That probably was worth sacrificing some sleep, though.

Another short pause in which neither had known what to say, then he had said good bye and hung up.

The last thing Linda had expected after the not-kiss, was a date invitation. And certainly not where it took place.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Frank said.

Beautiful couldn't come close to describe it.
It was breath taking.

Right in front of them stood a huge rocket; the newest model according to Frank, shimmering silvery blue in the moon light.

Linda had never seen a rocket before, except on a screen.
It was gigantic!

"It only goes up to the space station so it’s smaller than the old rockets that did the whole space travel," Frank explained. "Not much though, most of its fuel is used to get out of earth’s gravity. Going up would be easier if we could just build an elevator."
He laughed.

"It must be amazing to be up there and be able to look down on our planet," Linda said.
How did it feel?

"I can’t wait for it," Frank said.

"And to travel beyond our galaxy..." Linda pondered. She was a little envious.
She'd always been more prudent than adventurous, but this place tugged on her most precious childhood memories; dreams, and stories of faraway galaxies.

Dr. Joseph West, professor for astrophysics at Newcrest university, was one of the pioneers revolutionizing space travel. He'd loved his work so much, instead of telling his daughters good-night stories of princesses and dragons, he told them of the farthest places in the universe, planet systems with multiple suns, plants that glowed at night and aliens that weren't so different from earth's humans, but instead of talking with voices they talked with their minds.

Linda had listened with utmost ardor and often dreamed she'd once visit those worlds.

As she'd grown up, modern long-distance space travelling from earth's space station had quickly come from theory to common practice, but she'd eventually chosen a different path and studied botany instead of astrophysics.

The loss of her grandmother and her father's beginning illness made her wish for a simpler and more secure future. Space travel was dangerous and uncertain, and most of all, she couldn't bear the thought of being separated from her loved ones for possibly years without the slightest chance to talk to them. Who knew how much time they'd have left together?

And since she loved plants and nature as much as stars and adventure tales, she'd never regretted her choice. Even less when she'd been chosen for the research team to study extraterrestrial plants. Maybe being Dr. West’s daughter had played a role in that decision, but nonetheless she'd been excited to have this chance.

"Come, I'll show you around a bit," Frank said.

The bridge was impressive, but Frank's lab wasn't any less. He'd finished already the blueprints for his new rocket drive and started building a prototype – just after three days. Linda didn't understand much of the technical details he explained to her as it wasn't her profession, but enough to see that his work was brilliant.

"You’ve done science an invaluable service," Frank said, very earnestly. "This will eventually save a lot of lives."

Linda shook her head. "It was my father’s work, not mine."
She was so proud of him.

"It was you who gave it a chance to be used," Frank smiled. "Come," he said and took her hand, warm and firm. Like the few times before that he'd touched her, it elated her spirits and lit up her heart. Maybe she was in love, after all; at least a little bit!

He led her to the elevator and up they went to the highest floor, through a door, and out on a roof terrace.

"Look," he said and pointed up. "At night, there’s no better place to be than here."



Above them the night sky stretched wide and dark, full of countless, bright shining stars.

"We're in the middle of the desert, far from any light pollution. You can even see the Milky Way from here." He pointed to an irregular line of densely clustered stars. "Inspiring, isn't it? There are so many stars in the universe. As many as the infinite discoveries that we'll still make; far ahead, or here, on earth. Most of the times we don't even know how to use what we discover, but one day they might prove to be invaluable. We can never stop exploring."

It was awe-strikingly beautiful, but the longer Linda looked at the sky, the lower her heart sunk.

She'd never develop technology that'd advance humankind to a greater future, nor would she explore new worlds that'd broaden its horizons. Her field wasn't one with impressive discoveries that changed history, it was a small and overlooked little field in science that she'd chosen because she'd lacked the courage for something greater.

If she was honest, this was just another world she didn't really belong to... the world of her father, the brilliant astrophysicist, and Frank, the brilliant spaceship engineer, and all the other brilliant men and their brilliant work she couldn't compete with.

What kind of legacy could she leave behind compared to them?
Suddenly she felt very small.

"Peanut butter 'n' Jelly or BLT?"

Frank held up two sandwich boxes and forgotten were any career aspirations or scientific discoveries.
Linda was hungry! Before he'd picked her up, she'd been so absorbed in writing a paper that she didn't have enough time left to eat anything. Not that she'd worried much, usually dates included some sort of food. Usually one would expect something fancier than packed sandwiches, but she wouldn't complain now.

Linda sceptically eyed the boxes. She didn't know the brand.

"Is the peanut butter chunky or creamy?"

 
"The good stuff of course," Frank smirked.

"Chunky," he added, reading Linda's questioning face.

"Then BLT, thank you," she said.

"What, you don't like chunky peanut butter?"

"Why does everyone like chunky?" She mused while unwrapping her sandwich. "It's just poorly blended – do you know what happens if you don't properly blend test samples? You'll get wrong results." She bit into her sandwich – Frank was right, it was pretty good!

He grinned and shook his head while opening the other box.
"You’re funny."

"And a scientist," she added, with emphasis.

"Thoroughly." He smiled softly.

Her own reply perplexed her. Why did she urge to defend herself? In front of Frank, of all people?

Could it be that the lack of prospects for scientific success bothered her so much? Possibly; she couldn't deny it. If she just thought longer about it, she could never be content to sit idle in her cosy corner of plants while Frank built humanity's future with giant strides. Especially not if they'd become more than just friends – she flustered a little at the thought that it could be very likely, after all.

But she needed to feel equal to her partner.

She was a little embarrassed. As she was uncontent with her situation, she'd have to change it, not lash out in her frustration. Step out of her comfort zone and out of the secure but unimportant little lab job she had at Newcrest University, and instead apply for new research projects where she could achieve greatness too. Tomorrow she would try and find new opportunities of putting her scientific skills to better use.

She shivered a little. The thought was frightening and exciting at the same time.

"You're cold, aren't you?" Frank guessed and wrapped his arms around her. "Shame on me for not bringing a jacket to put on your shoulders."

"I prefer this," Linda replied, her new resolution charging her with a boldness she usually didn't possess. She would ensure she'd be able to look into the eyes of this amazing man without feeling inferior.

The future would be bright and exciting.