There Must Be A Mistake Ch. 32

"You came into this world under the most terrible circumstances Gordon. I was a lousy person, until you came into my life. I don't know what I did to deserve you, but God blessed me with the most wonderful son any mother could want. Thank you Gordon, thank you for being with me."

Gordon held his mother in his arms, and rocked her from side to side as she cried. "Shouldn't I be telling that to you mom? You gave me life. The sperm donor didn't matter. From the day you were inseminated, you nurtured me not him. You didn't curse me because you were pregnant, he did, and he ran away from you. You could have aborted me. You could have given me away. You could have left me at a police station. You didn't. You loved me every moment I was in your belly. You love me when I came out, and you've nurtured me every day since then. I would be nothing without you, and don't you ever forget it. To me Mother's Day is not a card, or a box of chocolates. To me Mother's Day is every day, because I love you so much. I am so very happy you are coming with us to visit the stars. You had to come with us, because it's in your name: Jennifer STARS Luck. Our mission is going to be so blessed, because you are going to be there."

Jennifer smacked him on his behind and told him to get dressed and get out of the house before she flooded it with tears.

"Mom you are only going to be away from me for four days. I will see you Thursday, and you will watch me get married Saturday. Do you know where I'm going on our honeymoon?"

"No you never told me."

"I'm going home."

"You're going to Denver?"

"No mom, I'm going home."

"You're going to Fairbanks?"

"You didn't sell the property, did you?"

"No I gave it to the boys."

"I'm taking my bride there for one day, and then were flying back."

"Gordon, your honeymoon is going to be on an airplane."

"Mr. Schneider is letting me use his 767, and he's making the back half of it into a bedroom for Zoey and me. If the airplane bounces a lot, it won't be turbulence."

"You are as crazy as your father Gordon."

"Thank you for saying that mom, it's like the day I went from a GOS, to a GOSL."

"Close your suitcase and get out of here. You're out of time."

"Can I put my suit on first?"

"Gordon you are impossible."

**********************

Gordon stuck his head into the flight deck and asked, "Can't this thing move any faster?"

"We are at .96 Mach Gordon. The throttles are at the stops, and if I tried to descend at this speed the wings would fall off and you would never see that piece of pussy you want to get into so badly."

"Don't you dare call my fiancé a piece of pussy again."

"I was going to call her a cunt, but I thought that might be offensive to you."

"When we get to Charleston consider your ass fired."

"You and all the money in the world can't fire me."

"Why is that?"

"I'm making this trip for a dual purpose. It's a present for your father who has been very good to me over the years, as I have been to him.

Charleston is closer to my home in North Carolina. My retirement papers are in, and signed. The money will automatically go into my bank until I die. So go sit down sonny, because I have nothing to lose if this airplane accidentally falls out of the sky."

"Jimmy, if you don't mind, I have a wife and three kids that I'd like to support for at least another 15 to 50 years. I'll take this kid into the back, and tie him down if you want me to. Let's land this plane at Charleston, and not in some cotton field near Memphis."

"It's a shame these planes carry voice recorders for the cockpit. I'm sure the people at the NTSB would have a field day with it."

"I'll go in the back, sit down, and not say another word. I'm just anxious to see her. It's been 17 weeks, 4 days, 16 hours, and 28 no, 29 minutes since we said goodbye."

"But who's counting?"

**************************

"Daddy you have to buy a faster airplane. Why isn't he here yet?"

"I sent the plane to New York first to buy pizza."

"You did not, because if you did, I will jump this time."

"You jumped the last time, and if you ever do it again, I'll be waiting at the bottom with my paddle."

"Won't that be a little bit late dad?"

"I don't care, I'll still beat the shit out of you for doing something so stupid. It boggles the imagination."

Zoey started jumping up and down. "That's it dad, isn't that the one, isn't that your airplane?"

"No it is not my airplane, it's the company's airplane."

"Dad, I will stop taking the birth control pills tomorrow morning. By the time my wedding comes around I should be off the wall. Now is that the airplane, or isn't it?"

"Yes Zoey that is the aircraft your beloved is on. Do you realize in 18 days you will not be able to threaten me with that again?"

"Will that be a happy day for you dad or a sad day?"

