SWNOVELS Chapter The Time Is Now
The morning was busy. The White House staff kicked into gear. Many of the foreign dignitaries visited its hallowed halls. All prime ministers, ambassadors, kings, and amirs were treated like royalty, which, at least for the kings, the treatment was normal.
Jayde got on a special phone in her room to contact Doctor Chalet in Belize. After much relaying, she got him on the phone.
“Jayde, ’ow vas jour treep?” Chalet asked.
“I didn’t have any time to tell you I was traveling to the White House. Weren’t you worried when I didn’t show up in the billets?” she asked him.
“I zaw zee Zeecret Zervice vizk jou und Alexi avay. Vhere eelze could jou be ozer zan zee Vite ’ouze?”
Chalet asked.
“They gave me the Medal of Honor for beating that Chauzek, Doc!” Jayde’s excitement finally sank in.
“Jou deezerve more zan a meedal, Keed. Jou zaved zee veld,” Chalet said.
“I got this Vera Wang dress also, this was a good trip, Doc, and thank you ever so much, for giving Alexi that oxytocin. It really made the evening,” Jayde smiled.
“Zo, ’ee vinaly gave eet tu jou. I zaught ’ee vas goeeng to geev eet tu jou een Vlorida. I guezz ’ee peeked zee right time,” Chalet said.
“Tell your scientists it worked like a charm,” she said. “Did he ask for a polypeptide?”
“’Ee azked vor a zienteevik avrodeeziak. I gave ’eem dolveen oxeetoseen. Zienze gave jou jour counztant orgazeem,” Chalet said.
“You know you’re a ‘Mad Scientist Don Juan’, right Doc?” she asked.
“Vhen jou need an advanteeg, zienze iz jour vrieend, no mattur ’ow mad eet iz,” Chalet said. “Jou ur velcum Jayde.”
“Now I have to take my medicine, Doc, we’re going to see Daddy,” she said with foreboding.
“Avzer Alexi meezs jour fazah, jou vill need anozer meedal, guud luck mon ami,” Chalet said.
“Thanks for always being in my corner, Doc,” Jayde said. “I’ll see you back on the beaches. Farewell Doc,” Jayde concluded.
“Au revoir, Jayde.” Chalet hang up the phone.
As Jayde hung up her receiver, Nattie came in her room through the open door, wearing a jogging suit and holding two extra jogging suits.
“Let’s go on a jog, Girl. Alexi’s learning football from Sydney, and who is Biff going to choose, Alexis, or Madeline?” she asked.
“I’m sorry Nattie, I don’t know those people,” Jayde said.
“Just as I thought. You don’t get a body like that watching daytime soaps. You take a small or medium? They’re long enough, WNBA Center,” Nattie showed Jayde the jogging suits.
I wear a size three, so I would guess a small?” Jayde didn’t know if the United States government adjusted the first lady’s sizes.
Nattie threw the small at Jayde. “Get dressed, Girl. We have some jogging and gossiping to do.”
Jayde caught the jogging suit, and went into the restroom to change. The suit fit perfectly. It wasn’t too tight, and it wasn’t high-waters. Now, all Jayde had to get were socks and jogging shoes.
She came out, and Nattie said, “You’re going to knock the Secret Service dead, Girl.” She threw Jayde some tube socks. “What size shoe?” Nattie asked her.
“I wear a size twelve, most girls in West Point said I had flippers instead of feet,” Jayde said, as she put on the socks.
“Have you ever heard of Altra Lone Peak runners?” Nattie asked.
“I’ve been putting on Asics for fifteen years,” Jayde said.
“It’s treat time, Girl.” Nattie called to Alfonzo, “Alfonzo, could you get some Altra Lone Peaks, size twelve from my dressing room, please?”
“Yes Ma’am.” Alfonzo said, and left for her dressing room.
“These shoes are designed for running,” Nattie assured her.
“How did you have my size? Do you have a shoe store in your dressing room?” Jayde asked.
“With all the foreign nationals sojourning in the White House, I’d have to say yes,” Nattie said.
Another fringe benefit of being First Lady, I take it?” Jayde asked a rhetorical question.
“So, how was last night?” Nattie asked.
“Receiving that Medal of Honor felt stupendous,” Jayde said.
“I saw that, I’m talking about last night. Give me the blow by blow,” Nattie smiled.
“You want to know everything, Naughty Nattie!” Jayde exclaimed.
“I just wanted to see if that Chrome worked,” Nattie said.
“That Chrome just seasoned my gourmet meal. He brought me a present,” Jayde began to dish.
“What did he bring you? Roses, chocolates?” Nattie was a master at prying.
“Something better, I call it Nerd Spanish Fly, the only difference is, this stuff isn’t an urban legend, it actually works!”
“You could write speeches for congress, Girl, what did he bring you?!” Nattie was getting impatient.
“Dolphin oxytocin, it constantly contracts your uterine wall,” Jayde explained.
“So what did he do, watch you lay there and lose it?” Nattie asked.
“Alexi is an amazing lover. Let’s just say, I had a marvelously fascinating night,” Jayde smiled.
There was a knock on the door frame. “Madame Logan, your running shoes.”
“Could you please give them to Jayde?” Nattie asked.
Alfonzo walked in, knelt in front of Jayde, and put on her shoes. The shoes felt like old, comfortable sneakers, except they still had the tags on them!
“Where did you get these shoes, Nattie?!” Jayde was impressed.
