Lillian Francken - We Come in Peace

“Are you hungry?” Bobby asked, laughing at Jupel.

With his mouth full, Jupel managed to get out, “This is good.”

Zolar stared at Jupel. She took a piece of the candy and slowly put it in her mouth. She too had a look of pleasure on her face as she reached in and then grabbed a handful of the chocolates, and stuffed them into her mouth. They both sat with their mouths full of candy.

Elmer just watched them with interest. He turned to Jupel and then Zolar, who had their mouths coated with chocolate. Elmer finally turned to Bobby with a curious look.

“Your friends are hungry?” Elmer asked.

Bobby turned to Zolar and Jupel as they both grabbed up another handful of candy. Neither seemed to have any control over their desire for more of the sweet delight. Bobby motioned to his tummy. Jupel shook his head no while Zolar turned to Jupel and then looked up with her the mouth stuffed and shook her head no also. She grabbed more candy and stuffed it in her mouth.

Elmer turned to Bobby. “Have your friends been smoking some of that wild weed?”

Bobby shrugged innocently. He did not know how to explain to Gramps his friends crashing into the desert in their flying saucer. Also, given his history of smoking weed, he did not think anyone would believe him at this point. Nevertheless, the fact remained that the two aliens had stepped out of that craft and they were sitting here on the couch. Once he brought the spacecraft to the ranch, he would either have proof that there was life beyond Earth or that the people coming to the convention were becoming more sophisticated in their travels.

Bobby turned back to the two sitting staunchly on the couch with their hands on their knees, looking straight ahead, their mouths all covered with chocolate. The candy dish was empty and would remain that way for a while, as Bobby did not know how to control the two when it came to the chocolate delight or how he would explain the situation to Elmer, or Jenny for that matter once she got home from work.

They sat in the living room for a good hour, no one speaking just sitting there staring at each other, Finally, it was the sound of the old beat-up station wagon of his Aunt Jenny pulling up to the ranch that caused Bobby to finally get up and look out the window. His biggest fear was now realized. His aunt had let him stay at the ranch to bring some normalcy to his life. However, as hard as she tried, he fought every attempt. Granted, he didn’t want to go back and live with his mother and her many boyfriends. Bobby just didn’t like the restrictions Aunt Jenny imposed on his life, no matter how well intended they were. He did not know how he would explain the two sitting on the couch with his straitlaced aunt, and time was running out fast. He took a deep breath and waited for what he knew would soon come.

It did not take long for the front door to swing open. Jenny stormed in. Her face, crimson red, almost matched the ketchup stains on her uniform. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Bobby standing in front of the two visitors, still sitting staunchly on the couch with their hands on their knees and their faces covered in chocolate. Jenny, not wanting to embarrass Bobby in front of his friends, walked over to the kitchen door and motioned Bobby to follow her. Her jaw muscles tightened.

Bobby knew that whatever it was that got her upset would not be good. Jenny was usually soft-spoken, but when her feathers were ruffled, she could tie into you with the best of them, and she always seemed to have a valid argument when it came to him and his schooling. It was just the school had become boring lately, and he just did not have it in him to sit through classes taught by teachers with no regard to passing on knowledge that made sense. But who was he to question their methods?

By the time Bobby walked into the kitchen, Jenny was opening the refrigerator and grabbing the can of soda. She flipped the lid and then took a quick drink. When Bobby walked in, she slammed the can on the counter and stared at him for the longest time without speaking, which made him more uncomfortable.

“The school called me today at work,” she snapped, looking at him for a sign of remorse.

“Yeah,” Bobby said with indifference. As much as he liked his aunt, he was not going to let her rule his life. He did not want to be as defiant as he always was with his mother. For some reason, he always found it difficult to find a happy medium.

“They wanted to know where you were.”

“What did you tell them?”

“Is that all you have to say?”

“I care!”

“Oh. Then why weren’t you in school?”

Bobby hesitated a moment. “I was studying nature.” It was a lame excuse but the only one he could come up with on the fly. Truth be known, his teachers were lame excuses for educators. None of them cared about what they were teaching or that the students that they sent out into the world were unprepared for what was awaiting them. But then who was he to judge his elders? That was what caused him the most trouble.

“Bullshit,” Jenny said angrily and then pointed to the living room. “And who are those two space cadets out there and what were you doing today?”

“They aren’t space cadets,” Bobby snapped, and then walked closer to Jenny and whispered, “More like space travelers,” as if that would make her feel better about the company sitting in the living room.

Jenny looked puzzled and then shook her head in disbelief. “Who are they?” she asked, shaking her head. Granted, Jenny was not Bobby’s mother, but she was, in fact, responsible for him and did not take that task lightly. She especially did not like him associating with strangers and, given the convention in Las Vegas, there were plenty of aliens running around the area.

Bobby opened the fridge and pulled out a beer. Jenny quickly grabbed it out of his hand and then frowned. She put the beer back in the refrigerator and then turned and pointed at Bobby while laughing.

“You are not old enough for that.”

“But Mom,” he started to say. It was the wrong thing to bring up, and he regretted it now, but he knew once the words were spoken, it was too late.

“You do know their names, don’t you?”

“Yeah,” Bobby said and then hesitated a moment. “John and Jane Doe,” he said rolling his eyes, hoping Jenny was not watching him.

“What?” Jenny said, not quite believing what Bobby had just said.

“You heard of them?”

Jenny grabbed the soda off the counter and then guzzled the rest of the contents. “Like I said, space cadets.”

“They were in the desert walking because their vehicle broke down. They don’t have enough money to get it fixed.”

“And you brought them home.”

“What else was I to do?” Bobby said, raising his hands and shaking his head. “It seemed the only humane thing to do at the time.” Bobby knew his aunt was an old softy when it came to a sob story and only hoped she believed him.

“You could have taken them into town and dropped them off at the Salvation Army.”

“Why? We have plenty of room here on the ranch. Besides, it was closer than the town.”

“How long are they going to stay here?”

“Gramps said they were welcome to stay for as long as they needed.”

Bobby knew if he brought Elmer into this, Jenny would not assert herself. It was his ranch, and they all stayed there because Elmer did not object. Even though Jenny was his daughter and was technically caring for him, it was Elmer’s decision who lived with him.

“Dad met them?” Jenny asked with a surprised look on her face.

“Yeah, when we first arrived. He likes them too.”

“You know he’s not playing with a full deck, so that remark means nothing to me.”

Jenny tossed the can into the garbage and then stormed out of the room, leaving Bobby sweating bullets. He knew Jenny was upset and now he had to think fast before she caught on who they were. The last thing he needed was the jerks from Area 51 coming and taking the two space travelers. Bobby quickly followed Jenny out of the room.