Bebop Blues
Chapter 17: Felt Tip Pen
Spike was babysitting.
It wasn't something he wanted to do, but he was somehow guilted into doing just that while the young women were away on "vacation."
Jet wanted to take Rose on a proper date, and who was Spike to cock-block his comrade?
He was only watching Flora for the evening, but Spike was sure that there would be more of this in the future.
Maybe Mai was good with kids.
He laughed internally at the idea of Faye babysitting. The woman could barely take care of herself, much less a kid, and she was too selfish for even attempting it.
The two women had gone to Io for their vacation. Terraforming had recently finished construction, and there was a grand opening of malls, casinos, and fake beaches.
It was Faye territory.
Spike gathered that Mai was into venues less energetic, but she seemed to enjoy Faye's happiness; the women had taken off in their separate ships earlier that morning.
Spike thought he might like to venture out once Jet and Rose relieved him of Flora-duty.
The little girl was an angel, though. She was well behaved, if a bit hyperactive (he blamed Edward for that), and considering her age, he was more a chaperone than a babysitter. She was very mature and independent for a 6-year old.
Spike had forgotten to pay too close attention for this very reason, and began dozing off in a hammock near the large tree.
Crash!
He bolted upright and flipped off the hammock, thankful there was no shrew or hippie to laugh at his predicament. He ran towards the source of the noise (the kitchen) to find the remnants of a large glass bowl on the floor.
Flora and Ed were looking up at him with innocent eyes.
Ein was licking the floor near the bowl.
"What are you doing?" he asked, thankful there was no injury. He shuddered internally to see what the Desert Flower would do to him if her little seedling were injured under his care.
"Making dinner!" Edward proclaimed.
Flora was shying behind her. "Mama said no instant noodles, so Edward and I were trying to make spaghetti," she answered quietly.
You had to appreciate the kid's honesty.
And her grammar usage.
"I'll make spaghetti," he responded.
How hard could it be?
Thirty minutes and three packs of noodles later and he discovered just how hard it could be.
He had Edward clean up the glass from the floor with a broom and dustpan while he cursed over under-cooked noodles and bubbling tomato sauce.
Flora pulled a stepstool to the stove and stood upon it, leaning forward to look into the cooking pots. Instead of saying anything, she climbed upon the kitchen island to grab a few things from the overhanging pot rack.
"Flora, you shouldn't stand on the counter," Spike chastised. He did his best impression of Jet he could.
No dice.
"Here! Mama cooks noodles in this, and sauce in this!" She handed him a large pot with a matching colander along with a saucepan. "She keeps her homemade sauce in the jar in the fridge, and she cooked meat already. She put it in a container and left it in the microwave."
Jet better marry the woman.
You had to appreciate a mother who thought of everything.
He dumped the meat into the saucepan along with the jar of heavenly scented sauce.
The noodles cooked much more smoothly this time, and dinner was done before too long.
He served three bowls and opened a can of wet dog food for Ein.
"Bon Appétit," he said, and the three of them dug in.
"Not bad, Spike!" Edward exclaimed.
Flora was beaming. "Mama would be proud."
"Well she did all the hard work."
Since when did he get so humble?
Granted, he was more confidence than ego, but he could have at least taken credit for the effort.
The girls put their dishes in the sink, and Spike grabbed himself a book to read. The three and Ein travelled to the dome where the girls ran through the grass and played tag.
Ein took a nap near Spike's hammock, and Spike read his book, peeking from the corners intermittently to verify that the girls were still alive and happy.
He caught them yawning around 9:30, and he ushered them into their beds.
"Pajamas and teeth," he said. They complied without hesitation, and they were asleep the moment they were in bed.
Spike returned to his hammock. Ein had since left to sleep with Ed.
He read his book, dozing in and out of slumber.
"Oi, Spike-o," Jet called, gently shaking Spike's shoulder.
"Huh?"
Jet gave him a thumbs-up. "Not bad. They're sleeping soundly."
"And they're fed," Spike concluded. He threw his legs over the side of the hammock and walked over to Rose. He put his hands on her shoulders. "If Jet doesn't marry you, he's an idiot."
She laughed. "You found the spaghetti."
"Your daughter informed me."
She laughed again. "I told you he'd be fine, Jet."
Jet scratched the back of his head and chuckled. "We're off to bed. We're thinking of heading to Io tomorrow with the girls. The theme park opens tomorrow."
"Have fun with that." He began the trek to his room, waving an arm to Jet and the future Mrs. Black (it was only a matter of time) as he departed.
He had just flopped to his mattress when his com rang.
"Yeah?"
"You feel up for a game of pool?" It was Mai.
"I thought you and Faye had plans."
"It's... Complicated," she worded carefully.
He could hear cursing and screaming in the background. Something along the lines of "Get your hands off of me; I'm just walking here, you jackass."
"Drunk?"
"And angry." Mai sighed. "Should have cut her off an hour ago. We had a rather unpleasant run-in with some drunken chauvinists, and she flew off the handle."
"You sound sober."