“I’ll order you some every two months. I know they won’t wear out in two months, but you may need a collection of them. Are you stationed at Davis-Monthan, or Belize?” Nattie asked.
“I just saved the world, and I have the president to vouch for me, I think Belize will be my new station,” Jayde said.
“Let’s go jogging, Girl, and you can tell me the blow by blow. I still want to know the details.”
They started in the rose garden, and went on an interesting journey.
“Now what is first down?” Sydney asked Alexi.
“It is the down that gives you four more chances to advance another ten yards,” Alexi said.
“And when you make it a hundred yards?” Sydney asked.
“You get the king of downs, the touchdown.”Alexi smiled, because he was understanding the sport.
“Now, this is a full contact sport,” Sydney said. “You have to be tough, and sometimes gargantuan to play.”
“Your sport sounds like rugby,” Alexi said.
“The two sports do share a likeness, except rugby is like soccer with a football. That’s very perceptive Alexi,” Sydney said. “The main difference is, each football player has a certain job. You won’t have a 350 pound linebacker going out for a pass. He stops the opposing behemoths from tackling the quarterback,” Sydney taught him. “All football players are elite, so the coaches have to be chess players.”
“There are only eleven active players on a team, why do they have a fifty three man roster? That is what you told me, right?” Alexi asked.
“Now you’re getting into the technique of winning a game. There are big lines, built to stop runners on the opposing team, speed lines, made for the two minute drill, and specialty lines, made to highlight a certain type of player. A good coach can mix and match these lines all day,” Sydney was on a roll.
“The rules are easy, but how to play the game is extremely complicated,” Alexi surmised.
“We can watch Monday Night Football tonight, and I can explain the game,” Sydney said. “The good thing for you, is the New York Giants are playing the Cleveland Browns tonight, so I can show you some of the players.”
“Do you think Mister Farrow is a football fan?” Alexi asked.
“He’s a guy in New York. Unless he’s got a pottery class, you have about a 90% chance he’s a football fan,” Sydney said.
“I am very nervous about meeting the father of Jayde, Sydney,” Alexi admitted.
“I learned a good bit of advice in the military, many years ago; he can’t eat you,” Sydney gave him good advice.
Alexi took in the advice, but he wanted to get back to American football.
“How long is the game?” Alexi asked.
“The game is sixty minutes, with four fifteen minute quarters, but with all the stopping and starting, halftime, and the two minute warning, it could take up to three and a half hours to watch one full game.”
“Well, rugby has two forty minute periods with a five minute half in between the two, but aside from injury time outs, the game is continuous,” Alexi said.
“Our game is not continuous, but it is exciting, once you know what you need to know to appreciate the game. Right now, I’m teaching you ‘Football for Dummies’ that’s not an insult, we just say that when somebody knows nothing about a subject.” Sydney remembered he was Russian.
“No offense taken, Sydney, I know less than nothing about the sport, so I am a dummy when it comes to football,” Alexi admitted.
“At least you’re going to be able to talk to Mister Farrow tomorrow, and you won’t have an uncomfortable silence when you two are alone. Trust me, she’s a woman, she’ll leave you alone with her father so you can bond with him, not realizing a root canal would be less painful,” Sydney said.
Nattie and Jayde were working up a sweat. They passed the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Kennedy Center. They were heading towards the Watergate Hotel.
“How long do you normally jog?” Nattie asked through deep breaths.
“I normally go ten to fifteen K,” Jayde said.
“I know the Secret Service is obligated to protect us, but you know they’re staring at your ass, right?” Nattie asked.
“You’re a bad girl, Nattie,” Jayde said.
“I’m a girl, men don’t think we talk crass. They just don’t know how dirty we can be,” Nattie said. “That reminds me! Details, girl!”
“Nattie, I don’t kiss and tell,” Jayde said.
“You don’t think you kiss and tell,” Nattie said. “At West Point, the other girls thought you were a mutant, and in high school, you were probably the loner bookworm, so when you kissed you had nobody to tell. You had no choice,” Nattie conjectured.
Nattie’s speculations were correct. Jayde’s only close friend was in grade school. She was a study nut in high school, and she was lanky at West Point, so she had no confidants.
“The man has an eight pack,” she began. “You should see the sweat racing down his pecs, and his veins guide you around his muscles.”
“When he’s in his skivvies, does he hit that special spot?” Nattie asked.
“Him just standing there bats at my G all day,” Jayde was happy to have a friend to release to.
“So, you’re not scared of him meeting your father?” Nattie asked the question.
“I can say I’m strong, but Daddy scares the hell out of me,” Jayde admitted.
“That monster must have scared the hell out of you, but you conquered that problem,” Nattie said. “Your father has one major weakness that monster didn’t possess, he loves his daughter.”
“Well, he did buy me that Shalini to snag a man... he must love me. He doesn’t have first lady disposable income.” Jayde had another epiphany.
They stopped at the Watergate Hotel. “How long have we been jogging, Alfonzo!?”
“You two have run eighteen miles, according to the speedometer, Madame!” Alfonzo yelled out.
“That’s almost thirty K, Nattie!” Jayde was surprised.
“And you’re not even tired, are you?” Jayde shook her head. “You see, dishing dirt with a friend helps your physical training.”
“I wish I could jog with you every day, Nattie,” Jayde said, as they walked to the car.
