Chapter Two
Starla Drake sat beside her husband Markus on the sofa in their small apartment. With their youngest child now attending ACS and their eldest firmly ensconced at Breakthru TV, the couple had sold their larger home for a more affordable domicile.
The vu-phone rang and Markus went to the screen to answer.
A man with thinning blond hair appeared on the vu-phone screen.
"Is Starla available?" he asked.
"Who are you?" Markus asked, suspiciously as Starla hurried over to join him.
"It's okay, dear," Starla laughed. "Moonstone's just an old friend."
"Moonstone?" Markus asked.
"His grandma was an old hippie," Starla explained. "She was in the same commune that mine was in. That's how our families met."
Markus nodded and returned to watch the Polly Show which was just coming back on after a flurry of Zik Zak ads.
"It's been a while," Starla said in a low voice. "Have you heard from any of the others?"
Moonstone nodded. "Wellington called yesterday. He says he's worried about his daughter Jenny."
"She works at Network 66, doesn't she?" Starla asked.
Moonstone nodded. "Laura was going to work there, but she got picked for World One instead. I'm rather glad she did. I don't trust that Grossberg fellow."
"Remember, we're not here to judge these people. Just to…"
"I know," Moonstone replied with a nod. "We're just here to guide them. Which reminds me. I did get one other call. From an old friend. There's going to be a reunion in two days at the Eye. He wants us all to attend. With our children."
"By children, I assume he doesn't just mean the little ones," Starla guessed. "What about our spouses?"
"Only if it's unavoidable," Moonstone said. "Certain topics are going to come up."
"Hey! You still chatting with your pal?" Markus called out from the sofa. "Gatsby and Son's been on for ten minutes now. You already missed three explosions!"
"You'd better run," Moonstone laughed at Starla. "I'll see you at the reunion. Two days from now at 10 am at the Eye."