"It will be both baby. I will be happy for you because you received a husband you love and the wish you both want.

However, your mother and I will be losing a daughter that we love. It will be like a death in the family. We will never know what happens to you, and we will never know if you have reached Earth 2 or not. Our hearts will always be with you, but our minds will always wonder where you are."

"Maybe Dr. Luck will figure out a way to blow up a little planet as a sign that we are okay."

"If anyone can do something like that it will be Even."

The roar of the jet engines drowned out everything else as it approached the Schneider terminal. Dycke held Zoey back before she got run over by the aircrafts tires.

Finally, the engines throttled down, the ground crew put the safety blocks by the tires, and the door to the aircraft opened.

Zoey was dressed in southern casual, shorts, and under blouse, and a large blouse over it. She expected Gordon to be dressed in casual clothes and when he marched down the steps in an expensive suit and tie, looking like a corporate CEO, she was shocked. He was dressed like her father, and not like a kid. He was gorgeous

Zoey charged, and Gordon bent his knees as she jumped into his arms.

Gordon asked, "Are you Zoey?"

She replied, "I'm sure I am, but who's the guy in the suit?"

"He's the guy that's going to take your hand in marriage on Saturday. Then he's going to take you on a honeymoon for one day, because I have to be back at work on the 18th. Are you packed and ready to go?"

"We have things to do and people to see. We are going to be very busy. First I want you to come with me and see my mother. Please be nice, she is still very fragile, but she is getting better every day."

"I will be very nice to your mother, and so will my parents when they get here. Shit happens, and sometimes it hits you. Come on your fathers waiting."

"Hello Mr. Schneider, thank you for the use of the airplane."

"Hello Gordon, I'm glad you're here. Zoey and you have to have blood tests so you can get married, and we will do that on the way home. A test that should take a few hours to get the results, takes this state three days. We will make it just under the wire. We are shipping out the 10 unfinished products to your father Friday the finished product will be sent on the 19th. I know it's cutting it short, but it's the best we can do. Everybody's working 16 to 18 hour days, and when you're not sure what you're working on it makes it that much harder."

"We can do the final adjustments while we are in space. Especially for adjusting the mirror that focuses the laser beams on the Vanadium, because we can do it in a vacuum and you can't."

"It would've been nice to know that four weeks ago, because we've been going crazy with it."

"How did you think we were going to fire those things off? We have to put spacesuits on and take them outside. That's why dad agreed to the timing delay switches. We have to get back inside the ship, and move a safe distance away from it, before those things light off."

"Would you remind me to kill your father when he gets here? I could have delivered those three weeks ago if I had that information."

"This is one of those problems with us being so far apart. The communication lag is horrendous. You get busy on a project that we give to you, and we forget about it because now it's your problem. Would you like to hear about a problem we came up with this morning?"

"Oh shit, do I really want to hear this?"

"It's our problem, I think, so you might as well here it. Teddy can talk to our computer."

"I'm going to make believe you didn't say that, because my brain can't handle it."

"I took Teddy for a banana split and she ate the whole thing."

"Did she eat it, or was it all over the place?"

"She got a little bit on herself, but she ate the whole thing. I got an ice cream cone, and I watched her in amazement."

"Did you come here to visit with my father, or to be with me?"

"I came here to marry you, to take you to my childhood home, and then take you to the stars for the rest of our lives. I have business that I have to take care of with your dad, but there will be time for us at the end of the day. We have been a part for 17 weeks, 6 days, 9 hours, and 7 minutes. I have missed you every second of that time, and I will make it up to you for the rest of our lives. However there are certain things that have to take priority, until we have time for ourselves."

"Zoey, your young man is growing up. His parents have done a wonderful job with him, and he will be a wonderful husband. When do you want me to take you to the sporting goods store to buy a paddle?"

"Gordon said I would not be able to pick up a regular paddle. He told me to start out with a ping-pong paddle."

"You would be surprised how light some of those paddles are, and some of them are made for women."

"Can you take me to the store after we go to dinner tonight?"

"If that's what you want to do, I'm sure I can arrange it. Maybe I'll let Steve go with you. Wonderful things happen when you two are together."

"I am not driving dad."