“Whenever you’re in Washington during the next four years, hit me up. After you saved the world, I think Sydney’s re-election is guaranteed,” Nattie smiled, as they drove back to the White House.
“Go, go, go! Aw, come on!” Sydney was getting excited about the game.
The men were watching the game, a male tradition, spanning time since gladiators fought in the Coliseum. Nowadays, they just didn’t have to go to the Coliseum if they didn’t want to. An eighty inch, high definition, liquid emitting diode television did the trick at this time.
Okay, Alexi, that was a running play. Many teams do that on first down,” Sydney said.
“Why do they not throw the ball, Sydney?” Alexi asked.
“Most coaches don’t want to get an interception on first down, but running on first is not a rule, it’s a choice.” Sydney was trying to teach Alexi the nuances of how to watch a game. “Sometimes, coaches are predictable, sometimes they’re surprising. If the play works, that’s when you get excited.”
“You seem passionate about trying to guess what the team is going to do next,” Alexi realized.
“If they do the right thing, and still get stuffed, that’s when the owners fire them,” Sydney said.
“Second down was a passing play, and they made it seven yards. Most coaches call in a run play for gaining only one yard, but the other team knows that also, so their job is to stop the other team from getting that one yard, so the coach is calling in his ‘big package’, the players whose specialty is to stop the run.” Sydney explained. “Okay fellas, its third down, show me some magic.”
The New York Giants hiked the ball, and did a play action fake. They made it look like they were running, and all the linebackers went after the runner, leaving the receivers in a one on one defensive position. The quarterback threw a bullet to the receiver. The cornerback sniffed out the trickery, and batted the ball away.
“Sometimes tricks work, sometimes they don’t. Now the Giants are going to punt, uh, kick the ball deeper into the opposing team’s area, to make them have a longer field to play,” Sydney predicted, but was wrong.
Instead of getting in a punt formation, the Giants got into a heavy package.
Sydney put his hand on Alexi’s arm. “They’re going for it!”
“If they make that one yard, they get four more tries to make another ten yards?” Alex asked.
“But if they get stuffed, they have to turn the ball over. This is dangerous on their fifteen yard line. That means, if they fail to get that one yard, instead of the Browns having to go seventy five or so yards to get a touchdown, they only have to go fifteen.” Sydney felt tense.
The Giants audibled.
“The quarterback saw something he didn’t like, so he changed the play to a passing formation,” Sydney squeezed Alexi’s arm.
The Giants hiked the ball. The quarterback drew back to throw to a receiver. All the defenders were on the receivers, ready to knock down the ball. Instead of the quarterback throwing the ball, he handed it off to the running back!
Sydney squeezed Alexi’s arm tighter. “It’s a draw! Go baby, go!”
Since everyone was expecting a pass, the running back was untouched for three yards! They got another first down!
“Woohoo! That’s right, baby, get your yards!” Sydney was excited. “See, Alexi, that is what we call a trick play. That was a draw play, it’s the opposite of a play action fake. I call it the pass action run. Everybody is expecting you to pass the ball, but you hand it off to the running back. By the time everybody realizes they’ve been fooled, the running back gets at least a yard,” Sydney explained.
“I can understand your excitement, Sydney. They can trick their opponent in order to win,” Alexi said.
They continued to watch the game. Alexi picked up the game quickly. By third quarter, he was yelling at the screen also.
“What did you say about reptile appendages?” Alexi asked, after a receiver dropped a pass.
“We call a receiver dropping the ball without any defense on him, ‘Alligator Arms’,” Sydney said.
“Spacibo, Sydney,” Alexi turned to the television. “You have Alligator Arms, receiver person!”
Sydney grinned. “I think you know enough to be dangerous, Alexi.”
“Spacibo, Sydney, do you think Mister Farrow will like me?” Alexi asked.
“Give me a minute.” Sydney walked to the computer, went on the Giants website, and downloaded the roster. He turned to the printer, and pulled out a sheet of paper.
“This is everyone on the team, including second and third string players. Memorize those names, and trust me, it will definitely help.” Sydney gave him the sheet.
“Spacibo, Sydney, this will be beneficial,” Alexi said.
“You’re not nervous about meeting Mister Farrow, are you?” Sydney asked.
“I have knocked out 160 kilogram professional Sambo fighters, while drunk. My only problem with Mister Farrow is that he also cares about the woman I love, and he has final say over my worthiness.” Alexi looked concerned.
“If it weren’t for you, Son, Lieutenant Farrow would be road kill in Florida, and he would be waiting to die somewhere in a shelter. You shouldn’t be worried about your worthiness to be captivated with his daughter. He should be happy a soldier protected his daughter, so he could see her again. Why are both of you chalking her father into being a nasty savage?” Sydney was curious.
“It is her father, she is his only daughter, I would expect he would be very protective,” Alexi said.
“Do you eat babies?” Sydney asked, out of the blue.
“Do I… what!?” Alexi was in a conundrum.
“Do you eat babies, Spetsnaz brute?” Sydney sounded very negative.
“No, I do not eat babies!” Alexi was adamant.
“Then why would he be overprotective of her protector?” Sydney asked.
“Because I sunburn when you light a candle at night,” Alexi got to the real threshold of his concern.
“This is the twenty first century, Alexi, they don’t even make people like that anymore! Stop fearing paper tigers!” Sydney said. “I’m African-American, and they elected me! The people chose pocketbook over prejudice. Everybody realized how stupid prejudice was, and some of those people used to hang us in the ’50s! Do you think the father of the woman you love has that ’50s mentality?” Sydney asked.
