It's A Wonderful Life, Yeah Right (or is it?)!
Chapter 36: Mary's Dad is still Scary
"Hey, is that-"
"Yeah, it's the girl who beat up Jessica last week."
"Hard to believe they're a couple."
"I know, right? I heard she's a grade A student and well, he…he's a punk."
"Nerd-Punk love?"
"Nerd-Punk love."
"I didn't know it existed."
"They're living proof." A girl stated nodding their direction to Zim and Mary passing by the gossiping group of girls. Zim and Mary walked hand in hand through the hallways. Students recognizing the dynamic duo couldn't help not to stare.
"Why are people still staring at us?" Mary said uncomfortable by her peering peers.
"Admiration?" Zim put in his two cents. "You did take the queen off her thrown."
"Yeah but still. It happened like a week ago. Can't they talk about something else?"
"Well, because of shorten half days due to exams, nothing else has been happening." Zim stated a possible reason.
"I guess I'm not used to all this attention." Mary admitted. "I was nobody until I stuck up for you. In the most stand out-ish way."
"Would you take back what happened?"
"No, I don't feel anymore regrets. What happened, happened and today will be the end of it."
"Meaning your last day of detention?" Zim guessed.
"Yep, finally it's Thursday. The last day of my punishment."
"And tomorrow is a full day. I'm sure somebody will be turning heads and everybody will forget the fight in no time." Zim tired to assure her.
"I hope so." Mary agreed and smiled a shy grin. "Yesterday was also the last day of me being grounded which I was wondering if you like to-"
"Yes!" Zim blindly agreed excited to hear this news. "Whatever it is, yes!"
"I was suggesting hanging out at my house." Mary chuckled completing her sentence.
"Yes, that would be great." Zim agreed again.
"Missing me since I've been grounded for two weeks?" Mary asked him.
"A lot, why must you be so troublesome?" Zim asked her.
"I try not to but you know me, I can't help myself." Mary joked lightly of her recent behavioral problems.
"You truly are trouble prone." Zim stated playing along.
"Well, so are you not real human." Mary pointed out.
"It's not easy being green, and nose less and lacking ears and people telling me I'm a freak."
"Who told you you're a freak?" Mary snapped.
"No, nobody told me." Zim surprised by her outburst. "I assume it's what their thinking." Zim said putting his hands on her shoulders to calm her anger. "Okay, nobody said anything. Avoid confrontation. I'd like to spend quality time at least one day this week with you."
"You're right." Mary breathed in then sighed. "I really need to get hold of my anger. Ever since the fight, I have been aggressive lately like yesterday when a girl was standing in front of the bathroom. She was texting, not going in. I waited one minute before I pushed her aside."
"Hey, I figured out what we have in common. We don't like tolerating shit."
"You're keeping track of this why?" Mary questions his statement.
"To prove someone wrong." Zim said.
"Who exactly wrong?" Mary asked who would doubt their compatibility.
"The boy walking up before us right now." Zim said seeing Dib coming to them from the distance. Mary, puzzled by what he meant, stared at Dib who was very agitated. He stopped as soon as he was in talking distance of the two then glared at Mary.
"Could you do me a favor and not recommend any movies relating to aliens for Zim to see? Any, please?" Dib shouted.
"What?" Mary asked confused then smirk to see Dib's cheek covered in a band aid while the other had few scratches. "What happened?"
"I watched E.T." Zim snickered recalling the incident. It was a yesterday afternoon at Membrane's house. Dib sat on the couch while Zim on the floor watching the end of E.T. Dib rolled his eyes when E.T. entered his spaceship and left the kid into outer space. The ending credits pass by. Zim stared at the screen.
"Well, you watched it. Pretty stupid, right?" Dib asked him.
"Are you kidding me? This is the best movie ever!" Zim said in glee to the cinema delight he witness.
"What?" Dib exclaimed. "You liked it?"
"Yes, in fact, I have an idea. Dib, where's your bike?"
"A bike? Don't tell me you to-"
"Yes, yes, let's do it! Where is it?"
"I trashed it when we had that race, remember?"
"Oh yeah…Wait!" Zim shouted then took the door knob and swung it open running outside. Dib followed him where he found Zim picking up a nearby bike on the edge of someone's yard.
"Zim, no, leave it alone. That's the neighbor kid's bike." Dib told him.
"I'm just borrowing it for a minute." Zim said rolling it towards Dib. "Here, peddle."
"What are you going to do?"
"Sit on the handle bars. It doesn't have a basket."
"You can't be serious."
"What's a matter? You don't believe in alien magic? What if I can make us fly. Wouldn't it be cool?"
"It sounds really stupid and I'm not peddling you around sitting on a bike like that!" Dib said seeing Zim's ass balancing between the handle bars.
"Please, please! I won't leave you alone until you say yes."
"I don't care. You're always annoying. I'm used to your nagging voice."
"I'll give you money." He emphasized. Dib thought of it in a second then sat on the bike seat.
"Zim, do you believe in alien magic?" Dib grinned to Zim.
"Yes I do, let's do this!" Zim said sitting on the handle frame. Dib began peddling from the sidewalk to the street while Zim held on to the handles. Few neighbors saw the boys passing by and laughed. Zim closed his eyes and tired so hard thinking of flying.
"It's not working." Dib commented. "We look stupid and you're very heavy."
"Maybe we need a ramp, there's one!" Zim shouted pointing to the kids' skate board wooden ramp. "Towards victory!"
Dib peddled harder and faster while Zim focus all his might to fly but when they hit the ramp, Zim face planted into the concrete. Dib bounced off the bike on top of him and the bike fell on them like a disaster sandwich. They groaned in pain. The neighborhood skateboarding punks laughed at them.
"Zim, your alien magic is shit!" Dib screamed pushing the bike off him to stand. "Stop watching and believing alien movies. They don't apply to you."
Dib rolled the bike on the concrete road trying to ignore the children's laughter leaving Zim to think about his deed.
Mary cracked up after hearing their story. Dib glared at her once more.
"You wouldn't be laughing if he made you do it." Dib whined.
"Sounded like he bribed you. I think there was a part of you who believed in alien magic." Mary teased poking him in the right forearm. Dib swatted her finger then stepped back.
"Whatever, please for your safety, my own and everyone around him, do not let him see a sci-fi alien themed movie!" Dib warned then limped away. "Oww…still hurts…"
Zim distraught Dib advice her against letting him view those types of movies. Mary saw he was affected then beamed.
"Don't worry." Mary said patting his shoulder. "We can watch alien movies at my house."
"Really, today after skool?" Zim asked her.
"Sure, why not?" Mary agreed seeing no harm.
