John van Dijk - THE ZOO

"No worries," Per said warmly, "I’ll speak with you tomorrow, Samantha."

Then he quietly rang off.

Her social life neatly taken care of for the moment, Sam quickly switched gears once again.

She worked through the night, stopping only once to make a quick peanut butter and jelly sandwich which she wolfed down with a tall glass of milk before she hurried back to her small bank of computers. She set up an immediate direct line with Goldstone Deep Space Tracking in the Mojave Desert, which allowed her to start fine pointing all possible coordinates with their team. She spoke with Jake three more times during the night, keeping him promptly updated on all new data as promised. By three in the morning, she had located two more hydrogen frequencies, obviously ET’s radio frequency of choice. They were both substantially stronger and closer in proximity than the first find had been. As Sam worked, a definite pattern was gradually starting to unfold.

At last, as outside night was slowly blurring into dawn, Sam wrapped herself in a throw and slipped into an exhausted sleep, head down in her arms on the desk.

For the next few days Sam worked feverishly. Stopping only when necessary, such as when her stomach growled from hunger. The ensuing days and nights seemed to blend one into the other. Her resolution to give up cigarettes literally going up in smoke as one after another burned down in the ashtray beside her on the desk. She was in constant contact with Jake in Boston as well as the team at Goldstone. Everyone involved was obsessed with the recent findings. This was momentous and they all knew it.

Occasionally, her house phone would ring to leave messages from either Martha or Per on her answering machine. They would both have to wait. Sam could not take the time to speak with them right now. But, as usual, she underestimated Martha’s persistent nature.

Becoming concerned after three straight days of silence, Martha stopped phoning and showed up on her doorstep in person early Thursday morning.

"What the hell’s going on here?" She snapped at Sam as she pushed her way past her friend into the foyer. "I’ve been calling you for three days straight."

Turning around, she took a good look at Sam. "When was the last time you got any sleep? You look like shit. Are you sick or something?" Impatiently shifting from one foot to another, Martha waited for an explanation of some sort.

Sam rubbed her forehead tiredly. "I’m sorry, Martha. I’ve just been really tied up with something the last few days." Martha followed her into the study where they both sat down.

"I didn’t mean to worry you." Sam finished lamely.

"Well, you have worried me - and Per, too. Jesus, he’s driving me nuts with phone calls. Is your machine broken or what?"

"No, it’s working fine." Sam mumbled. Giving herself a mental shake, she sat up straighter. "Look Martha, I can’t explain right now, but I’m working on something that’s very important. Believe me, when I can go into details, you will be the first to know. You’re just going to have to trust me for now." She got to her feet. "Come on, I’ll walk you to the door."

"Are you kicking me out?" Asked an incredulous Martha.

"Damn straight. I’ll call you." Promised Sam as she firmly closed the front door on her friend.

But Martha’s intrusion had broken her concentration. She rang Jake.

"I’m taking the 7:00 ferry in the morning. I should be in Boston by noon time."

"Good," Jake responded, "I’ll set the meeting up. Everyone will be here. Drive safely, Sam. We need that data."

He hung up before Sam could reply. What a warm bastard, she thought, freshly remembering why she had stopped working for the insensitive s.o.b.. Doesn’t matter, she reminded herself. What I’ve found is beyond all that.

As she headed upstairs for a much needed soak the phone rang. It was Per. This time Sam picked up. Slightly out of breath from her race up the stair, Sam sank onto the bed as she answered the phone.

"I’m here, Per." She said loudly over the mechanical recording.

"Samantha! How nice to find you in. Have you been away?" He asked.

"Sort of." Laughed Sam. "Per," she asked spontaneously, "how about that dinner tonight? Are you free?"

They agreed on an early meal that evening. After having spoken with Per, Sam realized she was too fatigued to move. Her longed for bath would have to wait.

She rolled over and slept deeply for the first time in days.

Sam stayed comatose for a solid ten hours. When she awoke around seven, it was with dismay to see how late it had become. Regrettably, all thoughts of a leisurely soak left her as she settled for a hasty shower instead. She really didn’t know if she would be able to pull this evening off. How could she possibly sit over a quiet dinner chatting about pleasantries when she knew she was on top of the most stupendous revelation of her life? Or anyone’s life, for that matter.

Sam was seriously beginning to regret her earlier spontaneity when she heard the old VW pull in. What the hell, she thought. I have to eat sometime, don’t I?

Rapidly grabbing a sweater off the bed she ran downstairs to let Per in.

"Good evening, Samantha." Smiled Per as he clumsily handed her a tiny bouquet of May flowers.

At her astonished look, he said, "This is the traditional custom, I believe?

Flowers for the lady?"

Shaking her head, Sam took the straggly bunch out of his hands. "Anyone ever told you that you’re quaint? Where did you get these?" She carefully stuck them into a vase on the hall table that held a bright display of tulips.

Grinning from ear to ear, Per sheepishly admitted, "Your front lawn."

Taking Sam’s arm, he propelled her out the door and into his van.

"Buckle up," he said in serious voice, turning the key over, "I’m afraid my driving is not very precise as of yet."

Having sad that, he preceded to grind every possible gear searching for reverse as he backed the vehicle up, turned it around and roared down the driveway.

Gripping her seat with both hands, Sam was visibly relieved when, five minutes later, they pulled into the Blue Goose parking lot.

"Where on earth did you learn to drive?" She asked as she thankfully scrambled out of the bus, feeling bruised and battered by the short drive.

Rather than answer her, Per commented, "Isn’t it a lovely sky tonight?" Sam looked up at the twinkling stars that, with the onset of darkness, were just starting to make their presence in the universe known. Which one is it? She thought to herself. Would it be any that we could see from here?

"Shall we?" Prodded Per, as he held the restaurant door open for her.

Not only was the Blue Goose the best restaurant on the Island, it was the only restaurant on the Island. That is, if you didn’t count the hot dog stand that ran from June through the end of August down at the ferry terminal. The owners of the Blue Goose wintered in Florida and had just reopened for the season.

Consequently, Sam and Per had the place virtually all to themselves.

"The service here should be excellent." Stated Per, looking about at all the empty tables.

"Don’t count on that." muttered Sam, who knew the proprietors.

He really is attractive, thought Sam as she sat back sipping her after dinner brandy and listening to Per talk about his recent travels across the country.

She is lovely both inside and out, thought Per, as he watched Sam laugh uproariously at one of his stories.

After dinner, they decided to go up to the old lighthouse on Hockamock Head.

Through silent, mutual agreement, Sam drove. She peered hard into the darkness as they went past Happy’s property, but she didn’t see any lights on. Happy strongly believed in the ‘early to bed and early to rise’ concept.