Chapter 39

Zelda

Friends Always

"Where did that gloomy look come from?" Laughs Nick who is scrubbing the floor of his shop.

"I dunno," Shrugs Zelda. "Didn't sleep well last night I guess; shift was much too long." Sadly though she knows exactly why. Her work friend Diaun and her have been complaining about the Visitors not long after their arrival. Last night Diaun and her spoke for some time about her joining a resistance movement against the Visitors. She didn't tell Diaun that a group of Visitors have given them money to start the cafe and make changes in Nick's shop. However, Diaun knows that young Visitors come to her shop quite often and they are interested in having someone like Zelda and her friends join the resistance. In this way they may be able to acquire info from the younger Visitors to use for the cause without them knowing. Zelda was so excited when she and Diaun spoke, but now back at the shop she is not sure. Brian is a know it all, but she genuinely believes he wants the best for them, although he may have personal reasons for helping them as well. Gordon seems really nice, but he is extremely guarded. Gordon is not one to reveal himself willingly to those he does not know fully, of that she is sure. George she may have only seen him once, but the guy could likely sell someones own car to them. She also liked the trooper, why couldn't they just come in and be total jerks so she could hate them easily. Why did they have to behave like they had good souls, but are blindly following whatever their superiors tell them.

"You okay?" Nick has a troubled look on his face. "You and Javier. Ah, how do I say this..." He leans the mop against a wall and walks towards her. Placing a hand on her shoulder he speaks in a sympathetic tone, "You can trust me. Javier and I have been friends like forever, but I won't tolerate him hurting you. Is it the pot? Is there something else that is wrong?"

"No, seriously; why would you think that?" Zelda looks down at her hands which she is nervously rubbing together. If she does go to one of the resistance meetings she must tell her husband and Nick first, it would be wrong not to do so. She shrugs, "You know he is no longer selling pot and I am happy. Javier is so wonderful and has always supported me."

"Sorry, you look like you are going to melt into the floor, no offense that just isn't you. You sort of like to tell us what to do." Nick says with a chuckle, he then walks back to the mop and finishes cleaning the floor. Then he looks up to her, "I am sorry that they keep changing your shift and your hours with little notice. Think about it though, in a few weeks your going to be running a cafe and making your own hours. Life changing is it not. Of course, that means getting up early and likely staying up late just like me. . ." He waves his hand around the room, "Trying to get this all done before the shop opens." He shrugs, giving her another quick smile and begins wringing the mop head.

"Gee," Zelda gives a sheepish grin. "I have to admit doing something I enjoy is going to relieve some of the stress. However, with the price of commodities going up daily." She shrugs, "I dunno. We may be lucky to be open more than a few months. That includes if Brian and his friends keep funding us. Have you ever wondered why they are really doing this. Not saying they don't want to help us, but they must have a reason."

Nick chuckles, "I don't think they have another reason. . . yet." Then a more serious look comes to him as he says, "That talk about others on the ship owing Brian favors, means we now owe him one. I don't think he has one in mind at this moment, but it strikes me he won't forget to collect someday." Then a smile comes to him, "You girl know how to figure out anything as far as the shop." Still chuckling and pointing to the ceiling he says, "You better go upstairs and change or get back into bed and get some more sleep. Also, just in case you are wondering I have had breakfast already. Later some coffee would be nice. You know wink, wink."

Zelda salutes him and laughing goes up and changes her clothes and fixes breakfast for Javier, Ethan and herself. When she returns Nick is stocking some of the shelves and listening to Prince and some song called, Let's Go Crazy. She watches him for a moment as he occasionally does some dance step, when there is a pat on her fanny. Turning she waves a finger in front of Javier. "You better watch yourself mister."

She turns the radio down as Ethan comes running into the room and yells, "Gotta go Nick. I could stay here though and help. You know school, who needs school."

Nick smiles, but as soon as his brother is out the door he loses his smile. "Eighteen years difference between Ethan and I; I am literally old enough to be his father."

"Hate to tell you this, but in a way you are." Javier says, "You are a good guy. It has been a confusing and hard time for the kid. His mother dies when he is only a few months old and his dad just days before the aliens come."

Zelda nods, "Not fair. However, he has the best big brother ever. Everyday Javier and I are so thankful that you let us live here. Which reminds me, I will be right back, gonna bring down some coffee." Javier and Nick nod and when she returns they are busy working on the small room to be used to sell the new pipes, posters and other items that will be coming to the store. "Here you go guys, just like you like it." Zelda hands them each a coffee and Nick waves to the chairs that he has not removed from the room.

"Can you believe this," Javier leans earnestly forward in his chair. "I can't believe we are doing this and it is all because of the red suits."

As Nick and Javier talk about the changes Zelda finds herself lost in her thoughts. She cannot keep this to herself anymore it is time for the discussion. Her tone is stiffer than she means for it to be, "Time to talk about the red suits that visit here. I have been asked to join a resistance group." Zelda holds up her hand indicating she would like to finish speaking. "I would like to attend the meeting. It doesn't mean that I will be part of this group, only that I would like to learn what this movement intends to do or hopes to do." Both Nick and Javier are giving her an uncertain stare, "Just look what is happening since the red suits have come. People are being taken, at work I hear of doctors and others being taken by the aliens and never returning. Prices of food and other things are climbing every day; it makes it harder for us to actually have a life these days. I think most of us know that the Visitors didn't come to be friends. We just don't know why they are truly here. However, it is time for them to leave."

