There were a couple guys jamming, tethered to a guitar and a set of tubs, and they weren’t half bad.
Jeanine was uncomfortable hanging there naked. She’d gone to space with her folks after Dan had left the mountain, but it was in a long-haul generation ship. She’d abandoned it after a year or two and deadheaded back to Earth in a support-pod. She’d get used to life in space after a while. Or she wouldn’t.
“Well,” Dan said.
“Yup,” I said, aping his laconic drawl. He smiled.
“It’s that time,” he said.
Spheres of saline tears formed in Jeanine’s eyes, and I brushed them away, setting them adrift in the bubble. I’d developed some real tender, brother-sister type feelings for her since I’d watched her saucer-eye her way through the Magic Kingdom. No romance—not for me, thanks! But camaraderie and a sense of responsibility.
“See you in ten to the hundred,” Dan said, and headed to the airlock. I started after him, but Jeanine caught my hand.
“He hates long good-byes,” she said.
“I know,” I said, and watched him go.