Holly knocked on Andy's apartment door. Gail had been house sitting all week while Andy had father-daughter bonding time at a little cottage in the Muskokas. Holly had thought about how she'd like to take Gail to a cottage or go camping up north, even if her girlfriend would complain the whole time about bugs, dirt, and fresh air. But, since they had only been dating officially for a little over a month, Holly decided not to risk scaring Gail off by suggesting getaway plans. And besides, it was now the end of October; camping and cottage season was over until next spring.
She could hear Gail quickly straightening up the likely huge mess in the apartment. As she listened to Gail mumbling profanities about not being ready, Holly realized that she wasn't alone in the hallway. There was an older lady with the ancient skin, deep wrinkles, and dirty white hair as proof of a full life lived. The weird smell wafting off her, thought Holly, was something else entirely.
The older lady, who was clearly having trouble looking for her keys in a bottomless bag, looked up in Holly's direction when she felt eyes on her. The lady turned towards Holly, "Good evening Captain," and did a little salute.
Holly looked down at her Halloween costume. She was impressed that this lady, who she didn't initially judge as a lover of quality television, knew who she was dressed as.
"Good evening. How are you?"
"Well I'd be great if you were real law enforcement and here to take that wicked blond girl in there back to your ship."
"Really?," said Holly trying to keep a straight face, "Tell me more about this wicked blond."
"She's got a bit of the devil in her, she does. I want my nice sweet Andy back because this one, this one is some kind of criminal delinquent. I can't see the good in her. You know what she did? The other day…" the old lady stopped and scowled as Gail swung the door open.
Holly turned towards Gail and did her best 'ta-da' pose. Gail didn't even say anything, her face said it all. There was no mistaking that she was excited for their date tonight, but the child-like joy quickly faded. Gail's face then went from confused to blank as she ran her eyes over Holly's costume. Gail scrunched up her face, shook her head, "Ummm..."
Holly just looked at her in confused silence, "… what?…"
"Just come inside so I can see you in better light." But before closing the door, she stuck her head out into the hallway. And with her fakest princess voice, "I heard what you were saying Mrs. McGregor. I just want you to know, that I love you too. You crazy old hag," followed with an almost inaudible, "Go fuck yourself," mumbled under her breath.
Mrs. McGregor's face contorted as she yelled back, "I'll be counting the days till you're gone. Stay away from me and my cats, you little witch."
The door shut with the old lady still grumbling in the hallway.
"You seem to have made a great impression on Andy's neighbours," said Holly wryly.
"Oh, the old bag of bones out there? She's gotta be the most crotchety person I've ever met. She hasn't said a nice thing to me all week, she scowls at everyone and complains about everything… ugh she just gets on my nerves," Gail threw her hands up in exasperation.
Holly cocked an eyebrow and smirked, "So Mrs. McGregor is like looking into your future then?"
"Hey, hey… Ouch… Abuse," Gail made a motion like she'd been stabbed.
"What? Did I go too far? Poor Gail," Holly antagonized, "Knowing you, I'm sure that you've done something to deserve the old lady's wrath."
Gail set her jaw, "It's all her fault. I went grocery shopping one day, and I'm trying to carry everything and can't really see my feet. At the same time, her bajillion raggedy looking cats were in the hallway and I tripped over one. She thought that I kicked it. She screamed at me, I yelled at her, threatened to call animal services, and now she thinks I'm some kind of spawn of Satan." Gail shrugged and crossed her arms.
"So you both reacted really maturely then," Holly laughed, "nothing alike at all."
"It's not funny," Gail protested.
"Mrs. McGregor's got one thing on you though. She knows who I'm dressed as."
"But… is she going to rock your world tonight? I think that I still win where it really counts, unless you're into rattling old bones."
"You make a compelling point."
"But now you should tell me what you're dressed as because I feel like I'm really missing something here. Like, you look amazing. Hot as fucking hell! I can't wait to tear that off you later… but are you wearing a turtleneck under that? And what is 'that'."
"Think Voyager," Holly made a sweeping motion with her hands.
"I'll admit that I wasn't the greatest or even a very good student, but even I remember a little from history class. You do not look like how I picture a voyageur."
