Chapter 29

Mindy awoke refreshed and feeling wonderful. Mark had his first hangover in five or six years, but cold water to drink, a couple of Tylenol and a hot shower and he would be able to face the world.

Waking up together was wonderful as always though. Sort of.

"Hey sleepy." Mindy smiled down at Mark. She had already showered and was wearing a bathrobe as she kneeled beside him on the bed.

"Hey. Is there a gnome on my head with a sledgehammer? Could you make him stop?"

"Did we get a little too tipsy last night?" Mindy smiled.

"No. I know my limits. It must be a gnome. If you can't see it that only means they have stealth technology now."

"Hang on." She smiled as she got up and retrieved a bottle of water from the mini bar and a couple of Tylenol from her purse..

"Here this will make it all... well mostly, better. So. Uh, you survived your first Mindy has a breakdown day and you're still sleeping with me. That's a win from my perspective."

"No biggie. If I had known how bad crowds would effect you... well, I'm sorry, I should not have dragged you out in front of people like that."

"No worries. That was just uncomfortable, I can deal with that. It was the airport that broke me, you couldn't do anything about that. I'm just glad, you know, that you understand."

"I'm not sure I do, but I know what eats you and I will always be there. I told your dad, promised him, that I wouldn't hurt you or allow anyone else to if it was in my power to stop it. I meant that. I don't know what we can do about the press, but hopefully they have moved on to Beth and Chris. It will die down. Astronauts don't have a very long shelf life. Did I hear Commander Lewis say they had the congressional schedule?"

"Yes, and I'm not on it. Yay!" Mindy said as she made jazz hands in the air.

"Ugh. I am I'm sure. After Washington we should go to Chicago. My folks are wondering when they get to meet you."

"We can do that. I can't wait to meet them too. But the week after Congress I need to be back at work, can we do a long weekend in Chicago? Have you checked your calender?"

"Sure. And we need a vacation. Like, just us. Not doing stuff. When was the last time you took one?"

"Its been a while, but I need to get my team up and running and you have work to get started on too. Has Martha updated your calender?"

"Yeah, but, well maybe, I haven't checked... I want to go to Hawaii. I've never been and"

"Oh! Me too! That's a dream destination for me. Well, that and Orlando. You need to check your email and calender. "

"Orlando?"

"Harry Potter World."

"Oh, you're a fan I take it?"

"Who isn't?" Mindy grinned. "I've been there, a couple of times, but I always want to go back."

"Well, I don't mean to brag, but Pottermore did sort me into Gryffindor" Mark laughed.

"Figures. Anyone that would let the lowest bidder strap a few hundred tons of explosive force to his ass and shoot him halfway to the moon would have to be silly courageous."

"I guess you're Ravenclaw... or wait! Slytherin because you think things through and get what you want?" Mark grinned.

"Don't be silly. I'm Hufflepuff."

"Really, I figured you for Ravenclaw." Mark laughed. "Hufflepuff? Really?"

"Yes, Hufflepuff, and proud. See, when it came time to divide up the children, you know, set the rules for the houses, Helga Hufflepuff said 'Okay, you brave kids, you're going to get someone killed, go over there to Gryffindor, and you twisted little power hungry social climbers? You get your ass to Slytherin. Oh, and you smart ass kids that piss everybody off with your Socratic method ramblings? Yeah, you go over there to Ravenclaw Tower and try to not get your smug asses kicked. The rest of you? You're chill, come on over here with me.' That's how it works." Mindy explained.

"So all the astronauts are Gryffindor?"

"Except Beth, she's Ravenclaw. Obviously."

"Obviously. I never realized your house was determined that way. I thought it was a stupid online test. You think NASA knows this?" Mark laughed.

"Perhaps, it would only make sense if they did. They probably have someone screening Pottermore results to make sure they only recruit Hufflepuffs, unless they want to shoot someone into orbit, they want Gryffindors for that. And one or two Slytherins to actually throw the ignition switch at KSC. Now, get up and get ready, we should do breakfast before Inspector Smith arrives."

Mark was out of the shower and dressed in no time and Mindy was nearly ready. She had done her hair, which took no time, and make up, which she fucked with for a while, before waking Mark.

"Okay, ready, let's go!" Mindy said as she grabbed her iPad and handed Mark his laptop case.

"Are we checking email while we eat? Are we there as a couple yet?" Mark grinned.

"It's a big step, I'm not really ready to text you across the table, I guess I'm old fashioned and still like looking at Mr Handsome Face, but you need to get it together and check your calender if you want to plan a trip to Chicago."

"'Mr Handsome Face'?"

"Yes, that's your name. Sometimes. When you're good. Now lets go." Mindy smiled.

The waiter took their orders and Mark reluctantly powered up his laptop.

"Whoa" Mark exclaimed.

"Got a lot?"

"No, Martha, Lisa and David have it all reviewed and sorted, I just have the ones from them. The rest are in files."

"Really? Why did David send one, isn't he down the hall from us?"

"I guess, truthfully he probably didn't want to bother us yesterday and we're going to be out of pocket today... yep, its my Congress schedule, I have Wednesday afternoon in two weeks, that lets us do Germany, then take a day off before Chicago and Denver."

"Denver?"

"Yeah, I promised Randy I would find an excuse for him to visit Cindy and"

"And we can see my folks. Cool. Poor Randy, has he recovered yet?"

"Not sure... oh! This is cool!"

"What is it?"

