Sucker for Love

Is it the 14th of February already? Why do Earth days have to be so short?

Larissa inspected her image in the mirror. Were her clothes appropriate? Life was so much simpler when all she had to do was toss on a couple of bracelets. Everything on Earth was so complicated. Wasn't selecting a top and pants enough of a challenge? How ridiculous was it that under them she had to wear additional garments which wouldn't even be seen?

She comforted herself that this wasn't a Valentine's Day date. Not really. Still, she didn't want to appear unknowledgeable of local customs. The sales clerk helping her in the lingerie department insisted that pink lacy bits of fabric were essential items of clothing on Valentine's Day. And even though her plans for the evening didn't include romance, she couldn't help wishing they did.

When she departed for her mission on Planet Earth, romance didn't even make the list of expected challenges. Her lack of personal attachments made her an ideal candidate for a five-year off-world assignment. She used to regret that she'd never gotten to the point of having a girlfriend. Now she could claim it was meant to be.

She'd selected New Orleans as a suitable microcosm and settled into her new life two years ago. The surrounding swamps reminded her of home. A tiny studio in the French Quarter was her home base. She'd found a job online that covered expenses and left plenty of free time for her primary job—researching humanity's level of development through monitoring the internet and direct observation.

The Observer's Manual advocated small steps to achieve a successful mission. She was supposed to avoid social interactions until she felt sufficiently at ease and even then, keep them to a minimum.

Her first small step was to go to a neighborhood cafe for lunch where she could observe the locals. She always ordered a muffuletta. The sandwich was so large, she could linger for hours while surfing the web.

After the first few months, she took the next step. Based on the advice of a previous observer, she started to play an online video game to combat the inevitable loneliness. The Elder Scrolls mitigated her lack of companions. Her choice of an animal avatar allowed her to escape her human appearance for a few hours each day.

Then Melody walked into the cafe.

Larissa's eyes grew misty at the memory. Melody's dark curly hair hung down to her shoulders. She wore leggings with a t-shirt decorated with a colorful iguana and the motto "All iguana do is have fun." Back then she didn't know how appropriate the slogan was.

Larissa was always careful to pick a table in the back where she could occasionally peek over her laptop. That day she spent the entire time studying the new arrival. Like Larissa, the woman set her laptop on a table and used it while she ate.

The next day, she was surprised to see the woman return. Then she showed up the following day. She was fast becoming a regular. Once they exchanged brief smiles, but Larissa might never have talked with her if the woman hadn't arrived late one day last November. With no tables free, she stood at the front, casting a despondent look around the room.

Larissa hesitated. Was she ready for the next step? She comforted herself that she could flee the scene if things got too awkward. Standing up quickly before she chickened out, she gestured toward the extra seat at her table.

The woman's smile lit up the room as she darted over. "Thanks. My name is Melody. I've seen you having lunch here so often I feel like we're already friends."

"I'm Larissa. The cafe makes excellent sandwiches," she added, dismayed at how awkward she sounded. Small talk wasn't covered in the Observer's Manual because they weren't supposed to initiate conversations.