"I don't drink, not in the drunk sense, at least. A social whiskey and I'm good. I'm a lightweight to begin with."
Spike began putting on his boots as he talked. "Where are you guys now?"
"I rented out the Presidential Suite at the Casablanca. I figured since the rest of the crew were coming down, we could all have a central location."
He whistled. "Expensive venture."
"Yeah. This thing has the works."
"I'll join you for pool, but no place swanky. It would ruin my style."
She laughed. "The Bronze Square. Hole in the wall bar not too far from here. I'll send you coordinates."
He could hear Faye yelling in the background. "And Faye?"
"She'll be passed out before too long. She's been throwing stuff at the bellboy; he was helping me wrangle her back to our room."
"Gotcha. See you in a bit, then."
It didn't take long for Spike to get there; they were orbiting Jupiter close to its current location.
He parked his Swordfish at the hotel (he may as well have a mini-vacation of his own) and walked to the bar on foot.
She really meant hole in the wall.
He pulled up a bar stool and ordered some bourbon. He wanted to start the night off right.
"Whiskey, on the rocks. And a vodka cranberry on standby," a voice said from behind him.
The bartender nodded to her.
Mai sat next to Spike. "That woman can hold her liquor like no one else," she sighed.
"I thought you weren't a drinker?"
"I'm not. I need it."
He laughed. "Can I get a light?"
She handed him her Zippo.
They drank in silence and took their second round to the closest pool table.
Spike broke.
They played as they drank, enjoying solace and the sound of the stories around them.
"So, what's with you and Faye showering together?" Spike finally asked. Four rounds of pool and six drinks for Mai. He felt he waited long enough.
She scratched the velvet on the table.
"Oi!" the bartender called.
"Sorry! I'll pay for it!" She glared at Spike dramatically. "What's it to you?"
"You two seem close."
"Closer in some ways than you two, further in others."
He gave her a confused look before taking his turn. "I don't follow."
"You think she hadn't told me about your escapades? I hear well-endowment and good sex sense runs in the Spiegel veins."
He scratched the velvet this time.
"C'mon!" the bartender yelled, more annoyed this time.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll cover it."
Mai was laughing, the alcohol loosening her lips and the marijuana loosening her nerves. "Honestly, Spike, we're just friends." She took her turn this time. "She's not into sex with women, if that's your issue."
He choked on his drink.
A blunt Mai wasn't a normal occurrence.
"It wouldn't even be an issue, quite the opposite," he answered.
"Ah, always such a smooth-talker."
"I aim to please."
"I bet you do."
If he didn't know Mai (or Roy, for that matter), he'd swear she was flirting.
"8-Ball, Center pocket," she pointed to the one in front of Spike. The angle made it appear as though she was pointing to his crotch. He raised an eyebrow. "No funny ideas, bro," she added for good measure.
"Just poking fun, sis."
She sank the ball and won the round.
"Looks like we're all tied up," Spike commented.
Mai laughed. "We should call it quits, leave it open-ended, an eternal mental frustration of what could have been," she mused.
That statement felt heavier than it sounded.
Spike shrugged. "What's your game plan?"
"I'm pretty beat. Figured I'd go check on Faye, maybe hit the casino."
He gave her a thoughtful pondering. "I'll go with you."
"And freak Faye out?"
"I live for that," he answered.
Mai laughed again as she paid their tab, making sure to leave a fat tip and compensation for the scratched table.
They left for the hotel and waited in the elevator in silence.
That was something about Mai Spike greatly appreciated; she never said more than she needed to. She never overstated, chatted, filled silence with empty conversation: she had a point to everything she said.
Mai showed him to the room and swiped the card, handing him one of his own.
Faye was passed out on the couch.
Mai knelt to her and whispered. "Spike and I are going to the casino, doll. You want to join?"
Her eyes fluttered open, and she stared at the ceiling for a moment.
"Damn Lunkhead," she muttered as she closed her eyes again.
Mai giggled. Even in her sleep, Faye was opinionated.
"I'm sad to take that as a no," Spike whispered in Faye's ear.
Both Mai and Faye jumped.
Mai, because she hadn't heard Spike creep over to them like that.
Faye, because it was Spike.
She flung a pillow at him. "Jerk! Scaring me like that!"
But the sudden motion wasn't a good idea, and soon she was clutching her stomach and running for the bathroom.
Faye normally didn't suffer from hangovers, so Spike was doubly pleased with himself at the predicament.
Mai frowned at him. "You go. I'll join you later. I want to keep an eye on her."
He shrugged and leaned down further, his nose in front of Mai's. He moved his face closer to hers, his breath on her face.
She raised an eyebrow.
The one above her odd eye.
"You really can't be fazed," he commented.
"Nope."
He snickered as he stood up right. "Good."
"Oh?" She raised her eyebrow again.
"My brother found a keeper."
With a shrug of his shoulder, he left the room.
"Hey Spike?" Mai called back before he could close the door.
"Yeah?"
She threw him a nod over her shoulder. "Tell him that."