"Alright! I'll see you after detention. I'll be waiting." Zim said and the bell rang to begin their classes of the remaining day in Third Quarter. Classes slipped quickly through this half day. Each was twenty minutes and when it hit noon, the last bell rang and school was over for everyone except the selected few in detention. Zim, however, was the exception of the case. He sat on the steps of the high skool waiting for Mary to be released. He had the day off from work too and was excited to be with Mary alone atlas. Zim's patience was the small price he would willingly pay to spend his afternoon with her at her house. While waiting, Zim thought of her and what occurred after he passed the quarter exam. To what he told his counselor last Monday afternoon before leaving skool and to how, in the first time in his life, made Ms. Bitters smile when she heard the news with his counselor. It scared him so he thought of other things to occupy his mind. He glanced at his watch strapped to his wrist, and then felt a slight tap on his left shoulder. He looked up to see it was Mary. She smiled at him. Zim glanced back at the watch then at her again. It was already 1:30 PM.
"That was quick!" Zim smirked and stood up to meet her height then overshadow it. They marched down the steps onto the concrete pavement.
"Yeah, detention isn't too bad." Mary said. "But I'm glad it's over. I could be doing more with my time other than sit there 'thinking what I did.'"
"Like what?" Zim asked putting his hand on her outer hip then hugged it.
"Being with you." Mary whispered then kissed his cheek. Looking over Mary's head after she kissed him, Zim saw the bus a couple blocks away they needed to catch. Warning her, Zim grabbed her hand and ran to the stop crossing the street. The driver saw the teenagers and halted to let them board. Zim flashed his bus card while Mary was digging though her backpack for hers.
"I know it's in here somewhere." Mary muttered checking the pockets. At this point, the driver and passengers were becoming agitated shooting nasty glares at her. Zim sensed their negativity and paid her fair by slipping a dollar in the electric collection box.
"I got this." Zim told her and grabbed her hand to find their seats. Zim lead her to the middle row. They sat to the left seats.
"Sorry I couldn't find my bus pass. I'll pay you back, I promise." Mary tried to assure him but he shook his head.
"It's not necessary. It's only a dollar. Don't sweat it." Zim let go. He was delighted Mary invited him to watch movies at her house then remembered the unpredictable man who could be home. He turned to Mary to address his question. "Is your father home?" Mary shook her head.
"He won't be until later." She informed him.
"Oh, good." Zim sigh a relief.
"You don't like my father much, do you?" Mary asked.
"It's not of matter if I like him, it's whether he likes me and I don't think he likes me much." Zim stated supported by the unkind attitude of Prof. Weylin he endured during the unexpected phone call.
"He thinks you're okay." Mary told him what her father said.
"Just okay?" Zim asked not impressed.
"If he didn't, I wouldn't be dating you."
"Okay is fine." Zim accepted Prof. Weylin's perception of him which led him to another question. "Does he know I'm…Irken?"
"No, he has no clue your from another planet. He believes you're deformed. It's your choice to tell him. I'm not going to reveal your secret. It is not my place to tell." Mary addressed her views. Zim nodded and agreed it would be wise for him to tell Prof. Weylin than her trying to convince him of being an Extra-Terrestrial. Zim knew he could trust Mary but her father at this point, who is at borderline hating him, could not reveal his secret to him, not yet. Their conversation went silent without much to say until they arrived at her neighborhood. They boarded off and walked in the cul-de-sac. The neighborhood sounded peaceful with the occasional dog barking as they passed by a fenced yard. Mary gracefully stepped on the sidewalk comfortable knowing her way home. Zim wondered what kind of alien movies she had they could watch. When they reached their destination, Mary skipped into her front yard and up the steps to unlock the front door. They both went inside her warm home. Mary switched on the living room lights as they entered. On the end table next to the white, soft cushioned couch, Zim spotted a standing picture frame. Zim picked it up and smiled. Mary, after putting her jacket in the closet, peered over Zim to see what picture he's looking at. It was a class picture of her when she was ten. She wore a white summer dress with a yellow head band sitting partly middle in the row of five by four students in her class. Zim turned to see Mary wearing possibly one of her favorite colors, yellow. The displayed color of her blouse. He stood the frame on the table.
"You look so adorable. If you went to my elementary skool, I would have had a huge crush on you." Zim stated a probability. Mary giggled at his comment then smiled.
"No, you wouldn't. You would try to steal my organs." Mary playfully teased him wiggling her fingers.
"I would steal your liver." Zim chuckled.
"Why my liver?"
"Because it symbolizes love. The liver is the organ most associated with love, right?"
"It's the heart, Zim."
"Oh, no duh. I knew that." Zim recalled the obvious association. "So what kind of alien movies you have?"
"None, but I could find some on demand with our cable selection." Mary picked up the silver covered remote from the coffee table. Mary switched to the movie selection, and then clicked on sci-fi genre. It didn't take long to pick out a movie. They chose the first one on the list. Aliens III. Zim was familiar of the Alien movies and plot previous to the first two during the research he compiled to see how humans viewed outer space monsters in media entertainment. Zim sat to the left of her couch towards the kitchen and Mary sat next to him. Mary glanced to Zim watching his chest rise and fall as he breathed.
"Zim, do you have a heart?" Mary asked. Zim presented a confused expression on his face.
"Did I do something bad?" He asked.
"No, the organ heart."
"Ohhhh." Zim exclaimed figuring out what she meant. "No, I don't but I have a squeedlyspooch."
"Squeaky spooch?"
"Squeedlyspooch." Corrected her.
"Squeedy spooch."
"Almost got it, squeedlyspooch. To describe it, in human standards, it's like the heart, liver, stomach, intestines, lungs combined in one organ. It does beat like a heart."
"It does?"
"Yep, would you like to hear?" Zim offered. Mary moved closer then leaned and pressed her ear on his chest. Mary couldn't hear a single beat.
"You have the right idea just a little lower." Zim said. Mary slid to his abdomen. She waited until she heard a little thump.
"Can you hear me, now?" Zim asked.
"It's faint." Mary told him listening to the slow thumping of his squeedilyspooch.
"So what should we do?" He asked.
"Press play and we can start watching the movie." Mary said. Zim picked up the remote on the other side of her, pressed the arrow button then placed it on the arm chair next left to him. He laid his hands on Mary's hip and shoulder hugging her letting her lay on him. They watch the plot develop as Ripley, the heroine of the tale, crash landed on a prison planet. The warden and doctor, who found her, told her she was the only survivor in the crash and then gave her a tour of the prison she would be staying until they get a ship to transport her home.
"This movie is kind of boring. When is the alien going to appear?" Zim questioned the plot.
"Soon, maybe?" Mary said unsure. They remained silent watching it play out. Eventually the alien appeared several times hunting down the inmates. Everyone panicked and Ripley gets them to team up to fight back to kill it. In reality, the door knob wiggled open to reveal Prof. Weylin enter the house. Zim saw him. Prof. Weylin saw Zim had his daughter in a pillowed embrace, cozy in his arms. Her head lazy on his chest. Mary was unaware of her father's presence. He stomped to them.
"Mary, sit up properly!" Prof. Weylin demanded. Startled, Mary sat up then saw it was her father.
