"Fix-It-"
That voice. It carried a shiver up his back like a single fingertip gliding along his spine. He'd never heard the voice, but it triggered a familiar warmth in his chest.
Felix blinked twice and the source of the voice materialized in his vision. Through the hazy distance that separated them, he saw a statuesque woman dressed in what appeared to be a wedding dress that sparkled in the light.
Felix glanced down at his own attire and gasped at the black tux he adorned. The woman, holding a bouquet of lilies close to her chest, smiled through the sheer veil as she approached him. Felix gaped. He had to be dreaming, because even through the veil that lidded her face, she was literally the most beautiful sight he'd ever laid eyes on.
The woman came to stand beside him, and their eyes met with a side-long glance. "Ready?" the woman asked.
He beamed up at her. "I'm more than ready."
Felix jerked awake at the ringing of his old-fashion alarm clock. He reached over to switch it off. Another day, another game. Laying on his back, he rubbed his face, wishing he could of had just a little longer in that dream. He'd never really thought about marriage or dating very often, but apparently the idea was floating around his subconscious mind.
He couldn't be a lazybones all day. He had a job to do and that wouldn't happen unless he got out of bed.
Felix sat up and startled at the weight that bumped against his chest. He looked down finding two metal pieces hanging from a chain around his neck. Why in land's sake was he wearing these? He knew he didn't go to bed with them on the night before!
He grasped on of the metal pieces, realizing there were words engraved on it. He flipped it over to where the words made sense and read, "Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun. US Space Marine. 1st Defense Battalion."
He'd never heard this name before, but the name resounded in his mind and he felt comfort with it on his tongue. Felix rubbed the cool metal with his thumb. This was adding up to be one strange morning.
He stood up, knowing that he would have to resolve this mystery later. He grabbed up his work clothes and was about to remove the chain from his neck, but he found he didn't wish to part with it. He convinced himself that he needed to keep the chain on his person so as soon as game play was over he could go search for the owner of the it.
Dressed and ready to fix some windows, Felix tucked the chain underneath his shirt, knowing there had to be a good explanation for it in his possession.
Felix followed the path to East Niceland, trailing off to the humble shack that sat on the edge of the dump. He glanced at the nicely kept community beyond the path; Q-bert's gang milling about and enjoying the morning before work started. Felix paused to admire the structures and pleasant courtyard as if seeing it for the first time. He tried to recall when they'd built the new community, but the memory wasn't making itself present. He shrugged off the momentary lapse and knocked on the shack's door.
A muffled yell came from inside and a moment later the door opened to reveal the antagonist of the game. Ralph looked surprised to find the handyman standing on his front stoop. "Oh, hey Felix , what can I do for you?"
"Mornin' Ralph," Felix greeted, feeling awfully conflicted upon seeing upon the wrecker. A part of him felt that – as the hero of the game - he had no right talking to the bad guy, but another part – a deep recollection in him – knew that wasn't true. His 8-bit heart told him Ralph was his friend and that's what he'd listen to. "Can I talk to ya?"
The bewildered line forming Ralph's mouth curved up, revealing his gaped tooth smile. "Sure, bud." The wrecker stepped aside and closed the door. He gestured to the couch against the wall before taking a seat in an oversized armchair that made up his living room furniture. Ralph clasped his huge hands together. "What's up, Felix?"
Felix heaved a sigh, starting off with a question that was far from what he was there for. "Do you remember when East Niceland was built?"
"Well, yeah!" Ralph replied surely, but his grin faded as the gears in his head kicked on. "I mean, I remember being there to help but the actually memories are kinda fuzzy."
"For me too." Felix didn't want to flat out say he had absolutely no recollection of building the new part of town. He was already feeling off with the mystery hanging around his neck. "Something strange happen this morning." He tugged the chain from the safety of his work shirt, displaying the tags for Ralph to see.
Ralph's brows knitted together. "Dog tags?"
"I woke up with this chain around my neck. I'm lost in a haystack trying to figure out how it got there. And-" Felix blushed, "it has a lady's name engraved on it."
Ralph looked stunned for a moment at the admission, but soon his mouth split again. "Were you at Tapper's last night?"
Felix thought back and realized that's exactly where he'd been. "Oh my land! I was there!"
"Felix, I think you may have met someone."
Heat radiated from all over Felix's face. He couldn't have…could he? "Ralph, I'm not one to take advantage of a lady!" He hopped up, pacing around the small rectangle of floor space. "There has to be another explanation for-for," he grabbed up the dog tags, "this!"
Ralph raised his palms as if that would stop Felix's tirade. "Felix, pull yourself together. This isn't the first time something like this has happened."
Felix glared at his friend. "But it's never happened to me!" His lip stuck out as defeat fell on his shoulders. Felix plopped back down on the couch, his face falling into his hands. "I'm not a cad, Ralph."
"Buddy-" Ralph reached over, patting the handyman as gently as he could on the back, "I know you're not. You're like the nicest guy I know, Felix."
His back pressed against Ralph's hand as Felix took in a deep breath. "I need to find this lady." He glanced at the name again. "Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun. I need to find her and apologize for my actions."
"If anything even happened," Ralph interjected.
Felix nodded absently at the words, though he knew his friend was only trying to make him feel better. How could he lose his sense that far to let himself take advantage of a lady? No telling how the poor gal felt waking up with him. He imagined her sneaking out in shame, not realizing she'd accidentally left a calling card.
"Will you come with me to Tapper's after work?" he asked hopeful, because entering into the bar alone would mortify him. "Maybe this Sergeant Calhoun will be there."
"Hey, I'm there for ya, buddy."
The two friends made their way to Tapper's after the 'all clear'. Felix wrung his hands as they entered, eyes darting about in search of the woman he feared he'd ashamed. Ralph led him to a booth in the back.
"I just thought of something," Ralph inquired, "how will you know what this sergeant lady looks like if you don't remember last night?"
Felix swallowed the lump in his throat. He hadn't told Ralph of the wedding dream and honestly, the image of the beautiful blonde may have been a splendid conjuring of his imagination. But Felix's gut told him that his lovely dream bride was this Sergeant Calhoun. "Trust me on this one, Ralph. I'll know."
Ralph drank a root beer as they waited. Felix chose the safe option – plain ole' H2O – to sip on as they waited, and fiddled with the dog tags dangling against his chest. It wasn't long before Felix's attention caught onto a tall lady entering the bar, dressed in a suit of scuffed black armor - her face obscured by a long curtain of blonde bangs. He sat up straight as a pin, heart pounding. She tossed the bangs aside, revealing her face for a brief moment and his heart stopped. He'd found Sergeant Calhoun.
Ralph noticed his friend's behavior and side-eyed the woman taking a seat alone at the bar. "Is that her?"
"As sure as rain, it is."
"Wow, Felix…" Ralph sounded impressed, "She's something."
Felix let out a shaky breath, trying to calm his nerves as he pushed out the booth. "Wish me luck, brother." Ralph threw him a thumbs up.
The short trek to the bar felt more like an eternity. Felix's hand still clinched the dog tags, but as he approached, he slipped them back in his work shirt for now.
Felix cleared his throat, swiping his hat off his head and holding it to his chest. "Excuse me, ma'am. Are you Sergeant Calhoun?"
The lady glanced over her shoulder. At first, she appeared annoyed, until she swiveled around on the stool. "Fix-It." Hearing her say his name startled Felix and his mouth dropped in surprise. A smirk curled one side of her lips. "Back for a second round?"