“Now that you say it that way, I do not believe Jayde’s father holds a grudge about the ’50s.” Alexi said.
“After everything he has done for his daughter, as long as you, truly, love her, I think you’ll be fine.” Sydney calmed down. “You want to watch the last quarter?”
“Da, Sydney, The New York Giants seem like they will win tonight,” Alexi said.
“That’s another perk for you, Son,” Sydney said.
They watched the rest of the game, and the Giants did win.
Sergeant Alexi Vladimir Doshmononov was a Spetsnaz Commando. He was born in Kemerovo, Russia. He lived in Russia all his life. He trained in the military to protect the Mother. He knew of the general stereotype of the United States, however, he never experienced America, until this point. He understood Americans possessed deep culture, because America was a melting pot of aestheticism. America was mixed with the classic ingredients of Earth. Your heritage could come from the royalty of Mesopotamia, or the deep heritage of Edo Japan.
He saw that when an entire regiment of United States military soldiers fought a battle they knew they couldn’t win, but went after it, guns-a-blazin’, without apprehension, or fear. Their origins were from all over the world, but these people were American.
Sergeant Doshmononov committed the grim error of actually falling in love with an American! That was an executable offense in his old book, but in his new, more tolerant book, he was more than fine with that. Now, he had to meet an important figure in his life that agreed with the old Alexi, the intolerant Alexi. The soldier who would rather kick an indigent American in the teeth than give her a piece of bread. This was a new challenge for him.
No matter how many operations you’ve been on, or your expertise in weaponry, this experience would be completely unprepared for.
“I have our plane tickets, Alexi, you ready to dance in lava, barefoot?” Jayde showed Alexi their plane tickets for LaGuardia Airport.
“When do we leave for Kennedy?” he asked.
“We leave in forty five minutes for JFK. Make sure you have all your combat gear in the duffel you have to check. In America, you can only bring your accoutrements on board, and your dress blues,” she instructed him.
“They should know we are military. We wear our dress uniforms,” Alexi said.
Terrorists could buy those, American, and Russian alike, at a PX Exchange,” Jayde said. “We have many Americans here who collect that stuff.”
“We use this clothing for our jobs. Do some Americans collect Burger King pants?” Alexi asked in cynicism.
As much as he tried to avoid the inevitable, Sydney brought him right back.
“Have you taken up my advice, Alexi?” Sydney said, as he walked into their room.
“Your advice was invaluable, President Logan,” Alexi said.
Sydney could tell Alexi was nervous. “I have to get this central air fixed in here. You’re pouring sweat, Alexi.”
“You have no problems with your air regulation, Mister President, I get distressed when I know not of my operation,” Alexi admitted.
“Your girlfriend isn’t jumping out of her dress uniform, and she intimately knows what she’s up against!” Sydney tried to rationalize with him.
“Actually, Mister President, I’m as nervous as Alexi. I just can’t sweat, because it will ruin my make-up,” Jayde said.
“I guess the weekend’s over. You two are calling me Mister President again,” Sydney said. “Lighten up, people! You stopped the Earth from certain destruction. Mister Farrow isn’t as scary as that Chauzek!” Sydney said.
Jayde was analytical. She knew Sydney made sense. “I know that Chauzek would devour Daddy, Sydney. I just have to recite what you said in my mind as an affirmation.”
That was when Cheauflux phased through the wall.
“Why are you so jittery, Jayde Farrow?” Cheauflux asked, concerned.
“I thought you went back home, Cheauflux, the threat is over,” Jayde said.
“My human idiosyncrasy query isn’t though. You are intriguing me as we speak. Why do rational humans become irrational at will?” Cheauflux asked.
Jayde was put on the spot. Why was she irrational? What made her fear her father? Alexi told her a few weeks back, fear is the respect for something that would harm, or kill you.
“Do you think Daddy can beat you in a fight, Alexi?” she asked Alexi out of the blue.
Alexi felt as if she had thrown a curve. “What are you talking about, Jayde?”
“I’ll ask it, again, military style, so you can understand me. Can Daddy, a sixty year old man, kick your ass?” Jayde was clearer.
“Unless he is a Sambo fighter....” Alexi began.
“Trust me, he isn’t a Sambo fighter,” Jayde interrupted. “When he gets out of bed in the morning, there’s more creaking than a haunted house, he cannot best you in fighting. I’m not talking about letting him win out of respect either. If it was life or death, could you kick his ass?” she asked again.
Alexi still didn’t know where she was going with this. He knew the rational thing to say would be wrong in her eyes. He knew it, but he answered rationally anyway.
“Yes, I could kick the ass of a sixty year old man,” Alexi said, defiantly.
“Then why are you afraid of him? You told me fear is the respect for something that would harm or kill you. He can’t harm you, and he’s too humane to pull a gun on you, so why are you fearing him?” she asked earnestly.
That was where she was going! She was just like him! She never asked him a question she didn’t know the answer to! He was in a corner, and she was a master at delegating him where to paint!
He wagged his index finger at her. “You could be a good lawyer, also. No, I do not fear your father for what he could do to me. I fear him for what he could do to you.”
“You should know by now you shouldn’t worry about me. I’m a big girl now. I love a Spetsnaz stud, and he has no opinion in the matter.”
