Letters to the Star Whisperer

-33-

After Aspen got off work, they went down to a burger restaurant Aspen had liked. They were famous for their ice creams. They had ordered an ice cream, Ethan a chocolate ice cream with m&m's on it and Aspen just plain vanilla. She ordered a big basket of fries on the side. When they got their ice cream, she had started dipping her fries in the ice cream.

Ethan wrinkled his nose. "What are you doing?"

"Ice cream and fries," she answered. When she noticed his face, she went on, "Oh, come on, don't tell me you never tried it."

"No, that sounds disgusting."

"You thought my Super-Duper-Awesome-eggs would be disgusting, and now you want to know how to make it yourself. Don't knock it till you try it," she said, handing him a fry with ice cream on it. He took it and ate it, hoping that he would like it. But, he didn't like it. He shook his head, wrinkling his nose some more. "What? You don't like it? Well, your lost."

Before he could answer, his phone had ringed. He took another bite of ice cream before it had melted, and then answer, "Hello?"

"Hello sir, this is Tom," the phone had said.

"Tom? Really? How did you get this number?"

"I've been working for you for many years sir. I know all your numbers. I have some papers for you and I needed to sent it your way. I need your new address."

"Okay," Ethan said. "Um, hold on." He took the phone away from his mouth. "Hey Aspen, what is our address?"

"Why?"

"Tom needs to know."

"Give me the phone," she said. Without a fight, she grabbed the phone, and started to talk to Tom. "Hello, who am I speaking too? Tom Edwards? Hi, I'm Aspen Grover. Our address?"

She had given him the address, and instead of handing back the phone, she went on. "That's so funny!. ..Oh yeah, Ethan is loving Boulder. .. . He seems happy here.. .. Well. ..You should come by sometimes. ..that sounds good. Sure, about six will work. Okay, have a good day. ..Ha ha! That's funny! Ethan must have loved working with you!.. . Okay, you too.. . bye bye."

She hung up the phone and gave it back to Ethan. He gave her a confused look. He put his hands up. "Um, may I ask what just happen?"

"I just invited Tom over. He seems really nice."

Ethan's mouth hung open. "Why. .. why would you do that?"

"Because he really respected you for so many years, and he sees you as a good friend."

"He wasn't a friend, he just worked for me."

Aspen just shrugged. "Well, we got two hours. Plus, I just wanted to invite someone for dinner."

When they got home, Creepy Jane was on their couch. She about made Ethan's heart jump out of his chest and hit the floor, but Aspen didn't seem like it was anything abnormal. The dogs had greeted them, licking and rubbing them.

"Chicken," Jane said, with a moan.

Ethan didn't know what she was talking about, but Aspen said, "Bone? Or fried?"

It must have been some inside joke between them or possibly they were both just nuts and needed to seek help. "What's his name?" Aspen asked, grabbing bowls and getting food out.