A very awkward meeting

“What the hell was that?!?”

Ben ignored Suzy and stumbled a little on his feet as the world righted itself around him, the atoms solidifying in their proper place. He tapped at the device repeatedly, and was repeatedly met with the same no battery icon.

“Seriously,” the girl closed the distance between them until he could feel her breath on his face. “What the fuck just happened? You zapped out of existence and then came back like 10 seconds later!”

He sighed, long and loud. “It’s this stupid thing,” he gestured to it, fighting the urge to smash it to pieces, “it’s out of power so it can’t send me back.”

“Can’t you just…I dunno, change it’s batteries or something?”

“I don’t even know what this thing runs on,” Ben groaned, “I just picked it up from Mr Daniels garage amongst all his other junk…” he rubbed at his temple, “shit, I’m gonna be stuck here…”

Suzy’s eyes narrowed. “Mr Daniels?” She poked him hard in the chest to get his attention. “hey, you said Mr Daniels. You don’t mean that nerdy guy who lives down the street that my dad plays poker with, right? He’s still around in your time?”

Ben’s mind exploded with epiphany. Of course. Mr Daniels had lived in that house for decades, and while this technology might be a little advanced for him, it was ultimately his invention. Surely if he was shown it he’d be able to fix it.

“That’s it!” He turned and pulled Suzy into a tight hug, earning a squeak from the girl. “You’re a genius!”

Suzy stiffened at first, but then seemed to relax and reciprocated the hug awkwardly. Ben suddenly felt her breasts pressing against his chest, caught the smell of her hair and felt a swirl of confusing emotions. His loins began to stir and they parted quickly, both blushing furiously.

“So, um…do you think you can set a meet up with Mr Daniels?” He asked, pointedly avoiding her gaze. “I figure he can help me but I’d just be some random guy off the street if I came to his house.”

“Well, there’s not much point going over there now,” she told him, crossing her arms and inadvertently pushing her breasts up. “It’s Wednesday evening, he and my dad and all their weirdo friends are out at their poker game. ”

Ben winced. “Ah shit, so now I’ve got creep around the neighbourhood until tomorrow morning? Great.”

Suzy chewed her bottom lip. “It’s um..,not anything special, but I guess you could crash here for the night…”

He looked at her and felt a burst of relief and gratitude. “Really?”

“It’d only be for one night,” she warned, “and it would have to be down here in the basement. And, and…if you get caught by my mom I’ll deny your existence and let them take your ass to the cops, ok?”

“Hey that’s good enough for me!” He grinned back at her, “and don’t worry, I’ll be quiet as a church mouse. No one will know I’m here.”

“Suzy? Who are you talking to down there?”

They both froze as light began to shine down from the top of the stairs and a middle aged woman came upon them.

There was another moment of profound déja vu when Ben looked at the woman. She was remarkably like his mother on first glance, but the more one looked at her the more differences could be seen. Her hair was much darker than Suzy’s, her mouth that of Cupid’s bow, her age more apparent, her figure plumper.

This, he came to realise, was his grandmother Francine.

“Who…is this?” She asked with a mixture of confusion and concern. “And what are you two doing in the basement?”

Suzy’s eyes looked ready to explode out of her head, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. “He’s um…you see Mom he’s…”

“I’m….her boyfriend,” he said hurriedly and without thinking. He offered his hand. “My name Ben, ma’am. And it’s very nice to meet you.”

Suzy went beet red, her mouth hanging open in shock.

“Boy…friend?” Francine looked utterly stunned and turned to her daughter. “Is this true Suzy?”

The girl seemed to buzz back into life and nodded her head in sudden and furious agreement. “Yep, um….yeah. My boyfriend. We’ve….um dated in secret for …uh…”she turned to Ben with a questioning glance, “a few…weeks?”

It was the lamest attempt at lying he had ever seen and immediately braced himself for a verbal barrage from the older woman. But it never came, instead she wore a relieved smile as she regard the two of them.

“A _boyf_riend,” she breathed, “oh thank god. You know, people were starting to talk about you Suzy, but thank god. I knew you were just a late bloomer.”

A swirl of emotions crossed Suzy’s face, chiefly humiliation, but she managed to keep them contained and took Ben’s hand within her own. “We’re..um, crazy about each other.”

Francine looked ready to embrace her daughter, having been reassured of her heteronormativity. But luckily she restrained herself.

“Well, your father isn’t here tonight, so that’s a shame because I’m sure he’d love to meet this young man, but,” she turned to Ben, “would you care to stay for dinner? I’d love to get to know my daughters first boyfriend.”

“Ma’am,” he replied, “that …would be great.”