"Oh, hi Dad." Mary shuttered still surprised.
"Hi, Prof. Weylin." Zim greeted him.
"Hi, Zim." He flatly replied. "What are you guys doing?" Prof. Weylin became suspicious of their carefree attitude.
"Nothing, just watching a movie." Mary told him. Prof. Weylin turned around to the T.V to see a scene where the alien was running towards the armed captives.
"Uh-huh, well, I'll be in my lab. I may be home early but I have much to do. No funny business. You got that?" Prof. Weylin warned them. They nodded. "Okay, if you need me, Mary, you know where to find me."
Prof. Weylin entered the basement under the staircase. As soon as Mary heard her father's steps become faint, she laid on Zim again. A few minutes into the movie, Mary was a little hungry, lifted herself up and off the couch.
"Where you going?" Zim asked.
"To make popcorn."
"But I don't need popcorn."
"I would like some." Mary stated not caring much for what he doesn't want then turned away. Zim quickly grabbed her hand. Mary looked down at him puzzled.
"What if it gets really scary or creepy?" Zim whined. Mary smiled, gripped firm of his hand then leaned to him. She became eye level with him. Mary stared pass his synthetic eyes and smiled once more. She whispered.
"You can always pause, silly."
Zim expected her to kiss him when she came closer but instead, she rubbed her nose side to side where his is nonexistent. Zim blushed and backed away.
"What was that?" Zim questioned caught off guard by her weird affection.
"That was a Eskimo kiss." Mary chirped.
"An Eskimo kiss?" Zim questioned.
"Usually it's expressed by rubbing noses." Mary said. Zim looked down absent of nose.
"I wish I had a nose so I can express it." Zim said disappointed.
"Why do you do that?" Mary noticing a trend. "Put yourself down because of your appearance."
"Because I don't look like you." Zim openly stated. Mary paused the movie pressing one button on the remote to discuss the subject. Mary knelt to Zim hold his hand in both of hers.
"Why do you want to look like me?" Mary asked being sincere.
"Can I be honest with you?" Zim asked.
"You can always be honest with me." Mary assured him.
"Sometimes, I wish I could be human." Zim finally admitted. "So I can live a normal life without people staring at me, questioning how I look and not wear a disguise."
"Do you know what I see?" Mary asked him. Zim shook his head. "I see you, Zim. Whether you're wearing a disguise or not and it doesn't matter to me. People may stop and stare and try to bring you down but they don't know you and our friends, Dib and your family, Gir and Minimoose. They don't care what you look like and they love you. I love you. Zim, you're perfect just the way you are."
He was emotionally drawn by what she thought of him. Perfect. He always called moron, idiot, freak even a creep but never perfect. He didn't know how to respond but his answer was clear when he pressed his lips on hers. Zim found tremendous comfort the woman he loves thought he was perfect. When he released her, Mary smiled knowing he wasn't in gloom.
"Still want to be human?" She asks.
"No," Zim responded.
"Glad you changed your mind." Mary said standing up then patted his shoulder. "I'll be back with popcorn, okay?"
She stood straight then walked into her kitchen. She opened the pantry, grabbed a bag of popcorn, removed the clear wrapper and stuck it in the microwave. She heard the little kernels hit the bag. Her boyfriend snuck into the kitchen and embraced her wrapping his arms around her waist. Zim placed his chin on her shoulder then whispers.
"How about we skip the movie and make a scene of our own." Zim suggest. "We could call it 'you and I part 2,' it can take place now in this kitchen."
Mary thought it wasn't a good idea to make out when her father was in the house in his lab. The possibilities of getting caught would be high and if so, being caught in the act will not help Zim win her father's approval. Instead, she tries to persuade him another way. She looked up to him.
"Sure but I would love it more if we…we…" Mary dragged to build up suspense.
"We what?" He asked.
"If we finish watching it and snuggle on the couch. I really want to see the ending and it is scaring me too. Maybe when I get too scared you could kiss me to make feel better." Mary said sweetly as she tried to persuade him. He laughed at her attempt.
"Are you being manipulative?" Zim asked.
"I don't know. Is it working?"
"No, but since you asked politely, I will continue watching and be sneaking in some kisses." Zim warned her. Mary heard the popcorn grow silent and open the microwave. She opened the bag, pours the bright yellow popped corn in a blue bowl and carried it in the living room. They sat on the couch, press play to watch the movie. The duo were so intrigued by the developing plot, they forgot to cuddle. During the scene where Ripley comes face to face confronted by the beast, Mary literally at the edge of her seat cushion staring at the screen intensely as the alien leaned closer to her drool dripping from its jaw and inner jaw retracting out of its mouth. Mary was drawn into it when the alien hissed at Ripley. Mary felt a wet substance brush her cheek. It startled her to a shriek. She jumped up to see Zim sticking out his tongue. He laughed hysterically provoked by her startled scream.
"Did you forget the real alien sitting in your living room?" Zim tautly asks. Mary chuckled once she realized it was Zim who licked her.
"Ewwww…Zim!" Mary laughed.
"Who is this Zim? I am not Zim. I'm the horrible disfigured alien haunting you humans' dreams!" Zim boasted hunching over her. "You better watch out, Ripley. I'm coming to get you!"
"Ahhh, no! Don't take my organs scary alien!" Mary cried out giggling.
"I'm not taking them. I want to eat them! Mwa ha hah ha ha!" Zim played along blocking each turn she tried to take around the couch. Mary dodged Zim and ran towards the kitchen. Zim chased her into it. Prof. Weylin, at the time, was jotting on his chalk board his latest formula in his experiment. His concentration was broken when he heard a scream. It sounded like Mary. He dropped everything and ran upstairs. He slammed his door open to see she was in Zim's grasp giggling like a mad man. He saw she wasn't in trouble just Zim tickling her belly.
"You can't get away from me!" Zim laughed excited he caught her.
"Mary Louise!" Prof. Weylin snapped. Mary and Zim stopped laughing once they heard his shout. Zim glanced at the angry man then to Mary.
"Louise?" Zim question what he called her.
"It's my middle name." Mary told him.
"Oh, heh." Zim said to that.
"YOU!" Prof. Weylin pointed to Zim. "Get your hands off my daughter!"
Zim released Mary to his command.
"I thought I told you no funny business." Prof. Weylin recalled his last statement.
"But, we weren't doing anything." Zim replied.
"Do you really think I'm going to believe you?" Prof. Weylin asked him.
"Uhhh..maybe?" Zim bothered answering.
"Think again, moron." Prof. Weylin snappy stated.
"Dad, I'm sorry we were rowdy." Mary said. "It won't happen again."
"There won't be an 'again'. I warned you once. So tell your boyfriend goodbye because he's leaving." Prof. Weylin told her.
"Can we at least finish the movie?" Mary asked half annoyed.
"Nope, you, get out!" Prof. Weylin pointed to him then to the door. Zim looked over to Mary.
