Waiting on the Stars - Chapter Nine

Letting her glasses slide further down her nose with the tilt of her head, Alice Hammer squints her eyes and intently focuses on the numbers displayed in front of her.  “Ahhhhh”, letting out a sign of relief, Alice Hammer exhales “I think that is a 7 and not a 1”.

“What are you talking about?” asks Jennings wandering into the kitchen holding a large iced glass of sweet tea topped with pieces of peaches, strawberries, and oranges.  “I think it’s time to order some new glasses If you do not want to have reflection surgery to correct your vision.”

“I’m doing just fine” curtly remarks Alice Hammer squinting again at the mechanism in front of her and confidently pushing the box highlighted in bright blue lettering of ‘Enter’.

“You just put the butter in for seven minutes instead of one.  Were you hoping to melt it or make it into bisqueware?” inquires Jennings not entirely sure of her friend’s intent.

“What? Are you sure?” asks Alice Hammer removing her glasses and nearly touching the panel “Oh, I guess you’re right.” 

“Why didn’t you just use the voice command, it’s so much easier?” curiously asks Jennings cutting up diagonal pieces of lemon on the chopping board in front of her.

“I had to turn off the sound mechanism.  I was singing “I-2-3-4 My Heart’s on Fire, just say it one more time” the other day and the InstaOven picked up my voice and charcoaled my shepherd’s pie.” explains Alice Hammer still a little disappointed in her culinary results. 

“How many times did you sing the song?” doubtfully inquires Jennings knowing her friend’s enthusiasm and obsession with songs that she likes.

“Only nine or ten times or so” remarks Alice Hammer starting to hum the song out loud again and moving to the beat in her head.

“Ehhh … I think we should wait on the singing and dancing while we cook, we don’t want to hurt ourselves” remarks Jennings as Alice Hammer attempts rather eclectic and peculiar steps in front of her.

As if on cue, Alice Hammer twirls and moves her shoulders to an imaginary rhythmic beat and with all seriousness starts pushing her hands towards the heavens, tossing her head back, pointing her fingers at Jennings and starts to sing familiar lyrics in a painful tone as she dramatically snaps her head with an invisible mic in her hand.

“I never knew, how could it be true, when my days had been so blue, that I would only think of you” sings Alice Hammer in her best celebrity impression framing her face taking dancing steps towards the refrigerator to check her reflection of fame and admiration.

From across the counter, Jennings watches in puzzled amusement, “Why are you dancing in front of the refrigerator?”

“It’s my fans, they can’t get enough of me!” responds Alice Hammer mimicking in an Elvis voice about his fandom then clapping her hands and landing in a dramatic pose.

Jennings shakes her head and returns to slicing the lemons for their afternoon tea.  “Alice Hammer, you never reached your full potential. The world does not know what it has missed out on.”

“So, what are we making for Raiden and Isla tonight?” asks Jennings completing her assigned task.

“I forgot to tell you, Isla called and isn’t coming something about having a previous appointment with her sister, I think.  It will just be Raiden and Adele tonight.  I called Mr. Woodhouse who said he would like to come but he is going with my Fred to the Men’s Fellowship club tonight instead” explains Alice Hammer excited that her Fred has promised to spend another day with her on a picnic for just the two of them.

“I think they are painting the nursery tonight which has needed to be done for years” agrees Jennings “I can’t wait for all the babies to arrive in a few months.  I wish Raiden would find someone who wanted a family.  I think Isla is more concerned about keeping her figure, collecting boyfriend trophies, and having money for shopping than raising a family.”

“You never know, things could change” offers Alice Hammer trying to be optimistic but also feeling as if Jennings’ perception might be more accurate to truth than not.

A chime rings through the kitchen as the LED display on the kitchen countertop announces that a guest has arrived.  The door glides open as Adele enters carrying a small basket on her arm.

“What did you bring?  You really didn’t have to” explains Jennings taking the wicker basket from her and smiling to greet Adele.

“It’s nothing.  I made some cookies this afternoon that I thought might be good for a snack later on or even sometime later this week if you would like”, offers Adele knowing how much Alice Hammer likes to try different kinds of cookies.

“Lovely!  Chocolate Chip is my favorite!” exclaims Alice Hammer taking one from the wrapper and having a taste “Oh, you added little pieces of white chocolate to this one!  Thank you!”

As they walk into the dining area, Adele asks “Is there someone else coming tonight?”

“Yes, it slipped my mind to tell you.  Isla isn’t able to come tonight, so it will just be Raiden with us.”

At that moment, Adele’s bio-ring on her right hand lights up and a soft bell sound is heard.

“Your bio-health ring just went off, is everything ok?” sincerely asks Jennings noting that many of her friends have similar alerts for their blood pressure status.

“I’m fine” blushes Adele realizing that her blood pressure must have spiked on hearing that Raiden would also be there tonight “The alert goes off at random times by accident”.

“You should probably have the battery checked” offers Jennings wanting to be helpful. “You don’t look like someone who would have blood pressure issues.”

“I’ll keep that in mind” thanks Adele realizing the true reason was not noted.

As they are chatting together in the kitchen, a chime sounds for a second time.  Alice Hammer rushes to the front door to greet the special guest tonight.

In the other room, Adele hears Raiden’s voice and looks at her own reflection in the refrigerator to see if her hair is in place. 

Just then Raiden enters the kitchen as Adele turns to face him.  Raiden’s bio-ring also sends an alert and he immediately clasps his hands over the ring to muffle the alert.

“Everyone’s ring is going off tonight.  I wonder if there is a defect in the manufacturing”, considers Alice Hammer out loud to herself but for everyone to hear.

Trying to cover his surprise, Raiden turns to the side “Is that sweet tea?  It looks delicious with all the different fruit in it”.

“It is delicious.  Do you see this locket I’m wearing?” orders Alice Hammer holding up a necklace only an inch from Raiden’s face.

“Yes it’s quite nice.  It smells like you might have something herbal in it” suggests Raiden not too sure why a necklace would have a scent.

“It’s my favorite right now!  It’s jasmine, oranges, passion fruit, and green tea.  Doesn’t it smell delicious!” excitedly remarks Alice Hammer taken in another bundle of aroma within her jewelry.