"When I told the police you were no longer driving, they started cheering. When I told them why, they were stunned. They believed only things like that could happen to you."

"Those accidents were not my fault. I was driving correctly, and these guys robbed an armored car, wiped out the back of our SUV. It wasn't my fault. I'm driving peacefully down Route 171, and an airplane lands on my car. Tell me the chances of that happening to anyone else?"

"That's why the police cheered that you were no longer driving."

"You also have to look at the people in the airplane. How lucky it was for them, that the car was mine, and you got them out of there."

"Yes you did save a lot of people some embarrassment, and that worked in their favor and yours. It also helped your mother meet other people in a neutral setting, knowing that no one was going to bother her with her mental status. We are home, and we can continue this conversation upstairs."

****************

Gordon had a decision to make. How should he meet and greet Payne Schneider. He promised he would be nice to her mother, but he did not think nice would be proper for his new mother-in-law. Nice would be a hello and a handshake, and in Payne's state of mind it could work against him. He decided to greet her like he does his mother when he returns from a trip. He would not smother, but he would wrap his arms around her and give her a kiss on the cheek as if he missed her for a long time. He hoped it would work.

The agent opened the door. Dycke walked in first, followed by Zoey, with Gordon pulling up the rear.

Payne was lying on the couch resting, and Dycke walked over to kiss her. Gordon picked up his pace so he was not far behind Dycke.

Payne started to get up to greet her guest, but Gordon said, "Please stay as you are."

Payne relaxed and lay her head back on her pillow. Gordon knelt down beside her, and as best he could, put his left arm alongside her right arm, lowered his head alongside hers and kissed her cheek.

"I hope you are feeling better Mrs. Schneider. You have gone through a terrible ordeal. My mother and father, and my entire family send you their greetings. If there is anything any of us can do for you, just whisper, and it is yours. If you need anything now, I will get it for you personally."

"Thank you Gordon, that was very kind of you. I treated you very shabbily, and you didn't deserve it...."

"Mrs. Schneider that is the past. Zoey and I don't want you to think about it. We are together again and there is nothing to forgive. We both love you for giving us a second chance. Our only request is that you get well and returned to the happy life you had with her in Paris and before. She told me about the wonderful walks you took, and talks you had. She would love nothing more than for you to be that happy again."

"Oh Gordon, she and I were so happy in Paris, and I ruined it."

"You didn't ruin it. You both have the wonderful memories of that time together. No one can take that away from you. After Zoey and I leave, why don't you and Dycke go to Paris, and show him the places that you and Zoey walked, talked, ate, shopped, and played. It would be a wonderful experience for both of you."

"How can you be so young and so smart?"

"My mother has a heart of gold and I listened to the advice she gave other people. Then I listen to my father, and listened to the advice he gave other people. Then I do the reverse of what he said to them. It worked out very well for me."

"Your father is a brilliant man, why don't you take his advice?"

"Let me change that for you. My father is a brilliant scientist. As my mother always says he is very lacking in social skills."

"Dycke isn't that way with me. I can't say he is perfect with other people, but he protects me all the time."

"He was protecting you even while you were having this very rough time. He would not let anyone hurt you. He could have taken Zoey away from you anytime he wanted, but he would not hurt you that way. He loves you from the deepest marrow in his body, and to the depths of his soul.

I met Zoey under the same circumstances you met Dycke, but I didn't push her into a pool. I love her as Dycke loves you, and I will for the rest of my life. Don't ever worry about her, because as Dycke worries about you, and protects you all the time, that is the way I will take care of Zoey. Nothing, and no one will ever hurt her as long as I am alive."

"I wish we had this talk four months ago, nothing would have ever happened between us."

"Maybe it was destined to happen, maybe it was a test not for Zoey and me, but for Dycke and you. Possibly it was a test to see how strong the bonds of love were after all the years, between the two of you, and to see if they would break. This was as severe a test as any human being could possibly take. Both you and Dycke went through hell, and came out the other side deeper in love with one another than you were before. You know for sure Dycke will never leave you, no matter the circumstances. He knows you will never leave him. Isn't that marvelous?"

"Did we have to do this just before your wedding?"

"We could go to the justice of the peace and get it done."