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow." Zim said odd by this circumstance. Zim picked up his jacket he left on the coffee table then turned to her father. "Sir, we were-"
"GO!"
"But-"
"Out the door!"
Zim groaned and stomped out of the front door. He slammed it shut when he left. Mary shot an ugly glare at her father.
"I can't believe you! We weren't doing anything." Mary shouted trying to make him see the error of his overreaction.
"It's too late to convince me otherwise," He stubbornly stated. "He's gone." Prof. Weylin said not ashamed by his actions and sat proudly on his couch. "How about you relax and enjoy the movie with your old man." Mary, very peeved how rude he was to Zim, decided to watch the ending. She promptly sat next to him and played it. At the final scene, when Ripley killed the creature, the company who came to the planet to her aide, tried to persuade her to let them remove the alien queen from her body so they could use it to study and breed more. Instead, she jumped into the lead and died with the alien baby. Mary saw her father shake his head.
"Dad, what do you think of the ending?" She asks curious of his response.
"Remembering the story, I think she did the right thing. If she let the company takes the alien, they would have created more and people would be in danger."
"I think it's sad." Mary said.
"How do you think it's sad?" Her father asked just as curious to her response.
"I think it's sad the only was the aliens are able to metamorphosis is to find a host then they become labeled as parasites and killers because the only living thing they found to eat are humans and have to be destroyed."
"So if you were her, would you have the company take the parasite out of you?" He asks a rhetorical question.
"If I knew it will be taken care of in an endangered species sanctuary, then yes." Mary answered it.
"For God sake's Mary!" Her father exclaimed not liking her answer. "You would side with that creature! Aliens were the ones who took your mother away!"
"She left at her own free will." Mary back talked him.
"How do you know?" Her father screamed standing over her. Mary met the angry glare of her father as they remained silent only hearing the ending credits scroll up the screen. Mary lowered her head, got up and walked upstairs. Her father sat back down, stopped the movie using the remote and rubbed his eyelids exhausted from all the yelling he did today. "A thing like that being taken care of by us, what is she thinking?"
The next day at skool during the beginning of lunch break, Zim was in the hallways looking at the skool bulletin board gathering information.
"I wonder when Spring Break is." Zim pondered trying to find the answer. "I demand break!"
Mary found Zim and came up to him. She was quiet for a moment before she could say hello. Zim felt someone staring and saw it was her.
"Hi, Mary." Zim finally greeted her.
"Hi, Zim. What are you looking at?"
"Nothing." He blankly said. "I'm trying to find out when is Spring Break but all this has is scholarship information, lunch schedules and army propaganda."
"It's two weeks from now." Mary informed him. "The information is in your agenda."
"I don't use that organizer the skool gave me." Zim said. "I gave it to Gir to use as a coloring book. He drew rainbows and dancing cats and cows from fall to spring." He described the pictures Gir showed him.
"Oh, I see."
"Did I get you in trouble again?" Zim asked.
"No, I-We watched the ending of Aliens III and that was it." Mary summed up leaving out details.
"Hmmm…Really?" Zim asked not convinced.
"Yeah, and it was a great ending. Too bad you missed it." Mary spoke quickly in a odd matter.
"Mary, are you okay?" Zim asked concerned by her behavior. "You're acting a little strange."
"No, nothing's wrong." Mary denied avoiding eye contact. "I'm fine."
"Mary," Zim said seeing through her fib. He put his hand on her shoulder. "Please tell me what's troubling you." Mary glanced to the ground unsure then to Zim feeling she was safe to speak.
"There's something I have to do I thought I wouldn't have to. I think it's important, for my father's sake."
"What is it?" He responded.
"There's this room in my house where my mother used as a study which has been neglected for years. I thought maybe my mom would come back to get her stuff. I don't think she'll ever and my Dad is too busy. Well, that's what he tells me whenever I mention it. It's a big mess. I want to tackle it this weekend and clean it so we could use it but so many memories…It's going to take forever to clean." Mary explained then sighed.
"Do you need assistance?" Zim offered.
"You want to help?" Mary asked.
"Sure, I'll come by after work tomorrow to help clean."
"You really want to help?" Mary repeated brightly.
"Don't act so surprised. Of course, I do." Zim said. Mary hugged her arms around him.
"Thank you." Mary exclaimed.
"You're welcome." Zim said hugging her. "I'll be over possibly at two."
"Thank you again!" Mary said uncoil from him.
"It is no problem. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I couldn't help you?" Zim posed a rhetorical question then blushed when he admit. "I'd do anything to see you smile."
"Ah, you are so sweet." Mary chirped then kissed his cheek. She slipped her hand into his as they walked to the cafeteria. "I'm so lucky to have someone as caring as you."
Zim heard her compliment and blush a deeper pink without saying a word. Throughout the day, Zim's worry of seeing Prof. Weylin again crept up on him. He didn't know how to deal with him or even know where to start. The only solution he saw fit was to ask Dib for his opinion to how to get her father to like him. He figure Dib would have experience with this sort of thing considering his reputation and the brain he had in his big head. But he remembered Dib was still mad at him about bike incident and didn't speak to him during lunch. He knew he had to earn his friendship back to get what he needed. After work, Zim stopped by Dib's house to make amends. He knocked on his door. Dib appeared before Zim glaring between the narrow cracks of the doorway. Zim waved a twenty dollar bill in front of Dib's face.
"Here's the money like I said. Please stop being angry." Zim pleaded him. Dib sighed and opened the door.
"Forget about it, Zim. Get in here." Dib finally let go his grudge and forgave him. Zim put the money back in his pocket and smiled as Dib let him enter their household. They settle to sit in the living room like they always do, staring at the T.V. watching Mysterious Mysteries.
"Awww…" Dib moaned disappointed. "I hate this episode." Zim thought it would be the best time than any to get his advice.
"Dib, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, I guess you can ask me anything since nothing's on." Dib said switching off the T.V. "So, what's on your mind?"
"You gone out with many girls, right?"
"Yeah…Was that your question?"
"No, I was wondering, how did you get along with their Dads?"
"Ohhhh…Not getting along with Mary's Dad, huh?" Dib figured out.
"Nu-huh, I try being nice and talk to him, but all he does is call me stupid and yell at me. I really want him to like me considering the situation."
"Because you are an outer space being dating his daughter and he doesn't know that yet." Dib summed up, took a sip from his soda can and placed it on the table.
"Right." Zim confirmed his statement.
"To answer your question, I don't know. I never got along with any girls' father. Not even Gretchen's."
"Really?" Zim questioned slightly disappointed.
"Nope, sorry, don't know what to tell you." Dib gave up.
"Dang," Zim said back to square one. Prof. Membrane walked into the living room seeing his boys.
"Hello Sons, why isn't the T.V. on? Is it broken?"
"No, we're just talking." Dib addressed his father. Prof. Membrane chuckled.
