Page 111 of Space Balls: Houston, We Have Liftoff
Hope you can make it.No.
I continue until my arms feel weak from losing blood.
Right before I lower them, I send one.You’re welcome to come if you want.
An hour later with no response, I agree with Mike. Trying can really fucking hurt.
Vance
“We need to talk.”Mom, thankfully back to being dressed in normal clothes, drapes her jacket over a chair as Brit and I enter the kitchen. She must have come in through the side door.
When I don’t say anything, Mom pulls out a chair and sits.
Brit does the same. “He was asking about Dad.”
“Well that much was obvious from all the stuff you said to Rose today.”
“Today?” Brit’s interest peaks. “Pole dancing day?”
Mom proceeds to give Brit the lowdown on how I became the worst new baby daddy known to man. How I told Rose I loved her, then wouldn’t commit to kids. How there was mention of my getting a vasectomy or waiting ten years before I could start a family.
Brit’s eyes get wider with each revelation.
“And then Rose said that she was pregnant withmygrandbaby!” Mom covers her heart with her hands, eyes closed as if overcome with happiness.
Brit gasps. “Holy shit.”
Mom opens her eyes, the happiness draining when she focuses them on me. “And you left.” She spits the words at me.
Brit chokes on air. “Holy fucking shit.”
Mom smacks her arm with the back of her hand, but Brit doesn’t even register the hit. Instead, she backhands me, like we’re playing a violent game of whisper down the lane. “How could you not tell me right when you got here?”
“I needed to ask you about something else.”
“Oh.” Brit’s glare vanishes. “Oh yeah.”
“What? What did he ask?” Mom straightens in her seat, indignant once more. “Because I’m telling you that if your father was here, he’d besodisappointed.”
Rage slams into me, and I stand, my chair sliding back across the tile. “That would be pretty fucking hypocritical of him then, wouldn’t it?”
Brit and Mom look up, mouths as wide as their eyes. I don’t think I’ve ever yelled at them before. I don’t think they’ve ever heard me yell period.
I take a deep breath, trying to get under control. “Do you even remember my last spacewalk this year? The emergency one Jules and I had to make to protect the ISS from impacting space junk? An impact that could’ve potentially killed everyone on board?” I smack my chest. “Including me.”
Mom shudders. “How could I forget?”
“Exactly. I can’t either.” I run a shaky hand through my hair. “And I’m going back in just a few months.” My laugh is hollow. “Hell, Iwantto go back up.” I shake my head at myself in disgust. “What kind of man does that make me?”
Brit frowns. “What are you talking about? How does that—”
“How does that relate to Dad?” I ask, annoyed that she still doesn’t get it. Thatno onegets it.
I look at Mom. “I think we all remember how Dad’s death changed you.”
She flinches.
“Wrecked you even,” I add.