"I have a shotgun in my airplane."

"I think we've had this conversation before. Is the bishop in town?"

"Bishop Vincent D'Onofrio will be here Friday."

"Well, if he can't make it, I will have a justice of the peace in the church just in case."

"Gordon you were doing so well, would you like to see where Zoey jumped?"

"Are you going to help me over the railing?"

"I'm really thinking about it."

"I'm very happy that you're feeling better."

"So am I Gordon, sometimes you're very funny."

"Would you like to hear something very funny, and it's also very true?"

"If it upsets me I'm going to hit you."

"I told this to Dycke and Zoey on the way home. Dycke said he didn't want to hear it because it would give him a headache, and Zoey hit me. However this was said by a two-year-old who told you your right engine was about to blowup."

"Okay go ahead."

"Teddy told us this morning that she had a new friend by the name of Cale.

My father said that was wonderful, where does Cale live?

Teddy answered, "She lives on the flight deck, is your computer. She said she's too hot she needs it to be a lot colder to work better."

When my father started breathing again he said, "Ask Cale what temperature she wanted to be and will make sure she has it. How long have you been talking to Cale?"

"Long time, told her about Newton. Cale have no sense of humor, won't laugh."

My dad told her why, and then they got ready to go to the site, and I got dressed to come here, because this was more important to me."

"You really believe Teddy can talk to a computer?"

"We asked you to have your airplane checked because of Teddy. Teddy told my mother last night she is having twin girls. That will be verified Tuesday when she has the sonogram. I have no doubt she'll be right. She won't tell Delicious what her twins are going to be because she says it's more fun for the doctor to tell her. So if you ask me if I believe Teddy can talk to a computer, my answer is yes. My next question is what do we do with it? The answer to that question is I have no idea.

Gordon help me up, I want to see where my nurses are hiding, and I think I'd like lunch."

"Isn't this the place with pizza and egg creams?"

"Yes it is."

"I've never had an egg cream, are they any good?"

"Gordon, you are your father's son. You can lie out of both sides of your mouth and smile at the same time."

"Why, what did I do?"

"You're trying to get us to go out for pizza and egg creams."

"I'm in a suit and tie, I'd be crazy to eat pizza and have a drink of something I've never had before."

"Dycke, Zoey get over here please."

"Why aren't you resting Payne?"

"What's up mom?"

"I want you to watch this liars face, when I ask him this question, and he gives you the answer. I want you to look and find Even Luck staring back at you."

"Gordon, you are trying to get us to go out for pizza and egg creams."

"I am in a suit and tie, I'd be crazy to eat pizza, and have a drink of something I've never had before."

Zoey said, "I get your bag mom?"

"I'll call downstairs and have a car ready."

"I was perfect."

Payne shook her head. "You are close to perfect, that's why you got caught. Even would never have gotten caught."

"Okay, I'll work on it."

Payne walked over the Gordon and put her arms around him. "Welcome to our family Gordon. Take care of my baby like you promised me, and I promise I'll be fine."

"Thank you very much Mrs. Schneider, but I think it's very important that you tell Mr. Schneider and Zoey also. They are so worried about you it is tearing them apart. Have you given Zoey the underwear you purchased for her in Paris?"

"Oh no, I forgot all about it."

"When we come back, you could put on a big show of giving it to her and make everyone laugh, as you throw her tiny underwear in the air."

"You do have a little bit of the devil in you, don't you?"

"I'm just trying to let both of you have fun as you did in Paris."

"I like the idea Gordon, I truly do. Now where my nurses hiding."

"I haven't seen anyone in white since I got here."

"That's wonderful, because they wearing blue."

***********************

"Good morning Cale, are you still too warm?"

In a nearly human voice Exascale replied, "Yes very warm. If not made colder I will have a major fault within seven days."

"My grandpa wants to know what temperature would make you comfortable."

"Tell Dr. Luck 50°F, 10°C is optimum."

I asked Teddy to find out what temperature Cale was now, and when she did the computer replied 62°F.

I told Gray to redirect the entire air-conditioning system of the third floor to the flight deck, until we could find a better solution. Within seconds I wanted to kick myself, I had the best computer in the world to give me that answer.