"No, no. Not a voyageur. I'm not a fan of seventeenth century fur traders. Well, at least not enough to dress as one for Halloween" Holly shrugged and then regained her excited energy, "Voyager. As in Star Trek Voyager."
"Oh, so it's a nerdy space thing then. Like those movies with that hot guy. What's his name?... Chris Pine."
Holly rolled her eyes, "Sort of."
"But what's with the turtleneck?"
"A lot of the women's uniforms have a turtleneck thing, but I am not just anyone." Holly places her hands firmly on her hips, "I am Captain Janeway of the USS Voyager. The only female Starfleet captain to have her own show and the sexiest of all the captains," said Holly clearly impressed with herself for her excellent taste in costume. "I had a huge Kate Mulgrew obsession when I was younger. It probably should have tipped me off that I wasn't that into guys."
"You don't say," Gail said mockingly.
"You know, I'm beginning to think that you've never watched any kind of Star Trek," said Holly and with a twinkle of determination continued, "Next week, you and I are going to have a Star Trek marathon, Next Gen and Voyager."
"Oh, how will I ever control my excitement," she said sarcastically.
"You joke now, but you'll be a trekkie in no time," exclaimed Holly, "And hey, why aren't you dressed? Don't tell me that you're too cool to dress up and you're going to the party as yourself."
"Shift ran late, there was a whole crapload of paperwork," sighed Gail, "but, I'm gonna go get dressed now. It's going to take me an hour or so to get ready."
"Alright. Well, I'll just be sitting here watching whatever's on tv."
"Okay cool," said Gail as she began to duck into the other room, "I'm not sure what number it is but Andy has the Discovery Channel."
"Just because I like science does not automatically make the Discovery Channel my favourite," she paused, "Yes, it is my favourite, but you shouldn't just assume that."
"Sure, sure. Says the woman dressed as Captain Janeway"
In defiance, Holly stuck her tongue out at the empty doorway.
…..
"Are you almost done? Your hour is up"
"Just finished," replied Gail as she walked out into the living room to show off.
Holly stood up from the couch. Her jaw was practically on the floor, "That is not at all like what I was expecting you to wear. Holy crap, that is one of the best zombie costumes I've ever seen. Your tattered clothes and your makeup job is soo perfect. You look like a real zombie," she said with wonder and excitement.
"I must admit, it was really hard to make my beautiful face look so ugly," said Gail with a cocky smile. "Normally I'd pick a prettier costume, or something cool and sexy, but I know that you're really into dead things so I went with this. And I watched enough zombie movies while living with Dov and Chris to know far too much useless zombie shit."
Holly pulled Gail in close, "Just because I'm a forensic pathologist doesn't mean that I love dead things, but your wicked zombie costume is turning me on in a weird and kinda creepy way. I like," she said before pressing her lips to Gail's.
"Hey," Gail said as she pulled back, "watch the makeup. I don't have time to retouch it before we go and we're going to be late as it is."
"Fine," Holly sighed, "I guess that I can wait."
"Do we have everything? Are we all ready."
"Yes and yes," said Holly, "Even without Janeway's hair and whatnot, at least I know that some of your friends will recognize who I'm dressed as, or at least get the Star Trek reference."
"I do work with some very uncool people who will understand your Star Trek thing," teased Gail, "I'm thinking that there's gonna lots comments about my costume too. I bet that Oliver will make at least one joke about how I'm a zombie so I'm going to eat you later," she smiled and winked.
"That does sound like something Oliver would say," Holly smirked. She opened the door and chivalrously motioned for Gail to go first.
"Oh Captain Janeway, you're so lovely. Thank you," Gail teased and did a little curtsy before walking through the doorway.
Holly looks at her confused, "Are you sure that you've watched a lot of zombie movies? You know I appreciate the sarcastic manners but zombies don't talk like that. They're more like, 'arg gaw err, me want brains,'" Holly said in her best zombie voice as she begins to shut the door.
"Well maybe I'm a Victorian zombie. You don't know my undead back story," she said confidently, "I could have had a very good upbringing before becoming a zombie. So maybe I speak so well because I don't settle for the brains of dumbasses, like other zombies do. I only eat the best of brains. Like yours."
"Awwww that was disgustingly sweet," said Holly with a hand over her heart and batting her eyelashes.
The door shut with a soft click. The laughing of Gail and Holly slowly fading down the hallway.