Mac stepped back, “bloody mum, she didn’t have to drag you all this way for this.” Wonder gave him that big sister you're a dumb bloke look, then a big sisterly hug. She pulled back holding him by the shoulders, “Oh come on, the first serious girl friend you’ve had since you graduated and, and now a cruise around the world, you lucky bastard! So?”
“So what?” “Shit you’re slow sometimes Mac? So, well, how serious are you two?” Mac looked back at her dumbfounded, he'd not expected to have to deal with such questions, well not really anyway. After all, Wonder had given Mum three grandkids so he and Action weren't being sweated over.
“Mum is over the moon about the two of you. She would love to see you settle down and really start making something of yourself!”
“Well I don’t need a woman to do that!” “Oh Mac you’re so slow. Mum has given up on Action, and half expects to get THE phone call every time he’s OS, so she’s kind of let go of him already. But you, you’re the academic amongst us and she adores that in you.”
“Really?” said Mac disbelieving everything he heard. “Yeah little brother. I’m the business woman and have made my mark and I’m moving forward, but you?” Big sister Wendy the Wonder Woman put her hands on her firm and luxuriant hips and shook her head. Her mane of golden hair swirling like an aura of golden light about her as she bestowed wisdom on the blighted consciousness of masculinity that stood before her.
“Ah Wend, you know since dad died and I helped Mum move an’ all, I just, well, just having a job was all I needed really. My field trips have been great, but you know, ahm!” “No Mac, I don’t know and that's why I caught the first plane up from Melbourne this morning. So, how serious?” “yeah, pretty serious, though I'm not planning anything. Alli’s wonderful, and exotic, and full of experiences so different from me ...” “Ah good, Opposite Attractors, beauty. Just what you need to get you out of this rut.” She lent in and hugged him again and there was this little tremor, then it stopped.
“Dad’s death was sudden and dreadful and fuckin’ shitty ...” Wendy wiped the slow tears off her cheek before they were really visible to Mac. “... but he loved you and we all know you idealised him and well he saw you graduate and do your first field trip an all. So you get off your arse and you get out there. Ah shit, I promised myself I wouldn’t do this,” and she wiped more tears away. “You are so like him Mac, oh how I miss him ...” and she lent on Macs shoulder and let the tears flow. Little sobs shook her occasionally and Mac lent back into her and he let his exhausted grief take hers and enfold it and together meld into a new bond between brother and sister.
“Whew, fuck it Mac, you do this to me every time we meet. It’s like I can just pour myself out to you and you just take it and I feel safe and sheltered.”
Mac drew a slow deep breath, “I dunno sis, it’s just something I do!” “You got it from dad stupid, he knew exactly how to make his little girl feel safe and then kick her in the arse back out into the big bad world.”
“Come on you two, enough’s enough, come out into the light of day now!” came Mum’s call from the kitchen.
Wonder smiled at Weirdo and she turned and walked out into the living room. Mac stood for a moment and caught his breath, shit what have I got myself into here, he thought.
Alli watched Wendy walk towards her like a predator cat. Her body language radiating, ‘you hurt my little brother and I’ll tear you to shreds.’ Alli liked her immediately. “Alli, it’s good to meet you.” she shook Allis hand then gave her a hug. Alli could sense the different muscles being used as Wendy tested her grip in the hand shake then tested her guarding response to the closeness of the hug. Wendy was not a master business woman for nothing. Alli blinked away her shielded display with all of Wendy’s history and Special’s analysis of her and let the absorbed info memories from the display filter through her awareness.
“Such a surprise to meet you, Mac didn't mention anything about you.” “No he doesn't much, you see I’m corporate, he’s academic, or will be soon we all hope!” “Now now Wonder, leave the brains of the family alone!” “Action, tending the barbie as usual, good I’m famished, bloody cheap flights, no decent food anywhere!”
They walked into each others arms and he swung her around in the air even though she was the same height and size as he was. “So did you have anything to do with that Jaeger shut down of the web this morning?” she asked him straight out and taking the light beer he offered her.
“Me nope, not my area. I’m still assigned to that stupid useless cold case section.” “Well I wish you’d get involved so you could give me some warning. Damn near lost hours of work when the cloud went down. Lucky we do hard drive back up as well still!” Wendy took a long slow drink of her beer. “I reckon we’ll go back to using nothing but our own servers now. All this stupidity over the web becoming intelligent.” Wendy turned to Mac and pointed her beer at him.
“You’re still not doing that futile distributed intelligence experiment are you?” Mac just shook his head, he knew better than to interrupt when Wonder was holding court. “Good, what a waste of time, artificial intelligence, artificial stupidity more like!"