"You kids and your strange fads." He laughed. Zim and Dib exchange awkward glances to whatever Membrane said. The door bell rang. They looked to the door in response to the bell.
"Who could that be at this hour?" Prof. Membrane wondered.
"It must be Xen," Gaz called to her father from the upstairs ledge. "Could you tell him I'll be ready in a minute?"
"Okay Daughter," Prof. Membrane said then cringed under his breath. "Xen…"
Dib and Zim looked to each other at Membrane's odd hatred of Xen and watched him open the front door. Prof. Membrane looked down at the punk kid.
"Ummm…Hi Prof. Membrane, is Gaz ready to go?" Xen nervously asks.
"Ohhh, she'll be ready, over your dead body!" Prof. Membrane yelled and slammed the door in Xen's face. Zim and Dib were bewildered by Prof. Membrane's change of personality. Zim had never seen Prof. Membrane like that. He usually a very relaxed, happy man but something about Xen made him act so sour.
"Dad!" Gaz protested to her father. She marched to the door and opened it to see if Xen was there. He was.
"I'm ready, Xen, let's get outta here." Gaz said walking away.
"Have a fun time, Daughter." Prof. Membrane said waving goodbye to her. Xen looked over his shoulder at Prof. Membrane. He saw his glance and gave Xen a cold glare. Xen quickly turned away and walked Gaz to his car. Prof. Membrane shut the door.
"Dad, why do you hate Xen?" Dib asked him.
"Hmmm." Prof. Membrane hummed. "I don't know. Just the thought of him taking my little girl out fills me with rage! My vulnerable little girl."
"Pst! Ha hah hah ha ha ha!" Both Dib and Zim laughed. Prof. Membrane frowned to their outburst.
"Gaz, vulnerable?" Dib questioned. "When is she vulnerable?"
"Are you speaking of the same Gaz?" Zim laughed. "I would like to meet that Gaz."
"Dad, Gaz will be fine." Dib assured him.
"Well, I don't trust him." Prof. Membrane said brushing off his son's comfort.
"But Dad, Xen is a very nice guy which is surprising Gaz would date a saint. I thought she would be more interested in the grouchy types."
"But if they are grouchy, they whine and she doesn't like whiners." Zim pointed out.
"Or jerks." Dib said.
"Or jerks." Zim repeated.
"Or pests." Dib added.
"Anything like us in that matter." Zim agreed.
"Wait, why are we talking about this?" Dib asked Zim.
"I don't know, but Membrane went back downstairs." Zim told him watching Membrane leave.
"Oh, now I remember, my point is Mary's Dad doesn't personally hate you."
"He doesn't."
"No, he hates the fact you're dating his daughter."
"Ohhhh! Is that supposed to make me feel better?"
"Give him time to adjust to the idea and let him get to know you better. And if he does hate you, at least you tried." Dib told him.
"I'll try but the man is unpredictable. I should ask Mary if he has unnatural wild mood swings because it's all I know of him. Crazy anger man."
"Maybe he does but be settle when asking." Dib advise him. Zim nodded then got up.
"I will if I get the chance." Zim said. "Thanks for your insight. I have to leave before Gir gets any dangerous ideas."
"Okay, see ya later." Dib said farewell. Zim waved farewell to him and left his house. Dib's advice proved to be helpful once he thought it over. Maybe her Dad needs more time to get to know him better. He doesn't consider himself a bad person, not anymore since banishment changed his ways. If he likes him, great, if not, who cares? All which concerns him was keeping the girl he loves happy.
Zim was enlightened with this knowledge while walking home. When he arrived at his front door, he opens it to see Gir and Minimoose sitting on the living room floor with a jar of pickled peppers.
"Hello guys." Zim greeted them then looked at the jar placed between them. Gir stuck his fingers in it to pick a pepper then ate it. He giggled, gave one to Minimoose to eat and ate it too and then giggled.
"What are you eating?" Zim questioned them curious.
"They're Jalapenos peppers. They're very sweet."Gir told him.
"Sweet, huh?" Zim said peering into the jar of green little peppers. "Let me try one."
Gir stuck his hand in the jar; shook off the extra juice then gave one to him. Zim stared at the pepper then felt the rubbery texture between his fingers. He popped it in his mouth and began chewing. Immediately he felt his mouth burn. He spat out the pepper.
"It burns, it burns!" Zim manage to shriek. "You told me they were sweet!"
"They are sweet. Hot like a grapefruit."
"It's spicy, spicy!" Zim screamed running to the kitchen. Zim grabbed a cup quickly without any delay, turned on the faucet, ran it under water, and then began drinking it. The cool water turned deadly burning his mouth. Zim's mouth fizzed with all kinds of burns. "What madness is this?" He screamed then threw up in sink ridding of the water he swallowed. Gir and Minimoose walked into the kitchen to see their master. He hunched over the sink. Eyes swelled up with tears triggered from the pain. He turned to his robots.
"Those are NOT sweet!" Zim shouted to them then muttered. "Should have known better to trust a robot's taste buds."
"Heh heh, you don't like the peppers." Gir smiled at him. Zim glared at Gir laughing at him then saw a juice box levitate to him. Minimoose gave it to him. Zim grasp the juice box from the air.
"Thank you, Minimoose." Zim said then poked a hole with the straw and drank it. The fruit punch soothed his aching tongue and mouth. "Okay, that's enough excitement. How about we-"
"Oh! Let's play Frisbee!" Gir said then ran in the living room picking up the plastic red disk. He threw to Minimoose and he caught with his powers.
"Not in the house!" Zim screamed then felt his mouth sting again. He covered his mouth reacting to the pain. Gir and Minimoose didn't hear them and continue throwing the frisbee. 'I can't scream. It hurts so much to scream.' Zim thought recognizing his temporary limitation and decided to try reasoning. "Gir, Minimoose." He spoke softly. "I know you're having fun."
"Whhoooo!" Gir shrieked. "Look how far I threw it!"
Minimoose flew up the stairs to catch it.
"But playing Frisbee in the house can be dangerous." Zim spoke but Minimoose threw it to Gir and he tossed it to Minimoose again. "Someone could get-" The fisbee bounced off the side of Zim's head. Minimoose and Gir saw Zim's shocked face when it happened and laughed.
"ENOUGH!" Zim finally screamed. They stopped their laughter and saw Zim's eye twitch to them then they laughed again. "I give up. You want to play Frisbee in the house, fine. Be my guest." Zim said picking up the Frisbee then gave it to Gir. Zim went into the kitchen to fetch more juice boxes to alleviate his burning tongue and marched upstairs to his room. Zim spent the whole night in there trying to ignore the possible madness his robots were doing without his supervision. Eventually he fell asleep and awoke to both Gir and Minimoose sleeping next to him. They must have missed his presence last night. The swelling of his tongue went down and it stings a little compare to yesterday. His mouth didn't hurt either. Zim got out of bed then prepared for the long day ahead.
