Cold Snap (Warriors: S1B3)

Chapter 3

Earth date: 10/23/11, 19:13

The most awkward meal I've ever eaten happened a few weeks before Dad served Mom the divorce papers. Dad announced once I was home from school that we were going to Red Lobster for dinner. He knew how much I loved the Cheddar Bay Biscuits. They were arguing by the time I was done with the first. They were screaming by the time I was biting into my third. Mom had gotten up and stormed out by the time I was done with my third biscuit. I could feel every eye in the restaurant on me. I didn't look at the waiter as I ordered fish and chips. I thought nothing could be more embarrassing.

Until I walked in and found my mom serving pasta to the guy I'd seen earlier.

They were both looking in the direction of the front door when I walked into the kitchen. I turned around to leave, but Mom said, "Hey, don't leave! I have dinner ready! And I want you to meet Bobby."

Reluctantly, I sat down at the kitchen island and let my mom serve me ravioli. She set one plate down for herself and one for Bobby, then sat down and said, "Bobby, this is my daughter, Margaret. Margaret, this is my boyfriend Bobby."

I knew better. If I saw Bobby after today, I would be shocked. He looked like an athlete in the process of letting himself go. He had muscular arms that didn't match up with the beginnings of a beer gut. He had a crew cut and a mustache. And he was short--he'd been standing when I walked in, but I could see he was shorter than me and only a few inches taller than my mom's 5'2". 

We ate in silence. Finally, Bobby said, "Where you coming from, Margaret?"

"Hmm?" I had a mouth full of ravioli. 

"I mean, it's 7 at night. Were you coming from a friend's house?"

I nodded and continued chewing.

"What did you guys do?"

I shrugged. I was done chewing; I didn't want to talk to this guy.

"Yes, Margaret," Mom said, giving me a pointed look. "What did you do?"

I looked Bobby in the eye and said, "I was in Area 51, shooting icicles at tennis balls so I could get better with my ice powers."

My mom bucked forward like she was trying not to spit out her ravioli. I didn't break eye contact with Bobby. Bobby looked at me, then looked at my mom.

Then he burst out laughing. He slapped his hands to his belly and rocked back in his chair, roaring with laughter, and slapped the counter. He grabbed a napkin to wipe tears from his eyes. "Naomi, you got yourself a comedian!" he said. He wagged his head as he picked up his fork and resumed eating. "You'd be a great straight woman. Ever hear of Dean Martin?"

Earth date: 10/23/11, 22:30

Mom was waiting in my bedroom when I got out of the shower. 

"Why did you do that?" she asked.

I jumped and heard a crackle as my wet hair froze solid. "Don't do that!" I sat down in the floor and started scraping ice out of my hair.

"Why would you blow your cover like that?" Mom went on like I hadn't said anything.

I stopped trying to separate hair from ice. "He thought it was a joke."