“It’s okay. She’s crazy.  Last week she was wearing a spiced chai tea bag in her locket”, bluntly explains Jennings rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

“You should try it.  The scent makes me happy all day”, chides Alice Hammer defending one of her rather eccentric lifetime exploits that some have mistakenly confused with aging dementia.

Chuckling to himself, Raiden puts his arm around the shoulders of Alice Hammer giving her a slight hug, “I will definitely have to try it sometime.”

As they sit down to dinner together, Raiden sits directly across from Adele and notices how attractive she looks tonight so mild in contrast to what makeup and clothes Isla would have chosen to wear.

“How are you feeling about your new position?” inquires Raiden not wanting to interfere with the supervision of other departments but wanting to ensure that she is provided for and trained well.

“I’m immensely enjoying my time.  There are a lot of new things to learn of course, but I seem to be catching on for the most part.  I’m enjoying getting more acquainted with the other employees.   They are very capable and kind too” states Adele adding “Thank you for giving me this opportunity.  It goes beyond my expectations.”

“I’m relieved that the position seems to suit you”, offers Raiden “I’m sure you are a good addition to the staff” but while continually looking at her silently adding to only himself “and to my life as well”.

“Did I miss something?  You seemed to stop mid-sentence”, remarks Jennings reaching for a second helping of fried potatoes.

“He was just saying how glad he was that Adele is working with him and that he couldn’t live without her”, explains Alice Hammer with a delighted smirk and chuckle.

“That’s not exactly what I said”, corrects Raiden blushing “although I am glad Adele is now here working for the firm”.

Smiling but suddenly feeling shy Adele adds, “I’m very grateful for the opportunity too.”

“When are you giving up Isla?” bluntly asks Jennings aware of Raiden’s demeanor is more back to his natural self without the presence of Isla “I don’t see her around much anymore and it appears things are cooling between the two of you.”

“We have been dating awhile. Things are what they are,” explains Raiden not wanting to give too much away even though breaking up has been on his mind for quite awhile even before Adele entered his life again.

“How long have you been dating?” curiously asks Adele not sure if she really wants to know or not.

“About four years, Isla is much younger than me so we have only been casually spending time together”, offers Raiden wanting to be clear but also not to dismiss a possible relationship with Adele, “Isla often attends official events with me, but I wouldn’t say we are serious.”

“Not the way Isla talks about you.  She already has her bridesmaids chosen”, confirms Alice Hammer remembering hints that have been dropped in recent conversations with Isla “She’s probably put in reservations for your reception, you just not be aware of yet.”

Clearing his throat wishing to move on to a different topic, Raiden adds “I think this is more a discussion between Isla and myself rather than tonight at dinner.”

“I guess your right”, agrees Jennings wanting to put in a good word for Adele whom she has already decided might make an excellent match for her grandson.  “Adele, what are your favorite things to do when you are not working?”

“Besides reading, I like to go to the park or nature hikes”,  suggests Adele wanting to change the topic as well.

“I love the outdoors!” exclaims Alice Hammer “Fred and I are going on a picnic later this week now that the weather has changed.”

“We just had a BBQ this past week at the state park”, informs Raiden wanting to be included in the conversation “Adele was there as well with her family.”

“Yes, it was nice to run into each other”, shares Adele wondering at the frequency of their random meetings “The hamburgers were delicious. Raiden is an excellent cook.”

“There’s not much to it, just adding the right seasonings and making sure the fire is right”, explains Raiden feeling complimented and appreciative that Adele noticed his personalized effort.

“What are your plans for this weekend?” asks Jennings “I’m sure Adele would like to see Upper Cross Falls sometime soon.  It’s quite beautiful, if you don’t mind a hike.”

“What a great idea!” agrees Raiden “Are you available this weekend?”

“Yes, I’d love to!” confirms Adele feeling quite pleased at the opportunity to spend more time with Raiden.

“Oh wait.  I forgot.  Isla wants to go to this fashion show and I agreed three months ago to be her escort”, returns Raiden very disappointed due to his previous agreement. “Would the following Saturday be all right?”

“You can let me know a later time”, answers Adele feeling slightly hurt that it will not work out and also not wanting to interfere in the middle of a relationship that already exists. “Maybe Isla can come along as well.”

“You don’t have to worry about that.  I’m not sure Isla would know how to hike in four-inch heels”, bluntly remarks Jennings.

“I think she would be able to” suggests Alice Hammer seriously contemplating the image of Isla’s talents.

“I have your number, I won’t forget.  Remember, I’m promising to take you to the Upper Cross Falls at some point soon” confirms Raiden excited at the possibility of spending more time with Adele to catch up.

“Okay, you can let me know whenever you are free. Don’t worry about it if you can’t though, I’ll understand”, offers Adele not wanting to encourage anything until he is permanently free of Isla.

As if on cue, Adele’s bracelet lights up with a call.  “Excuse me, it looks like Morena is calling me.”

A few minutes later, Adele returns to the table.  “It looks like I need to go.  Morena needs a sitter tonight for her spin class.  The sitter at the gym wasn’t able to make it tonight and I need to go pick up the boys. The dinner was lovely.  Thank you so much!  I’ll have to invite you to my place the next time.”

“I’ll walk you to your air-pod”, offers Raiden and moving next to her before she has an opportunity to refuse.

“It’s okay. It’s right outside”, explains Adele grabbing her purse and heading towards the door.

“I’m going too”, explains Raiden waving and blowing a kiss to Jennings and Alice Hammer.

As the door slides behind them, Raiden offers his arm to Adele as they walk down the steps, “It’s raining so it might be a little slippery on the deck.

Adele takes him arm and feels the warmth of his care. “Thank you. It was very nice to unexpectedly see you again.”

“Yes, I enjoyed tonight as well.  Don’t forget, I owe you a trip to the Falls!” teases Raiden gently placing a hand over her own holding his arm.

“I won’t.” Adele smiles wishing that things were different between them and that Raiden would have more freedom over his schedule.

---

Waiting on the Stars - Chapter Eight

Rather than ordering her groceries from home, Adele scans her prepared grocery list displayed on the refrigerator screen and transfers the list to her bracelet. Grabbing a favorite pair of thick foam boots, she slides her feet in as the straps automatically adjust to the width of her ankles for tailored comfort and ease.  She runs her hand over to the heel to select which color she would like to coordinate with today.  

