Part 292 – Hello, Young Lovers

Since she wasn’t getting much sleep anyway, Barbara went downstairs in her floral knit pajamas to the living room. Her bare feet padded across the floor. Her hair hung limp in a ponytail.

She sat down on the couch.

The house was all too quiet. And it was not the quiet of a sleeping household. It was the expectant stillness before someone barges into the room. She kept glancing over to the front door. But no one came.

She turned on the tv. An electric guitar screamed as Michael Crawford, wearing a wig so poofy Brian May would have had hair envy, scream-sang, “So, I rode in my boat and then I killed a loco goat and now I’M A FREAKIN’ ROCK GOD! WHEEEEAAOOOO!”

She sighed and changed the channel.

“Now, be very careful when applying your lip liner. You don’t want to—-”

“So, come on down to The Cardboard Box! We have everything you need for your–”

“Call me Ismael one more time and I’ll give you A BLOODY NOSE!”

“But Joooohn, what am I supposed to do without my lip gloss?” “I don’t care, Marsha. I never, ever cared.” Marsha staggered back in shock. “Your lip gloss fixation has blinded you to—”

A surfer dude pointed at something off screen. “Oh. No.” he dead-panned. “It’s the zombie queen. We are all going to die. Dang. And I never mastered the art of—”

“Even if we’re dancing in the dark.”

Barbara stopped and watched Bruce rock it out with his crazy, bad dance moves.

“Can’t start a fire. Can’t start a fire without a spark. This gun’s for hire. Come on, all you out there! Sing along! Yeah! This gun’s for hire. Even if we’re—”

Someone knocked on her door.

She shut off the tv and listened.

Another knock and it sounded urgent.

She stood. It’s late. No one respectable would be knocking at my door at this time of night.

But.

What if it’s Sammy?

She ran to the door. I sure hope I’m not wrong.

She opened it.

First thing she saw was Ambrose.

“I smell semi-sweet chocolate and vanilla bean. Barbara?”

She threw her arms around him.

He stumbled back. “Barbara? Barbara, is that…” His voice caught. “Is that you?”

“Ambrose.” She pulled his head down to her level and kissed him.

He laid his hands on both sides of her head and returned every single one of her kisses with joy.

***

Estrella and Sammy watched from a polite distance.

“Thank you for your help.” said Sammy.

She smiled at the reunited lovers. “It was my pleasure, but you are welcome.”