She finally said it. He knew she had affection for him. She just never said the L word before.
“I love you also, Jayde,” Alexi smiled.
“Oh, you thought I was talking about you! I meant another Spetsnaz stud!” She smiled at him. She couldn’t help it. That ripe apple was hanging at shoulder height off the tree, so why wouldn’t she pick it?”
Sydney grinned. “You better watch out, Alexi, your girlfriend’s a card.”
“She will realize she should not play me in cards, Sydney,” Alexi said, with a smile.
“When she always has a trump tight hand, she’ll consistently win,” Sydney said. “I learned a long time ago not to argue with Nattie.”
“To answer your question, Cheauflux, I shouldn’t be jittery. That was the fear of my father that should have never existed,” Jayde said. “Sometimes, your questions show me how fruitlessly nervous I can get.”
“That is what an analytical thinking human can do. Once the problem is displayed, they can overcome the problem,” Cheauflux said.
“I’m not a computer, Cheauflux. I have another idiosyncrasy called human nature. When you understand that quirk, you’ll be able to understand the rest of them with more ease,” she said.
“You haven’t said goodbye to Nattie yet, Jade. You can go upstairs, and ask the woman butler where Nattie’s dressing room is. You can thank her for getting you those Jackie Joyner-Kersee killers,” Sydney said.
“He’s talking about those Altra Lone Peak running shoes, Alexi, and Jackie Joyner-Kersee is...” she was cut off.
“I know of your world famous track star! That is the definition of ‘world famous’. Do you know who Svetlana Boginskaya is?” he asked her.
“An Olympic gymnast who held her own against the United States Olympic Gymnastics team. They call her the Belarus Swan,” Jayde said.
“Her name is Khorkina now, but you do know of her?” he asked.
“Yes, Alexi, I know of her,” Jayde said.
“She is Russian, by the way.” Alexi wanted to hit his point home.
“Yep, you two are a couple,” Sydney said. “I think Nattie wants to say bye to you, Jayde. Please go upstairs.”
Jayde had that ‘thank you for saving me, Sydney’ look on her face, as she left to find Nattie.
Jayde went upstairs, and saw the butler. She asked where Nattie was, and the butler gave her a pass, and directed Jayde to Mrs. Logan’s dressing room.
Alfonzo was standing guard. Jayde showed him her pass, and Alfonzo let her in. She knocked on Nattie’s door.
“Come in!” Nattie yelled through the door.
Jayde opened the door to see Nattie admiring herself in three full-length mirrors, in a dinner dress.
“You’re a beautiful first lady, Nattie,” Jayde spoke behind her.
Jayde surprised Nattie. Nattie turned her head to see who it was, and saw Jayde admiring her elegance.
“Oh, this old thing? I’m about to wash the limo, and I misplaced my sweats. How you doin’, Girl?” Nattie asked with a smile.
“I’ve come to say goodbye, Nattie,” Jayde said, somberly. “You were my first sister.”
“You coming back, Girlfriend?” Nattie asked.
“I have to visit Daddy and Mom, first. I’ll come back in a couple days, before I travel back to Belize,” Jayde said.
“Is Alexi accompanying you on your visit to your parents?” Nattie asked.
“Alexi isn’t afraid of Daddy anymore, and yes, he will be accompanying me on my trip. It would be difficult to tell them he’s my boyfriend if he isn’t there,” Jayde said.
Nattie began smiling. “My Girl! You heard what I said. You have a good man. Don’t let anybody, even your parents, tell you any differently.”
“I’ve realized nobody should be able to push me around. I tell that to my girls in my rape prevention course. It doesn’t matter what type of rape it is. Physical, mental, paternal, maternal, or otherwise, they shouldn’t be able to control your body or mind,” Jayde concluded.
“It takes you a while to assimilate information, but when you accept the sense it makes, you become steadfast, Girl!” Nattie was realizing Jayde’s conclusion was pure, not manufactured. “Come here.”
Jayde walked over to Nattie. Nattie gave her a big hug, and began rocking Jayde.
“My little girl is all grown up, now,” Nattie spoke in Jayde’s ear.
Jayde hugged her back. “Spacibo, Girlfriend.”
“That’s good, you need to learn your boyfriend’s language, so he can’t cuss you out in Russian,” Nattie grinned.
“Like I told Specialist Vasquez, the TOW operator who helped me take down that Chauzek; Madame Muscle!” Jayde exclaimed.
Nattie hugged her tighter. “Goodbye, Girl.”
“Do svidaniya, Nattie.” Jayde kept up her lingual abilities.
“You should be fluent the next time I see you, Girl,” Nattie told her.
“All I know is, I’ll be able to say more than ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’. I’ll see you next week, Nattie. Even I can’t study that fast.” Jayde was happy she found a new friend.
“You have to go and see Daddy, you ready?” Nattie asked.
“As I’ll ever be,” Jayde said. “You two are like my other parents.”
“But we don’t look like your other parents.We’re too young for that. Think of us as your older brother and sister.” Nattie defended her age.
“Oh, Nattie, My older brother isn’t that smart,” Jayde smiled.
“You know, if we keep saying goodbye, you’re going to miss your flight,” Nattie said.
“You caught on to my plan of missing my flight, so I don’t have to see Daddy!” Jayde feigned disappointment. “I’m just kidding, Nattie. It’s not like that’ll be the last flight to New York.”