The sealed closet opens detecting some motion before it, a rotating conveyer brings several options from which Adele can choose to wear for the day.  Adele picks her latest purchase of a nano-fabric jacket. Taking the pink angular cut jacket off the rack, she takes her finger and places on the collar tag.  The jacket changes to yellow, green, or blue with each tap and as she slides left to right the adjustment in the hue matches her movement.

“I need to find more nano-fabric, but it is a bit pricey.  At least I can wear the same outfit in different colors”, justifies Adele to herself acknowledging that the purchase was outside the realms of her clothing budget for that month.  Satisfied looking into the mirror she states, “This looks good, now my boots and jacket match.

On the shelf, she takes down the Astros baseball cap that advertises her favorite team in an illuminant electronic 3-d display at the center for branding. As well as the team logo, small hologram facial profiles are displayed with their batting statistics.  Place that cap over her ponytail, Adele chuckles to herself remembering that her team is the arch rival of Raiden’s favorite team the Orions, “Too bad I’m not going to see him today.  However, I don’t think he would be rooting for my team anyway.”

Taking her air pod to the grocery store landing, androids of various shapes of their product greet her with samples of various foods. “Welcome to Green Acres where our Home is your Home.  How can I help you today?”  Scanning her ‘life bracelet’ as she enters, an android host announces based on her buying history, “Tomatoes for today only are on sale 2 for ten credits. We also have your favorite soda a case Mr. Pep on sale for only 25 credits. Would you like me to prepare either of these items for you?”

“I’ll take 4 tomatoes, please” absentmindedly requests Adele wondering if more vegetables might be good idea but also knowing that they will mostly likely go bad because of a lack of desire to actually consume something healthy for herself.

“Adele, over here!” echoes a familiar friendly voice “Do you see us?  We’re over here!” Alice Hammer is jumping up or really just moving up and down in excitement that they have met another friend at the store. “Adele, look to your left!”

Turning Adele waves to her new friends.  Alice Hammer is dressed in bright green spandex with purple polkadots and matching violet top. Standing next to her, Jennings is intermittently clapping her hands and waving.  She is wearing a tangerine t-shirt that states “Still deciding if I should be a warning or an example to others today …”. 

“I like your outfit!” appreciates Adele to Alice Hammer admiring her selection.

“What until you see this!” Alice Hammer strokes the collar on her neck as her pants change into stripes of magenta and fuschia and then back to the purple polkadots, she models her new outfit for her and excitedly giggles, “I can be a surprise on every corner”.

“She’s being sharing her fashion sense with the other customers who are now no longer strangers for about an hour now” states a slightly annoyed Jennings “I came for a quick run to get my powder coffee and now I’m stuck with this powder puff instead.”

“They just made the nano-pants that can change shapes” explains Alice Hammer delighted by this new experience “Watch this!”

Her pants change from stripes to floating smiling faces.  She taps the collar once more and the smiles change into a look of laughter. 

“Oh, that’s interesting” states Adele not entirely sure if she likes the motion within the logo.

“Yeah, I didn’t think it could get worse either – but I was wrong again” confirms Jennings with a smirk “It’s a bit creepy isn’t it?”.

“Stop that … you know that you got a pair for yourself too” credulous remarks Alice Hammer “But they were out of the Grumpy pair in your size.”

“It wasn’t Grumpy, it was Bashful” corrects Jennings chuckling that her friend exposed her secret.

“I can’t remember which dwarf you like in Snow White” remarks Alice Hammer “I thought the old Mr. Fredrickson character from ‘Up’ was a cute second option though.”

“I do rather like them” states Jennings touching the waste band of her solid blue slacks as they change into moving images of Mr. Carl Fredrickson and Russel floating with a ton of balloons. “This is such a great classic cartoon that’s been around forever!”

“Adele, what are you doing for dinner tonight?” politely asks Jennings thinking of a matchmaking idea.

“I really didn’t have plans.  I was going to make some soup and a sandwich” explains Adele peering at her empty cart.

“Why don’t you join us?” asks Alice Hammer already pondering ideas of creative dishes “We’re having dinner at Jennings apartment tonight at the Silvercrest.”

“Sounds great!”  pleased remarks Adele looking forward to more time with her friends “What time should I be there?”

“Why don’t you come over at 7.  It’s not fancy tonight but I’m inviting my grandson over as well” informs Jennings already five steps ahead in her plotting.

“What does he like?  Does he have a favorite ice cream or cake that he likes?” offers Adele wondering how old her grandchild is.

“I think he likes rocky road” responds Jennings wondering why ice cream was her first choice.

“I’ll get some sprinkles and gummy worms to go with it” suggests Adele assuming her grandson is in elementary school “I like caramel and chocolate syrup too so I’ll get both. Do you like cherries or strawberries?”

“Can you get some candy hearts?  I just love candy hearts!” exclaims Alice Hammer.

“What about some pop rocks?  Does your grandson like pop rocks?” asks Adele knowing most boys like things that explode.

“Yeah, I think so … I really don’t know” replies Jennings not sure if she has ever seen him eat pop rocks and wondering why Adele is so excited to buy them for him “You choose, bring whatever you would like to”.

“I’ll see you in a couple of hours at 7 pm” setting a date Adele is looking forward to the evening together.

Packing up his briefcase of items that he would like more time to review at home, he clicks the remote as the clear glass walls to his office transform into a muted solid white enclosure. He departs for the airpod parking storage.  He waits his turn in line as his pod is lifted out of its storage unit and lowered to the docking zone.  He thanks the security android for his service and relaxes in the vehicle chair closing his eyes for a short nap on the way home.

Upon arrival at his house, in the foyer a light mist sterilizes the environment before entry into the great room.  “Thank you, Myra”, his personalized android takes his sleek diagonal buttoned jacket and cravat to place in the closet storage.  He slides into his ergonomic slippers that are perfectly contoured to his feet for support and comfort.  He heads down the hallway to the washroom for a shower. 