"University of Chicago has accepted my dissertation, I defend it the first week of April, and they want me to do the commencement address in May."

"Well, they should accept your dissertation defense then. You wrote about Ares III?"

"Yeah, The effects of mineralization of the atmospheric water deposits exposed to Martian soil on reclamation systems. I got so much grief for taking the one in the Hab apart I decided if it ever came up again I wanted to be known as the foremost expert in the world. I already had the numbers and break down of both the soil and the deposits anyway."

"Nice, What are the effects?"

"It clogs the intake tube from the condenser to the evaporating purifier."

"It clogs the tube. You wrote a dissertation on that. You know, they want me to finish mine. I was thinking of something from the mission as well. What do you think?"

" I used fancy words. And absolutely, you should write a review study of the rover's short comings and suggest design changes for the next generation. I can help."

"Hmm, that's not bad but, I think I want to do it on my own. Missy is sending me a copy of the metrics. I'll shout if I get stumped though. You know though, the rover got you to Ares IV, it really did okay."

"Yeah, but it rolls easy, has limited range and needs its own reclaimater and atmospheric system. Somewhere to sleep would be nice too, and a heating system that didn't kill the battery life." Mark smiled.

"Check your personal, uh, endorsements? What would you call them? Your personal PR proposals from Lisa. I got a couple that appear to include you.""

"Oh? Let's see. Hardware Inc wants me to be their spokesperson, so does Omni PC and Dodge Ram, ... oh, cool, Esquire, Rolling Stone and GQ want to do interviews, oh, so does Time. Neat."

"I think Esquire and Rolling Stone are for both of us, did you get one from Glamour? They want both of us too."

"Uh, yeah, here it is. Rolex wants to give me a watch and take my picture wearing it, Timex wants me to be their spokesperson though. Better go with Timex. It pays better."

The waiter brought their orders, an omelet for Mindy and what was called a "Traditional English Breakfast" for Mark which was large enough to feed the whole crew it appeared.

"Uh, Mark, I know you need to gain weight, but I don't think you're supposed to get it back at one setting."

"Yeah, uh, wow. Let me send Lisa a line and..." Mark stopped talking as he concentrated on typing. A minute or so later he looked up and said "All done."

"Did you check your calender?" Mindy asked as Mark stabbed the first of several sausages on his plate.

"Uh, no. I was supposed to wasn't I?" He clicked the calender icon at the bottom of his screen and announced "Holy shit!"

"What?"

"Oh, I see, this is if I accept everything... she had me booked every day for three months, that won't... well, most of these aren't all day though. Hmmm, okay I'm going to email her and clear out a four day weekend from next Thursday to Sunday, think we can do Chicago and Denver then?"

"Uh, we can just do Chicago if you want."

"Think of Randy."

"Think of Mark and Mindy."

"Huh, what if we stay in Chicago thru Saturday night and then go by Denver on Sunday? Randy could go ahead as our advance person to make sure your parents don't want to kill me."

That's a lot of flying. Maybe we send Randy then cancel Denver?"

"Works for me! I do adore your folks though."

"I know, but its okay to put ourselves first a little, and I really do want to see Chicago with you."

"You know this time of year Chicago weather makes Denver seem warm and balmy right?"

"You'll find a way to keep me warm." Mindy grinned.

"Its a plan then, let me just send this and worry about the rest of this later. Looks like she worked with someone on your staff for the mutual things, you sure you don't mind them?"

"As long as there are no crowds... oh."

"Oh?"

"I got a magazine offer."

"Cool, who from?"

"Playboy."

"Oh, uh."

"Missy and Beth got one too, they turned them down. I think anytime a woman gets famous that is halfway photogenic they make an offer."

"Huh, not sure how I feel about that."

"What? Are you all jelly? I think it would be so hot!"

"Really?"

"No Mark, I'm just fucking with you. I take myself more seriously than that." Mindy grinned.

"Well you could show me how that Hussleblood works and"

"Nope. No pictures. Nope. And its Hasselblad. Geez. You're going to be staring at my butt all day aren't you?"

"Well, uh, I already do, so.."

"Mark! Don't make me self conscious!"

They closed their computers and ate in silence for a few minutes.

"You do have a great butt though." Mark grinned.

"Are you objectifying me Mark Watney?"

"Yeah, probably but"

"And its spectacular. I worked hard for it. By the way, do you have gym time scheduled? If you are going to eat like that you probably should."

"I used to go in the mornings before work, but I need to renew my membership."

"Oh cool, me too. More time for us. Starting when we get back, deal?"

"Deal." Mark smiled.

The couple finished eating then went back to the room to freshen up. Almost as soon as they arrived the front desk called to tell them that the inspector had arrived. As promised they spent the morning driving around seeing Big Ben, Parliament and the Tower Bridge, and at each got a chance to take some photos and get a history lesson from the Inspector. After a quick lunch with the inspector and driver at a casual pub she recommended, it was off to the British Museum where they were fascinated by the artifacts and frustrated that they simply didn't have time to see it all. The media was never seen and as the day progressed Mindy felt more and more comfortable.

Finally they ended their day seeing the crown jewels at the Tower of London, which was actually a castle. Here too they were rushed, but had no problem seeing it all in the hour before it closed. Dinner was with the crew at a high end restaurant, also with the inspector and her driver, then back to the hotel. The next day Mark was to be knighted with the crew, so it was an early bedtime, but he did make an hour to meet with David about his pending Congressional appearance. It was a long day that left both of them exhausted and content.