Left-Handed Engineers From MARZ
Marlone comes to visit, part 1

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The phone rang. Zephyr let the answering machine take the call, although he was sitting right next to it.

"Zephyr, are you there? If you're there, pick up the phone. It's your mo--"

Zephyr reached over and hit the speakerphone button. "Hi, Mom."

"I wish you'd stop screening your phone calls," Marlone said.

"I was in the garage. How was the cruise?"

"It was great. The food was spectacular, and they had ballroom dancing. We saw some whales and a couple of eagles. Oh, and the aurora borealis. That was fabulous. Juneau was nice, too."

"Cool. Sounds like you had fun."

"Oh, we did. Hey, we're going to be driving through Eureka on our way home, and we were wondering whether we could stop by and see your new house."

"It's not that new, Mom."

"Well, I've never seen it. Neither has Jack."

"Really? I guess you're right. Sure, come on by."

"Great!" Marlone exclaimed. "We're in Portland now. We'll probably arrive after lunch sometime."

Zephyr gave her directions and then sighed to himself as he reached over and hung up the phone. "Next on my to-do list: learn how to say no to my mother. Hey, Reg, want to help me clean the house?"

Reg was on the couch across from him, stroking 3, who was curled up on his lap. He looked like he was really getting into it, Zephyr thought. Not many people slipped into a fugue every time they petted a cat. Zephyr arose from his easy chair and wandered into the kitchen to find cleaning implements by himself.

After locating a few useful items, he returned to the living room and stood beside Reg. "Okay, man, dust or sweep? No, nothing is not an option. Come on, you."

Zephyr nudged 3 off of Reg's lap (she jumped to the floor with a grumble and glared at him indignantly) and, as he blinked in confusion, shoved the tee shirt dust rag into Reg's hand.

"Find some dust and wipe it with this," Zephyr instructed.

Reg blinked at the rag in his hands. He turned it over and blinked at it again.

"Reg. Find dust. Wipe it. Look, I found some for you, over here on the TV. Come over here and wipe it. Reg? Oh, forget it. Ooh, I know. Hey, Reg, you like the vacuum cleaner, right?"

Zephyr dragged the vacuum cleaner out of the closet, deciding he'd rather dust than vacuum anyway. He presented the machine to Reg, who finally started to show a glimmer of interest. Zephyr left Reg to his own devices and went into the kitchen to wash dishes. "Use it! Don't take it apart!" he yelled after several minutes had passed. Finally the humming whine started, and something black and white streaked past Zephyr's feet into the pantry. That reminded Zephyr to clean out the litter box.

When the house was clean, Zephyr got to work on fruit salad and coffee and finished just as Marlone and Jack pulled into the driveway. By that time, 3 had ventured out again and was back in her favorite spot, on Reg's lap. Zephyr wiped his hands and opened the door to greet them.

Marlone strode up to him, arms outstretched. "Don't you have a hug and kiss for your mother?" she asked. She embraced him and then invited herself inside, leaving Zephyr to gawk at her in astonishment.

Jack came up to him next, lugging two large suitcases, and dropped one to offer his hand. Zephyr shook it.

"Hey there," Jack said.

"My mother... just asked me to hug her."

Jack shrugged and picked up the suitcase again.

"Oh, right. Come on in. Welcome to our humble abode. Are you two planning to spend the night?" Zephyr asked, eyeing the luggage.

Marlone reappeared from the kitchen. "Jack's truck's been having problems. I was thinking maybe you could help him fix it, if that's all right. We don't want to break down in the middle of nowheresville, y'know."

"Sure," said Zephyr. He wasn't sure how Reg would react to them having guests overnight... they'd never had any before. Hopefully nothing bad would happen.

"Great!" Marlone looked around. "Spotless house. No clutter. I'm impressed."

"Uh... thanks." He purposely neglected to tell her that the lack of clutter was a necessity with Reg around. Not that Zephyr minded... it was good motivation to avoid becoming a pack-rat. He was sure that, if he had more freedom to own stuff, he'd go out and buy a lot of unnecessary stuff. "Oh, Jack, just drop those in the den... straight ahead, on the right. There's a sofabed in there."

"Hi, Reg. I didn't know you had a cat," Marlone said. She stared at him and, not getting a response, shrugged and turned back to Zephyr. "When did you get a cat?"