The floor transforms below his feet to a deep ocean hundreds of feet below the surface as fish, whales, and even a cantankerous shark swim by the translucent tiles making Raiden feel as if he is either submerged deep below the surface or walking on water.  The shower walls fade to a muted milky white as water hits the glass panels.  Surrounded by numerous atomized shower heads, Raiden relaxes from the stresses of the day and begins to consider the reviews in his mind the interaction with Argon earlier that day, washing his hair from the dispenser encased in the shower, his mind drifts to thoughts of Adele but this is quickly interrupted by the sound of an unexpected call.

“Answer call” flatly states Raiden disappointed in the revelry of his thoughts “Who is it?”

A Myra’s voice responds “Isla Grove has called.  Will you take this call?”

Sighing Raiden steps out of the shower grabbing a heated towel and changing the floor to a heated surface.  “Yes, Myra transfer the call. Block visuals.”

The mirror transforms to a screen with a solid black box to the side with the name “Isla Grove” in bold letters.

“Yes, Isla” greets Raiden suddenly remembering that he was supposed to take Isla to his grandmother’s home tonight.

“Raiden, I can’t see you” annoyed Isla remarks “Did your mirror screen go out again?  I don’t know why you have so many issues with it, my screen has always worked perfectly fine.”

“It’s intentional” remarks Raiden without any further explanation “Was there something you were calling about?”

“I’m not going to your grandmother’s house tonight.  I don’t think she likes me much anyways”, offers Isla “Eyta wants to do some shopping and I’m going to go with her.  I heard Alice Hammer is cooking.  You never know what you’re going to get with one of her recipes.  I think that I’ll forego the stomachache.  Please make up a decent excuse for me.  I can’t tell them I’ve gone shopping instead.  Tell them Morena got sick or something like that.”

“I’ll let her know you made other plans at the last minute” suggests Raiden not liking the idea of making up fake excuses for anyone.

“Is anyone else coming?  Last time she invited Mr. Woodhouse.  I don’t think he stayed awake just getting through the salad” exaggerates Isla having wanted to be some other place else that evening.

“It wasn’t during the salad but he did have a little nap after dinner which was quite good in my opinion”, Raiden states defending Alice Hammer although agreeing that their family dinners can be a bit peculiar at times in the selection of the main dishes.  Her pimento cheese and sausage crackers weren’t too bad the last time even if the cherries on top were a bit strange.

“I’ll go next time you’re invited over”, offers Isla as a matter of dutiful appeasement but not thrilled with the idea of the upcoming obligation.

“I’ll see you later then. Have a good time shopping with your sister” concludes Raiden clicking the call.

Wondering if Adele had called, Raiden asks “Myra, did I have any other messages today?”

“Only two from Argon Winn-Elyson”, responds Myra “Would you like to hear the messages? Would you like me to call him for you?”

“No thanks, Myra.  I will call him later.  Did Adele Elyson happen to call?” inquires Raiden hoping that she might have tried to reach him.

“No, I do not have any calls from that name.   Is there another name I can search?” asks Myra sensing some uneasiness with her coded probes to register distress in voice, heartrate, and temperature.

“No, thanks anyway”, responds Raiden coming through his hair and looking at his reflection wondering if he should call Adele but not entirely sure what excuse to give for calling other than just wanting to hear her voice.

“If you want to make it to your grandmother’s by 7 pm, you will need to leave in 15 minutes”, reminds Myra wheeling out of the bathroom to bring a suitable outfit to him for dinner.

A few minutes later Myra returns with an long-sleeved right sided multi-button asymmetrical tunic, shorter in the front with the back falling just above the knee. It has an overlapping oversized collar that acts with the dual purpose of a scarf.  His slacks are a creased pleathera that breathes.  The shoes are made of a seamless flexi rubber, the smooth patterned black sole is nearly flat but a large panel wraps around the ankle for support.  Raiden double checks himself in the mirror before heading out the door for dinner at his grandmother’s house.

 

 

Waiting on the Stars - Chapter Seven

Peering out his terrace window, Raiden considers his next encounter with Adele.  He rests on the sofa with his 3G zen table in front of him.  Tracing preprogramed sculptured patterns beneath a pane of tempered glass, he doddles the BBQ then also the picnic area from the other day.  The table saves the image and then clears the screen.  He starts to sketch his memory of Adele resting on the rock which is systematically saved into the program for future reference.  He then traces her name in the cyber-grain.  Pleased with his calligraphy, Raiden writes his name next it her own.

Touching the key pad on each potted plant, the touch screen informs Raiden of how much water need to be added or are missing nutrients. The display offers a selection of smooth jazz or soft encouraging words to enhance growth, such as “good plant” or “you are doing such a good job growing”, “you look beautiful today”, etc.  Each potted plant is connected to the others in the room.  Lit by artificial tempered light when the sky is overcast, the flora and fauna steadily grow on the terrace.

On one of the terrace walls hangs vibrant ivy scaling from floor to ceiling.  On the diagonal wall are sprouting nails similar to a flock of birds in detailed design.

The 4-D ceiling simulates different weather patterns. In a rainstorm complete with thunder and lighting, mist falls on the plants or for a cloudy day a light breeze flows through the plants. On a sunny day the temperature is slightly elevated to simulate the warmth of the sun, etc. His favorite season for guests who have stayed too long or to entertain his friends, it prepares a hurricane setting of torrential rain and wind.  The floor has contracting sensor pores to drain the excess water and cluttered leaves. 

Perusing his floral selection, Raiden carefully choses an arrangement of flowers to take over to his grandmother’s later that day for dinner.  He picks a winter array of gardenias, tulips, orchids, and roses.  Inhaling the floral concoction, Raiden wonders what Adele’s favorite flower may be.  His grandmother’s favorite flowers are the black and white minstrels that look like a black velvet covered in white lace.  His personal favorite are soft pink gardenias when they are in season. 

Wrapping up the bouquet in tissue paper and a replenishing water vial to keep the flowers fresh, he enters the kitchen for his daily cup of coffee.

Taking a cup from the retracting cabinets, he fills his cup to the brim from the built-in dispenser with an array of flavored creamer. He adds his favorite creamer and liquid sugar as his takes a moment to enjoy the aroma of his morning delight. Leaning back on the counter, Raiden rests his weight against his hand.