“Besides, Girl, if you keep missing your flights, Sydney can take Air Force One out of the garage.” Nattie smiled.
“That’s funny, Nattie, the White House garage,” Jayde said.
“I’ll get Alfonzo to grab your things,” Nattie said. “Alfonzo, come in here, please!”
Alfonzo came into Nattie’s changing room. “At your service, Madame.”
“Alfonzo, could you grab all of Jayde’s and Alexi’s equipment, take it out, and pack the limo, please?” Nattie asked.
Alfonzo bowed to the ladies, and left for downstairs.
“You better tell Alfonzo to pack your personal items on top. You don’t want to dig for your Shalini in front of JFK,” Nattie advised.
“I’ll see you next week, Nattie.” Jayde waved to her.
“Show your father, Madame Muscle is alive, well, and strong, Girl.” Nattie waved back.
Jayde went down the stairs to the guest room. Alfonzo had already taken some of her bags to the limousine.
“Thank goodness Alfonzo didn’t take my carry-on yet, I want to keep that like you do, Alexi,” Jayde said.
“The Secret Service agent is very efficient, however, I still have to watch my equipment,” Alexi said.
“You’re not going to be in a hostile environment, or jump out of a plane any time soon,” Jayde said.
“I know I am not jumping out of a plane, but the whole hostile environment scenario is a situation yet to be answered,” Alexi said.
“I thought you were over that querulous feeling,” Jayde said.
“I am a soldier, a Special Forces one at that. I am trained to expect the unexpected,” Alexi said.
“And now you’ve witnessed aliens? All your doubts must have gone out the window,” she said.
“They went out the window the day I fell in love with an American,” he said.
“Those precocious American Neanderthals!” Jayde draped her arms around his shoulders, and gave him a long kiss.
Sydney actually got uncomfortable. “Okay soldiers, we’re in TMI land. I think I have to go and sign some bills. You two kids take care.”
They both looked at Sydney, and said in unison, “Do svidaniya, Sydney.”
Alexi looked at Jayde. “You are getting good at Russian. What does this mean? YA lyublu tebya kak sumasshedshiy kotenka.” He smiled at her.
“No fair, Mister Russian is my first language!” She play-hit him on the shoulder.
“Be careful, Alexi, the girl is smart. You won’t be able to talk dirty to her in Russian for too much longer,” Sydney smiled.
“I know enough English to tell her I want to kiss her four thousand times, but never in the same place twice,” Alexi grinned at Sydney. “That phrase I said was a loving one. I just gave her a little homework.”
Jayde pulled out her personal data assistant, and put it under Alexi’s chin. “Say it again, buddy, I’ll find out by Friday.”
Alexi recited the phrase, slowly. “Did you get that, Vozlyublennyy?” he asked.
“You’re just playing with me now. I’m going to find out what you said.” Jayde had a determined look on her face.
Alfonzo came in for the rest of her bags. “Would you like to hold on to that bag, Lieutenant?”
“I have this one, Alfonzo. I will take this one with me,” Jayde said.
“I don’t want to keep you here. You two have half an hour to get to JFK. You won’t have to wait, under my order, so you two should be in the air within an hour.” Sydney waved to them. “Farewell, soldiers.”
“Goodbye, Mister President!” Jayde wanted to give Sydney his respect.
Alfonzo grabbed the rest of Jayde’s bags, and began to walk to the limo.
The Secret Service gathered the rest of the bags, Jayde’s and Alexis’—Alexi watched his bags—and they began to travel to John Fitzgerald Kennedy Airport. They went straight to the terminal, while the plane was ready to board. They got on first, and sat in first class. The flight attendants offered them Dom Perignon, and vodka. It seemed as though they knew the soldiers were coming.
“I am sorry, Sir. I just got over my flying phobias a little while ago, I need to have all my faculties about me when I fly. Do you have any bottled water?” Jayde was polite in denying her champagne, besides, they were on their way to meet her father. She didn’t want to look cognizant altered around him.
“And would you like a bottled water, also, Sir?” the flight attendant asked Alexi.
“I jump out of these things for recreation. Please, bring me vodka.” Alexi definitely wasn’t afraid to fly.
The attendant returned with a whiskey glass filled with Absolut.
Alexi wanted to try something for Jayde. When in Rome... “Thank you, Sir.”
Jayde was surprised at Alexi appreciating the flight attendant in English!
“I know you know English, but that’s the first time I heard you say thank you to anyone other than the president,” she whispered to him.
“If you are doing it for me, I should do it for you,” he said.
“I have a bit of homework for you to do.” She began to whisper in his ear.
Alexi’s eyes got wide. “You know I know English!”
“Then what I asked you to do should be easy to figure out.” She had a sultry look on her face.
“I am Russian. I understand kilometers. How high is a mile, and why do you want me to join a club?” Alexi asked.
Jayde smiled, and whispered in his ear again.
“That is another American idiosyncrasy,” he said.
That’s an important one, Alexi,” she told him.
The flight attendant recited her safety mantra, and they taxied for takeoff. This was it. Jayde felt more concerned with meeting her father than battling that Chauzek. Alexi seemed relaxed. Maybe she did need some alcohol to calm her nerves.
They were at cruising altitude, so they disengaged their seat belts. Jayde leaned to Alexi, and whispered in his ear.
“I am very jumpy, Honey, I really need an endorphin release. Go to the bathroom in the back of the plane. I’ll come back in fifteen minutes to initiate you into the Mile High Club,” she whispered.
