Izzy walks back to her motel room and opens the door as quietly as possible, Jacob is still sleeping in the bed. She eyes her purse sitting on the bedside table; she picks it up and begins to walk outside when she turns back and checks on Jacob as he is snuggled up against her pillow. She pys with his soft hair. Rubs his hairless cheek

  She turns to the motel desk and writes a note on the hotel stationery.

  I needed a swimsuit. Be good; thanks for st night.Love, IzzyShe slides into her little red car and grabs the steering wheel; it feels unfamiliar to her after not having driven in so many days. She turns onto the main road and heads towards the gas station, the morning sun blinding her as she drives. She tosses on a pair of cat-eye sungsses she bought at Asbury Park two years ago. The sky there was much darker than it is here; this big blue sky she finds so much more beautiful. The car smoothly pulls into the gas station.

  Josh Gas pokes his head out of the gas station as she gets out of the car, and he admires her legs. “Welcome back, Miss. I never thought I would see you again. Did you get lost again?”

  “No, the crazies at the ranch have kept me hostage, and now they demand I get a swimsuit,” she says back with this urge to wear a cowboy hat. She shakes her head violently.

  “Well, we have a few options,” he waves his hand toward the store. “Check near the back. Want me to fill it up?” Josh points to the car.

  She has walked across the parking lot. “It's still full.” He waves his hand in a dismissive gesture and holds the door open for her.

  She walks inside and is greeted by an eclectic mix of items dating back to the 1940s; she wanders around grabbing a basket. She grabs various snacks and some new makeup. She flips through the magazine rack, this month's issue of Time next to an issue of National Geographic from the 60s.

  The sound of a musical triangle hits twice, and Josh walks out the store door confidently.

  She walked further into the store where there are 4 racks of clothing ranging from ball gowns to swimsuits; she rifled through the swimsuits.

  The sound of the little bell makes her turn around suddenly while holding a coconut bra. A pair of lizard people identical in almost every way except one is holding a purse with heavy lipstick and eye shadow.

  Izzy looks out the front windows to see Josh filling a 60s VW bus painted in psychedelic colors that she could only think of as the groove machine.

  She scans her eyes back across to the aliens, who are both staring at her; she quickly looks away and goes back to shopping.

  She tries her best to ignore the sound of the aliens chittering like two hedgehogs screaming behind her. She picks out what must be a replica of Marilyn Monroe's polka dot bikini.

  The little bell signals that Josh has come back in from pumping the groove machine's tank full. He looks at the unusual aliens and treats them exactly like they are Aunt Ethel and Uncle Mark. Kindly and rolling with whatever crazy thing they do.

  “I filled her up,” Josh says with a smile.

  Izzy can't help but grin. ‘I bet you did, you freak,’ she ughs to herself.

  “and checked the fluids; air pressure looks good. Anything else I can get you fine folks? Would you like a soda or a sundae?” Josh waves his hand around the room.

  Izzy perks up, ‘Ice cream.’ Her brain shifts gears like a 6-year-old. “I demand ice cream,” she mutters.

  One of the aliens picks up a Twinkie and eats the entire Twinkie, wrapper and all. “Good,” it rumbles.

  The one with the lipstick grabs the entire rack of snacks and walks to the register. “I desire these.”.

  Josh bags up all the snacks, the pile growing armingly huge. “Anything else I can get you both?” he asks.

  “No,” says the one without lipstick.

  He rings up the total, the receipt paper printing out. “You from around here?” he asks, trying to fill the awkward moment.

  “No,” the alien with makeup says.

  “I didn't think so; I haven't seen you around before. I hear the weather is supposed to be nice this week,” the humble alien serving gas station attendant says.

  “Our spaceship showed conditions were optimal for a visit,” the one with lipstick responds, pulling a tube from their purse and applying it crudely to her already coated lips.

  The receipt finishes printing. “Ok, your total is 653.83. We take cash cards and all precious metals and some precious gems.” Josh says with a small smirk on his face. The male opens a fanny pack and pulls out a coin the size of a peanut butter cup that looks like solid gold.

  “Trade,” the pin alien says in a gruff voice.

  Josh takes the chunk of gold and puts it in his register. ‘Holy shit, that's worth—I don't know, but it's worth more than my car when it was new.’ Izzy screamed in her head. She forces herself to stop spying, grabs the swimsuit, and makes her way around the backside of the store.