01-19-2025, 03:21 PM
The rest of the evening went well. A few other people who recognised Maz, came over and expressed their sympathies with her and her father. Or rather it went well until a voice from behind them said; “Well look what the cat dragged in!”
Maz turned to look at the speaker. It was a dark haired man, about her age, with a greying beard.
“Mike?” She said as she recognised him.
“Glad you remembered me.” He said with a hint of scorn in his voice. Then to her father he nodded and said, “Good evening, Mr Black.”
“Michael.” Replied Ophur. But Mike had returned his attention back to Maz.
“So what you been up to then?” He asked as he pulled across a char from a nearby table. “Last time I saw you, you said you were just going down the shops. That was twenty years ago.”
Maz glanced at her Dad then back at Mike. Is he being serious?
Then a big grin appeared on Mikes face, “Come here, you stupid lump.” He said now leaning forward and giving her an awkward hug.
“Ya, Mum and Dad kept us all up with what you was getting up to out... there.” He gestured in the air with his hands. “And all that stuff a few years back. I didn't believe one bit of it. Our Maz ain't no killer, and when them reporters came round here asking questions, I told them where they could stick their recorders.”
Maz grimaced while he spoke. But said “Thanks.” with a tight smile.
“So,” Continued Mike. “You stopping here, or you going back out to space with your Starfleet friends?”
“I was going to look in to heading back...” She began to say.
“Just one night? It's not often we get such a veritable traveller come home.” Then he leant in consiprationally while glancing at the bar. “I'll get you a real pint, not just a lemonade. Meet me in beer garden in five minutes.”
“You go along, Maz. ” Said her Dad standing up. “I'll seem me self home. Keys under the pot when you get in.”
Looking over to the bar. Then at her father, she said. “I'll see you later.”
“Not too late mind.”
“Yes, Dad.”
After a couple of minutes sitting alone. Maz stood up, and headed to the beer garden.
Maz turned to look at the speaker. It was a dark haired man, about her age, with a greying beard.
“Mike?” She said as she recognised him.
“Glad you remembered me.” He said with a hint of scorn in his voice. Then to her father he nodded and said, “Good evening, Mr Black.”
“Michael.” Replied Ophur. But Mike had returned his attention back to Maz.
“So what you been up to then?” He asked as he pulled across a char from a nearby table. “Last time I saw you, you said you were just going down the shops. That was twenty years ago.”
Maz glanced at her Dad then back at Mike. Is he being serious?
Then a big grin appeared on Mikes face, “Come here, you stupid lump.” He said now leaning forward and giving her an awkward hug.
“Ya, Mum and Dad kept us all up with what you was getting up to out... there.” He gestured in the air with his hands. “And all that stuff a few years back. I didn't believe one bit of it. Our Maz ain't no killer, and when them reporters came round here asking questions, I told them where they could stick their recorders.”
Maz grimaced while he spoke. But said “Thanks.” with a tight smile.
“So,” Continued Mike. “You stopping here, or you going back out to space with your Starfleet friends?”
“I was going to look in to heading back...” She began to say.
“Just one night? It's not often we get such a veritable traveller come home.” Then he leant in consiprationally while glancing at the bar. “I'll get you a real pint, not just a lemonade. Meet me in beer garden in five minutes.”
“You go along, Maz. ” Said her Dad standing up. “I'll seem me self home. Keys under the pot when you get in.”
Looking over to the bar. Then at her father, she said. “I'll see you later.”
“Not too late mind.”
“Yes, Dad.”
After a couple of minutes sitting alone. Maz stood up, and headed to the beer garden.