Page 84 of Space Junk: Houston, We Have a Hottie
Fuck. She’s right.
* * *
Jackie
Big and Rich are singing about saving a horse and riding a cowboy while I lie on my bed in my underwear, trying to cool down from my drive home from work. The air conditioning in my car conked out. Of course it did.
So I came home and took a cold shower, trying to both stop sweating and relax after the long day I’ve just had. A day of dealing with the aftermath of Brian frigging Hampson’s male chauvinist antics and the video of the subsequent butt kicking I gave him. Or finger bending. However, though not as accurate, butt kicking sounds better than finger bending.
I need a plan. A procedure to get me through this mess.Hmmm.Seeing as Operation Social Life hasn’t panned out all that well, maybe just a to-do list.
Step one, buy a new car. This should be fun. A new car involves research. I love research. But now, thinking about cars makes me think of Flynn. And that makes me sad. I guess I’ll just buy the same make and model as I have now, but new. It won’t be as badass as one of Flynn’s vintage cars, but hopefully it will last me another ten years. I blow out a sigh, wondering how many things that would normally bring me joy won’t, because they’ll remind me of Flynn.
Step two, deal with the publicity nightmare of the video of Brian’s butt kicking. By itself, I don’t think the video would’ve been too bad, even with Brian’s celebrity. However, when you factor in the fact that the media is still trying to call me one of the saviors of NASA, and the leaked news that I’m in the top running for the new astronaut class, NASA’s public relations team has me on speed dial.
Big and Rich stop singing, only to start up not ten seconds later. Rose is tenacious, I’ll give her that. Unless I turn my phone off, which I’ve been expressly told not to do in case PR needs to go over something with me for the upcoming interview they’ve demanded I do, I’m going to hear Rose’s ringtone all night. A ringtone which she personally selected. I’m all for Big and Rich, but this is killing my newfound love of country music.
On the next ring, I take a deep breath and pick up the phone.
“Don’t say anything,” I demand.
“I—”
“No. It’s my turn to talk. Okay?” She’s silent, so I figure she gets the message. “You and I are good. I’m sorry I’ve been dodging your calls. First there was the ISS failure, then the Flynn and Beth thing, then everything seemed fine. More than fine, it was… well, it was amazing. And then just as quickly, it wasn’t. And now the stupid video.” I take a deep breath, angry that my eyes are stinging. “I just feel so drained. I’m not used to all thisstuff.” I gesture in the air with my free hand, even though Rose isn’t there to see me. “I don’t think I’m equipped to deal with roller coaster emotions.”
She’s still silent.
“Right now, I just do not have the head space to deal with whatever happened between Flynn and me. And I know he is your brother and you want to defend him.” Rose makes a sound, but quickly quiets. “But I just can’t hear it right now.” I clear my throat. “Okay?”
“Okay, Jackie.”
“So you and I are good. Just no Flynn talk, okay?”
“If that’s what you want.”
I blow out a long breath and blink a few times, trying to get my emotions under control. Goosebumps spread over my legs as my body temperature finally starts to cool down.
“So, Jackie?” Rose asks after a bit more silence.
“Yes, Rose?”
“I just need to say two things that involve Flynn. But only so you aren’t blindsided later.”
“I—”
“I promise I’m not defending him, it is just information you need.”
“Fine,” I say on a sigh.
“One, I told Flynn about the video and what happened at the restaurant. And two, I will not defend my brother. In fact, I recently told him he was an asshole and didn’t deserve you.”
I heard what she said. I even think, subconsciously, that I’ve computed what it means. But all I can manage is a very un-me, “Rose. What the fuck?”
“Wow,” Rose breathes. “You said fuck.”
A giggle shoots out. “Uh, yeah. I guess I did.”
“That’s okay. Sometimes you need a fuck.”
