11 - Invitation
"Oh, there's my wife now," he murmured, half to himself.
She took her time making her way over. We all, the Walshes and I, kept our eyes locked on her as she wandered through the room. I had to check myself and force my focus back to my rye, lest Walsh get the wrong idea.
When she got to us, she didn't so much as glance in my direction. Smart girl. Still, it hurt like hell to be that close to her and feel nothing but cold distance.
"Are you almost finished here honey? You know we have to swing by the house one more time before going to the shuttle." she said, in a bored sort of drawl. Yet, was that love I sensed in her gaze? It seemed that way. It seemed she was talking to a guy she really loved, a guy that wasn't me. I started to get a bowling-ball feeling in my stomach.
"Yes, darling. We're all done here." Walsh got up and extended his hand toward me. "Nice doing business with you Mr. Jules."
Now she finally looked at me. That look of hers still knocked me off my feet so easily. It took me longer than it should have to shake Walsh's hand.
"Yes, well, we'll be in touch after your trip," I muttered, still trying to recover my senses.
Her eyes widened. They were staring right at me and fixing me in place.
"Oh, honey, you mean you haven't sorted all this out yet?" she was looking at him again, and had re-adopted her bored expression.
"Yes, dearie, all finished."
"But, don't you have to sign something? I really don't want to have to bother with all this when we get back."
"That's not how these things work, my dear. Mr. Jules here has to go and draw up the new policies for me to sign."
"Oh, policies! I'm sure he has plenty of those lying around, right?" She looked right at me again. Her gaze seemed to be moving my arm into my briefcase, forcing it to magically produce some papers.
"Why, yes, yes I do," I said, sheepishly.
"Really?" replied Walsh, he was starting to get confused and annoyed.
"Sure I do, sir. And they are those fine, airtight contracts I was telling you about."
"But surely you don't go around with them... oh, anyway, just give me one, we must be on our way. I'll look over it on the shuttle."
"Perhaps..." interrupted Judy, she still wasn't happy, "Perhaps this gentleman could join us. Just in case you need to change anything in the policy."
This was starting to get ridiculous. The risks this girl was taking.
"That's absurd, darling. I'm sure he has much better things to be doing."
I knew I had no other choice at this point. If I wanted her - I did - I had to follow her lead, right to the bitter end.
I spoke up, just as they were all turning away from me,
"Actually, Mr. Walsh, I happen to have all the time in the world."
And just like that, we were all heading off to the stars together.