"You said the red suits that visit here. The ones coming here, they are not in charge." Nick motions to his chest. "That stripe may indicate officer, but they aren't in charge of anything." Then his tone becomes very solemn and serious, "I don't know if Brian, Gordon or the other two know very much. Yet, I assume they know something. I don't think they are being forthright; then again maybe if I was an alien with a plan to takeover a planet; I wouldn't be quite honest either."

Zelda begins to pat her knee nervously, "Then do we agree to join this resistance group if only to learn if we wish to be part of that movement."

Javier eyes have been moving from one to the other, but now both Nick and Zelda's eyes have suddenly moved to him and remain staring at him. Javier takes a deep breath before speaking. "No, I will not. However, if you two wish to do so, please do. I will never tell our red suited friends about your commitment to joining a resistance group." Both Nick and Zelda look at each other for a moment. "Yes, I said friends. Sure Zelda and I have talked about how they seem to have an agenda for their people or officers. No, they don't discuss it with us, but they aren't here just to be friends. Yet, they didn't do something for us because they were told to do so; they are doing it because they wanted to do that for us. I sometimes think they identify with us, more than their big guys up there and that is with us not really knowing that much about them. Something about them, they seem to be working to get their Visitor Friends to jump on the boat and back their big guys. However, what they do for us, is for us. You can tell they like being here, they never discuss us going to any meetings or anything. You can tell they like being away from their ship and they never want us involved with that Visitor Youth stuff. Which I guess the question is why? Why do they want us separate from what they are supposed to be supporting."

Nick sits back in his chair and simply lets the air come out in a whistle. "You may be right, but. . ." He rolls his eyes to the ceiling then just continues to look at the ceiling it is apparent he is thinking about what Javier has said. Finally he says, "We just don't know them, maybe we are part of some unscrupulous plan."

"I don't know Nick, I really don't know. Just going by my gut. Something is off about our young red suited friends." He reaches over and takes Zelda's hand, "But you should do this. I will back you one hundred percent, both of you." He goes to his knee in front of her and kisses her hand, "You are my everything. I want to know if the," He points up, "Big guys are evil, personally I think they are. If they are, then we need to figure out if our friends are evil as well. If they are then I will join immediately. I am still going to try to figure out what is going on with our red suited friends. I have to wait, something inside me says wait. Am I weird or not, maybe I want to trust them and that makes me stupid. The big guys up there, they aren't really working on building our trust for us unfortunate so to speak. Poor people, with nothing are nothing I believe to them. They work to gain a relationship with our governments and the rich and influential, but not with us. The little guy means nothing to them, just like the little guy hasn't really meant that much, to the government here, or the rich or the influential; except to use and manipulate us. Been that way forever and ever. Wow! That sure is a lot coming from me the dumb pot scum."

"I love you..." Zelda begins, she loves this man so much. People have always asked her why she married this guy, he sold pot and lacked in education. He isn't that smart they say and can only sell pot to even earn money. No, they don't know this man. He sold pot to help keep her in school. Smart, well apparently he is smart enough for her, he somehow always knows how to make her feel important in every way. Javier reads people and the more he gets to know them, well they better watch out he will figure out their secrets. She also knows that if she died before him, that this man would suffer. A tear comes to her eye and she squeezes his hand, "I don't know if we can ever really know who and what they support. However, if anyone can you can." Zelda kisses his hand.

"You two love birds." Nick shakes his head, "Wish I could find someone."

"Ah, you will find him Nick." Javier looks at him with a smile, "You just have to put yourself out there. Gotta be hard when, well...when you like guys." He takes a deep breath, "No, I mean it. You will find him one day. You will, I know you will." He stands, "Okay, hug time."

The three of them stand and hug for a moment. Nick looks at them, "I swear what does one do without friends who will stand by you even when they are truly angry at you. Could not do this road of life without you two." Then he shrugs, "Zelda. I want to, but I am going to hold off. I must say I am interested in those red suits and I don't want the distraction of any resistance wanting me to try and get information from them. There is something about them, I want to know first. Not sure how we can really figure out if they are evil or not, but I guess like Javier, I have to know for myself. However, doesn't mean I won't help though. If they need to hide people for a bit or need a place to store things. I am right here, but again I agree with Javier."

"Okay, I will attend the meeting. I will let them know that we support them and that you are available to help, but you need to hold off joining for now."

They all nod and Zelda agrees with Nick you need friends to go down any road. You just never know when that road will just need someone to just be there, if only to stand by you as you traverse that road. It is time though for her to join the resistance against the aliens. For Nick, he will help her as best he can until he makes a clear decision. For her beloved Javier, he is definitely interested in the red suits and what they may really be up to. It may be in the end that if she continues with the resistance group, that Javier may be the one in the end who will make those connections within the red suits.

Javier raises his cup, "Life is nothing without friends."

Together they repeat, "Friends for life."