“Is this an illegal action?” Alexi whispered back.
“Let’s just say, you’re going to want to write Penthouse Forums after this experience,” Jayde whispered.
Alexi was always one to comply with his girlfriend. He got up from his seat, and walked back to the rear rest room. He slid the lock to show the ‘occupied’ sign, and waited.
It took around ten minutes. Jayde came back to the rest room door. She did the beginning of the ‘shave and a haircut’ song, to let him know he could open the door. Dat-da-da-dat-dat. Alexi opened the door.
“Dat-dat,” he said to her as she walked into the rest room.
She began by kissing him surprisingly, and deeply. Then she began to undo his uniform.
“The only requirement to join the Mile High Club is to be quiet!” she whispered to him.
“You are rather... aggressive, Jayde,” Alexi said in a low tone.
As she unbuckled his belt, she looked into his eyes. ”Do me a favor, Alexi, enjoy your first American commercial flight, and shut up.”
She shoved her tongue down his throat again, to stop his words and opinions. It must have worked. He closed his eyes, and shut up.
They had an amazing rest room visit, and a relaxing flight.
They landed at LaGuardia Airport, and went to the baggage claim.
“So, how was your first commercial flight in America?” Jayde asked him.
“The only thing I can say is you cannot do that on an Illusion,” he said.
She hugged his arm, while walking. “We’re military, we can try it.”
“I believe you are too adventurous,” Alexi said.
“I guess I’ll have to put that one on my Rocking Chair Test.” She said.
“What is your Rocking Chair Test?” Alexi was curious.
“When I’m an old lady, sitting on my porch, and I look back at my life, I don’t want to have any shoulda, woulda, couldas. When I die, I want no regrets,” she explained her test.
“Is this test the same as a Bucket List?” he asked.
“It’s similar; a Bucket List is a list of things you want to do before you die, a Rocking Chair Test helps you make strange or difficult decisions. A Rocking Chair Test helps you make the decisions you don’t want to do, while a Bucket List is an after the fact maneuver,” Jayde explained.
“You know you could have been a teacher,” Alexi said.
“I use my teaching skills for me, Mister Oxytocin.” She smiled at him.
“What can I say? I am a good student.” Alexi smiled back at her.
They went to the baggage claim, and Alexi inspected his equipment. Jayde should’ve expected that. They were about to hail a cab, when they saw a gentleman in a business suit displaying a card that said ‘Lieutenant Farrow/Sergeant Doshmonoov’. He was waiting for them.
“President Logan requested your safe travel, soldiers,” the Secret Service agent said. Two soldiers took their bags, put them in the trunk of a limousine, and stood by the rear door the agent opened for them.
“I guess we get some fringe benefits for saving the world,” Jayde said to Alexi.
They got in the back of the limousine. Some police got on their motorcycles. The soldiers got into a Humvee, and the agent got behind the wheel of the limousine.
They traveled to Granville, New York. They took Interstate 87 to get there. It was a full presidential compliment. They were surrounded by Humvees, police escort, and a helicopter. They felt as if they were important. They knew there was no one plotting to assassinate them. There were no alien PETA radicals in existence. There were pro-USA freaks that would shoot Alexi if they had a chance.
President Logan always said, “The second you let your guard down, that is when you began to swallow bullets.” That was why he gave them a full complement.
“Remind me to thank Sydney for saving us the cab fare,” Jayde told Alexi.
Alexi had his game face on. The last time she saw him that serious was when they were in their initial briefing.
“Calm down, Alexi. You’re not prepping to take over a third world country, although, I know you could do it. You’re about to meet Daddy. He loves me, so that means he’ll love you.” Jayde tried to ease his mind.
“Spacibo for your words of encouragement, but a Spetsnaz soldier assumes nothing. The second you assume, you get hurt. Forgive me, Sweetheart, that is who I am,” Alexi explained the inevitable.
“It won’t be as devastating as you think,” she told him. “Daddy is a rational man.”
“Is that why you wanted an incredible last meal on the plane, before you came to visit your father?” Alexi asked her. “We deal with stress in different ways.”
She was surprised at his question. “I’m not stressed!”
“...anymore.” Alexi finished her sentence.
They remained quiet, until they got to Granville. Jayde was remembering her birth place. Where she played hide-n-seek with her brother, and softball with her friends. She reminisced when they passed the library. That was where her oceanic curiosity’s seed was planted. It actually grew into a majestic Sequoia.
Then they turned the corner to her father’s house. It was a brick home, but the trim’s paint was a different color. Her old house looked like an imposter. Her father was outside, shoveling the sidewalk when the entourage pulled up.
The Secret Service driver got out of the limousine. “My name is Agent Shellings of the Secret Service. Are you Mister Farrow?”
John Farrow confirmed his identity.
“Mister Farrow, we have your daughter, accompanied by her bodyguard in the back of the limousine. She has come to pay you a visit.”
“Kitten has come to see her daddy, well, tell her to get out here!” John was excited.
Agent Shellings walked to the rear passenger door of the limousine, and elevated his voice through the window of the limousine. “Lieutenant Farrow, Mister Farrow requests your presence!”
“Well, this is it, Alexi. Time to pay the piper,” she said.
“You have to educate me on your American mannerisms, because I do not want to pay anyone to meet your father,” Alexi said.
