Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76527 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76527 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
She propped her hand under her chin and listened.
“It’s just hard to see sometimes.”
“Can you give me an example of what you’re talking about?”
“Well, a few days ago, I tagged along to his lecture, and one of the failing students came up to him and confided that his mother had lung cancer and he might need to withdraw from the program and an internship at NASA that Derek got him. His response? He was emotional, compassionate, and he really cared. He said he knew a doctor who could take care of her for free. It ended up being his dad, and he basically begged him for help.”
Her face visibly softened.
“I haven’t seen him the same way since. I always knew he was dedicated to his job for altruistic reasons, but I see how dedicated he really is to other people. He and I have never gotten along very well, probably because we got off on the wrong foot in the beginning…but he’s a good man. A really good man.”
Cleo dropped her gaze and stared at her glass.
“His dad said something on the phone…like Derek was more like the person he used to be.”
Cleo lifted her gaze and looked at me.
“And then I remembered everything you said about how he’s had some difficulties in life…and now I realize he’s just broken. Obviously, he’s been burned pretty bad because he literally trusts no one. He has to be in control over all things. It’s impossible for him to let me do anything for him without putting up a fight. As I say this, I realize why he hates me so much. Because I’m taking all the control away from him, which is literally the hardest thing in the world for him to do.” As if I just changed the lenses in my glasses, his image was much crisper in my mind. I could see details I didn’t notice before. I could see further past the eyes and penetrate a soul that was locked inside a black box.
She dropped her hand and straightened, clearing her throat before she spoke. “You’re right on the money, Emerson. Except for one part.”
“What?”
“He doesn’t hate you.”
Sixteen
Derek
“Whoa, stop.” I looked at Pierre’s computer before I reached over and turned off the simulator. “I see the problem.” I went to the whiteboard and grabbed a pen. It was dried out. I grabbed another. Then another. We were always in such a hurry that we didn’t click the caps back into place or didn’t bother to put them on at all.
“Here.” Emerson appeared at my side, coming from nowhere, and handed me a fresh marker.
I didn’t even know she was here.
She grabbed the dry markers and replaced them with a new batch.
“What are you doing here?” I blurted.
“I brought you guys lunch. Also, I picked up some supplies for your office and a couple things for out here.”
I was still confused. “But, how did you get here and—”
“I worked it out with Ronnie. And yes, Diane is already gone for the day, and the place is locked up tight.” She grabbed the platter of sandwiches and placed it on the table. There were also sides of fresh fruit and bags of chips, along with some bottled water. “Take a break and eat.” She gave me a smile before she turned away and headed back to my office. My office had glass doors so I could see what was going on in the lab, and that was when I noticed the ID that hung around her neck. She must have picked it up at the front desk.
“That was nice of her.” Pierre came to the table and grabbed a croissant sandwich along with some fruit and potato chips. He stood at the table and took a bite as he watched her move around my office.
Jerome came next, helping himself to the platter. “Damn, these are good sandwiches too.”
I continued to watch her, still stunned she was there, and then I helped myself to the food. Now that I looked at it, my stomach growled, and I realized I was starving. Sometimes my mind worked so hard that I ignored my bodily needs and completely put them out of my mind.
Pierre turned to me. “Anything going on with her?”
I shrugged. “She hasn’t pissed me off so far, at least not egregiously.”
“I mean, physically.” He took another bite.
I turned to him, my eyebrow raised at the personal question. “Excuse me?”
“Okay, I should have phrased that better.” Pierre chewed quickly so he could keep talking. “Is she up for grabs?”
“What?” I said, caught off guard by the language he’d used since he never talked that way around me.
Jerome interjected. “He wants to know if he can ask her out. Are you involved?”
“Ohh…” He could have worded that better. “No. But leave her alone.”
“You want to be involved, then?” Pierre asked.