Moonlit Craters

To Be Determined

Keith led Stella through the arcade. His hand felt warm against hers, their fingers laced together. She gripped tighter as she took the arcade in. A throng of children ran through it, spilling their soda and leaving sticky residue on whatever they touched. Their guardians were nowhere to be found, perhaps snagging a few moments of adult time. "How often do you come here?" she asked over the noise of one of the arcade machines.

"Not as often as I used to." He tugged impatiently at her hand as Stella stalled in front of a ski ball game. "Come on, we can play later."

The grin he gave her was infectious; her own bright smile matched his. Keith finally took her into a small side hallway where a group waited their turn for laser tag. Noticing that all of their shirts had South Philly Ambulance Crew on them, Stella shrunk behind him. There were already two people there she recognized and found herself trying to look at the others for a third. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Noth-" she started saying.

"Stella! Is that you?" someone boomed from the group.

"Hey, Brodie!" she greeted the older man with a smile. "How are you?" Stella hoped her smile didn't look too forced. Brodie was on her list of people she would have been happier not seeing.

"Good, good." He grinned at her as he made his way over. "You look a lot better than last I saw you." Brodie clapped his hand on her shoulder.

She grimaced at the contact and tightened her grip on Keith's hand. "I'd hope so. Did you get that promotion yet?" Stella's cheeks felt tight from her smile.

"Three years ago." He beamed. "Let me get Sam, she'll be thrilled to see you."

Stella raised a hand to stop him, mouth opening in protest.

"Sam!" his voice cut through the noise of the other EMS* workers. "Come see Stella!"

She shoved her free hand back in her pocket as the short red-haired woman plowed through the others.

"Hi, Stella! It's good to see you! How are you? You don't look like your using anymore." Sam gave her a good once over, eyeing up her lean figure and long hair. "Really, you look so much better than when Brodie and I last saw you. Alicia isn't here anymore; she's a nurse at Jefferson now. Who's this guy with you?" Sam's eyes darted between Stella and Keith, spying their intertwined fingers. "Does this mean you and Melanie finally broke up? I'm so glad for you; you guys were horrible together. He looks so much better than Melanie."

"Ok, Sam, let Stella get a word in," Brodie cut through. "And I don't think she wants you to air her personal business," he added as he took in Stella's tomato-colored face.

"This is Keith," she said gesturing between them. "That's Brodie and Sam. I was an EMT for a while." Stella tucked a strand of hair behind her hear and shifted ever so slightly away from him. Heart pounding, she looked around for the exits.

"Good to meet you," Brodie said as he held out his hand. "You treating this girl right?"

Keith used his free hand to shake Brodie's. "Absolutely." He tightened his hand on Stella's as he noticed her grip loosen.

Stella took her eyes off the open door and looked at Keith. Despite the smile that he graced Brodie and Sam with his jaw was tight. The easy smile that he usually had was replaced with one that looked like plastic. 

"It's good to meet you too, Sam," Keith said as he shifted his gaze. The warmth Stella had come to associate with him was absent. "I do think you owe Stella an apology. Spreading your friend's business isn't a nice thing to do."