Looking at the prepared grocery list on the touch screen on the front of the refrigerator, he presses ‘order’ so that the list of items will arrive at his door when he arrives home from work later that day.  The total amount of the transaction is taken from his account and the screen lights up his remaining balance.  He takes an orange from the bio robot gel fruit storage panel next the refrigerator that keeps the fruit at the best possible temperature for storage.

On the end table, Raiden picks up his logic bracelet and sees that he has been recharged by a small turbine windmill that transforms solar energy recharging all his gadgets.  He checks his mail to for any updates on his recent acquisitions.  Clayton has sent several messages of others he needs to contact before the end of the day as well as his agenda for the morning meeting with Argon Wynn-Elyson from the Elyson Foundation.  Apprehensive of this new merger, he carefully reads over the talking points of their meeting.  Although most meetings are held via zoom, Argon has requested to meet in person to discuss future ventures with his company.

Just before walking out the door, he engages the POW sphere cleaning system (Products of Wonder) which appears to be contained in a ball.  Shutting the door behind him, the sphere steps into action dispensing plate like items which then expand into a hundred of robo-bees that act like tiny drones with wings that disperse pre-programed cleaning products of varying kinds throughout his home.  The flying automated cleaning system takes care of the dust, dirt, and disinfects his home.

 

Looking up to the sky, a large turbine blimp silently floats by drifting by the winds.  The buoyant turbine provides energy for the entire Crestwood neighborhood.  Raiden recalls when the neighboring town of Westwood’s blimp was struck by lightening the last month, the community is still picking up small particles found around their homes.  However, his energy has been much more reasonable the past two years because of the new agreement within the national ecology laws.

Just before starting his glider, a tray opens next to the driving wheel.  He takes a small contact out and places it in his left eye, leaving the remaining sun glasses in the tray.  The contact helps to monitor the distance of the traffic around him as well as alerting him and others of potential obstacles or danger. Reviewing up-to-date information on the markets, he cautiously analyzing the Foundation numbers have recently dropped as the glider self-propels to his place of business at Marks Enterprises.

As the glider arrives at the executive parking lot, Raiden gathers his remote Hop! bag on wheels that dutifully follows closely behind him and heads towards the department entrance.  The vehicle cubicle is shuffled by an Ai attendant to its assigned nesting location, where it is stacked like Tetris blocks into the storage area to consolidate any wasted space.

Moving a random wisp of hair back in place, Raiden absentmindedly traces underneath his chin checking for any leftover stubble. Following the moving sidewalk down the long corridor, Raiden feels a tiny nudge of pressure in his logic bracelet.  The band notifies him of a message that Argon has arrived an hour early and is waiting for him at the office.  The message states that Clayton is providing an office tour to Argon in the meantime.

Upon entering the administration area, Raiden notices the door is uncharacteristically open to the Human Resources office. With his chair turned from the office, the man stares out the window lost in his thoughts.  The man is casually dressed in a less than fit diagonal buttoned suit with a high collar and three-quarter sleeves. An open book rests upside down on the desk along with cups of varying shapes and sizes half full of drinks from another time.  Unorganized stacks are piled on the credenzas with file drawers that are not completely shut as if waiting for their projects to be completed in an uncertain future point in time.

 “I think you’ve missed a button” suggests Raiden noticing a stray button in the alignment of closure has been missed in his clothing of choice.

With a sigh his friend answers, “Oh, I didn’t see it” remarks Declan Benwick pulling the ill-fitting suit away from his chest to check exactly what missing button had gone awry.

“How are you doing today?” inquires Raiden concerned about his friend “Did you sleep all right last night?”

“Not really, but I don’t know what you would consider a ‘good’ night of sleep”, replies Declan re-adjusting his suit and combing through his hair with his fingers to help reinvigorate an awareness of the morning.

“Would you like to go to lunch tomorrow?  I have a meeting today and I’m going over to my grandmother’s house for dinner tonight.  It’s been a while” invites Raiden realizing that his friend might need someone to talk to.

“A good meal sounds great”, answers Declan looking forward to a conversation with his friend. “I’d like to try something new for a change.”

“You pick the place.  I’ll see you tomorrow then” replies Raiden hoping to help his friend.

“Tomorrow” nods Declan taking a deep breath and with a short wave of acknowledgement “See you later.”

Leaving Declan’s office, Raiden turns the corner to his department and peers beside the cubicle to see that Clayton's desk was empty.

“She’s probably already with Argon”, considers Raiden checking his palm for the time and feeling exhausted “The meeting starts in ten minutes, it’s going to be a long day.”

“Good morning!” greets Argon slightly nodding his head with a wide smile of confident assurance “It’s great to see you again.  What has it been?  Two years?”

“Yes, something like that.  It’s good to see you as well”, confers Raiden observing the well-dressed man in front of him.  His shoes are new and his suit has been tailored for a perfect fit.  His haircut is in the style of the latest cover photo of a trendy men’s fashion magazine.  Argon crosses his legs in a manly fashion leaning slightly back in one swift motion while loosening the bottom button of his suit jacket and straightening it simultaneously with an air of authority and relaxation.

After presenting his detailed yet somehow vague plan with an abundance of hyperbole, Argon confidently leans back “Do you have any questions for me?”

Narrowing his eyes, Raiden asks “What do you feel will be the benefit to our company by merging with your foundation?”

“Let me be frank with you”, explains Argon leaning looking Raiden directly in the eye and lowering his voice for effect, “I make money.”

Raiden finds himself shifting in his seat as his jaw firms.

“No, I’m just joking although I would like that to be true” mocks Argon tugging at the bottom of his suit jacket and sliding back into a more comfortable position in his chair as if mocking what he has just said, “It obviously will be a benefit to us both financially and with public opinion.  Your company appears to be more relatable and caring about their community grabbing potential clients, whereas I gain credibility and financial stability for my employees and the agencies which we sponsor.  It’s a win-win for both of us.”

“Raiden, this seems like a very good opportunity with high impact and low cost to our company” excitedly responds Ellie Daring considering the possibilities of the company’s outreach and reputation.  She makes eye contact and smiles directly at Argon infatuated by his confidence and superficial charm.

“I agree, it potentially looks good”, intently acknowledges Raiden glancing over the documents for another time “However, I think our logistics team as well as the legal department need to review the information further before we sign an agreement.”

