Chapter 9
Sara got up after a restful night. She hoped that Grissom wouldn't be too angry. It was still another day before they left, not to mention a six hour drive back. She walked down stairs to the smell of bacon and eggs.
"Hello, my dear." Mrs. Grissom poured some orange juice in a glass for her.
"Morning. How are you...," She lowered her voice, "how is Grissom?"
"Fine. Talked this morning. He'll get over it."
"I heard that. I'm not sure I forgive either one of you, yet." Grissom entered the room wearing a blue apron. "However, I did make breakfast for everyone."
They sat down and ate in strained silence until Grissom broke it, "Even though you're not my girlfriend, Sara, I should still show you around. That is the point, right?"
"Point of what, dear?" Mrs. Grissom asked with interest.
"I told her she should come because she's only effectively been three places in her life."
"Then you two should go see the mountains. The snow is beautiful this time of year on Mount Wilson."
"Ah. Well, what can we say? Would you like to go for a ride?" Grissom was talking to Sara who had her mouth full.
"meah, shure." She finished chewing and swallowed. "I'd love to. I saw snow at Harvard, but I've never been on a mountain before."
They left a few hours later and drove the hour or so to the mountain. When they got to the park they realized that it was also an observatory and got out to talk with some of the crowd. They were invited on a tour and to stay until that night, which happened to mark the Geminid meteor shower.
"60-80 meteors per hour. Want to watch some shooting stars?" Grissom obviously wanted to stay.
"Sure, why not. Your mother won't be worried, will she?"
"Not really, besides, she could use a little payback after last night."
"She said you didn't have to bring a fake girlfriend around. She could have been mad at you for trying something like that."
"Well, I guess I won't be asking you to Christmas, I won't be needing a girlfriend, I guess."
"I guess. I don't celebrate Christmas, anyway. I usually just work full time during the season."
"No family, right. Just you and Jason?"
"Yep."
They talked and walked around until night fall when they entered one of the observatories to see the meteors. "Look at that one! It lasted for a while." Sara was really enjoying this and Grissom watched her while she grabbed her arms and began to rub.
"Cold?"
"A bit." At this, he wrapped his arms around her and they stood, lulled by the shooting stars for nearly two hours. The technician was the reason for their trip back to reality.
"Closing up, here. You can watch outside, if you'd like, but we have to start getting some work done here." The man was obviously annoyed that anyone had stayed this long.
"Alright, we have a long drive back, anyway." When they got outside the snow, which had been blindingly white before, was now a cool blue, shadowed in the starlight. Sara took this moment in. It was beautiful. She wished she could stay there forever.
It was about midnight when they got back to the house.
"Long night?" Mrs. Grissom was still up, in her robe, and looking at the clock. She had begun to sign and talk at the same time for Sara's sake.
"Happened across some shooting stars. Thought we'd stay." Grissom was uncomfortable with the insinuations that his mother kept making.
"I'm beat. 'Night Grissom, Mrs. Grissom. See you tomorrow." Sara hauled herself up the stairs and passed out cold on her bed.
The conversation downstairs continued.
She's a nice girl. Why don't you make a move. You obviously like her.
She's too young. I live in Las Vegas now, she's still working on her Master's.
So what. You could just see where it goes.
I don't want to see where it goes. She's nice but I don't think she would like to be with me...
And why not? You're smart, funny, and you have a good job. Don't sell yourself short.
I'm not. I just don't want to be with her.
That's the one thing I know is a lie. I know how you look at her. I've seen it before. You can't hardly go a minute without looking in her direction. She looks at you, too, you know.
I'm old enough, biologically speaking, to be her father.
Doesn't stop most people. And how many teens have kids?
Teens have been having children for many millenia. We wouldn't be the race we are now if that hadn't happened.
And older men have been with younger women for many millenia. If you're going to use history against me, you'd better be prepared to take it all.
Mom. Just leave it be. I'm going home tomorrow. I'll be leaving California soon after. I probably won't ever see her again.
I don't believe that for a second.
