Guardians

Part Six

    Zelana entered the boutique Wednesday morning singing a song from her native land. Doreen smiled when she heard the soft ballad. "So, Christie, do you really think he's the one?" she asked Zelana.
    "He has to be the one. There's no way he couldn't be. I checked the records, Dul. Every event in his life corresponds to the fluctuations of the BlueStar. Besides, I like him," Zelana replied in a soft undertone.
    'I take it the interview went well?"
    "So did dinner."
    "Dinner? Christie, be careful, please. I know you think he's the one, but..."
    "I don't think he's the one, Dul. I know he's the BlueStar. I'm more sure of this than of anything in my life! The twinstone throbs whenever Billy's around. He has to be my destined."
    Doreen shook her head lightly. "I was saying, Christie, that you should take this slowly at first. Human males spook easily. Just ask Zari. When she was trekking around Switzerland, she became intrigued by a human named Jason. She told him she wanted to sleep with him and he nearly passed out. Of course, our Zari doesn't have much tact..."
    "I heard that!" Zari called from the other room.
    "...but still, even if she had waited more than a few hours after meeting him to proposition him, he still would have spooked. Humans may seem like a sex-craved lot, but they're actually quite prudish."
    "Dul, I am not going to ask him to sleep with me. I've spent most of my life watching humans. I know them. I almost feel like I am one. Besides, it's not like that with Billy. He's so sweet, kind,..." Zelana's words trailed off as she went into wistful mode. "I don't want to risk scaring him away."

    In Angel Grove, a similar conversation was taking place between Billy and Kimberly. "Wow," Kimberly drawled. "You and a French fashion designer, an item."
    "Shh!" Billy hissed. "Not so loud!"
    "I want to know every little detail!" Kimberly demanded.
    "There's not that much to tell. We're not an item, not yet. We just had dinner together after the interview. I...I don't know, Kimberly. I feel comfortable with her and I like her, too. Pam's assigned me to cover the opening of the boutique since we have to be there anyways, and that's a month away! I want to see her again, before that, but I don't know..."
    "Does she like you?"
    "Well, she said that she did, but..."
    "No buts about it! She didn't strike me as the type of person who'd lie about something like that. Billy, call her. Ask her to do something."
    "Like what?"
    "Anything! Geez, for being the Angel Grove Casanova, you sure don't know much about girls."
    "Kimberly, I don't know about this. I mean, she reminds me a little of Laura. Laura and I didn't have anything in common, and I couldn't stand that she kept calling the mouse on my computer 'the whatchamacallit'. What if Zelana turns out the same way?"
    "Call her and find out! That's all there is to it."
    "I'll try, but I'm not making any promises."

    Walking home, hands in pockets, Billy tried to figure out what he'd say, especially if that snooty butler answered the phone. "I don't know how I'm going to do this," he muttered, kicking a small pebble. "Kimberly made it sound so easy. It's not." He went inside and straight to the kitchen. Billy made himself his usual snack of peanut butter on rye bread, opened the fridge, pulled out a jar of Spanish olives, and headed for his lab.
    He stared at the phone for half an hour, not knowing what to do. Several times he reached for it, only to place the receiver back in the cradle. Once he managed to dial half the number, but couldn't bring himself to finish it. After finishing the jar of olives, he realized that he didn't know what to say.
    Putting the lid on the now-empty olive jar, he took the sandwich plate back to the kitchen. He saw his father sitting at the chipped yellow Formica table and an idea presented itself to him.
    "Dad," he began hesitantly, "can I ask you a question?"
    Hank Cranston put down the newspaper and looked at Billy in surprise. His son had never asked him a question before. Usually if Billy had a question, he'd ask Rachel or look up the answer himself. A rare smile lit up Hank's face. "Of course. Pull up a chair."
    Billy sat down in one of the yellow vinyl chairs across from his father. Several hours later, they both felt much closer. Billy had started talking to his father about Zelana, and it was like a floodgate had opened. He just started talking about everything: being a Power Ranger, losing the Power, watching his friends get their Zeo powers, his first time on Aquitar, being offered the Gold Ranger powers and his body rejecting them, and finally, his last time on Aquitar. The last was particularly hard for Billy to talk about as he remembered Cestria and how their relationship had ended. That had been the final event that solidified his decision to return to Earth. He finished up by talking about his job at the Chronicle, the modeling contest, and the interview with Zelana.
    Hank just sat and listened to Billy. The things he heard were amazing. It didn't surprise him that Billy was-had been-a Power Ranger. He'd always been disappearing at odd times, so Hank had an inkling that something was up. The Aquitian relationship had surprised him. He didn't expect Billy to remain solitary, but he didn't think that any relationship would end so violently.
    Billy finished talking and looked at his father. "Dad, I really like Zelana. I want to call her, but I don't really know what to say to her."
    "Just be yourself. That's about all I can say on the topic of women. If she liked you at the shoot and at the interview, chances are good that she'll like you in a phone call." Hank was about to continue when the phone rang. "Hello, Cranston residence, Hank speaking. Just a minute." He turned to Billy. "It's for you. A young lady."
    Billy stood up quickly. "I'll take it in my lab. Dad?"
    "Yes?"
    "Thanks." Billy smiled at his father. In the lab, he waited for the tell-tale click before saying," Hello?"
    "Hi, Billy? This is Zelana Christina," he heard her voice say.
    "Zelana! Hi! I was, um, just thinking about you."
    "I know. Listen, I seem to be having some trouble with networking the computers at the boutique. I was wondering if maybe you could come down tomorrow and help me get things straightened out?"
    "Sure, I'd love to."
    "Okay, then I'll see you tomorrow?"
    "Sure."
    "I'll be looking forward to it. Bye, Billy."
    "Bye." He hung up the phone softly. "Dad? Don't expect me for dinner tomorrow night! After work, I'm going to Zelana's boutique to take a look at her network."
    "Sounds like you've got your problems worked out," Hank called back.
    At least for today, Billy thought as he began to gather the tools he might need the next day.