Eclipse

by ZoeWarren

And so Delphine finds herself sitting in the shade of Alison's patio, enjoying the warmth of the day and listening to the chatter of the other adults around her, while Cosima sits cross-legged on the grass with Kira, Charlotte, Maya, Oscar and Gemma, helping them make pin-hole eclipse viewers out of cereal boxes and tin foil.

"We should go!" Cosima had said. "Pile into a couple of cars and drive down, camp out in a field in Tennessee. Get to see the whole thing."

Sarah, excited more by the impulsiveness of the idea than by the eclipse itself, was quick to agree, and they had spent a frenetic half-hour talking through the logistics of tents and vehicles and laughing about how to keep the kids entertained for two twelve-hour car trips.

Cosima had seemed so enchanted with the idea that Delphine was glad Alison had been the one to step in and point out their folly so Delphine didn't have to. Because Cosima healthy is irresistible enough, but Cosima practically glowing with excitement is something else entirely. And Delphine was truly afraid that ten seconds of puppy dog eyes from that face would have had her moving heaven and earth to get Helena a passport by Sunday.

"Even if Helena weren't completely undocumented, even if your visa and Delphine's weren't sponsored by Dyad, a company undergoing a massive criminal investigation," Alison ranted, "it's still lunacy to try and get this family across that border, and you know it. We just got free of Neolution. You really want to go running into the arms of US Customs and Immigration?"

"I know. I know!" And Cosima sighed. "It would have been fun, though."

And in retrospect, Delphine finds she is a little disappointed herself. It would have been fun, much as she dreaded both the thought of a day-long car ride with four children and two infants and the idea of camping in Tennessee.

Cosima's puppy dog eyes are a powerful weapon, though, and by the end of that lunch Alison had consented to throwing an eclipse party in her garden on Monday to make up for it.

And so Delphine finds herself sitting in the shade of Alison's patio, enjoying the warmth of the day and listening to the chatter of the other adults around her, while Cosima sits cross-legged on the grass with Kira, Charlotte, Maya, Oscar and Gemma, helping them make pin-hole eclipse viewers out of cereal boxes and tin foil.

Alison, having agreed to the party, had still been less than thrilled that the pack of them raided her pantry for supplies when they arrived.

"If you knew you needed cereal boxes, I don't understand why you didn't bring them with you. Or tell the kids to bring their own."

"Because you've got a pantry full of them. And the cereal is bagged inside the box, Alison. Chill. We're not going to dump it on the floor. You can even have the boxes back when we're done."

"Please, mommy?"

And Gemma's puppy dog eyes, it turns out, are almost as effective as Cosima's.

"Fine. Fine! Just. Make sure you label the bags."

But the kids finish constructing their viewers by noon, with more than an hour to kill before the eclipse even begins. And when they start to get restless, Felix steps in to suggest the boxes are boring and ought to be decorated. Delphine doubts somehow that Alison will have much use for cut up cereal boxes covered in streamers and glitter.

When the kids are done, though, and begin hopping up to come and show off their creations, Cosima gets up too and crosses to perch on the arm of Delphine's chair.

"Hi."

"Hi. You having fun with the kids?"

"You should come and join us."

But Delphine shakes her head. "I'll burn out in that sun, even with the eclipse."

"You're going to come and look, though, right?"

"Into a cereal box?"

"Well, it's not like you can stare directly at the sun."

"Don't they have those special glasses?"

"You think those look less goofy?" Cosima takes her hand. "Come on, this isn't going to happen again for another seven years. You can look a little silly just this once." Cosima holds up her Cheerios box. "And see? I didn't even put streamers on mine."

Cosima has, instead, doodled constellations all over it in magic marker. Delphine sighs and allows herself to be tugged to her feet. Grabs her hat from the table where she abandoned it as she steps out into the sun.

To her right, Kira is literally dragging Sarah out of her chair with both hands around her wrist to come and join them. Art, Donnie and Alison give in with somewhat less of a fight.

"Okay," Delphine says. "Show me how it works."

Cosima places her hands on Delphine's shoulders and turns her to face away from the sun. She holds up the cereal box, checking the angle over her shoulder and then points at the opening in one corner.

"Look in there."

Delphine does, and finds a tiny crescent of light projected onto the inside of the box. The sun doing its best impersonation of a waning moon. She covers her other eye to get a better look.

"I didn't think it would be so clear," she says.

And Cosima laughs. "You're a scientist."

"Science is a big field. I never studied optics."

"I'll have you know,"Cosima declares, teasing, "the instructions came from NASA itself."

"Clearly I was a fool ever to doubt."

"Clearly." Cosima kisses her lightly. "Okay, back to the shade with you, O fairest of them all."

"But it's not done yet."

And Cosima laughs again. "If you stand out here for an hour and a half, you really will get burned. We'll come back and check on it."

Cosima follows her back into the shade, and shares the deck chair with her rather than dragging over one of her own. Pulls out her cell phone and starts snapping pictures of adults and kids alike with their faces pressed up to extravagantly decorated cereal boxes.

Delphine slides her arms around Cosima's waist from behind, rests her chin on her shoulder.

"This was a good idea you had."

And Cosima nods. "It's nice to see the kids getting excited about science. The adults, too. I think Donnie is more into this than Oscar is."

"You might be right."

"Maybe we could all drive out into the countryside to go stargazing together sometime. Teach the kids the constellations. Or drive north. See if we can see the northern lights."

"Just promise me we can sleep in a hotel."

"Not much of a camper, eh? Why does that not surprise me."

"Indoor plumbing. That's all I ask."

"I'm sure we can work something out."

Cosima leans back into Delphine's shoulder, clearly day dreaming about the possibilities, and Delphine starts to consider them herself. Cosima had been so excited at the idea of charging off on an adventure, now that she's finally well enough to have one.

"Maybe we should test this idea out," Delphine offers quietly. "A little reconnaissance. Before we bring the others?"

Cosima squirms around in her arms so she can see Delphine's face.

"Are you suggesting a road trip? Just the two of us?"

"Before you start back at school. Before I find a new job."

"You're suggesting a road trip this week?"

"We could leave tomorrow. Tonight, if you want."

And a delighted grin begins to spread across Cosima's face. "Where will we go?"

Delphine shrugs. "Anywhere. Wherever we end up. But maybe not across the border."

"Second star to the right?"

"Any star that you want."

Cosima laughs gently. "No, it's a quote from Peter Pan. 'Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning.'"

"That sounds like a plan to me."

"But after the eclipse, okay?"

"Of course."

And Cosima kisses her in pure delight. "I like this impulsive side of you, Dr. Corimer."

"Cosima!" Charlotte calls from across the garden. "You're missing it. Come on! You two can do that any time."

Delphine starts to laugh, ducking her head in embarrassment, and they untangle themselves under a barrage of teasing from Sarah and Felix.

"Tonight," Cosima murmurs as she stands and tugs Delphine up after her.

And Delphine nods. "Tonight."