After a morning of labeling items and stocking them, Zim was finally done working at his job for the day. He caught the next bus and rode it to Mary's neighborhood. During the trip, he wondered how far along Mary was in cleaning the infamous dingy room she needed his assistance. He hoped maybe she would be almost completed since morning passed and it was already entering the stages of a late afternoon. Two O'clock to be precise. Zim tapped at her door. He knocked once more after the first minute then Mary opened it to see him.
"Hello Zim." Mary greeted. "Glad you can make it."
"And what reason would I not?" Zim questioned any excuse to it.
"I guess there would be no reason." Mary answered.
"So, how far are you in cleaning the room?" Zim asked.
"Not far at all. I haven't even started. I kind of slept in." Mary confessed.
"What?" Zim question in disbelief then groaned. "You haven't even started? I envy you having the freedom to sleep in while I had to get up at eight to work. Speaking of which, working in a half supermarket made me hungry. Do you have anything I could eat?"
"I thought you would be hungry so I made you lunch before I started cleaning." Mary informed him.
"Oh," Zim stunned she did prepare him lunch said. "I guess I'll let you off the hook since you did make me lunch. Thank you."
"It's in the kitchen." Mary accepted his gratitude then widens the door. "Come on in." Mary let inside and led him in the kitchen to show him his meal. She prepared a quiche with green peppers and tomatoes with two biscuits to the side. For dessert, fruit salad mixed with strawberries, raspberries, apples and bananas.
"Wow, this looks so good!" Zim cheered then sat at the table. He noticed there was only one plate on the table. He then saw Mary opening a cupboard under the sink. "Don't you want to join me?"
"I already ate but you go right ahead. I have to prepare what we need to clean up." Mary said fetching a few trash bags then walked out of the kitchen. Zim picked up a fork and began eating the fluffy treat. He ate the crust and all in his little ceramic pie pan. Mary came to see Zim eating the fruit salad. She saw he looked like he was really happy enjoying the dessert. Zim saw her then said:
"This fruit salad is so so so good! Regular fruit doesn't taste as sweet. What did you add to make it so tasty?"
"I mixed it with honey as a substitute to whipped cream because you can't eat dairy products. Then I added granola bits for extra texture and flavor."
"Can't you do anything?" Zim questioned impressed by her cooking skills.
"Let's see." Mary pondered. "I…I don't know how to ride a unicycle."
"That? It's pretty easy. Gir taught me how to ride one. He can teach you too if you like." Zim offered a lesson.
"Okay, sure." Mary agreed to an unusual lesson.
"Friendly warning: Wear pants. Don't wear a skirt. It can be drafty."
"Okay." Mary accepted his advice. Mary found the window cleaner and grabbed a roll of paper towels. "Join me upstairs when you're done."
"But I am done." Zim said. Mary looked at his plates and saw he was.
"Wow, already? You must have been hungry." Mary stated.
"Yep, I was. I haven't been that full in a while." Zim said then stood from the chair. "Let's get to it." Mary nodded and asked him to bring up the garbage can. At the table upstairs in the hallway, Mary gathered the other supplies needed like dusters, wash rags and wood polish for the desk. Mary also had a few trash bags for containing the paper to put in the recycling later. Mary and Zim stood before the neglected room. Mary put her hand on the handle. "Are you ready?"
"Should I be surprised?" Zim questioned. Mary didn't answer. She opened the door for Zim to see the disaster dust ball which is the room. Zim spied how much dust it had and amazed him any room could get this dirty. Then to the ground, he saw papers cover each corner of the carpet and the bookcases of alien pictures.
"Sweet jumpin' chili beans!" Zim exclaimed.
"It's pretty bad." Mary stated its condition.
"Pretty bad is an understatement. This is horrible! No wonder you didn't want to clean it!"
"Yeah…" Mary said the flipped on the light switch. The light didn't illuminate. "Oh right, I forgot the light bulb burned out. I'll be back."
Zim watch her leave downstairs. He decided to be adventurous and take foot in the room. He caught scent of the musty smell then wheezed. He saw how high the light fixture was on the ceiling and knew none of them were tall to reach so he searched the room and found a wooden chair. He picked it up from the floor and stood it upright. He felt the chair was unbalanced. He rocked the chair examining its flaw. He saw one leg was broken. "Great…" He groaned dropping it on the floor rendering it useless. Mary returns with the light bulb in her right hand. She was shocked to see he entered the room without her. Zim grabbed another nearby chair and rolled it to the center.
"This seems like the only good chair in here." Zim stated his discovery. "You stand on it to change while I steady it."
Mary agreed to the plan knowing he was strong to maintain her weight and balance on the wobbling office chair. Mary stepped on it and while Zim held it still. She removed the glass light cover then carefully hand it to Zim where he placed it next to a pile of papers. Mary loosens the dead bulb then twist in the new one. Mary inch her way into the seat becoming closer looking up at him. Enchanted by her eyes brightening the darken room, he leaned over and kisses her lips. He touched her lips lightly then spoke.
"What were we doing again?"
"Cleaning this room." She reminded him.
"Oh, right. Let me kiss you few times then we can start."
"Zim…" Mary whined as he kissed her four times on one cheek. Zim bounced off the office chair to let her stand up. Mary threw the old bulb in the garbage can. Zim flipped on the light but to the switch of the light, it made the room look dirtier.
"I can see!" Zim exclaimed. "And I don't like it!"
Mary brought in the garbage can and placed it to the wall then gathered dusters, plastic bags, and paper towels in both arms. When she entered, she saw the broken legged chair lay on the floor then sighed. Zim heard her and noticed she was staring at the chair he dropped.
"It's broken." Zim said.
"I don't think it will ever be fixed." She stated a permanent truth. Zim knelt to it then examined it once more.
"It could be. Maybe if you use wood glue to repair the leg or replace it. It can be reused." Zim told her.
"Sure, someday." Mary nodded.
"Where do you want it?" Zim asks.
"In the garage. We keep most our tools there." Mary said to Zim. Zim picked up the chair and let Mary lead him to her garage. She opened the door for him and Zim laid it next to the tool bench. They walked upstairs back into the study. Zim picked up a plastic bag and spied at the wall of UFO fame. Zim gazed among each picture.
"Do you recognize any of these ships?" Mary wondered.
"No, but I can guess…" Zim said then plucked one picture from the bookcase. "That's not real." He threw it in the garbage bag then plucked another. "That's not real. This is not real. This one is a decorated poop can. This one's a kite." He threw them all in the garbage bag and picked up another. "Hmmm…Could be real. I don't know." Zim not caring stuck in the bag and continued taking down the recyclable printed pictures. "Nice Frisbee." He commented another picture. Mary shrugged her shoulders and picked up UFO related pictures and other material on the floor and threw them away in her plastic bag.
"Oh my gosh!" Mary shouted. Zim suddenly turned to her when she shouted. "The carpet is white. I forgot it's white."
