The Space Speculation: Book 2 ~Painful Past~

Chapter 26: Necessary Lies

Paisley easily adjusted from calling him "uncle" to calling him "dad". 

Often, Thomas would bring his step-sister's son, Leonard, over to play with Paisley. They got along fine; there was only a three-year age gap.

Tom and I decided to work different shifts. It usually consisted of him staying home all the time and playing with Paise, working only when we needed his expertise in delicate studies, and I worked most of the time. 

I worked all day, every weekday, but I loved it. I even learned a lot from the many odd items brought into the lab. 

 One day they brought in some "alien spaceship materials". I was curious to see if it was Plutonian. 

 I had been promoted so much that I was the first one to be able to see all of the space stuff they had found. As I inspected the piece of metal, I realized it had come from my escape pod, all those years ago when I had first come to Earth.

 "It's nothing," I reported to my boss after deciding it would be better if no one knew about this.

A week later the whole rest of the pod came. It was beaten up and dented. Rust lined the doors and the cushioned sheet was split open. 

 I was so excited I almost shrieked. This! This beaten-up tin can would be my way back to my little boy!

It was just missing the control panel that had come a week ago. I had to get it back. Luckily it was just tossed out back, with all the other useless random pieces of metal scraps people had brought in. 

I raced to the back, dodging coworkers in white coats, and retrieved the panel. It was small and bent, and I prayed it would still work.

I raced back to my lab, trying my best to smother it under my coat so no one would see. 

I texted Tom to say I wouldn't be back until late, and then I locked my door, shut all windows, and got to work. I used to play around with small transporting ships back on Pluto, so this pod should be no problem. I screwed and replaced, punched and jabbed, and FINALLY, it began to start up. Lights glowed and clicked here and there. The real question was: Will it fly?

 I found out late that night when I had finally hauled it out to the helicopter landing pad close to the office. 

 I flipped several switches and twisted many knobs, hoping with all my might that it would work. It sputtered after a few seconds, then started up.

 "Thank you!" I said again, looking up at the starry night sky.

I was so hyper and eager and excited that I almost jumped in and shot off into space. But I thought better of it and decided to wait until the time was right. I tried my best to hide the pod behind the building and then raced home.

It was around midnight when I got home. Paisley had gone to bed hours ago and Thomas was waiting, half asleep, on the couch for me.

"Hey," I whispered, touching his knee.

He woke with a start.

"Huh? Paisley, is that you?"

" Yeah, it's me, Tommy. "

"How come you had to stay late?"

He rubbed his eyes and looked at his watch.

"Uh," I despised lying, but it was necessary tonight.

"Just, my boss had an important job for me. And the job isn't done. He-" I took a deep breath, buying myself some time to think.

"I need to go; uh, the job is far away."

He cocked his head.

"It's super important for a new discovery; it's pretty top secret, and I'm not even supposed to tell you this, but I need to go to the, um, crash site of the, uh, space object. You know? I can't tell
you where it is, I'm afraid."

"Oh."

Tom scratched his head.

"Well, if you have to go then I think you should. When do you have to leave?"

"Tomorrow?" I said with uncertainty.

"Oh. Woah. Short notice. What time would you have to leave?" he asked, running his fingers through his dark blonde hair and yawning.

I quickly tried calculating space-time with Earth time and figuring out what time I could get where and when.

"Early," was all I told him.

"Why don't you head to bed and I'll pack." I grabbed his hand and lead him upstairs.

"Alright, honey. Wake me if-" seconds later he was snoring like a lawnmower.

I didn't actually need to pack a big bag of clothes and toiletries, just a toothbrush and emergency food.

I was thrilled when I saw the that the pod was exactly where I left it. I squirmed inside and shut the door, trying my best not to hyperventilate in the tight little room. 

It started it up and seconds later I was darting through space, blinding stars darting past me. 

I was going to see my son after almost eight whole years!

This section was written by Amity