“Is that really necessary? My team was very thorough”, insists Argon wiping his brow and shifting in his chair to face the opposite direction towards Ms Daring while speaking to create more mass support, “The information is clearly written out for you.”

“Argon, it’s just our typical procedure to have the Logistic Team review all contracts before we sign them as a matter of routine”, explains Ellie attempting to console Argon’s visible anxiety.

“I’ll need an answer by Monday.  There are other offers, but I wanted to present this opportunity first to your company because of our history with your family”, defends Argon looking intently at Ellie as she is evaluating how the process can be quickly resolved. "We will need an answer very soon or someone else will gain this once in a lifetime opportunity."

“We will make it our goal to have an answer for you by Monday, if not sooner”, confirms Raiden suspicious that there might be an ulterior motive behind his anxiousness.  Raiden stands nodding to Argon, “It was a pleasure to meet with you today.”

In reply, Argon slightly bows his head looking first to Raiden and then turning to Ellie Daring with a slower bow looking directly in her eyes as if a mutual understanding has been created between the two of them, “The pleasure was all mine.”

In a tight lip smile but faint blush, Ellie returns, “We will be looking forward to seeing you again soon.”

Closing the door behind Argon as he leaves, Raiden turns towards Ellie.  “I think this is a good plan, but I also believe we need to methodically look through the proposal to see if it will be synchronous with our company’s values and budget as well.”

“I really don’t think that will be necessary.  Argon seems to be quite capable of managing anything that he responsible for", defends Ellie in an atypical manner for herself.  As she leaves passing the mirror by the door, Ellie gently touches her hair and smiles oblivious to Raiden observing her just a few feet away.

Drinking a cup of coffee from his desk, Raiden shakes his head and thinks to himself “It just doesn’t feel right.  But if it is a good plan, I don’t want to miss out on this opportunity.  I need to do some investigation on the supportive documents that he provided.”

 

Waiting on the Stars - Chapter Six

In the rotunda of Marks Enterprises, Adele passes the hologram offering a selection of nano-fabric scarves to virtually sample.  Scanning the bracelet on her wrist, the women next to Adele orders two effervecent scarves.  A drawer opens at the unmanned kiosk holding two of the matching scarves that were previously displayed.  As the woman places them around her neck, the hues adjust to blend with the shades of her hair color and skin tone while the same design remains.  Turning to view the result, Adele admires the scarves and considers a future purchase for herself. 

Leaving the Starcups kiosk, a man wearing a smart trimmed angular jacket rushes past her looking at his palm filled with a calendar full of meetings.  He speaks into his hand giving orders to his office Ai about what he needs to have accomplished in his absence that afternoon. He taps a pair of Fenix glasses that he is wearing which releases up to the minute stock margins, news, and social media.

The floor beneath her feet shifts to a cool ocean beach front.  As a 3-d image of a large whale passes below her, a hologram of a dolphin jumps up next to her as if to kiss her cheek advertising the opening of Sea Nation just outside of Kell City.  “This floor wallpaper is similar to my own at home, but I like this one much better”, examines and considers Adele enjoying the extra touch of the dolphin.

An Ai stops in front of her guiding one of the uni-wheel transporters, the Ai asks, “Would you like a curtesy ride?”

“Yes, thank you” replies Adele stepping onto to the 2-foot square platform that looks something like a podium. “I’m going to the 17^th level to Marketing and Trade.

The contraption appears to be something like a unicycle but more stable and where the passenger can stand, the vehicle carries her to the narrow cylinder track used for only transporters. She takes her place in optical line with the other guests on the uni-cycle transporters.  Rotating until reaching the 17^th floor, the transporter emerges and drives her to the front entrance of Marketing and Trade section.

The doors unlock and open in an obtuse puzzle motion as Adele walks inside the large office unit.  From a distant view, the office space looks like a maze of various contours and silhouettes. The desks are a mixture of cubic and trapezoid shapes of different angels to assist with ergonomic health and well-being of their staff.  Some appear to be lounging in their workspace while working, while others stand and lean, with a few more employees resting their weight on their knees in specially designed chairs optimizing the strength of the alignment of their spines.

Walking through the corridor a familiar face steps in front of her, “Adele is it?  I’m surprised to see you here”, firmly states Clayton Slay with a superficial smile closing her arms tightly about her with a judgmental stance.

“I’m surprised to be back so soon too, I’m meeting Mr. Worthington here for an appointment”, Adele replies nervously hanging on to her bag.

“Are you back for a second interview?  I didn’t see that he was conducting a second round of interviews for the potential candidates on his agenda for this week”, shrewdly remarks Clayton acting more as a guardian than a paid assistant.

“I’m not meeting him about the position, he’s helping me with other business”, responds Adele not entirely sure how much she should share.

“That’s interesting since you just met last week”, deftly acknowledges Clayton looking Adele over from head to toe leaving Adele feeling as if she doesn’t measure up to her standards.

“He’s helping with a real estate project”, explains Adele feeling interrogated but confident that the situation is innocent.

“I’ve never known Mr. Worthington to have much free time on his hands to assist with anyone else’s projects.  Maybe it would be better if you left the information with me and I can give it to Mr. Worthington when he is available”, suggests Clayton not wanting a potential usurper to enter her perimeter of power.

“He set an appointment with me, so I’ll meet with him.  Thank you for offering to help”, politely returns Adele not entirely comfortable leaving any information with her for fear it may be intentionally lost into oblivion.

“If you need my help, please let me know.  I can take you to the waiting area until Mr. Worthington is available to meet with you” responds Clayton quieting plotting of not informing him of her arrival.

“That won’t be necessary, Ms. Slay”, replies the voice from behind Clayton “I’ve been waiting for Ms. Elyson to arrive.  We have a meeting scheduled in five minutes.  Would you like some coffee or tea?”, asks Raiden feeling pleased that she arrived early for her appointment.

“Sure, tea sounds good with a little cream and a lot of sugar”, informs Adele grateful to escape the interrogation of his unofficial warden.

“Mr. Worthington, I can have Jeeves bring the tea to you”, remarks Clayton surprised the Raiden had offered to retrieve the team in person.

