“Adrian?” 

“Oh hey, Sandra,” Adrian straightened up at the sound of my voice.

“You’re still here? I thought I saw you leave with Harry this morning,” I settled into the chair next to his.

“Yeah, it was for some last minute checks of the food and medicine supplies and all. ” 

“You should take some rest you know, it’s not good for your health. We don’t want you to burn out already.”

“Now you sound like the doctor you are,” Adrian chuckled lightly as I raised my eyebrows in question. “I’m fine Sandra, and we still have 24 hours before the- before the journey. Ill rest later, I promise.”

I shrugged my shoulders quite dramatically as I got up to leave. “When do you listen to anyone anyway,” I muttered as Adrian laughed before turning solemn again . 

“Hey, don’t give up on me Sandra.” He whispered. I stood there for a moment, a long silent moment, looking straight into Adrian’s deep blue ocean eyes as he refused to break eye contact, one wave of emotions drowning me after another. Would he ever look at me this way again, I wondered to myself before quietly retreating from the room, my cheeks wet with tears I never realized had fallen.

                      * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I knocked at the door again.

“Martha? May I come in?” 

“Sandra!” She exclaimed as I heard her fumbling with the door locks, one latch after the other. 

“Hey sweetie, come on in.” She finally opened the doors of the giant laboratory, with a wide metal door that read, “Highly confidential, restricted personnel only.”

I had always visited the NASA headquarters with daddy as a child. The clatter of boots on the marble floors and the haphazard yet harmonious voices of men and women in suits seemed almost magical to me. Martha and daddy worked together in the Lab. Even though I wasn’t allowed inside, Martha would sometimes sneak me inside during off hours and show me around the lab, all the while speaking of the numerous miracles they had experienced inside.

“Why Sandra, why did you volunteer?” Martha was seldom sad, in fact I think the only time Id seen her cry was when daddy died ten years ago. But as soon as she saw me standing right next to the coffin in a little black dress, she wiped her tears, held my hand, and took me by the lake where she told me dozens of stories about her and daddy and before the sun set, she had already gone back to work. I always knew she loved him, but that day, I knew for sure.

“It just felt right Martha, almost necessary to me. We’re giving them a lie in hope that it will help them survive. But what if we’re wrong? What if what they actually need is the truth?”

“Sandra-,”

“I’d give them the truth Martha. When the time comes, I’ll give them the truth.” I’ll give Adrian the truth.