Zim laughed at her observation and tossed away old pictures. When Mary gathered all the papers from the floor, she tied the full bag and set it outside the room. Mary picked up a duster and gave one to him. She pulled back the curtains to open windows giving them and the room circulating air while dusting. She cleared the desk and dusted it then sprayed on wood polish to wipe away the dirt. She looked under the paper rag to see the thick line of dust collected. It didn't surprise her to see so much dust considering it hasn't been clean in years. She threw away the paper towels to get another. She sprayed polish on the drawers and wiped. When he demolished the UFO picture wall, Zim dusted the bookcase. He coughed. "This is unbearable…"
"Try pulling your collar over your mouth so you can avoid coughing." Mary advised him. Zim noticed she done this with her collar pulled over her nose. He copied her move keeping it over his mouth. Mary wiped the CPU computer drive and monitor. "Hey, I wonder if this computer works."
"Only one way to find out." Zim said then poked the start button of the desktop CPU. They waited for a minute before they heard the computer start up. It let out a loud computer generated chime. "The speakers work." Zim pointed out. They saw a single icon button pop up on the computer screen labeled under it, Yoa. Mary scrolled the pointer on the icon and clicked it. When she did, an empty row appeared demanding a password to access it. Mary stared puzzled why her mother set up a password on the family computer.
"Let me guess." Zim spat out. "Is it alien?"
Mary typed in the word and hit enter. The computer confirmed it.
"Your mother is obsessed." He stated then the desktop screen load up and he saw the screen's wallpaper was a creepy man made alien creature. "Too obsessed."
"What was your first hint?"
"It certainly wasn't the fucking hundreds of UFO pics. I had to take off the bookshelf." Zim said. Mary dusted away any remaining particles on screen and smiled.
"If I knew we had a working computer in here, I would have cleaned sooner. I totally forgot there was. I can use this for my school work instead of my Dad's. It would be wonderful if the printer worked too and have ink still." Mary said and ducked under to find the printer in its cubby.
"I don't see why you can't have it." Zim stated. "It's not like she's coming back for it."
"True, this is supposed to be the family computer. I think she has her own." Mary reasoned the possibility.
"But if she does, for whatever reason, want it, let her have the piece of junk and have your Dad buy you a new computer for your birthday or something. When is your birthday exactly?"
"It's May Tenth." Mary said.
"Hmmm…That gives me a few months to get an amazing birthday present." Zim thought out loud.
"Oh, you don't have to get me anything amazing." Mary told him.
"You're right. It has to be extravagate." Zim exclaimed. Mary giggled to his excitement.
"I'll love anything you give me." She smiled.
"Even a dead rat?" Zim exchanged the same smile. Mary's smile quickly faded.
"Please don't give me a dead rat." She said.
"Relax, I was only kidding. Don't worry. I won't." Zim said then thought. 'Note to self: Don't give her anything dead.'
Mary smiled then clicked off the computer and monitor.
"I'll change the password later." She said and picked up the window cleaner and paper towels. She squirts the window glass then wiped it with a paper towel. Zim continue dusting the bookshelves. After Mary wiped the windows, she took down the curtains to be washed. Zim carried the two bags of recycled paper as he followed her to the laundry room. Mary pointed out where they kept their recycling bin and they empty the bags into it in the garage. When they returned, Mary fetched a vacuum cleaner to collect dust in the carpet or whatever settled on it. Zim helped taking the garbage can back to the kitchen and all the other supplies used. Mary turned off the vacuum after her final stroke of the carpet. She unplugged it and put it back in the hall closet. Zim returned and saw the remarkable transformation. It actually was livable. Mary gave Zim a big hug.
"Thanks for your help, Zim." Mary said. "I can't wait to use it as a real study."
"Well, why not right now?" Zim posed a question. Mary grinned, grabbed his hand and they went into the study.
Outside getting out of his car, Prof. Weylin returns home from a long day of work. Creating and solving equations really took it out of him. He opened the front door and slowly entered his house. He gazed around and didn't see his daughter. He thought she told him she was going to be home all day.
"Mary!" He called out for her.
"Dad!" Mary screamed. "I'm upstairs!"
Prof. Weylin waited for her to come from upstairs to see him but she didn't. He climbed the steps to meet her. Prof. Weylin passed the study then stopped and turned around to see them; Zim and Mary sitting on the floor playing with a deck of cards.
"Now, what is it were playing?" Zim asked again.
"Old Maid." Mary stated.
"Why name a game after an old lady?" He questioned looking at his cards.
"Why not?" Mary asked.
"Hmmmm…I really don't see your point."
"My gosh, Mary!" Prof. Weylin exclaimed viewing the room. The carpet was white and free from paper. The desk and bookshelves were spotless and the windows were clean brightening up the room with the setting sun. "Is this the study?"
"Yeah, doesn't it look great? Zim helped me clean it. We were working on it all day." Mary said then wondered to Zim. "Speaking of which, what time is it?"
Zim pulled out his cell phone from his pocket.
"It's after six." Zim told her.
"Wow, that late?" Mary exclaimed. "It's already dinner time. Zim, would you care to join us?"
"Sure, if it's okay." Zim said then looked up to Prof. Weylin for his permission.
"It's fine." Prof. Weylin flatly allowed.
"Great. Oh no, I forgot the laundry." Mary shouted and stood up. "I'll get dinner ready as soon as I get the curtains in the dryer."
Mary ran downstairs leaving Prof. Weylin and Zim to stare at each other. Zim exchanged an awkward smile to his stare but Prof. Weylin turned away and walked downstairs. Zim frowned to his rude brush off. Zim picked up the cards, stacked neatly and put them in the desk drawer. Zim clicked off the lights as he exits out then went downstairs to the living room. He spotted Prof. Weylin plopped on the couch. Zim, not knowing what to do, took his seat on the arm chair next to him. He didn't say a word. He watched Prof. Weylin turn on the T.V. At the distance, Zim saw Mary in the kitchen taking a pot from below the counter to the stove. Zim was about to stand up, but became distracted from Prof. Weylin's sudden groan. Zim glanced at him to see Prof. Weylin's head face-planted in his hands. Zim pondered at his gloom.
"Is something wrong, Sir?" Zim asked showing some concern to the man who gave him such a hard time.
"No, nothing." Prof. Weylin denied. Zim wanted to take this opportunity to get away but Prof. Weylin continued speaking. "Just, ah... What's up with these movies?"
Zim looked at the title screen on the T.V. set of the choices of movies they have recently watched. All of them were alien themed movies Zim could recognize.
"I can't believe I sat down and watched these crappy movies with her." Prof. Weylin muttered then turned to Zim. "All week she and I watched nothing but alien movies. I try to recommend different ones but Mary refuses to watch any others. She never watches these kinds of movies before. Do you know why she's so interested in alien movies? Did you spark her interest?"
Zim became tense when he asked his final question. He mind raced with many worries.
