SHE MUST HAVE hit just the right button again. The dazed confused expression returned in full strength. Rachel didn't want him confused. To her, it was all rather simple and straight-forward.
"We'll talk more on our date," Rachel said, handing him a knitted hat with a ball on top of it. It looked exactly like something one of her group would knit for their grandkids. "In the meantime, see if you can find Irvine's escape route."
Before he could say anything more, Rachel returned to the front door. With her bot and the cart preceding her, she called out, "Expect a message soon. The word 'no' is not an option."
With that one final reminder she left the warehouse.
Okay, so it hadn't gone exactly like she'd expected. At least she knew more. With the new knowledge she would know where the mood changes came from. That it meant he was remembering.
Her bot gave one more hiss towards the warehouse before turning into a maintenance corridor to head for the next repair site.
"Relax. Irvine isn't so bad. Only annoying," Rachel said as she followed.
Her bot started an entire monologue of chirps, beeps, whistles, squeaks, and squeals. Obviously, it thought she was wrong, and was going to explain exactly why. It was times like this Rachel wished she could understand their language. On the other hand, the range of noises were so much more amusing than any words would likely be.
Still, it was a barrier. The bots sometimes sensed and understood things their human partners didn't. Could Irvine be more dangerous than a simple annoying escape artist?
***
Ignacio stared at the closed front door where Rachel had just exited. Somewhere, somehow, he'd lost the chance to stop all of this once and for all, and now not only did she know about Marcie, but she was taking the lead in another date?
He pulled off the apron and ran towards the door. He didn't see any sign of her on the road between the warehouses in the block. How did she disappeared so fast?
He went back inside and finished putting away the box. A run through the warehouse to see to the newts and a half-hearted attempt to once again discover Irvine's escape method and he knew it wasn't going to work. He needed to get out of the warehouse. Do, well, something. Talk to someone.
He went to the one place he knew would be busy with people. He headed to the surface of the ring above his head. A quick ride of a tram and he arrived at the site of the upcoming Exotic Pet Show.
He found Paul inside one of the buildings testing the systems of each of the transparent enclosures. The display enclosures for the house-pet categories, if he remembered the design of the layout correctly.
"Hey, you came up from newt-land. I tested your building. You're ready to go," Paul said with a gesture towards the next building.
"Great, thanks," Ignacio said, wondering how to start. Now that he'd arrived on the grounds, the entire thing seemed silly. He should turn around and go home. Or maybe work at the site? At the very least come up with a coherent way to explain what just happened without making himself look the fool.
He started mentally organizing the explanation when he instead blurted out, "She saw Marcie's picture."
Paul jerked up straight from testing a watering system to stare at him. "Rachel? Wow, you showed her already? I'm surprised."
"I didn't show her. She saw pictures I have in storage," Ignacio said, running a finger around the collar of his shirt.
Paul balanced the epad against the lower ledge of an enclosure opening. "She dug through your stuff?"
"No, I had it on the table."
Paul frowned at him. "You brought out her stuff? Why?"
Ignacio shrugged, knowing he didn't have a good reason. As he'd worried about, he was coming out looking like a fool. "I wanted to see it again."
"And Rachel saw it. What did she say?"
"Asked a few questions and then insisted on another date."
Paul's frown broke into a smile. "Great. She wasn't intimidated by the previous wife. Good sign."
Ignacio knew he should feel the same way. He'd mourned. He'd move on. Really, it should be easy from this point on.
Paul's smile faltered. "The problem isn't with Rachel, is it."
"I feel like I'm cheating on her."
Paul glanced down the building at where workmen were still working on other enclosures. He grabbed Ignacio's arm and pulled him down the building in the opposite direction. "Cheating? Ignacio, you had a great thing with Marcie, but she's been dead for almost five years now."
Ignacio shrugged off the hand. "I know that. Of course, I know that."
Paul compressed his lips. "I'm not sure how to help you with this. You have another chance at something great. How often does that happen?"
Ignacio sure hadn't expected to be confronted by the possibility again. The universe couldn't hold another Marcie. Multiple universes couldn't.
"Are you interested?" Paul demanded.
Ignacio started, the brown eyes with blue flecks coming to mind. "Very interested."
"Okay, then?"
There it was. The choice in front of him. So simple, but so complex all at the same time. Why did it appear so simple to Paul?
Yet, could it be so simple? Could he make it simple if he tried hard enough?
Ignacio shoved his hands into his pockets. "So, when Rachel calls to set up the next date I say yes?"
"That would be a good start. Along with remembering Marcie wouldn't have wanted you to be unhappy."
He knew the words to be true, but reconciling them with his betraying heart and memories was another matter.
"Okay, one more date. I can do that." Ignacio nodded at his friend. Then stopped and took a deep breath. "I'm a mess."
"Yes, you are." Paul said, his smile returning. "Now, do you want to see your building? Do you have the enclosure assignments finalized?"
"Finalized, confirmed with all those coming, forwarded to the organizing committee," Ignacio said automatically, while still running everything through his head. Rachel said she'd call him with the details. Maybe she would take him somewhere the memories wouldn't intrude.
"Should have known. You're always ahead of me," Paul said with a mock-scowl.
A crash at the other end of the building preceded one of the workmen shouting out, "Water main break! Someone shut down the main valve!"