“No, that’s fine.  I still can remember how to make tea”, smiling politely but answering firmly to Clayton, “Adele, my office if you remember is just around the corner to the left.  Make yourself comfortable, I will be there in a second.”

Clayton stares resolutely at Adele as she follows Raiden’s directions to his office.  Following closely behind Raiden to the staff kitchen area, Clayton observes Raiden’s behavior to see if he is feeling all right that day.

“Is there anything I can help you with? Are you feeling okay?” inquires Clayton suspicious of his motives to be so helpful to someone as of yet not connected to the company.  “Do you know Ms. Elyson?”

“Actually, I do know her,” states Raiden open to defer some office gossip “Adele is an old friend of the family that I have known for many years.  She recently returned to the area and we are getting re-acquainted.  Please take care of her when she visits the office. I am hoping she will consider being a part of our team.”

“Hopefully she will be as talented as your memories of her”, snidely remarks Clayton turning on her heels departing from the staff kitchen.

“I’m sure she is”, retorts Raiden not wanting Clayton to have the last word on his assessment of Adele.

Placing the teacup on the plexiglass table in front of her, Raiden asks “Are you comfortable?  How have you enjoyed the morning?”

“So far its been a good day”, replies Adele take a quick sip of her hot tea “I ran a couple of errands before heading this way.  Thank you so much for meeting with me and helping me to choose a new home.  The whole idea of finding a new place feels overwhelming.”

“I have put together a list of some options that I thought you might like”, suggests Raiden pulling out his INote with various properties listed and their purchasing price.

“These look great!” exclaims Adele tapping on the screen to enlarge a 3-d interior viewpoint of each property.  “Are these all located in Crestwood?  There are so reasonable too!”

“Yes, they’re actually near-by and within a five mile radius of each other”, explains Raiden without adding that the properties are also within five mile radius of his own home.

“The landscaping is beautiful too!” observes Adele amazed by the functionality of each home “How did you find them?”

“I’ve been aware of the properties for a while”, acknowledges Raiden without admitting that they have been a part of the company’s rental property investments that his department manages.

“I’m shocked that I can afford them”, remarks Adele relieved that it will not be as challenging as she imagined in order to find a new home closer to her work.

“Would you like to go see each of these places?” asks Raiden hoping that she has time available to her today.

“Sure.  Do you have time?  I didn’t put anything on my schedule because I wasn’t sure how much time you would have today and I didn’t want to interfere in your plans”, genuinely replies Adele with anticipation.

“I’ve already cleared my calendar for this afternoon.  Remember you promised lunch as well!” teases Raiden hoping she did remember a meal was included in the plans for the day.

“I didn’t forget.  But I’ll pay since I’m so grateful that you are helping me today”, offers Adele sincerely appreciative that he is taking time to help her.

“Great!  My glider is on the upper level.  Walk with me and we will head that way”, offers Raiden placing his hand in the small of Adele’s back to gently lead her out of the office.

Walking into the staff cubicle area, many heads turn to observe who the new woman that is walking with their director.  It is a very unusual sight to see him go out of his way to be friendly to any of the female staff or guests.  He seems to be smiling and more talkative than his typical more formal professional behavior.

“It’s a friend from a long time ago”, explains Clayton enjoying being more in the know than the other staff “They’ve known each other since childhood.  They are family friends.”

Hearing a collective “Oh ...”, “that makes sense”, and “they know each other” from the staff, Clayton feels satisfied in her new higher status of office confidant.

Reaching the first home, the doors to the luxury glider slowly fold open into a hidden casing at the top of the vehicle. Adele steps out on to the speckled cell porch pad made of self-healing cement that uses bacteria known as Bacillus Megaterium mixed with calcium carbonite to repair any cracks or blemishes.

Locking the glider with a wave of his hand, he catches up with Adele walking towards the entrance of the potential home.  The house is made up of all curved edges for a more ergonomic assimilation with nature.  The home contains many windows to help with adjustment to solar light and energy. To prevent damage from storms or creatures, the home is built up on stilts.  The entrance at the base level is similar to a tubal class elevator that seals in its passengers as well as providing a disinfecting mist from allergens and other bacteria from entering the home.

The living room floor is translucent in hibernation mode waiting for the owner to choose a floor wall-paper.  Several outlets are hidden on the windows that provide solar energy.  Most appliances these days are wireless, but it helps with some of the old school items that some still own.

The windows are covered with triangular reflection panels providing one side of black-out tiles for sleeping, another for shading from ultra violet light when desiring a view from outside, and a third side of the tile is illuminated for decoration offering a selection of ten different patterns to choose from when entertaining.

The fireplace a focal point of the room in encapsulated in a tear drop dispenser.  It is self-lit with soft-light panels of blues and shades of burgundy. The track lighting is glowing from behind round orbs hanging on the walls.  The hallway is trimmed in spiraling illuminators delicately outlining the round corners of each room.  Modular collapsible cube lighting hangs in the corners of the living room.

Walking down to the end of the hallway, Adele notices the bathroom.  The shower has a twelve-head surround water dispenser with a digital log to measure temperature and water usage.  The shower contains a built-in speaker and screen.  The flooring of the shower retracts for a hot tub jet spa with water flowing into it like a cool sleek waterfall.  The transparent doors quickly change into black-out or scenic views that can be individually programmed to each user.  For example, a user may choose to take their 'shower' in the middle of the Amazon, Universe, a theatre or perhaps even, a football field.

The toilet offers a heated seat, bidet, air dryer, and water temperature settings with a built-in deodorizer of pine, fruit, or floral scents. Rather than the typical sound of flushing, it offers a selection of short tunes to choose from such as chimes, bells, cosmic synthesizer, etc.  Upon each flush the toilet will self-sanitize as a lid automatically slides to cover the tank.

The sink is of oval shape but the bottom of the bowl is clear and lighted by different shapes to decorate the additional counter space with such options as paisley, floral, or checkered designs. The light offers options of red, blue, green or compatible to many other shades that can be ordered from the manufacturer. On each side the clear touch panels, they highlight the water to red, blue, or green depending on the temperature of the water.  Above the sink is a smart mirror similar to one that Adele uses every day but with enhanced tech in comparison to the one she already owns.  It can be controlled by the direction of the iris as the individual is looking on into the mirror.

