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vice-like grip.
    “Pleased to meet you,” Ruby smacked on a large wad of gum, emitting strong whiffs of Juicy Fruit. She had none of the grace and elegance of Mary, yet her eyes beamed warm and friendly. “Do you bowl?”
    “Bowl? Uh no, I don’t.” Quinlan answered, puzzled by the question.
    Ruby shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. We’ll fix that in no time.” Ruby glanced at Mary. “Anything else, Boss?”
    “Ruby, please, do not call me Boss.” Mary selected a button on the electronic screen, bringing a printer behind her to life. She inserted the printed pages into a folder. “Here is Quinlan’s file. I trust you can take it from here?”
    “Sure, no sweat.” Ruby thumbed through the pages while she smacked.
    “Hey, this says you’re a south-paw. You sure you don’t bowl?” Ruby asked. “We could really use a lefty.”
    Quinlan shook her head.
    “And let’s see. You’ll be living with your sister on Moon Shell Drive. Nice place.” Ruby slammed the folder shut and tucked it under her arm. “No need to worry about this one. She’s in good hands.” Ruby turned to Mary and raised her hand in a salute.
    “I will forget about that chewing substance in your mouth if you promise to stop saluting me,” Mary said.
    Ruby lowered her hand. “Sorry, Boss. Just habit.”
    Mary’s eyes narrowed.
    “I mean, sorry ma’am.” Ruby pulled Quinlan to her feet. “We’d better go.”
    “It’s been a pleasure to meet you. I…hope to see you again sometime,” Quinlan stammered, squelching her desire to curtsey again.
    “I’m sure you will, my dear,” she heard Mary reply.

CHAPTER 7
    QUINLAN
     
    Outside the building, Ruby slid the blue-tinted glasses over her nose.
    “Okay, here’s the deal.” She pawed through one of many cargo pockets on her pants, surfacing moments later with a cell phone. “This is yours. I’m *5 on speed dial.” Smack. “You got questions? You call me. Got it?” Ruby slapped the cell phone into Quinlan’s hand. “*8 is your orientation schedule,” she said. “Moon Shell Drive is up ahead. Let’s walk.” Smack.
    Quinlan slipped the cellular device in her pocket and surveyed her surroundings. “Everything is so clean…so fresh looking.”
    “Thank you, ma’am. We do our best.” Ruby puffed out her chest, as if she were single-handedly responsible for it all. “By the way, you know anything about the White Sox?”
    “I beg your pardon?”
    “The White Sox. You know, baseball? Chicago? Nellie Fox?”
    “No, sorry. Not really a baseball fan,” Quinlan shrugged.
    Ruby winced. “What planet did you say you’re from?”
    Quinlan glanced at the plus-sized woman with the blue-tinted sunglasses. “Earth?”
    “Are you sure ?” Ruby kept walking. “I don’t mean to be rude or anything, but the White Sox and baseball are only like…God’s gift to the universe. Exactly where on Earth are you from?”
    “Houston.”
    “Yuk. Too far south for me. The Astros aren’t a bad team though. Nellie played there before he retired.” Ruby blew a bubble. Smack. Then shrugged. “That’s okay, doesn’t matter, I guess.”
    Doesn’t matter, she guesses? Quinlan realized she’d seriously started out on the wrong foot with Ruby. First, bowling, now the White Sox and baseball…great.
    Anxious for a do-over, Quinlan asked, “Do you like it here?”
    Ruby shot her a sideways glance. “Of course. What’s not to like?”
    Quinlan corrected herself. “I guess what I mean is…um, do you like your job?”
    “Oh, this?” Ruby thumped the folder. “Temporary. I put my time in here and then I can apply for a stewardship. After that? The Advisory Council. Yep, got it all figured out,” Ruby beamed. “This way.” Ruby motioned to the right when they reached Moon Shell Drive.
    “Did it take long to adjust to your name when you got here?” Quinlan asked.
    Ruby thought a moment. “Well, it’s not like it’s a new name. The Celestial records have been around