'Does he know I'm…No he can't. There's no way! Maybe he knows? How? Okay, hold it together. Play innocent. What am I thinking? Deny it!' Zim thought. He gripped his palms then answered him calmly.
"No, no I don't." Zim lied but he knew exactly what she was doing. Mary was trying to get her father adjusted to the existence of him. Prof. Weylin was curious why it took him so long to answer his questions but let it go. He knew the boy was already strange. He looked over to the T.V. set and sighed.
"I should have known it would come to this." Prof. Weylin said and shook his head. "Her curious nature in alien stuff and UFOs, she reminds me so much of her. It was only a matter of time before she becomes just like her mother."
Zim paused not knowing what to say but it enraged him. It enraged him to think Mary could ever be as heartless as the woman who abandoned her. Who would capture foreign creatures and strip them of their freedom. Once more, her father thinking it could be true. He knew it would never happen and had to let him know.
"You're wrong." Zim said. Prof. Weylin turned to him. Prof. Weylin saw the serious anger flaming in his eyes. "She could never be like her. Just you saying such nonsense make me sick to think it."
"Why does it make you sick?" Prof. Weylin asked curious why he looked so angry.
"Because I met her and know of her through what Mary told me. About her how she left her and you to chase some hope dream. I don't think it's fair to compare Mary to her." Zim said then stood up. "She could never be so heartless."
After saying what he had to say, Zim walked by him and enter the kitchen to meet Mary. Prof. Weylin astonished what Zim told him, stared at him while he asks Mary if there was anything he could do to help with dinner.
"Let's see…" Mary muttered thinking what he could do. "You could make the rice. Just be careful when measuring the water. I'll prepare the salad."
Mary handed Zim the box of instant rice. He read the directions and measured the right portions while Mary chopped the lettuce, carrots and cucumbers. Zim combined the two ingredients of water and rice in the pot. Waited for it to boil, put it on simmer then shut the lid on it. Mary thoroughly washed the salad in a colander. After which, she shook the lose water and sat it in a bowl.
"That should be enough." Mary said then went to see how Zim was doing. "How's the rice."
"Ten more minutes it should be ready." Zim informed her.
"Good, let's see how the chicken is doing." Mary said then opened the oven. She spied on the baking chicken, and then poked a meat thermometer in one of the thick slices of chicken. She stared at the temperature reading. "I think it should be done in twenty minutes. With your help, Zim, I was able to prepare the side dishes a little ahead of schedule."
"Glad I could help." Zim said.
"You have been such a big help today." Mary said then smiled. "I'm so grateful."
"Like I said before, I would do anything for you." Zim said looking in her eyes. Mary's cheeks turned crimson. She wanted to kiss him but spotted her father spying on them. Mary snuck a quick peck on the cheek. Zim smiled feeling the swift kiss.
"Thank you." She said then opened the top cupboards. "While we're waiting, let's set up the table."
Zim nodded then grabbed two glasses from the cupboard to put on the table then went back to cupboard to fetch the third cup. Prof. Weylin watched the kids set the table. He saw Mary stand on her toes to reach for the three plates from the very top shelf. Mary grabbed the three plates in her hands then tipped them towards her to get from the pile. On the top of the plates, there was a single small bowl. She dropped them to their spot realizing the bowl was there but because it was set to the edge, the bowl slipped away from the plates. She let out a startled yelp watching the bowl fall over her. Zim saw the coming danger and acted quickly grabbing the bowl in mid air before it hit her. Mary opened her eyes to see he caught the bowl. Mary sighed relieved he avoided her a bonk to the head. Prof. Weylin saw the whole thing and how quick he was to act. Zim put the bowl on the counter.
"That was close." Zim said.
"I'll say." Mary agreed.
"Mary, why did you stack the dishes so high you couldn't reach them?" Zim asked seeing where she placed the plates.
"I usually don't. My father washed the dishes yesterday." Mary told him. Zim shot a glance at Prof. Weylin while he avoided it.
"Next time you should use a stepladder or chair." Zim advise her what she should do if it ever happened again.
"Yeah, I will." Mary accepted his advice. Zim grabbed the plates from the top shelf for her and handed them to her so she could set the table. While she was at the table, Zim moved the plates to the bottom shelf to prevent future accidents. Prof. Weylin was surprised, not because Zim gave him a snotty glare but how devoted he was caring for his daughter. Ten minutes passed and Mary checked on the rice. She scooped a spoonful to taste the texture and called it good. Then set it to the side of the stove top to cool. After cooling, Zim scooped the rice upon the three plates. Mary displayed the bowl of mixed salad and dressing in the middle with tongs. Mary checked on the chicken once more with the thermometer and saw it was ready. She took it out of the oven wearing oven mitts and sat it on the stove. Mary scrapped the hot chicken on a platter then placed a piece chicken on each plate. She sat the platter in the middle next to the salad for anyone who would like another piece. Mary fetched her father to tell him dinner was ready. Prof. Weylin and Mary entered the kitchen to see Zim poured them fruit punch in their glasses and put the jug back in the refrigerator. Zim sat down with the family and they enjoyed the dinner. Mary helped herself to salad while her father didn't want any. Mary scolded her father saying vegetables were good for him and placed some on his plate anyways. Zim chuckled when she disciplined her father. During the meal, much wasn't discussed. Prof. Weylin didn't continue the conversation Zim and he shared in the living room nor didn't Zim bring it up. Mary sat happily enjoying their company. When it was the end of dinner, Zim and Mary exit to the living room. Zim told her he had to go home for his robots' sakes. Mary nodded understanding then hugged him.
"Thanks again for all your help." She said.
"You're very welcome, Mary." Zim said hugging then released. "I'll see you later."
Zim kissed her forehead and made his way to the front down. He opened and shut it behind him. He walked off the front porch and about to cross their lawn until he heard the door crack open. He turned around to see no other than Prof. Weylin at the door.
"Hey Zim, you're alright." Prof. Weylin finally said then quickly shut the door. Zim smiled, turned around and said.
"Better than okay."
Zim whistled walked away from their home pleased.
Here's another short just for the heck of it.
It's a Wonderful Short: Pathetic Little Details
"Zim," Dib said. "If you can make people sick with your saliva, how come Mary isn't when you guys kiss?"
"Mary tastes small doses of my saliva to build up an immunity so it doesn't affect her." Zim said confident to Dib's question.
"What?" Dib shouted not impressed. "That's not a good reason."
"It's good enough!" Zim screamed.
"You know what!" Dib screamed back. "Right here!" Dib flashed Zim the middle finger. "This is what I think of your logic."
"Go fuck yourself!" Zim screamed offended.
"Thought you never ask!" Dib responded then pause to think of what he said. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. Why are we fighting again?"
"I don't know but it is entertaining." Zim admitted.
"To who?" Dib bothered to ask.
"You know." Zim said then elbowed Dib. "Just smile and wave to the readers."
Dib quit complaining joining Zim as they waved to you all.