“If you are amazed by the bathroom, you need to see the master bedroom”, encourages Raiden believing that Adele has already made her decision by the look of pure amazement and delight on her face.

The bedroom has two built-in nesting chairs for comfort and ease. The comfy egg-shaped chairs are sound sealed for a complete musical experience or to hide-away from other noises within the home.  “I would love to read there”, announces Adele climbing into the chair and imaging an entire library being read within moments of relaxation.

“It will lean back or rest on its side if you press this panel”, explains Raiden as Adele slowly moves within the oval chair to a more comfortable position.

“I love it!” exclaims Adele “Have you tried it before?”

“I have one in my home”, remarks Raiden pleased that she likes the chair so much since it is one of his most favorite features of his home.

In front of the master bed area is a sofa that massages your back as you relax or choose to rest.  It also reclines for a more comfortable viewing experience.  Large panels of media screen made of plasma gel are built into the wall.  The screens can be molded and reshaped depending on where and how you are sitting in the room for easier viewing.

“This is perfect!” exclaims Adele finding the home to reach even past her more far-out expectations.

“Would you like to see the kitchen?” asks Raiden surprised that she had not been interested in looking at it yet.

“I guess so.  Will it cook for me?” jokes Adele wishing to have homecooked meals that actually taste good that she does not have to prepare.

“Yes, I might. I do make a few tasty dishes. The kitchen has some interesting features”, laughing and states Raiden content that Adele may be choosing to be his neighbor without her knowledge but by her own choice.

“The kitchen offers a gel panel next to the refrigerator to keep vegetables and fruit fresh for a longer time. The refrigerator has a smart panel displaying when each item was taken and returned, a shopping list of frequently used items that will be ordered and delivered to your home, the timing can be programmed into how often you would like to replace certain items”, instructs Raiden adding to impress Adele, “It’s one of the items my company markets.”

“The counter tops are so solid. Where is the stove?" asks Adele wondering if she will have to purchase a stove in her budget.

“It’s right here”, explains Raiden touching a panel underneath the counter “It recognizes my fingerprint.  The counter area and storage drawers are child-proof as well as the oven.  You choose who you would like to include in the program, they are the only ones who can open the oven. To make this adjustment is quite easy though.  Let’s say you invite me for Thanksgiving and I would like to help cook, you place your finger here first to open the network, then I can just tap my finger here and I can be added.  It works the same way for the security features on the home.  Thirty-point facial recognition is also possible as an option as are most homes now.”

The island is also a serving table with a counter table to the front for easy quick service for family members or guests. 

“The dining room table has effervescent lighting.  Touching the corner of the table will offer ambient music to dine with or also help to keep your serving platters warm or cool if needed”, demonstrates Raiden offering an invitation “The first dinner meal you make, you will have to invite me over.”

“I may order in to make sure it tastes good, but it sounds like a great idea!” jokes Adele hoping that the opportunity will become a reality sometime soon “I need to find a way to pay you back for all of your help today.”

“So, what do you think?” asks Raiden excited and in anticipation of knowing her opinion.

“It’s absolutely beautiful, everything I want, in a good location, and the right price too”, amazed explains Adele wondering how such good luck could come her way.

“I’m going to take this paperwork back to the office.  Many of our properties are rented or sold to employees so it should only take a couple of days”, explains Raiden excited to have a new neighbor but hiding the fact he is greatly reducing the price of rent for her as a guarantee of her ability to choose to live there.

Settling back into the glider, Adele can hardly contain her excited at finding the perfect home so easily.  “I just can’t believe it.  It’s exactly what I want.”

“I’m glad that it worked out for you”, states Raiden a secret not sure that he wants to tell her they will be neighbors until the purchased has been finalized. 

“I wonder what my neighbors are like?” ponders Adele peeking out the windows at the other homes in the neighborhood. “I wonder if they ever have neighborhood events.”

“I’ve seen the digital newsletter that will display on your front door once a week.  It can be quickly hidden if you find these kinds of notifications bothersome.  It appears they have planned events about once a month, offers Raiden having never attended one by choice but only by obligation “Do you like those type of things?”

“Oh, I think they are great.  The events help to make new friends and also I'm able to meet others.  I usually find someone that I can depend on as well as they can rely on me in case of an emergency, an additional layer of security, or the normal interchange of friendship.”

Having not considered these points before, Raiden replies “Maybe I should attend one or two and get to know my neighbors better.”

“You should.  I’ll miss my neighbors when I leave my complex.  I’ve gotten to know some of them really well over the past few months,” sadly explains Adele “but I can still remain friends with them even though it won’t quite be the same as before”.

“Adele, I wanted to continue our conversation that was interrupted during the picnic earlier this weekend” starts Raiden wanting to have a conversation that had previously started earlier with her.

“Okay, I’ve wanted to explain myself to you as well” begins Adele wanting to clear the thick air of past memories that was lingering between them.

“Did something happen that I am not aware of?” sympathetically asks Raiden bracing himself for her response.

“It wasn’t about you.  As you know my family owned several resorts during that time.  My dad had inherited the business from his grandfather as you are aware”, begins Adele trying to put the past into perspective “My father had signed some paperwork dispersing his shares with the Elyson Foundation to cover some of his expenses.  At that point, Argon Wynn-Elyson had just married his wife, my dad’s cousin Anadael, and were running the foundation together. They were hoping to merge the companies to form one large conglomerate along with Elyson Energy.”

“Yes, I remember all of that”, confers Raiden wondering what this has to do with their last farewell.

A monotone digital voice announces, “Due to an unexpected power surge, high energy levels have been detected. The glider will need to return to its docking station to recover power.  You have 12 minutes remaining to return to the docking station."

“You can drop me off right here, I can take a transport back to my home or walk. I only live a few blocks away”, offers Adele “We can talk again some other time.  Thanks again for your help today.  It was so very thoughtful of you!’

“We will meet again.  I don’t have your number”, anxiously replies Raiden realizing that he doesn’t want the day to end.

“It’s on my application”, smiles Adele. “I’m sure Clayton as it.  Once you send me your number, I’ll call you.”

“That’s a deal!” shouts Raiden as the door closes and Adele waves to him on the moving sidewalk.