The clean-shaven engineer pulled out a chair across from Peter and took a seat. “I check on Sergei. He still in some pain, but he be okay. He want me thank you for saving crew.”
“That’s great news. So everything went okay in the hyperbaric chamber?”
The engineer nodded as he turned toward Carlos, who sat in the corner of the room with his back to them. The arrogant man was talking obnoxiously loud as he was describing their re-entry to someone on the phone. The engineer rolled his eyes when he overheard Carlos imply he helped with the maneuver. “What asshole.”
Peter couldn’t agree more and was looking forward to getting away from the guy. Unfortunately, all three men had to stay in the same isolated room since most of the crew was unaware of their mission and questions would be asked if they were seen. Peter looked down to see his coffee swaying back and forth as the boat sped through the choppy seas. He couldn’t wait to reach port and see Anya.
Carlos wrapped up his call and got up from his seat.
Unsurprisingly, Carlos once again started bitching. “Why am I stuck in here? I deserve better than this, especially after that piece of shit trip you two took me on.”
Peter wasn’t going to turn around or react; nothing good would come from it. He simply stayed quiet as he went back to his report.
“Hey, I’m talking to you two.”
Neither Peter nor the engineer said a word. Peter felt a slight push from behind.
“Hey, are you deaf? I’m talking to you.”
Peter sensed the man towering over him, which he took as a threat. A loud screeching sound emitted from his chair as he calmly pushed it out before slowly rising and turning toward the irritated man. He looked Carlos squarely in his eyes. “I’m not deaf. I just choose not to speak to assholes like you.” The volcano inside him was about to erupt, so he calmly turned away to leave the room. He felt a hand aggressively grab his shoulder.
“Don’t turn away from me.”
Peter balled up his hand into a tight fist as he lowered his head. He took a deep breath; there was no chance of preventing the inevitable. He slowly turned around with fire in his eyes, elbow pulling back to lift his fist to his waist, weight on his toes, ready to strike. Carlos’s shoulders drooped as he took a frightened step back. Peter unleashed a lightning quick punch squarely on Carlos’s jaw. The powerful blow knocked the pathetic man up in the air before he fell hard to the floor.
The engineer clapped in the background.
Carlos looked up in shock as he rubbed his jaw. “You can’t punch me!”
Peter stood over the coward like Muhammad Ali over Sonny Liston. “I just did, and you better stay down, or I’ll do it again.”
Carlos made no attempt to move. “I’m going to sue you.”
Peter turned away and casually closed up the computer he was working on. “Good luck with that. Besides, I’m not here, remember? This mission never happened.”
Carlos’s voice began to whine as he looked at the engineer. “You saw what happened, didn’t you?”
As Peter picked up the laptop, the cosmonaut gave him a wink before answering, “I see nothing.”
11
REASSIGNMENT
Peter’s right leg was bouncing rapidly up and down like a jackhammer under the waterfront table in the classy restaurant. Above the uncontrollable action Peter’s steady hand held a glass of champagne as he looked into the eyes of his one true love. Peter was ecstatic to finally be alone with Anya after his successful rescue of the cosmonauts and her return from Russia. He was trying to control his nerves as he was about to change his life forever. After years of being a playboy, Peter was finally ready to make the ultimate commitment. It was time to officially end his single days and ask Anya to marry him.
The Flying Dutchman restaurant was the perfect place for Peter to propose. He had wonderful memories at the seafood eatery located right off a channel leading into the Gulf of Mexico southeast of Houston. Peter had been coming to the restaurant ever since his high school days. Back in the ’80s he was treated like a celebrity because he was a moonwalker’s son. He took most of his dates to the classy joint and always got a prime seat. Though the ownership had changed and he was no longer recognized, nostalgia alone made it the perfect place to propose. As they sat at a secluded table he still wasn’t sure how he should pop the question.
He tipped his glass in Anya’s direction. “A toast to the two of us sharing many more moments like this.”
Anya smiled, but she seemed to be missing that twinkle in her eye. They lightly touched their glasses together, a soft chime echoing in the air.
As he took a sip of the chilled, fizzy liquid, the sharp corners of the ring box in his pocket became more and more irritating. The constant weight against his leg tempted him to pop the question just to get rid of it. Peter casually put his hand under the table to adjust the box in hopes of relieving the annoying reminder. The time wasn’t right yet.
Peter straightened up in his chair. “Whenever things got tough in space, thinking of you always relaxed me. There were moments when I would look down at the wonders below, and I always questioned where you were, what you were doing. I tried to pass on a vibe letting you know I was thinking of you and that I loved you.”
“I felt it.” Anya took a sip, her eyes never wavering from his. “You really enjoy flying in space, don’t you?”
Peter smiled big. “It’s so magical up there above our planet. The thrill is invigorating. Seeing our whole world with all its vibrant colors always makes me feel alive and closer to God. It’s just so hard to describe or explain. I wish I could take you up and we could experience it together.”
Anya shook her head vigorously. “Thanks, but no thanks. I’m happy right here on Earth.” She set her glass down. “Dmitri was impressed with your flying. I know he’s a little jealous. He misses space, just like Dad did.”
“I can totally understand. Once you have been up there, you want to go back. It becomes a part of you. I can’t wait to go up there again.”
Anya turned away to look out the window. The room seemed still for a second. She turned with an odd look on her face. “I need to go to the restroom.”
Peter politely stood. She got up and smiled. “I’ll be right back.”
Peter slowly sat back down, never taking his eye off the beautiful woman he wanted to marry. She strode away, her black stilettos clicking on the tile floor, her tight sparkling navy blue dress swaying back and forth alluringly. He shook his head. Damn, I’m one lucky cat.
After she turned the corner, it was time to get to work on the task at hand. He had to figure out how he was going to ask her. He pulled out the small ring box from his pocket and set it on the table. A feast of senses consumed him as he slowly opened it. He proudly pulled out the glittering jewelry and slipped the ring as far as he could down his pinky finger. He held up his hand and stared at the ring intently, thinking of what it meant. He was convinced he was ready. He pulled the ring off and noticed an elderly couple a few tables over staring at him with big smiles on their faces. He flashed them a quick thumbs-up before setting the ring back in the box.