Child’s Play Child’s PlayBreakaway + 10 yrs
The lunch crowd had thinned out and only a few women and children needed to be served. If they would just hurry along a little, she would have time to tidy up the food line before the dinner crowd came. She hoped. Maisey felt overwhelmed and a little bit scared. These pilots and Eagle mechanics didn’t follow the normal lunch and dinner schedules. At least, not here in this dinky auxiliary cafeteria near their Eagles. The other times Maisey had pulled a shift here, Juanita had always been with her. She always kept everything running nice and smooth. But Juanita had called in all sick-like and her supervisor had told Maisey to go on alone. So, here she stood behind the food cart fretful-like and trying not to wring her hands. Her guts were all twisty worrying about making a mistake. These pilots were important people and needed their meals done right. Maisey knew she did better when there was someone to tell her what to do next. She took a few deep, steadying breaths. Okay then, what would Juanita do next. Her very best friend in the world, they had worked side by side for years, even before Alpha. Juanita would say something like, Silly girl, go wipe down the counter and make sure there’s enough plates and silverware. Taking one more deep breath and smoothing the white apron over her uniform, she did just that. A few more pilots came and went. The women were taking their time talking and visiting while their kids played around their feet. She thought the kids were right cute. She’d never had any bothers or sisters. Well, she had, but the foster system ladies had taken them away when mama had gotten arrested one too many times on drunk and disorderly. After that, grandma had done her best to raise her in that trailer park.
Maisey stood there and watched the children play. There were two girls and two boys. She had watched them grow up. Well, all the kids really, what with their coming in to the cafeterias with their mamas and daddies and then sitting at the large tables and laughing and cutting up. They were messy, but that was alright. They were just kids, after all.
Maisey remembered back to when those babies first started being born. First there had been all those bottles to wash and fill with formula and then all that toddler food. They had it down to a routine now, but back when those first babies had arrived it had been a right mess trying to get all that done. Babies on the moon, who would’ve ever thought?
She often wished she could help take care of those cute babies in those childcare places, crčches they called them here on Alpha. But she had never figured out just who to ask and Juanita was never interested when Maisey asked her. Juanita always said she had had enough of raising kids what with helping to raise all her little brothers and sisters down in the projects in Macon.
Maisey sighed and turned to go back into the small kitchen to fetch some fresh casserole and peas. My word but those pea plants just kept making peas! Just then yet another mechanic came in. Mercy me, she sighed in agitated frustration, if they would just come in normal like and not keep trickling in like a broken spigot. It made it hard for Maisey to keep both the serving trays full and the small room neat like. She always took pride that her dining room was the cleanest on all of Alpha.
Maisey heard rippling laughter and looked over at the women, senior officers both. She’d recognized Mrs. Verdeschi and Mrs. Carter earlier. They sure were taking an awful long time to eat, but it wasn’t her place to hurry along such important people. Juanita might have shooed them out, but… Anyhow, who wouldn’t recognize Mrs. Verdeschi, what with her being an alien and all. Real pretty, though, Maisey thought as she regretted her own thin mousy brown hair tucked up neatly under the hair net. Mrs. Carter was real pretty too, in a quiet sort of way. Maybe Mr. Carter would come in. Maisey hoped so. He was one of the few people who actually took the time to talk to her. He’d say hello or ‘G’day.’ She always liked that. Juanita would just laugh at her and tell her she’d gone a little sweet on Mr. Carter. Maisey blushed at that recollection. Well, there was no harm in a little daydreaming, was there?
The door opened again but his time it was someone in a red sleeve. Not a pilot or mechanic then. That was sorta funny. Maisey looked closer and recognized the Security Chief. She dropped her eyes before he looked her way. Mr. Verdeschi was kinda scary. Maisey stirred the peas. She finally looked up again when she heard childish laughter and saw the little Verdeschi boy hanging off his daddy’s back as his daddy bent over to kiss his mama. The two little girls were both talking real fast at the same time trying to tell him something, and Mrs. Carter was laughing, quiet like. Why, he must not be so bad after all. Maisey watched as Mr. Verdeschi asked the ladies some questions and then left. Maisey knew Mr. Verdeschi had come from Italy. Once, she had even heard Mr. Verdeschi cuss out a security guard in Italian. Sounded real pretty.
“Excuse me, do you have any cookies today?” Maisey jumped and dropped the serving spoon she held. The voice was real young, but real polite. She had to stretch to look over the serving cart to see who had spoken to her. The kids all stood in a row in front of her, as neat and quiet and polite as her grandma could ever have wished.
“Excuse me, ma’am. Do you have any cookies?” Maisey was surprised into silence. No one ever called her ma’am, and she wasn’t sure who did so now. There were two little silver haired girls standing side by side, almost as alike as peas in a pod. One did have those funny bumpy eyebrows and dirty-like cheeks, but other than that, they could have been twins. That was Mrs. Verdeschi’s girl. Next to her was a cute little boy who had hair just like his mama, but none of those funny things on his face. The other silver haired girl would be Mr. Carter’s girl. Maisey had made the effort to learn her name, Danny, which truly was an odd sort of name to give a little girl. Well, Mr. and Mrs. Carter came from far away places and maybe that name was a girl’s name back where they came from. Danny was holding the hand of a little black-haired, blue-eyed toddler called Richie. Now that was a nice, normal sounding name.
“No, no cookies today. Sorry.”
Kitchen rumors said that Mr. Carter was the daddy of Mrs. Verdeschi’s little girl. Well, that little girl was just about the spitting image of little Danny. Seemed kind of shameful, though, but there was Mrs. Carter and Mrs. Verdeschi sitting side by side and laughing as friendly as could be. Maisey thought of Juanita and could hear her say to hush and mind her own business, that things were different here on Alpha on account of there being so few of them.
The kids all sighed and turned away and headed back toward their mamas. Maisey was still watching them when Danny stopped and whispered something to her brother and gently pushed him in the direction of the table. She was surprised to see the girl walk around the serving cart to get a better look at her. Maisey knew the little thing was about five years old, but she looked as fragile as a little cricket.
“That’s alright, about the cookies, Miss Maisey. Would you like to come to a tea party with me and Lysee one day? Tomorrow? Papa says it would be alright to invite you over, if you would like to come.”
Maisey was stunned. She’d never had much of a childhood, always just being too busy surviving. She’d certainly never had a tea party, or played house or even just messed around with friends. In fact, Juanita had been her only real friend for ages and her only kin since grandma had died just before the moon had left Earth. Maisey looked up and over in the direction of the ladies. She was surprised to see Mrs. Carter looking at her and smiling.
The timid, pale dietary aid looked back down at the little girl. Maybe it would be fun to spend some time with Danny and her sister. Maybe, if she did real good and helped take care of the girls, Mrs. Carter would even help her talk to the person in charge of childcare. Mrs. Carter was a really important person after all who even knew the Commander and Dr. Russell. Or Dr. Koenig. Whatever. Maisey shook her head still a little confused over what she was supposed to call the lady doctor.
Maisey thought real hard. It was a big step from working in the safety of the cafeterias, but… She looked down at the little girl who was waiting patiently.
“Yes, miss, I think I’d like that.”
23 January 2006
MDG