“It’s another figure of speech called an idiom. Shut up, and get out there,” Jayde said.
They both took a couple deep breaths, and got out of the limousine.
All the apprehension, delirium, nervousness, and sweat went away when she saw her father. Jayde ran to her father.
“Daddy!” she called out, running, with her arms wide.
She embraced her father.
“I heard my little girl has the Medal of Honor in her jewelry box,” John said. “President Logan told me you were coming.”
“Why didn’t you come to my function, Daddy?” Jayde was concerned.
“I had some prior, required engagements, control the animal population. Nature is designed with harmony. One’s desperate intention for s but President Logan sent me the DVD of your function. I’m wearing it out now. He also said you were coming to see me, so I waited to give you a hug,” John said. “I heard you saved the world! You can’t shake a stick at that.”
Funny, her dream came true. Now she just had to get that astronaut/president thing down.
She hugged him again. Alexi walked near the two.
“This is Sergeant Doshmononov, Daddy. He is my bodyguard,” Jayde said.
Alexi held out his hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Mister Farrow.”
John went over to Alexi, and hugged him. “Any man that protected my daughter while she saved the world is all right in my book.”
Alexi felt strange. All the horror stories Jayde told him portrayed Mr. Farrow in the wrong light. He wasn’t the flesh eating ogre Jayde said he was. He was a cordial gentleman.
“It was my duty, and also my pleasure, Mister Farrow,” Alexi said.
“You are at your location safely, Lieutenant. We will return to take you back to LaGuardia at 2000 hours,” Agent Shellings said.
“Godspeed, Agent Shellings,” Jayde said farewell.
“It’s cold out here. Let’s go inside. The sidewalk can wait,” John said.
I have not been home in two months, Mister Farrow. I do not think it is cold out here. May I finish shoveling your sidewalk?” Alexi asked.
John looked at Jayde.
“He’s from Russia, Daddy. This is summer compared to Siberia,” Jayde said.
John acknowledged what she said, and give Alexi the snow shovel. “The snow’s all yours, Sergeant. This gives me time to catch up with my little girl.”
Alexi took the shovel. “Spac... thank you, Mister Farrow.”
“Spacibo is ‘thank you’ in Russian, Daddy,” Jayde explained.
“You two must have gotten close in the past few months,” John said.
She was about to tell him how close in a few minutes.
Alexi relaxed himself with work. The snow was a wet snow. It wasn’t fluffy, it was messy, and heavy. Must people would shovel the snow in levels. Alexi was taking entire swaths of snow away in one scoop. Then he realized his form of snow removal would be too fast, and he would interrupt Jayde and her father’s reunion, so he began shoveling in levels.
It took longer, but Alexi was still concerned about Jayde telling her father the news. He finished at twilight. He walked to the front door. He knocked, and entered. John was sitting on his lounger, while Jayde sat on the couch. She had a pensive look on her face.
John peered at Alexi with a stern look.
“Question one, are you in any other relationships in Russia?” John asked.
It had begun, the father interrogation.
“No, Mister Farrow. I do not have any other relationships back in Russia. My job is my mistress,” Alexi said.
“Question two,” John continued. “What are your intentions towards my daughter?”
“I love your daughter, Mister Farrow. My intention is to love her,” Alexi said. He was honest and succinct.
“Have you ever hit a woman out of anger, or have used drugs?” John continued.
“It is forbidden for a Spetsnaz soldier to engage in any of those activities, and I have a moral responsibility not to partake in any of those activities,” Alexi answered.
“Do you love my daughter?” John asked the important question.
“Yes, Mister Farrow, I am hopelessly in love with Jayde Farrow,” Alexi said.
Now, this is the most important question I have for you,” Jayde’s father said. “Do you play billiards?”
Alexi looked at Jayde’s smile on her face, then he saw John’s smile.
“They call me ‘The Soviet Shark’ in Oslo, Russia.” Alexi was relieved.
“I have a pool table down in the basement. I’m going to take you to school, Son. I’ll give you two a minute to talk about how scary you thought I was going to be. I bought that Shalini for a reason. When you two are done, come downstairs, and take your medicine,” John smiled.
As John went downstairs, Alexi sat on the couch, next to Jayde.
“That was not as difficult as we speculated,” he said.
“I told him you were a good man, and it turned out that was what he wanted me to find after I started my career,” Jayde said.
“But the civil rights demonstrations he participated in,” Alexi said.
“Nattie told me a few days ago, civil rights means equal treatment, not the right to hate ‘Whitey’. Your ethnicity didn’t even come up in our conversation,” she said. “He just wanted to know if you were serious about his only daughter.”
“Again, it was my duty and honor to protect you, Jayde,” Alexi said. ’Now, I have to go downstairs to show your father I can run the table.”
“When Daddy embarrasses you, don’t get mad,” she said.
Alexi smiled as he walked downstairs.
A species can flourish when it has no predators to stop it. The Everglades are filled with predators; animals designed by God to urvival becomes anther animal’s snack. You never think about how intricate existence is.
One animal, an animal indigenous to this planet, but very foreign, lived in the Everglades.
The evolved Chauzek was a different type of Chauzek. Since it evolved on Earth, it took on the planet’s properties.
It was from Valan-Cheanaus, so it was asexual, but it evolved on this planet. That gave it the opportunity to have offspring!
As one of its litter slid into a river and transformed into a shark-like devourer of other fauna biota, it showed this wasn’t over.