"A few months ago. She's Reg's, mostly."

"Jack wants a dog. He's a dog person. I dunno. Is it a lot of work?"

Zephyr shook his head. "Not really. 3 takes care of herself... we just have to give her food and water and a litter box and she does the rest herself. The shots were a pain, but 3 has forgiven us for that." He smirked.

"Its name is 3? Weird. Where's your bathroom?"

"Mom..." Zephyr found himself getting on the defensive but held his tongue. Marlone had left anyway, having located the bathroom. Jack came back out.

"Want something to drink?" Zephyr offered. "A beer? Oh... I'm sorry. I forgot. Juice! We have orange juice and water and, um, milk. Coffee'll be done soon."

"Juice'll be fine." Jack appeared unfazed by Zephyr's faux pas. When Zephyr returned with a glass of juice, he found that Jack had claimed his easy chair. Jack took the glass from him and sat back, looking around, very comfortable in Zephyr's spot. Zephyr sat next to Reg on the couch.

"So," Zephyr said.

"Hey, Zeph, what's all this?" Marlone shouted from the bathroom.

"All what?"

"All this! Come over here."

Zephyr got up again, leaving Jack and Reg to not talk to each other by themselves, and stood in the bathroom doorway. Marlone stood by the sink, holding a bottle of pills. The medicine cabinet was open and it was obvious she'd been rifling through it.

"What is all this stuff? Zephyr, Zephyr, Zephyr... it's all yours. What's the matter with you?"

"That's my high blood pressure medication." He grabbed it from her and put it back in the cabinet.

"Since when have you had high blood pressure?"

"Since I was born with a constricted aorta." He tried desperately to hide his irritation. Marlone should know all this by now... but more than that, he knew she was baiting him again, and he was furious at himself for arguing back. Another blame-fest would not be welcome now.

"You're not starting that again, are you?" Here goes. "And what's all this other crap? Please tell me some of it is Reg's."

"Mom, just get out of my stuff! Hands out... close the cabinet. Stay out. I mean it. And quit poking around."

"I'll tell you what's wrong with you. The same thing that's always been wrong with you - you're a hypochondriac. You have an addictive personality. I should know; I've known you longer than any doctor."

"And you're projecting!"

"I am not! It's a proven fact that children of addicts become addicts themselves. I've admitted my problem and overcome it, and I'm not letting you get as bad as I was before you get help. Zephyr, get help now."

"Mom, I am not an addict! I've never even--"

Marlone put her hands on Zephyr's shoulders, a gesture as restricting as it was affectionate. "Honey, I'm here for you. Let me help you. I love you." She pecked him on the cheek, then slipped past him and strode into the living room.

"Since when?" Zephyr grumbled under his breath.

Marlone perched herself on the arm of the easy chair, one leg draped across Jack's lap. Zephyr fought down the urge to scream at her that she was going to break his chair and tried to paste on a smile. Failing that, he stormed past them into the kitchen and got some small bowls and mugs out of the cupboard.

"There's fruit salad and coffee; help yourselves. I'm going out to look at the truck."

He stormed past them again and out the front door, pointedly ignoring his mother's protests and criticisms.

He popped open the hood and peered inside, appreciating the fresh air. As long as Marlone didn't follow him out to continue the confrontation, he could unwind out here and only go back inside when he was good and ready. He wasn't entirely comfortable with leaving Reg alone with them, but they were frightened enough of Reg and unlikely to harm him.

He spotted the problem almost immediately - a worn fan belt. The engine also needed a good cleaning, and he could probably change the oil as an added excuse to be antisocial. That is, if Jack would let him. A man's vehicle was his pride and joy, and Jack was most likely that kind of man. Zephyr would certainly be loath to let another man touch the Skylark.

The front door swung open with its distinctive skreek , and Zephyr's heart flew into his mouth as he spun around. But it was only Jack, and he didn't seem particularly hostile. Zephyr smiled back half-heartedly.

"I already checked," Jack said. "Fan belt's just about shot."

"Yeah, I noticed. There's an automotive shop just down the road; if we hurry we can get there before it closes."

Jack nodded. "Sounds good."

Zephyr relaxed a bit more. Maybe some time doing auto work with Jack was just what he needed. He could get to know his new stepfather, and...

My god, thought Zephyr, I have a stepfather.

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