CHAPTER 18

Robert was feeling romantic. He was nearly ready. The wine was chilling and dinner in the oven. He went round the table placing the last of the silverware and stuck a match to light the tapered candles set in the middle. It had been a long time since he had prepared a fancy dinner on his own. He knew it was one of Brooke’s favorites.

When he heard the door open and Brooke call out she was home, he felt a high level of pride in getting things done right and right on time. He met her in the foyer. “Hi hon, you’re punctual tonight. No fashionably late as usual?”

She gave him a kiss as she entered. “When I heard what you were cooking, it took all of my willpower not to be early.” She handed him a box filled with fancy Italian pastries. “Figured I’d bring dessert.”

Taking the box into the kitchen, he returned with the bottle and two glasses. “Some wine?”

She accepted a glass and waved it at him. “Silly question.”

He gave her a liberal amount then poured one for himself. “I’m thinking maybe a toast in is order. This is our first chance to have a night together without either one of us having to be at work early tomorrow.”

Brooke sidled up and gave him another kiss and a one-armed hug. “You have something in mind?”

The strength of her momentary hug caused him to lose his train of thought for a moment. How is it she’s so healthy? He looked into her eyes and smiled. She was beautiful—more beautiful than he remembered. She almost glowed. And the laugh lines around her eyes seemed more muted.

She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes, studying him. “Well?”

“Oh…uh…I was just lost for a moment there. Of course I’ve got something planned. What red-blooded American male wouldn’t be thinking what I’m thinking with a gorgeous creature such as you in his arms?”

She pushed him away and laughed. “You beast! I should have figured.”

As if she wasn’t thinking the same thing only a moment ago.

“Maybe I was thinking the same thing, but it could wait until after dinner. It smells divine. When can we eat?”

He laughed. “It’s ready. Sit. I’ll go get it.”

He walked into the kitchen and pulled the stuffed lake trout baked in a tomato and white wine sauce from the oven. He prepped two plates with sides of spiced wild rice and zucchini and marched out to the dining room, a napkin draped over his arm. I hope she’s impressed.

Seated, Brooke looked up as he entered. “Wow, just like a professional waiter. Must be looking for a big tip?”

He placed a plate before her then one across the table and sat down behind it. “Wait until you taste it. I followed my usual recipe, but one never knows.”

She laughed. “It’ll be fine.”

He raised his wine glass. “To us and a romantic evening. It’s been a while.”

She clinked glasses. “To us.”

They dug in and he paused to watch her from over his hovering fork. She mumbled through a mouthful of food. “Divine!”

Satisfied, he paid more attention to consuming his own dinner. Every now and then he’d stop long enough to ask Brooke a question about the mission to Mars. She would take the time and detail to share as much as she could of every facet of the trip. Finally, he felt ready to let loose the question he’d been hesitant to ask. There were some odd things in the written report from Jesse. “What actually happened when you were forced to take off your helmet? Why were you unconscious for so long?”

She paused to wipe her mouth and put her utensils down. “I had lost a foothold when climbing out of the cave and banged into the wall. I guess it must have jarred my helmet some, and when I finally reached the top, I tripped and it unsealed. Brian was busy helping Jesse, and I was some distance away toward the rover. Jesse knew the problem and was yelling for me to reseat my helmet. Understand that during all of this, a sandstorm was blowing. Just as I went to do what Jesse wanted, the sand around me cleared, and I found myself in this air bubble with the sand swirling all around the outside of it. It looked like a perfect circle. It was the weirdest thing. Anyway, I knew I didn’t have much time so I took off my helmet, and then reseated it. Then I passed out. I woke up in my bed two days later.”

“Yeah, you know, I read Jesse’s report. His version is a little different than yours. He figured you were in the middle of a dust devil, and that your bends-induced vertigo caused you to recall things differently.”

“I know. I read his report as well but I refused to change mine. I know what I saw. It was the shape of a globe, I’m certain of it.”

Robert looked down at his three-quarters finished plate and decided he was full and pushed it away. I used to always finish this. “You know, of course, there’s no such thing as a spherical dust devil. It’s scientifically impossible.”

Brooke scraped the last morsel on her plate onto her fork. “That’s what everybody keeps telling me. But I don’t care. I’m sticking to my story.” She gestured toward his plate. “You not going to finish that?”

“You can have it, if you want it.”

She grabbed the plate and slid the remnants onto her own. “Thanks. I’m still a bit hungry.”

Funny. It was always the other way around. I would eat fastest then finish hers.

She scooped another mouthful in. “It’s funny, isn’t it? You used to always finish mine before. But ever since I got back, I’ve had a bigger appetite. I guess years of space food can do that to you.”

An alarm triggered in Robert’s head. “You know, I think that’s like the third or fourth time tonight you’ve said what I was thinking.”

Brooke paused, fork halfway up in the air. “Really? I guess we must be like an old couple then, knowing each other’s thoughts.”

“Pff! I’ve been feeling like an old man ever since I got back from the moon. But you seem the picture of health. Frankly, I’m a little bit jealous—and worried. You’re not going to want to stick with an old fuddy-duddy like me.”

Brooke finished everything on her plate, got up from her seat, and came over to sit on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a big kiss. “Come on. I think I know what you need to be young again.”