“You have…five…new voice messages…”

A strong beep followed the hollow digital voice of her answering machine.

“…Jane? Hey, it’s Vlad, I’m gonna be in town this week. Let’s catch up over some coffee whenever you’re free. Did you change your cell number? Mine’s still the same. Call me back…BEEP…”

She put down her briefcase gently on the dining table and let out a long sigh.

“…Hey, honey. Your dad and I are taking a break for a while, and we’re thinking of stopping by you kids’ place over the weekend. He said he wants you to be our tour guide around New Heliopolis. I’ll call again soon!….BEEP…”

She ignored the rest of the messages and went into the bathroom for a shower. She had been up working all night and she hadn’t washed up properly for over 12 hours.

“…Hey Jane, it’s Michelle. Looks like he was trying to get my attention, after all! I win this one, and you owe me lunch. Oh, and I heard from Oz that you stayed up all night in the office just for the Fortunas’ asswipe’s account. Ek-ehem, as your boss, I hereby command you to sleep in and skip work tomorrow! Mmmuahs! Seeya, sweetie!..BEEP…”

She burst out laughing in the shower as she heard the message. Showering with the bathroom doors open has become a habit of hers for the past few days. Clad in her bathrobe with a towel neatly wrapped around her scalp, she walked out of the shower and made her way towards the kitchen. She could see that it was still bright outside.

“…You forgot to charge your phone again, didn’t you, Jane? I knew you caught on Mom’s habit with phones, haha! Anyway, I’m staying over at Kei’s place. We’re gonna work on his silly android all night, so I’m having dinner with him. I’ll be back by, I dunno, around lunch tomorrow maybe? Don’t miss me!…BEEP…”

She walked out of the kitchen with a can of beer in one hand and a novel in the other. For that moment she was glad to have brought all of her unread books from Earth. Martian bookstores haven’t been very kind with their book pricing. She slid open the balcony glass doors and sat herself in a hammock. Taking a comfortable posture, she opened the can of beer with a light frizzle and white bubbles frothed gently at the mouth.

“…Hi, honey. I’m sorry I can’t go watch the meteor shower with you tomorrow night. There’s been a robbery at a drugstore and I’ve been assigned to it. Let’s tour the Aegean Crater next week, I know a place with great noodles and you can see the Aegean Canyons from the restaurant, too- What!? Do you mind? I’m on the phone! Yeah, okay, okay..Honey, I’m sorry, I’m really, REALLY sorry. Call me back, please? I love you…BEEP“

Hell if I care, she thought, I’m too tired for that sex-under-the-falling-stars crap, anyway. She emptied the beercan in three big gulps, opened a random page in the book, and placed it over her face. Her head towel came off and within seconds, she dozed off into a blissful slumber under the blue sun and a blood-red Martian sky.

“…you have…zero…new voice messages.”