Page 85 of Proof
“How long do you think we can stay in here before we turn to stew?” Luna asked.
“They’ll come out and get us. They don’t want to have to call the coroner’s office,” Gail grunted.
“I suppose you don’t do this very often, either?” It was only half a question.
“Same as Bell Rock. Not often enough.” Gail moved her arms in rhythm with the water.
“We need a lecture in self-care.” Luna sighed. “We preach it, but do we do it? Nope. At least not enough, in my book.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more. We are the ‘always doing something for somebody else’ girls,” Gail noted. “Not that I’m complaining or whining, but you’re right. Self-care is not being selfish.”
“Let’s be sure we remind each other.” Luna gave her a high-five on her soon-to-be prune-like hand.
Twenty minutes later, the massage therapist appeared and signaled it was time for their massages.
“Well, I think I’m parboiled right about now anyway,” Luna said, as she pulled her naked body from the bubbling water.
Luna had signed up for a ninety-minute energy balancing treatment while Gail had ordered a deep tissue massage. By the time they were both done, they were mush. The two had staggered back to the car when Gail’s phone pinged. It was Robert, asking if she could stop by Whole Foods and pick up some more fruit. The musicians were on a natural sugar high. She held back from groaning and agreed. The store was on the way home, anyway.
They pulled into the parking lot, and Gail asked if Luna wanted to wait in the car. She replied, “If you don’t mind.”
“Be right back.”
Luna leaned against the headrest, but then shot up like a jack-in-the-box. It was him! Again! The same dark-haired guy with Brendan’s gait. He was wearing what looked like the same green shirt. She pulled out her phone and snapped a photo of him as he got into a truck with CANYON FARMS stenciled on the side. She enlarged the photo on her phone. It had to be him, or his twin. She started to shake. Too bad Gail wasn’t in the car, or Luna would have asked her to follow him. But then again, maybe Gail would think she had totally lost her mind. She decided she wouldn’t say anything to Gail for fear of starting an argument. Luna knew she was sounding like a woman obsessed. She also knew she wasn’t hallucinating. If it wasn’t Brendan, then she would let it go. But what if it was Brendan? What would she do?
Luna saw Gail exiting the supermarket and tucked her phone into her bag.
“Melons! Lots and lots of melons. That’s all Robert seems to want lately.” Gail shrugged. “If it makes him happy. At least he got off the chips.”
Luna was trying valiantly to hide her anxiety about the mystery doppelganger. Seriously, what if it was Brendan? What on earth would she do? She took in several deep inhales. “Today was fabulous. Incredible. Divine.”
“I don’t know if I would have scheduled a day like this for myself if you hadn’t come out here.”
“Me either.” Luna yawned. “What should we do about dinner? Takeout?”
“I have a favorite hole-in-the-wall Tex-Mex place. Husband and wife. Both have Mexican parents, but they grew up here. Great food.”
“Sounds good to me.” Luna’s stomach growled. “Sounds good to my stomach, too.” She laughed nervously.
Gail sensed something was up with Luna. Maybe it was all that relaxation. She decided to let it go. For now. Gail pushed the button for her cell phone’s voice prompt. “Phone Lobo and Leela.”
The mechanical voice replied: “Calling Lone Star Leaf Blowers.”
“Ugh! Cancel. Cancel,” Gail yelled into the center of the steering wheel. “Geez, why doesn’t that woman listen?”
Luna cracked up. “I say the same thing. It’s embarrassing when you can’t stop the call before it rings through. Then they call you back and ask if everything is okay,” Luna huffed. “I tell them my phone doesn’t understand me.”
“Yeah. So much for AI. That’s why it’s artificial. Like sweetener. It ain’t the real thing,” Gail pointed out.
“For sure. It’s like those imitation burgers. They taste pretty good, but still not the same.”
Gail handed Luna her phone. “They’re in my contact list.”
Luna obliged, and a cheerful voice came over the car speakers. “Hola, Gail!”
“Hola, Leela. How are you?” Gail asked in a similarly cheerful tone.
“Very good. Thank you. And you?”