Chapter 69

Bud was standing in the mostly shut bathroom doorway, “You’ll be okay?” He asked.

I heard a muffled reply, faint ... but positive, “I’m awake.” Two for sure.

I walked in the container so I could busy-body better.

“Tomorrow at ten,” he said.

“Yes ... I’ve never flown in a helicopter.”

He turned, “Hi, Tyche.” Over his shoulder he said, “Tyche’s here.”

“TYCHE! Come here. I need you.”

Bud left ... I went in the bathroom. Frosted glass shower enclosure. The door slid a crack.

“Is he gone?”

“Yup.”

“The door slid open all the way ... Two in all her glory.

“Wash my back, please. I itch.”

In the morning, after knocking, Alice said, “Mexican ... I want TexMex huevos rancheros. Remember that restaurant on MLK?”

“Bike or run? I spent enough time in that car.”

“Two!”

A mumbled “What?”

“Breakfast at Mi Casita ... opens at seven.”

“How are we getting there?”

“Run.”

“I’m up.” She came in looking like a million bucks. “I feel bloated. I couldn’t sit in or drive that car for at least a week.”

“Well ... lets go ... we got five minutes.”

“I don’t need that long,” She flickered and was dressed in running shorts and top ... with very expensive running shoes.

Alice and I took the whole five minutes.

That mane of hers is impressive in a pony tail.

We kept up ... sorta.

At the gate she shouted, “Right or left?”

“Left,” I said.

“I’ll save you a seat.”

She was off.

The longer we ran the farther behind we got ... then we couldn’t see her. Then we could. She ran up to us.

“You guys coming or not?” She circled and headed back west on MLK ... she did it two more times. The girl can run.

I was going to say as much to Alice, when she spoke, “Look at her feet.”

“Yeah? What about ‘em?”

“They don’t touch the ground.”

I looked closer ... yup ... no contact. I noticed that her feet slid past her stride. Wait ... that’s not right ... the ground moved past her stride. A good three feet ... like a video game. The stride didn’t match the gain.

Sneaky little wench.

Finally at Mi Casita we entered and found Two seated at a four-up with three coffees and three waters already served. She wasn’t a bit sweaty.

Last nights futbol match between ATLAS and MONTERREY was being rerun on the flat screen. The regulars were giving a running critique on the match. Quarter after seven and the place was already filling up.

The waitress looked suspiciously like Naomi from the Whataburger on MLK but closer to town.

“Naomi?” We said ... like twins, “You work at Whataburger.”

“My day off ... I’m helping mom.” Then she said, “Tyche and April?”

“Alice.”

“Sorry,” she said.

“No problem ... Tyche used to do it too.” Alice said, “I know what I want ... huevos rancheros and tap water ... no ice. Please and thank you.”

“Me, too,” I said, “and a bowl of last night’s chili.”

Two said, “The same and the chili ... it’s always better on day two.”

“Mamá, ¿nos queda algo de chile?”

“Sí”

“Dos tazones, por favor”

Don’t you just know it, Mama bustled out of the kitchen to see who wanted microwaved chili.

Gringos ... and her daughter knew them. Introductions were made. My Spanish was better than Naomi’s.

Hey ... I was five when I joined Surprise building boats in Gustafson’s basement ... best age for learning a new language.

We ate ... tipped ... headed back to Bud Field and asked him where we could get strip built kayak kits.

“Noah’s Endeavor kayak kit... $1595.” Bud said, “I’ll sell you my bandsaw”